Rise of the Dark Rider: Episode Black

Dark Rider has taken over the show but he soon discovers something and someone he has to CLASH with.

Toku 101: Samurai × Shinkenger III

Hello and welcome to another edition of Toku 101 with me your columnist, Wheelchair21. On today's Toku 101, we'll be continuing on the topic of Samurai × Shinkenger III. Where I'll layout the summaries of episode 11 - 14 of Power Rangers Samurai then compair it to Shinkenger. Many of you who wish to read this will then either agree or disagree on my opinions compairing the two and on how I view them. So please turn away if you wish to spare yourselves now!

Episode 11: Unexpected Arrival
Returning after what seemed to be a false detection of a Nighlok attack on the Gap Sensor, the Rangers find an arrow with a note on it that says "See You Soon." With Jayden sensing something from before within the house, it starts to haunt him. Deciding to investigate the Gap Sensor, the team encounter a fish-seller whose hand writing matches the note. After the seller gives them the slip, Kevin and Mia go to find Jayden while Mike and Emily track down the fish seller. Kevin and Mia find Jayden confronting the Nighlok named Vulpes who is spying on Jayden to find out the Shiba sealing character. With his mirror medium destroyed, the Nighlok overwhelms the 3 with his magic as Mike and Emily arrive with the fish seller following. But even all 5 Rangers are no match for the Nighlok as they revert to normal. The fish seller arrives to their aid, transforming into the Gold Samurai Ranger. After taking out the Moogers in blinding speed, the Gold Ranger battles the Nighlok and destroys him. When the Nighlok revives, he overpowers the Battlewing Megazord until the Gold Ranger enters the fight in the Octozord to weaken the Nighlok so the Battlewing Megazord can land the deathblow. After the fight, Jayden reveals he already knows the fish seller as his childhood friend Antonio.

Episode 12: Room for One More
As Antonio heads to the samurai mansion, the others listen to Jayden and Mentor talk of young Antonio-- How Jayden gave him the Octozord, how Jayden threatened to quit his training if Ji tried to take back the Octozord, etc.-- Antonio makes an entrance, fancy, then gets embarrassed when his fish hook rips his pants. Antonio explains that after moving away when he was a kid, he trained himself to be a samurai and built his Samurai-Morpher from a trashed cellphone to communicate with Octozord through text-- because the Zords understand the Rangers who were born into the Samurai heritage. Ji, feeling that Antonio lacks discipline and true samurai training confiscates Antonio's morpher, which he later doesn't react too well to. Jayden agrees with Mentor despite Antonio begging Jayden with memories of childhood friendship. As the Rangers fight the Nighlok Steeleto (who vows to avenge Vulpes), they're powerless to destroy it. Steeleto retreats when he starts to dry up and the team start to consider bringing Antonio along. Antonio, down at the fishing pier, angrily talks with Octozord about regretting meeting the Rangers. Mike and Emily go to ask him to join and go to the mansion. There, Jayden is convinced to give Antonio back his morpher just in time for the next attack by Steeleto. When the Rangers arrive, Antonio struggling to get in to a heroic position, they begin fighting and Steeleto is overpowered when Jayden and Antonio tag-team it. Once Steeleto mega-sizes, Antonio combines the Octozord with the Samurai Megazord and defeats Steeleto. To celebrate, Antonio cooks fish barbecue and everyone appreciates Antonio's membership.

Episode 13: The Blue and the Gold
Ji and Antonio announce that Antonio is fixing the Claw Zord that was damaged in battle long ago and Ji hid it. Kevin doesn't fully accept Antonio as a "true Samurai" and thinks he's just goofing around. The monster of the day steals kids' toys to make them cry and Octoroo trying to find another way to open the Sanzu River through a well. Bulk and Spike are sleeping and their toy panda is stolen and all that is left is slime. Dayu visits Deker outside the Sanzu River but around it, he's still injured. Dayu wonders if Deker really does remember anything from his past. Antonio follows Kevin's morning routine to learn what makes him a true samurai. The two end up in the forest finding Octoroo but their morpher signals are blocked. Antonio and Kevin eventually overcome their differences and fight together to defeat the Nighloks.

Episode 14: Team Spirit
While the Rangers, minus Emily are decorating for Emily's birthday, Splitface a Nighlok, who steals spirits, attacks the city. Splitface, easily takes down Mike, Antonio, Mia, Jayden, Kevin, and Emily. The Nighlok then takes Emily's spirit, putting her in a sleep. Splitface mocks the Rangers, telling them they only have twenty-four hours to defeat him, or Emily and the other people, who he stole spirits from will be asleep forever. Splitface then tells them he is leaving and never returning. While back in the Shiba house, Emily wakes up and tells the other Rangers she is sorry for letting him get her and she feels empty before falling asleep once more. Mike goes crazy and goes back where they fought Splitface, calling him a coward and demanding he comes out to fight. Deker suddenly appears and tells the Rangers the only way to get to the Netherworld is to betray their human life and become Nighloks. Just as they are going to give themselves up, Antonio appears saying he knows how to save Emily and everyone else. The Rangers use their symbol power to activate the Claw Zord, and summon the Nighlok. Splitface can't use his special power, Body Swarm, for Antonio marked him. Antonio uses the Claw Zord, with the help of the Battle Wing to defeat Splitface and return the spirits. Later the Rangers celebrate Emily's birthday, as well as the Claw Zord's.

Now it's time for us to once again have Samurai × Shinkenger, where they'll clash for supremacy. Anyways let's get this show on the road!

Power Rangers Samurai's Antonio is the american verison of Genta, who is less annoying in general but has an addiction to always be talking about his Ranger Color. Antonio practically tells the world he's Samurai Gold, by his ongoing spurts of saying "It's Golden!" and etc. Another difference between Antonio and Genta is the fact Antonio is an actual fisherman who sells his fish, while Genta is just a plain sushi seller with a sushi cart. I also like to add in the fact, that Antonio also seems to at least be a better cook too since Genta sells sushi which is raw fish. So I mean, at least you're getting your money's worth!! One of their common similarities is the fact they shared the same backstory; just Genta's verison lead to alot of Yaoi Fan-Fics, and they are hated by their respected Blue Rangers. Now when I'm asked which one is better I usually side with Antonio, since his characterists are a lot better and the character's represention is as a man proving his worth to the team by fixing the zords and such. Just when we get to Super Samurai, I go back to Genta as Antino's involvement varies more pending on how the episodes are editted and re-written to be centered around the main five later on.

As for the episode plots in general, they're barely changed and altered as they're episodes to mostly introduce the Gold Ranger. Now in the Samurai line-up we did skip Shinkenger episodes, but they were all mostly filler leading up to these important character developing episodes. Just in America this is viewed as very rushed since they had just recieved the new Megazord form in the previous episode to Antonio's debut so it was questionable for the removal of 4 to 6 episodes. Luckily for Saban, it did work out as I and fans were enjoying this rushed rewrite. Espcially to how Antonio's invovlement seemed to prove a little better and more useful in my opinion. Some changes that did quickly occur was Antonio's Samuraizer wasn't the SushiChanger, he didn't create the Clawzord, and his Mega Mode helmet was the same as his normal one; All were justifable changes too, in my honest opinion.

Now while the Gold Ranger story didn't change too much, neither did the Gedoushu/Nighlok story change either. The only new features added was more hints of Dayu and Deker were once in an actual relationship, which wasn't in Shinkenger originally. Ironically thou I've continued to think this was Saban's way of getting to the Shinkenger fans, to be more pleased with the actual adaptation, rather than hating it. Yet as Samurai continued to succeed and gathering its fandom, people really still didn't care to watch it too much. Antonio became everyone's favorite, pulling a JDF, Emily and Mia were still only eye candy and people still want to destroy either Jayden or Kevin. I mean seriously Jayden's last name is Shiba, he sounds like a Weeaboo! And don't get me started on Kevin, again. Anyways during the rest of the season mostly all eyes would remain on mostly Antonio and the new plot changes Saban's team threw in to edit the story to fit their needs. As for now this has been Toku 101: Samurai × Shinkenger III and we'll see you next time!

Summaries were provide by Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Power_Rangers_Samurai_episodes
Images provided by:
http://www.nick.com/
http://www.supersentai.com/

Toku 101: Samurai × Shinkenger

Hello and welcome to a new segment here on the Broken Infinite! I'm your columnist Wheelchair21, the Kamen Roller coming at you with my very first Toku 101. Toku 101 will feature either episode summaries and reviews of popular Tokusatsu series or comparisons between the original series and its adaptations or character analysis. In this segment today we're going to cover Power Rangers Samurai episodes 1 - 4, along with compairing it to its origins as Shinkenger.

PRS Ep. 1: The Team Unites
The Samurai Rangers are seen training, but Mike can't seem to sense Jayden or Kevin's attacks. Mike soon leaves practice to hang out with his friends, telling them of his struggles. However, the city is attacked by the Nighlok Rofer, sent by Xandred to raise the Sanzu River's water levels with human fear. Even in his Ranger form, Mike is no match for Rofer as the others arrive as the monster falls back to rehydrate. Jayden explains to Mike that being a Samurai Ranger is the ultimate sacrifice and must stay away from his friends and family to protect them. After giving it thought, Mike gets an idea and starts to train himself as Jayden undergoes his own training. The next day, when Rofer resumes his attack, Mike once again takes on the Nighlok on his own, tricking him into tangling up his arms. Mike then executes the finishing move. When Nighlok is revived and enlarged, despite Mike's intent to finish him off himself, the Rangers form their Megazord and use Jayden's training to finish the monster off.

PRS Ep. 2: Deal with a Nighlok
After confronting the Nighlok Doubletone, the Rangers search for the young boy whom the monster was talking to, a little leaguer named Ryan. Kevin and Mia find the boy, only for the boy to refused to answer them as he runs off. Following him to his home to learn whatever secret he has, the two get into a discussion of Kevin's personal regret of his life-long dream that he has been keeping to himself before Mia assures him he'll live his dream once Xandred is defeated. After an all-night stake out, Kevin and Mia find Ryan on the move as he suddenly disposes of his baseball stuff and calls Doubletone as he performs his end of the promise, hurting himself so he cannot play baseball in order to get his father back. However, as the garbage truck arrives to take out the trash, Doubletone revealed it to be a lie as part of his plan to make the boy cry to overflow the Sanzu River. Vowing to make the Nighlok pay, Kevin and Mia fight him as the others arrive, defeating Doubletone as he revives into a giant before Samurai Megazord destroys him. Later, the Rangers attend Ryan's game after the boy learns the garbage man saved his stuff and gave it to his coach, with Jayden using his Symbol Power to ease Ryan.

PRS Ep. 3: Day Off
While the other spend their leisure time at the Rainbow's End amusement park, Jayden remains behind to master the use of the Beetle Disk as the rest of the team encounter the Nighlok Dreadhead. whose flexible body and marksmanship overpower them. Even with the Red Ranger's arrival, the team are no match for Dreadhead before he falls back when he begins to dry up. After revealing the Beetle Disc to the others, Jayden resumes training into the night, nearly destroying himself in the process. The next day, a rehydrated Dreadhead resumes his attack with the other Rangers arriving to fight him as Jayden arrives and succeeds to using the Beetle Disc to have his Fire Smasher assume Cannon Blast Mode in order to destroy Dreadhead. When Dreadhead resurrects into a giant, he overwhelms Samurai Megazord until Jayden uses the Beetle Disc to summon the Beetle Zord. To counter the summoned giant Moogers, the Beetle Blaster Megazord is formed to take them out before destroying Dreadhead. After the fight, Jayden joins the others at the amusement park.

PRS Ep 4. Sticks & Stones
During battle training, Emily accidentally injures Mike in the arm, Emily's attempts to care for his arm making a mess of everything. The Nighlok Negatron appears and subjects his victims to insults that hurt their feelings so deeply that the verbal abuse actually becomes a physical assault. Confronting him all the Rangers are struck down by Negatron's attacks save for Emily who is unaffected as the Nighlok is forced to retreat. When her teammates wonder about her immunity to Negatron's attacks, Emily tells them how her sister Serena taught her to ignore insults and how you need to keep thinking that the person never even said it. When Negatron resumes his attack, Emily succeeds in weakening him with Mike's help as Jayden destroys him with the five disc Beetle Cannon. Negatron revives as a Mega Monster and the Rangers destroy him with the Beetle Blaster Megazord. Later, the Rangers are then seen walking along the sidewalk while Mike carries Emily who lose consciousness at the end of the fight. Mia hears an ice cream truck and Emily, who has been faking unconsciousness for a few minutes at least, pretends to wake up so they can all get ice cream.

Now it's time for Samurai × Shinkenger, where they'll clash for supremacy... Nah, not really just an average comparison between the two and its differences. Anyways let's get this show on the road!

Power Rangers Samurai starts off weird, since it was airred out of chronological order. It's first two episodes called Origins airred later so we get this rushed and off beat introduction to the cast in 'The Team Unites', unlike in Shinkenger. Eventually thou as these episodes progress we get to know our characters a little bit better. Mike the Green Ranger, is the Wild Child who plays video games and questions alot of thing similar to Chiaki; Mia the Pink Ranger is really caring for the team while being a horrible cook much like Mako and Emily is the last minute replacement for her sick sister who doubts herself much like Kotoha. While Kevin the Blue Ranger, is much more serious, less used for comedic scenes at this point in the series and was a former competitive swimmer unlike Ryunosuke. Along with that Jayden is just an 'Arian' Takeru Shiba, getting barely any character for the first few episodes.

As for the plot of the episodes, very little is changed or adapted. Alot of the Japanese story and footage is left intact while adjusted for American audiances and children. Stuff that was alter is names of the Gedoushu, Doukoku addiction to saké is referenced as Xandred's medicine, scenes where Nanashi/Mooger are killing civilains and the Rangers' Arsenal. Since in America, things can't be overly violent and such it's understandable to remove the monsters killing people along with adjust Doukoku/Xandred's addiction to saké to medicine. As for the Nanashi/Mooger, attack scenes they're somewhat noticible as due to the horrible American edits most noticible in episode 1 and 3. Luckily the reasons thou why the Nighlok attack the World of Living remains along with their realm, the 'Sanzu River'.

The Rangers' Arsenal they really hashed the names to mostly the translations. Using the term Kanji felt too Japanese so they use 'Symbol Power', Origami Mode for the Zords are called 'Emblem Mode' and the Rekka DaiZanto is literally called what it means 'Fire Smasher'. For the other Rangers their weapons went under small name changes like Heaven Fan to Sky Fan, Water Arrow to Hydro Bow, Wood Spear to Forest Spear, and Earth Slicer to Land Slicer. As for the Megazord all the zords are the same, they even use the final combination phrase "We are United!" upon the end of the formation.

Just while in the Megazord the Samurai Rangers have a new form called Mega Mode, which is a cool cross between anime and battlizer-like design. Along with that the cockpit is completely different too, while still sort of using the same mechanic to pilot the zords as the Spin Sword evolve into the Mega Blade for the use of piloting. The only difference is the sword becomes collaspable, and used very joystick-like as if they were piloting fighter jets. Where in Shinkenger the cockpit was very colorful, the suits stayed the same and was honestly nothing was altered for them to just pilot their mechas.

Upon watching these first four episodes, Samurai seems very rushed and corny for the fact it's made for kids, rather than being serious and plot driven like Shinkenger. The mannerisms of the monster are very corny too much to like the original Saban monsters, back in MMPR to PRiS. These monster don't take the job seriously or pretty much seem intelligent as there were depicted in Shinkenger. Along with that since this is/was Saban's first PR series since Wild Force it explains why he went back to basics for the villains, along with keeping to most of the original Sentai Storyline. Overall these first four aren't amazingly special, or glamourious as people seen them as in Shinkenger. Heck some people actually tend to had forgotten some of the early monsters by the time Samurai even began to air. So to have had many people automatically hating the series upon these first couple of episodes was uncalled for since its understandable Saban wouldn't be 100% at the start. I for one was just happy, to have a real Power Ranger series back on that had Saban branded all over it, the return of Paul Schrier as 'Bulk', the re-use/remix of the MMPR Theme and to just see Shinkenger footage air on my television on actual American networks. Because having Shinkenger footage air on our television helps brings more people to the Toku-community and opens the doors to several other amazing series like Kamen Rider, Metal Heroes, Ultraman and several others. By having more embrace these types of shows and series, brings more understanding of why people like me or you enjoy them. So until then, keep an eye out for the next, TOKU 101!!

Summaries were provide by Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Power_Rangers_Samurai_episodes
Images provided by:
http://www.powerrangers.com/seasons-samurai.html
http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/shinken/contents/news/0028/
http://www.rangerboard.com/