30 YEARS FIGHTING EVIL

This year marks the 30th anniversary of one of television's longest running series, Toei's "Super Sentai" adventures. Every kid needs a hero, and, over three decades, the studio has provided an army of them. With the exception of the first series, "Himitsu Sentai Goranger (Secret Task Force Goranger)," Toei has revised the characters and designs every season to keep things fresh (and sell enough toys to sink a battleship!). When their fourteenth series, "Kyoryu Sentai Zyu Ranger (Dinosaur Squadron Beast Rangers)" was adapted into "The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" in 1993, the Super Sentais have become a world wide phenomenon. Subsequent series like "Gingaman" and "Gao Ranger" have gone on to become other "Ranger" series such as "Lost Galaxy" and "Wild Force."
Columbia Music has reissued a limited edition set of 26 mini-album CDs [COCC-15850 through 15875] that compile all the opening and closing theme songs from each series up to "Ninpuu Sentai Harikenja (Ninja Team Hurricane Rangers)." Also included are the karaoke versions and original album covers.
The current 30th anniversary series, " Gougou Sentai Boukenger (Rumbling Squadron Boukenger) ," is also now available. For the more frugal, there's a twin CD set, " Super Sentai Opening Theme Kyoku Best " which contains the most popular tunes from "Goranger" to 2005's "Magiranger." Speaking of which, you can still get several of the albums from the "Magiranger" series. " Maho Sentai Majiranger Zenkyokushu Magical Complete Songs " is a 2-disc set of all 25 songs (including the themes) composed for the series that was adapted into "Power Rangers Mystic Force."

Least we forget about the "Kamen Rider." His creator was so troubled by the English adaptation of his character, that he pulled the rights. However, fans have still managed to follow this series and Columbia has released a new compilation of opening themes, " Kamen Rider Opening Theme Song Shu" . From the original series signature tune right up to the recent "Kamen Rider Hibiki," where he slays the beasties with his magical kodo drumsticks, it's a great album for fans of the masked rider!

Madan Senki Ryukendo - Original Soundtrack Album Sci-Fi Live Action Fullmetal Alchemist composer Michiru Oshima returns to live-action TV with a lively new score for the Super Sentai series Madansenki Ryukendo for director Ouji Hiroi. Behind the delightful facade of Tokyo suburb Akebono, the populace is living in fear of an invasion of monsters. Rookie police officer Kenji Narukami (Shogo Yamaguchi of "Azumi") nearly looses his life in an encounter, but is saved when he discovers a magical sword that allows him to transform into Ryukendo. Before you can say, "Shades of Ultraman," Kenji discovers he has another superhero partner (Gen) and there is a secret organization called S.H.O.T., which will aid them in the fight. Departing from the big scale orchestral sound she created with the Moscow Symphony in her last series, the "Ryukendo" score is a pulse-pounding guitar driven opus, peppered with modest emotional moments created by a studio orchestral. It will delight the fans of her three "Godzilla" scores. The album also includes the "TV-sized" version of the opening and closing themes. Sold Out Release: 2006/03/29 | CDA | 2857yen