I was able to write this after I finished my review for my exams today! Yep, today. Finished writing this review before the clock strike one.
Goranger vs. JAKQ is the first Sentai team-up film in the entire Super Sentai franchise. In addition, the people from Grown Ups in Spandex have subbed this film! Goranger? JAKQ? Who are those teams? To those who don’t know them, here is a crash course.
Goranger is the first Sentai show that aired in 1975, it composed of five members who were the survivors of the attacks done by the Black Crusaders on all 5 EAGLE bases in Japan. Being the first Sentai team, they have the privilege to be called in their respective colors, namely AkaRanger (Red Ranger), AoRanger (Blue Ranger), KiRanger (Yellow Ranger), MomoRanger (Pink Ranger) and MidoRanger (Green Ranger). It aired in the Philippines as Star Rangers and had a different set of roll calls namely, Star 1 (For AkaRanger), Star 2 (For AoRanger) and so on.
Meanwhile, JAKQ (Pronouced as Jacker) is the second Sentai show and the only Sentai team that is composed of cyborgs. JAKQ is first composed of four complete strangers who were selected by an organization and volunteered to be modified into a cyborg to fight an organization called CRIME. Currently, this is the only Sentai based on cards. The Rangers are: Spade Ace (Red), Dia Jack (Blue), Clover King (Green) and Heart Queen (Pink). They were later added with the Big One (White) who took over the leadership from Spade Ace. Unlike other Sentai shows, the JAKQs did not have a portable henshin device. Instead, they have a room in which there are four capsules for each member to transform. The only member of the team who has a portable henshin device is the Big One.
Unlike other Sentai teams after them, they do not have robots or individual mecha for them to fight a giant monster, but instead, they have a single jet-like mecha to fight the bad guys. I mean, what’s the use of having a giant robot if their enemies will not revived into a giant monster?
Since you have the idea on the teams, let’s get this show on the road!
The film kicks off with an awesome opening sequence in which we saw the two teams fight a bunch of grunts; saw them do badass vehicle stunts and the like. After all the teams align, this is where the film officially starts to roll.
Its just any ordinary evening in Japan and the three members of JAKQ, Ace, King and Clover were defeated in a game of poker by Queen (Hah!) and so, as consequence they will follow Queen with her shopping and carry the things she bought from the stores she went when suddenly, a flying saucer appeared. Wait a minute, this film aired during the 70’s! Why the heck we have a flying saucer?! Anyways, the people ran away and the three men leaved Karen (Heart Queen) behind along with her shopping goods.
The three are now in the JAKQ base in which Joker, their mentor ordered Banba (Big One) to give JAKQ the mission to follow the UFO. The three headed to Sky Ace, their mecha and started followed the UFO. After a couple of diplomatic solutions, the UFO attacked and so, the Sky Ace decided to attack them.
Meanwhile, CRIME’s head officers are in a mission to steal uranium from various facilities. The UFO was just a distraction. After the chase, the team are now back in the base in which they learned the attacks the UFO is just one distraction. The team figured out that CRIME has returned to Japan. This is when the Joker tells them that the world is constantly fighting and to my surprise, we learned these.
Yes, Kamen Riders V3 and Amazon are mentioned in this film along with Kikaider.
WTF?!
We are now given to a scene in which CRIME’s heads are talking in their base. Plans include producing a Flying Saucer Hydrogen Bomb… wait. A Flying Saucer Hydrogen Bomb?! Is it me or this film has a lot of 60’s Sci-Fi Movie references? Anyways, while discussing their plans, a spy has escaped!
It alarmed the leaders and Iron Claw ordered the grunt to show him the monitor in which we saw the spy riding his jet ski to leave the CRIME base. Since this is a spy, obviously, they will chase him! Two of CRIME’s leaders and so, the duo attacked the guy in the jet ski with a machine gun. Yeh, they attacked him with a machine gun, and most people thought that Sentai is a show best enjoyed by kids!
The spy fell from the Jet Ski and moments later, he was found in the shore with the police investigating the body. Along with that, a familiar figure wearing a leather outfit is also investigating the incident with her camera taking pictures of the notes written on the shirt that man wore.
JAKQ’s Ace and Queen appeared in the scene and investigated the body. While investigating, the body, the familiar female leaves, and Ace started to suspect her. After asking the police to leave the investigation to the team, the duo followed her using the Spade Machine, the car the team used. The woman tried her best to outrun the Spade Machine but she failed due to Jack and King’s vehicles blocking the driveway. Thus, it forced the woman to reveal her identity. Yes, she is Peggy Matsuyama, aka Momo Ranger of Goranger.
Jack asked why she is here since Goranger was on Africa. She replied that she is following Sahara Shogun (The guy whom the Goranger team are fighting in Africa) which led her to return to Japan.
The pictures then were presented to Joker and he deciphered that the codes found in the shirt is a secret message hidden using the methods the Spartans used. After deciphering the codes, after learning the message, Jack suggested that it must be their hiding place. Banba grabbed a map and connected the clues given on the code to find CRIME’s hideout: Cape Mystery.
The four headed to the cape in which they planned on how they will go to their base. Ace and Queen decided to go first via climbing the cliff. After their successful climb, they hid inside a trunk for them to enter the enemy base. Meanwhile, the two decided to distract the grunts… by activating the mines with the use of their respective vehicles. Because of this, it gave Ace and Queen to enter the truck, and finally, arrived in CRIME’s base.
The entered the base and overheard Iron Claw’s plan to use the Hydrogen Bomb on seven countries and temporary hide in space once to coast is cleared, this is when they start the plan in conquering the entire Solar System. The plan is obviously called, “UFO.”
Suddenly, an intruder arrived and it’s not Ace and Queen! The intruder dressed up as a grunt and the unknown figure fights off the grunts. The intruder was captured and it turned out to be Peggy! She was struggling and finally, Ace and Queen to aid her! After defeating the grunts, Ace decides to explode the control room (In which Peggy was held earlier) and Peggy transformed into Momo Ranger!
After leaving the area, the three were surprised! All four CRIME generals leading their respective grunts are surrounding them! Luckily, Sky Ace arrived and dropped the room in which their respective capsules are inside. Jack and King leaved the capsule in their respective transformed forms and Ace and Queen went inside to transform too. After doing their roll call, a familiar mecha appeared. It’s the Varidreen, the Goranger’s respective mecha!
The Gorangers coming from the mecha arrived and started their roll call. After their roll call, the teams jumped to form this film’s first group roll call. After this scene, this is where all the fun begins.
“Send them to hell!” – Iron Claw
Now, the teams are fighting the grunts, doing some combo attacks and that includes Momo Ranger’s infamous mind control attacks, and so we see grunts danced. Sentai cheesiness ensues. After defeating all the grunts, Iron Claw orders CRIME’s Big Four to attack them. This is where we see the each of the JAKQ’s fighting side by side with the Gorangers. After the teams cornered the Big Four, Iron Claw ordered them to combine. What?!
Anyways, the Big Four Robot attacked the Gorangers with his cannon, which caused the Gorangers to use the Goranger Hurricane, their finisher. The finisher failed, and so, the JAKQs decided to use their respective finisher, the JAKQ Koboku. But before they can execute the attack, the Big Four Robot cleared them away. Iron Claw announced that this robot is unbeatable. A fisherman arrived who thinks he caught a large fish. Seriously, what’s with Ishinomori and fishermen who accidentally saw or caught or being beaten up by a monster?
Back to the fisherman, after talking to Iron Claw, he got pissed and attacked the fisherman using his claw, and the fisherman caught the claw who turned out to be… Banba! He introduced himself, tossed the claw and hit it with a rose, which led him to transform into the Big One!
The Big One said, in order for them to defeat the Big Four Robot, they need to work together. And so, they need to Goranger Hurricane once more, this time, they tossed the bomb to the JAKQs and formed their formation for the Big Bomber! The finisher was effective! The teams saw the enemy hideout is about to explode. Meanwhile, Iron Claw escaped using the flying saucer and promised to himself that he will be the King of the Solar System. Heart Queen is worried about the Flying Saucer Hydrogen Bomb plan and Big One says not to worry.
Remember the part where he grabbed the claw? He actually made some adjustments while the claw is still in his possession. Big One gave the controller to Spade Ace and turned the knob, which caused the claw on Iron Claw’s arm to fly and explode. And so, CRIME is gone. Thanks to Goranger and JAKQ teaming up to fight them!
On to the review, first of all, I only watched both show’s respective first episodes before watching this film so my knowledge in most characters are not that good, just bear with me.
For the first Sentai team-up film, it felt like this is one JAKQ film with Goranger making a cameo at the very end. Sure, Peggy appeared. However, where are the other members of the team? I know they are in Africa. But why is it Peggy is the only one chasing Sahara Shogun? Why not have him partnered with Ki or Aka or Mido? Or maybe Ao (Whose actor, also played the Big One in this film.)? The lack of cameos coming from the previous series is one of the weaknesses of this film aside from the fact that the film lasted for 24 minutes.
Like most Sentai team-up films, its up to fans to decide if this team-up is canon or not. In my opinion, considering that it was made in the 70’s, and Ishinomori created both teams, I say, this film is canon. I mean, if I would base it on his other franchise, Kamen Rider, they all exist in one universe that was also created by Ishinomori. Another thing, why waste money on a good-written team-up film if it turned out to be not part of canon? I mean, I anyone could write a team-up for the sake of fan service without making a good story.
Aside from having picture cameos of V3 and Amazon, one of the things that I loved is the story. It is crazy in a sense and realistic in a sense. Crazy because it involves a flying saucer dropping a hydrogen bomb on seven countries. I mean, come on, a flying saucer? Seriously, its one of the craziest Sentai plots that I heard. Another crazy plot came from Jetman thanks to a certain Ramen Jigen! Realistic because if you have the right resources, the proper aircraft carrier, you can throw hydrogen bombs in seven countries which is kinda scary if you ask me.
One of the things that surprised me in this film is the Big Four Robot. I never expected that a pre-Battle Fever J show will involve a robot and individually, the Goranger and JAKQ teams cannot beat it that it required for them to combine their skills to defeat it.
When I had my interest on JAKQ, I was interested on a certain Big One, why he replaced Spade Ace? Why most people think he is awesome aside from the fact that Miyauchi, who also played Kamen Rider V3 played him? The film answered all my questions. Sokichi Banba is more of a supervising leader. He leads the team if he thinks his subordinates are in big trouble. He is confident that even without him his team can survive tough enemies as seen in the earlier fight scenes of the film. In case they needed his help, he will just appeared in a grand way, namely, he would remove his costume, transform in midair and assemble his team that it is time to kick some ass. Aside from his slickness, and suave attitude, he is cunning, a man that you should not mess around with.
On JAKQ’s Red Ranger, Spade Ace, he is more of the man who loves to get his hands dirty. He investigates; he is one of the first people who will volunteer to infiltrate the enemy base, etc. No wonder Big One is confident on this guy.
The stunts were great and the effects were great. For a film created during that time, I was amazed on their great use of miniatures to create realistic base explosions and realistic mecha chases.
Since this is a team-up film, what I liked about it is that even if Gorangers appeared at the last few minutes of the film, they made their presence clear. This is not just a film about Gorangers helping the JAKQs in defeating CRIME; it is also a film about Goranger and JAKQ aiding each other to fight one common enemy, CRIME.
Overall, even if the film is too short to be called a film, Goranger vs. JAKQ is one fun film to watch. Even if we have a lack of Goranger cameos, this film is still great as it is.