Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger
Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger is Toei Company's 37th entry in its long-running Super Sentai metaseries of Japanese tokusatsu television series aired on TV Asahi from 17 February 2013 to 9 February 2014, replacing Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters and was replaced by Ressha Sentai ToQger. The program joining Kamen Rider Wizard and later Kamen Rider Gaim in TV Asahi's Super Hero Time programming block. Its footage was later used for the American Power Rangers season, Power Rangers Dino Charge and its follow up season, Dino Super Charge, and gained a South Korean-exclusive sequel, Power Rangers Dino Force Brave. This is the first Super Sentai series to be shot in Full HD at 1080p, as Shinkenger through Go-Busters was only shot in 720p.
Story
Long ago in the time of dinosaurs, the Deboth Army invades Earth to the point of the extinction of the dinosaurs but they were defeated by Wise God Torin and the Zyudenryu during the first invasion. In the present day, the Deboth Army resurface as they resume their invasion. To counter the revived threat, Torin selects five brave individuals who must defeat their respective Zyudenryu first to acquire their powers to become the "People of the Great and Mighty Lizards", the Kyoryugers.Episodes
Individual episodes are known as "Braves", and the titles are written solely in kana.Production
Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger is the third Sentai series with a dinosaur motif ; this time mixed with electricity and up-tempo musical genres such as Samba. Ryo Ryusei, who portrays Daigo Kiryu, said he will find it difficult to live up to the role as the hero in the series. Yamato Kinjo, who portrays Nobuharu Udo, turns 30 within the year and spoke of how he felt it might be difficult to portray a hero to children so much younger than he is.Critics have noted a drastic shift in the casting of Kyoryuger. Toei producer Takahito Ōmori commented on the lack of a yellow warrior in the series, something that has not happened since Dengeki Sentai Changeman, by noting that the color yellow has become associated with females for the modern generation of viewers and thus would not be able to properly portray the brutish strength a male character is capable of portraying to match with the concept that the characters beat their dinosaur partners in battle. Ōmori also stated that they chose to make the blue warrior aged 32 to insert some oyaji gags, while also noting the use of Papaya Suzuki as the ending theme's choreographer to insert some levity, hot-blooded actor Shinji Yamashita as the red warrior's father, and the inclusion of Shigeru Chiba as the series' narrator who gives a high tension style to the show.
Films and Specials
The Kyoryugers make their debut appearance in Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: The Movie, and are the protagonists of the following films:Theatrical
''Super Hero Taisen Z''
Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z is a film that was released in Japan on 27 April 2013 which featured the first crossover between characters of Toei's three main Tokusatsu franchises, Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, and the Space Sheriff Series, including other heroes from the Metal Heroes series as well. The protagonists of Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie, Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters, and Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger are featured, but the casts of Kamen Rider Wizard, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, and Kamen Rider Fourze also participate in the film. The event of the movie takes place between Brave 10 and 11.''Gaburincho of Music''
As with every year, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger appears in their own film titled Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger the Movie: Gaburincho of Music, which is a musical, that was released in theaters on 3 August 2013, double-billed with Kamen Rider Wizard in Magic Land. The event of the movie takes place between Brave 20 and 21.''Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters''
Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters: The Great Dinosaur Battle! Farewell Our Eternal Friends was released in theaters on 18 January 2014. As with previous VS movies, this film features a crossover between the casts of Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger and Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters while also bringing in cameos from the casts of Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger and Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger & The heroes of Ressha Sentai ToQger. The event of the movie takes place between Brave 36 and 37.''Kamen Rider Taisen''
The main casts from Ressha Sentai ToQger and Kamen Rider Gaim, along with Ryo Ryusei who returns as Daigo Kiryu from Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger participate in Heisei Rider vs. Shōwa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai which debuted in theaters on 29 March 2014. It also features the return of characters from previous Kamen Rider Series, most notably Hiroshi Fujioka of the original Kamen Rider.''ToQger vs. Kyoryuger''
Ressha Sentai ToQger vs. Kyoryuger: The Movie is the VS team-up movie between Ressha Sentai ToQger and Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger. The film was released in Japanese theaters on 17 January 2015.''Ultra Super Hero Taisen''
A crossover film, titled Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Ultra Super Hero Taisen featuring the casts of Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Amazon Riders, Uchu Sentai Kyuranger, and Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger, was released in Japan on 25 March 2017. This movie also celebrates the 10th anniversary of Kamen Rider Den-O and features the spaceship Andor Genesis from the Xevious game, which is used by the movie's main antagonists, as well as introduces the movie-exclusive Kamen Rider True Brave, played by Kamen Rider Brave's actor Toshiki Seto from Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, and the villain Shocker Great Leader III, played by the singer Diamond Yukai. In addition, individual actors from older Kamen Rider and Super Sentai TV series, Ryohei Odai, Gaku Matsumoto, Atsushi Maruyama, and Hiroya Matsumoto reprise their respective roles.Special episodes
- Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: It's Here! Armed On Midsummer Festival!! is a special DVD by Kodansha that details Daigo and Utsusemimaru dealing with Nobuharu when he is possessed by the ghosts of Debo Tangosekku and Debo Tanabanta. With the assistance of Ramirez and Tessai however, the two Kyoryugers gain Spirit Ranger versions of the Pteragordon and Plezuon Zyudenchi to send the spirits back to Deboth Hell. The special concludes with a promo for the Kyoryuger movie and takes place between Brave 23 and 24.
- This Is Brave! Battle Frontier is a web-exclusive episode released on the official Brave Frontier YouTube channel as a collaboration between the Toei Company and video game producer Alim to promote the release of Brave Frontier 2 in Japan. This special also serves as a reunion between the series's original cast and is denoted as Brave 33.5, taking place between Brave 33 and 34.
V-Cinema
''Hundred Years After''
Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger Returns: Hundred Years After is a V-Cinema release released on 20 June 2014, taking places between Brave 42 and 43. The main cast of Ryo Ryusei, Syuusuke Saito, Yamato Kinjo, Akihisa Shiono, Ayuri Konno, and Atsushi Maruyama reprise their roles from the series while also portraying a future generation of Kyoryugers introduced in the movie.''King-Ohger vs. Kyoryuger''
Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger vs. Kyoryuger is a V-Cinema release that features a crossover between Kyoryuger and Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger and also celebrates the 10th anniversary of the series. The V-Cinema had a limited theatrical release on 26 April 2024, double-billed with Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger vs. Donbrothers, and followed by its DVD and Blu-ray release on 9 October 2024. The main cast of Ryo Ryusei, Syuusuke Saito, Yamato Kinjo, Akihisa Shiono, Ayuri Konno, and Atsushi Maruyama, and Marie Iitoyo reprise their roles from the series.Video game
The Kyoryugers appear in their very own video game developed by Namco Bandai Games for the Nintendo 3DS called Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: Game on Gaburincho!!, released on 8 August 2013.Cast
- Daigo Kiryu: Ryo Ryusei
- Ian Yorkland: Syuusuke Saito
- Nobuharu Udo: Yamato Kinjo
- Souji Rippukan: Akihisa Shiono
- Amy Yuuzuki: Ayuri Konno
- Utsusemimaru: Atsushi Maruyama
- Wise God Torin: Toshiyuki Morikawa
- Many-Faced High Priest Kaos: Takayuki Sugō
- Joyful Knight Canderrilla: Haruka Tomatsu
- Raging Knight Dogold: Satoshi Tsuruoka
- Sorrowful Knight Aigallon: Yū Mizushima
- Funfilled Spy Luckyulo: Ai Orikasa
- Resentful Knight Endolf: Masaya Matsukaze
- New Sorrowful Knight Aisurondo: Ryōta Takeuchi
- New Joyful Knight Kiruborero: Akio Suyama
- Transcendenterfly God Deboth: Tōru Ōkawa
- Narration, Kyoryuger Equipment Voice, Doctor Woorushade: Shigeru Chiba
Recurring cast
- Dantetsu Kiryu: Shinji Yamashita
- Shiro Mifune: Kenji Ebisawa
- Yuko Fukui: Ayumi Kinoshita
- Rika Fukui: Nanami Tsunamoto
- Genryu Rippukan: Junichi Haruta
- Gentle: Kentaro Shimazu
- Ramirez: Robert Baldwin
- Tessai, Shinya Tsukouchi: Masayuki Deai
- Yayoi Woorushade: Marie Iitoyo
Guest stars
- Hiroshi Nakazato: Jouji Shibue
- Mikoto Amano : Shizuka Nakamura
- Ferocious Knight D: Mamoru Miyano
- Reiko Tanba: Sayoko Hagiwara
- Papaya Suzuki
- Riku Sanjo
Songs
;Opening theme- "Vamola! Kyoryuger"
- *Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
- *Composition: Yusuke Mochida
- *Arrangement: Kousuke Yamashita, Yusuke Mochida
- *Artist: Shogo Kamada
- "Minna Atsumare! Kyoryuger"
- *Lyrics: Saburo Yatsude, Hideaki Takatori
- *Composition: Hideaki Takatori
- *Arrangement: Hiroaki Kagoshima
- *Artist: Hideaki Takatori