A delusion has caused the origin of Super Sentai to go from Japan to the United States, making Nobuo's love for the franchise go international.
Plot
Akagi and Yumeria plans of celebrate Luna's return to the Akibarangers is cut short when Hakase revealed she only hired her for the day and can not afford her services full time. However, though his reasons were pure, the group scheme to get Luna to join their group by any means. Finding her at an audition held by the famous American director George Spielburton, Akagi and company learned her lost the role to her rival Akina Maihama. After talking with Luna about it, Akagi realizes that Akina reenacted Queen Hedrian's dance scene from the 15th episode of Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan and deduced that Spielburton is a Super Sentai fan. Luna mentions that he was playing with some Super Sentai figurines during the audition, with Akagi showing her an image related to Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger.
However, Akagi is shocked upon researching about Zyuranger just to find that somehow its origin is listed to be from the United States instead of Japan, under the name Powerful Rangers. Soon after, with her and a group of Oneeders posing as a group of monks, Malseena appears and hands out pictures of Sentai villain actresses during dress rehearsals. Attempting to fight Malseena in the Delusion World, the Akibarangers finds themselves attacked by an "Americanized" Tyranno Ranger and Dragon Ranger, forcing Hakase to have them retreat. Back at the Himitsukichi, Kozukozu informs the others that somehow reality has been written that Powerful Rangers is the source of Super Sentai franchise instead of the other way, with Hyakujuu Sentai GaoRanger, the first entry yet the source of a major copyright infringement as it was made from its American version without permission.
Despite browsing though several shops in Akihabara to confirm the reality change, with Luna amazed of their passion, Akagi and Yumeria learn that restoring the Zyuranger brothers is the only way to restore things. However, with Akiba Blue standing on the sidelines, Akiba Red and Akiba Yellow are outmatched against Malseena, the Zyuranger brothers, and the TrinoidKunimasmaphogany. Luckily, despite the beating they take from the brothers, Akagi and Yumeria reach Tyranno Ranger and Dragon Ranger by mentioning some facts about their series and with Akagi restoring them with a toy replica of Zyusouken. Malseena falls back as Zyurangers entrust the Akibarangers with the Zyuran Buckler, which they use to finish Kunimasmaphogany. Upon return to reality, the Akibarangers learn that the history of the Super Sentai was once again restored and Luna decides to stay in the team as it may help with her idol career.
Luna makes her speech during the audition in front of George Spielburton.
Tyrannoranger's belt, covered with an American-flag design.
Yuuko, Akagi, Kozkoz and Hakase listening to Luna's ideas on how to restore the Powerful Rangers back to normal.
AkibaRed and AkibaYellow are threatened and bullied by the Powerful Rangers.
Kunismaphogany in human disguise shows the Powerful Rangers' comic to the Akibarangers.
The Powerful Rangers show their loyalty to Malshina.
When Kunismaphogany appears in front of the Powerful Rangers, they prepare themselves to protect Malshina from the threat.
Nobuo and Yuuko try to persuade the Powerful Rangers, saying that they love Super Sentai and want them to remember their origins.
Yuuko gives Nobuo a package of the DX Zyusouken toy to restore the Powerful Rangers to normal.
Akagi blowing the replica toy of Zyusouken to make Tyrannoranger and Dragonranger come to their senses and remember who they are.
Tropes and References
In the delusional universe within this episode, Super Sentai never existed until the arrival of American import Powerful Rangers in 1993, which is the exact reverse of the actual America/Japan situation between franchises.
While the Zyurangers are "teenagers with attitude", they bully the Akibarangers and call them "knockoffs" of the Powerful Rangers. This could be a reference to the real life Super Sentai vs. Power Rangers arguments found on the Internet, as well as a common misconception had by many uninformed outsiders to both franchises and their history.
The monster of the week is an original Trinoid created by General Tsu. The Trinoids are a villain group from Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger.
Nobuo also reveals that Spielburton was a big fan of Diane Martin/Miss America from Battle Fever J, since he really went out of his way to gather all the American-related Sentai stuff to throw in this episode. Further adding to the joke, George Spielburton is portrayed by Koichi Sakamoto, a recurring director for Power Rangers.
During the climax, Nobuo and Yuuko try to persuade Tyrannoranger and Dragonranger by referring to them as "eternal warriors", "warriors of passion" and "always by the kids' side". All those phrases are direct quotes from the opening theme to Zyuranger.
During the persuade, he mentions to the flashback to Burai's death in Ep. 42: Burai Dies....
As Yuuko is threatened by Dragonranger, she mentions about the first thing she remembers when she owns the first magazine was Sharma Knight Goushi.
The actual Zyusouken from Zyuranger. Notice the copy of Zyusouken held by Nobuo has the Dragonranger's emblem turned 90 degrees from the original.
Nowadays, it's only natural to expect a toy to replicate the same sound as in the show, but in the past, that was not necessarily the case. So the toy Zyusouken was regarded as a high class item for reproducing the sound accurately.
However, the original toy has the Dragonranger emblem off by 90 degrees from the one in the show.
Normally the Zyusouken is used to control Dragon Caesar, but this time it's used to gain control over the Zyurangers.
Before Tyrannoranger and Dragonranger lend their Ludicrous Power to AkibaBlue, they both shout the line, "You'll be surprised when you hear this!", the tagline for the then-currently-running Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, another dinosaur-themed Super Sentai series.
During the rollcall, Nobuo refers to the Zyuranger insert song "Dragon Caesar no Uta" and performs Witch Bandora's "Dolla!" dance after that.
Coincidentally, Akina was portrayed by Sakina Kuwae, who previously portrayed Natsume Masaki in the series.
When the Zyuranger return to normal and their theme comes on, the credit gives the singer as "Red Turbo". Kenta Sato, who sang the Zyuranger theme, was not only said song's performer, but also portrayed Riki Honoo in Turboranger.
In this episode, Akina refers General Tsu as Ushirozawa-sensei.
The Akibaranger's embarassing photo explicitly shown in this episode.
The first photo was from the cosplay scene in Episode 4, but here they're pictures of them getting into their costumes.
In the flashback during Luna's audition, Spielburton is seen playing with S.H. Figuarts Tyrannoranger and Dragonranger. This episode was actually filmed a few months before the release of the figures.
This article is about an episode in Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Season Tsuu.
