The Reasons Why Shirakura Believes Sentai is Ending

Toei producer Shinichiro Shirakura shares his feelings on the factors that led to the conclusion of the Super Sentai series.

In an interview with The Asahi Shimbun, Shinichiro Shirakura provided confirmation of the previous reports that the Super Sentai series had been coming to an end after the broadcast of No.1 Sentai Gozyuger. When asked if this was truly the conclusion of the franchise, Shirakura had this to say:

No, I don’t consider this the end of the Sentai series – it’s the hiatus. While the Sentai broadcast slot (TV Asahi network, Sunday mornings at 9:30) will be replaced by something new, the Sentai franchise itself could potentially come back one day.

Reports of “Sentai ending” surfaced as early as October before the official announcement, and the scale of the reaction has been beyond our expectations. It’s humbling to realize just how beloved Sentai has become – but even if it does come back one day, I personally believe it would be best to leave at least a 10 year gap.

There were two very big factors about the way media has changed, both in how it is written and how we access it. With the Covid-19 pandemic, steaming became more prevalent, which pitted Toei’s catalog of shows against other very popular entries on streaming services.

In addition to this was the popularity of American comic book superheroes, which had become more popular in Japan. Whereas the Super Sentai series preferred to reset its continuity with every new show, Marvel’s Avengers series would gather all of the stories under one continuity, allowing for characters to appear and continue to develop long after their series ends.

This competition in the bigger waters of streaming, and an inability to provide ongoing storytelling, were seen as “two black ships” that impacted how well Sentai performed in the modern age.

Another challenge is how routine the Sentai series has become for its viewers. In being the same familiar approach every year, it’s seen more as a comfort show than an important must-see TV series. If all the shows feel the same, then current viewership is impacted because viewers could simply watch any older entry.

By Shirakura’s measure, Sentai has been lucky – he recounts how, when he joined Toei in the 1990s, Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger was thought to be their final story. But through the miraculous results of Saban’s Power Rangers adaptation, it was given a new life. While talking Zyuranger, he brings up that newer staff members had the idea to try something fresh by introducing a sixth Ranger, who would become a permanent member of the team.

Shirakura’s remark about a 10 year gap was not a statement of what will happen to Sentai, but rather, what he feels should happen. By allowing his generation to step away, a new generation could one day take the reins with new ideas. He concludes by saying that it’s time for a change to happen in the world of hero shows, thus we now have Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity.

Source: The Asahi Shimbun, Anime News Network