Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters (特命戦隊ゴーバスターズ, Tokumei Sentai Gōbasutāzu) is the 36th entry in Toei Company's Super Sentai Series, following Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. It premiered on February 26, 2012 on TV Asahi, joining Kamen Rider Fourze and then Kamen Rider Wizard as a program featured in TV Asahi's Super Hero Time programming block.

On September 2, 2011, Toei applied for trademarks on the title to be used on various products.^[1][2][3] The Japan Patent Office approved these trademarks on September 29, 2011.

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters began airing in South Korea in 2013 as Power Rangers Go-Busters.

Plot

Thirteen years ago in the New Common Era (新西暦, Shinseireki) calendar, the computer controlling the newly discovered energy source called Enetron (エネトロン, Enetoron) was infected by a virus that caused it to create the evil energy being known as Messiah who wishes to take over mankind and create a world made for machines. Though sent into subspace by the scientists' sacrifice, Messiah's actions established the formation of the Energy Management Center's Special Ops Unit from three children who were caught in the crossfire, the Go-Busters, and their Buddyloids. In the present, 2012 NCE, a mysterious figure named Enter leads a group called Vaglass on incursions to gather enough Enetron to bring Messiah back. However, training for this day, the Go-Busters and their Buddyloids are deployed to combat Vaglass's Metaloids and Megazords to protect the city's Enetron from them. Later joined by Masato Jin and his Buddyloid Beet J. Stag, the Go-Busters' resolve is strengthened once they learn the true nature of their enemy and the horrors that would result should Messiah enter their world.^[4]

Characters

Go-Busters

The Go-Busters consist of three children who survived an accident 13 years ago at the Energy Management Center (エネルギー管理局, Enerugī Kanrikyoku) concerning the Vaglass virus program that went haywire on the Energy Management Center office's main computer, obtaining superhuman abilities in the process, along with side-effects. The team also consists of the Buddyloids^[5] (バディロイド, Badiroido), the Go-Busters' sentient partner robots.^{[Note 1]} In Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie, the Go-Busters have cameo appearances where they confront Basco Ta Jolokia as part of a special mission.

Hiromu Sakurada (桜田 ヒロム, Sakurada Hiromu)/Red Buster (レッドバスター, Reddo Basutā)

The fastest warrior on the team. His legs can move at an unbelievable speed, making him look as if he is teleporting. Hiromu's body freezes whenever he sees a chicken as part of the side-effects of his powers. His partner Buddyloid is Cheeda Nick. ^[4][11]

Cheeda Nick (チダ・ニック, Chida Nikku)

A humanoid cheetah-type android, one of the Buddyloids, and Red Buster's partner, acting like an older brother figure to Hiromu, who is a positive thinker. Although he is a robot who can transform into the Cheetah Bike (チーターバイク, Chītā Baiku) for Red Buster to ride, Chida ironically has no sense of direction.^[4]

Ryuji Iwasaki (岩崎 リュウジ, Iwasaki Ryūji)/Blue Buster (ブルーバスター, Burū Basutā)

A warrior with superstrength and excellent fighting technique as well as the oldest of the team. Ryuji's body overheats if he moves too often and requires to be cooled down as part of the side-effects of his powers. His partner Buddyloid is Gorisaki Banana.^[4][11]

Gorisaki Banana (ゴリサキ・バナナ)

A humanoid gorilla-type android, one of the Buddyloids, and Blue Buster's partner, typically faint hearted and worrying about Ryuji's well-being. He acts as a mechanic in the team base.^[4]

Yoko Usami (宇佐見 ヨーコ, Usami Yōko)/Yellow Buster (イエローバスター, Ierō Basutā)

A cheerful and energetic young woman, who gains incredible kicking and jumping power from the accident. Yoko becomes tired out easily and requires sweets to regain energy as part of the side-effects of her powers. Her partner Buddyloid is Usada Lettuce.^[4][11]

Usada Lettuce (ウサダ・レタス, Usada Retasu)

A rabbit-type mecha, one of the Buddyloids, and Yellow Buster's partner who is unyielding and selfish and is usually fighting with Yoko. He works on data management in the control room.^[4]

Masato Jin (陣 マサト, Jin Masato)/Beet Buster (ビートバスター, Bīto Basutā)

An eccentric genius scientist who sacrificed himself in the accident 13 years ago, but has found a way to come back into normal reality as well as creating his own Buddyloid and Go-Buster powers.

Beet J. Stag (ビート・J・スタッグ, Bīto Jei Sutaggu)/Stag Buster (スタッグバスター, Sutaggu Basutā)

A humanoid beetle-type android, one of the Buddyloids, and Beet Buster's partner, while also being able to transform into a Go-Buster himself.

Ene-tan (エネたん)

A small frog-type mecha that pilots the FS-0O Frog around the Tokyo Bay until she is needed.

Vaglass

The evil organization known as Vaglass (ヴァグラス, Vagurasu) are the antagonists in Go-Busters who appeared from an alternate dimension during the accident that happened at the Energy Management Center.^[4] Led by the energy being known only as Messiah and its human spy Enter, Vaglass sends out its Metaloids by infecting devices with the Metavirus. When a Metaloid is defeated, its Metavirus is uploaded into a giant robot known as a Megazord. Vaglass' foot soldiers are known as the Buglers and they also have access to mass-produced giant robots called Bugzords.^[12][13]

Episodes

Each episode of Go-Busters is called a "Mission".

Films

Gokaiger vs. Gavan

The Go-Busters make their debut appearance in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger's third film Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie.

Super Hero Taisen

Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen (仮面ライダー×スーパー戦隊　スーパーヒーロー大戦, Kamen Raidā × Sūpā Sentai: Sūpā Hīrō Taisen) is a film celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Super Hero Time programming block on TV Asahi, featuring a crossover between the characters of the Kamen Rider and Super Sentai Series. The cast of Go-Busters participate in the film, along the cast of Kamen Rider Decade, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger and Kamen Rider Fourze.^[14][15]

Protect the Tokyo Enetower!

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters the Movie: Protect the Tokyo Enetower! (特命戦隊ゴーバスターズ THE MOVIE　東京エネタワーを守れ！, Tokumei Sentai Gōbasutāzu Za Mūbī Tōkyō Enetawā o Mamore!) is the main theatrical release for Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters where the Go-Busters must help protect the Tokyo Enetower along with the help of Tokyo Tower's mascot character Noppon (ノッポン).^[16] It is set to be released on August 4, 2012, alongside the film for Kamen Rider Fourze.^[17]

Go-Busters vs. Gokaiger

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: The Movie (特命戦隊ゴーバスターズＶＳ海賊戦隊ゴーカイジャーTHE MOVIE, Tokumei Sentai Gōbasutāzu Tai Kaizoku Sentai Gōkaijā Za Mūbī) is set to be released in theaters on January 19, 2013. As with previous VS movies, this film will feature a crossover between the casts of Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters and Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, while introducing the 37th Super Sentai, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger which is set to start airing in 2013, following the end of Go-Busters.^[18][19]

Super Hero Taisen Z

Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z (仮面ライダー×スーパー戦隊×宇宙刑事 スーパーヒーロー大戦Z, Kamen Raidā × Sūpā Sentai × Uchū Keiji: Supā Hīrō Taisen Zetto) is an upcoming film set to be released during Spring 2013 which will feature the first crossover between characters of Toei's three main Tokusatsu franchises, Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, and the Space Sheriff Series representing the Metal Hero Series as a whole. The protagonists of Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie, Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters, and Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger are featured, but the casts of Kamen Rider Wizard, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, and Kamen Rider Fourze also participate in the film. Arisa Komiya reprises her role in the main cast as Yoko Usami, while the rest of the cast have a minor role in the film.

Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters

Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters: The Great Dinosaur Battle! Farewell Our Eternal Friends (獣電戦隊キョウリュウジャーＶＳゴーバスターズ　恐竜大決戦！　さらば永遠の友よ, Jūden Sentai Kyōryūjā tai Gōbasutāzu: Kyōryū Daisakusen! Saraba Eien no Tomo yo) is the Go-Busters second VS movie featuring a crossover with the cast of Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, scheduled for release on January 18, 2014.

Special DVD

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Beet Buster vs. J (特命戦隊ゴーバスターズVSビートバスターVS・J, Tokumei Sentai Gōbasutāzu Tai Bīto Basutā Tai Jei) is a special DVD by Kodansha that is used to show some of the items in the series. In the DVD, Beet J. Stag starts going haywire after drinking spiked Enetron left in the base by Enter, and Enter steals Masato's Morphin Blaster to become an evil version of Beet Buster, fighting with the Metaloid Junkloid. With Space Sheriff Gavan's help, Hiromu manages to free J of the infection and beat both Enter and Junkloid.

V-Cinema

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Returns vs. Dōbutsu Sentai Go-Busters (帰ってきた特命戦隊ゴーバスターズ VS 動物戦隊ゴーバスターズ, Kaettekita Tokumei Sentai Gōbasutāzu Tai Dōbutsu Sentai Gōbasutāzu) is a V-Cinema release for Go-Busters that became available for sale on June 21, 2013, taking place between Missions 44 and 45. While getting ready for new years, the Go-Busters are killed off by a powerful demon called Azarel. Finding himself before God (Syo Jinnai) alongside Jay, Nick uses his status as the one millionth death in 2012 to alter history so that Messiah never existed. Though he and Jay find everyone changed, Nick learns that Hiromu and others have become the Dōbutsu Sentai Go-Busters (動物戦隊ゴーバスターズ, Dōbutsu Sentai Gōbasutāzu), supported by Kuroki as Black Puma, Rika as Pink Cat, and Atsushi Doumyoji (Tatsuhisa Suzuki) as Green Hippopotamus, against the Machine Empire Mechalius under Machine Empress Transister (Ayame Misaki). However, history repeats itself with Azarel killing off the Go-Busters and Nick ending up in Heaven again. Luckily, Nick uses this to wish for both Go-Busters groups to team up against Azarel in his original reality. After destroying Azarel, as their existence depended on Nick's death, the other Go-Busters group fades away with the Go-Busters and Nick paying their respects to them.

Video game

A Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters video game for the Nintendo DS was released on September 27, 2012.^[20] The game was released in Korea as Power Rangers: Go-Busters on August 8, 2013.^[21]

Cast

• Hiromu Sakurada (桜田 ヒロム, Sakurada Hiromu): Katsuhiro Suzuki (鈴木 勝大, Suzuki Katsuhiro)^[22][11]
• Ryuji Iwasaki (岩崎 リュウジ, Iwasaki Ryūji): Ryouma Baba (馬場 良馬, Baba Ryōma)^[23][11]
• Yoko Usami (宇佐見 ヨーコ, Usami Yōko): Arisa Komiya (小宮 有紗, Komiya Arisa)^[11]
• Masato Jin (陣 マサト, Jin Masato): Hiroya Matsumoto (松本 寛也, Matsumoto Hiroya)
• Takeshi Kuroki (黒木 タケシ, Kuroki Takeshi): Hideo Sakaki (榊 英雄, Sakaki Hideo)^[24]
• Toru Morishita (森下 トオル, Morishita Tōru): Naoto Takahashi (高橋 直人, Takahashi Naoto)
• Miho Nakamura (仲村 ミホ, Nakamura Miho): Fuuka Nishihira (西平 風香, Nishihira Fūka)^[25]
• Rika Sakurada (桜田 リカ, Sakurada Rika): Risa Yoshiki (吉木 りさ, Yoshiki Risa)
• Enter (エンター, Entā): Syo Jinnai (陳内 将, Jinnai Shō)^[26]
• Escape (エスケイプ, Esukeipu): Ayame Misaki (水崎 綾女, Misaki Ayame)
• Cheeda Nick (チダ・ニック, Chida Nikku, Voice): Keiji Fujiwara (藤原 啓治, Fujiwara Keiji)
• Gorisaki Banana (ゴリサキ・バナナ, Gorisaki Banana, Voice): Tesshō Genda (玄田 哲章, Genda Tesshō)
• Usada Lettuce (ウサダ・レタス, Usada Retasu, Voice): Tatsuhisa Suzuki (鈴木 達央, Suzuki Tatsuhisa)
• Beet J. Stag (ビート・J・スタッグ, Bīto Jei Sutaggu, Voice): Yuichi Nakamura (中村 悠一, Nakamura Yūichi)
• GB Custom Visor Voice (GBカスタムバイザー音声, Jī Bī Kasutamu Onsei), Lio Blaster Voice (ライオブラスター音声, Raio Burasutā Onsei), Saburo Hazuki (葉月 サブロー, Hazuki Saburō, 35): Ichirou Mizuki (水木 一郎, Mizuki Ichirō)
• Messiah (メサイア, Mesaia, Voice): Seiji Sasaki (佐々木 誠二, Sasaki Seiji)
• Narration: Shoo Munekata (宗方 脩, Munekata Shū)

Guest cast

• Maruyama (丸山, 9): Yutaka Maido (まいど 豊, Maido Yutaka)
• Geki Jumonji (十文字 撃, Jūmonji Geki, 31, 32): Yuma Ishigaki (石垣 佑磨, Ishigaki Yūma)
• Shelly (シェリー, Sherī, 31, 32): Suzuka Morita (森田 涼花, Morita Suzuka)
• Rhino Doubler (ライノダブラー, Raino Daburā, Voice) (31, 32): Kōsuke Toriumi (鳥海 浩輔, Toriumi Kōsuke)
• Mamoru Hasegawa (長谷川 マモル, Hasegawa Mamoru, 37): Gong Teyu (孔 大維, Kon Teyu)

Songs

Opening themes

• "Busters Ready Go!" (バスターズ レディーゴー!, Basutāzu Redī Gō!)
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition, Arrangement: Kenichiro Oishi
  • Artist: Hideyuki Takahashi (Project.R)
  • Episodes: 1-27

  The song also played in episodes 30, 44, and 50.

• "Morphin! Movin! Bustersship!" (モーフィン! ムービン! バスターズシップ!, Mōfin! Mūbin! Basutāzushippu!)
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition, Arrangement: Kenichiro Oishi
  • Artist: Hideyuki Takahashi (Project.R)
  • Episodes: 28-49

Ending theme

• "Kizuna ~ Go-Busters!" (キズナ～ゴーバスターズ!, Kizuna ~ Gōbasutāzu!, "Bonds ~ Go-Busters!")
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition, Arrangement: Kenichiro Oishi
  • Artist: Nazo no Shin Unit Starmen (謎の新ユニットＳＴＡ☆ＭＥＮ, Nazo no Shin Yunitto Sutāmen, The Mysterious New Unit Starmen)
  • Episodes: 1-8, 11-22, 28-44
• "One wish, One day"
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition, Arrangement: Morihiro Suzuki
  • Artist: Hiromu Sakurada & Cheeda Nick (Katsuhiro Suzuki & Keiji Fujiwara)
  • Episodes: 9, 10, 24
• "Shinpai Honey ♡ Bunny" (心配 ハニー♡バニー, Shinpai Hanī ♡ Banī, "Worry Honey ♡ Bunny")
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition, Arrangement: Masaaki Asada
  • Artist: Yoko Usami & Usada Lettuce (Arisa Komiya & Tatsuhisa Suzuki)
  • Episodes: 23
• "Blue Banana Moon"
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition, Arrangement: Hiroshi Takaki
  • Artist: Ryuji Iwasaki & Gorisaki Banana (Ryouma Baba & Tesshō Genda)
  • Episodes: 25
• "Kizuna ~ Go-Busters! (2012 Summer MOVIE MIX)" (キズナ～ゴーバスターズ! (2012 Summer MOVIE MIX), Kizuna ~ Gōbasutāzu! (Nisenjūni Samā Mūbī Mikkusu), "Bonds ~ Go-Busters! (2012 Summer MOVIE MIX)")
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition, Arrangement: Kenichiro Oishi
  • Artist: Nazo no Shin Unit Starmen
  • Episodes: 26, 27

Notes

References

External links

• Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters at Super-Sentai.net (official)
• Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters at TV Asahi
• Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters at Toei Company
• Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters at Nippon Columbia