Mirai Sentai Timeranger
Time-traveling cadets pursue criminals to protect history.
Mirai Sentai Timeranger (未来戦隊タイムレンジャー), also known as Future Squadron Timeranger, is a Japanese tokusatsu series and the 24th installment in Toei's Super Sentai franchise. Its footage was later adapted into the American series Power Rangers Time Force. The show aired on TV Asahi from February 13, 2000, to February 11, 2001, taking over the timeslot from Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive and later giving way to Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger. The series debuted alongside Kamen Rider Kuuga in what would become the Super Hero Time programming block three years later.
In the 30th century, time travel is outlawed after a time paradox crisis, leading to the creation of the Time Protection Bureau (TPB) to monitor and prevent temporal crimes. Four TPB cadets are tricked by mafia boss Don Dolnero and his gang into allowing them to travel to the year 2000 to commit crimes. The cadets pursue them to protect history but face a problem: the Timeranger program requires five members for its first activation. They recruit a present-day martial artist, Tatsuya Asami, to fill the fifth slot, forming the Timerangers. Tatsuya rents a building for the team to live in, and they start a small odd-jobs business called Tomorrow Research to support themselves. The City Guardians, a pre-existing security force under the Asami Corporation, already protect the city in the year 2000 and develop a tense relationship with the Timerangers, especially when fellow cadet Naoto becomes Time Fire and later joins the City Guardians.
The Timerangers each use a Chrono Changer bracelet to transform and carry Double Vector swords—comprising the minute hand-like Spark Vector and the hour hand-like Arrow Vector—which can combine into the double-bladed Time Vector naginata. Any member can also attach Assault Mobile parts to a Spark Vector to form the Assault Vector rifle. They ride the Time Flyer hoverjet, which can reconfigure into the Flyer Magnum handgun for their giant robot, Time Robo. By combining their personal Vol Weapons, they create the Voitech Bazooka to recapture human-sized prisoners from Don Dolnero's gang.
Tatsuya Asami, also known as Time Red, is the main protagonist.
- Field
- Tokusatsu television series
- Nationality
- Japanese
- Known for
- 24th Super Sentai series; footage used in Power Rangers Time Force
- Aired from
- February 13, 2000
- Aired to
- February 11, 2001
Lore & Background
In the 30th century, time travel becomes illegal after a time paradox crisis. The Time Protection Bureau (TPB) is established to watch for and stop time crimes. Four new enlistee cadets of the TPB are tricked by mafia leader Don Dolnero and his gang into letting them time-travel to the year 2000 to commit various crimes and, to protect history, the four cadets pursue them. They encounter a severe problem: the Timeranger program requires five members for the first operation. They coerce a present-day martial artist, Tatsuya Asami, to join them, and they become the Timerangers. Tatsuya rents a building for them to live in, and they start a small odd-jobs business called Tomorrow Research to financially support themselves.
The City Guardians, a pre-existing security force in the year 2000 under the Asami Corporation, already protect the city from Don Dolnero's gang. They develop a tense relationship with the Timerangers, especially when fellow cadet Naoto becomes Time Fire and later joins the City Guardians as a member, not their captain.
Reader's Guide
Mirai Sentai Timeranger is notable as the 24th Super Sentai series and the source footage for Power Rangers Time Force. It debuted on February 13, 2000, on TV Asahi's 7:30 JST time-slot, joining Kamen Rider Kuuga in what would three years later become the Super Hero Time programming block. The series was released on DVD by Shout! Factory in North America on July 31, 2018, as the 9th Super Sentai Series to be released on Region 1 DVD in North America.
The series explores themes of time travel, fate, and personal choice through its characters, including Tatsuya Asami (Time Red), who refuses to accept his predetermined future as CEO of his father's company. Yuri (Time Pink) serves as the team leader, holding a personal grudge against Don Dolnero for sending an assassin to kill her family in 2988. Ayase (Time Blue) suffers from an incurable terminal illness called Osiris Syndrome, while Domon (Time Yellow) is a womanizer and former professional grappler. Sion (Time Green) is a 17-year-old alien from the planet Hubbard, raised on Earth in a laboratory. The series finale sees Yuri confessing her love to Tatsuya but returning to her own time due to the gap between their timelines, where she finds that Dolnero's hit on her family had failed due to time changes.
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