Kotaku East East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am. Prev Next View All

This year, a Super Sentai (aka Power Rangers) parody series called Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger launched in Japan along with the new "official" series Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters.




For decades now, young Japanese boys have grown up with Power Rangers, which gets a new incarnation every year. Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger is from the folks who make the official Super Sentai shows, but it's a tongue and cheek take on Power Rangers that knowingly pokes fun at so much about the series. Like what? Like a porn star villainess.

Unlike regular Super Sentai shows, which broadcast in the morning and are aimed at kids, Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger runs late at night and is aimed at adults who grew up on Super Sentai. It follows three otaku (geeks) who protect Tokyo's nerd haven Akihabara from evil.


Super Sentai often features pin-up models as the female villains. While the show is aimed at kids and the female villains aren't exactly prancing about in bikinis, their inclusion means that the show could have appeal with fathers. Likewise, the show often features young, hunky dudes that can appeal to mothers.

Occasionally, adult video actresses—inconceivable for a kiddy show in some countries even if the show features only PG type content—play the female villains.

With Super Sentai's porn star history, it's only natural that the Akibaranger parody features a former porn star as the female baddie. Honoka, star of movies like Lascivious Nurse and Obscene MAX, stars as ©Na (or Malseena), the evil jackboot leader who wants to take over Akihabara.

In Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger, there are loads on Super Sentai in-jokes about genre tropes as well as gags about Japanese geek culture, regarding things like cosplay, figurines, hug pillows, pin-ups, etc. That, of course, is the point, because this is a parody! The humor is subversive—and smart. Check out these screencaps (here and here) for an idea of the show's humor.


For more info about ©Na, check out the character's wikia or her Tumblr appreciation pages (here and here).

Culture Smash is a daily dose of things topical, interesting and sometimes even awesome—game related and beyond.

Advertisement