Film

Mashin Sentai Kiramager: Episode ZERO

Name: Mashin Sentai Kiramager: Episode ZERO
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Released: 2020
Cast: Rio Komiya, Mio Kudo, Rui Kihara, Yume Shinjo, Atomu Mizuishi

A Japanese tokusatsu film that introduces the Kiramagers, five ordinary people chosen by a jewel princess to become magical warriors. It's pure color-coded action fun—morphing transformation sequences, practical effects, bright sets, earnest dialogue. Made for kids who want heroes they can root for, and adults who remember why they loved this stuff.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love tokusatsu-style super sentai spectacle with bright colors, goofy transformations and a sincere heart, the kind of playful show that treats a team of five as a family.

Skip it if you want a tight, grounded story; at about 28 minutes it is a brief prologue, and its whole job is setting up a larger series rather than standing alone.

What it asks of you: Very little: it is short, bright and quick, so you only need to settle in for half an hour and accept its cheerful, silly energy without wanting much more.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Kamen Rider Zero-One: What Will Hop Out of the Kangaroo? Decide on Your Kangar-own! That's How You Know It's Aruto!2019

Another tokusatsu series with a smart teenage lead and a mythology about humanity versus artificial intelligence. Same DNA as Kiramager—bright, sincere, visually inventive—but darker and more philosophically curious.

But Sixty episodes is a substantial commitment, and the middle section drags while the show figures out its second act. Some transformation sequences genuinely overstay their welcome.

Kamen Rider Zero-One: What Will Hop Out of the Kangaroo? Decide on Your Kangar-own! That's How You Know It's Aruto! poster

Ultraman: Rising2024

A Netflix film that preserves tokusatsu soul while modernizing the visual language. A young man inherits the Ultraman powers and must grow into them. Colorful, earnest, emotionally grounded in ways that surprised everyone.

But The animation style is divisive—cel-shaded 3D that some find ugly. And if you're expecting the original Ultraman's cosmic scope, this is deliberately smaller and domestic.

The Karate Kid1984

A teenager with untapped potential is mentored by an older master into becoming a hero. The same shape as Kiramager—humble people discovering they're capable of extraordinary things. The bones are identical.

But It's not a fantasy action film. If you're specifically here for morphing sequences and monsters, this will feel slow and talky.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Mashin Sentai Kiramager: Episode ZERO

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Phantom of the Opera1990

Both celebrate the transformative power of being chosen and believed in. But where Kiramager says 'become who you always were,' this says 'becoming means losing yourself.' Opposite sides of the same coin.

A filmed theatrical production where the protagonist is literally chosen and transformed by someone who sees their hidden potential. Ravishing visuals, passionate performances, the same structure as Kiramager—but through music and intimacy rather than martial arts.

But It's two and a half hours of operatic melodrama where the hero's arc is tragic rather than triumphant. If you want uplifting catharsis, this will break your heart instead.

Turning Red2022

About ordinary people discovering that charm and confidence can be a kind of power. Visually effusive, celebrates female friendship, finds the adventure in everyday life. The same emotional register as Kiramager.

But It's a Pixar film about a teenage girl transforming into a giant red panda. If you came for action, this is meditative. If you came for seriousness, it commits to fun.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners2022

An anime about a street kid becoming a hero through willpower and found family. Visually striking, genuinely moving, with real stakes. Shows that colorful action entertainment can be emotionally serious without self-importance.

But It's violent and bleak in ways Kiramager isn't. If you want warmth and hope, this will unsettle you. And it ends too soon.

Big Hero 62014

A ragtag group of ordinary teenagers becomes a superhero team. Morphing frames the story differently, but the heart is identical: discovering hidden strength through friendship. Genuinely moving action.

But The action is animated rather than practical. If you're drawn to tokusatsu specifically for its tangible, physical effects, this will feel video-game adjacent.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie1995

The spiritual older sibling of tokusatsu films. Colorful costumes, earnest heroes, practical effects, a villain who can be defeated through teamwork. Charmingly 90s, genuinely entertaining, zero irony.

But The acting is wooden, the script is thin, and the nostalgia factor carries it more than craft does. Watching it coldly, you'll see why it got mocked.