How Writing has Evolved in Tokusatsu

              When many people, outside of the fandom, think of Super Sentai or power rangers several clichés and tropes come to mind. Things like “Monster of the week” and the rarity of two part episodes is very frequently attributed to early Tokusatsu. Over the years though Tokusatsu has adapted more to a serialized approach to writing as oppose to an episodic one. Does this mean that Tokusatsu is changing for the better? Was it broken and cliché to begin with? Personally, I believe that the changes in writing are very welcome, but they cannot be considered a “fix”. The writing in Tokusatsu was never bad, it just changed styles over time.

              The first thing to understand is the difference between serialized writing style and an episodic one. An episodic writing style has either no greater story arc or a very loose one. There can be an end goal, but the episodes do not follow a linear path. They act like random events along the timeline. Some great examples of this are old shows on Cartoon Network, like Kids Next Door. It was made clear the kids were trying to stop the “adult menace”, ergo we have an end goal. The show, however kept its episodes as their own contained story. They related to each other in theme, characters, goal, etc., but rarely did the events of one episode directly lead to the events of the one right after. This method can work if the individual stories and characters are memorable. In the case of Tokusatsu, Japanese drama has a way of making good characters that are easy to connect with so it wasn’t a challenge at all.

              Serialized writing is often considered better and preferable by most viewers of any genre, even lovers of Tokusatsu. The best way to think of Serialized writing is to think of a scripted narrative. Every episode connects. They are either lead directly into by the previous episode, lead directly into the next episode or they contain an element that becomes vastly important later on. Almost everyone thinks of Avatar: The Last Airbender when they think of a good serialized story. The simplest way one can explain this writing style; Every episode has a purpose. Nowadays, in Tokusatsu, most series take this writing approach. Kamen Rider, in particular, took this approach strongly when the series returned from its hiatus with Shin Kamen Rider, Kuuga, Agito, etc.

              Over time the writing in Tokusatsu has evolved to be a blend of both, in a manner of speaking. Modern Sentai, for instance, is usually episodic at first. Time is taken to introduce and lightly develop the characters in episodes that are one-time events. It is common for the first fleshed out “arc” in Sentai to be either a major play of the villains or the reveal of the next member of the team. Once the series hits this point, it feels more like a fully fleshed out drama from that point on. Now that we know the characters, almost every episode directly follows the previous in tone, setting and plot. There are still episodes that are very much filler that have that episodic feel, but in an odd twist, it is filler with a purpose. This purpose can be anything from much needed levity before or after a battle, to establishing a minor detail that will become very important later on.

              Other shows have blended the two styles in other ways beyond that. Some shows even continue to resort to a fully serialized approach. Modern Tokusatsu has very much prioritized serialization when it comes to their writing, though many writers still throw in some episodic elements. In older Tokusatsu shows, it was very much the opposite. The original Kamen Rider is well known for having one of the most timeless plots of any Tokusatsu, or many other shows for that matter. That being said, many seem to forget that while the beginning and end were very serialized and focused, a lot of the series was episodic. There were always a lot of “monster of the week” episodes between important events. This is in no way bad, but it does serve to show why modern writers are prioritizing serialization. The viewers remember the broad story. The majority of viewers do not remember, say, Abugomens and his needle spray or arm launch gimmick.

              If it is true that serialization has the better fit for telling a story, then why do many modern Tokusatsu still rely on episodic writing styles for things like filler, character development or just for fun? I believe there are two main reason for this. First would easily be anime. In the last few decades’ anime stories are less about a broadened story for everyone, and have become much more divided by dozens of categories. Since anime and Tokusatsu are known to draw influence from each other it was likely inevitable for creators to start singling out anime categories that relate more to what their product is. For most writers, this tends to be Shounen manga and anime. To draw in girls, writers drew influence from magical girl anime and manga. The other genres and categories and far from forgotten but are very seldom used compared to the similar demographic of what is commonly found in Shounen Jump.

              To me, anime only explains why certain stories are going a certain way but does little to help influence an episodic writing style. The biggest influence for this, in my opinion, was none other than Power Rangers. This show was a game changer for a long list of reasons, and truthfully one day I’d like to write about everything good and bad Power Rangers has done for its counterpart across the sea. One important thing it absolutely did, though, is get western audiences fascinated with Tokusatsu. Mighty Morhpin Power Rangers was to America; what Kamen Rider was to japan in a sense. In the 90’s it became a cliché in Power Rangers, and arguably where the term originated, that “monsters of the week” were the only thing the show had. Fans of the show argue to a point, but cannot deny just how episodic the series was before Power Rangers in Space. Over time the fans of Power Rangers began to become aware of the Japanese Sentais that came before it.  The fan base of Tokusatsu had grown, and the reasons why were clear.

              Creators of Tokusatsu began to realize the power episodic writing actually had. Smaller stories could help the viewer to understand and relate to characters. To put it simply, episodic writing made it easier for more people to tune in and understand their characters. I believe this is the reason many modern writers of Tokusatsu use an episode by episode format in the beginning. A strong base is made from the episodic approach and helps to reinforce the story as they build a larger serialized drama.

              It truly is amazing how much the writing of this genre has evolved over time. Though many would be unable to notice the difference, the writing style of modern Tokusatsu has changed what it emphasizes drastically. It can, arguably, be considered a complete change in direction. In any event I believe this mixing of styles has only made the already underrated writing of Tokusatsu even more great.

              I hope you all take some time to appreciate some great Tokusatsu stories. I have another grab-bag in the works for you, to be posted before New Year’s eve. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays my fellow Kaijuphiles