This is my seventh favorite Super Seatai show, I really like this entry because it was one of the first that really made the Super Sentai genre gain some extra altitude by flying away from some of the all too familiar and becoming a more well-rounded TV show that of course became something for a lot of other Super Sentai shows afterward.
One fun fact, this was going to be the final Super Sentai show as the genre was suffering as some of their last outings didn't turn out very good. Since this show maybe the last and since was about on the anniversary mark for the genre they decided to give it their all and absolute best. And they did and surprising they we're able to save the genre and afterward has both kept itself flying in the air but continues to gain altitude. I also feel this show is one of the prime examples on how to do a finale or should I say possible finale right, it's a shame that most final seasons to shows like "Once Upon a Time", "Castle" and others don't follow suit whenever a final season arrives the show seems like all of its energy and creative juice has been sucked dry.
The action is awesome, the choreography is on par really like it when they use the weapons or even the flying ability with their suits they have. Mech battles are also cool I really like the designs of them, from the jets but mainly the big combined robots are the most impressive, I really that sub robot Teteroboy whom is this kick boxing robot which might seem silly but turned to be cool. The guy in that costume was a real kickboxing champion, it was really cooling seeing how he moved in it, suppringly very fluid for someone in a bulky costume and this guy just guy just has some of the best punch combos I've seen just how fast and how many punches he's able to deliver in seconds; which is why to me it's always a treat to seeing this mecha in action.
Music is also great really love that theme song which is catchy, it's one of my favorite theme songs of all time, as it just blasts with excitement it's another song to download and play on my iPod list. Including the end theme one of my favorite end themes of all time as it just bittersweet and touching as it's a song that perfectly reflects Ryuu's ongoing dilemma of loss and his struggle to find a way to continue on with his life.
Characters are also good as their all three dimensional and develop throughout. Three of my favorites are Ryuu is great, he's one of my favorite Red Rangers as he's is the most emotionally afflicted. He's a character that's the most sympathetic as he is dealing with the loss of his love Rie and is finding a way to move on, this of course is a prime motivator for Ryuu to fight hard, not so much to save the world but revenge against the enemies that took her away from him. I also like the fact this guy isn't looking to be the pillar that everyone wants him to be, he doesn't have the desire for it nor even believe in it which I like because even I don't believe in that cliché save the world crap, or becoming an idol that's impossible. This guy just simply wants to do his job and he is honest about himself and to others, I like how he says in his way he's saying in episodes, look guys I know you want me to be this or that, but I'm not that guy he doesn't exist, I'm a human being that can only do the best I can.
Commander Aya Odagiri, her character and the actress Mikiko Miki I really have a crush on as she is fraking hot and has the persona to boot, shame the actress didn't have more. And I'll admit there is always something about women in uniforms with that tough commanding personal that is just a turn on for me. She's an awesome commander as she's not some cliché blowhole commander archetype/stereotype, she's is nice to the team but not too nice as she not just helps keep them in line but teaches them to be better than before. I also like that she can kick some ass, from using a gun and a mecha on her own, she also isn't afraid to step in and help her team shows she not just has integrity but guts also.
Gai, his character is cool as he's a loner type. I can emphasize with him on that but also the fact he's a person that just wants to always do his thing, just live life his way. He enjoys smoking and drinking, motorcycles, playing jazz, etc. But guy has one Achilles heel is that he has commitment issues as he is always going out with multiple women but never really having a real relationship with one, this sort of correlates to working for the team as he doesn't really want to be a part of it but is whether he want to be or not. He's a person that really doesn't want to do the right thing but does it anyway as there is no one else or simply shut people up; and there are times when he can change his mind about things and for the better. Though his character can be a little uneven sometimes though that's not the fault of the character it's really in the writing which I'll get to latter.
The main villains are cool, each are unique and well-rounded what's interesting is that it's not the typical one guy or girl running the show cliché, but here it's a whole group that are doing it. They are working together and against each other. Each of them has their own agenda and are each fighting for the position to be the ruler of the Earth once conquered, much like in "Game of Thrones" kind of. I can't help but feel they all could have won and taken over the Earth easily if only they stop sabatoshing the other's efforts or swallow their petty egos.
My favorite is Grey whom is true to his name. Really like the design of him as he' s an awesome robot that has the weaponry to kick plenty of ass. But I also like how well rounded a character he is, he could be one of the robot characters in Isaac Asimov's Foundation book series as we see he has actual wants and need making him human. From his need to smoke cigars, taste for classical music, but also his feelings for Maria/Rie I found myself caring about.
But one of the things that really give this show altitude the story which is really strong. It's the typical alien invader format like in most Sentai shows but it's always in it's execution that makes them stand out, and this show is one of them. I like that the show is a little dark as we see how people actually do die, but also the emotion and dilemmas that one and others have to face, but also sometimes the Jetman don't always win and bad guys sometimes get the upper hand on them. But what I like is how the show has a sense of maturity as it does take itself seriously most of the time despite still possessing its sense of fun; as it has a sense of depth and development in plot and character.
There are love triangles which at the time was uncommon in Super Sentai show as there never was much to any romance which I always found strange. There is one with Ryuu, Gai, and Kaori which I'll admit is the weakest one as it feels a little forced as Ryuu doesn't feel the same way about her, and personally I didn't feel Kaori was a good match for either of them as she doesn't really doesn't know what real love is, maybe also because she's not my type.
But it's really the one with Ryuu, Grey and Rie/Maria which is the strongest in my book. It's a very interesting one as we see this dynamic has a dilemma in which Ryuu is in love with Rie and Grey is in love with Maria but both personas inhabit the same body. Which makes how to resolve it a real head scratcher, well almost I don't know why the heck a female robot couldn't have been made for the Maria persona, wouldn't that have made more sense, let alone fair? Oh well.
Really like the format of the show as it has its developing arcs as well as stand-alone episodes which not just progress the plotline along but also really help bring some depth and development to some of the characters.
But this show does run into some turbulence which really holds the show back a little for me putting it higher on the list let alone a higher rating. Most of the monsters they fight aren't memorable, some of them are either silly looking or just seem stock. There just come off as one-dimensional passable villains you can blow though and throw out like Kleenex.
Some of the writing can be a little wobbly sometimes, as it can really lack a certain amount of cohesion even continuity in places, almost as if someone forgot to write an episode or just failed to take notes. Like Rie/Maria we never really get an episode where we know how she was captured, why they made her into one of them, and if Maria is either an artificial persona or someone alien entity that possesses her. But there are also some lost opportunities in places like the Commander and Grey, despite how awesome they are is we never get much depth on their characters, I personally thought they'd be an episode based on her, but it doesn't happen.
Kaori/White Swan this character I just really dislike this character just as much as I dislike Minmei on "Macross" and is clearly the weak link in the bunch. I also didn't like the actress's performance, it's a little too suruppy, her character is so spoiled, sweetie, and a little stupid it's disgusting. However, the character does have a redemptive quality as we do see in the other half of the show, the character develops in some episodes show some backbone which makes her decent, but like I said decent doesn't make the cut in my favorite's list.
Overall this is another vintage Seatai series to check out, Jetman flies high.
Rating: 3 and a half stars
