Super Sentai to end after 50 years, marking the conclusion of a tokusatsu era
Reports suggest Toei will end the long-running franchise with No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger due to rising production costs.
The long-running Super Sentai franchise, a foundational pillar of Japanese children’s television and the original source material for the Western Power Rangers phenomenon, is reportedly coming to an end after a remarkable 50-year run.
Reports from Japanese news outlets, including The Sankei Shimbun and the Kyodo news agency, suggest that series owner Toei will conclude the franchise with the climax of its currently airing 49th series, No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger, which began broadcast earlier this year. The core reason cited for this monumental decision is budgetary concerns. Sources indicate that profits generated from Super Sentai merchandise, live show tours, and film events have reportedly failed to cover the high production costs of the series.
A legacy of heroes and a looming question
Super Sentai first launched in 1975 with Himitsu Sentai Gorenger and has aired almost yearly ever since, cementing its status as a cultural staple and a crucial stepping stone for young Japanese actors in film and television. Although the franchise is technically celebrating its 50th anniversary, Gozyuger is the 49th installment, following the precedent set by 2018’s Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger, which featured two rival teams.
The show’s end will not just impact Japanese television; it will forever be linked to the Power Rangers franchise in the West. Since 1992, starting with Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger, the Japanese series has provided the suit designs, mecha concepts, and action footage adapted for American audiences for decades.
Neither Toei nor the network that airs the show, TV Asahi, has provided an official comment on the reports. However, this silence has fueled speculation and rumors within the fandom about a potential soft reboot or rebrand of the franchise. Producers may be looking to move the series away from its current branding to address underlying profitability concerns.
This possibility aligns with earlier comments made by series producer Shinichirô Shirakura to Daily Sports Online earlier this year. Shirakura previously suggested that the series must advance to a “next stage,” stating that the 51st series “can’t just be an extension” of the current one, and confirmed that a new program was currently in development. Given that the title for the next Super Sentai series usually surfaces through Japanese trademark filings around November, the coming weeks may reveal Toei’s definitive plan for the future of the tokusatsu genre. For millions of players and viewers, the benefit of a continued hero franchise lies in its ability to consistently deliver new, exciting, and competitive adventures.
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