Avataro Sentai Donbrothers is the 46th iteration in the long-running Super Sentai series since 1975. It first aired on March 6, 2022, and ever since then, it has been a wild rollercoaster ride that has cemented itself as one of the best series in the franchise. Donbrothers has shaken up the formula the franchise has been using for 45 years and flipped itself upside down.
The basic story goes as follows: Haruka Kitou, a prodigy manga artist, is thrown into a life of chaos as she is chosen to become a warrior to fight Hitotsukis, monsters born from human desire, and turn them back into humans. Simultaneously, she must fend off the Notos who execute the Hitotsukis without mercy with the help of her eccentric teammates; Shinichi Saruhara, an eccentric haiku maker, Tsubasa Inuzuka, a wanted fugitive, Tsuyoshi Kijino, a salaryman, and the leader she is forced to swear loyalty towards, Don Momotaro, a.k.a. Taro Momoi, a courier who is unable to lie.
In a typical Toku, you get a grand villain with a maniacal plot of world conquest facing a group of teenagers with attitudes and the power to stop them. This, however, is not that kind of show. Donbrothers sets itself apart with its superb writing, courtesy of Toshiki Inoue's talent, that involves the interpersonal dramas of the various cast members.
While Donbrothers possesses some characters that may be written as underutilized, the show doubled down on the storytelling to give a thrilling tale that came about from the communication skills, or lack thereof, of the characters. The rangers themselves won't even become fully aware of their own teammates' identities until late in the show.
Two of the main rangers have a storyline where the wife of the pink ranger might be the disappeared girlfriend of the black ranger, and it was the most engaging plot of the season. Additionally, each of the villains gets into a storyline with one of the rangers that slowly give more character depth to all parties involved and ultimately culminates in the villains turning into good guys that assist our heroes.
One of the best developments is with Taro, the red ranger of the season. At first, he seemed very cold and callous toward his teammates. However, slowly, he warms up to his companions and becomes more welcoming of their presence. This becomes a heartwarming moment later when Haruka asks if being with the team gave Taro joy, to which Taro's inability to lie went against him at the moment.
He also has a pseudo-rivalry with Sonoi, a member of the opposing Notos, where they come to appreciate one another's company, qualities, and philosophy on life. This would become a major reason why one of the villains starts to shift sides.
The episodes usually follow a strict A-plot and B-plot story structure where everything moves forward simultaneously without slowing down, with the two stories coming together in the last minutes of an episode.
All in all, Donbrothers is a much-recommended watch for those who appreciate a cast that gains character depth throughout its 50 episodes. The writer will keep you engaged, and the characters will keep you entertained. Every episode is a riot, and every gag is a festival!
The basic story goes as follows: Haruka Kitou, a prodigy manga artist, is thrown into a life of chaos as she is chosen to become a warrior to fight Hitotsukis, monsters born from human desire, and turn them back into humans. Simultaneously, she must fend off the Notos who execute the Hitotsukis without mercy with the help of her eccentric teammates; Shinichi Saruhara, an eccentric haiku maker, Tsubasa Inuzuka, a wanted fugitive, Tsuyoshi Kijino, a salaryman, and the leader she is forced to swear loyalty towards, Don Momotaro, a.k.a. Taro Momoi, a courier who is unable to lie.
In a typical Toku, you get a grand villain with a maniacal plot of world conquest facing a group of teenagers with attitudes and the power to stop them. This, however, is not that kind of show. Donbrothers sets itself apart with its superb writing, courtesy of Toshiki Inoue's talent, that involves the interpersonal dramas of the various cast members.
While Donbrothers possesses some characters that may be written as underutilized, the show doubled down on the storytelling to give a thrilling tale that came about from the communication skills, or lack thereof, of the characters. The rangers themselves won't even become fully aware of their own teammates' identities until late in the show.
Two of the main rangers have a storyline where the wife of the pink ranger might be the disappeared girlfriend of the black ranger, and it was the most engaging plot of the season. Additionally, each of the villains gets into a storyline with one of the rangers that slowly give more character depth to all parties involved and ultimately culminates in the villains turning into good guys that assist our heroes.
One of the best developments is with Taro, the red ranger of the season. At first, he seemed very cold and callous toward his teammates. However, slowly, he warms up to his companions and becomes more welcoming of their presence. This becomes a heartwarming moment later when Haruka asks if being with the team gave Taro joy, to which Taro's inability to lie went against him at the moment.
He also has a pseudo-rivalry with Sonoi, a member of the opposing Notos, where they come to appreciate one another's company, qualities, and philosophy on life. This would become a major reason why one of the villains starts to shift sides.
The episodes usually follow a strict A-plot and B-plot story structure where everything moves forward simultaneously without slowing down, with the two stories coming together in the last minutes of an episode.
All in all, Donbrothers is a much-recommended watch for those who appreciate a cast that gains character depth throughout its 50 episodes. The writer will keep you engaged, and the characters will keep you entertained. Every episode is a riot, and every gag is a festival!
