Toei's Shinichiro Shirakura has given a second interview to Asahi Shimbun to explain the reason for bringing an end to 50 years of Super Sentai on television.
Shirakura was surprised at the response from across the world when reports of the series' demise was first reported, but was very grateful for the love shown for the Super Sentai format. Shirakura has suggested a 10 year break would allow enough breathing room to bring the series back in a way that can feel fresh for a new audience.
One of the issues facing Super Sentai was the advent of streaming services. Whereas each new season essentially replaced the prior one on broadcast television, the availability of 50 years of content, including Kamen Rider and other Tousatsu properties, means that the series was essentially competing with its own catalogue, with fewer fans choosing to adopt new characters and scenarios in favour of reliving their favourite moments from the past. A break would allow viewers to work their way through the back-catalogue and hopefully hunger for a return - the same is happening widely on Western television, with the likes of Scrubs, Stargate and Frasier either having enjoyed revivals or preparing to launch them.
The influence of Western properties has also proven problematic, in particular the slick, big-budget Hollywood adaptations of the Marvel and DC characters have proven popular in Japan, especially for its long-form character development (though we might argue through box-office alone that the wheels have dramatically fallen off in this regard).
Shirakura believes that pausing production will allow a fresh generation of talent to take the reigns and create something new and vibrant while having access to the rich history and lore to build from. This mirrors the fall and rise of Doctor Who in the UK, which ended in 1989 and returned for a new generation in 2005 (though again, probably should have quit while it was ahead...)
Meanwhile, work has started on PROJECT R.E.D, which will act as a successor to the Super Sentai series, with a focus on expanding the age range of the target audience and enhancing the special effects to compete with a global market.
We wish Toei well on their new project and hope to see it gain the same worldwide appreciation as the Super Sentai series.
