Sentai Month: Top Ten Favorite Robots

For the third week of Sentai Month I will take a look on my favorite robots of the franchise. Now use any term you want for it as there are three common names for them. First is Robot since the first ones were mostly called with the team name with robot at the end. Second is Mecha which is a term that was brought up from anime series like Gundam. Finally there is Megazord which is from Power Rangers, but the in-between fans call them by that name. There really isn't a wrong name so please don't flame me for saying robots. Now I will do one per series and look on their design, different weapons, and any combinations they can make.

10. Daibouken from Boukenger

Starting off is a robot from one of my favorites. This one was built by the formation of five machines that are based on real vehicles, but each show a different way of travel. So the major motif of this robot is adventuring. It clearly does that and with it's equips it shows that well again. The thing can actually use a shovel and a mixer as a weapon. Now the motif does die out when it does bigger combinations, but the base form of this robot is too impressive to stay out of the list.

9. Magi King from Magiranger

Magiranger was a magic series so the biggest thing that this robot should have is a magic theme. Again it shows this well mostly thanks to the hat since it looks like a wizard's hat. Also being formed by other magical beasts helps out as well. Then there are many additional parts that I love about it. First is that it can grow wings! The wings are huge, but it doesn't look funny and seeing it done in battle is well done. Then it can even have a completely change around to form Magidragon. Hence where the wings come from since the team can make a dragon robot. So a good amount of magic used for this robot and it doesn't add on it so the magic just keeps working by itself.

8. Daidenjin from Denjiman

This is the second big robot in the franchise and I really like the older design it brings. Now Denjiman had a higher technology theme so comparing this to Battle Fever Robo does make it looks more high tech. Also it has three main weapons: a sword, ball and chain, and a boomerang. Is there really any other robot with a boomerang? It's a basic robot, but it holds a lot of appeal thanks to some weapon varitey and I still love the sword finisher is has. For the second robot it's design is still pretty good and holds the team's name well. I bet for some it will be shocking to see on the list, but for me it's at home with the number eight spot.

7. Go-Buster Ace from Go-busters

Next week I will take a look at this series, but first is one of their robots. I love it when the red warrior can have a separate robot by himself. This was first done in Dairanger with Ryusei-oh and I love the idea so much. With the Ace it's based on a cheetah as you can tell by looking at the chest. Then there is the warrior motif and it holds that as well. Then this robot is combined with other two buster machines and once with Stag's Buster machine. The Ace itself is strong on it's own and whenever it combines it still gives off it's presence. The Ace had good movement which is surprising to see in some of the recent robots. It was a small build, but it packs a big punch.

6. Dragon Ceasar from Zyuranger

Now when I was a child I knew this as the Dragon Zord and completely loved it. I still do love this robot a whole lot. First it easily has a giant monster feel to it which is something that was very different for the 90's. It has a really big look to it thanks to some parts being slightly bulky, but it's good since it makes the robot look strong. Also it could fight on it's own as well make it's own combination with the team. When changed into the warrior form it uses it's drill as the main weapon. Then there is when Ceasar becomes the top part of Daizyujin. The importance this robot had was huge since it came during the best part of Zyuranger and helped the team out tons of times.

5. Gekitouja from Gekiranger

What I love about the robots the most is how they can move as this for me is the last free moving combined robot. So many other robots become clustered and it just hinders on the action portion of their shows. Gekitouja though holds a lot of originality even though it has a beast motif which is very common. The major weapon it had was a rod that could snap to act more like kung chucks. The whole torso can even spin around! When it combined with the other machines then it still carried it's presence and never really had a clustered combination. It was fast moving and even though red does take over in the overall design this mech gets the number five spot for using basics very well.

4. Gozyujin from Gokaiger

Another six ranger mech takes the number four spot for the amount of amazing callbacks it has. First it has a ship form which is based on Timeranger, but that form does make me think of the ship machines in the first two Sentai. Then it has a T-rex form and it's very similar to Dragon Ceasar as it has a drill for a tail. Then comes Abaranger's part and thanks to the overall Dino theme this mech has it helps. Gozyujin is a very good mecha as it's design is nice looking with blue, silver, and gold. Gokai-oh was good as well, but it did cluster at a point. Gozyujin does combine with it yes, but there is no way I couldn't let this guy not be on the list.

3. Sun Vulcan Robo from sun Vulcan

Again this is an older mecha, but I still see this as a big personal favorite of mine. First I love the colors it uses as it all blends well. Then this robot has another one of my favorite finishers, again basic, but it does it in the best way. This robot has a good amount of weapons as it carries a sword, can fire it's own hands, cannons, and a twist on the ball and chain that was used in Denjiman. Again since it's basic it's hard to really describe it, but it does everything in the best way possible as I know many fans would agree that this robot is awesome. So overall it's like Denjiman's robot in many ways, but it improves on the factors it had.

2. Ryuuseioh and Won Tiger from Dairanger

I couldn't pick between these two as they come from my favorite Sentai series. Both of these robots are fast moving and hold tons of great themes. First Ryuuseioh is a dragon warrior while Won Tiger is a tiger warrior both are Chinese beast and their warrior forms are nice and built well. Ryuuseioh is known for his kick move while Won Tiger is known for the blasts of energy it can make. Then both combine into their own robot and both are just amazing. Dairen-oh is a samurai and the armor looks awesome. Again another personal finisher of mine that one holds. Then there is Kibadaioh that improves on Won Tiger's look and holds another favorite finisher of mine. The biggest reason I love these two so much though is for their beast forms as so much work is done for them. Ryuuseioh had tons of wire work with it as Won Tiger had a similar way, but on the ground. Both moved very well as seeing the use of practical effects is top notch.

1. Jet Icarus from Jetman

Now this robot takes all the things I love the most about the giant robots. First the use of the bird motif is very present. Second is that it has many weapons that it can use in battle. There's a sword, hammer, axe, lance, daggers, ball and chain, a shield, and it can fire it's fists! Holy crap that's a lot of weapons! Then it even has a bird form called the Icarus Hawken. Next is when it combines with the Jet Garuda and you can still see the Icarus which is something Zyuranger picked up from. It was fast moving as well. Finally it has amazing finishers with the Icarus Hawken having my all time favorite finisher. There is so much greatness with this robot and if Jetman was the first Power Ranger series I would have completely loved seeing this one as a child. So that is my list and has I said before next week I take a look on the series I forgot for a while, Go-busters.