The End of an Era? – HEART AND SOLD – Rider Tears
LINK TO ORIGINAL VIDEO VERSION
No More Super Sentai? | Henshin Inspection Reflection: Heart and Sold #1
Rumors are swirling that Super Sentai may be coming to an end. Some fans are panicking, others are skeptical. I’m somewhere in between.
This first entry in my Henshin Inspection Reflection: Heart and Sold series asks a simple question:
Can the soul of tokusatsu survive the toy sales cycle?
If you’d rather listen or watch, you can check out the full episode above. Otherwise, here’s the reflection in full.
When Rumors Start Flying
Lately, I’ve seen a lot of conflicting claims that Super Sentai is ending after 50 years. I don’t know who to trust or what’s really happening.
And honestly, even if it does end, there are five decades of shows I can still enjoy. I haven’t seen them all yet, so it wouldn’t hit me as hard as it might other fans.
I felt the same when Power Rangers looked like it was wrapping up.
There’s comfort in knowing the stories are still there, waiting to be revisited.
I don’t have to keep running on the treadmill of new episodes.
A Moment for Reflection
Still, hearing that Super Sentai could end made me nostalgic. It made me think about why I care.
For years, people have said the franchise was dying—going all the way back to Go-Busters, when toy sales were rumored to be terrible.
Then, years later, someone came out with data showing those sales were actually strong. Who knows what’s true anymore?
What matters to me isn’t the sales. It’s the heart of the thing—the stories, the heroes, and what they meant to kids like me.
Fifty Years of Heroes
Think about it: Super Sentai running for fifty years is incredible.
What other series has lasted that long, continuously?
Even The Simpsons, one of the longest-running animated shows ever, hasn’t hit that milestone yet.
Longevity is impressive, but it’s not the same as meaning.
A show’s length doesn’t define its value; the connection it builds with its audience does.
Passing the Torch
I remember Gokaiger and the 199 Heroes movie—how it celebrated the idea of parents passing Sentai to their kids.
Toys coming to life, childhood memories saving the world—it was a touching image of legacy and imagination.
But the truth is, I don’t need Super Sentai to keep airing to share it with my children.
I can hand them DVDs, Blu-rays, or just tell them the stories myself.
There are more important things I want to pass on to them, and that says something about my priorities too.
A Natural Ending
If Super Sentai really is ending, that’s okay.
I’m not celebrating, but I’m not surprised either.
Nothing lasts forever.
Even Kamen Rider has taken breaks and hiatuses over the years.
It’s not about fandom wars or franchise loyalty—it’s just the natural cycle of creation and change.
And sometimes, endings are part of what gives meaning to the whole journey.
What Comes Next
Even things that feel natural happen for a reason.
That’s what I want to understand:
Why did Super Sentai grow and change the way it did?
Why does it still matter enough that I’m even thinking about its end?
Before I start speculating about business and toy sales, I need to go back to where it all began—before I even knew what a Super Sentai was.
Because my love for this genre started with Power Rangers, and that’s where the next reflection begins.
Thanks for reading this first installment of Heart and Sold.
Next time, I’ll dig into how Power Rangers and Super Sentai shaped my idea of what a henshin hero really is.
Thanks for joing me. What say you, fellow traveler? Drop a comment below or if you’re on Twitter, tag me @MJ_Scribe.
If you’re looking for something with magical creatures, high stakes, and a whole lot of heart, check out Mockwing Mayhem. Learn more at grobugs.com.
You can find more of my reviews, book reflections, and stories with spine at mjmunoz.com.
MJ Muñoz 