Photo/Illutration The five Gozyuger © TV Asahi, Toei AG, Toei

When asked to write the theme song for a new TV series based on one of his manga, Shotaro Ishinomori (1938–1998) is said to have begun jotting down the lyrics on the spot: “Makka na taiyo kamen ni ukete/ Negai wa hitotsu aoi sora” (With their masks aglow beneath the crimson sun/ They hold but one wish--the endless blue sky).

As requested, Ishinomori, a prolific and highly influential manga artist and cartoonist, skillfully wove into the lyrics the colors of the five heroes of Himitsu Sentai Gorenger (Secret Squadron Gorenger), the groundbreaking “tokusatsu” (special-effects) superhero series.

The first installment in what would grow into the long-running and immensely popular “Super Sentai” franchise began airing in 1975.

Strangely enough, though I can hardly recall the contents of books I’ve recently read, I can still sing that theme song from memory. I remember clutching soft vinyl figurines of the Gorenger heroes as I watched, completely absorbed.

The series was built around the concept of a color-coded superhero team whose members each had distinct personalities and signature colors: the hot-blooded leader “Aka” (Red) Ranger, the cool and analytical “Ao” (Blue), the comic “Ki” (Yellow), the lone female “Momo” (Pink), and the agile “Mido(ri)” (Green).

This formula of five very different types united to defeat evil did not always remain consistent in later years. Sometimes there were multiple female warriors, or no clear leader at all.

In their evolving forms, the Super Sentai heroes became a mirror of the changing society around them.

Since 1979, the series has aired every year without interruption. You can often tell a person’s generation by which Sentai hero they pretended to be as a child. Just as I was thinking of celebrating the franchise’s 50th anniversary in this column, I came across an article saying that the current series, “No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger,” the 49th installment, would be the last.

No official announcement has been made yet, but perhaps the end of a saga that has shaped the dreams of countless children reflects Japan’s shrinking child population amid a declining birthrate.

There’s something lonely about heroes who, instead of walking off toward a blazing sun, fade away with the sunset at their backs.

Still, I like to imagine them returning one day, answering the calls of children once more. What kind of society will their mirror reflect then? Values will surely be even more diverse, yet the wish will remain the same: “Itsutsu no chikara wo hitotsu ni awasete/ Narase, heiwa no niji no kane” (Join the five powers into one/ Let the rainbow bell of peace resound).

Thus, the song goes on.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 3

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture. 

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