Articles
Where to Watch and Purchase Tokusatsu Legally
Ever wish you could watch tokusatsu and still be able to support the market? Today we’re going to show you where you can watch and purchase legally distributed tokusatsu productions with English subtitles.
Streaming Options
Watching tokusatsu in English, legally? Totally worth the minute or two at the most of commercials that you’ll have to sit through on Hulu.
Title: Ultraman
Episodes: 39
Story: When the world is threatened by alien invaders and giant prehistoric monsters, there is only one agency equipped to handle the situation, The Science Patrol, an ultra-sophisticated police force equipped with high-tech weaponry and spacecrafts. Led by Captain Muramatsu, the team defends the planet from the unknown. Unbeknownst to the team, one of their members, Hayata, has the ability to transform himself into the giant superhero from Nebula M7B, Ultraman.
Where to watch: Hulu.com
Title: Giant Robo / Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot
Episodes: 26
Story: The group captures scientists to create an army of giant monsters to rampage the Earth. But fate stumbles on a little boy named Daisaku Kusama(Johnny Sokko), and a young man named Jūrō Minami(Jerry Mano), secretly Member U3 of the top-secret peacekeeping organization, Unicorn. Daisaku and Jūrō are shipwrecked on an island after the ocean liner they were on was attacked by a giant sea monster called Dracolon, and are captured by members of Big Fire. When trying to escape, they end up in an elevator that leads down to a huge construction complex where a giant robot is being built. Series producer Toru Hirayama would later go on to create Kamen Rider with Shotaro Ishinomori.
Where to Watch: Hulu.com
Purchase Options
There aren’t a ton of streaming options available so, thankfully, there’s a few options out there if you want to buy an actual physical release of a tokusatsu series in English.
Title: Ultraseven
Episodes: 49
Story: Even now, fiendish hands are stretching out from the distant stars to seize the world. From their massive underground complex near Mt. Fuji, the Ultra Guard, an elite unit of the Terrestrial Defense Force, equipped with a squadron of Ultra Hawks, stands vigilant as our decisive first-line to combat the myriad of alien aggressors, who threaten the very existence of our planet. But, unbeknownst to his fellow teammates, Dan Moroboshi, is secretly an extraterrestrial aiding them in their fight to preserve the future of humanity, considered the 7th member of the Ultra Guard :better known as Ultra Seven!
Where to Buy: Amazon
Title: Kamen Rider V-3
Episodes: 52
Story: After witnessing the brutal murder of his family and mortally wounded at the hands of the demonic Destron organization, motorcross phenom Kazami Shiro is reborn as a cyborg created by Kamen Riders One and Two. Drawing power from his Henshin Belt, Shiro vows to avenge his family and annihilate Destron! Astride his superbike, the Hurricane, V3 charges into their army of mutants…
Where to Buy: Generation Kikaida
Title: Inazuman
Episodes: 25
Story: Ban Daisuke of Kikaida fame takes the lead role in this classic series pitting a college student against the hostile forces of the Neo-Human Empire. Unique among live action tokusatsu shows, this innovative series features the extraordinary double henshin transformation, the Raijingo supercar, and psionic (psychic) abilities. Watari Goro (Ban) clashes with Emperor Bamba’s grotesque corps of mutant monsters, and exclaims, “Summon Supreme Power” (Choriki Shorai!) to initiate his final transformation into Inazuman.
Where to Buy: Generation Kikaida
Title: Kikaider-01
Episodes: 46
Story: KIKAIDA 01 features the exciting exploits of the android Ichiro (Ikeda Shunsuke), who transforms into Kikaida 01 to stop the evil Hakaida Force from obtaining a secret that will allow them to conquer the world – until the sinister SHADOW organization rises to threaten them all! Aided by his younger brother Jiro-Kikaida (Ban Daisuke), Kikaida 01 hurtles into battle after battle against the murderous robot monsters that threaten mankind.
Where to Buy: Generation Kikaida
Title: Jinzo Ningen Kikaider
Episodes: 43
Story: Dr. Komyoji is a scientist and an expert in robotics, who is being kept prisoner by the evil organization, DARK. Dr. Komyoji creates Kikaider in order to protect his children from Professor Gill.
Where to Buy: Generation Kikaida
14 Comments
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Chris C.
January 31, 2014 at 2:06 pm
Don’t forget about Shout!’s recent release of “Ultra Q” and the Mill Creek boxsets of “Super Robot Red Baron” and “Iron King”. Plus, Media Blasters released “Kamen Rider The First” and “Hakaider” ages ago but I believe they’re still in print.
Ben Wagner
January 31, 2014 at 5:46 pm
Shout Factory’s Ultra Q release (and Ultra Seven) were bootlegs, with outdated video masters from Chaiyo, who stole the rights from Tsuburaya.
Chris C.
February 1, 2014 at 3:07 am
I’m well aware of that. But seeing as how both “Ultraman” and “Ultra Seven” are already on here, I felt it was worth bringing up “Ultra Q” as well.
John
January 31, 2014 at 4:51 pm
With the Generation Kikaida, I suppose that would drive people further to torrenting these shows. $150 for Kamen Rider V3? Most serious fans wouldn’t drop that kind of money for it.
Kaijumaster
February 4, 2014 at 8:37 am
guess I’m not a serious fan then when I purchase it.
Jmann (@JmannDX)
January 31, 2014 at 4:58 pm
There was also the US release of Kamen Rider: The First.
Aoi Kurenai
February 1, 2014 at 6:19 am
This one is actually out of print due to low sales. We tried sticking to releases that were still being made by the people who licensed them. This is why there’s no Iron King or Red Baron, the original studios that licensed them no longer have the rights to them and the sets available for purchase are actually leftover stock and reprints handled by another company.
Kaijumaster
February 4, 2014 at 8:43 am
Media Blasters still has Kamen Rider The First at their table at conventions…
Steven Jordan
January 31, 2014 at 6:38 pm
why is there nothing for sentai? i am hoping there is something of legal nature for sentai or rider.
Aoi Kurenai
January 31, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Unfortunately, Sentai is difficult to watch or purchase legally from any US based retailer. Saban has a tight hold on the rights so as to not cause any brand confusion with Power Rangers. Kamen Rider is, according to the people at Generation Kikaida, very expensive due to Toei’s belief in the brand’s strength.
Johny
February 1, 2014 at 11:45 am
You forgot about the lot of Kaiju movies that are avaible for purchase.
anon12113131
February 1, 2014 at 5:05 pm
The article is obviously geared towards Tokusatsu Heroes, not Kaiju movies.
borodan
February 2, 2014 at 2:21 pm
This seems like a pretty limited list, even if one uses the false assumption that tokusatsu=super heroes. How about the Zebraman films? Zaborgar? K-20? Zeiram? Yatterman? Are they all also out of print?
It’s also worth noting that there is no English subtitled release of Giant Robo; it’s dub-only.
Brad
March 23, 2014 at 3:33 am
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