It’s a strange feeling. Due to the nature of the franchise’s continuous airing schedule on television, any hardcore Super Sentai fan may find themselves caught between opposing emotions around this time of year. On the one hand, growing imminently aware that the current cycle is about to end, the reigning batch of multicolored do-gooders winding down toward their final installment. On the other hand, getting antsy with anticipation for the new hotness about to snatch the spotlight like a diva with a microphone that doubles as a sword that shoots purple lightning, ready to show the world what they’ve got. What do I do with all these feels?! We’ll figure it out together, as more info rolls out about 2018’s newest entry into the ongoing saga, Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger vs Keisatsu Sentai Patranger. Most notably, our first announcement of the principle cast bringing the battle between the two super-squads to life.

Natalie and Twitter’s lupin_vs_pat had this to share about the new LVP, which pits two newly-introduced superpowered teams against each other for the first time in franchise history.

First up are the dashing thieves known as Lupinranger. And boy, when I said they were snazzy dressers, I didn’t realize how well my comments would apply to both their transformed state and their civilian appearance. Even when they’re not in costume, they still kind of are. Someone check on the cosplay community to see if everything’s okay at home right now!

LUPINRED – Yano Kairi – Actor: Asahi Itou (age 17)
LUPINBLUE – Yoimachi Tooma – Actor: Shogou Hama (age 23)
LUPINYELLOW – Hayami Umika – Actor: Haruka Kudo (age 18)

Mystery Butler – Kogure – Actor: Yoichi Nukumizu (age 53)

Next, give a firm salute to the Patranger crew, the cops tasked with recovering powerful artifacts and hauling in the Lupinrangers before they can swipe them first. Aaaand here come the other ten-million Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger comparisons through the floodgates. With the high-tech police theme and uniforms, memories of the 2004 series were bound to surface for fans, especially since Toei won’t let us forget them, with all the recent Deka-centric movies and TV appearances lately. They just love law enforcement, apparently.

PATORENICHIGO (NUMBER-ONE) – Asaka Keiichiro – Actor: Kousei Yuuki (age 23)
PATORENNIGO (NUMBER-TWO) – Hikawa Sakuya – Actor: Ryo Yokoyama (age 23)
PATORENSANGO (NUMBER-THREE) – Myoujin Tsukasa – Actor: Kazusa Okuyama (age 23)

And in a rare move for Japan’s homegrown tokusatsu productions, we have an international talent as part of the show’s supporting cast, with Nigerian-American comedian Ike Nwala as Commissioner Hilltop Kairikan. You had my curiosity, Patranger. Now you have my attention.

Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger vs Keisatsu Sentai Patranger premieres February 11, 2018.

 

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