Sentai
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sentai (戦隊 sentai?) is a Japanese language word for a military unit and may be literally translated as "task force", "group" or "wing". The terms "regiment" and "flotilla", while sometimes used as translations of Sentai, are also used to refer to larger formations.
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[edit] World War II
It is perhaps best known as the term used during World War II by the military of the Empire of Japan, for Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF) and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) military aviation units—equivalent to a group or wing in other air forces.
A Sentai was made up of two to four squadrons, known as Chutai by the IJAAF and Buntai by the IJNAS. In the later stages of World War II, the IJAAF abolished Chutai and divided its Sentai into Hikotai (flying units) and Seibutai (maintenance units).
In the IJAAF, a Sentai commander (Sentaicho) was generally a Lieutenant Colonel. In the IJNAS a Sentaicho was usually a Naval Captain.
In the IJAAF, two or more Sentai comprised a Hikodan (air brigade). In the IJNAS, several Sentai made up a Kantai (air fleet).
[edit] Popular culture
More recently, in the title of Super Sentai, a series of tokusatsu television programs, which is reconfigured for English-speaking audiences as Power Rangers.
Lego Exo-Force is also set on "Sentai Mountain".
Aram, from MeruPuri, has a favorite sentai group: the Pika Rangers (In the English version, this is translated as "Sparkle Rangers").
"Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's" was rumored to have a Sentai Theme, but this has so far turned out not to be the case.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Dan Ford, 2004-05, "An introduction to the Japanese Army Air Force" (warbirdforum.com)
- Mark Kaiser, 1997-98, "Unit structure of IJA Air Force" (self-published)
- Mitch Schwartz, 2001, "East Asian/Pacific Area" (self-published)
- Peter Dunn, 2002, "Japanese Navy Air Force (JNAF) Operating in the Australian Area During WW2" (ozatwar.com)
