What is Tokusatsu? Click Here.

[Mr Jes]

A few of you may be familiar with child favorites such as VR Troopers, Ultraman Tiga, Power Rangers, Masked Rider, and even Beetleborgs. But did you know that all of those were adapted from Japanese footage? The only footage you've probably seen are the monster fights with English dubbing over it.

Tokusatsu literally translates as special effects and it usually refers to any sci-fi or live-action drama. Some of the sub-categories in it are mentioned in this guild.

This sticky provides general info on where those shows came from, and may also indicate where they are headed.  

[Mr Jes]

(Sentai Reds up to Gaoranger)

Super Sentai (スーパー戦隊シリーズ Sūpā Sentai Shirīzu) is the name that refers to a super hero genre in Japan. It was created by Shotaro Ishinomori in 1975. It usually involves a core team of five, on occasion three, fighting creatures, monsters, or aliens to protect Earth with mystical or technological powers. While each series/season is set in its own reality, but generally there is a crossover movie involving the current and previous teams in the middle of each run. When at the villain they are fighting is first destroyed it will usually revive by some means and grow to enormous sizes. This forces the team to summon equally enormous vehicles or animals to combine to form a robot/mecha to fight. Sentai translates as Fighting Squadron or Task Force

List of Super Sentai Series (1975-Present)
Himitsu Sentai Goranger

J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai

Battle Fever J

Denshi Sentai Denziman

Taiyou Sentai Sun Vulcan

Dai Sentai Goggle-V

Kagaku Sentai Dynaman

Choudenshi Bioman

Dengeki Sentai Changeman

Choushinsei Flashman

Hikari Sentai Maskman

Choujuu Sentai Liveman

Kousoku Sentai Turboranger

Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman

Chōjin Sentai Jetman

Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger

Gosei Sentai Dairanger

Ninja Sentai Kakuranger

Chouriki Sentai Ohranger

Gekisou Sentai Carranger

Denji Sentai Megaranger

Seijuu Sentai Gingaman

Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive

Mirai Sentai Timeranger

Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger

Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger

Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger

Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger

Mahou Sentai Magiranger

GoGo Sentai Boukenger

Juken Sentai Gekiranger

Samurai Sentai Shinkenger

Tensou Sentai Goseiger


Captain's note: I've decided not to add wiki links to these as it was messing up when I was posting the URL and web title.

--Power Ranger Counterparts--
Zyuranger---Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers
Dairanger---White Tiger/Lion Ranger and Thunder Zords
Kakuranger---Alien Rangers and Zords
Ohranger---Zeo Rangers
Carranger---Power Rangers: Turbo
Megaranger---Power Rangers: In Space
Gingaman---Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy
GoGoFive---Power Rangers: Light Speed Rescue
Timeranger---Power Rangers: Time Force
Gaoranger---Power Rangers: Wild Force
Hurricaneger---Power Rangers: Ninja Storm
Abaranger---Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Dekaranger---Power Rangers SPD
Magiranger---Power Rangers Mystic Force
Boukenger---Power Rangers Operation Overdrive
Gekiranger---Power Rangers Jungle Fury
Go-onger---Power Rangers: RPM
~~~
Shinkenger---No Adaptation
Goseiger---No Adaptation

Credit: Wikipedia

~Triva~  

[Mr Jes]

Kamen Rider (仮面ライダー Kamen Raidā?, Masked Rider), is a weekly super hero show in Japan, which has a huge cultural impact on the country. It was started in April 3, 1971 by Shotaro Ishinomori. It usually includes at first one young male transforming, henshining, to fight off threats to where he is. Each series lasts about a year and has its own plot and characters. The stable in each, is that the hero has a motorcycle, hence Rider, and a finisher usually referred to as a "Rider Kick." Spin-offs air to this day with Kamen RIder Double being the current series.

The series was first attempted in America when Saban produced Masked Rider, using footage from KR Black RX. It was unsuccessful and was not attempted again until Kamen Rider Dragon Knight was produced, using footage from KR Ryuuki.

Shōwa Era Riders ( April 1971 to January 1976)
Kamen RIder 1
Kamen Rider 2
Kamen Rider V3
Riderman
Kamen RIder X
Kamen RIder Amazon
Kamen Rider Stronger
Kamen Rider Skyrider
Kamen Rider Super-1
Kamen Rider ZX
Kamen Rider Black
Kamen Rider Black RX

Heisei Era Riders (January 30, 2000-Current)
Kamen Rider Kyuuga
Kamen Rider Agito
Kamen Rider Ryuki
Kamen Rider Faiz
Kamen Rider Blade
Kamen Rider Hibiki
Kamen Rider Kabuto
Kamen Rider Den-O
Kamen Rider KIva
Kamen RIder Decade
Kamen Rider Double

Credit: Wikipedia^^
...
~Triva~
-Kamen RIder Hibiki wasn't originally planned to be a Kamen Rider show, but an entirely different series.
-Kamen RIder Hibiki's writing staff was fired halfway through production.
-Kamen RIder Den-O Had more movies made more then any other series
-Kamen Rider Ryuki was the second series to be adapted for American audiences
-Kamen RIder Dragon Knight is HIGHLY popular in Japan
-Before the debut of KR Kyuuga, the franchise was kept alive through comic books.
-Kamen Rider Femme, known as Kamen Rider Siren in America, was the first ever female Kamen Rider.  

[Mr Jes]

Ultraman

Series Info  

[Mr Jes]

Metal Heroes

The Metal Hero Series (メタルヒーローシリーズ Metaru Hīrō Series?) is a genre of tokusatsu superhero TV series produced by Toei for Japanese television.
The protagonists of the Metal Hero Series are mainly space and police-based characters who are typically androids, cyborgs, or humans that don "metallic" suits. Henceforth, most of the Metal Heroes are also referenced as "Henshin (transforming) Heroes." Usually, the genre revolves around a technological theme where technology, in the right hands, can be used for the greater good.
The shows were produced by Toei from 1982 through 1999 in conjunction with their other Tokusatsu superhero shows, such as Kamen Rider and Super Sentai. Not only are some of them popular in Japan but also in several other countries like France, Brazil, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Additionally, in the 1990s, Saban Entertainment used some of the shows to produce programs similar to their Power Rangers series.

(Copied Straight From Wikipedia. Will edit later. mrgreen )  

[Mr Jes]

-Other Independent Tokusatsu Productions-


Madan Senki Ryukendo

(魔弾戦記リュウケンドー Madan Senki Ryūkendō?, translated as Magic Bullet Chronicles Ryukendo) Ryukendo was the first attempt by Takara Toy Co. and We've Inc at making a sentai styled show.
-Basic Plot-
In the city Akebono, lies a Power Spot, a place where magical energies are released. The peaceful townspeople are plagued by the demonic Jamanga army who are after "Minus Engergy," which they gather by terrorizing humans. The secret organization known as SHOT is formed to restore peace. During this time a young man known, Kenji Narukami, soon arrives and is chosen to fight this new threat.


Godzilla

Way to much information to summarize. ^^  

[Mr Jes]

Apparently, the producers/writers who did Kamen Rider Dragon Knight are raising money for a second Kamen Rider series. Sweet! surprised  

[Saicosis7]

Mr Jes

Apparently, the producers/writers who did Kamen Rider Dragon Knight are raising money for a second Kamen Rider series. Sweet! surprised

eek Realy? Oh jeeze i hope they dont ruin the story line though. Alot of things in dragon knight could have been a bit better instead of them trying to make it like power rangers. Personaly i think they should have kept the idea of a rider war for a chance to get their greatest wish was a better story idea...and most likely would have been receive better here in america...but that is my opinion. You all might have different ones from mine but i respect that.  

[Mr Jes]

Saicosis7

Mr Jes

Apparently, the producers/writers who did Kamen Rider Dragon Knight are raising money for a second Kamen Rider series. Sweet! surprised

eek Realy? Oh jeeze i hope they dont ruin the story line though. Alot of things in dragon knight could have been a bit better instead of them trying to make it like power rangers. Personaly i think they should have kept the idea of a rider war for a chance to get their greatest wish was a better story idea...and most likely would have been receive better here in america...but that is my opinion. You all might have different ones from mine but i respect that.

That's how it was when I read on (KR Dragon Knight's Wiki) Wikipedia.

Hmm, your post just gave me another thread idea.  

[Nadira]

Where's Garo?

It's apart of the genre. smile  

[Mr Jes]

Nadira

Where's Garo?

It's apart of the genre. smile

Check the post date.I didn't know about Garo when I made this Thread.

Remember this one of the very first threads in the Imperium. I had JUST gotten into Tokusatsu then. There was a lot of Toku I missed. Like Garo and Rescue Force (forget it's actual name. >.<) 3nodding  

[Nadira]

Mr Jes

Nadira

Where's Garo?

It's apart of the genre. smile

Check the post date.I didn't know about Garo when I made this Thread.

Remember this one of the very first threads in the Imperium. I had JUST gotten into Tokusatsu then. There was a lot of Toku I missed. Like Garo and Rescue Force (forget it's actual name. >.<) 3nodding

Haha, yeah, I recently learned about Garo's existence myself. I'm in love with that series now, and don't want it to ever end...

You're forgiven.