This article is about a ranger in Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger. |
- "Iron Bison! GaoBlack!"
- ―GaoBlack's roll call[src]
Sotaro Ushigome (牛込 草太郎 Ushigome Sōtarō) is GaoBlack (ガオブラック Gao Burakku) of the Gaorangers.
Biography
Gaoranger
Sotaro Ushigome is a 22-year-old (32 as for the Great Legend War in Gokaiger) retired sumo wrestler who was chosen as the fourth Gaoranger about a month before Kakeru. He aspired to become a grand champion sumo wrestler, but a knee injury forced him to retire from his wrestling career. Afterwards, he worked as an assistant at Flower Garden Casablanca with his crush, Shi-chan. Though he is the strongest out of the Gaorangers, he is a very gentle soul with a fear of heights and a weakness for women. He is in charge of forming the lower body for the Gaorangers' mecha formations. After the final battle, he and Shi-chan worked together on a ranch although he and Kai initially planned to run a Chanko shop together to "dominate the world."
Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai
to be added TV STORY-Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai
Gaoranger vs. Gorenger
to be added TV STORY-Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Himitsu Sentai Gorenger
Hurricaneger vs. Gaoranger
Sotaro, along with the core Gaorangers, got their powers stolen by Space Ninja Group Jakanja and were held as hostages. His team was saved by the Hurricanegers, and got their powers back when Tsukumaro arrives.
TV STORY-Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger vs. Gaoranger
Gokaiger
Legend War
Years later, Sotaro 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. The GaoBlack powers are later used by Don Dogoier via the Ranger Keys. 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 the Zangyack, Marvelous returned the Ranger Keys to their original owners. It is assumed Sotaro and his team have their powers back. TV STORY-Final Ep.: Farewell Space Pirates
Super Hero Taisen
Sotaro, alongside his team (bar GaoSilver), among the majority of the Super Sentai heroes, was caught up in the "Super Hero Taisen" incident which eventually resulted in the Super Sentai teams and Kamen Riders joining forces to defeat both Dai-Zangyack and Dai-Shocker. During the final battle, he is seen fighting Doukoku Chimatsuri. TV STORY-Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
Super Sentai Versus Series Theater
Sotaro's appearances in the "Versus Series", Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai and Hurricaneger vs. Gaoranger, are featured in the Super Sentai Versus Series Theater, hosted by the heroes of Tensou Sentai Goseiger. Agri (Gosei Black) also dresses as Sotaro in the Gaoranger cosplay.
Akibaranger
Kozukozu Mita cosplays as Sotaro in the seventh episode of Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger: Season Two. TV STORY-Ep. 7: Delusional Spy
Video game appearances
Gaoranger video game
GaoBlack appears with his team in the Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger video game.
Super Sentai Battle: Dice-O
- Profile
- Sotaro Ushigome/GaoBlack: to be added
Super Sentai Battle Base
GaoBlack is among the vast pantheon of Rangers which are available in the mobile game Super Sentai Battle Base.
Super Sentai Legend Wars
GaoBlack appears with his team among all Sentai in the mobile game Super Sentai Legend Wars.
GaoBlack
Power Animals
Arsenal
Ranger Key
- "Gaoranger!"
- ―Mobilates' Gokai Change announcement[src]
The GaoBlack Ranger Key (ガオブラックレンジャーキー Gao Burakku Renjā Kī) is Sotaro Ushigome'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 majority of the Ranger Keys were collected by the Red Pirates and later used by the Gokaigers. The GaoBlack Ranger Key was mainly used by Don Dogoier (Gokai Green), who used it to fight as GaoBlack.
- When the Gokaigers became the Gaorangers while fighting against the Sneak Brothers' Gormin Sailors. TV STORY-Ep. 8: Little Spy Tactics
- When the Gokaigers became the Gaorangers while fighting against Action Commander Bowser. TV STORY-Ep. 9: Lion, Run
- When the Gokaigers became the Gaorangers while fighting against Action Commander Zakyura. TV STORY-Ep. 33: Iiiit's a Hero!!
The Gaoranger keys, 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. Splitting up, the puppet GaoBlack was defeated as part of a group of surviving Black and Green warrior keys by Gokai Green and Super Gosei Black. TV STORY-Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle
After Zangyack were finally defeated, the Gokaigers gave the Ranger Keys back to their rightful owners. Sotaro received his key and became GaoBlack once more. TV STORY-Final Ep.: Farewell Space Pirates
Imitations
A copy of GaoBlack was created by Copy Org as part of the Copy Sentai Copyranger. Org copies of the Gaorangers, Copy Org created these clones with horns, they were killed by the special attacks of the Gaorangers. TV STORY-Quest 12: Which is the Real One!?
A shadow-clone GaoBlack was created by Dorodoro's ninja powers as part of the Shade Rangers. The Gaorangers could not destroy these shadows without killing themselves in the process. After GaoRed used his Falcon Summoner to kill Dorodoro, the Shaderangers then disappeared. TV STORY-Quest 42: The Org Ninja Invasion! TV STORY-Quest 43: The Lion Burns Hot
Third Spear, Manmaruba disguised himself as Sotaro as well as using his G-Phone to become GaoBlack along with four other Seven Dark Spears to make the Hurricanegers and Gouraigers believe the Gaorangers were evil. TV STORY-Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger vs. Gaoranger
Behind the scenes
Portrayal
Sotaro Ushigome is portrayed by Kazuyoshi Sakai (酒井 一圭 Sakai Kazuyoshi), who previously played as Go-Gamego-Re in Kamen Rider Kuuga. As GaoBlack, his suit actor was Hideaki Kusaka (日下 秀昭 Kusaka Hideaki).
Notes
- Sotaro appeared on Twitter after the final Gokaiger episode, Farewell Space Pirates, to give a farewell to the departing team. He did not appear in the episode, with the return of the Black heroes instead depicted by Sharma Tribe Knight Goushi (MammothRanger) of Zyuranger. The actual Gaoranger Greater Power was given prior by teammate Kakeru Shishi (GaoRed).
- Sotaro's actor, Kazuyoshi Sakai, appeared in Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger: 10 YEARS AFTER as one of the members of JUNretsu, a real life song chorus group in Japan. Sakai also did his Gaoranger transformation pose during Ikkou Kasumi's song number.
Appearances
- File:Icon-prtf.png Mirai Sentai Timeranger Super Sentai Big Gathering (as GaoBlack only)
- File:Icon-prwf.png Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger
- Quest 01: The Lion, Roars!!
- Quest 02: The Divine Spirit-King Rises!!
- Quest 03: The Eagle Vanishes!!
- Quest 04: The Two Who Never Give Up!!
- Quest 05: The Mountain Moves!!
- Quest 06: Bison in Love!!
- Quest 07: The Dream Talks!!
- Quest 08: The Dog, Runs!!
- Quest 09: The Twins Smile
- Quest 10: The Moon Beckons!!
- Quest 11: Father, Proceeds
- Quest 12: Which is the Real One!?
- Quest 13: The Baby's First Cry Freezes
- Quest 14: The Soul Bird Cries
- Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai
- Quest 15: The Ogre Howls!!
- Quest 16: The Magic Flute Roars!
- Quest 17: The Elephant Vanishes...
- Quest 18: The Demon Beast Armament!!
- Quest 19: The Bison Retires!?
- Quest 20: The Maiden is Captured!!
- Quest 21: Rouki, Perplexed
- Quest 22: The Giant Bull is Broken!!
- Quest 23: Rouki Dies!?
- Quest 24: The Silver Wolf Flashes!!
- Quest 25: The Third Ogre Princess Arrives
- Quest 26: Rouki, Again
- Quest 27: The Chick Pouts
- Quest 28: Secrets, Handed Down!!
- Quest 29: The Deer Heals
- Quest 30: The Full Moon Kills the Wolf!
- Quest 31: The Hundred-Beast Squadron, Annihilated!!
- Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger Gao Access CD: "Gao Panda Appears!!"
- Quest 32: Three Creatures Eat!!
- Quest 33: A Boy Prays
- Quest 34: The Mighty Org Weeps!
- Quest 35: The Beast King Swords, Plundered
- Quest 36: The Warriors Dance
- Quest 37: Yabaiba Burns
- Quest 38: The Divine Spirit-King's Peak Decisive Battle
- Quest 39: The God Takes Away
- Quest 40: Sky Island, Destroyed
- Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger: The Fire Mountain Roars
- Quest 41: Santa Came
- Quest 42: The Org Ninja Invasion!
- Quest 43: The Lion Burns Hot
- Quest 44: Gao’s Rock Falls
- Quest 45: Fighting Until the End
- Quest 46: The New Year Attacks
- Quest 47: The Steam Engine Roars!
- Quest 48: Those Guys Return to Life
- Quest 49: The Matrix Closes
- Quest 50: The Hundred Beasts Die
- Final Quest: The Hundred Beasts Roar!!
- File:Icon-prns.png Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger vs. Gaoranger
- File:Icon-oo.png GoGo Sentai Boukenger vs. Super Sentai (archive footage only)
- Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger (as GaoBlack only)
- Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen (as GaoBlack only)
- Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger
- Ep. 29: The Monarch of the Monarchs (transformed archive footage only)
- Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger vs. Ninninger: Message from the Future from Super Sentai (as GaoBlack only)
See Also
- Danny Delgado - Power Rangers counterpart in Wild Force. See comparison page.