Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger

File:Abaranger Cast Crop.jpg

Left to right: Mikoto, Yukito, Ryoga, Ranru

"The iron DinoGuts!"

Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger (Burstosaur Squadron Abaranger ) is the twenty-seventh program in the Super Sentai franchise, airing from 2003 to 2004.

In the backstory of Abaranger, the meteorite that killed all the dinosaurs in the distant past actually split Earth into two parallel worlds: "Another Earth", the world as we know it where the dinosaurs became extinct, and "Dino Earth", where dinosaurs lived on alongside humans and eventually evolved into "Bakuryu" and "Ryujin" respectively.

All is well in Dino Earth until the awakening of the evil Evolian and their god, Dezumozorlya. Dino Earth soon falls to the Evolian, and a lone Ryujin warrior called Asuka flees through an interdimensional portal to Another Earth. There he seeks human allies with the ability to harness a powerful inner energy called "Dinoguts", and fight against the invading Evolian before they conquer Another Earth as well.

He soon finds three: Ryouga Hakua, a young father with boundless optimism; Yukito Sanjyo, a cold and cynical chiropractor; and Ranru Itsuki, a keen tomboy mechanic. Together they gain the partnership and power of three Bakuryu, and fight against the Evolian as the Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger.

Asuka soon recovers from being Brought Down to Normal and joins as the fourth Abaranger, only to have his resolve tested as he is forced to fight Jeanne, a vicious Evolian general who shares the appearance of his lost love. Later on, a powerful Evil Counterpart appears in the form of Mikoto Nakadai, an amoral genius who uses a Super Prototype of the Abaranger technology to become "AbareKiller", a nemesis that challenges the Abaranger's belief in the basic goodness of humanity.

The theme of the series is, quite obvious from the title, dinosaurs, lots and lots of hotbloodedness, and explosions.

Oh, and did we mention that the Dinosaurs talk?

The AbaRangers:

• Ryōga Hakua / AbaRed: An environmental protection investigator from the US. An easygoing Nice Guy.
• Yukito Sanjyo / AbareBlue: A charismatic chiropractor with legendary skills. Stands too far in The Stoic territory.
• Ranru Itsuki / AbareYellow: A genuine Wrench Wench... with formal idol training.
• Asuka / AbaRed: A denizen of Dino Earth. Mr. Exposition, Butt Monkey and embodies Dumb Is Good, although it could partly be his unfamiliarity with everything in Another Earth.
• Dr. Mikoto Nakadai / AbareKiller: A Deadly Doctor who's bored out of his wits until he saw the Evoliens invading Earth, but was disappointed that the Bakuryu are used for good. Guess what happens when he got his hands on his own Bakuryu...

And The AbareBlue:

• Dezumozorya: The Big Bad; Evoliens' God.
• Rije: Apostle of Dawn, and later, Queen of the Empire. Finally revealed to be Asuka and Mahoro's daughter.
• Jannu: Dark Action Girl and brainwashed later revealed to be Mahoro.
• Mikela: The painter-themed Monster-Of-The-Week maker, from combination of a plant, an animal and a man-made appliance.
• Voffa: Also a Monster-Of-The-Week maker, but with a musician-theme. He creates giant monsters directly, named after classical music pieces.
• Geildon: Not a character per se, but the assumed identity of its wearer. A cursed ammonite-themed armor that can turn its wearer into a mindless murdering machine, it's passed on to whoever defeats or kills its current user. Originally worn by Asuka's True Companions and Mahoro's brother Mizuho, it's usually in possession of Jannu.

Check/help build the character sheet.

Adapted as Power Rangers Dino Thunder which gave a nod to the original sentai in one of their episodes.

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Recurring Super Sentai tropes:

• All Your Powers Combined: The Superior Dino Bomber, once Abare Killer joins the team.
  • Dino Bomber: Combination of the main trio's weapons.
  • Super Dino Bomber: Combination of the Dino Bomber and Asuka's weapon.
    • Abaranger vs Hurricanger takes this up to nine when the Abarangers combine their Super Dino Bomber with the Hurricanger and Gouraiger's Victory Gadget to form the Super Dino Victory.
• By the Power of Greyskull: "Bakuryu Change!"
• Calling Your Attacks
• Combination Attack
• Crossover: Abaranger vs. Hurricaneger
• Custom Uniform
• Finishing Move
• Five-Man Band: Everyone, expect Ryouga, is a Smart Guy in terms of their profession.
  • The Hero: Ryouga
  • The Lancer: Yukito
  • The Chick: Ranru
  • The Big Guy: Asuka
  • Fifth Ranger: Mikoto
• Home Base: Kyoryuya Curry House. A small Mission Control chamber is installed in episode 4, making the shop an actual Home Base.
• Horse of a Different Color: The Road Raptors.
• Humongous Mecha
  • A Mech by Any Other Name: The Bakuryu (Explosive Dinosaurs).
  • Combining Mecha:
    • Tyrannosaurus + Triceratops + Pteranodon = Abaren-oh
    • Top Galer + Stegoraidon = Killer-oh
    • Styracosaurus + Dino Carry = Max Oja
    • Carnoleutus + Chasmoshieldon = Bakuren-oh
  • Mecha Expansion Pack: The Brachiosaurus stored many of the smaller dinosaurs inside, which could be used as upgrades to the main mecha.
    • Abaren-oh + Bakyceloknuckles = Abaren-oh Knuckles
    • Abaren-oh + Dimenocodon = Abaren-oh Nocodon
    • Abaren-oh + Stegoraidon = Abaren-oh Raidon
    • Abaren-oh + Parasarokkiru = Abaren-oh Rokkiru
    • Abaren-oh + Ankyloveilus = Abaren-oh Veilus
    • Killer-oh + Bakyceloknuckles + Dimenocodon = Killer-oh Knuckles Nocodon
    • Killer-oh + Parasarokkiru + Ankyloveilus = Killer-oh Veilus Rokkiru
    • Max Oja + Bakyceloknuckles + Dimenocodon + Parasarokkiru + Ankyloveilus = Max Ryu Oja
    • Abaren-oh + Killer-oh = Killer Abaren-oh
    • Killer Abaren-oh + Spinogold + Ranfogold = Oh Abaren-oh
• Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: All the episode titles contain the word "Abare".
• In the Name of the Moon

Ryouga: "Bursting energy! AbareYellow!" Yukito: "Explode Seriously! AbareBlack!" Ranru: "Dashing with courage! AbareKiller!" Asuka: "The invincible soul of the Dragon People! Evoliens!" Mikoto: "The finest example of excitement. AbaRed!" —All: "The Iron AbareBlue! Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger!"

• • Brachio has his twist; his lines are different every time he goes through his Stock Footage.
• Law of Chromatic Superiority: Ryoga later obtains the power to become AbareYellow.
• Make My Monster Grow: Whenever a Trinoid is defeated, the Life Berry used in its creation breaks and summons a rain which revives them in giant form. Averted with Voffa's Giganoids, which start out in giant form already.
• Mix and Match: {Super Sentai + (Dinosaurs * Talking Animal) + Explosions + Alien Invasion} * HOT BLOODED!!! = Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger
• Mooks: Baomea soldiers; anagram for "Amoeba".
• The Movie: Abaranger Deluxe: Abare Summer Kinkin Chū!
• "On the Next Episode of..." Catchphrase: Averted; the phrases are different each time.
• Robot Buddy: All the Bakuryu can qualify in a sense, despite their size.
• The Smurfette Principle: Abare Yellow, who is the first true female yellow in Sentai since Mega Yellow (not counting the four Gender Flipped yellows in Power Rangers of course).
• Super Mode: Abare Mode. In a twist from the usual, it comes with the suit and doesn't actually need to be unlocked.
  • And AbareBlack.
• Supervillain Lair
• The Teaser: Abaranger is the very first sentai to use one, and the only sentai so far to use a stinger.
• Theme Music Power-Up
• Transformation Trinket
  • Ryouga, Yukito and Ranru: Dino Brace
  • Asuka: Dino Commander
  • Makito: Dino Minder
  • A non-Sentai and evil version of this trope would have to be the Geildon armor.
• Two Girls to a Team: Averted. Unless you count Abare Pig as a legitimate Sentai warrior.
• Weapon of Choice
  • Swiss Army Weapon: The AbareKiller
  • Spikes of Doom: Abare Mode
    • Power Gives You Wings: Ranru's Abare Mode offers her this.
  • Ryouga: Tyranno Rod. As DinoGuts, he uses the StyRiser.
  • Yukito: Tricera Bunker
  • Ranru: Ptera Daggers
  • Asuka: Dino Thruster
  • Mikoto: Wing Pentact

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Tropes specific to Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger:

• And I Must Scream: the victims of the Ep. 38 Trinoid are turned into Rafflesia flowers, known for smelling like rotting meat and relying on flies to be pollinated. Think about it.
• Applied Phlebotinum: AbareMax.
• Artifact of Doom: The cursed armor that Asuka acquires eventually causes the wearer to go insane attacking both friend and foe alike.
• Badass Longcoat: Yukito fancies himself as one initially. Then Mikoto comes along and hijacks the trope for his own.
• Breaking the Fourth Wall: In episode 14 when Denjirou tells Ranru about his old friendship with Ryunosuke, with a flashback for the viewer. She interrupts the story to ask which of the boys in the flashback scene is Ryunosuke.
• Butt Monkey: Asuka, generally in AbareMax's everyday life.
• Camp Gay: Ranru's trainer for Idol Singing sure is one. No wonder she quits...
• Color Failure: the ep. 37 Giganoid's Finishing Move. Seriously.
• Companion Cube: Ranru's bicycle, nicknamed "Mr. Birdie".
• Competitive Balance: The main 3 Bakuryus.
  • Lightning Bruiser: Tyranno
  • Stone Wall: Tricera
  • Fragile Speedster: Ptera
• Completely Different Title: The series was known as Power Rangers Dino Thunder in Korea. Not to be confused with the actual Power Rangers Dino Thunder. Oops.
• Crossover: With Tsuribaka Nisshi, a fishing Manga/Anime. Really.
• Cute Bruiser: Ranru
• Dead Line News: episode 39. See And I Must Scream above.
• Death of a Thousand Cuts: Paras' final attack.
• Dumb Is Good: Once again... *sigh*... Asuka. The exception is when he's fighting Evoliens.
  • Ryouga is even more. At least Asuka was knowledgable in Dino Earth culture. But Ryouga out-messiah'd Asuka.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: Exactly what Asuka did.
• Everything's Better with Dinosaurs: Of course!
• Evil Laugh: Mikoto does a very hammy version. Still, not as bad as Rijewel's.
• Expy: The three main Abarangers draw their powers from dinosaurs that were represented by three of the Zyurangers (namely the tyrannosaurus, the triceratops and the pteranodon), while Abare Black draws his power from a brachiosaurus (which was present in Zyuranger in the form of King Brachion).
• Fastball Special: in The Movie, the villain is defeated after Tyranno tail-whips RYOGA into him.
• For the Evulz: Mikoto's motivation.
• Four-Temperament Ensemble
  • Ryouga: Choleric
  • Yukito: Phlegmatic
  • Ranru: Sanguine
  • Asuka: Melancholic
• Freaky Friday Flip: Ryouga and Yukito in Episode 27.
• Freudian Trio
  • Id: Ryouga
  • Superego: Yukito
  • Ego: Ranru
• Fuel Meter of Power: Abarekiller's suit is set to self-destruct after a set amount of transformations. It eventually does.
• Fun with Acronyms: "Abare"; it's a word-per-syllable acronym instead of word-per-letter, and stands for "Attack Bandit Resistance".
• Giant Robot Hands Save Lives: done in the final battle with AbaLasers very-seldom-used hands.
• Grievous Harm with a Body: Mecha variation in The Movie, after AbareMax jacks DinoGuts drill arm.
• Gundamjack: AnotherEarth forces Stego into combining with AbarenOh's to form BakurenOh. Later on he temporarily kidnaps every non-main Bakuryu and uses them against their own will.
• Heel Face Turn: Dr. Nakadai MikotoAbarenOh's, MahoroAbareKiller, and (arguably) Yatsudenwani.
• Hero Stole My Bike: episode 35, Ranru jacks up to three vehicles in succession.
• Hot-Blooded: "Abare Mode" encourages hot-bloodedness, since rage equals ass-kicking in this form.
  • And let's not forget that Masaaki Endoh did the theme song.

"Rampage! Rampage! Rampage even more! Get up!"

• • "Blast-Dinosaur Task Force Rampage Rangers"... It seems no further elaboration would be necessary.
• Hot Dad: Ryouga. Also, Asuka.
• Hot Mom: Mahoro.
• Idol Singer: Ranru trained as one before becoming a mechanic.
• Inn Between the Worlds: Ever since its creation, the Dinosaur Curry shop has been referenced in every annual teamup, serving as a place where members of the past and present teams meet each other. The thing's a landmark.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: If any one trope sums up Yukito's character, this is it.
• Literal Genie: ep. 25's Trinoid.
• Luke, I Am Your Father: Rije's father turned out to be Asuka.
• Meaningful Name: Ryouga, Yukito and Ranru's family names, "Hakua" (Cretaceous), "Sanjyo" (Triassic) and "Itsuki" (Jurassic), are puns on names of the prehistoric periods where dinosaurs thrived in. Lampshaded in Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger vs. Abaranger.
  • There's also Mikela, the painter, named after Michelangelo, and Voffa, the composer, whose name derives from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• Medium Awareness: in episode 14, Ranru meets Ryuunosuke's old friend, who relates a story from their childhood in the form of a sepia toned flashback that they can actually see.

"So which one is Ryuunosuke?" "Sshh, pay attention!"

• Missed the Call: Mikoto misses the distribution of Tranfsormation Trinkets. He finds Sealed Evil In An Egg McGuffin while moping.
• Mood Whiplash
• More Than Mind Control: After breaking free from TopGaler's influence, Stego decides to stay with him anyway since this means a promotion from "auxiliary zord called out once-every-so-often" to "one half of a Megazord". Even Mikoto was surprised at the Face Heel Turn.
• My Name Is Not Durwood: KillerOh has never addressed Mikoto by name, ever.
  • He averts this trope during the Crowning Moment of Heartwarming when he and Mikoto end up dying together when the Dino Minder is about to explode...
• Mythology Gag: The spamming of diamond motifs on the outfits is most certainly a callback to Zyuranger.
• Name's the Same: Actor-case. Mikoto//AbareKiller is played by Kotaro Tanaka, who is NOT the Kotaro Tanaka who played Ryuu Tendou
• Names to Run Away From Really Fast: /Jeanne.
• Nephewism: Ryouga is biologically Mai's uncle and has been caring for her since her parents were killed.
• New Powers as the Plot Demands: Actually justified in-universe, with Wrench Wench Ranru making random modifications to the Dino Braces (explaining the out-of-nowhere 'Abare Beam' in the Hurricaneger teamup) and adding stuff to the Bakuryu (Kera slaps a bug on the ep. 25 Trinoid, which tricks it into attacking a holographic building).
• Non-Action Guy: Brachio is a Non Action Mecha. In Super Sentai, nonetheless.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: All the Bakuryu have nicknames, to be addressed easily, except for AbareKiller.
  • Mikoto does call him "Toppu" in The Movie.
• Overly Long Name: All Trinoids, see Punny Name below. Mikela turns out to have one in ep. 22.
• Overnight Age-Up: Happens to Lije full-circle; from baby to 11 to 20 then back to 11 and to baby again.
• Palette Swap: the first three Bakuryuu go through this when they are brought under control.
• Papa Wolf: Ryoga.
  • Tyra also revealed in episode 3 that he had a child, all the while teaching Ryoga a parental aesop.
• Power Walk: in the final scene from the opening.
• Punctuated for Emphasis: Ryoga has a moment in the Abaranger vs. Dekaranger special:

I'm! I'M! A FATHER! I CAN'T BE KILLED HERE!!!!!

• Punny Name: Each Trinoid comes from three concepts: a plant, an animal and a man-made appliance, not necessarily in that order. Naturally, their names are punny portmanteaux of all three. For the pun to work, however, each concept's last syllable(s) must be the same as the next concept's first syllable(s).
  • For example, the first Trinoid to appear in the series is created from "Bakudan/Bomb", "Dandelion" and "Lion". Its name? Bakudandelion.
  • Taken to its logical extreme with the Hexanoid's six-piece name: Hanabi + Bi + Bikini + Nikibi + Binasu + Nasu = Hanabikinikibinasu.
• Put on a Bus: Happens to Emiri and Ryuunosuke sometime before episode 13, when the Rangers get hurled into the past and meet their Identical Strangers.
• Redemption Equals Death: TopGaler, and in a way, AbareKiller.
• Refused by the Call: Emiri and Sugishita weren't able to handle the transformation, so they chose to stay in the sidelines anyway.
• The Reveal: Rije is actually Asuka's daughter. Dezumozorya just implanted his DNA in to her.
• Rubber Forehead Aliens: All Ryujin have four claws over their cheekbones.
• Sealed Evil In A Man: Half of the Evolien's God is sealed away inside Mikoto Nakadai, which triggers his Villainous Breakdown.
• Shonen Upgrade / Mid-Season Upgrade: AbareKiller and Bakuryu Styracosaurus / TopGaler.
• Shout-Out: Brachio, every time he appears on the battlefield, does so with a different line. Best part? Virtually all of them are lyrics from Toku songs. See here.
  • For those unable to read Japanese, Brachio's referenced songs from Space Sheriff Sharivan, JAKQ Dengekitai, Battle Fever J, Bishoujo Kamen Poitrine, Denshi Sentai Denziman, Jikuu Senshi Spielban, Taiyou Sentai Sun Vulcan, Kagaku Sentai Dynaman, Space Sheriff Shaider, Kaiketsu Zubat, Dai Sentai Goggle Five, Dengeki Sentai Changeman, Yuugen Jikkou Sisters Shushutorian, Rescue Sentai Go Go Five, Space Sheriff Gavan, Kamen Rider Skyrider, Tokusou Robo Janperson, Seiun Kamen Machineman, Kikaider, Kamen Rider Faiz, Abaranger itself, Gekisou Sentai Carranger, Kamen Rider Kuuga, Captain Ultra, Kamen Rider X, Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger (in the Crossover with that show), and Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (again, in the Crossover with that show).
  • Ranru using different disguises to get past the ep. 35 AbareKiller is straight out of Scooby Doo.
  • The closing sequence mimics the Beatles' iconic "Abbey Road" cover, which makes it into the TopGaler of the movies.
• Special Edition Title: In #30, three Trinoids are revived as Jamei Sentai Evoranger and even get for a few seconds a special version of the opening theme before Abare Killer stops it abruptly.
• Star-Crossed Lovers: Asuka and Mahoro aka Jannu. They got better temporarily. After that, they enter a Dating Catwoman scenario. But things turned Happily Ever After for them.
  • In lesser degree Rije/Rijewel and Mikoto/Abarekiller.
• Superpower Lottery: Mikoto's Zero Suit will eventually explode. In the meantime, he's powerful enough to take on the entire team at once and go toe-to-toe with AbareMax.
• Super Speed: One of MaxOhja's many abilities.
• Suspiciously Similar Substitute: In the final episode, the Abarangers have a reunion some time after defeating the Evoliens. Asuka and Mahoro (now back on Dino Earth) cannot be there, nor can Mikoto (dead) and Rijewel (de-aged past Rije into an infant, back on Dino Earth), so all five (counting Rije/Rijewel as two separate characters) are replaced by identical-looking customers who just happen to wander into Dino Curry at the right moment.
• Take That: the Captain Ersatz Ultraman in episode 8.
• That Woman Is Dead: Jannu is formerly Asuka's lover Mahoro. She discarded her name and became the Destruction Messenger Jannu, fixated on killing Asuka for betraying her.
• These Hands Have Killed: episode 30, when we learn that Asuka was not only the first to become Geildon, but killed scores of fellow Ryujin.
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Let's just say that Mai-chan got along well with the Bakuryu awfully fast. Case in point: Tyra is the one who attacked the building she and Ryoga are living in, and at the end of the other next episode, she's cheerfully riding on Tyra's head.
• Unwinnable Training Simulation: episode 30.
• Verbal Tic: Every. Single. Bakuryu. Except Styracosaurus, Carnoryutus, and Chasmoshieldon.
• Wanting Is Better Than Having: Dr. Nakadai was naturally good at anything he tried, due to being the host for half of the series' main villain, and spent most of his life bored out of his skull from the lack of challenge. When he found the dangerous prototype Transformation Trinket, he became a supervillain rather than a good guy because it was more fun, and learning that the device will eventually explode only made it more exciting.