The Gojujers introduce themselves

 As the Red Ranger’s cape swirled and GojuuWolf struck a pose, emotions welled up watching the Super Sentai heroes battle right before my eyes. I recently attended the hero show “Number One Sentai Gojuuger Show Part 4: This Is the Final Battle! Final Number One Battle! Ready, Go!” at Theater G‑Rosso in Tokyo Dome City.

With the final episode of Gojuuger airing on February 8, the 50‑year history of the Super Sentai series has temporarily come to a close. As someone who grew up taking the existence of Sentai for granted, I felt a real sense of loss at the start of a world “without Sentai.” But here, in this “holy land” of hero shows, the colorful warriors continue to fight just as always. This performance was a special edition featuring the actors in their untransformed forms, making it even more spectacular.

The show opened with the sudden appearance of villains such as General Magman, a major figure of the Black Cross Army. To protect the children in the audience, the original Gorenger team rushed onto the stage. Their iconic roll call drew loud applause. Immediately after, the unmasked Gojuuger cast appeared one after another—Tono Howl (GojuuWolf), Momoya Rikuo (GojuuLeon), Boshin Ryugi (GojuuTyranno), Mogahara Kinjiro (GojuuEagle), Kumade Mashiro (GojuuPolar), and GojuuUnicorn (voiced by Kohaku Shida). The audience’s excitement peaked instantly. Even the enemy character Fire Candle, played by Daisuke Sambongi, joined the stage, making the large theater feel almost too small.

The five unmasked heroes shouted “Engage!” and struck their poses. After a flash of light and shadow, the transformed Gojuuger appeared on stage. The transformation happening right in front of us drew gasps and applause from both children and adults. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, this moment always brings tears to my eyes—because in that instant, it feels like Sentai truly exists.

The action scenes were packed with references to the Gorenger era, dynamic jumps from high platforms, and wire stunts—never a dull moment. This is hero‑show craftsmanship at its finest.

Later, after various twists and turns, the formidable enemy Calamity Paradox appeared, erasing the Gorenger and pushing the Gojuuger into a desperate situation. Naturally, the entire audience united to cheer them on. I joined in too—quietly, so as not to disturb the children—whispering, “Go for it…”