Tokusatsu (Japanese: 特撮, "special filming") is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of special effects. Tokusatsu entertainment often deals with science fiction, fantasy or horror, but films and television shows in other genres can sometimes count as tokusatsu as well. The most popular types of tokusatsu include kaiju monster films such as the Godzilla and Gamera film series; superhero TV serials such as the Kamen Rider and Metal Hero series; and mecha dramas like Giant Robo and Ambassador Magma. Some tokusatsu television programs combine several of these subgenres, for example the Ultraman and Super Sentai series.So, even though the word means "special filming", it's not simply any film or TV series that employs such technical wizardry. As you can see from the examples above, it mainly refers to giant monster movies and Japanese style superheroes. Like most 80's or 90's kids, your first exposure to Tokusatsu, other than Godzilla of course, would be Saban's Power Rangers series. Power Rangers takes the suited fight scenes and giant robot/monster footage from the Japanese franchise Super Sentai. The Super Sentai franchise started way back in 1975 in fact.
Now, you might be asking yourself, "so, is this Super Sentai thing a ridiculous child's program in Japan as well?" Yes, it is. In fact the vast majority of Tokusatsu is intended for children or young adults. However, like anything else, there is a sizable adult fanbase too. Does that mean, as a grown man, I'm some kind of weirdo you'd lump in with Bronies? Sure, that's fine. My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic is pretty good too. In a world were people of all ages watch programs like Steven Universe, She-ra and the Princesses of Power, Adventure Time, and Voltron, I think we're well past the point of shaming people for watching shows geared towards kids. If this kind of programming isn't for you, there's plenty of Toku that's dark, serious, and intended for adults.
Still, what makes Tokusatsu special? Certainly, a big part of it is the cultural differences from the west which make Japanese popular culture interesting in general. But, for me, it's the attitude. Western superheroes tend to be overly serious and dark these days and while I enjoy stuff like the Marvel films and Birds of Prey, even the most dark and adult Toku tends to have a very positive message. For example, the current Super Sentai series Kirameiger is all about using your imagination and helping others be their best selves. Also, Kamen Rider 01, is about rejecting our fears of technology, our fears of those different from us, and working together to make our dreams of the future come true. It's the kind of positivity I need these days. Plus, Toku is just a lot of fun. There are other things I love about Toku (costume design, concepts, toys, etc), but at the end of the day, like with anything else, we all have our own, different reasons.
Why blog about Toku? Well, it can be a bit impenetrable for a lot of people. Hopefully, through writing I can make it a easier for others to dip their toes into. Also, it can be tricky finding out where to watch a lot of Toku. So, if you've never experienced any Toku, or just very little, and want to see what else the genre has to offer, I'll be posting information on where to find English subtitled Toku. Stay tuned for that post.
