Hikounin Sentai Akibaranger: 2nd season green-lit for production

Published on January 11, 2013, by KarbyP - Posted in Figures, Music / Media, News 41

A second season of “tokusatsu” or special effects TV show Hikounin Sentai Akihabaranger (非公認戦隊アキバレンジャー; “Hikounin Sentai” translates to “The Unofficial Power Rangers”) has been green-lit for production, according to the official website for the show.

Simultaneously, Akibaranger’s second season was also announced at the tail end of a “Kamen Rider X Super Sentai Live & Show 2013″ event, held earlier tonight at the Tokyo International Forum in Japan.

The show’s official website did not provide any specifics as to what Akibaranger’s new season would entail, choosing only to tease that more information on the new season would come soon.

Who are the Akibarangers?

Hikounin Sentai Akibaranger tells the story of three civilians – bike courier and Super Sentai fanboy Nobuo Akagi (played by Masako Wada), student and martial artist Mitsuki Aoyagi (Kyoko Hinami), and cosplayer Yumeria Moegi (Karin Ogino) – hand-picked one day by a certain Professor Hiroyo Hakase (played by voice actress Maaya Uchida, who’s Rea Sanka in Sankarea) to form a new Power Rangers squad assembled specifically to protect Akihabara from evil-doers.

The trio were picked specifically for their uncanny ability to fantasize delusions, which serves as a source of power after our heroes “henshin” or transform into the mighty morphin’ Akibarangers – or so Akagi and gang believed.

After the newly formed Akibaranger squad defeats their first monster, however, it’s revealed that the Akibarangers are not considered official Super Sentai heroes. There are stringent requirements – such as having your own network-broadcasted TV show – that have to be met before they could register as an official squad. Not only that, but apparently all the fighting that Akagi and gang thought they did was actually one grand delusion – shared by all three of them – that occurred only in their heads.

Net idol Kozue Aikawa (formerly of the group “Danceroid”) and current Danceroid leader “Itokutora” also have bit roles on the show, playing assistants in a Super Sentai-themed cafe that Professor Hakase runs. Certain Ranger characters from the official Super Sentai series also make cameo appearances.

Unlike TV Asahi’s Sunday morning Power Rangers or “Sentai” tokusatsu shows which are meant for audiences of all ages, Hikounin Sentai Akihabaranger is instead aimed at mature audiences and aired on a late-night timeslot.