Ep. 45: The Confused Ninja

The Confused Ninja is the first part of a two part tribute to Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, which concludes with Hero Eligibility.

Sypnosis
With the Gokaigers holding 29 of the 35 greater powers, and Basco with 5, the Gokai Galleon crew discovers that the only one left is that of the Ninja Sentai Kakuranger. Remembering Negakure Temple, the crew finds a strange pot containing the Kakurangers' ally Ninjaman who tests them to see if they are worthy of the Kakurangers' greater power.

Plot
The Gokaigers recap all of the Greater Powers they and Basco ta Jolokia have gathered, leaving only the Kakurangers'. Navi's prophecy implies that ninjas that can't be found won't be found. They recall the shrine that Domon had told them to protect- Negakure Shrine, and Joe deduces that it could be where the Kakuranger powers are. Once there, they discover that Ninjaman had been stuck for ten years in a jar, having been put there by his masters as a punishment for his overzealousness. Gai informs him that his curse wasn't broken as the Kauranger lost their powers in the Great Legend War.

While Captain Marvelous is ready to interrogate him about the powers, Ahim, Gai and Don insist they go about it without rubbing him the wrong way- by winning his approval first. Thus the Gokaigers attempt to treat Ninjaman to snacks and a show, and later start telling him about the Ranger Keys, their Gokai Changes, their quest for the Greater Powers, and the battle against Zangyack, as well as the danger that Basco poses, having the ability to simply steal the powers.

Ninjaman, while empathetic to their plight, declines to simply hand over the Kakuranger's Greater Power, and decides he will live aboard the Gokai Galleon to observe if they are ready to have it. While Gai is ecstatic at the thought of being taken under the wing of a legend, the rest of the Gokaigers feel imaptient.

Somewhere else in the city, Tsuruhime watches the Gokai Galleon sail across the air. She is impressed at how they found the hidden Ninjaman. She decides that she no longer needs to leave the Gokaiger to defeat the Zangyack on their own, and that it is up to Ninjaman whether they'll receive the Kakuranger powers, and swooshes away.

Cast

 * Ryota Ozawa as Captain Marvelous (GokaiRed)
 * Yuuki Yamada as Joe Gibken (GokaiBlue)
 * Mao Ichimichi as Luka Millfy (GokaiYellow)
 * Kazuki Shimizu as Don Dogoier (GokaiGreen)
 * Yui Koike as Ahim de Famille (GokaiPink)
 * Jun Ikeda as Gai Ikari (GokaiSilver)
 * Yukari Tamura as Navi (voice)
 * Satomi Hirose as Tsuruhime (Ninja White†)
 * Kazuki Yao as Ninjaman (voice)

Gokai Changes

 * Gokai Changes in The Confused Ninja:
 * GokaiRed - TyrannoRanger (deleted scene), GoseiBlue, GaoRed
 * GokaiBlue - TriceraRanger (deleted scene), ShinkenBlue, Go-On Blue
 * GokaiYellow - TigerRanger (deleted scene), Blue Dolphin, Yellow Lion
 * GokaiGreen - MammothRanger (deleted scene), TimeBlue, ShishiRanger
 * GokaiPink - PteraRanger (deleted scene), MagiBlue, GingaRed
 * GokaiSilver - DragonRanger (deleted scene), AoRanger, GoseiKnight
 * In the all lion motif Gokai Change, Ahim is the only one who does not transform into a Ranger of her own color. This is due to the fact that none of the previous Pink Rangers have a lion motif.
 * Like in the previous episode, when the Gokaigers all transform into Blue Rangers, they change into ones that are the same gender as themselves (Luka and Ahim change into Blue Rangers that were originally female, while Marvelous, Joe, Don, and Gai change into Blue Rangers that were originally male).

Elements/Homages to Kakuranger

 * The title of this episode is similar to the Kakuranger episode "The Hooligan Ninja", the original episode that introduced Ninjaman; the title in Japanese was "Abarenbou Ninja". The title also echos another Kakuranger title: "The Confused Santa" ("Aratenbou Santa"), while ironically this episode is likewise released around the major holiday period in Japan around Christmas and New Year's.
 * When freeing Ninjaman, it is Ahim who breaks him free from the pot, reminiscent of how Tsuruhime, her equivalent in Kakuranger, freed him originally in the series.
 * After Ninjaman is freed, he explained the backstory of his imprisonment in the same way the Narrator talks to the audience.
 * When Tsuruhime appears at the end of the episode they play the opening theme for Kakuranger.

Deleted Scenes

 * During the recap, a Legend Shift is seen during the footage of Satoru Akashi (BoukenRed) despite the fact that the shift didn't occur in The Adventurer Heart.
 * The Gokaiger change into Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger as seen in the TV Asahi website. The Zyuranger (the five core members) and Ninjaman suits were all part of the Kakuranger adaptation for season 3 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Whether or not it is an intentional reference remains to be seen.

Trivia

 * A trailer for the next Sentai, Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters, is shown at the end of this episode.
 * During the recap explanation of all of their encountered legends, Shirou Akebono is mentioned; however in the previous episode, the Gokaiger never knew they actually encountered him and that he was the source of the Battle Fever J Greater Power, thinking it was only a present from "Santa Claus".
 * When Joe Gibken remarks that Ninjaman was a Kakuranger as well, neither Ninjaman nor Gai corrects him. This lends credence to theories that Ninjaman may be an mecha and extra hero turned sixth ranger, like GoseiKnight was.