This article is about an ally in Denji Sentai Megaranger. |
- "Megaranger isn't a game!"
- ―Professor Kubota[src]
Professor Eikichi Kubota (久保田 衛吉博士 Kubota Eikichi-hakase) is a high ranking official for I.N.E.T. (International Network of Excel-Science and Technology) and the leader of the Megaranger project.
History[]
Not much is revealed about Kubota's personal life, except that he boxed in his youth and is an accomplished trumpet player. Early in his career, Kubota worked alongside another scientist named Dr. Samejima on various experiments for I.N.E.T.; most notably studies on possible connections between Earth and other dimensions and a means to control energy for human usage. Following his daughter's death in a failed experiment, Samejima became obsessed with the discovery of an alternate dimension called Neziregia. And although Kubota tried to convince his friend and colleague to exercise caution, Samejima had been driven mad by his grief and in the end, vanished into Neziregia, taking with him a set of prototype power suits that he and Kubota had invented to allow humans to fight against extra-dimensional threats. The inability to save his friend would haunt Kubota for years afterward and taught him the importance of teamwork and in believing in others, a lesson he continues to try and push upon the Megarangers. TV STORY-Ep. 8: I Can't Lose! Turnabout Teamwork TV STORY-Ep. 38: Scary! Nezirejia's Fiendish Squadron TV STORY-Final Ep.: Seize it! Our Diplomas
Years later, Kubota had successfully designed a new set of power suits based on Samejima's original design and had marketed a video game based on them in order to locate and recruit potential candidates. The first recruit was a high school slacker named Kenta Date, who Kubota recruited to be MegaRed. During their first meeting, a surprise attack on his laboratory forced Kubota to give the other Digitizers to a visiting digital club from Kenta's high school before guiding them onboard the Mega Shuttle. Once in space, Kubota docked at the Mega Ship in orbit above Earth where he revealed to his recruits that they had been chosen to be the Denji Sentai Megaranger who would protect Earth from the threat of the Neziregia invasion. TV STORY-Ep. 1: Don't Let Them! The Twisted Invaders TV STORY-Ep. 2: Look! Our Galaxy Mega The decision was not well received by I.N.E.T.'s chief executives who felt that untrained high school students lacked the skill to effectively use the Megaranger suits to their full power, at one point even attempting to replace them as the pilots of Galaxy Mega with an automated program. TV STORY-Ep. 5: Finish It! This Is an Underhanded Battle But despite their inexperience and at times immature behavior, Kubota retained absolute faith that the five Moroboshi High teenagers would succeed in their mission and was always ready to give advice and counsel whenever they needed it. With his lab destroyed during Neziregia's initial attack, Kubota moved command of the Megaranger project to the Megaship where he could monitor for Nezi reactions on Earth and alert the Megarangers in advance. Following the battle with Mad Guirail and immense damage suffered to Galaxy Mega, Kubota moved command once again to the I.N.E.T. Moonbase.
When the original MegaSilver prototype was taken by I.N.E.T.'s "Space Mega Project" leader Yuusaku Hayakawa, a furious Kubota immediately confronted him for taking something that was never meant for combat and deactivated his Keitaizer. However, when the other Megaranger were captured by Moray Nezire, Kubota was convinced by Yuusaku of the need for a sixth teammate and allowed him to continue helping the team though he still kept Yuusaku on a short leash, only letting him fight in the most dire of circumstances. TV STORY-Ep. 25: Just in Time! Time Limit: 2.5 Minutes When I.N.E.T. further tries to punish Hayakawa later for his continued defiance in fighting with the Megaranger, Kubota vouches for him and his continued assistance of the Megaranger, allowing for MegaSilver to finally have the full clearance to assist the team. TV STORY-Ep. 36: Fly! The Universe's Dancing Wings of Hope
Though the battle with Neziregia was supposed to be about defeating an extra-dimensional threat, the matter became more personal as Kubota realized that the leader of Neziregia's invasion Dr. Hinelar was actually his lost friend Samejima. When the traitor scientist uses the original Mega Suit prototypes for his own evil team, Kubota attempts to contact Samejima to try to reason with him. However seeing I.N.E.T. as the source of his now twisted philosophy, Hinelar decides to further use his abilities and teams to take apart everything Kubota stood for, in particular the Megaranger. TV STORY-Ep. 38: Scary! Nezirejia's Fiendish Squadron
After the core Megarangers' secret identities were exposed and they were forced to become outcasts, Kubota's guilt for getting them involved lead him to attempt to draw out the Neziregia to settle things. The Digi Tank was destroyed and he was nearly killed by Shibolena and Yugande before the Megarangers saved him. TV STORY-Ep. 49: Utter Despair! We Are Outcasts!? In the final episode, Kubota stood up for the Megarangers against a mob of angry people by willingly taking the blame for the recent attack on the town. During the final battle, Kubota was targeted by the transformed Dr. Hinelar, but was saved by the Megarangers. Although he was saddened when the core Megarangers apparently sacrificed themselves with the Mega Voyager, he later showed up at their graduation ceremony when they were revealed to have survived with Yuusaku to watch them receive their diplomas and took part in the graduation photo. TV STORY-Final Ep.: Seize It! Our Diplomas
Personality[]
Kubota was a serious individual, but does care for his teammates. He felt badly traumatized after Samejima disappeared while going to another dimension, and even more devastated when he learned that Samejima has gone mad as Dr. Hinelar. He also encourages Kenta when the latter loses his will to fight after accidentally hitting his friend.
Behind the Scenes[]
Portrayal[]
- Professor Eikichi Kubota is portrayed by Satoru Saito.
Appearances[]
- Denji Sentai Megaranger
- Ep. 1: Don't Let Them! The Twisted Invaders
- Ep. 2: Look! Our Galaxy Mega
- Ep. 5: Finish It! This Is an Underhanded Battle
- Ep. 8: I Can't Lose! Turnabout Teamwork
- Ep. 25: Just in Time! Time Limit: 2.5 Minutes
- Ep. 36: Fly! The Universe's Dancing Wings of Hope
- Ep. 38: Scary! Nezirejia's Fiendish Squadron
- Denji Sentai Megaranger vs. Carranger
- Ep. 49: Utter Despair! We Are Outcasts!?
- Final Ep.: Seize It! Our Diplomas
See Also[]
- General Norquist - Power Rangers counterpart in Turbo. See comparison page.