Tokusatsus have had a place in Brazilian hearts since the 1980s, but Japanese series aren’t limited to just those classics
Brazilians have a very special affection for tokusatsu. Japanese action series were many people’s first contact with oriental productions and these sci-fi adventures opened the door for other oriental titles that arrived here from the 80s onwards.
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But the charm of these series is not just nostalgic. Although there is a lot of nostalgia around, the truth is that most of these series are classics because they are really good — even with the budget and technical restrictions of each era —, just as others are successful in Japan and in the world to date.
That’s why it’s very easy to get lost among so many tokusatsu out there. And if you want to return to the world of heroes who transform or grow gigantic to face a monster that threatens to destroy Tokyo, check out some of the best series to know or miss.
10. Sharivan: new generation
Sharivan, the Guardian of Space is one of the classic tokusatsu that arrived in Brazil in the 90s, being one of the main Metal Heroes of the time. And, in 2014, Toei released a film to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the space cop that not only saves everything that was good about the original series, but improves several aspects for modern audiences.
Sharivan: the next generation is what we can call the definitive version of the hero. More than being the red Jaspion, the feature sets the tone of the story to something a little more adult and that makes everything that much more interesting, even if that fantastical and naïve side is still present.
9. Winspector Special Squadron
Another Metal Hero that came to Brazil in the golden age of tokusatsus was Winspector Special Squadron, which has attracted attention for having a very different proposition from other productions of the genre. Rather than being the space police or a group created to deal with extraterrestrial threats, the team of heroes existed to deal with everyday problems and much more real threats.
The series showed a highly technological Japan that improved the quality of life of the population, but also allowed criminals and terrorist organizations to become much more lethal. Therefore, Winspector Squadron emerges as a way to deal with this new type of threat.
The hero Ryuma Kagawa is a policeman who wears armor and transforms into Fire, being capable of all feats possible. Furthermore, he has the help of two robots, Biker and Highter, to help him in the most varied missions.
8. Jiraiya: The Incredible Ninja
It’s impossible to talk about Japan without falling into the image of the ninja – and it’s clear that the theme would become a theme in a tokusatsu. And, also playing a lot with elements of Japanese culture, Jiraiya: The Incredible Ninja it was a hit in Brazil and continues to be good to this day.
Because it is precisely in this interplay with the country’s traditions and folklore that the series has its strength. The classic idea of the hero who keeps the secrets of his clan mixes with the fantasy of an alien civilization and the result is this warrior in thematic armor who has to fight sorcerers and monsters who want to find this long hidden legendary treasure.
Like this, Jiraiya it becomes a very different tokusatsu because it combines all this familiar touch with a lot of folkloric stuff, but without giving up the exaggerations and craziness that characterize this type of production.
7. Ultraman Mebio
the franchise Ultraman he became one of the great icons of tokusatsu worldwide – and not without reason. And, of the various versions the gummy hero has had over the decades, Ultraman Mebio it’s one of the more interesting ones for a number of reasons.
Launched in 2006, the series was an attempt to revamp the franchise and bring new audiences to the character. And that bet paid off. Without ignoring the chronology and tradition of its predecessors, Mebio features a new Ultra arriving on Earth after 20 years, which coincides with the return of the monsters.
Additionally, the series features a great human cast that works because of the great chemistry between the characters. Like this, Ultraman Mebio it’s not limited to being a series of fights between giant monsters, but also a very charismatic adventure when it tries to be something more down to earth.
6.Kamen Rider Kuga
Kamen Rider is another well-known franchise among Brazilians. The masked biker has taken many forms over the years, but Kamen Rider Kuga it is definitely one of the best ever. Launched in 2000, the series once again featured the hero as a bug, in this case a cockroach, to save the world.
The charm here is in its simplicity. Kuga it’s a nice example of how a tokusatsu manages to work even without big far-fetched propositions in its script, rather just fun adventures and interesting fights against rubber monsters. And that’s what we find when we follow the young Yusuke Godai, who becomes the legendary Kamen Rider after finding a mysterious artifact.
Kamen Rider Kuga is available on First video.
5. Garo: The Golden Knight
For all the variety of themes and clothing, tokusatsu are all very similar in one fundamental respect: they are science fiction adventures for children. So in the early 2000s, Tohokushinsha tried to do something different with garo. The idea was to be the first production of its kind aimed at an adult audience and with more serious themes.
Much of the classic formula remains, such as monsters wanting to rule the world and the very concept of heroes transforming into something superpowered. The difference was in the tone of the stories, which were much more violent, as well as the story itself, which was much darker.
The script showed the world ravaged by horrors, creatures of darkness born of human evil that began to feed on people. To combat this threat, the Makai Knights wear special armor that allows them to slay these monsters, but at the risk of becoming even more dangerous beings.
4. Jiban Steel Police
the success of robocop in the 80s it hit Japan hard, which didn’t take long to create its own version of Policeman of the Future. That’s how you were born Jiban Steel Policeanother classic tokusatsu that made a lot of noise in Brazil.
The funny thing is that the inspiration in the film is not limited to just the images, but the whole story does not negate the influence. Then, we have a police officer who gives his life in the name of justice and then is reborn as the iconic Jiban. The difference is that tokusatsu doesn’t weigh his hand on violence and trades urban chaos for monsters and a horrible organization as villains.
the charm of jiban it is in that portrait of an era that it has become. Not to mention all the gadgets and vehicles he had at his disposal, something that remains interesting to this day.
Jiban Steel Police is available on First video.
3. The amazing Jaspion
A classic among the classics, The fantastic Jaspion it is the best known tokusatsu in Brazil, even by those who have no idea what it is. The story of the Champion of Justice marked a generation and defined what was a “Japanese series” in the public mind, opening the door to the invasion that we have seen in the following years.
The success can be explained both by the fact that he looks very striking, with his chrome armor, and by the fact that his ship’s transformation into the robot Giant Warrior Daileon is always the highlight of the episode. But it cannot be denied that the story involving the prophesied hero and all that mystical and transcendental side mixed with an adventure of heroes and monsters is something that plays with our imagination even today.
The fantastic Jaspion is available on First video.
2. Ultraman
Let’s face it, there’s a ridiculousness that permeates the Ultraman franchise to this day. Of all the tokusatsu, it’s the one that can’t (or won’t) hide the fact that they’re people inside an uncomfortable rubber suit. And that’s what makes it so good.
After all, it’s this estrangement that marks the aesthetic of the genre as a whole so well. And, in this sense, it is impossible not to underline the importance and charisma of the original Ultraman, from 1966. If today we talk about these productions to this day, it is thanks to him.
The first Ultraman is a giant alien from the M78 Nebula who arrives on Earth in the midst of a hunt for a space monster. In the process, he ends up hitting a human pilot’s ship and, in order to save him, incorporates his existence into the boy’s. From that, we have the entire mythology of the Ultra family and this universe of stories against forces from other planets.
1. Black Kamen Rider
Closing our list, a series that was successful when it aired in Brazil in the 90s and remains exceptionally very good to this day. Not surprisingly, there are those who see Kamen Rider Black as the pinnacle of the entire masked biker franchise and also one of the best tokusatsu ever made.
It’s okay that nostalgia makes us suspect to say so, but the hero has the most iconic costume in the entire series and also one of the most compelling storylines. Little is more moving than the story of two separated brothers, even more so when fate reserves them an emblematic clash.
Thus, tokusatsu brings these two brothers who are kidnapped by an evil cult that intends to dominate the world. Only one of them manages to escape and, what’s more, he still transforms into the hero Kamen Rider. With his new abilities, he fights to not only save the planet, but also his lost brother, but it may be too late.
Kamen Rider Black is available on First video.
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Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
