EPISODE 32
I think Noboru Sugimura basically saw the past three episodes and was like "I gotta do something to wake up the viewers and get them to pay attention again." And what a way to do it! This freaky sore-thumb of an episode. I've said it before, I'm a big Nightmare on Elm Street fan, so whenever there's something reminiscent of it, I'll pay attention. And a Momo episode, too.
For as much of a big deal is made about this episode's weirdness or extremeness, thinking that Sugimura went too far or didn't write a real Ohranger, I watch the episode and can actually picture it as a Winspector or Solbrain. In one of those shows, it would be a creepy kidnapper with technology to lock his captives in a frozen dream state. I wouldn't be surprised if it was an idea he had for one of those shows, but it's something that's easier to do with a big monster than it would have been with the regular, technologically-armed people who were the perps in those shows.
And this episode looks to me like it's really trying to save money, taking place mostly at the abandoned school. But what it lacks in budget it makes up for in style, in a big way. I think that's perhaps why this episode stands out for so many, right from the start it has a very distinctive style to it and it's really committed to the unsettling, horror-vibe, the palpable dread. It's made with more confidence, you sense the director's skill right away. And that's because this is the first episode of the show to be directed by Takao Nagaishi, returning to the franchise after a five-year absence.
Nagaishi is one of the giants amongst Toei toku directors and was the go-to guy when you wanted quality. With a keen eye for visuals but also a strength for drama, someone who takes the material seriously and wants to raise the bar, he made a big impression on Toei staffers when he came aboard Changeman and went on to be the main director of the Maskman through Fiveman run. When producer Takeyuki Suzuki wanted to bring in new blood, Nagaishi was one of the longtime staffers cut alongside Soda. (It's a real shame Nagaishi didn't get to work on Jetman.) Suzuki had intended for Nagaishi to work on Ohranger sooner -- perhaps as its chief director -- but Nagaishi was busy working on other projects. So he instead debuts here at this late stage of the show, but he certainly makes his presence known.
So it's just night and day to come off of so many of these lower budget episodes with directors who seem to be punching the clock at this point of the show and hit this episode, with all of its directorial oomph, and with Nagaishi making the most of the smaller budget and limited locations. At the same time, though, it's a little unfair to give him so much praise when, being new to the show, he's making twice the effort to stick out and is fresh to it and not over-familiar to the point of seeming tired.
Since he's masked the entire time, I can't call him a Familiar Face, but I'd like to single out Yoshinori Okamoto as Bara Nightmare. His vocals are a little more restrained here, he makes Bara Nightmare such a gross creep. The approach to this character is just so strange to me, that he only gets one line about rebelling against Bacchushund -- he hardly seems connected to Baranoia or their goals, once again bringing to mind the unrelated lone agents of a Winspector. It's strange that Miura even sanctions this mission of Momo's, another show would have had him shoot her down and have her go rogue. You don't go rogue on Miyauchi, though.
EPISODE 33
You go from having no mecha battle in the previous episode to having the screen crawling with (unnecessary) mecha here. But Nagaishi elevates what would ordinarily be a dull toy commercial thanks to some atmospheric direction. (The night scenes at the hospital as a family tries to keep hidden from Barlow soldiers is a particular highlight.)
Otherwise, this episode just seems plain on paper -- Bacchushund randomly deciding to launch a definitive, final, finally final attack! -- and the Ohranger gaining new mechas that aren't all that necessary for them to have. And I bet the suit actors of the '90s just loved having to pull double duty and play individual mechas like these. (Yellow Blocker looks like two pills from Dr. Mario.)
Nagaishi and the staff do their damnedest to make it all seem big, though, having the five new mecha face a dozen past Baranoia monsters. (Because the show -- I mean, Baranoia! -- is running out of money and recycling. Hey, Shouhei said that a couple of episodes back, not me.) They go as far as their SFX allows them, the biggest being Red Blocker taking his fight to space. So, a bare script, but saved by Nagaishi, Yamaoka and SFX chief Butsuda and his crew.
EPISODE 34
We've seen many a Sentai where the head villain is making those finally final threats to the world. Usually it ends up meaning upgrades or a new villain arriving or a new mecha, but here it means the end of Bacchushund, which I really don't understand when there's been no build up to this -- and since he was just revealed a few episodes back to be so important to the show's history. Why unceremoniously write him off? Shock value? No better ideas? Toru Ohira needing to leave? (Or Baranoia's having funding problems means they can't afford him any longer?)
Again, Nagaishi helps elevate this from being as generic as it could be. He keeps the Baranoia in dark colors and amps up the tension when the Baranoia chase Mikio as he tries to quickly make his way to the Ohranger. (It's interesting that Mikio fails in delivering the space metal; other shows would have had him succeed.) The episode is also a good old-fashioned training episode, as the Ohranger have to synch up to get Oh Blocker to its best performance. (Training with swords, it's reminiscent of Dynaman.) Who knows how this show could have turned out if Nagaishi worked on it from the start, man.
But Bacchushund is dealt with as easily as a standard monster of the week. No fanfare. I mean, I remember his noggin will be popping up in a jar (somehow), but this IS pretty much it for him in the show, and I just don't understand it.
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