Who is the most beloved Red Ranger in the long history of Super Sentai?
Japanese children have been fascinated with the Super Sentai series since Himitsu Sentai Gorenger in April 1975. The series will begin its 48th series on March 3 with Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger. With so many iterations of the series, it begs the question: which is the best series and who is the best Red Ranger (leader of each sentai group). While those questions are often debated, a recent poll found that the color Red is most popular among 30-year-olds.
Image via Toei
© Toei Video Co.,LTD. 2016 All rights reserved.
【30代が選ぶ】 「スーパー戦隊シリーズ」の歴代 「レッド(赤の戦士)」人気ランキング! 2位は 「ゴーカイレッド」、1位は?https://t.co/Nv2fQn2QkC #ねとらぼ調査隊 February 6, 2024
[Được lựa chọn bởi những người ở độ tuổi 30] Ranking the popularity of “Red (Red Ranger)” in “Super Sentai Series”! 2nd place is “Gokai Red”, 1st place?
https://t.co/Nv2fQn2QkC #ねとらぼ調査隊 #戦隊シリーズの歴代レッド人気ランキング
The poll was conducted by Japanese website nlab from November 12 to 18 and the results were announced on February 6. Red Ranger took the number one spot again with none other than Red Turbo from 1989 Kosoku Sentai Turboranger series with a total of 36 votes. Following closely behind Red Turbo was Gokai Red from the 2011 35th anniversary of the Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger series with 32 votes.
Kenta Sato, who plays Red Turbo, took to Twitter to say that he received a LINE from Blue Turbo (Keiya Asakura) congratulating him on winning first place. However, Sato also noted that while he doesn’t really trust these types of polls, he’s happy to get in first.
ブルーターボからLINEが✨
兄貴♫一位おめでとうございます❗️
・・んん????
この手の集計順位は信用できませんが・・
1位は嬉しいです♪( ° ▽°)
今日は呑みます♪????https://t.co/OYPy8M9e4h
— 佐藤健太 (@kenta_sato1967) February 6, 2024
LINE from Blue Turbo ✨
Big brother ♫ Congratulations on winning first place ❗️
…Hmm ????
I can’t trust this ranking…
But I’m happy to be in first place ♪ (° ▽ °)
Today I will drink ♪????
Sato’s fans also responded to the tweet congratulating him. One person from this writer congratulated him and said, “I still like the scene where you fight Emperor Bouma alone.” Another notable response was from Twitter user @sanchan_x_12, “Congratulations. I was in kindergarten at the time and watched [Turboranger’s] weekly. My number one will always be Red Turbo.”
おめでとうございます。
きです。
— Ken Iikura-Gross (@KenIikuraGross) February 6, 2024
Congratulations.
I still like the scene where you fight Emperor Bouma Ragorn alone.
おめでとうございます????✨????✨????
Contact
— ウィキペディ男(丸藤公認)さんちゃん (@sanchan_x_12) February 6, 2024
Congratulations ????✨????✨????
I was in kindergarten at the time and watched it every week. My eternal number one is Red Turbo ✨
There was certainly some stiff competition for the number one spot for the favorite Red Ranger among 30-somethings, especially from the late 1980s to the mid-1980s. The 1990s had some the amazing Super Sentai series and the memorable Red Rangers. These include Red Hawk from Chōjin Sentai Jetman (1991) and his romantic conflict with the Black Condor or Tyranno-ranger in Kyoryu Sentai Zyurenger (1992) and his conflict with his brother, Dragon Ranger.
Sato is mainly known for his role as Riki Honoo (Red Turbo) in Kosoku Sentai Turboranger. He also performed the opening and ending theme songs for Turboranger, “Kosoku Sentai Turborangerr”, “Zigzag Seishun Road” and “DANCE Tokimeku Kokoro” (final episode), insert song “Kokoro yo Shinayaka ni Mae” and the opening theme song for Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, “Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger.” You can find Sato’s full CV through his agency.