Series / Four Week Continuous Super Sentai Strongest Battle

All spoilers for the Super Sentai series up to Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger are left unmarked. You Have Been Warned!

4-Week Continuous Super Sentai Strongest Battle is a four-episode mini-series set in the Super Sentai continuity. Releasing between the finale of Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger and the premiere of Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger this series reunites past Rangers and gives us an Early-Bird Cameo of sorts to the new team.

The mini-series also serves as an epilogue to the Heisei Era Sentai and a Prequel for the Reiwa Era Sentai.

Once every 500 years, a universal-spanning event known as the "Mobius Connect" is said to occur during a pivotal point in history; this event falls on the end of Japan's Heisei Era. To this end, members of the 43 Super Sentai teams - from the Gorengers to the double-billed Lupinrangers and Patrangers - have gathered on Planet Nemesis. The heroes are set up in special teams and the winners will have their wish granted by the Mobius Connect. Who will come out on top?

Teams

A total of 32 mixed teams compete in the Super Sentai Strongest Battle, each with their own trope.

• Academic Athlete: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Sports Team, consisting of GaoWhite, GogglePink, Spade Ace, FiveBlue, and ChangeDragon.
• Animal Lover: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Animal Lover^note Doubutsu-suki Team, consisting of GoggleYellow, Battle Kenya, ShishiRanger, Yellow Buster, and DynaPink.
• Badass Driver: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Vehicle^note Norimono Team, consisting of GoGreen, Yellow Racer, Go-On Red, Bouken Silver, and Go-On Yellow.
• Bare-Fisted Monk: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Martial Artist^note Kakutogi Team, consisting of OhGreen, FiveYellow, RyuuRanger, TimeRed, and Red Mask.
• Big Eater: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Big Eater^note Daishokukan Team, consisting of Red Racer, NinjaYellow, VulPanther, MegaRed, and GingaYellow.
• The Big Guy: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Super Strong^note Kairiki Team, consisting of Yellow Owl, Green Sai, Bouken Yellow, GaoBlack, and GingaBlue.
• Confusion Fu: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Curveball^note Henkakyu Team, consisting of VRV Master, Signalman, Big One, Shurikenger, and Ninjaman.
• Dance Battler: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Acrobat Team, consisting of GekiBlue, NinjaRed, DynaBlack, Yellow Mask, and Shinken Green.
• Dark Is Not Evil: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Black Warrior^note Kuro Senshi Team, consisting of FiveBlack, Black Turbo, Black Bison, Gosei Black, and Black Mask.
• Flight: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Flying^note Hiko Team, consisting of MagiRed, Red Falcon, Red Hawk, Gosei Red, and GaoYellow.
• Gold-Colored Superiority: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Gilded^note Kinpika Team, consisting of Gosei Knight, Go-On Gold, KingRanger, MagiShine, and Daikenjin Zubaan.
• The Gunslinger: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Gunman Team, consisting of GaoSilver, Blue Racer, Go-On Blue, Blue Turbo, and Blue Buster.
• The Heart: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Refreshing^note Sawayaka Team, consisting of GekiYellow, OhBlue, MagiGreen, Bouken Blue, and Red Turbo.
• Land, Sea, Sky: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Land, Sea, Air^note Rikukaiku Team, consisting of White Swan, Ginga Green^note Falcon, GaoRed^note Lion, VulShark, and Yellow Lion. This is highlighted further when Yamato fight and bests three members of this team single-handed, transforming into Zyuoh Eagle, Whale and Gorilla to engage Ginga Green, VulShark and GaoRed.
• The Lancer: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Cool Team, consisting of Bouken Black, MagiYellow, TimeBlue, KirinRanger, and MegaYellow.
• The Leader: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Leader Team, consisting of Battle Japan, Bouken Red, OhRed, NinjaWhite, and GoRed.
• Making a Splash: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Water Warrior^note Mizu Senshi Team, consisting of NinjaBlue, Blue3, DynaBlue, GaoBlue, and MagiBlue.
• Master Archer: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Archer^note Ite Team, consisting of Shinken Blue, Yellow4 II, Yellow Turbo, Blue Dolphin, and Pink Racer.
• Master Swordsman: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Swordsman^note Kengo Team, consisting of Black Knight Hyuuga, VulEagle II, DekaMaster, Shinken Red, and Red1.
• Multinational Team: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the International^note Kokusai Team, consisting of GekiRed, Battle Cossack, NinjaBlack, Battle France, and Hououranger.
• Mythical Motifs: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Legendary Team, consisting of GingaPink, OhYellow, Change Pegasus, GoggleBlack, and OhPink.
• Pink Heroine: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Pink Warrior^note Senshi Team, consisting of Pink Mask, FivePink, Gosei Pink, Shinken Pink, and Pink5.
• Plucky Comic Relief: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Frivolous^note Ochoushimono Team, consisting of Stag Buster, Green Racer, Go-On Green, MagiPink, and Shinken Gold.
• Ragtag Band of Misfits: The protagonists are this, outright called "Team Weirdo/Oddball" depending on the fansubber. Every other team in the tournament has a coherent theme, such as fighting style (archers, swordsmen), motif (vehicles, acrobats), or personality trait (cheerful "mood makers", big eaters). Team Weirdo consists of a Jerk with a Heart of Gold Space Pirate (Captain Marvelous/Gokai Red), a Friend to All Living Things animal warrior (Yamato Kazakiri/Zyuoh Eagle), a Stoic rebel with a Western Zodiac motif (Stinger/Sasori Orange), a Keet Highly-Visible Ninja (Takaharu Igasaki/Akaninger), and a train-themed Genki Girl with Imagination Based Superpowers (Kagura Izumi/ToQ 5gou). The Sixth Ranger spot is first occupied by Da Chief and a literal police dog (Doggie Kruger/Deka Master), then by a money-hungry Tomboy space pirate (Marvelous' teammate Luka Millfy/Gokai Yellow) after Kruger leaves.
• Science Hero: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Scientist^note Kagakusha Team, consisting of GoggleRed, Red Flash, Clover King, DynaYellow, and GoBlue.
• Sixth Ranger: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Extra Warrior^note EX Senshi Team^note Though only Kiba Ranger and Go-On Silver are officially Sixth Rangers., consisting of GekiViolet, GekiChopper, KibaRanger, Wolzard Fire, and Go-On Silver.
• The Smart Guy: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Brain^note Zuno Team, consisting of DynaRed, Pink Turbo, TimeGreen, FiveRed, and Beet Buster.
• The Stoic: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Serious^note Kimajime Team, consisting of Gosei Blue, GoPink, Patren 1gou, MegaBlack, and Bouken Pink.
• Super Cop: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Police^note Keisatsu Team, consisting of Miss America II, GoYellow, TimePink, Heart Queen, and Go-On Black.
• Superheroes in Space: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Space^note Uchuu Team, consisting of MegaPink, ChangePhoenix, GingaRed, Pink Flash, and MegaSilver.
• Super-Speed: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Speed Team, consisting of Red Buster, Blue Flash, TenmaRanger, Blue Swallow, and Blue Mask.
• Support Party Member: This Super Sentai archetype is represented by the Support Team, consisting of Arthur G6, Colon, Mag, Peebo, and Dappu.

Tropes:

• Badass in Distress: Beating Gaisoulg results in him stealing your body until someone else defeats him, at which point you're chained up. Luka, Takaharu, and Stinger all ended up as Gaisoulg's vessels, though Stinger avoided being chained with Luka and Takaharu.
• Big Damn Heroes: Towa and Bamba come in to save a depowered Team Weirdo from Rita using Gaisoulg's armor.
• Borrowed Catchphrase: For his part in the Super Sentai Special Storm, Stinger does a variation of Lucky's "test your luck".
• Brought Down to Normal: Even though the Oddballs retain their individual powers and weapons, they still have to save the universe with none of their normal teammates, group attacks, or mecha (save the Gokai Galleon.)
• Call-Back
  • Yamato is aware who Marvelous is due to their teams meeting in episodes 28 and 29 of Zyuohger.
  • Marvelous and Doggie Kruger recognise each other since they met back in the fifth episode of Gokaiger.
• Cast Speciation: None of Team Weirdo's normal teammates are in the tournament; in Gokaiger's case it's enforced, both Marvelous and Luka got invites but Gaisoulg took Luka's invitation when it possessed her body.
• Combination Attack: Team Weirdo invoke the power of the previous Super Sentai Reds as well as the Gorengers by launching a volleyball attack on Great Satan.
• Continuity Nod
  • The Kyurangers encounter with the Dekarangers^note Kyuranger's seventeenth episode was a preview for Gavan vs. Dekaranger. is acknowledged when Stinger meets Kruger. Though the two did not actually meet back then^note Stinger was not part of the team which left Kyuranger's world having stayed to watch over his wounded partner at Rebellion H.Q., Kruger recognises Stinger as a Kyuranger, and Stinger notes that his teammates apprised him of the encounter.
  • Stinger finally bringing in Rita to face judgement, and possibly redemption - he mentions that he couldn't save Scorpio, and thanks to the music at this point, some viewers may be reminded of Mika from Episode of Stinger as well. It's high time Stinger got a win.
• Continuity Snarl: A passable one, but it is curious that, given the connection between Yamato and Marvelous, it is not acknowledged that Yamato also knows Takaharu, and that Takaharu knows Kagura.
• Dead Unicorn Trope: The myth that all Sentai Yellows must be curry lovers is lampshaded here. Yellow Owl corrects Rita when she introduces him as such, explaining that the curry lovers were Kiranger and Vul Panther.
• Decoy Protagonist: Among the first characters to get a focus is Keiichiro. With the way he is set up with Yamato, where the latter wonders if he'll be on his team, it seems likely he'd be a member of the main cast. Instead, Yamato goes on Team Oddball and fights Keiichiro, ultimately winning and eliminating Keiichiro's team from the bracket.
• Director's Cut: All four episodes were compiled into a single feature and released in a two-disk Blu-ray set with the televised edition.
• Dude, Where's My Respect?: Poor Luka - she ends up bringing down the barrier to help defeat Great Satan and she's completely forgotten by Team Weirdo!
• Early-Bird Cameo: Towa and Banba showed up near the end of the tournament on the hunt for the mysterious Gaisoulg, who bears a strange resemblance to the Ryusoulgers. Averted with the rest of the Ryusoulgers, who would later make their debut in their own series.
• Fake Shemp: Besides Marvelous and Luka, none of the other Gokaiger characters reprised their roles, so during their brief scene in Episode 1 they're played by recycled audio clips from their home series, specifically the fight with Basco in #47.
  • Almost all the Sentai heroes summoned, totaling well over a hundred, can be seen gathered at the planet Nemesis. Beyond the relative handful of those whose actors returned, the rest are seen only from the back, portrayed by extras.
  • Kin'ya Samejima (Vul Shark) and Hayate (Ginga Green) appear to transform with Kakeru Shishi (Gao Red), their faces are hidden. From what is seen of them, they do appear suspiciously young considering that Hayate would be middle-aged like Kakeru and Samejima would be a man of about 60.
• Five-Man Band: Every team in the Super Sentai Strongest Battle is composed of five members.
• Foreshadowing: After his second battle with Gaisoulg, Marvelous says it was like fighting a completely different person. Because it is — the second time around it's Luka.
• Freudian Excuse: Rita grew up on a planet without any sort of justice or heroes, and things just got worse whenever someone tried to help. The horrors she saw, which included children dying, caused her to snap and become an Omnicidal Maniac dedicated to reviving Great Satan. Stinger sympathizes, comparing her to Scorpio, and promises to her that he'll restore her faith in the world while he arrests her.
• Generic Doomsday Villain: Great Satan, already considered one of the most generic villains in the franchise, is portrayed more as a living superweapon in this special than the ultimate evil he was in Zyuranger.
• Joke Character: One of the groups, the Support Team, is made up of five non-human support characters, none of them are known to be good fighters. ^List Arthur G6, Colon, Mag, Peebo and Dappu
• Last Villain Stand: After Great Satan is destroyed, Rita becomes Gaisoulg while retaining her identity, becoming the final opponent of the special.
• Mythology Gag:
  • The series introduces a girl named Rita who's heavily tied to Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger villainess Bandora, coming from the same planet and eventually revealed to be a witch who wants to resurrect Bandora's patron Great Satan. The only way the homage could have been more obvious is if Toei gave her the surname "Repulsa".
  • Yamato faces off against Kakeru Shishi, the Red Ranger of the older animal-themed, Milestone Celebration Sentai.
  • Ginga Blue and GaoBlack are both on the designated Big Guy team. In Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai, the former taught this archetype to the latter.
  • Space Team has two Megarangers. This is a reference to how their show was adapted into a Space-themed show for Power Rangers.
• One-Winged Angel: Great Satan gains his full-bodied Ultimate Great Satan form. Meanwhile, the Gaisoulg armor becomes this for Rita, as she as able to use it and remain in full control of herself.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: You know that Yamato is really pissed when he yells angrily at Marvelous and snaps at Takaharu, both rangers he's met before. Usually Yamato is the Tranquil Fury type, so seeing him act like that is very unnerving.
• Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Captain Marvelous' attitude coming into this is this due to the fact that Gaisoulg defeated the Gokaigers and kidnapped Luka, and Marvelous is angry that he couldn't protect his crew.
• Shout-Out: Ultimate Great Satan, originally a giant head, gets a body to match, but the face is redesigned with a lipless mouth. Remind you of any other giants?
• The Stinger: The series ends with a mysterious person grabbing Gaisoulg's discarded helmet while Master Red discovers the Red Ryusoul for Kou, setting the stage for Ryusoulger.
• Super Mode: Captain Marvelous uses Gokai Red Gold Mode, its only appearance outside of a special Gokaiger magazine DVD and the arcade game Dice-O, while Kagura finally gets to become Hyper ToQ 5gou, having previously only used the armor jointly with ToQ 3gou. ^note Both of them used the form individually in the show's Final Live Tour, however, this was a stage show, not an episode or movie. Yamato^note Who uses the All Instincts Awakened form that appeared in the finale, Takaharu, and Stinger also have their respective upgrades from their shows.
• Team-Based Tournament: This is the core plot of the mini-series. Thirty-two teams of five Rangers, with each team composed of Rangers who share a theme for the most part, all vie for the chance to have a wish granted. The mini-series focuses on the Oddball Team, composed of Yamato Kazakiri/Zyuoh Eagle, Captain Marvelous/Gokai Red, Takaharu Igasaki/Akaninger, Stinger/Sasori Orange, and Kagura Izumi/ToQ #5, whose common trait is, ironically enough, a lack of commonality.
• Uncanny Atmosphere: Everyone is feeling something is off about Planet Nemesis (beyond the normal case of dead characters being revived just so they can show up), and several notice oddities with themselves. Mainly, Sousuke has an empty Speedor Soul with him, and characters are unable to contact their allies or bases. Rita cast a spell around Nemesis preventing any outside contact or interference to minimize the risk of anyone stopping Great Satan.
• Undercover Cop Reveal: Stinger and Doggie Kruger are both at the tournament to investigate and try to thwart Rita's plans.
• When the Planets Align: The Mobius Connect is a rare stellar phenomenon that will allow the granting of the winner's wish (of course, Rita's lying about that - it'll actually allow for the full restoration of Great Satan.)