Production: Toei Co. Ltd.
Ratings Average: 7.1%
Episode Length: 20 minutes
Video/TV Specials: Lucky Ikeda's Jetman Exercise, Toei Hero Encyclopedia Vol. 2: Chojin Sentai Jetman
Opening Theme: "Chojin Sentai Jetman" (Winged Task Force Jetman) Performed by: Hironobu Kageyama
Ending Theme: "Kokoro wa Tamago" (The Heart is Like an Egg) Performed by: Hironobu Kageyama
AKA: Jetman (International title)
Succeeded by: Kyoryuu Sentai Zyuranger
Well, it's the final part of this review. I've already covered almost everything that I can, so I'll go ahead and start discussing some of my favorite episodes in the series before I dive into the finale.
One of the most notable additions to Super Sentai was made in this series, and that was writer Naruhisa Arakawa. Although his first writing credit was episode 28 of Kamen Rider Black, this would mark the first time Arakawa wrote for a Sentai and it is clear right from the get-go that his style is already intact. The first episode he wrote is easily the strangest of the entire series, episode 10: "Cup Noodles". In this episode, a boy who goes to Ako's school (and has a crush on her) is targeted by Vyram because of his obsession with, of all things, cup noodles. A Dimension Beast disguised as the god of cup noodles approaches this boy and tells him to create a special brand of cup noodles that will take the nation by storm. The brand, called Ako-chan Noodles, proves to be immensely popular much to Ako's chagrin. However, the noodles have a side-effect: they make the consumers extremely impatient and violent. Now, the Jetmen have to stop this peculiar foe and convince this young boy that this is not the way to win Ako's affection.
This odd episode is ridiculously funny thanks to the strange plot, the monster's attacks (at one point, he transforms one of the Jets into a cup of noodles), and Raita's impatience to absolutely destroy this monster after he eats at least 5 cups of noodles (he even interrupts Red's orders and shouts them out himself). This sense of self-parody is completely indicative of Arakawa's work, but this would not be the only episode he would write that would show off Arakawa's style. Later on, another episode he handled would also rank among my favorites: episode 28, "The Founding Dimension Beast".
This episode follows the Hair Dryer Dimension Beast, one of the last after Vyram started creating the Bio-Dimension Beasts, trying to impress his masters and proving his worth. However, he's far too kind for his own good, helping out old women and befriending stray dogs. The Jetmen see this and try to convince him that Vyram is not where he belongs. This episode ends on a very humorous note, as we see the Hair Dryer Dimension Beast in a very...fitting line of work. This theme of a monster turning out to not be so bad would pop up again in several other Arakawa shows or episodes, including the Three Stooges arc in Dairanger, the character of Yatsudenwani in Abaranger, and would be parodied with Alpaca in Akibaranger. Also, this episode briefly shows off Arakawa's often inappropriate perverted humor thanks to one of the goons flipping Blue Swallow's skirt and commenting on how cute her butt looks (oddly not the only time Ako's skirt would be flipped during the series).
Another episode, one far more serious in nature, that stands out is episode 42: "Sleep on my Chest". This subdued episode features a scrapped robot called G2 that tries to bond with Maria and Grey but is constantly shunned. Meanwhile, Maria is badly injured in a fight with the Jetmen and when Grey tries to take care of her, she shuns him for being cold to the touch. Grey is hurt deeply and allows Red Hawk to care for her for now. Maria regains consciousness and the battle continues, with G2 being caught in the crossfire and dies with no one acknowledging his death.
This tragic episode really fleshes out the "other" love triangle in the series and, as I previously mentioned in the previous part of my review, features one of the best night shots I have ever seen. The episode is wonderfully shot and written (one of Inoue's finest episodes) and to this date sticks out particularly in my mind.
Now, let's get talking about the final arc and why it's so awesome. Not only is this the rare Sentai where the climax is actually a mecha fight between all of Jetman's robots and Radiguet's final form, it is made very clear that the stakes are high. The feud between Jetman and Vyram has now gotten personal, and Radiguet truly arrives as the show's big baddie after overthrowing Tranza. The battle turns out to be completely reliant on the teamwork and showcases a strong moment of camaraderie for Red Hawk and Black Condor, a sign of how far the team has gotten since episode 1 when everyone couldn't stand each other.
After the battle, we skip ahead a few years to a brief and satisfying epilogue for our heroes. Well, my thoughts on one particular twist are as follows: at first, I found it to be a ridiculous twist that seemed to be written purely out of shock value. However, I view it now as a surprisingly good idea, a sign that this character would not have done this when the show began and the fact that he did is a strong indicator of how much he's grown. Plus, this ending is further strengthened by the recap special made a few years later and the Jetman tribute episode of Gokaiger written by Toshiki Inoue himself. So in the end, this ending is rather justified.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Special thanks to all sources of information that I gathered to create this guide: Valsag Fantasy, allcinema Movie and DVD Database, the toku ratings wiki, and to Grown Ups In Spandex for subbing the series in its entirety.
I think it goes without saying at this point that I really loved Chojin Sentai Jetman. It features the truest team I have ever seen in a Super Sentai, villains that are menacing and three-dimensional, fantastic action and effects, a great soundtrack, and plotlines that truly mean something. The show would not be the same without Inoue's intricate love stories, something that would become a trademark of sorts for him, and I don't think Sentai will ever handle romance as well as Jetman did.
I can safely say that Chojin Sentai Jetman is now my all-time favorite Super Sentai, and I imagine this will hold for quite some time. A belated congratulations to everyone at Toei for making such a spectacular series that I almost didn't want to end, but I'm glad it ended the way it did.
HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Next series review: Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Season 2
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