Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger

Zenkaiger breaks the classic Sentai setting wide open. The story doesn't just take place on Earth, but in a web of parallel worlds, each of which is thematically based on an earlier Super Sentai series. These worlds exist simultaneously and aren't merely references, but a fixed part of the story.

The enemy is the Tojitendo Empire, which systematically conquers and "seals away" one world after another. In the process, entire realities are essentially frozen, which makes clear in the background that, despite the often very silly tone, there are real consequences at stake.

The team itself also breaks with the usual structures. Alongside a single human Ranger, the majority of the group consists of Kikainoids, that is, artificial life forms, each of which represents an earlier Super Sentai season. As a result, the boundaries between character, Zord, and the series' meta level blur far more strongly than in other seasons.

Accordingly, the Zords aren't classic animals or vehicles, but mechanical themed Zords that symbolically stand for earlier Sentai series. Many of them are designed to be humanoid, actively appear as independent characters, and at the same time function as Zords that can be integrated into larger mechs. This makes them not just machines, but full-fledged team members with a dual role.

Ultimately, the setting also explains many of the season's design decisions: no clear main combination, several equally important mechs, and an overall very free approach to classic Sentai structures. As a result, Zenkaiger feels less like a "normal" season and more like a deliberately playful anniversary project with a multiverse concept.

As already mentioned, it isn't entirely easy to name a definitive Main Zord. Instead of a classic core combination, the main mechs consist of four independent Zords that can be deployed in four different combinations. As a result, less emphasis is placed on a single Megazord, and more on the interplay of the individual units.

Since I decided against the big four-pack and bought the two double-packs instead, the Zords here are presented according to their respective original packaging. The alternative combination form can, as usual, be found separately under the "Combinations" button.

Another interesting innovation concerns the building instructions. The JuraGaon still came with printed instructions, but these turned out to be comparatively brief. With the VrooMagine, on the other hand, paper was dispensed with entirely. Instead, the instructions are provided as a PDF download via a QR code on the packaging.

This new format brings clear advantages with it. The digital instructions are considerably more extensive and detailed than the previous paper versions, and thus represent a noticeable improvement, especially for collectors and combiners who value precise assembly and clear presentation.