I remember being pretty shocked when I first read the info about the possibility of Kenta Satou playing Burai. I first saw that referenced on a Japanese forum; all the person said was that a pamphlet for the Super Sentai 199 movie (which featured that blink-and-miss-it cameo by Satou, reprising his role as Riki Honoo) made a reference to Satou being originally cast as Burai, with designer Tamotsu Shinohara's sketch being made to look like him.
(Sometimes a designer's sketch will look like either the actor they hope to get, or if they know the casting ahead of time, the designer will make his sketch look like that actor. For example, Shinohara's design for Dairanger's Makeshi Jin looks like Yutaka Hirose, because they already knew they were going to get him.)
My brother, always pissing me off, is a Zyuranger fan, specifically a Burai lover. He ended up buying "Icon," a book of Tamotsu Shinohara's designs. His sketches for the six Zyuranger heroes' funky civilian wardrobe designs are part of that book, and there's Burai...with a bowl cut and a mustache! He looks like Mr. Pringle, not Kenta Satou! So was all that stuff about the design being based off of him BS? Not quite...
In the pages of "Icon" explaining the story behind the design, Shinohara indeed mentions that Kenta Satou was in early talks to play Burai, but the staff soon decided to make Burai older. Shinohara reflected this in the design by giving Burai a mustache and harder look. (Shinohara actually cites Mark Hamill as his inspiration behind the Burai drawing, specifically Mark Hamill and his character from only-the-Japanese-would-have-seen-it sci-fi movie Slipstream.) So, Satou wasn't as close to the role as the old stories would have it, but he WAS considered.
It's hard to know what Satou would have been like as Burai; the decision to make Burai older certainly alters the character, so that alone would have made a Satou Burai different. The show didn't recognize at first what it had in Burai; Burai was originally intended to be a short-term character, lasting for just a brief arc. Burai and Dragon Ranger, of course, ended up being hugely popular, so plans were changed. One of the mysteries is whether the character, being what he was -- the first villainous "Ranger" -- would have been popular regardless, or if it was a certain magic worked by who they ended up casting, Shirou Izumi.
I'm only theorizing here, but I picture, if Satou had been cast as Burai, and Burai was meant to last only a short arc, then he would have just been completely villainous and maybe petulant, necessary for the arc of destroying the mecha and having a new one brought in before being depowered or killed. Whatever the plan...for as much as I like Satou and think he's great as Riki Honoo/Red Turbo, I can't really see him as Burai -- whether the character's villainous, whether the character's reformed and the dying brother, I find it hard to imagine him in the role. And it would be especially hard to see him play a villainous Sentai member after he was so memorable and so kick-ass, such a great, classic superhero in Turboranger. It would be like...well, seeing Fujita Okamoto go from the amazingly likable Professor Dazai to a despicable shitpillow like Wataru Asami.
I do think it was cool that Toei thought to try to tie the show to Turboranger, though -- I think the show owed something to Turboranger. Turboranger tested the fantasy waters first. Then you had Akihiko Yoshida recycling so much of his really familiar Turboranger music. Then they went and got Kenta Satou to do the OP, so why not get him to play a role in the show? It makes sense. My comment in the post about Turboranger episode 11 wasn't that I thought Satou should have been Burai, but maybe that he'd be the giant in the genre that he deserves to be (based on Turboranger alone) had he gotten to play that iconic role of Burai, a role that ended up being a really pivotal and important character to not just the show, but the entire franchise.
To be honest, I'm still pretty puzzled how ol' Oozora Yuuma ended up in the role, but that's me. (This Changefan thinks they cast the wrong Changeman in the role -- I think Kazuoki Takahashi would have been a killer Burai. He'd be bad-ass as the antagonistic Burai, but also great as the older, weary warrior who's on borrowed time, AND he'd do it without losing his cool or strength.)
Now...to solve that weird-ass pendant Burai has on his chest. Shinohara needs to explain his reasoning behind it. It reminds me of the Agonizers from the Star Trek episode "Mirror, Mirror." Could that be intentional? The idea that Bandora would be in control of this guy through a device like that? A little nod since Dragon Ranger was a "mirror Ranger" in that he was evil? Hmm...
No matter how much range Satou has, I still think he’d have been a poor choice for Burai for any length of time. Both Izumi and Kazuoki have more “physical mileage” on them and can do the villainous turn a little better. I like Izumi in the part and the potential of Kazuoki, but I’ve got a few unorthodox choices for Burai.
ReplyDeleteMy first pick would be Flashman’s Kihachiro Uemura. He would have been the right age, had villain experience, and, for a meta gag, was the most recent “real” green warrior (Sai doesn’t count). At the very least, it’d wash the taste of Chevalier out of our mouths.
Pick #2 is Kazuhiko Nishimura. While he’s the same age as Satou, I buy him a little more as an older character and as a villainous senshi. He’s a better physical match for Mochizuki as well, even if he looks nothing like the sketch. I know this sounds petty, but Satou’s eyes and cheekbones don’t lend themselves to characters like Burai. Nishimura has a face that’s easier to buy as a vengeful warrior.
My final pick would be Ryosuke Kaizu. While his smaller roles are a bit spotty in this period (crazy dude in Fiveman, good turn as Media Magician), you can buy him as a pissed-off/ambivalent warrior. I can see him in Burai’s key moments without it looking out of place. He’s got the physical profile and the acting range to pull it off. If anything, it would have improved Maskman’s reputation in Japan.
Can't argue with any of the choices. (Kaizu would be crazy! He'd really be one pissed off Burai.)
DeleteThe funny thing is...even though we both question the idea of Satou in the role, his casting would have been pretty consistent with most of Zyuranger's other casting. They lucked out with Yuuta Mochizuki, but everybody else is either miscast, too young or not the greatest hero material. (Takumi Hashimoto's OK as a young sort of Teen Titan-type, so he can stay, too.)
Uemura will be popping up in my next Turbo post. (Spoiler alert: I wonder if he would have been a better Yamimaru than he would have Chevalier.)
If Burai had lasted through just a short arc Tommy would have to
ReplyDeleteI always thought that green jewel with the prongs was supposed be a nod to the trident symbol on his dino coin. The Zyuranger's civilian costumes always had a jewel that matched up with their ranger colors. Geki's was what fastened his scarf, Goushi's was the clip to his shawl, etc.
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