In Japan, there is a form of television called Tokusatsu which is live action film using special effects. This genre of television provides entertainment for a large portion of Japan and even provides entertainment for some American viewers. being an American fan of Tokusatsu is a tedious and headache-inducing experience from time to time, but more often than not it's worth all the effort to watch the shows we love. With that being said, it's still a huge pain at times, so here I give you five struggles of being a Tokusatsu fan in America.
1. Finding Subbed Footage.
Often when you get hooked on a series you rush to the internet and find the series and binge watch it, but in the world of Tokusatsu you often have to wait three days to a week just to watched the subbed version of your show to understand what's going on, and that's if you're lucky enough to be watching a show that people decided to sub. There are shows out there that have no subs available.
2. Merchandise is way too expensive.
So, you managed to find the show you were looking for and all the episodes are subbed. Now that you're a good way through, you think, "I like that thing, I wanna buy it." Well, good luck because more often than not it costs an arm and a leg to buy the merchandise you want due to importing and middle-man fees.
3. Hard to explain to others.
Tokusatsu shows are inherently Japanese, meaning they have a different set of rules for what's normal for television than most American shows. With these differences, it can be very difficult to relate these shows to people who haven't heard of them before.
4. It's not Power Rangers!!!
While it's true that Power Rangers was adapted from the Tokusatsu show "Super Sentai," that doesn't mean that it's the same thing. Just because someone likes Power Rangers, that does not mean that they're guaranteed to like "Super Sentai." Each Tokusatsu show is different and has it's own set of rules with the only link most of the time being the concept of transforming into a stronger form of one's self with the help of magic or technology.
5. People say it's only for kids.
In conclusion, I'd recommend people to, at the very least, give Tokusatsu shows a chance. They may not be your cup of tea, but they are still a good view into the Japanese culture and how they view television. A list of popular Tokusatsu shows includes "Super Sentai," "Kamen Rider," "Garo", and "Ultraman." I hope I sparked your curiosity about Japanese television, or at the very least helped you learn something new.
