Turboranger | Kosoku Sentai Turboranger | IBC-13 90s Filipino Dubbed Super Sentai Series

Turboranger was a Filipino dubbed super hero kids show which first aired in IBC-13 every weekends around the late 90s. Turboranger is originally Kousoku Sentai Turboranger (高速戦隊ターボレンジャー Kōsoku Sentai Tāborenjā), the first super sentai of the Heisei period in Japan and was the 13th entry of Toei Company's Super Sentai series. Kousoku Sentai Turboranger originally aired on TV Asahi from February 25, 1989 to February 23, 1990 with a total of 51 episodes


Kosoku Sentai Turboranger - The Story
Turboranger Premise

Twenty thousand years ago, a Fairy race assisted humans in a battle against the evil Bōma Tribe and was eventally sealed away by Sacred Beast Rakia - a white-maned, winged holy beast defender of Earth, and the keeper of peace and guardian of fairies who sacrificed himself to seal away the tribe with him ultimately transforming into a constellation to watch over the world along with the Turboranger. Unfortunately, due to modern day pollution brought by man's destruction of nature, the power of Fairy magic has weakened, allowing the seal to be broken allowing the once sealed tribe to escape. The last of the living fairies and with the help of Dr. Dazai, Seelon, five Japanese high school seniors were summoned. These chosen high school seniors were special as they were once showered with the "flames of spirit" of the fallen fairies in a forest back when they were still children. They are then able to hear Seelon's voice. Thanks to the collaboration between Seelon's magic and Dr. Dazai's science, these five become the Turborangers.

Riki Honoo as Red Turbo in Kousoku Sentai Turboranger; Daichi Yamagata as Black Turbo in Kousoku Sentai Turboranger; Yohei Hama as Blue Turbo in Kousoku Sentai Turboranger
Kosoku Sentai Turboranger Opening Theme
Turboranger Series Intro





"Kousoku Sentai Turboranger" (高速戦隊ターボレンジャー Kōsoku Sentai Tāborenjā?)
Lyrics by Ikki Matsumoto
Composed by Yoshimasa Inoue
Arrangement by Ryō Yonemitsu
Artist: Kenta Satou
Kosoku Sentai Turboranger Closing Theme
Turboranger Series Outro





Shunsuke Hino as Yellow Turbo in Kousoku Sentai Turboranger; and Haruna Morikawa as Pink Turbo in Kousoku Sentai Turboranger
"Zigzag Seishun Road" (ジグザグ青春ロード Jiguzagu Seishun Rōdo?, "Zigzag Youth Road")
Lyrics by Ikki Matsumoto
Composed by Yoshimasa Inoue
Arrangement by Ryō Yonemitsu
Artist: Kenta Satou




Turborangers was another memorable Filipino dubbed super sentai series of the past. I remember seeing it back-to-back with a rerun of Masked Rider Black on a Sunday afternoon or morning ( probably the prior but can't be sure, please correct me if I am wrong) in IBC-13. I have a few recollection of this sentai series since I believe it came later during the 90s or me growing out of my childhood. I mostly remember the highlights mainly that this sentai main's theme (for suits) which is automobiles, fairies, and the monster of the week being sealed first in an overgrown nail. If I am not mistaken this is one of those sentai series that was eventually cut from its Philippine television run ultimately frustrating and putting the kids (including myself) who watched it in a state of indefinite cliffhanger (good example being Masked Rider Black). Why is it those classic retro super sentai shows has such a memorable and catchy opening and closing themes? Is it merely nostalgia or do they simply have better music back then? In any case Turboranger has both of its opening and closing themes as catchy as any other.


How about you guys? What are your fondest memories of Turboranger? Any special merchandise; memories of episode, characters (protagonists or villains), experience you remember in connection with Turborangers? Share your thoughts about Kosoku Sentai Turboranger in our comments section below:

Bitoy's World | A GMA Network 90s Educational Show Retrospective

Bitoy's World was a Filipino educational comedy show hosted by Michael V. playing as Etoy, Betong and Bebang featuring clips from Ripley's Believe It or Not. The show replaced Bitoy's Adventures in Bilibkaba? in 1997-1998 which also replaced Bilibitornot (1996-1998) which are all hosted by Michael V. using clips from the documentary television series Ripley's Believe It or Not. Bitoy's World aired every Sunday night from 1998 to 2001 in GMA Network. Let's go down memory lane and remember what this GMA Network infotainment program was like.

Bitoy's World - The Show
About Bitoy's World

GMA Network's Bitoy's World is just a variation of Bitoy's Adventures in Bilibkaba? and Bilibitornot with one change in particular, its hosts. Besides the weird and informative clips from Ripley's Believe It or Not, it also focused on the weird relationship of its hosts, the sibling Betong and Bebang, with their bullied neighbor ("friend"), Etoy.


Michael V. plays all three parts in a green screen to give the effect that the three characters are all together in one screen, interacting. The show usually feature Bebabng or Betong bullying Etoy reminiscent of Looney Toons cartoons' Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner.

Bitoy's World - Opening Theme Lyrics
Bitoy's World Intro Lyrics

Ahoy! Ahoy!
Meron akong balita
Meron kaming show at kaming dalawa ang bida
Para sa bagets
at para sa gurang
Si Betong, Si Etoy
at ako si Bebang

Beh Baby,
Beh beh beh beh Baby
Beh Baby,
Beh beh beh beh Baby

Si Betong, Si Etoy
at ako si Bebang.

Making this post is really challenging especially as I had a hard time finding clips or even photos of Bitoy's World. Luckily I found this pic of the three host of Bitoy's World together with Director Uro dela Cruz in Flickr. This made me realize the importance and why I made Retro Pilipinas blog. It is to scour the internet for any materials of the show that I grew up with. Well, it is much easier for me to archive some of the international shows shown in our country because some of these shows have either dedicated sites created by fans or enough materials have written about them. So when I was looking for Bitoy's World, I usually ended up with nothing. But the memories of the Bitoy's World are still here. The show was so fascinating back when I was still in high school which made me decide to make three characters out of my main character in my notebook log. The show was that hilarious and influential to me back then. Too bad I didn't have any more materials to share it with you guys. So if ever you have one, you can share it here.

How about you guys, what's your fondest memory of Bitoy's World? Any particular memorable story, memorabilia, moments, or characters of the show that you want to share? Share them along with your thoughts about Bitoy's World in the comments section below:

Zenki | Kishin Doji Zenki | An ABS-CBN - 90s Filipino Dubbed Anime Retrospective

Zenki was an Filipino dubbed Japanese animated series which first aired in ABS-CBN around the late 90s. Zenki, originally 鬼神童子ZENKI Kishin Dōji Zenki,like many other Japanese anime, Zenki started as a manga series written by Kikuhide Tani and illustrated by Yoshihiro Kuroiwa. The manga was serealized in the Shueisha publication, Monthly Shōnen Jump from 1992 to 1996 and was later adapted into a fifty-one episode anime television series in 1995 by Studio Deen. Let's take the road down memory lane and remember this brat of a child but kick-ass eyeball-eating Demon, Zenki.

Zenki - The Story
Zenki Series Plot

Enno Ozuno, Master of the Enno temple used the demon guardian spirit Zenki to defeat the demon goddess Karuma. After defeating Karuma, he later sealed Zenki away in a pillar until needed again.

Centuries later, his descendant, a school girl named Chiaki Enno (Cherry) was able to free Zenki from his seal because of the return of the forces of Karuma (Karma). The seeds of karma which looks like eyeballs feeds on the greed and desire of humans later turning them into monsters. Zenki was freed because of this and needs to then again to eradicate this menace. Instead of the powerful yet defiant battle-born demon warrior, the freed Zenki has now taken the form of a brat demon child. To transform this extremely defiant demon into the form that made him useful by her ancestor, she was bestowed with a magical bracelet that appeared on her wrist.

After defeating Karuma again, all seems well until a new evil rose, the threat of the Grand Lord with the help of Inugami. This time Zenki acquires a new power. Goki, an old companion joins him to battle this new powerful evil.

Zenki Opening Theme 1
Zenki Series Intro



"Kishin Douji ZENKI" (Demon-God Child Zenki)
Performed by Ogata Megumi & Yokoyama Chisa

* Vajura on! Vajura on!
Vajura on! Vajura on!
Vajura on! Vajura on!

Toki wa ima sennen no jubaku wa yaburareta
Fuku kaze ni tsukiagero jiyuu no Vajura wo
Yomigaeru riyuu sae seigi no imi sae mo
Ima wa shiranai omae da keredo

** Hoero ZENKI ZENKI
Itsu ka deau Kitto
Mune ni sasaru you na
Inori wo kometa hitomi ni
Sou sa ZENKI ZENKI
Sono kagayaki koso
Ai to iu mugen no chikara da

* Repeat

Wazawai ga uchiyoseru jaaku wa hanatareta
Hateshinai yokubou no uzumaku umi e to
Shikkoku no nami no soko yagate hito wa horobi
Sono rekishi sae shizumeru darou

Tatake ZENKI ZENKI
Subete no yami ute
Ten ga kureta sono
Saikyou no ude ni kakete
Sou sa ZENKI ZENKI
Futatabi kono yo ni
Eien no asu wo terashidase

* Repeat
** Repeat
* Repeat

Zenki Opening Theme 2
Zenki Series 2nd Intro



"Chou-Kishin Douji Zenki Raigou Shourin" (Super Demon-God Child Zenki, Coming of Buddha Looking Down from the Heavens)

Yami ni sasaru hito-suji no hikari
Yatsu no me ga gira-tsuku no wo mita ka
Yatsu wa warau tsuyoi teki na hodo
Kiba wo muki "Fuzakeru na" to hoeru

* Oo Jidai wa seikimatsu
Aku wa sakae Chi wo oou
Aa Yatsu nara iu darou
"Hyakuman-nen hayai ze"

** Yatsu wa ZENKI! ZENKI!
Inori no wa no majiwaru tokoro
Raigou! Shourin! Yatsu wa kuru
Kishin ZENKI! ZENKI!
Furikazashita honoo to tomo ni
Raigou! Shourin! Kikoete kuru no sa
"Rajasu" no koe ga

Yatsu wa ikaru Sore wo seigi da to
Yonda nara ano me de furikaeru
Gura-tsuite 'ru kono yo no mashin ni
Ikazuchi wo kureta dake to niramu

Oo Sennen seikimatsu
Megurasareta wana no soko
Aa Yatsu nara tachiagaru
Hyakuman-kai ochite mo

Yatsu wa ZENKI! ZENKI!
Yabou megake tsukawareshi mono
Raigou! Shourin! Toki wa kita
Kishin ZENKI! ZENKI!
Yagate hareta mirai no sora ni
Raigou! Shourin! Hito-kiwa fuku no sa
Rajasu no kaze ga

* REPEAT
** REPEAT

Zenki was probably the most memorable anime character for a 90s kid. He was a brat but packs a lot of power when unsealed to his true form. Not to mention he eats the seeds of Karuma after each kills. I remember getting excited to go home back in grade school to just watch this series which aired every weekdays afternoon on ABS-CBN.

I remember being one of those kids who usually role plays acting like Zenki and shouting "PALAKOL NI DIVA" (Axe of Diva) picking up sticks and swaying it like crazy to my friends acting like Karuma monsters or fellow Zenki themselves, or placing a stick between our middle and ring finger with our hands closed shoutng "KUKO NI DIVA" or "APOY SA KUKO NI DIVA!". This was one of the many definitive anime of the 90s and Zenki was that memorable of a series. Looking back at it now, I can say that the animation and music still rocks.

How about you guys? What's your fondest and most memorable moments, episodes, character, monsters, or merchandise you have of Zenki. Share your memories of Zenki in the comments section below:

Shaider | Space Sheriff Shaider | ABS-CBN 80s, IBC 90s

Shaider was a Filipino dubbed super hero kids show that first aired in ABS-CBN from 1988 to 1991 and later at Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation or IBC from 1992 to 1994 which was the very first Japanese Tokusatsu series dubbed in Tagalog (Filipino). Shaider had an original title of Space Sheriff Shaider (宇宙刑事シャイダー Uchū Keiji Shaidā), a Japanese tokusatsu television series and the third part of the Metal Hero Series (the last of the Space Sheriff Trilogy) which originally aired on TV Asahi from March 2, 1984 to March 1, 1985. Being the first ever Taalized tokusatsu series, Shaider holds a very special place in Philippine television. There had been reruns of the show but the series was never finished due to its contsant cancellation by the television stations that hosted it. It suffered the same fate as the Masked Rider Black series run.

Space Sheriff Shaider - The Story
Shaider Plot

In college studying archaeology, Dai Sawamura, known in the Philippines as Alexis deciphered the figures on the Nazca Plains in Peru. Impressed by this feat, the Galactic Union Police recruited him and trained him to be Earth's third Space Sheriff, after which he was given the code name 'Shaider' in memory of an ancient warrior who defeated the villain Emperor Kubilai and brought down the Fuuma 12,000 years ago. When the Fuuma returns, Alexis is deputized as he returns to Earth to battle the Fuuma with the help of Annie, Alexis' classmate, whose homeworld of Mount was annihilated by Fuuma.

The Fuuma aspires to ultimately conquer the universe through psychological attacks on many planets using fushigi beasts hatched from pearls which are given birth to by the Great Emperor Kubilai (Fuuma-Lear) ultimately destroying worlds. Together with other followers of Fushigi World Fuuma religion followers like Priest Poe (Babaylang Ida), Kubilai's 15,000 year old transvestite grandson who serves as advisor, high priest and strategist known for his "Phantom Showtime" or most popularly known as the Time-Space Warp... the "Time Space Warp Ngayon Din!" become an iconic pop culture line; Commander Hessler (Drigo), and the Girls' Army (Amasona).

Space Sheriff Shaider Opening Theme
Shaider Intro



"Uchū Keiji Shaider"
Lyrics by Keisuke Yamakawa.
Composition and Arrangement by Michiaki Watanabe.
Artist: Akira Kushida





Space Sheriff Shaider Closing Theme
Shaider Outro



"Hello! Shaider"
Lyrics by Keisuke Yamakawa.
Composition and Arrangement by Michiaki Watanabe.
Artist: Akira Kushida

I watched the first rerun of Shaider around the 90s and like everyone else I was hooked with this weekly superhero show just like Masked Rider Black. It featured interesting characters especially Annie and her yellow and white attire (winks), Ida known for her time- space warps and odd monotone voice, catchy opening and closing theme songs (seen above), and who can not forget that psychedelic, mysterious, creepy and kick-ass all at the same time theme of the "Fushigi Song" that plays everytime Lear/Kubilai gives birth to a Fushigi Monster:

Looking back at Shaider, the show might look silly. Imagine an ancient alien religious sect who wants to conquer the universe through psychological attacks? But Shaider will forever be part of Filipino geek pop culture history.

What about you guys? Share your fondest memories of the Filipinized Metal Hero series? Do you have any favorite fushigi monsters, episodes, or memorabilias? Share your thoughts and experiences on Space Sheriff Shaider on the comments section below: