Karakuri Kyokan- The Shinobi Machines Assembled!

Hurricanger Shinobi Machine line (components sold separately)

Original MSRP: (components sold separately)

The manufacturer’s recommended age limit for these toys are 6 years; but Supervision by a Responsible Adult is suggested.

In 2002, the secret Hayate Way Ninja Academy which teaches the ancient Japanese martial arts of ninjutsu is attacked by the ruthless alien Uchuu Ningun Jakanja. Lead by the anthropomorphized insect Master Tao Zanto and his five Dark Spear generals, they capture all of the students and Academy’s buildings, and hide them inside their centipede-covered asteroid base. Only three less-than-average students from Hayate Way (who skipped their morning lessons that day) survive the initial attack. Transported to a secret underground chamber by the daughter of the academy’s masterful director (who transformed himself into a hamster to avoid capture!), the three students are given wrist-mounted Hurricane Gyros which will enable them to use the Shinobi Suits and weapons of the legendary Hurricanger. While each is trained in one of the three specialized techniques taught at the Academy- air, water, and land- they must hide in the local population to avoid detection, and work together to prevent the Jakanja from taking over Earth… as the Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger!

Sets from the Shinobi Machine line required for these transformations:

DX Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin (Chogokin GD-42)

DX Ikazuchi Gattai Gouraijin (Chogokin GD-43)

Karakuri Ball Set #03 – Furai-Maru

DX Hishou Henkei Tenkujin

-and, optionally, from the Power Animals line from “Hyakujuu Sentai GaoRanger” (2001):

DX Hyakujuu Gattai GaoKing (Chogokin GD-21) and PA-01 Gao Elephant

Tenku Busou Tenku-Senpuujin

Sets required for this combination:

In Episode 25- “Phantoms, and a Schoolgirl”, the Jakanja monster Vampiyan has gone from initially being flee-size, to human-size, and is now battling the Senpuujin at giant size. He uses his soul-draining ability- which earlier accidentally resurrected Kouta’s long-dead grandmother as a young high school girl- to drain the Senpuujin of its own power, leaving it at only about half power, so that even using the hammer-shaped Goat Crusher weapon has little impact. Kouta, with his younger grandmother beside him in the cockpit, says that it is their responsibility as Hurricanger to defend both those who have come before and those in the future. Encouraged by his words, the mysterious Tenku Ninja Shurikenger suddenly appears in his recently-revealed Hishou Henkei Tenkujin, and asks Nanami (Hurricane Blue) if he can take her place. Even though confused, she disengages her Hurricane Dolphin mecha, and the Tenkujin slides into the empty position, forming the Tenku-Senpuujin. Utilizing the high-powered torque of both the new right arm and the Maned Hurricane feature from the left arm, the Tenku-Senpuujin fires the Dynamite Tornado, obliterating the giant Jakanja nuisance. (Unfortunately, with the destruction of the monster, this also makes Kouta’s grandmother fade back into death.)

Tenku-Senpuujin (front)

The Tenku-Senpuujin (back) is very lopsided with the Tenkujin hanging off the right side. You can tell that that shoulder joint is only just able to keep the new right arm up because most of the weight is on one side of it. But, there is a reason this combination is called the ‘Heavenly Whirlwind-god’… The zip cord from the DX Senpuujin can be inserted into the left arm, and the rotor motor on the DX Tenkujin wound up; then both can be activated at the same time in the same way they’re used for the Dynamite Tornado finisher! (However, since they’re not linked, the smaller rotors on the Tenkujin’s feet/cannon barrels do not turn… unless you move them at the same time.)

Tenku Busou Tenku-Gouraijin

Sets required for this combination:

In Episode 26- “Bow & Arrow, and Sea Bathing”, the Jakanja monster Chupid is shooting arrows that make humans instantly and uncontrollably fall in love with the first thing they see- even inanimate objects like statues, construction equipment, & garbage bins- to the absolute exclusion of everything else around them! He even unintentionally shoots both Isshuu (Kuwaga Ranger) and Shurikenger, and the first thing they see is… Nanami! As they both vie for her affections unaware of the love spell’s influence on them, they finally come to blows in their jealousy. As Chupid moves in to destroy them, both Kuwaga Ranger and Shurikenger willingly act as human shields for Nanami. As all three fall, Kuwaga Ranger stands once more, absorbing shot after shot in the name of misplaced love until the other rangers arrive to help. And finally he destroys Chupid by himself; this cancels out the love spell on all affected by it.

. . .

With a Copy Giant appearing to assume the form of Chupid, and Nanami unable to fight due to injuries, only the Gouraijin and Tenkujin are summoned to battle. Though there is still a playful rivalry between Kuwaga Ranger and Shurikenger now, they can’t quite seem to be able to best each other. And so, Shurikenger proposes that they work together- he lands the Tenkujin on top of the Gouraijin, thus forming the Tenku-Gouraijin. In this formation it has access to the large rotor blades sitting on its back, which allows it to fly. Additionally, the Double Horn Cutter is held in the right hand, freeing up the paired machine cannons from Gouraijin’s chest. And these cannons can operate independently, or in concert with the Tenku-Gouraijin’s new larger shoulder cannons to unleash the Thunder Blast Cannon finisher.

Tenku-Gouraijin (front)

The Tenku-Gouraijin (back) is even more-so heavier than just the die-cast metal-laden DX Gouraijin, and that’s saying something. Even the combination seems on the verge of falling under its own increased mass & center of gravity- most of the Tenkujin sits on the back, while just the legs hang over (but do not touch) the shoulders. But Bandai was wise to this, and included in the DX Tenkujin set is a small set of light gray ABS pads that clip onto the bottom of Gouraijin’s heels; these tilt the Tenku-Gouraijin forward fractionally (you really can’t tell the difference unless you measure it out), but enough to balance it better. To make room for the Tenkujin’s legs, the Double Horn Cutter normally stored on the chest of the Gouraijin needs to be removed, and the cannons on either side snapped to a horizontal position. Now, poseability is affected here a bit. Ordinarily, the Gouraijin’s arms can pivot up-and-down with no problem, but with the Tenkujin hanging on, the tops of the arms tend to smack into the latter’s rotor blades. This is a problem because the Tenku-Gouraijin is designed to fly using that main rotor. While it only just clears the long horn on its head (and we’re talking not even two millimeters here!), the same cannot be said of the claws on the upper arms. So the arms must be raised to 45° so that those rotors can spin freely. (And even then, it might occasionally bump into the horn on the head.) However- if you raise them to 90°, the wrists bump into the shoulder cannons, and they can’t snap into position this way! And let us not even talk about how difficult it is now to pick up the combined mass…

Hyakujuu Gattai Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield

Sets required for this combination:

In the direct-to-video movie “Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger VS GaoRanger”, Chuubozu- brother of the-late Second Spear general Chuuzubo- steals the G-Phones from the retired GaoRanger, and then imprisons them; though Sae Taiga (Gao White) manages to escape. Chuubozu then gives the G-Phones to the other five Jakanja generals, which allows them to turn into GaoRanger and attack the unawares Hurricanger! But Sae is able to intervene, and tell the totem Power Animals that they are supporting false GaoRanger, and to withdraw their power from the G-Phones. After the Hurricanger and Sae retreat, she tells them what is going on, and with the help of lone wolf Gao Silver, they rescue the real GaoRanger, and then the ten rangers engage in a large battle against both the Jakanja forces and Orgu villains Tsuetsue & Yabaiba. Even though they used both the Victory Gadget and Hyakujuuken on Chuubozu, he survives and makes himself grow, also summoning three previously-destroyed Jakanja monsters at the same time! The Gao King Sword and Shield, Gao Hunter, and the six Shinobi Machines are summoned to the battle. Chuubozu uses his space ninja powers to resurrect the spirit of his dead brother Chuuzubo to get an advantage, but the Gourai-Senpuujin is formed, and he is once again quickly eliminated.

. . .

In a rage, Chuubozu fires on the group, and severely damages them all, but the Gourai-Senpuujin remains standing despite the loss of its right arm. When Gao Red starts to call for Gao Muscle Striker to be formed, Gao Lion makes a different suggestion. Instead, the six GaoRanger join the Hurricanger in their cockpits, and together they use the power of Gao Tiger, Gao Shark, and Gao Elephant to make the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield. This new cross hyakujuu gattai combination allows for a special finisher, the Furai Hyakujuu Slash.

Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield (front)

Let’s face it: the Ryuuhachouetsu Furai Gattai Gourai-Senpuujin is an awesome sight. It’s big, it’s bulky, and it’s heavy; all fine, fine qualities in a Super Sentai robo in the right combination(s). But I think that the whole point of the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield (back) is so that it could use the Sword and Shield part. Unfortunately, this means that the only two limbs from the Power Animals (aka PA) line that could grip the Gao Elephant were Gao Tiger and Gao Shark, which- in the grand scheme of things- were not really standout or exceptional compared to other limb-swapping PAs. And so this is one of those combos in toy form that just don’t end well. All PA sets are smaller than their Shinobi Machine counterparts the following year, and so to swap them, you would need the largest limbs from the former- say, PA-02 Gao Giraffe and PA-06 Gao Dias– in order to match up better. This– this… is just unspeakably bad.

Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin

Sets required for this combination:

After two of the monsters are destroyed, Hurricane Red says that the Power Animals will soon overpower the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield, and tear it apart, which Gao Red agrees with. But then, to prevent the Gourai-Senpuujin from remaining at a disadvantage with the loss of its right arm, Shurikenger suggests a new combination using the Tenkujin as a replacement right arm. This creates the six-part Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin. And with a mighty battle cry from the twelve assembled rangers, the Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin- along with the assisting powers from the six totem Power Animals- annihilates Chuubozu with the unique Final Thunder Hurricane blast.

Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin (front)

The Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin (back) may be a bit of a mouthful, but ya can’t argue with the results too much. That’s the Tenku-Senpuujin, but with a Gourai- in the middle.

[SFX: sting]

(*bows*) Thank you, thank you. I’ll be in my trailer.

Compared to the special Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield combo above, this one makes a little more sense since it keeps it within the Shinobi Machine family. It is also notable that not only is this the only time that both the Hurricane Dolphin and Tenkujin appear in the same combo, but it is one of three seven-part combinations in the Shinobi Machine line (including the tiny Furai-Maru):

  • Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin (7, including Furai-Maru)
  • Revolver Gourai-Senpuujin (7, including Furai-Maru)
  • Revolver Tenrai-Senpuujin (7, including Tri-Condor)

But if you wanna be really picky, the record [out of continuity] is actually found with the previous Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield-

  1. Hurricane hawk
  2. Hurricane Dolphin
  3. Hurricane Lion
  4. Gourai Beetle
  5. Gourai Stag
  6. Furai-Maru (Karakuri Balls #07 & 08)
  7. Gao Shark
  8. Gao Tiger
  9. Gao Elephant

-a record that would not be challenged until 2007 in “Gougou Sentai Boukenger“; when the Chou Gougou Gattai Super DaiBouken officially appeared with nine parts, and then was broken a few episodes later by the Kyuukyoku Gougou Gattai Ultimate DaiBouken with ten. But I digress. The Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin really is just a larger version of the Tenku-Senpuujin, so there’s not really much to say here. You can try to recreate the Final Thunder Hurricane move, but you’ll be hard-pressed to get that chest wheel to spin (aka the Gourai-Senpuujin’s Rolling Thunder Hurricane finisher) for any length of time when you also spin the rotor on the right arm at the same time (the Tenku-Senpuujin’s Dynamite Tornado finisher).

Perhaps unintentionally, this review shows more the diversity of the Tenkujin than anything else (even though the Gingachouetsu Sanjin Gattai Tenrai-Senpuujin is not highlighted here). In 2001, “GaoRanger” brought forth limb-swapping, which had been done before, but never to that scale. After that craziness had passed, we got back to some old-school action with the mecha in the “Hurricanger” line while other facets of the series dazzled us with their quirky ingenuity. (A ninja who plays baseball, but is also a master of disguise???) While the Karakuri Balls provide a collecting gimmick while being fun on their own at times, another example of the flexibility of this line must lay in Bandai’s decision to make the Shinobi Machines compatible with the Power Animals from the previous year, thus inviting new levels of play with things like the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield… (*cough*). This cross-compatibility would be used in the following year with the super-evolved dinosaurs from “Bakuryuu Sentai AbaRanger” (2003), and then two more lines beyond that. (Whether-or-not people liked this in Japan, I cannot say since I do not know; I can only speak for myself on that issue.) A lot of love and hard planning went into the Shinobi Machine series of DX toys, and it shows- from heavy die-cast metal, to a dolphin that becomes a shoulder cannon. And even though some things may stick out at odd angles, we appreciate them all the more because they work well not only by themselves, but especially with each other.