In the very first episode of Battle Fever J, we have a chick that wields a poisonous umbrella, creepy monster transformations, one foreigner dead and the team assembles and passed the test of courage which involves jumping on a katana. Huh.
To begin this review, this is the 1st SUPER Sentai series in the franchise before Toei decided to include Goranger and JAKQ in the franchise thus making this series the 3rd overall. After the rather dark opening that we have for JAKQ two years ago, the series opens in the same tone except it adds more "light" into it.
By light, the first episode is not as depressing compared to JAKQ in which a lot of people died as they introduce each possible Ranger. In Battle Fever's case, they introduce each member in a fun way and in case of Diane Martin aka Miss America, by mistaken identity. Still fun.
Compared to the previous two shows before it, the team actually wears powered suits and not use any changer which gives this realistic Western superhero vibe in it and I liked it. Because of it, makes me wonder how Gokaiger will do a Battle Fever Gokai Change. The episode also introduces the under-construction Battle Fever Robo, the very first Sentai giant robot.
As for the characters, only three stand out from the main team for me, namely, Kyosuke aka Battle France, Shirou aka Battle Kenya and Diane aka Miss America. France because of his introduction part in which he accidentally does a bad haircut on his customer and how his fighting style which is the Flamenco, a Spanish dance... and he represents France. Kenya, same case with France and lastly, Diane due to her focus in this episode.
Seriously, this episode is more like a Diane focus episode than a team introduction episode. Can't blame her though since her father died in this episode and that she cleared up the charges against her that she was the killer. Compared to the previous Pinks before her, her personality and back story is as close as to Karen Mizuki aka Heart Queen whose father died because of CRIME.
As for their fighting styles, I find it entertaining, especially that they had those cutscenes in which they depict the Rangers doing their respective dance moves as they fight their opponents. As for how they summon their respective individual weapons, it doesn't look cheesy compared to the ones before them and at the same time, looks realistic. As for their finishing move, I still can't stop laughing on their final team pose in which they jump in the air and form the letters, B & J before joining their respective rods and use the Penta Force finisher.
Lastly, as for the organization in this series, Egos the group felt not that menacing. Okay, so you killed a couple of military officials and that's it? No massive killings? But hey, at least the group had a good background in terms of what they did in the past!
Overall, it was a good opening episode. The episode had a good balance between the episode's dark and light themes but went overboard a bit with the Diane Martin focus instead of giving proper highlight to ever member. Seriously, Masao aka Battle Japan has this vibe of the classic leader that you will tend to forget after a few episodes.
To begin this review, this is the 1st SUPER Sentai series in the franchise before Toei decided to include Goranger and JAKQ in the franchise thus making this series the 3rd overall. After the rather dark opening that we have for JAKQ two years ago, the series opens in the same tone except it adds more "light" into it.
By light, the first episode is not as depressing compared to JAKQ in which a lot of people died as they introduce each possible Ranger. In Battle Fever's case, they introduce each member in a fun way and in case of Diane Martin aka Miss America, by mistaken identity. Still fun.
Compared to the previous two shows before it, the team actually wears powered suits and not use any changer which gives this realistic Western superhero vibe in it and I liked it. Because of it, makes me wonder how Gokaiger will do a Battle Fever Gokai Change. The episode also introduces the under-construction Battle Fever Robo, the very first Sentai giant robot.
As for the characters, only three stand out from the main team for me, namely, Kyosuke aka Battle France, Shirou aka Battle Kenya and Diane aka Miss America. France because of his introduction part in which he accidentally does a bad haircut on his customer and how his fighting style which is the Flamenco, a Spanish dance... and he represents France. Kenya, same case with France and lastly, Diane due to her focus in this episode.
Seriously, this episode is more like a Diane focus episode than a team introduction episode. Can't blame her though since her father died in this episode and that she cleared up the charges against her that she was the killer. Compared to the previous Pinks before her, her personality and back story is as close as to Karen Mizuki aka Heart Queen whose father died because of CRIME.
As for their fighting styles, I find it entertaining, especially that they had those cutscenes in which they depict the Rangers doing their respective dance moves as they fight their opponents. As for how they summon their respective individual weapons, it doesn't look cheesy compared to the ones before them and at the same time, looks realistic. As for their finishing move, I still can't stop laughing on their final team pose in which they jump in the air and form the letters, B & J before joining their respective rods and use the Penta Force finisher.
Lastly, as for the organization in this series, Egos the group felt not that menacing. Okay, so you killed a couple of military officials and that's it? No massive killings? But hey, at least the group had a good background in terms of what they did in the past!
Overall, it was a good opening episode. The episode had a good balance between the episode's dark and light themes but went overboard a bit with the Diane Martin focus instead of giving proper highlight to ever member. Seriously, Masao aka Battle Japan has this vibe of the classic leader that you will tend to forget after a few episodes.