This article is about a temporary monster in Avataro Sentai Donbrothers. |
- "Don't... interupt... my call!"
- ―First words before being turned into Hitotsuki[src]
- "Thank you."
- ―Minako's final words before she passes on[src]
Minako Sagiyama (鷺山 美奈子 Sagiyama Minako) is a female ghost who manifest an engine-themed Hitotsuki called Engineki (
History
At an old phone booth, a telecom service crew was arriving in a truck ready to tear it down, but Engineki came out of the phone booth and attacked, sucking up a worker into its body. Engineki is preparing to devour the other workers when the Donbrothers teleport in and Haruka laments she is not going to enjoy her snack and isn’t too motivated to fight as the team engages the enemy. Don Momotaro tries to strike Engineki with the ZanglaSword, but the attacks phase right through it and have no effect. The other four try blasting Engineki, but Don Momotaro knows it won’t work and quickly leaps out of the way so he isn’t hit by the blaster fire as it passes through Engineki while the workers flee to safety.
Upon seeing they cannot damage the enemy, Shinichi recalls them fighting a Hitotsuki before that had no physical form, but they all are pummeled by Engineki with its super speed before he can formulate a plan. When the service truck leaves, Engineki stops fighting and returns to the phone booth. Haruka sees Minako Sagiyama, back in her original form, inside the phone booth and simply thinks she was a frightened passerby that sought shelter inside the booth, only to be suddenly teleported back to her apartment.
Later, Haruka finds that the girl is still there, who is surprised Haruka can see her and immediately asks to be her friend. She introduces herself as Minako Sagiyama and gives a fast paced rundown of her blood type, astrological sign and favorite hobbies. Haruka feels a bit uncomfortable with Minako, thinking she is crazy due to how clingy she seems. Minako asks if they can be friends, Haruka says yes awkwardly to humor her as she backs away slowly to her bicycle. Minako hopes that is a promise, as she hates people who fake being nice to her. Haruka excuses herself as she claims she is running late for something and pedals really fast to get away from Minako, who smiles and then disappears into thin air.
When Haruka returns home, she is startled by Minako suddenly appearing on the couch. Strangely, Yuriko cannot see or hear Minako, with Haruka discovering that Minako has no reflection in the hallway mirror, she then freaks out upon figuring out she has a ghost in her apartment! Minako notices the time and she excuses herself as she has to leave for the day because Shinzo might call her, vanishing from the apartment. Haruka decides to go after her.
Then, Minako waits inside the phone booth, with the sun setting as the time for Shinzo to call her passes. Haruka finds Minako sad and wondering why her beloved hasn’t called.
At Cafe Donbura, Haruka tries explaining to Shinichi and Tsuyoshi her situation and to help Minako, but they think she is joking around until Tsuyoshi holds his breath for a second and Minako suddenly appears and startled him. He tells Shinichi to hold in his breath for a minute so they both can see her, with Minako playfully mocking his puffy face and scaring him upon suddenly appearing. Shinichi is shocked at the existence of ghosts and both men synchronize holding their breath to make Minako visible again.
She politely says it is nice to meet Haruka’s friends and brags she was once the pinnacle of good health and never caught a cold. Tsuyoshi fails to see how that introduction is relevant as Minako is dead. Kaito smiles upon observing the group as he also reads his copy of First Love Hero.
Minako explains her story, she died 50 years ago in 1972 in an accident. Before that, Shinzo Tadokoro was a pen pal she wrote to that became a relationship over the phone as they talked to each other every day. Her house was old and had no phone lines, so she would go to the nearest pay phone to talk to Shinzo. Her last call she was going to make was to ask Shinzo out on a date, to cement their relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend. But she died before it could happen and because of her unfinished business, she cannot pass on into the afterlife.
Shinichi thinks that finding this Shinzo could resolve the issue, Haruka says she found nothing on the internet about him but Tsuyoshi thinks the name sounds vaguely familiar. Haruka drew a depiction of Shinzo based on Minako’s description of her boyfriend, but both men pointed out that she never met Shinzo. Taro arrives late and wonders why he was called to meet the team, when Minako mistakes him for her boyfriend and hugs him. Taro is able to see Minako without holding his breath and so does Kaito whose handsome looks have Minako thinking he is Shinzo. The team is surprised Kaito can see ghosts while Taro passes his hand through Minako’s ethereal body to confirm she is a ghost, with her teasingly calling “Shinzo” a pervert for feeling her. Tsubasa enters the cafe, wondering if the lunch menu was still available at this hour, only for Minako to appear and fall for him as Shinzo. The Donbrothers concluded that she has no idea who her boyfriend actually is.
That evening, she went visits to Minako at her phone booth, and Minako told Haruka different experiences with each date with Taro, Kaito and Tsubasa. However, Minako got upset at being ignored and for “Shinzo” “cheating” on her. She learned a valuable thing today, that the true Shinzo is her soulmate and she will keep waiting for him, returning to the phone booth to await Shinzo’s call. Haruka finds this so sad and feels she needs to help.
At 6AM, Minako gets her long awaited call from Shinzo, who apologizes for keeping her waiting. She cries tears of joy and sadness, happy to hear her love’s voice. She says she is the one who should apologize, she couldn’t make it to the phone as she was hit by a truck during a snowfall and her body died just a few feet away from the phone booth. Shinzo comforts her, saying that wasn’t her fault.
Their conversation is interrupted by the telecom service workers from earlier retuning with their boss, trying to explain that they couldn’t remove the phone booth because a monster attacked them and they should quickly destroy the booth before it returns. Minako gets angry that her call is being interrupted and part of her spirit splits into Engineki to attack the workmen. The Donbrothers see this and change to rescue them. Engineki cannot be defeated though, with Taro thinking that Minako must pass on in order for the Hitotsuki to be defeated as it is tied to her.
After beating down the Donbrothers, the wild Engineki becomes Engineking and the Rangers form Don Onitaijin. Minako picks the phone back up and resumes her conversation with Shinzo.
Don Onitaijin is unable to damage Engineking no matter what they try. Taro says all that the team can do is stay defensive and wait as Haruka cheers on Minako. Shinzo regretfully tells Minako that he cannot go on their date, but she understands as a lot of time has passed and Shinzo has become a great man.
Don Onitaijin falls after a barrage of fireballs hits them, on the verge of defeat. Shinzo tells Minako that he never forgot about her and promises that they will see each other again in Heaven someday. Minako cries and smiles, saying she looks forward to it, Shinzo then hangs up.
Just as Engineking is about to deliver the fatal blow, it loses power as Minako lets go of her desire. Don Onitaijin quickly rises to its feet and destroys Engineking with the DonBros Paradise. Haruka hopes Minako can rest in peace now, as the latter hangs up the phone, thanking Haruka and her comrades before she passes on into the afterlife. TV STORY-Don 19: Hello Ghost
Personality
to be added
Forms
- Height: 186 cm
- Weight: 218 kg
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Hitotsuking Transformation: Engineki can evolve and grow into her Hitotsuking form.
- Lifeform Absorption: Engineki is able to absorb any lifeforms with her mouth.
- Intangibility: Since Engineki is a ghost, her body is non-corporeal, making her immune to any attacks.
- Super Speed: With the wheels in her shoulders, Engineki can run at great speed.
- Fireballs Generation: Engineki can generate and throw fireballs from her hands.
Abilities
- to be added
Weaknesses
to be added
Arsenal
- to be added
After enlarging, she evolved into her Hitotsuking form called the Engineking (
- Height: 52.0 m
- Weight: 2132.7 tons
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Intangibility: Since Engineking is a ghost, her body is non-corporeal, making her immune to any attacks.
- Fireballs Generation: Engineking can generate and throw fireballs from her hands.
Abilities
to be added
Weaknesses
- Host: When her host let go of her desire, Engineking loses her ability to fight and becomes corporeal.
Arsenal
- to be added
Behind the Scenes
Portrayal
- Minako Sagiyama is portrayed by Kokoa Naka (
中 心愛 Naka Kokoa). As Engineki/Engineking, her suit actor is Naoya Iguchi (井口 尚哉 Iguchi Naoya).
Design
- Engineki's design is based on a soul, hotrod car and car engine. The wheel design on her shoulders is a reference to GoRoader GT's Wheel Mode.
- Engineking's design is based on Engine Gattai Engine-O.
Etymology
- Engineki's name refers to the Engines and to Engine Sentai Go-Onger.
Notes
- Skin Name:
- Engineki: Engine Soul (エンジン魂 Enjin Tamashī)
- Engineking: Tune-up Engine (チューンナップエンジン Chūn'n Appu Enjin)
- Engineki's upper body is repainted from Gekisouki with the head being repainted from Kousokuki.
- Engineking's color scheme corresponds to Engine Gattai Engine-O, albeit in reversed order.
- Due to her Sentai basis, Engineki/Engineking is the only Hitotsuki/Hitotsuking to use an English word for her name rather than a Japanese word.
- Her name is still written in kanji, despite the romanization of the name.
- Due to Minako's nature as a ghost, her transformation into Engineki does not involve her being surrounded by an energy circle that contains both the encoded name of the corresponding Sentai team in question as well as the corresponding Sentai team's logo. Instead, it appears in a puff of smoke.
- In addition to that, due to Minako's nature as a ghost, both her normal self and her corresponding Hitotsuki had demonstrated the ability to exist as seperate beings albeit both beings in question share the same mindset with her normal self being invisible to most people whereas her Hitotsuki can be seen by everyone every time it appears.
- Engineki is the first Hitotsuki to evolve into her Hitotsuking form without being defeated by the Donbrothers.
- Engineki is the first Hitotsuki to be transformed from a deceased person.
- According to the producers, as a homage to Engine Sentai Go-Onger, Minako was a soul (often associated with the Engine Souls) and is trapped in a telephone booth (with phones referencing the Go-Phone)[1]
- Engineki's skin name is a reference to Engine Souls, an set of collectible devices that were used by Go-Ongers to summoned their partner engine.
- Engineking's skin name is a reference to Go-Ongers' Mecha Robo's post-combination announcement.
- Minako Sagiyama is the only Hitotsuki host to die, as her desire is successfully fulfilled and her nature as a ghost leads her to pass onto the afterlife.
Appearances
References
Footnotes