Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger (王様戦隊キングオージャー, Ōsama Sentai Kinguōjā, Kingship Squadron King-Ohger) is a Japanese tokusatsu television drama, the 47th installment in Toei Company's long-running Super Sentai series and the fourth produced in the Reiwa era. This series is the first in the franchise where all of the main characters have both an insectoid and royalty motif.
Two millennia ago on the planet Chikyu, a group of heroes joined forces to defeat and exile the Underground Empire Bug Naraku to the planet's subterranean levels through their guardian deity Legend King-Ohger. Afterward, the heroes disbanded, five of them establishing the kingdoms of Shugodom, Nkosopa, Ishabana, Gokkan, and Tofu, respectively. But a prophecy later spreads that the Bug Naraku will return.
In the present, fifteen years after a catastrophe known as the Wrath of God, the current rulers' attempted alliance fails as the Bug Naraku attack Shugodom per the genocide decree of their King Dezunaraku VIII. A Shugodom youth named Gira learned his king King Rcules Husty plots to have the conflict justify his agenda of unifying the kingdoms under his rule, disgusted by Rcules' callous intent of sacrificing their people and steals his Ohger Calibur, the kings' symbol of authority. Gira declares himself as an "evil king" bent on destroying Rcules' reign, awakening the Shugods that form King-Ohger while branded a traitor despite being later revealed to be Rcules' missing younger brother. Gira forms an alliance with the other rulers: President Yanma Gast of Nkosopa, Queen Hymeno Ran of Ishabana, Chief Justice Rita Kaniska of Gokkan, and Overlord Kaguragi Dybowski of Tofu to save their world from the Bug Naraku and depose Rcules while gathering the other Shugods needed to form Legend King-Ohger.
They are eventually joined in their quest by the historian Jeramie Brasieri, revealed as the half-Bug Naraku son of a forgotten sixth hero whose existence was erased from history for falling in love with a Bug Naraku royal, who fabricated the prophecy in a scheme to unite the two races. The six soon form a new alliance known as the "Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger". After Gira exposes the deposed Rcules and succeeds as Shugodom's king, he convinces Dezunaraku to reconcile with humanity once Jeramie learned his prophecy caused the current Bug Naraku attack. But Dezunaraku is fatally wounded by his right hand Kamejim, revealed to be have orchestrated the Human/Bug Naraku conflict, with Jeramie establishing an official sixth kingdom of Chikyu for the Bug Naraku to live in peace. Prior to Gira's coronation, the Ohsama Sentai briefly ventured into the underworld of Hākabāka where they meet the founder king Lainor Husty, who cryptically reveals an impending calamity that would befall Chikyuu.
Two years later, the King-Ohgers face a new threat to their world when Kamejim's master, the Galactinsect King Dagded Dujardin, arrives to force Chikyu in resuming the war or be destroyed. But Gira learns that Dagded is the true mastermind of the Human/Bug Naraku conflict by forcing House Husty into his service with his Galactinsect Jesters causing the Wrath of God incident, refusing to allow the war's renewal while he and the others expose Dagded's deeds. Dagded responds by sending the rulers to Earth, learning their ancestors migrated from there while helping the Kyoryugers defeat the revived Deboth Army. Upon their return, the Ohsama Sentai reassume control of their kingdoms which were taken over by Dagded's Jesters and Rcules, who eventually reveals that he played the role of a dictator to win Dagded's trust and destroy him, joining forces with them after he completes his plan to kill the Galactinsect King. However, Dagded is later resurrected by the Jesters.
The Ohsama Sentai learn about an ancient power known as the Kings' Proof used by their predecessors to end the war 2000 years ago and reawaken it in order to make stand against Dagded while destroying the remaining Jesters except for Kamejim. Despite with their new powers, the King-Ohgers fail to defeat Dagded and decide to hold him long enough for the inhabitants of the six kingdoms to escape Chikyu. However, the subjects refuse to abandon their kings and together, they participate in one last battle against the Galactinsects, briefly assisted from deceased warriors and kings summoned from Hākabāka, culminating with Kamejim killed and dragged to Hākabāka, and Dagded ultimately destroyed by the Ohsama Sentai and their mecha. After the battle, the borders of the six kingdoms are abolished and their inhabitants begin traveling and living freely around Chikyu, watched over by the King-Ohgers.
Production
According to Takahito Ōmori, the production of King-Ohger started one and a half years in advance, unlike the usual one-year preparation of previous Sentai series.[1]
The Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger trademark was registered by Toei on September 21, 2022, and published on September 30, 2022.[citation needed]
King-Ohger was officially announced on December 21, 2022.[citation needed] An online production announcement conference introducing the main cast and characters and the artist for the show's theme song was held on February 14, 2023.[2] The series implements extensive on-set virtual production and LED walls produced in collaboration with Sony PCL Inc.[3] This production practice was influenced by works like Disney's The Mandalorian and would be the first work in Japan that uses virtual production.[4]
In fall 2023, Toei announced the series would feature a small crossover with Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger to commemorate the earlier series' tenth anniversary.
"The King Is Here" Transliteration: "Ō wa Koko ni Iru" (Japanese: 王はここにいる)
Kazuya Kamihoriuchi
Minato Takano
February 18, 2024 (2024-02-18)
50 (Final)
"We Will Rule the World" Transliteration: "Oresama-tachi ga Sekai o Shihai Suru" (Japanese: 俺様たちが世界を支配する)
Kazuya Kamihoriuchi
Minato Takano
February 25, 2024 (2024-02-25)
Films
Adventure Heaven
Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger the Movie: Adventure Heaven (映画 王様戦隊キングオージャー アドベンチャー・ヘブン, Eiga Ōsama Sentai Kinguōjā Adobenchā Hebun) is a film released in Japanese theaters on July 28, 2023, double-billed with Kamen Rider Geats the Movie: The 4 Aces and the Black Fox.[5][6] The events of the film take place between episodes 23 and 24 of the television series.[7] A Complete version is later released with new scenes relating to the second half of the series.
V-Cinema
A crossover film series for V-Cinema release comprised two King-Ohger crossovers with Avataro Sentai Donbrothers and Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, respectively. They had a limited theatrical release on April 26, 2024, followed by both DVD and Blu-ray releases on October 9, 2024.[8] The events of the V-Cinemas take place after each two arcs of the television series (Bug Naraku arc for vs. Donbrothers and Galactinsect arc for vs. Kyoryuger).
Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger vs. Donbrothers (王様戦隊キングオージャーVSドンブラザーズ, Ōsama Sentai Kinguōjā Tai Donburazāzu)
Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger vs. Kyoryuger (王様戦隊キングオージャーVSキョウリュウジャー, Ōsama Sentai Kinguōjā Tai Kyōryūjā): Serves as a celebration of the 10th anniversary of Kyoryuger. The main cast of Kyoryuger, Ryo Ryusei, Syuusuke Saito, Yamato Kinjo, Akihisa Shiono, Ayuri Konno, and Atsushi Maruyama, who previously reprised their roles in episodes 32 and 33 of King-Ohger, and Marie Iitoyo return for this film.[8][9]
Special episodes
Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger: The Secrets of King Rcules (王様戦隊キングオージャー ラクレス王の秘密, Ōsama Sentai Kinguōjā Rakuresu-ō no Himitsu): A three-episode web-exclusive series released on Toei Tokusatsu YouTube Official YouTube channel on April 23, 2023.[10] The events of the web-exclusive series take place between episodes 2 and 3 of the television series.
Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger with Tombo Ohger (特捜戦隊デカレンジャーwithトンボオージャー, Tokusō Sentai Dekarenjā Wizu Tonbo Ōjā): A web-exclusive crossover special between King-Ohger and Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger released on Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club on June 16, 2024.[11]
Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger in Space (王様戦隊キングオージャー IN SPACE, Ōsama Sentai Kinguōjā In Supēsu): A web-exclusive crossover special released on Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club on November 10, 2024. Keisuke Minami and Atsushi Maruyama reprised their respective roles as Tsurugi Ohtori from Kyuranger and Utsusemimaru from Kyoryuger while Tetsu Inada reprised his voice role as Doggie Kruger from Dekaranger. It also features a small cameo of Captain Marvelous from Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger at the end of the crossover special, where he is portrayed by an unknown actor instead being reprised by Ryota Ozawa.[12][13] The events of the special take place after Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger vs. Kyoryuger.
Manga
Rita of Gokkan: Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger (ゴッカンのリタ 王様戦隊キングオージャー, Gokkan no Rita Ōsama Sentai Kinguōjā) is a 24-chapter manga serialized on Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club, BookLive, BookLive Fun, and Piccoma from November 11, 2023 to February 17, 2024. The manga tells the first five episodes of the television series from Rita Kaniska's point of view.[14]
Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger has been ranked third on the list of 100 Internet Buzzwords of 2023 in Japan.[27] One day after the airing of the 49th episode, " #キングオージャー最終三話劇場版" (King-Ohger Last Three Episode Theatrical Version) became the most trending hashtag in Japan on Twitter, which was a fan movement rallied by actor Yosuke Ito to demand a theatrical release of the show's final episodes.[28]
