‘Choriki Sentai Ohranger’ 30th Anniversary Prep Event Creates Excitement for Big Celebration in August

By Mishio Suzuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

10:30 JST, June 13, 2025

“Choriki Sentai Ohranger,” a Super Sentai series tokusatsu sci-fi action TV show, this year celebrated the 30th anniversary of its 1995 broadcast debut.

An event commemorating the anniversary will take place in Tokyo on Aug. 3, featuring the actors who played the human personae of the superhero team members, including Masaru Shishido, who played leader Goro Hoshino, the character who transforms into Oh Red; Masashi Goda, who played Yuji Mita (Oh Blue); and Tamao Sato, who portrayed Momo Maruo (Oh Pink). Also present will be Ayumi Aso, who played Juri Nijo (Oh Yellow), and Kunio Masaoka, who played Shohei Yokkaichi (Oh Green), both of whom have since retired from acting. It will be the first reunion of the five in many years. They will also be joined by Kentaro Hayami, the singer of the show’s theme song, who is scheduled to perform at the event, titled “Choriki Sentai Ohranger Hoso Kaishi 30 Shunen Kinen! Oretachi Eien no Ohranger!” (Choriki Sentai Ohranger broadcast 30th anniversary commemoration! We are Ohrangers forever!).

A kickoff event ahead of the August gathering was held in Tokyo in May. There were two performances on the same day, one during the daytime and the other in the evening, which were participated in by Shishido, Goda and Sato, all of whom worked hard to bring the anniversary event to fruition. I had the honor of serving as the emcee.

Tickets for the show were sold out, and the venue was packed. Yet the crowd was so quiet before the daytime show started that the three actors were worried in the green room whether the venue was really full. I was also puzzled, but I could see why they were quiet the moment I went on stage and saw the faces of the audience members. They were gripped by nervousness and anticipation of seeing the actors behind the Ohranger superheroes for the first time in a long while. The three also realized this as soon as they came onto the stage, and the event proceeded with a pleasant atmosphere.

The highlight of the event was when the actors talked about one physically demanding scene from the TV drama. In the first episode, there was a scene in which four of the five superheroes were swept away by a river and went over a waterfall. The scene involved four of the five actors, excluding Shishido, and suit actors playing their doubles.

“There was still snow on the ground when we did that scene, and there was ice in the river,” Goda said.

“It was really cold,” Sato agreed. “I think it was even worse for the suit actors who actually went over the waterfall.”

And the two teased Shishido, saying, “Boss, you don’t know how tough that shoot was!”

Shishido did not take part in the shoot, as the script called for his character, as the team leader, to be doing something separate.

“Whenever I hear this story, I feel glad it was me playing Oh Red,” he replied, making the crowd erupt with laughter.

Nevertheless, Shishido had his share of tough experiences. In a scene in which a napalm explosion was supposed to go off beside him as he was running, he misjudged where the explosive was and accidentally stepped on it.

“Suddenly I was engulfed in flames. I was surprisingly calm and thought, ‘So this is what it’s like to be inside a fire.’ But when I came out, everyone was panicking,” Shishido revealed with a chuckle.

It is unimaginable that either the waterfall or explosive incident would happen today.

After the actors happily reminisced about the TV drama, they delighted the audience by striking their transformation poses for the first time in a long time. Since the three had not done it together for many years, they had quite a struggle during the rehearsals. But they nailed it perfectly in just a single attempt in front of the audience. What’s more, they sang the theme song together with the audience at the end of the event, which turned out to be a big treat for the fans.

During the afterparty, the three actors put forth various ideas and suggestions for the August event. Considering that the prep event was so interesting, I wonder what kind of stories we will get to hear and how they will show up. As I will serve as the emcee again, I personally feel very excited, but I imagine expectations for the event among the fans are very high, too. Above all, I would like to give my blessing as a Super Sentai fan to this miracle of the five comrades getting back together in their 30th anniversary year.