Toku 101 : Go-Busters - Evil Megazords & French Speaking Villains

 Known in my comic book circles as Frankie Rodriguez, I am aptly known on the internet as Seraph. and What am I starting out with here ... why Japanese Power Rangers! OF COURSE!!

  In all seriously, as the main host of Morphin Bracers (tokusatsu news show), I learn all sorts of stuff about tokusatsu. I love Power Rangers. I love Super Sentai; which Power Rangers derived from. I love Kamen Rider, some Ultraman and other tokusatsu like Gransazer, Garo and more.

  Now, the current super sentai, Tokumei Sentai Go Busters (aka Special Forces Task Force Go Busters), has been on for several months now. Since that time, we were introduced to our future ...  present ....*shrugs*

   There is a new energy source called Enertron . .. I know, I know, Transformers anyone! And Enertron has replaced gas as one of the main sources of energy on Earth. And an organization from another dimension called Vaglass wants it. Vaglass, lead by the mysterious Messiah (who looks like something from Tron), sends out is general, the evil French speaking villain Enter, to gather Enertron so he can summon both Metaroids (evil human sized robots) and Megazords (giant robots modified to match their Metaroid counterpart). I am not kidding. They are called Megazords. Yep. They took the name from Power Rangers. But considering that the suits, vehicles and even at times, storylines are taken from Super Sentai, I think Super Sentai has the right to use the name. The Megazords attack by classes: Alpha, Beta, Gamma ... and the recently revealed Delta.

  Meanwhile, we have your heroes ... Go Busters. As part of a full organization, The Go Busters stop Vaglass and all their attacks while plotting to one day end Messiah. Now, what is special about the Go Busters is that they all have civilian powers. How they get those powers are explained in Episode 2. But along with their civilian powers, they each have Buddyroids. 3 out of the 4 Buddyroids are used as main steering consoles for their mecha, the Buster Machines. Let's go down all 5 current Go Busters:

Red Buster - Hiromu   Age: 20
Buddyroid: Nick 
   Red Buster is very outspoken at times. He's blunt. And while you would think his origin would make him emo, it doesn't. It makes him determined to fight Vaglass. He pushes himself hard cause he promises to get everyone back who was teleported to hyperspace 13 years ago. Nick is more kind hearted, looking after Hiromu when he's a bit harsh but ... for a robot that transforms into a motorcycle, he has a BAD sense of direction.


Blue Buster - Ryuuji   Age: 28
Buddyroid: Gorusaki 
   Blue Buster is technically the oldest (explain later) and his the fatherly/big brother figure to both Hiromu and Yoko (Yellow Buster). He had dreams of being an engineer till his sempai (mentor) was one of the people transported when Messiah first appeared 13 years ago. Now, he seemingly shares leadership with Red Buster and fights Vaglass. Gorusaki is probably the kindest of the Buddyroids. He does his best to be close with Ryuuji as well as is often sensitive at times. Yet, he is fiercely loyal.


Yellow Buster - Yoko  Age: 16
 Buddyroid: Usada
   Yellow Buster is the youngest of the team and at times, she's a bit bratty. Yet, she is skillfully trained. She has a deep respect for Ryuuji while having an almost brother/sister relationship with Hiromu. She fights hard and can act very mature for a girl her age. Usada is ... well, a smart ass at times who loves Yoko. But the two are prone to argue. Usada loves to chime in his thoughts, even when not wanted but still, overall, really does love Yoko.

Beet Buster - Jin  Age: 27 (40)
Buddyroid: look at Stag Buster

   Jin is, by far, one of the most manipulative yet brilliant warriors in Sentai history. He is a genius who acts irresponsibly at times. He is very glamorous with his look. And there are times where you can say he acts a bit ... feminine. But he is a fierce warrior. Any agenda he has, he will make sure it is carried out. But he has a style about how he does things. To his suit, his actions .. . to even his mecha, Beet Buster is annoying, fun and downright brilliant.

Stag Buster - Beet J. Stag
He IS a Buddyroid
   Unlike the rest of the Buddyroids, Beet is not a main console. Instead, we have our first, full fledge robot ranger in Sentai history. (Sentai History. DO NOT mention PR Operation Overdrive) He is greedy when it comes to his want for Enertron and he likes to fight. He tries to show off but is stopped by Beet Buster quickly enough. Still, Beet wants to fight to save . ...oh no. That would be telling.


Don't believe me? Here's a taste of Go Busters with Episode 16. It tells you what you need to know, all in one episode.

TSG-BUSTER 16 OT toku-central by Manuel_Delgado_2





Still, there is plenty of more ground to cover with the Go Busters. More on this in part two of my look at Go Busters.

Toku 101: My Top 10 Ranger Defeats

Hello and welcome to another Toku 101! Today's topic is actually not a series, special or movie review it's actually a Top 10. This Top 10 is based around actually Power Ranger Defeats, this is also personally some of my most favorite defeats handed to the Rangers throughout the years. I may end up enraging several or amuse others as I don't think this type of Top 10 has been ever done so far. So sit back and enjoy, this oddly selected and complied Top 10 of Ranger Defeats!

10. Power Rangers Super Samurai: Master Xandred Appears
In the episode of Super Samurai: The Master Returns, Master Xandred himself comes to the human to bring Dayu back to the Sanzu River. Upon his arrival his challenged by the Samurai Rangers, mostly Jayden head of the Shiba Clan. During this battle he quickly desimated the entire team along with proving even Jayden in Super Mode and using the Bullzooka's finishing attack is not challenge for the likes of Xandred, leader of the Nighloks.

This fight made it at the top of this list, only due to the fact Samurai is it's current season and Shinkenger is a great a Sentai. Some other reasonable features, is the fact Xandred barely gets any action in this entire series until practically within the final few remaining episodes. So it's great anytime he gets to actually inflict any kind of personal damage to the Samurai Rangers and the fact he can take anything they decide to dish out at him at any time or any where.

9. Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue: Titanium Ranger's Debut
After the Lightspeed Rangers went after Vypra the day following the Titanium Morpher being stolen, the thief appears before them as the Titanium Ranger. The Rangers are no match for this skilled and over powered new Ranger, who is working for the demons. They're unable to match him, until later on in the episode when they're given their newest weapons the V-Lancers. Only to discover the Titanium Ranger is Dana's Brother and Capt. Mitchell's Son, Ryan.

At Number 9, America Exclusive Ranger's Debut made the countdown for the fact America got 1 up on Japan. As the Titanium Ranger ran right through the Lightspeed Rangers, with nothing more than a not so amazing arsenal of weapons. Somehow we flopped at giving him a cool weapons, yet he had a bad ass fighting style along with a Megazord that was practically able to double as an AI. So in all due respect, beat that Japan! FYI, Aka Red doesn't count!

8. Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: Terra Venture Invasion
In final episodes of Lost Galaxy, the Rangers were stuck in an almost no win situation as Trakeena forced Terra Venture to crash land onto a moon. She then proceeds to wipe out the entire colony, with raids of her forces suicide bombing the entire colony. The Rangers try to repel the attacks with the help of the Stratoforce and Centarus Megazord but they're overcome by bombers and wiped out. Along with that to defend the evacuating people from the colony, the Rangers are forced to use the Astro Megaship on selfdestruct against Trakeena's ship forcing them to scarificing most of their tech and zords to defeat her, including the final battle as Leo too also had to attack her in a suicide fashion.
This made the Top 10 at 8 due for the fact this felt a lot like Countdown to Destruction back in PRiS where the entire Earth was attacked by Astronema and no one cared what stood in her way. Just in this case, Trakeena was willing to murder and exterminate the people rather than enslave them all to serve her. Trakeena had gone so out of her mind she even attacked and killed her own generals, this practically ushered in her own downfall. The fact you'd turn your own forces into suicide bombers just for victory, proves how radical a person is, and how radical Power Rangers was to comeback from the previous season finale.

7. Power Rangers Time Force: Ransik's Last Stand

In the season finale of Time Force, Ransik was forced into the ultimate battle by taking on the entire team. He literally smashes through the Time Force Rangers, including the Red Ranger's Battlizer. Ransik, so too strong for that Jen is forced to pursue him even after he beat the entire out of their Ranger forms. He actually is never defeated by the Rangers, but is defeat by the humanity he didn't know to understand and comprehend until he had almost killed his own daughter. It's at that point he turns himself in to the Time Force, and goes into custody.

I'm ashamed I place this battle at 7, just cause personaly Ransik is one of my all time favorite villains and the fact he never actually was defeated by the Rangers. So for this battle to be 7 in my personal opinion is bad on my own ranking, I believe I put this here for the possible backlash I would've got by how I actually view some of these nostalgic MMPR battles I selected. Just anyways the fact Ransik what I believe the only villain to never actually be deafeated in hand-to-combat by Rangers, when it came to lead villains that actually fought. The fact he had to turn himself in, proves he's one of the better villains ever designed or created as Ranger Exclusive Villains. So he'd actually become a valuable part of the Ranger legacy, along with that no Disney-Era team could defeat him, unless it was like maybe Ninja Storm or Dino Thunder.

6. MMPR: Eclipsing the Megazord
During the epic five part series Green with Evil from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Rita comes up with what at time was her best plan into defeating the Rangers. Rita, had Goldar lure out the Rangers forcing them into a Megazord battle and begun unleashing her strongest warriors. Goldar was the first, followed by Scorpina and finally the Green Ranger himself as a solar eclipse occured weaking the Megazord as it used solar energy to work. Upon Rita's victory over the Megazord she casted back into the Earth's core.

Personally as I draw closer to the Top 5, it's harder to rank these selected battles and defeats as there's a lot I have to account for. Eclipsing the Megazord is difficult for me to even since I grew up with this battle pretty much, and it was instantly one of my favorite Megazord battles, even thou the Rangers didn't win. As for it being an actual defeat too it's great to almost be in the 5th spot, until I was remind of our next battle on the list...

5. MMPR: Green Ranger Debut
Starting off the Green with Evil series of MMPR, Rita decided to make herself an evil Ranger, a Green Ranger by using the new kid 'Tommy Oliver'. Well anyways in his first battle with the Ranger's he breaks into the Megazord cockpit, kick them out and leads to a ground battle. The Green Ranger, during the battle proceed to steal and use a Blade Blaster to combat the Ranger, only to finish them up with some sort of Dark Hadouken, a generic blast re-used years later by the Psycho Rangers.

This actually didn't make the original cut, as it's one of the first true Ranger defeats to me it didn't feel too great even thou it had a lot of amazing features. Favorably the whole invading the Megazord cockpit, the brutal beatdown of the original five Rangers and that closer. This defeat is a brutal one, but seemed have overtime been outclassed by other evil Rangers having to step up their game and out shine the legend of Tommy Oliver. It seems no matter where you go, you'll always be JDF'ed!

4. Power Rangers Wild Force: Master Org Ravages the Animarium
In the finale the Wild Force Rangers, discover Master Org is fully revived and he's already defeated the Lunar Wolf and Animus in battle. Now Master Org, heads to the Animarium itself to bring it down from heavens and destroy every Power Animal on it. Master Org, just wrecks all the Power Animals that stood in his. Even the Wild Force Megazord an decendant of Animus itself stood no chance. Upon the destruction of the Power Animals the Rangers lost their powers and Master Org brought the Animarium back to earth.

Growing up this battle was one of the most 'horrorifying' battles known, making this come in at number 4. When Master Org managed to wipe out the entire roster of the Power Animals several were quite shocked. I mean seriously we know he's the main villain but he took out 16 Power Animals plus Animus, that's just making yourself a boss. Some people like to joke thou the only reason Master Org won was because the Wild Force Rangers sucked and I highly have to agree with most of those beliefs.

3. Power Rangers in Space: 'Super' Darkonda defeats AstroDeltaMegazord
In mid-season finale/hiatus of PRiS, Episode: Flashes of Darkonda, Andros discovers Darkonda took his sister goes to after him vengeneace. During his search for vengeneace he gets the Mega Voyager activation key cards, leading to a duel in which Darkonda had up his sleeve a Super-potion that was poisoned by Eclipter. Anyways the potion mutated Darkonda making him stronger than the AstroDeltaMegazord, and during the closing minutes of the battle he spawned a hidious squid like thing that join him to combat the Rangers. The episode would end up, endding with Darkonda and his mutant spawn sending the AstroDeltaMegazord crashing the ground and skidding down through the city.

This is my personal favorite of all time for some odd reason, that's why I had to let this one slip into the Top 3 of this Top 10. Anyways as mentioned earlier this was mid-season finale and this left you at a horrible cliffhanger for at the time it was actually listed as the season finale, which for some kids thought it meant Space was over. So by listing this episode as the season finale, it left kids fearing the show was cancelled our a new series was coming sort of like how our Top 2 and 1 sort threw right out at us.

2. MMPR Season 3: Rito Destroys the Thunderzords
Early on, back in the old MMPR days they liked to change to the new sentai stuff during the actual start of the new season instead of like using the finale to help transition. Just for this transition people continue to believe it started in season 2 and concluded in 3. Anyways in the series Ninja Quest, the Rangers are threatened by a complete and utter idiot, whose Rita's brother, Rito Revolto. Rito comes to congraduate his sister's wedding and to defeat the Rangers. Sadly he actually manages to defeat the Rangers practically all by himself with the help of four resurrected monsters. He defeat handed to the Rangers actually doesn't just destroy the Megazords but their connection the Morphin' Grid too.

This defeat managed to be Number 2 for the fact Rito did most of the work and actually never really needed that extra set of stock footage, Zyu2 monsters to back him up. Practically everything in this match was to just push and hype the upcoming change into the Ninja Powers. I honestly got to say this was great but the episodes that would end up following it stood no match. Along with that season 3 was really hazy for me cause I honestly always end up having to rewatch it and Ninja Quest part 1 is like 1 of like 6 episodes I actually like from this season before it transitioned to Alien Rangers.

1. Power Rangers Turbo: Command Center RaidNow we come to the Number 1 spot on the countdown, Divatox attacks the Command Center. After Goldgoyle defeated the Megazords, Divatox discovers the location of the Command Center(IDK How She never knew where it was until now, seriously?!) and has all over her forces raid it. The Rangers successfully hold off the attack for a short time, until the battle actually occurs within the Command Center's Power Chamber. At that point the Rangers were cornered and Elgar came in during the ongoing battle, planting charges all about to have the Command Center be leveled a second time by explosives.

This to some is a lot of people's favorite moment of defeat, one reason is cause a lot of people hate Turbo and the other is well at this time we never really had a battle at the Ranger's base of operations. This was quite an amazing battle, and good outlook on a true destructive defeat hand to them. The fact they were cornered, and over run by Divatox's forces really mad you think, what would've happened if the original Rangers were there to face this challenge?