We got back to some old-school action with the mecha in the “Hurricanger” line while other facets of the series dazzled us with their quirky ingenuity.

Video review included!

The manufacturer's recommended age limit for these toys are 6 years; but Supervision by a Responsible Adult is suggested.

In 2002, the secret Hayate Way Ninja Academy which teaches the ancient Japanese martial arts of ninjutsu is attacked by the ruthless alien Uchuu Ningun Jakanja. Lead by the anthropomorphized insect Master Tao Zanto and his five Dark Spear generals, they capture all of the students and Academy’s buildings, and hide them inside their centipede-covered asteroid base. Only three less-than-average students from Hayate Way (who skipped their morning lessons that day) survive the initial attack. Transported to a secret underground chamber by the daughter of the academy’s masterful director (who transformed himself into a hamster to avoid capture!), the three students are given wrist-mounted Hurricane Gyros which will enable them to use the Shinobi Suits and weapons of the legendary Hurricanger. While each is trained in one of the three specialized techniques taught at the Academy- air, water, and land- they must hide in the local population to avoid detection, and work together to prevent the Jakanja from taking over Earth... as the Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger!

Sets from the Shinobi Machine line required for these transformations:

DX Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin (Chogokin GD-42)

DX Ikazuchi Gattai Gouraijin (Chogokin GD-43)

Karakuri Ball Set #03 - Furai-Maru

DX Hishou Henkei Tenkujin

-and, optionally, from the Power Animals line from “Hyakujuu Sentai GaoRanger” (2001):

DX Hyakujuu Gattai GaoKing (Chogokin GD-21) and PA-01 Gao Elephant

Tenku Busou Tenku-Senpuujin

Sets required for this combination:

• DX Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin
• DX Hishou Henkei Tenkujin

In Episode 25- “Phantoms, and a Schoolgirl”, the Jakanja monster Vampiyan has gone from initially being flee-size, to human-size, and is now battling the Senpuujin at giant size. He uses his soul-draining ability- which earlier accidentally resurrected Kouta’s long-dead grandmother as a young high school girl- to drain the Senpuujin of its own power, leaving it at only about half power, so that even using the hammer-shaped Goat Crusher weapon has little impact. Kouta, with his younger grandmother beside him in the cockpit, says that it is their responsibility as Hurricanger to defend both those who have come before and those in the future. Encouraged by his words, the mysterious Tenku Ninja Shurikenger suddenly appears in his recently-revealed Hishou Henkei Tenkujin, and asks Nanami (Hurricane Blue) if he can take her place. Even though confused, she disengages her Hurricane Dolphin mecha, and the Tenkujin slides into the empty position, forming the Tenku-Senpuujin. Utilizing the high-powered torque of both the new right arm and the Maned Hurricane feature from the left arm, the Tenku-Senpuujin fires the Dynamite Tornado, obliterating the giant Jakanja nuisance. (Unfortunately, with the destruction of the monster, this also makes Kouta’s grandmother fade back into death.)

The Tenku-Senpuujin (back) is very lopsided with the Tenkujin hanging off the right side. You can tell that that shoulder joint is only just able to keep the new right arm up because most of the weight is on one side of it. But, there is a reason this combination is called the ‘Heavenly Whirlwind-god’... The zip cord from the DX Senpuujin can be inserted into the left arm, and the rotor motor on the DX Tenkujin wound up; then both can be activated at the same time in the same way they’re used for the Dynamite Tornado finisher! (However, since they’re not linked, the smaller rotors on the Tenkujin’s feet/cannon barrels do not turn... unless you move them at the same time.)

Tenku Busou Tenku-Gouraijin

Sets required for this combination:

• DX Ikazuchi Gattai Gouraijin
• DX Hishou Henkei Tenkujin

In Episode 26- “Bow & Arrow, and Sea Bathing”, the Jakanja monster Chupid is shooting arrows that make humans instantly and uncontrollably fall in love with the first thing they see- even inanimate objects like statues, construction equipment, & garbage bins- to the absolute exclusion of everything else around them! He even unintentionally shoots both Isshuu (Kuwaga Ranger) and Shurikenger, and the first thing they see is... Nanami! As they both vie for her affections unaware of the love spell’s influence on them, they finally come to blows in their jealousy. As Chupid moves in to destroy them, both Kuwaga Ranger and Shurikenger willingly act as human shields for Nanami. As all three fall, Kuwaga Ranger stands once more, absorbing shot after shot in the name of misplaced love until the other rangers arrive to help. And finally he destroys Chupid by himself; this cancels out the love spell on all affected by it.

. . .

With a Copy Giant appearing to assume the form of Chupid, and Nanami unable to fight due to injuries, only the Gouraijin and Tenkujin are summoned to battle. Though there is still a playful rivalry between Kuwaga Ranger and Shurikenger now, they can’t quite seem to be able to best each other. And so, Shurikenger proposes that they work together- he lands the Tenkujin on top of the Gouraijin, thus forming the Tenku-Gouraijin. In this formation it has access to the large rotor blades sitting on its back, which allows it to fly. Additionally, the Double Horn Cutter is held in the right hand, freeing up the paired machine cannons from Gouraijin’s chest. And these cannons can operate independently, or in concert with the Tenku-Gouraijin’s new larger shoulder cannons to unleash the Thunder Blast Cannon finisher.

The Tenku-Gouraijin (back) is even more-so heavier than just the die-cast metal-laden DX Gouraijin, and that’s saying something. Even the combination seems on the verge of falling under its own increased mass & center of gravity- most of the Tenkujin sits on the back, while just the legs hang over (but do not touch) the shoulders. But Bandai was wise to this, and included in the DX Tenkujin set is a small set of light gray ABS pads that clip onto the bottom of Gouraijin’s heels; these tilt the Tenku-Gouraijin forward fractionally (you really can’t tell the difference unless you measure it out), but enough to balance it better. To make room for the Tenkujin’s legs, the Double Horn Cutter normally stored on the chest of the Gouraijin needs to be removed, and the cannons on either side snapped to a horizontal position. Now, poseability is affected here a bit. Ordinarily, the Gouraijin’s arms can pivot up-and-down with no problem, but with the Tenkujin hanging on, the tops of the arms tend to smack into the latter’s rotor blades. This is a problem because the Tenku-Gouraijin is designed to fly using that main rotor. While it only just clears the long horn on its head (and we’re talking not even two millimeters here!), the same cannot be said of the claws on the upper arms. So the arms must be raised to 45° so that those rotors can spin freely. (And even then, it might occasionally bump into the horn on the head.) However- if you raise them to 90°, the wrists bump into the shoulder cannons, and they can’t snap into position this way! And let us not even talk about how difficult it is now to pick up the combined mass...

Hyakujuu Gattai Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield

Sets required for this combination:

• DX Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin
• DX Ikazuchi Gattai Gouraijin
• Karakuri Ball Set #03 - Furai-Maru
• DX Hyakujuu Gattai GaoKing
• PA-01 Gao Elephant

In the direct-to-video movie “Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger VS GaoRanger”, Chuubozu- brother of the-late Second Spear general Chuuzubo- steals the G-Phones from the retired GaoRanger, and then imprisons them; though Sae Taiga (Gao White) manages to escape. Chuubozu then gives the G-Phones to the other five Jakanja generals, which allows them to turn into GaoRanger and attack the unawares Hurricanger! But Sae is able to intervene, and tell the totem Power Animals that they are supporting false GaoRanger, and to withdraw their power from the G-Phones. After the Hurricanger and Sae retreat, she tells them what is going on, and with the help of lone wolf Gao Silver, they rescue the real GaoRanger, and then the ten rangers engage in a large battle against both the Jakanja forces and Orgu villains Tsuetsue & Yabaiba. Even though they used both the Victory Gadget and Hyakujuuken on Chuubozu, he survives and makes himself grow, also summoning three previously-destroyed Jakanja monsters at the same time! The Gao King Sword and Shield, Gao Hunter, and the six Shinobi Machines are summoned to the battle. Chuubozu uses his space ninja powers to resurrect the spirit of his dead brother Chuuzubo to get an advantage, but the Gourai-Senpuujin is formed, and he is once again quickly eliminated.

. . .

In a rage, Chuubozu fires on the group, and severely damages them all, but the Gourai-Senpuujin remains standing despite the loss of its right arm. When Gao Red starts to call for Gao Muscle Striker to be formed, Gao Lion makes a different suggestion. Instead, the six GaoRanger join the Hurricanger in their cockpits, and together they use the power of Gao Tiger, Gao Shark, and Gao Elephant to make the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield. This new cross hyakujuu gattai combination allows for a special finisher, the Furai Hyakujuu Slash.

Let’s face it: the Ryuuhachouetsu Furai Gattai Gourai-Senpuujin is an awesome sight. It’s big, it’s bulky, and it’s heavy; all fine, fine qualities in a Super Sentai robo in the right combination(s). But I think that the whole point of the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield (back) is so that it could use the Sword and Shield part. Unfortunately, this means that the only two limbs from the Power Animals (aka PA) line that could grip the Gao Elephant were Gao Tiger and Gao Shark, which- in the grand scheme of things- were not really standout or exceptional compared to other limb-swapping PAs. And so this is one of those combos in toy form that just don’t end well. All PA sets are smaller than their Shinobi Machine counterparts the following year, and so to swap them, you would need the largest limbs from the former- say, PA-02 Gao Giraffe and PA-06 Gao Dias- in order to match up better. This- this... is just unspeakably bad.

Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin

Sets required for this combination:

• DX Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin
• DX Ikazuchi Gattai Gouraijin
• Karakuri Ball Set #03 - Furai-Maru
• DX Hishou Henkei Tenkujin

After two of the monsters are destroyed, Hurricane Red says that the Power Animals will soon overpower the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield, and tear it apart, which Gao Red agrees with. But then, to prevent the Gourai-Senpuujin from remaining at a disadvantage with the loss of its right arm, Shurikenger suggests a new combination using the Tenkujin as a replacement right arm. This creates the six-part Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin. And with a mighty battle cry from the twelve assembled rangers, the Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin- along with the assisting powers from the six totem Power Animals- annihilates Chuubozu with the unique Final Thunder Hurricane blast.

The Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin (back) may be a bit of a mouthful, but ya can’t argue with the results too much. That’s the Tenku-Senpuujin, but with a Gourai- in the middle.

[SFX: sting]

(*bows*) Thank you, thank you. I’ll be in my trailer.

Compared to the special Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield combo above, this one makes a little more sense since it keeps it within the Shinobi Machine family. It is also notable that not only is this the only time that both the Hurricane Dolphin and Tenkujin appear in the same combo, but it is one of three seven-part combinations in the Shinobi Machine line (including the tiny Furai-Maru):

• Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin (7, including Furai-Maru)
• Revolver Gourai-Senpuujin (7, including Furai-Maru)
• Revolver Tenrai-Senpuujin (7, including Tri-Condor)

But if you wanna be really picky, the record [out of continuity] is actually found with the previous Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield-

1. Hurricane hawk
2. Hurricane Dolphin
3. Hurricane Lion
4. Gourai Beetle
5. Gourai Stag
6. Furai-Maru (Karakuri Balls #07 & 08)
7. Gao Shark
8. Gao Tiger
9. Gao Elephant

-a record that would not be challenged until 2007 in "Gougou Sentai Boukenger"; when the Chou Gougou Gattai Super DaiBouken officially appeared with nine parts, and then was broken a few episodes later by the Kyuukyoku Gougou Gattai Ultimate DaiBouken with ten. But I digress. The Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin really is just a larger version of the Tenku-Senpuujin, so there’s not really much to say here. You can try to recreate the Final Thunder Hurricane move, but you’ll be hard-pressed to get that chest wheel to spin (aka the Gourai-Senpuujin’s Rolling Thunder Hurricane finisher) for any length of time when you also spin the rotor on the right arm at the same time (the Tenku-Senpuujin’s Dynamite Tornado finisher).

Perhaps unintentionally, this review shows more the diversity of the Tenkujin than anything else (even though the Gingachouetsu Sanjin Gattai Tenrai-Senpuujin is not highlighted here). In 2001, “GaoRanger” brought forth limb-swapping, which had been done before, but never to that scale. After that craziness had passed, we got back to some old-school action with the mecha in the “Hurricanger” line while other facets of the series dazzled us with their quirky ingenuity. (A ninja who plays baseball, but is also a master of disguise???) While the Karakuri Balls provide a collecting gimmick while being fun on their own at times, another example of the flexibility of this line must lay in Bandai’s decision to make the Shinobi Machines compatible with the Power Animals from the previous year, thus inviting new levels of play with things like the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield... (*cough*). This cross-compatibility would be used in the following year with the super-evolved dinosaurs from “Bakuryuu Sentai AbaRanger” (2003), and then two more lines beyond that. (Whether-or-not people liked this in Japan, I cannot say since I do not know; I can only speak for myself on that issue.) A lot of love and hard planning went into the Shinobi Machine series of DX toys, and it shows- from heavy die-cast metal, to a dolphin that becomes a shoulder cannon. And even though some things may stick out at odd angles, we appreciate them all the more because they work well not only by themselves, but especially with each other.

For the three lead mecha starting out a Super Sentai series, these Shinobi Machines are quite a change from what was seen in the past.

I felt that since my writing style, photo shooting, and knowledge of "Hurricanger" had changed a bit over the years, a significant update was needed; more-so than could be accomplished by simply tweaking the original. After all- the DX Senpuujin was my first review for CollectionDX, not to mention my first real Super Sentai mecha rather than a "PR" knock-off!

The good news is that I'll finally be able to cover the DX Ikazuchi Gattai Gouraijin for CDX, something I've been wanting to do for over a year now but just never got to! Once that's done, I'll be going back over KB Set 02 and KB Set 03 and more tweaking those two than completely rewriting them like I did here. And then the flood gates will open, and I'll expand to cover KB Set 05, KB Set 06, my second-hand motorized DX Choudokyuu Karakuri Revolver Mammoth (!), and all associated combinations therein. (Though I don't have a DX Hishou Henkei Tenkuujin, my Deluxe Samurai Star Lightning Megazord- which still needs to be reviewed here- is darn-near close enough to be a perfect stand-in to finish my long task.)

[God- have I really been at this for three years??? Jeez...]

EVA_Unit_4A
writer/staff- CollectionDX

This toy contains a plastic gyroscope-like wheel which could potentially trap skin, hair, and/or clothing when spinning. It has small parts which could present a choking hazard if swallowed. And it also contains die-cast metal, which makes it quite heavy for an object its size (approx. 5lbs).

The manufacturer's recommended age limit for this toy is 6 years; but Supervision by a Responsible Adult is suggested.

In 2002, the secret Hayate Way Ninja Academy which teaches the ancient Japanese martial arts of ninjutsu is attacked by the ruthless alien Uchuu Ningun Jakanja. Lead by the anthropomorphized insect Master Tao Zanto and his five Dark Spear generals, they capture all of the students and Academy’s buildings, and hide them inside their centipede-covered asteroid base. Only three less-than-average students from Hayate Way (who skipped their morning lessons that day) survive the initial attack. Transported to a secret underground chamber by the daughter of the academy’s masterful director (who transformed himself into a hamster to avoid capture!), the three students are given wrist-mounted Hurricane Gyros which will enable them to use the Shinobi Suits and weapons of the legendary Hurricanger. While each is trained in one of the three specialized techniques taught at the Academy- air, water, and land- they must hide in the local population to avoid detection, and work together to prevent the Jakanja from taking over Earth... as the Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger!

In Episode 2, Spear Four Wendinu used her bazooka to send a Copy Giant to revive the magnet ninja Jishakkumo as a monster many times its original size, Oboro- daughter of the Hayate Way’s transformed director, and technical expert for the team- informs the aghast Hurricanger that they have three Shinobi Machines which were used by the ancient stealth-wind taskforce that they can use- Hurricane Hawk, Hurricane Dolphin, and Hurricane Lion. Based on the themes of air, water, and land respectively, they are teleported directly from the hidden hangar bay under Shinobi Valley through hologram-like gates throughout the city.

“Hurricane Hawk, Hurricane Dolphin, Hurricane Lion: standby! ...Hasshin!”

Hurricane Hawk (back)- Piloted by the Hayate Way Air Ninja, Hurricane Red (second-year Yousuke Shina, 507th term). Liveried in red and white, it soars through the air at high speeds. Some of its special attacks include lighting itself on fire and then circling opponents to set them ablaze. It appears as a wide-body jetliner on the runway when it is transported through its holographic portal. Hurricane Hawk forms the head of the Senpuujin.

Hurricane Dolphin (back)- Piloted by the Hayate Way Water Ninja, Hurricane Blue (second-year Nanami Nono, 507th term). Dressed in light blue and silver, it glides through the water with tunnel jet drives. Though it is primarily a water-based Shinobi Machine, it has the ability to jump up and hover just over the ground to fight with the others, and some of its attacks include projecting a hologram of a huge tidal wave behind it as it shoots water at its opponents. It appears as an ocean cruise liner passing beneath a cable suspension bridge when it is transported through its holographic portal. Hurricane Dolphin forms the right arm of the Senpuujin.

Hurricane Lion (back)- Piloted by the Hayate Way Land Ninja, Hurricane Yellow (second-year Kouta Bitou, 507th term). Covered in yellow and blue, it slowly moves its massive bulk with four large mechanical legs and paws. Its circular mane spins to blurring RPMs for some attacks in order to chew up the landscape and throw debris at its opponents. And if that isn’t enough, it has powerful thrusters on its backside to propel it through the windstorm and head-butt giant Jakanja. It appears as the combination of a roller coaster passing through a Ferris wheel at an amusement park when it is transported through its holographic portal. Hurricane Lion forms the left arm, torso, and legs of the Senpuujin.

For the three lead mecha starting out a Super Sentai series, these Shinobi Machines are quite a change from what was seen in the past.

The first and most-noticeable thing is the size differences between them. Typically, the lead mecha are similar sized, but here Hurricane Lion is much larger and heavier than the other two put together! This would be the first time in Super Sentai where one of the lead mecha would be significantly larger than any of the others. As this review was [re-]written in 2007, this pattern would be repeated:

• DX Bakuryuu Gattai Abaren-Oh from 2003’s "Bakuryuu Sentai AbaRanger"; (Deluxe Thundersaurus Megazord, 2004’s "PR Dino Thunder")
• DX Majin Gattai MagiKing, from 2005’s "Mahou Sentai MagiRanger"; (Deluxe Titan Megazord, 2006’s "PR Mystic Force")
• DX Gougou Gattai DaiBouken from the 2006/25th-Anniversary series "Gougou Sentai Boukenger"; (Deluxe Drive-Max Megazord, 15th-year Anniversary series/2007’s "PR Operation Overdrive")
• DX Juuken Gattai Geki Touja, from 2007’s "Juuken Sentai GekiRanger"; [to-be-announced]

Hurricane Lion’s surprising weight- supported carefully between its four legs- is due to the large amount of die-cat metal in its body! It’s not straight-forward why it’s there or even completely visible until the three components combine, but it is certainly a most welcome return! Hurricane Hawk and Hurricane Dolphin also have metal on them but each has only one part that is so. It is also this large amount of die-cast metal which earned it the honor of a spot in the long-running Chogokin™ line of heavy metal toys from Bandai, designated by the manufacturing number GD-42! Now, here’s the part that is odd about Hurricane Lion: it is covered mostly in both yellow and blue ABS plastic. This is a bit of confusing since this is Hurricane Yellow’s mecha, but it is undoubtedly his, and does help when the three mecha combine later on.

Hurricane Hawk and Hurricane Dolphin are significantly less-feature oriented and have less flash to them compared to their larger sibling, but they are interesting in their own ways nonetheless. In the series, Hurricane Dolphin just glides above the ground. But rather than just attach wheels to the bottom of the toy, they created an original blocky, black ABS ‘surfboard’ which the mecha snaps onto with a pair of clips underneath it, and then it can roll along a flat surface easily. There is also a rotating cylindrical disc which rests just behind Hurricane Dolphin’s head- which gives it the appearance of a rubber tire that a real dolphin might play with in an aquarium, and ads a level of cuteness to it! In the show, this gear-like disc- like Hurricane Lion’s mane- spins when it is in battle. But here’s what gets me- why does it have that toothed rubber lining around the center of it? There really isn’t much to say for Hurricane Hawk unfortunately. It has pointed wings with two joints each and allows for a wide range of motion... even though the wings don’t flap in the series! (I will say that the white paint across mine started pealing kinda early on.) Of the three, Hurricane Hawk doesn’t balance well on its own unless the wings fold down or it tilts it sideways.

This set actually has two gimmicks. The first- mentioned earlier- is Hurricane Lion’s mane. When its tail is removed, it can be inserted into) either side of the head behind the mane. Then, when the tail is pulled out in ripcord fashion, the mane spins! Because of how little of the ripcord actually goes through the head, you can’t really pull it out that far and get it spinning really hard. This is also hampered by the fact that the mane is all ABS- lacking the metal that a real gyroscope would use. So, in all, you get about 11 seconds of rotation even if you really rip it. That is... if you don’t [literally] rip the head off when you pull the tail out!

"What kind of freak is this!?"
"Everyone, combine."
"Combine? Can we do that?"
"Mm!"
"Turn into Whirlwind-God and fight!"
"Okay! Guys, let’s do it!"
"Okay!"

"Ninpuu Gattai!"

After a collective effort, the three Hurricanger in their new Shinobi Machines succeed in destroying Jishakkumo. But he just rebuilds himself with his magnetic space-ninja powers! Oboro comes over the comm and tell the frustrated Hurricanger to unite their separate mecha into one. The Senpuujin has two weapon systems available to it at any time, and both are unique to it. With the first, the Hurricanger can activate the Hurry-Up System- this retracts most of the bulky armor back into hidden compartments in the body, creating a slimmed-down form of the combined mecha called the Senpuujin Hurrier. In this mode, it can wield two crescent-shaped Double Hurrier Swords. Agility, flexibility, and speed are greatly increased at the cost of the thicker armor and brute strength. Unfortunately, the Senpuujin Hurrier mode has a maximum operational limit of 60 seconds before it must Hurry-Down and return to it normal form. The only other readily-available weapon is the large fan-like feature in its left arm. Taking the tail from Hurricane Lion, the Senpuujin can insert it into its shoulder and then spin the fan to create the blizzard-like Maned Hurricane attack. When combined, the three Hurricanger remain in the individual cockpits of their Shinobi Machines rather than coming together into a single control center.

[The Hurry-Up System is not possible with this toy even though it works that way in the series! Because of the way Senpuujin transforms in the series (and in toy form) is inconsistent with the appearance, functions, and transformation of the Senpuujin Hurrier, the latter was created as a separate set with its own light-&-sound feature, and is of roughly-equal height. The Puradera Action series DX Senpuujin Hurrier will not be reviewed here.]

Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin (back) has several features in and on it that have never been seen before. The most noticeable is the arrangement of the three Shinobi Machines. Having a single mecha forming just the head is nothing new [previously just the Goshin Gattai Kakure Dai Shogun ("Ninja Sentai KakuRanger", 1994) and Denji Gattai Galaxy Mega ("Denji Sentai MegaRanger", 1996)], nor is having an arm composed of one component. (Just look at the Power Animals line from the previous year’s “Hyakujuu Sentai GaoRanger” as proof of that!) But to have the entire torso, legs, and an entire arm made from just one component mecha? Uh-uh! Hurricane Lion is the dominant force behind this combination. To insure that the combination wasn’t overtaken by yellow because of this, PLEX changed large armor sections to blue. But- in my mind- this lopsided combination is acceptable because of the reward within! Each upper leg, each foot, and the forward skirt armor are all die-cast metal! This easily makes it as heavy as the GD-11 DX Seijuu Gattai Gingaioh from “Seijuu Sentai Gingaman” (1998), but heavier than the lead GD-21 DX Hyakujuu Gattai Gao King from the 25th-Anniversary series “GaoRanger”. (Though the Deluxe Galaxy Megazord from “PR Lost Galaxy” lost all of its original die-cast metal parts, the Deluxe Wild Force Megazord from the 10-year Anniversary series “PR Wild Force” [surprisingly] retained all of its metal and so was significantly more appreciated in this regard by knowledgeable PR fans...) Though severely more limited than some of the Power Animals from the previous year’s line, the right arm (Hurricane Dolphin) has a retractable elbow joint [and- I note- the last one we will see, all the way into 2007]! Though it is barely noticeable, it does allow the lower arm/wrist to twist all the way around when extended, as well as tilt up or backwards slightly. In a way, you could use this to twist Hurricane Dolphin around a little when it’s separated. To add to the fun, the Senpuujin has a waist joint which allows it to snap-twist all the way through 360 degrees! (This is used for future transformations...) Although, when’s the last time a Super Sentai mecha had a functioning waist joint? Try “never before or since”! And finally, the Maned Hurricane attack can be recreated by simply inserting the yellow PVC tail/ripcord into the front or back of the left arm; add to this the torso twisting feature, and you can get slightly closer to what is seen in the show even though you can’t twist the head.

The hands are actually an important part of the appeal of the Shinobi Machine line- which [so far] is a unique feature in the Super Sentai saga. (Not to give away any spoilers or anything, but yes- there is more than just the Senpuujin in the series... ^_^ )

...

“Everyone, use the Karakuri Ball.”
“Okay, let’s go!”

"Shinobi Metal, set.
Karakuri Ball- cast off!”

Karakuri Balls (back) are the signature special feature of the Shinobi Machine line, like the multiple weapon/limb-swapping of the Power Animals from the previous year. However, rather than replacing limbs, each 3” Karakuri Ball (also called KBs in fan communities) contains a specialized weapon which fits the Hurricanger as they progress and hone their skills over time. Each KB is designated to a specific Hurricanger with a unique Shinobi Metal to fit it; however Karakuri Ball #01 seems to require all three regular Shinobi Metals from the Hurricane Gyros to activate. Karakuri Balls are deployed from the round hidden compartment in the Senpuujin’s upper torso.

[The word karakuri means ‘trick’ or ‘to surprise’ according to this Wikipedia entry, and comes from early mechanical dolls from the 18th century C.E. in Japan, called karakuri ningyo. In modern times, karakuri can also refer to a puzzle or intricate toy of similar nature. So in this case, Karakuri Balls (more specifically the weapons inside) are magical devices- which fit the lore and style of a karakuri.]

Karakuri Ball #01 contains the Sword Slasher. A red and silver bird-inspired sword which- like all KB weapons- collapses down to fit inside its Ball, the Sword Slasher (bottom) is the Senpuujin’s most frequently used/standard-issue weapon. With it the Sword Slasher, the Senpuujin can momentarily create two duplicates of itself in order to use the secret, triple-cutting Sword Slash Strike finisher.

The Senpuujin’s hands- which are the first in Super Sentai to have hands that can open and close- firmly grip the Sword Slasher. Though it is a fully transforming version of the weapon seen on-screen (except for the toothed jaw), the toy version is actually quite flimsy and rather weak looking. And over time, the joints will wear down and it will sag and droop with enough use, unable to fully hold its own weight anymore. (Fortunately, mine has not quite reached this stage yet…) Perhaps the best place to display it is hidden inside its red KB! But honestly, I don’t see how they could have done it differently unless they had used alternate [and thus more expensive?] materials; it’s all made of ABS anyways! I will say that it is certainly a big departure from all previous bladed weapons wielded by Super Sentai mecha!

(Um, by the way, when have birds had, like, teeth in the last, oh- 65 million years...?)

For those of you wondering the differences are between the DX Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin from “Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger”, and its English-speaking counterpart- the Deluxe Storm Power Megazord from “Power Rangers Ninja Storm”- well, let’s just say that 2002 was a very good year to be importing:

• The first and most disappointing change was the loss of all that heavy die-cast metal! Every single piece was replaced with ABS equivalents. Bandai America was so faithful when they brought over the Power Animals to become Wild Zords that it was a serious let-down when the Wind Zords lost theirs- and yet, a sad return to the status quo. The coloring of that front skirt armor, BTW, was changed from gold to light gray somewhere in that transition…
• Almost all of the shiny plastic was replaced with painted equivalents; the exception was the dome-like hatch on the Storm Megazord’s chest. And somewhere in that transition, the two buttons on the front of the lower legs that release the locks on the thighs were changed from ‘gray’ to red.
• Many areas that were subtly painted gold or silver over plain ABS plastic to enhance the appearance were neglected- such as the Lion Wind Zord’s entire mane, and most of the areas under the Dolphin Wind Zord.
• The Hawk Wind Zord lost a lot of paint. Only its head and the wingtips got anything, as well as the Megazord’s face. The neck, originally covered in black paint, was left as the plain red ABS.
• To conform with US toy safety standards, small holes were punched just off-center in both halves of the Power Sphere to prevent a choking hazard to younger kids in case they decided to swallow it.

(Honestly, BA- you really need to market these toys to the slightly-older audience of 6yrs+ so that some toddler doesn’t die, and you get sued. Well, actually you need to revamp your entire “PR” marketing strategy altogether... ^_^ And parents- you really need to be careful who you give these toys to!)

[Five years] after I got it, the only thing that I am still scratching my head about is that black panel on the top of Hurricane Lion. While the tab on it is used for later combinations, and the small trapezoidal button helps push out a KB if it’s stuck inside, when they’re all separated it serves no purpose! Why was it hinged? Well, there are some other things that have become apparent over time. Senpuujin’s lower legs are still hard to telescope up and down; Hurricane Dolphin’s head is still difficult to remove or replace [for later transformations]; and the connection between Hurricane Hawk and Senpuujin’s upper torso has slowly weakened over time. But these are not really complaints- just things I’ve notice over time. What could they have done differently? Maybe put a little more weight into Hurricane Lion’s mane so that I spun a bit more!

It’s still a great design. Hurricane Lion (it’s getting way too much press this time around, I know) is a little striking at first with its huge size, but you get used to it quickly. I thought the whole spinning cog/x-ray transformation-thing was a pretty cool visual feature in the show even if it wasn't in the toy. Also, Hurricane Dolphin’s light blue is the first in Super Sentai to be lighter than the standard blue seen before. (A later addition will make that even more unique to the show…) The combined form is just as good as what we’ve seen before. The waist joint and pop-out elbow are great features too; the die-cast metal is perhaps its most striking element and is most welcome! The operation of the hands makes for a very intriguing special feature and encourages you to participate in future purchases of the separate Karakuri Ball Sets. I highly recommend getting the Chogokin GD-42 DX Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin!

The third collectible mini-set in a line of 6 from "Hurricanger", Set 03 contains the three parts of the Furai-Maru already assembled in its robot form, two pairs of color-coded Ball shells, and a pair of discs that can be used by any of the three transformation device toys - Hurricane Gyro, Gourai Changer, and Shuriken Ball (each sold separately). And, in a nice touch, the instructions are a single sheet of color photographs instead of the typical black-&-white drawings (all in Japanese, of course).

Karakuri Ball 07 - This KB contains the Furai Head - the first of two halves that make up the combination, and consists of the main body, arms and head of the Furai-Maru. The Red Hurricane Ranger summons KB #07 from the chest compartment of the Senpuujin.

Karakuri Ball 08 - This KB contains the Furai Knuckle - the second of two halves that make up the combination, and consists of the waist, legs, and feet of the Furai-Maru. The Kabuto Thunder Ranger summons KB #08 from the chest compartment of the Gouraijin.

The Furai-Maru is rather simple in its transformation:

Furai Head

• The body is ejected from its Karakuri Ball.
• This part remains the same. It needs no changes to attach it to the second half of the combination.

Furai Knuckle

• The two halves are ejected from their Karakuri Ball.
• The large gold-colored fingers of the hands rotate outwards...
• ...to provide room for the upper leg and feet sections to rotate out.
• The fingers rotate back into position, correcting the look of the legs.
• Finally, the two waist sections of the legs snap together, and then slide into position on the back of the Furai Head piece, completing the change.

If Jabba the Hutt were to dress-up in dark blue samurai armor for Halloween and then wear a stylized WWE champion belt, he might look something like this. With its big head, tiny arms, large belly, unproportionately large legs, and small feet, the Furai-Maru looks very awkward; hardly anything like the agile little robot portrayed on the silver screen. It also has a big hole in the back of it, and stands only about 3 inches tall. But, you can see past that quite easily.

It has very good detail painting on its face, arms, and lower legs. The gold-colored die-cast metal feet give it a surprisingly good weight and balance. And, the golden crest upon its chest also balances its unusual stance with a sense of asymmetrical grace.

The only poseability is in the ball-&-socket shoulders. If popped off, they are designed to snap back on easily. Rotation is limited to about 180º mostly backwards, due to the golden crest in front. The feet, also, have very limited poseability that only a professional gymnast might be able to match, but that is mostly for balancing the toy on a hard, flat surface only.

For those of you wondering what the differences are between the Furai-Maru set from "Hurricanger", and its English-speaking counterpart, the Mini Zord from "Power Rangers Ninja Storm", you'll find them rather quickly.

• The painting is pathetic to say the least. About half the areas on the Mini Zord aren't even touched with a paintbrush- including the arms, upper legs, and feet. And the areas that do receive treatment aren't very well attended to.
• The few die-cast metal pieces- the feet & shoulders- are replaced with plain blue plastic.
• Unlike the Furai-Maru, the Mini Zord is not sold as a separate set in English-speaking countries. Instead, it is sold as an additional accessory to the Deluxe Thunder Power Megazord, along with the standard black Power Sphere #04 - Spin Blade weapon.

Alone, the Furai-Maru is not really attractive, big, or articulated enough to justify buying it in the first place. But when you get a DX Senpuujin and DX Gouraijin, it reveals its true value in the "Hurricanger" Shinobu Machine line...

The second collectible mini-set in a line of 6 from "Hurricanger", Set 02 contains two Karakuri weapons, two pairs of color-coded Ball shells, and a pair of discs that can be used by any of the three transformation device toys - Hurricane Gyro, Gourai Changer, and Shuriken Ball (each sold separately). And, in a nice touch, the instructions are a single sheet of color photographs instead of the typical black-&-white drawings (all in Japanese, of course).

Karakuri Ball 05 - This KB contains the Gattling Leo - a small, determined-looking white-&-yellow lion with a mane of cannon barrels. It looks fragile in its animal form, but this is due to the compactness of the design; being able to fit snugly into a 3"Â?-diameter ball. The Yellow Hurricane Ranger summons and controls the Gattling Leo.

Karakuri Ball 06 - This KB contains the Squid Attacker- a blue spike with a real grouchy look in its eyes, and 6 gold-colored thrusters at its base. Collectors may find its accordion-like shape misleading, but it is based on the pointed nautilus shells that are used by certain squid & crab in seas and oceans around the world. The Blue Hurricane Ranger summons and controls the Squid Attacker.

Of the two, Gattling Leo is the more complicated to change between its storage and animal forms:

Gattling Leo

1. The weapon is ejected from its KB.
2. The back legs, hidden inside the main body rotate out at the hips about 90º.
3. The back half of the body rotates out 45º, bring the back legs around to their normal position.
4. A small yellow cover closes to protect the interior mechanism on the back half of the body.
5. The front legs pivot at the elbows & shoulders to extend to their normal position.
6. Finally, the small light gray mouth opens, and the Gattling Leo roars & shakes its mane, ready for action!

The Squid Attacker is a little more difficult to work, but it's still interesting:

Squid Attacker

1. The weapon is ejected from its KB.
2. One by one the three section of the blue spire extend to their full length.
3. Finally, a pair of blue clips are retracted in between the gold thrusters.

The mane & head of the Gattling Leo is free spinning, and can be rotated either directly, or by using the rubber-lined wheel located inside the body, and the legs have limited poseability. The Squid Attacker has no features and just sits there. But don't think it's useless just yet.

To use the Gattling Leo in its Weapon mode:

1. Return it to its compacted form.
2. Pull out the light gray handle from under its body.
3. Rotate the DX Senpuujin's left arm up to 45º, and attach the weapon to the blue bar clip behind its hand.
4. Then close the hand around the handle. The Gattling Leo weapon should be resting its small rubber wheel against the Senpuujin's large spinning Lion mane. Now, when the mane is spun, the weapon's 6 energy cannon barrels spin like a machine cannon!

The Gattling Leo in its Weapon mode can be used by either the Senpuujin or the DX Gouraijin (sold separately), though you will have to spin it manually with the Gouraijin. It could be used on the DX Tenkujin (sold separately), but the hand can't hold it, so the best option is to clip it to the Tenku Cutter blade weapon on its left arm. Finally, it can be attached to the front right leg of the giant motorized DX Mammoth Revolver (sold separately).

To use the Squid Attacker in its Weapon mode:

1. Pull out the two small blue clips from between the gold thrusters.
2. With its face pointed down, slip the back of it onto the Senpuujin's right knee on top of the red dome, making sure the blue clips are fastened to either side of the knee.

That's about it. Then the Senpuujin jumps into the air and impales its opponent with its knee weapon. Unfortunately, the Squid Attacker cannot be used with either the Gouraijin or Tenkujin. But it can be used on the front right leg of the Revolver Mammoth. Then, when the Revolver Mammoth moves, the Squid Attacker spins like a large drill.

And now, for the combination weapon- the Gattling Attacker:

1. Have the Gattling Leo in its weapon mode with the handle down, and close the mouth all the way.
2. Have the Squid Attacker in its animal mode, and push the blue clips into the body.
3. Snap the 6 gold thrusters onto the 6 gray cannon barrels. The best way to do this is to have the Gattling Leo's face right side up, and the Squid Attacker's face pointing down, making sure to line up the molded arrows on both toys.

The combined Gattling Attacker weapon can be attached to either the Senpuujin or Gouraijin in the same fashion that the Gattling Leo was.

For those of you wondering what the differences are between the Gattling Attacker set from "Hurricanger", and its English-speaking counterpart, the Turbine Laser (included exclusively with Deluxe Ninjakon - The Lightning Megazord) from "Power Rangers Ninja Storm", you'll find them easily.

1. There are no metal pieces to replace with plastic ones, but the quality & color of some pieces have been changed. The Lion Laser (Gattling Leo) is all gray as opposed to white plastic. The Squid Drill (Squid Attacker) has been given a lighter blue plastic.
2. Paint is also used less. The yellow has been removed from the Lion Laser's body, and its claws & cannon mane are not painted silver. However its face remains the same. The white stripes on the Squid Drill have been removed.

I must admit that, if sold separately, I would have gone with just the Gattling Leo for it's wicked spinning cannons feature. But with the combination of the Squid Attacker, this makes Karakuri Ball set #02 a worthwhile addition to the Shinobu Machine line.

Tenkuujin is otherwise known as Samurai Star Megazord. He was one of the last toys to be brought to the US for Bandai Americas Power Rangers Ninja Storm line. Unlike previous releases, Tenkuujin is unchanged from its Japanese counterpart. As a bonus, the US version includes the Tri-Condor, required to form TenraiSenpuujin (the combination of Gouraijin, Senpuujin and tenkuujin). Tri-Condor does not include the individual Karakuri Ball Shells.

Tenkuujin is made entirely of plastic. Its main gimmick is the propeller. Wind it up about 8 times (until you hear a click) and then press the center button and watch it spin. In helicopter mode, Tenkuujin features retractable landing gear and spinning tail rotors.

Transformation from helicopter to robot is simple, just separate the legs, split the cockpit in half and fold down the arms. Articulation is limited, but the spinning star gimmick still works in robot mode.

You can also use Tenkuujin as a weapon for Gouraijin or Senpuujin, as well as combining the three robots together.

Gouraijin and Senpuujin are the two main mecha from the sentai show "Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger". The two combine with the help of Fuurai Maru to create GouraiSenpuujin.

The Japanese love their black versions. They have been producing black-colored versions of their toys since the late 1970s. The normal color Gouraijin and Senpuujin are cool enough, but this black version is just evil.

The two combine to form Gouraijin. He is an imposing figure. He can store Karakuri Ball 04, Plant Axe in his chest. Plant Axe can also combine with the pincers to form a power-up weapon.

Senpuujin consists of 3 Shinobi Attack Machines: Hurricane Hawk, Hurricane Dolphin, and Hurricane Leon. The Hawk and Dolphin are not much to speak of, it is Hurricane Leon that holds most of the bulk. The mane of the lion spins when a ripcord is pulled. The transformation is straight forward and solid. Senpuujin comes with Karakuri Ball 01, Sword Slasher, which is stored in the chest compartment.

To combine the two sets into GouraiSenpuujin, you need Karakuri Ball 07 and Karakuri Ball 08, Fuurai Head and Fuurai Knuckle (collectively known as Fuurai Maru). The small Fuurai Maru robot is nothing special, but it acts as the head and hands for GouraiSenpuujin.

Combined, the Black GouraiSenpuujin is over 16 inches tall and weighs over 5 pounds. It is loaded with metal. It is as articulate as a brick, but it makes up for it with style and presence. You can insert Hurricane Leon's tail into the mane and pull it for ripcord action that spins the mane and gatling cannon on the shoulder.

The box for is so large it comes with a handle, much like it's godaikin ancestors. Each part is wrapped in plastic and rests in an intricate cardboard tray. The set also includes two Shinobi Medals, to be used with some other playset.

This is truly an amazing set. No fan of sentai or classic super robots should be without it.