The series premiere of the 40th anniversary Super Sentai series starts off with a nostalgic bang.

First episodes ofSuper Sentaishows can be tricky to pull off.

How these annual reboots dont come across as rush jobs is far beyond me to comprehend anymore.

Thats a big reason why I still watch tokusatsu programs in the first place everything is always new.

And everythingdoesfeel brand new here inZyuohgers premiere, which is promising.

Zyuohgerlooks and feels like a Pinterest board devoted to the better sentai series from the past twenty-odd years.

Its got the classic sentai mystique to it, from its Liveman referencing logo to its sentimentalGaorangerthrowbacks.

No Ranger Keys this time.

Thats all I care about.

Educational zoology crap (I had to look up what a serow is).

Which is glowing mysteriously, I might add.

On closer inspection, he notices a square hole that his own cube fits into.

He ends up in a different world populated with even more giant cubes.

Oh, and furries too.

Yes, even a were-ocelot.

Theyre the freakiest…or so my friend told me.

Theyre a friendly bunch, really.

So why are they wielding crude spears again?

This fuzzy land of fur is known as Zyuland, the great world of Zyumans.

After giving him a tour of their flea market (?

Tusk accuses Kazaki of stealing it.

Because elephant people keep it real like that.

All of a sudden, the Link Cube starts to go haywire.

Somehow the Link Cube blows up, trapping the Zyumans in this world.

The four Zyumans use them to transform into the Zyuohger.

After the battle begins, Kazakiri transforms into the red eagle-powered senshi, shocking everyone.

Oh, the Zyumanity!

All of the classic sentai tropes are called into play here, and to great effect.

in my dreams for at least another month or so).

The Deathgalians themselves are also a strikingly familiar looking bunch.

Judging from their appearance, one would assume them to be the distant cousins of the Zangyack Empire.

And, I dont know, maybe they actually are?

Maybe well find this out in aGokaigerteam-up film.

If thats the case, thats probably why Nalia looks like she could be Insarns niece.

He seems a bit on the figurehead side, so well see if hes actually in charge or not.

Look at the shiny new toys!

Ooh, they make noises.

After surviving the past couple years of weak sentai teams, I will gladly accept this.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5