With the turn of another new year and another ongoing Super Sentai series soon coming to its end, the time for a new color-coded superhero team to grace Japanese Sunday morning television has come once again. Originally announced last December, the newest Sentai are called Mashin Sentai Kirameiger and will be based around the motifs of gemstones, vehicles, and hope.
The story involves Princess Mabushiina (voiced by Inori Minase) from the Crystalia Kingdom, a planet of jewels and gem-like inhabitants, comes to Earth seeking refuge from the Yodonheim — an evil army of darkness that has taken over Crystalia. Her only hope lies in the both the Kirama stones — sentient stones that can transform into giant vehicles called Mashin — and five individuals with outstanding talent and spirit, or “Kiramental”. When the Kirama stones meet the possessors of Kiramental, it transforms the holders into in the superhero force, the Kirameigers.
Each of the five Kirameigers is people with unique talents and a specialization that assists them in battle when transformed. The leader of the team is Sayo Oharu (played by Mio Kudo who formerly had a role in Kamen Rider Ghost), a doctor also skilled in Aikido who becomes Kirama Pink, the team’s healer. Kirama Yellow is Tametomo Imizu (played by Rui Kihara), an esports who serves as the team’s long-range attacker. Sena Hayami (played by Yume Shinjo) is a track and field star and specializes in high speed attacks when she transforms into Kirama Green. Kirama Blue is Shigure Oshikiri (played by Atomu Mizuishi), a stunt actor and swordmaster. The last member to join the team is Juru Atsuta (played by Rio Komiya), an artist with a creative mind and the one who becomes Kirama Red. Each of the Kirameigers also pilots their own unique Mashin vehicle which can combine together the form the giant robot Kiramazin.
According to the first announcement on the official Toei website, the production team came up with the idea of the series by combining the fascination people have with gemstones with the popularity of vehicles as children’s playthings. The gemstone’s multi-faceted shine symbolizes the many aspects of the Super Sentai series such as drama, action, special effects, world-building, and casting. It is also meant to represent the multiple talents and potential paths that humans can undertake and it is these shining individuals that make up the Kirameiger team. The general feelings behind the production team seem to be one of excitement and optimism which hopefully means Kirameiger will be a dynamic and exciting show. A much-needed contrast from the current running sentai, Ryusoulger, which has been criticized for having too much filler and its generally flat characterization.
Mashin Sentai Kirameiger will premiere this March after the current Sentai, Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger, ends on March 1st.
