Who is Japan’s favorite Red Ranger in the long history of Super Sentai?
Japanese children have been enamored with the Super Sentai franchise since Himitsu Sentai Gorenger in April 1975. The franchise will begin its 48th series on March 3 with Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger. With so many iterations of the franchise, it begs the questions: which is the best series and who is the best Red Ranger (the leader of each sentai group). While those questions are oft debated, a recent poll put to bed which Red is the favorite amongst 30-year-olds.
© Toei Video Co.,LTD. 2016 All Rights Reserved.
【30代が選ぶ】 「スーパー戦隊シリーズ」の歴代「レッド（赤の戦士）」人気ランキング！ 2位は「ゴーカイレッド」、1位は？https://t.co/Nv2fQn2QkC #ねとらぼ調査隊 #戦隊シリーズの歴代レッド人気ランキング
— ねとらぼ調査隊 (@itm_nlab_res) February 6, 2024
[Selected by people in their 30s] Popularity ranking of “Red (Red Ranger)” in the “Super Sentai Series”! 2nd place is “Gokai Red”, 1st place?
https://t.co/Nv2fQn2QkC #ねとらぼ調査隊 #戦隊シリーズの歴代レッド人気ランキング
The poll was conducted by the Japanese site nlab between November 12-18, and the results were announced on February 6. The Red Ranger who took the number one spot was none other than Red Turbo from the 1989 series Kosoku Sentai Turboranger with a grand total of 36 votes. Following closely behind Red Turbo is Gokai Red from 2011’s 35th anniversary series for the franchise Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger at 32 votes.
Kenta Sato, the man who portrayed Red Turbo, took to Twitter saying he received a LINE from Blue Turbo (Keiya Asakura) congratulating him on the first-place win. However, Sato also noted that while he doesn’t really trust these types of polls, he is happy to take first.
— 佐藤健太 (@kenta_sato1967) February 6, 2024
LINE from Blue Turbo ✨
Big brother ♫ Congratulations on winning first place❗️
…Hmm 🤭
I can’t trust this sort of ranking…
But I’m happy to be in first place ♪ (° ▽ °)
I will drink today ♪🤭
Fans of Sato responded to his tweet congratulating him as well. One from this writer congratulated him and said, “I still love the scene where you fight the Bouma Emperor by yourself.” Another notable response was by Twitter user @sanchan_x_12, “Congratulations. I was in pre-school at the time and watched [Turboranger’s] every week. My number one will always be Red Turbo.”
おめでとうございます。
暴魔大帝ラゴーンを一人で戦うシーンは今でも好きです。
— Ken Iikura-Gross (@KenIikuraGross) February 6, 2024
Congratulations.
I still love the scene where you fight the Bouma Emperor Ragorn by yourself.
おめでとうございます🎉✨😆✨🎊
当時、保育園児で毎週見てました。オレの永遠の１位はレッドターボです✨
— ウィキペディ男(丸藤公認)さんちゃん (@sanchan_x_12) February 6, 2024
Congratulations 🎉✨😆✨🎊
At the time I was in pre-school and watched it every week. My eternal number one is Red Turbo ✨
There was definitely some stiff competition for the number-one spot for favorite Red Ranger amongst 30-year-olds, especially considering the late 1980s to mid-1990s had some amazing Super Sentai series and memorable Red Rangers. These include Red Hawk from Chōjin Sentai Jetman (1991) and his romantic jostling with Black Condor or Tyranno-ranger from Kyoryu Sentai Zyurenger (1992) and the conflict he has with his brother, Dragon Ranger.
Sato is predominantly known for his role as Riki Honoo (Red Turbo) in Kosoku Sentai Turboranger. He also performed the opening and ending theme songs for Turboranger, “Kosoku Sentai Turborangerr,” “Zigzag Seishun Road,” and “DANCE Tokimeku Kokoro” (final episode), the insert song “Kokoro yo Shinayaka ni Mae,” and the opening theme for Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, “Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger.” Sato’s full CV can be found through his agency.
Sources: nlab’s website and Twitter account, Kenta Sato’s Twitter account, noReason
