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Sentai (Japanese: 戦隊), the Japanese word for task force, is most commonly used for classifying the super hero television shows produced by Toei and aired by TV Asahi. The shows are Tokusatsu, featuring live action characters and special effects.
In most of the series, five people gain special powers, wear colored outfits and usually wield giant mobile weapons that can assemble into a giant robot, in order to battle powerful beings from other planets and/or dimensions (often one monster that becomes giant per episode). Sentai series with the giant robot element are specifically known as Super Sentai.
The first Sentai series, Himitsu Sentai Goranger, was created by the late Shotaro Ishinomori in 1975. He left the project after the second series: JAKQ Dengekitai.
The third Sentai series, Battle Fever J (1979), is also the first Super Sentai show. Many others appeared afterwards, including the 1992's Kyōryū Sentai Jū Ranger, which was later Americanized to become the first season of Power Rangers (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), followed by many sequels each of which based on a new Sentai show.
The term sentai is also occasionally used to describe shows with similar premises (e.g. Voltron).
The Series
- 1975 - Himitsu Sentai Goranger (Secret T.F. Goranger) - the first sentai
- 1977 - JAKQ Dengekitai (JAKQ Blitzkrieg Force) - first with four initial members, with the fifth member joining later
- 1979 - Battle Fever J - the first super sentai, first to have a giant robot
- 1980 - Denshi Sentai Denjiman (Electronic T.F. Denjiman)- first to have a transforming giant robot, first to have "goggle" masks (as opposed to visors with small holes drilled in them)
- 1981 - Taiyō Sentai Sun Vulcan (Solar T.F. Sun Vulcan) - first with initial three members in colored uniform, first with all male team, first to have a combining robot
- 1982 - Dai Sentai Goggle Five (Great T.F. Goggle Five)
- 1983 - Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (Science T.F. Dynaman)
- 1984 - Chō Denshi Bioman (Super Electron Bioman) - first to wear spandex, first to have two females
- 1985 - Dengeki Sentai Changeman (Blitzkrieg T.F. Changeman) - first to have a female in white
- 1986 - Chōshinsei Flashman (Supernova Flashman) - first to have a second robot
- 1987 - Hikari Sentai Maskman (Light T.F. Maskman)- first to have a sixth team member (One episode only), first to have a five piece robot
- 1988 - Chōjū Sentai Liveman (Super Beast T.F. Liveman) - first to have a female in blue, first to have two members join later, first to have all the giant robots in the series form into a single powerful robot
- 1989 - Kōsoku Sentai Turbo Ranger (High Speed T.F. Turbo Ranger) - celebrated 10th anniversary (from official)
- 1990 - Chikyū Sentai Fiveman (Earth T.F. Fiveman) - first to have a sibling team
- 1991 - Chōjin Sentai Jetman (Birdman T.F. Jetman)
- 1992 - Kyōryū Sentai Jū Ranger (Dinosaur T.F. Zyu Ranger) - first to have an American series based on it, first to have a regular sixth team member
- 1993 - Gosei Sentai Dai Ranger (Five Star T.F. Dai Ranger)
- 1994 - Ninja Sentai Kaku Ranger (Ninja T.F. Kaku Ranger) - first to have a female leader
- 1995 - Chōriki Sentai Oh Ranger (Super Power T.F. Oh Ranger)
- 1996 - Gekisō Sentai Car Ranger (Extreme Racing T.F. Car Ranger)
- 1997 - Denji Sentai Mega Ranger (Electromagnetic T.F. Mega Ranger)
- 1998 - Seijū Sentai Gingaman (Star Beast T.F. Gingaman)
- 1999 - Kyūkyū Sentai Go-Go V (Rescue T.F. Go-Go Five)
- 2000 - Mirai Sentai Time Ranger (Future T.F. Time Ranger)- first series to use the word Zord a Power Ranger Term. First to have the six team members costume color the same as a regular team member (Red).
- 2001 - Hyaku Jū Sentai Gao Ranger (Hundred Beast T.F. Gao Ranger) - celebrated the 25th anniversary
- 2002 - Ninpū Sentai Hurricanger (Ninja Art T.F. Hurricanger)
- 2003 - Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger (Blast Dinosaur T.F. Abaranger)
- 2004 - Tokusō Sentai Deka Ranger (Special Investigation T.F. Deka Ranger) - first to have a regular seventh team member
- 2005 - Mahou Sentai Magiranger (Witchcraft T.F. Magiranger)
The sentai concept is also partially used in the Sailor Moon franchise.
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