Mecha and Giant Robo Cockpits

In Super Sentai, a cockpit acts as the control center for mecha and giant robos. Every Super Sentai series since Battle Fever J has featured at least one cockpit; as well as the Sentai vehicles in series prior to BFJ, with both Gorenger and J.A.K.Q. having cockpits for Variblune, Varidorin and Sky Ace respectively. A notable similarity is with Goggle V, where two members actually control Goggle Caesae, the team carrier, and do not control any mecha parts. Many feature multiple cockpits over the course of the series, both for individual mecha and for giant robos. Usually, only members of the Super Sentai team enter the cockpits, though, on occasion, other individuals have been known to enter the cockpit for one reason or another.

Most cockpits are technology-based and feature control panels that operate the mecha or giant robo. In the case of the Boukenger, they carry a special atache case with the controllers that must be inserted to allow for them to use any mechs they enter, including the robot form. Some cockpits, such as the Zyuranger cockpit, require another item to be inserted into the cockpit before the mecha can be turned into a giant robo (in this case, the DynoCrystals). Some cockpits, such as that of the Gekirangers, feature no technology and, instead, are operated by the movements of the ranger. The Dairanger cockpits were operated using ki energy.

Most giant robos (the combined form of individual mechas) featured a separate cockpit where all the rangers operating the robo could sit together. This has not always been the case, however. All mecha from Sun Vulcan (the first multi-mecha combination) through Changeman do not feature separate giant robo cockpits but, instead, show a split screen of the individual mecha cockpits when fighting in giant robo mode; this is likewise similar with Kakuranger, Gingaman, Hurricaneger, Dekaranger, some Go-onger robos, Go-Busters, and Kyuranger.

Sixth rangers do not always sit in the control center of a giant robo. In Zyuranger, Burai does not normally sit in Gouryuujin, Zyutei Daizyujin, or Ultimate Daizyujin as there is not a sixth seat in the cockpit for him (although he does once appear in the cockpit standing behind the core five rangers). Similarly, Kou of Dairanger and Naoto Takizawa of Timeranger do not appear in the giant robo cockpit when their mechas are combined with the mechas of the core five rangers.

Some mecha do not have cockpits at all, or have cockpits that are rarely used. In Zyuranger, Dragon Caesar can be operated remotely by Burai (and, later, Geki) using the Zyusouken. As a result, Dragon Caesar's cockpit is only seen once. In Timeranger, Naoto Takizawa is able to control the V-Rex remotely using the V Commander; as a result, a cockpit is never shown for the V-Rex. In Gingaman, Black Knight BullBlack (and, later, Hyuuga) grows large and combines with GouTaurus to form the BullTaurus mecha; as a result, there is never a cockpit shown as there would be no one to operate it. Similarly, in Magiranger, the rangers themselves transform into their mecha forms using spells and do not feature a cockpit in mecha form; however create an erethral cockpit when in combination formations like MagiKing and MagiLegend.

In seasons with villainous mecha (such as the Kongs of Goggle-V, the Neo-Mecha Gigan of Bioman or the Heavy Industrial Machines of Dekaranger), a similar cockpit is utilized by the villain or monster using the mecha.