It’s almost Halloween so I thought I would compile a list of my favorite thematic Monsters to appear in Sentai over the past 41 years! Now, some of these are here because they are classic monsters interpreted for tokusatsu and others are here because they are just amazing.

To qualify for this list though, they have to be definitively a monster.  This sadly leaves out Yakyu Kamen (Baseball Mask) from Himitsu Sentai Goranger who I adore. He’s less of a monster and more of a field commander with a giant baseball that shoots baseballs for a head.  Goranger was weird ok.

10) Dora Frankie from Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger

Yes, I am starting this list off with a version of one of the most classic of monsters, Frankenstein’s creation.  Dora Frankie was created by Bandora as part of her first grand scheme to bring Dai Satan, her Master and source of her witchy powers to Earth. He provided a distraction to the heroes until he was beaten.  However, unlike most of Bandora’s weekly monsters, he had other forms including the skinless Zombie Frankie:

And the demonically possessed Satan Frankie

So, for the virtue of basically being three classic horror foes in one, Dora Frankie makes the list!  It’s like a one monster mash maybe starring in a film called Exorcist of the Living Dead Frankenstein!

9) Evolved Bat from Kagaku Sentai Dynaman

There’s nothing really special about this monster other than his design.  He’s a giant cybernetic bat thing with huge fangs.  He just looks really cool and totally Halloween appropriate.  He also has one of my favorite initial concept designs ever:

It’s just too bad more of the paper design didn’t translate to the physical one used on screen.

8) Dracula from Shuriken Sentai NinNinger

What better way to follow up a bat than with a vampire?  And what better vampire than Dracula? This version of Dracula was ostensibly the leader of the Western Yokai who had come to Japan to challenge the NinNinger team. Over the centuries, he had grown more powerful though and so sunlight was no longer a hindrance and he could drain life force directly rather than feed on blood as well as shapeshift to hide among people.  He was still vulnerable to garlic though and a load of garlic loaded gyoza exposed him.

7) Evil Spirit Princess Denus from KyuuKyuu Sentai GoGoFive

One of two commander level villains I am going to add to this list, Denus is a member of the Psyma family of Calamity Demons. She is the demon of Aquatic Calamity and the only member of the family capable of passing for human.  She uses this ability to disguise herself, spy and commit acts of sabotage. 

I just noticed there are three bat-winged villains in a row here.  I must have a thing for them.  Let’s fix that with:

6) Shinigami Boma from Kousoku Sentai Turboranger

A monster sent by the evil Boma Hundred Tribes, this is essentially a Death God or Grim Reaper monsters complete with evil shroud, skull face and scythe! The Grim Reaper is such a visually distinct monster that it really should be used more often.  Just check out the initial design for this thing:

I want to cut that out and use it as a Halloween decoration!

5) Hades Beastman Hellish King Siren Neires from Mahou Sentai MagiRanger

Another monster I just love the design of and another monster with a bony look!  This one looks like a woman in lycra covered by a suit of bones in a vaguely mosquito-like head and bone wings. I guess I am just a sucker (pun intended) for wings on things.

4) President Gravestone from Gosei Sentai Dairanger

A member of the Gorma Idiot 3, three members of the Gorma incapable of taking human form, President Gravestone is a huge walking tombstone with a giant crack running from one side to the other.  He can flip open his head to reveal a lighter that spits flame. As far as villains go, he is much more intimidating looking than an actual threat.

3) Demon Beast Daitanix from Seijyuu Sentai Gingaman

This was the giant space kaiju that the Balban pirates have their castle/ship attached to and use to travel from planet to planet.  For most of the series, it is unconscious beneath the ocean and the pirates are gathering energy to revive it so they can destroy the Earth and return to space.  It’s basically Space Pirate Godzilla.  Man, I wish this thing had returned to fight the Gokaiger team.

Ok, so that might not be totally Halloweeny but it is a classic monster of a sort. So let’s go back to the classics and find us something appropriate

2) Devil Mummy from J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai

Sometimes I pick a monster because of the look or the initial design or even the theme.  This time I am picking this 1970s monster based simply on his name DEVIL MUMMY.  Seriously, this CRIME Monster is not just a Mummy, he’s a Devil Mummy.  I love this name.  It’s just great.  I wonder if he needs a ham?

1) Nai and Mea a.k.a. Vancuria from Mahou Sentai Magiranger

Once more with the vampires and this time my favorite vampire(s) of all time from Super Sentai.  The above two gothic lolita baddies are Nai and Mea (In Japanese Nai to Mea which sounds phonetically like the English word Nightmare). They are actually the split form of the vampire queen Vancuria:

Vancuria grew bored with being alone for eternity so she split herself into two girls so she could always have company.  When things get bad or she needs to battle, she can remerge into one being which gives her much greater power. We mostly see her split form though as she apparently enjoys being two separate beings.

At one point, Nai and Mea even form a band together called ‘Bloody Friday Nightmare’ which they use to lure humans in to turn them en masse into vampires.

So, they are without a doubt my favorite Halloweeny Sentai monsters.  They combine the fun of the season with the sinister aspects and look adorable doing it.