This article is about a ranger in Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger. |
- "I am Ninja of Ninja! The green light bullet! Sky Ninja Shurikenger (arrives!/Fire Mode)!"
- ―Shurikenger's roll call[src]
Sky Ninja Shurikenger (天空忍者シュリケンジャー Tenkū Ninja Shurikenjā) is the mysterious member of the Hurricanegers. He is the Ninja of 20 Faces and representative of the Space Union Ninja School.
Biography
Hurricaneger
He was formerly known as Asuka Kagura (神楽 飛鳥 Kagura Asuka), a star pupil of Hayate Way who had the talent to become a Hurricaneger, but he mysteriously vanished, branded a Nukenin (抜け忍, Runaway Ninja) as a result. However, it would turn out he encountered Lady Gozen, whom he devoted himself to as her personal fighter at the cost of renouncing his name and face, forced to remain in his costumed form permanently.
A somewhat comical figure, Shurikenger often used broken English phrases, including the famous "I am Ninja of Ninja!", and also often poorly mixed both Japanese and English into his sentences. At first, he would often disguise himself as a 'regular' person (even the other ninja wouldn't know who), however, he would revert to his true form with the Shuriken Ball device when confronted by a Universal Ninja Group Jakanja ninja.
He has the ability to transform through the command "Face Change!" into Shurikenger Fire Mode (シュリケンジャー ファイヤーモード Shurikenjā Faiyā Mōdo), a quicker and deeper voiced version of himself when the top of his helmet is rotated as he removes his main chest armor, which is a weight-inhibitor and once removed from his body, Shurikenger's strength, and speed increase.
Though he came to believe that a true ninja must follow orders, he defied Gozen by saving the other ninja, whom he began to see as his friends. Taking Gozen's death hard, Shurikenger proceeded to train the ninja while remaining as unfeeling as possible.
But once mortally wounded while fighting Seventh Spear, Sandaaru, Shurikenger reveals his origins and urges the team to continue fighting from their world, giving them his Shurikenball so they would follow the tracking device he planted on Sandaaru to make their way to the Centipede while he presumably died in Tenkuujin as it destroyed Sixth Spear, Satarakura in a kamikaze attack. TV STORY-Scroll 49: Mission and the Heavenly Ninja
However, after the final battle of the series, the Hurricangers enter a restaurant and find that all of the patrons are Shurikenger's past disguises. When they begin to ask them all if they are him, one of them yells "Stop" in English. As Shurikenger uses English phrases, they decide it had to be him and chase him, though if they ever caught up with him remains unknown.
Abaranger vs. Hurricaneger
However, Shurikenger survived and aided the Abaranger and Hurricaneger/Gouraiger teams briefly in their fight against JaniIga, stating he's wherever he is needed.
Gokaiger
Legend War
Years later, Shurikenger 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. Since he cannot demorph like most of the other rangers did, it's not known what happened to him after this, though he probably reverted to his original form. TV STORY-Ep. 1: The Space Pirates Appear TV STORY-Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle
Farewell Space Pirates
After the Gokaigers defeated Zangyack, Marvelous returned the Ranger Keys to their original owners, allowing Asuka and his team to have their powers back. TV STORY-Final Ep.: Farewell Space Pirates
Ninninger
Asuka, as Shurikenger, appears in Shuriken Sentai Ninninger, as part of a request from President Toha Yamaji of the Committee to Protect Ninja Honor to provide winter training. Having heard from Sasuke and Yousuke how underdeveloped the Ninningers were upon meeting them early on, Shurikenger decides to assess their progress via Yokai Karuta, a game designed to review all enemies defeated that season. Owing to the interference of Yokai Kami, however, Shurikenger and the Ninningers were forced to fight many of the defeated once again. Afterward, Shurikenger comments to Yoshitaka that his pupils have truly become fine ninja, before leaving the dojo. TV STORY-Shinobi 43: The Legendary Ninja! Yokai Karuta Tactics
Zyuohger vs. Ninninger
Shurikenger appeared with his team among the first 38 Super Sentai who collectively empowered Wild Tousai Shuriken King in its fight against the titanic Gillmarda, granting the Ninningers and Zyuohgers the power to perform the Zyuoh Ninnin Super Sentai Burst which destroyed Gillmarda with the combined power of all 40 Super Sentai. TV STORY-Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger vs. Ninninger: Message from the Future from Super Sentai
Chou Super Hero Taisen
Super Sentai Strongest Battle
Asuka joined the Super Sentai Strongest Battle as a member of Curveball Team, where he partnered with Signalman and Ninjaman and fought in a three-way match against Bouken Yellow, Green Sai and GaoBlack of Super Strong Team in the first round of the competition, but lost the match.
Akibaranger
The Shurikenger appeared with the Hurricanegers and Gouraigers, 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. TV STORY-Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger: Season Two TV STORY-Ep. 10: Delusional Pillow Talk
Video game appearances
Super Sentai Battle: Dice-O
- Profile
- ???/Shurikenger: to be added
- ???/Shurikenger Fire Mode: to be added
Super Sentai Battle Base
Shurikenger is among the vast pantheon of Rangers which are available in the mobile game Super Sentai Battle Base, with his Fire Mode being available as well.
Super Sentai Legend Wars
Shurikenger appears with his team among all Sentai in the mobile game Super Sentai Legend Wars.
Shurikenger
Ranger Key
- "Shurikenger!"
- ―Mobilates'/Gokai Cellular's Gokai Change announcement[src]
The Shurikenger Ranger Key (シュリケンジャーキー Shurikenjā Renjā Kī) is Asuka Kagura'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 initially 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 Shurikenger key into a puppet to do his bidding. The copy Shurikenger was one of the first five sixth rangers that Basco showed Captain Marvelous (Gokai Red), revealing he had found more Ranger Keys. These five puppets fought the Gokaigers and were all defeated, with Shurikenger being defeated by Gokai Green. Basco left these five keys to Marvelous.
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 Shurikenger key was among ten of these Sixth Ranger Keys who fought, and were defeated by, Gosei Knight. TV STORY-Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle
While in the possession of the Gokaigers, the Shurikenger Ranger Key was mainly used by Gai Ikari (Gokai Silver), who used it to fight as Shurikenger.
- Alongside Joe, Don, and Ahim as the Kakurangers when a Gokai Change got mixed up. TV STORY-Ep. 21: The Adventurer Heart
- When the Gokaigers became the Hurricanegers with Gouraigers and Shurikenger while fighting Action Commander Senden. TV STORY-Ep. 24: Foolish Earthlings
- Gai became Shurikenger Fire Mode as part of an all-green change to defeat a duo of Dogormin. He did a sword combo attack with Joe (Shinken Green). TV STORY-Ep. 43: To the Legendary Hero
- When the Gokaigers became the Hurricanegers with Gouraigers and Shurikenger while fighting against Basco after Marvelous was incapacitated. TV STORY-Ep. 47: The Limits of Betrayal
- Gai became Shurikenger Fire Mode as part of a bombardment of changes in the final battle with Emperor Ackdos Gill. TV STORY-Final Ep.: Farewell Space Pirates
- Alongside Don and Ahim as the Gouraigers to take down an Avatar replica of Damaras. TV STORY-Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: The Movie
After Zangyack were finally defeated, the Gokaigers gave the Ranger Keys back to their rightful owners. Asuka received his key and became Shurikenger once more. A few years later, his Shinobi medal found a worthy replacement - it is unclear if this meant he had met his own demise since, despite the fact that he met the Ninningers a full two years later.
Human actors portraying Shurikenger
- Kenji Ohba (Retsudou) (Battle Kenya in Battle Fever J, DenziBlue in Denshi Sentai Denziman & Retsu Ichijouji in Space Sheriff Gavan)
- Toshiya Fuji (Yuusaku Ramon) (FiveRed in Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman)
- Tatsuya Nomi (Sanpei Hamada) (ShishiRanger in Gosei Sentai Dairanger)
- Masaru Shishido (Jou Kikuchi) (OhRed in Chōriki Sentai Ohranger)
- Yūji Kishi (Kazuma Namekawa) (Red Racer in Gekisou Sentai Carranger)
- Yoshihiro Masujima (Yoshinari Hashimoto) (Blue Racer in Gekisou Sentai Carranger)
- Hayato Oshiba (Taro Kakio) (MegaRed in Denji Sentai Megaranger)
- Masaya Matsukaze (Kazuya Misaki) (MegaBlue in Denji Sentai Megaranger)
- Ryuichiro Nishioka (Roppei Tsuzumi) (GoRed in Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFive)
- Shuhei Izumi (Teppei Sakaki) (TimeYellow in Mirai Sentai Timeranger)
- Toshihiro Yashiba (Super Ninja Tsumuji Igasaki, Shuriken Sentai Ninninger)
Imitations
A copy of Shurikenger was created by Madogi as part of the Fake Rangers. Madogi of the Phantom Beast Corps created evil duplicates of the Earth Ninja to draw out the real ones as part of Sandaaru's plan to trap them to lure out Gozen to destroy the barrier he made with the Raging Arrow medal. Though the fakes were destroyed after this, this was part of Sandaaru's plan to take control of the Hurricaneger, Gouraiger, as well as Shurikenger with special collars to force Gozen to feel sadness so he could remove the Grieving Bow medal she possessed from within her body. TV STORY-Scroll 48: Trap and Eternal Life
Behind the scenes
Portrayal
Shurikenger is voiced by Taiki Matsuno (松野 太紀 Matsuno Taiki). His suit actor was Koji Mimura (三村 幸司 Mimura Kōji).
Dub names
In the Korean dub of Hurricaneger entitled Power Rangers Ninja Storm, which aired in South Korea, his Ranger designation is StormGreen.
Notes
- Shurikenger is the first Green Ranger to be a Sixth Ranger since Yamato Tribe Knight Burai.
- Shuirkenger is also the first Sixth Ranger since Riki to wear chest armor.
- Whenever Shurikenger takes the disguise of a former Sentai hero or a similar toku hero, there are occasionally "clues" regarding their former identity:
- When the late Tatsuya Nomi transformed, he does the roll call performance of Daigo of the Heavenly Phantom Star before utilizing his Karakuri Ball.
- On the back of Masaru Shishido's outfit is a red star, signifying his previous role as OhRed. When he transformed into Shurikenger, he also did a pose similar to the transformation pose of the Ohrangers.
- When Shurikenger took the guise of Kenji Ohba, he did Retsu Ichijouji's "Electroplate" transformation pose which he uses when becoming Space Sheriff Gavan. Likewise, his favorite food is anpan, just like Daigorou Oume.
- Of the ten Sentai actors who portrayed Shurikenger:
- 5 portrayed Red Rangers.
- 2 portrayed Blue Rangers.
- 1 portrayed a Black Ranger, and another tokusatsu hero.
- 1 portrayed a Yellow Ranger.
- 1 portrayed a Green Ranger.
- Although a name he abandoned his former life, Shurikenger is a mentor character whose name is "Asuka" which is the name of another mentor character in the very next season.
- Although it is unknown what happened when he lost his powers in the Great Legend War, it can be assumed that he returned to his former Asuka person, whether he was still alive or, possibly, kept his abilities and his means to transform like several other deceased heroes and thus lost them only symbolically.
- Asuka's status appears rather conflicting regarding what happened in both Hurricaneger and in Gokaiger:
- In Hurricaneger, Asuka did sacrifice his life during the final battle with Tau Zant and thus appears to have remained deceased.
- Asuka reappeared twice: both to assist the Hurricaneger during their battle with the Evolian in Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger vs. Hurricaneger and to participate in the Legend War.
- It is possible he returned from the dead both times, as shown with the appearance of several other deceased heroes in the Legend War (although the filmmakers of both probably hadn't thought of that at the time).
- In Ninninger which already taking place more than 10 years prior to Hurricaneger 10 years after, Asuka is the one to meet Ninninger instead of Tenkai despite his power is already given by him. It is possible if he was temporarily resurrected through unknown means by Yoshitaka for having a normal talk with Yoshitaka like they know each other somehow.
- Shurikenger in 4 Week Continuous Special Super Sentai Strongest Battle!! is still Asuka instead of Tenkai.
- He was the only sixth ranger to have a successor.
- His roll call is the longest out of all of the Hurricanegers.
- He is the first heroic green ninja-themed ranger but is the second following Suiren from the evil ninja Sentai Hanaranger.
- His successors as heroic green ninja ranger to date are Luna Kokonoe from Ninninger and Hammie from Kyuranger.
- Coincidentally, both are female and the seventh member of their team.
- While there are 2 Rangers appear before Luna, Luna is the 'true' seventh member of Ninninger as seen in the final battle of V-Cinema.
- Despite Hammie is one of the very first Kyurangers to be awakened, her Kyutama and Mecha are number 7.
- Coincidentally, both are female and the seventh member of their team.
- His successors as heroic green ninja ranger to date are Luna Kokonoe from Ninninger and Hammie from Kyuranger.
Appearances
- File:Icon-prns.png Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger
- Scroll 21: Masks and Riddles
- Scroll 22: Wings and Ninjas
- Scroll 23: Cologne and the Great Detective
- Scroll 24: The Taiko Drum and Lightning
- Scroll 25: Ghosts and Schoolgirl
- Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger: Shushuuto the Movie
- Scroll 26: The Bow & Arrow and Sea Bathing
- Scroll 27: Skewers and Zero Gravity
- Scroll 28: The Hurrier and The Counterattack
- Scroll 29: Lingering Summer Heat and The Stamp
- Scroll 30: Idols and Friendship
- Scroll 31: Meteors and The Three Wolves
- Scroll 32: The Grim Reaper and the Final Secret Art
- Scroll 33: The Mammoth and The Six Ninja
- Scroll 34: The Mushroom and 100 Points
- Scroll 35: The Sparkle and The Shamisen
- Scroll 36: Rings and Revenge
- Scroll 37: The Third Spear and The Great Escape
- Scroll 38: The Demon Sword and Balloons
- Scroll 39: The Seventh Spear and the The Mysterious Stone
- Scroll 40: The Decoy and Ninja Law
- Scroll 41: The Medal and Comedians
- Scroll 42: Armor and The Raging Arrow
- Scroll 43: Super Fusion and The Big Clash
- Scroll 44: Gozen and The Misfortune Fan Beast
- Scroll 45: The Refuge and Spring Cleaning
- Scroll 46: The New Year's Meal and The Three Giants
- Scroll 47: The Seal and Galactic Unification
- Scroll 48: The Trap and Eternal Life
- Scroll 49: The Mission and The Galactic Ninja (death)
- Scroll 50: Darkness and A New World
- Final Scroll: Wind, Water, and Earth
- File:Icon-prwf.png Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger vs. Gaoranger
- File:Icon-dt.png Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger vs. Hurricaneger
- Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
- Shuriken Sentai Ninninger Shinobi 43: The Legendary Ninja! Yokai Karuta Tactics
- Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger
See Also
- Cameron Watanabe - Power Rangers counterpart in Ninja Storm. See comparison page.
- Sam - First ranger to have a civilan form, but could not demorph.
- Trey of Triforia - the first Ranger whose identity was an ongoing mystery to the other Rangers.
- Levi Weston - The first Sixth Ranger to be a ninja.
- Tenkai - the second Shurikenger.
- Sokichi Banba - The first sentai hero who operated by appearing in disguise before every battle.
External links
- Shurikenger at the Super Sentai Battle: Dice-O official website
- Shurikenger at the Dice-O Wiki
- Shurikenger Fire Mode at the Dice-O Wiki