Eiji Takaoka

"The Dazzling Adventurer! Bouken Silver!"

- Bouken Silver's roll call

Eiji Takaoka (高丘 映士) is the Dazzling Adventurer Bouken Silver (眩き冒険者ボウケンシルバー) of the Boukengers. He is a descendant of the Takaoka Clan, those most likely responsible for having sealed the Ashu Tribe. He debuts in Task 17, as a monk-like warrior with a strange power in pursuit of the Ashu Tribe.

Boukenger
Aloof and somewhat arrogant, to Eiji, the world's Precious are of little value to him; all that concerns him is the Ashu Tribe. And it is this attitude that tends to rub others the wrong way, especially Masumi. Furthermore, Eiji's father Kando had history with the Ashu and was slain by Gai, which is the source of Eiji's aggression, as well as the fact his own mother Kei was an Ashu as well, making Eiji a hanyō who believed his birth was an excuse to continue the Ashu bloodline.

Eiji at first wielded Kando's shakujo. It allowed him to perform the "Takaoka-Style: Ashu Soul Destruction," which was effective on normal Ashu. But Gai, now a Quester (as is Rei), broke the shakujo with his hip and gunned the ornament into oblivion. As a result, Eiji's Ashu lineage surfaced and nearly overtook him until SGS created the SagaSniper for him along with a GoGo Changer allowing him to transform into Bouken Silver.

Because his Accel Suit is connected to the new Neo-Parallel Engines, he is not affected by the Gordom Engine. Akashi told Eiji that the SagaSniper had the same power as his shakujo, but this was eventually revealed as a lie, since Satoru knew that Eiji's heart fought against and could control his Ashu side under his own power.

When offered to be the Boukengers comrades he initially agreed, but when he remembered his father Kando he hesitated and ran away. After talking with Natsuki and seeing his mother's tear, he realized his place in the world and joined the Boukengers officially, joining the SGS Rescue division, receiving his silver jacket.

His rivals are the Ashu Tribe & the Questers, specifically Gai. When Ouga was awakened, Eiji attempted to perform the Ashu Soul Destruction on Ouga, but his soul was dragged by the Ashu into the limbo between worlds. But Eiji managed to defeat Ouga there and managed to return to his body and help the others fight the Questers. In the end, Eiji finally defeated Gai as he had vowed to and later setting up grave markers for him and Rei as a sign of respect.

During Boukenger vs. Super Sentai, to help his comrades, Eiji gave the Spirit of Hope to AkaRed to power up DaiVoyager to its Burning Legend form. When Masumi took leave, Eiji filled his spot during mecha formations.

In task 48, Eiji is reunited with his mother Kei once more in the house where he grew up in, and she helps Eiji discover what his personal treasure is, which is to have his own adventure.

In Task 49, after the final battle with Gajah, Eiji spends the majority of his time in rescue work in SGS Rescue, assisting the Boukengers on the side until a new BoukenRed and BoukenPink are recruited.

Gekiranger vs. Boukenger
To be added

Gokaiger
A few years later, Eiji fought alongside not only his own team, but every single Sentai ranger in existence, against the Empire of Zangyack when it attacked the Earth in the Great Legend War. After fighting against hundreds of Gormin and their Zgormin commanders. AkaRenger noticed the fleet moving towards them, he gathered all the Rangers together and gave them the order to sacrifice their powers to wipe out the first invasion's armada.

After the Zangyack Empire was defeated by the Gokaigers, Marvelous returned the Ranger Keys to their original owners, which resulted in Eiji and his comrades regaining their powers.

Akibaranger
Kozukozu Mita cosplays as Eiji in the ninth episode of Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger: Season Two.

Bouken Silver appeared with his team, as part of the six official Sentai, transforming into their Ludicrous Power which combined with the others to form the Ludicrous Cannon Bazooka, which the Akibarangers used to destroy Kameari Alpaca.

Ranger Key
The Bouken Silver Ranger Key (ボウケンシルバーキー) is Eiji Takaoka's personal Ranger Key and what became of his powers after he along with the rest of the 34 Super Sentai sacrificed their powers to end the Great Legend War.

This key, along with the other fourteen sixth ranger keys and the ten extra hero keys, were initally acquired by Basco ta Jolokia and later used by the Gokaigers. Like all of his Ranger Keys, Basco used his trumpet, the Rapparatta, to turn the Bouken Silver key into a puppet to do his bidding. The copy Bouken Silver was one of the remaining ten sixth rangers after the Gokaigers defeated the first five, with Basco using these ten to ambush the Gokaigers and take all of them hostage bar Marvelous. When Marvelous rescued them, they defeated all 10 puppets and claimed the Ranger Keys.

A short while after, the first fourteen Sixth Ranger Reys, along with all the Ranger Keys of the first 33 Super Sentai, were briefly taken by the Black Cross King and turned into Ranger puppets that were fought by the Gokaigers and the Goseigers. The Bouken Silver key was among ten of these Sixth Ranger Keys who fought, and were defeated by, Gosei Knight.

While in the possession of the Gokaigers, the Bouken Silver Ranger Key was mainly used by Gai Ikari (Gokai Silver), who used it to fight as Bouken Silver. It was also used by Captain Marvelous (Gokai Red) on one occasion.
 * Marvelous became Bouken Silver as part of an all-silver Gokai Change in the Gokaigers' fight with Action Commander Osogain.
 * When the Gokaigers became the Boukengers in their battle with the revived King Ryuuwon.
 * To analyze a person turned into a chestnut.

After Zangyack were finally defeated, the Gokaigers gave the Ranger Keys back to their rightful owners. It is presumed that Eiji received his key and became Bouken Silver once more.

Portrayal
Eiji Takaoka is portrayed by Masayuki Deai (出合 正幸), who later played Ken Ashihara/Trigger Dopant in Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate, Kamen Rider W Returns: Kamen Rider Eternal, and Tessai in Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger. As Bouken Silver, his suit actor was Hideaki Kusaka (日下 秀昭).

Etymology

 * "Takaoka" (高丘) is from the surname of Japanese imperial family member and Buddhist Takaoka Shin'ou (高丘親王). He left for India to try to find Nirvana after resigning the title of Crown Prince. However, he went missing while sailing.
 * "Eiji" (映士) is pronounced like the chemical symbol for silver:Ag. The first character of his name, "ei" (映), means "reflection", comparable to a silver mirror.

Dub names

 * In the Korean dub of Boukenger entitled Power Rangers Treasure Force, which aired in South Korea, Eiji is renamed Jackie.