On "MultiEarth Alpha 0073" there exists an age of cosmic co-existence, with Earth welcoming aliens from across the galaxy. The Galaxy Federation Police is tasked with keeping the peace, with crimes involving the exploitation of energy-based lifeforms known as "Emorgy" on the rise. Reiji Doki is an officer in the Archives Division, a department widely considered to be lazy and worthless by their peers. However this is simply a cover, with Reiji investigating these crimes as the multiversal Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity.
Supported by fellow Archive Division members Daisuke Date and the autonomous A.I. AGI, Reiji travels the Cosmo Layers investigating these Emorgy crimes - meeting each dimension's respective Gavan along the way. Among them are the artificial human Setsuna Aikokuin (Gavan Bushido), forensics investigator Kiki Iwai (Gavan Luminous) and her partner Kotobuki "Koto" Takaranari, and the skilled ninja Kunai Kazanami (Gavan Raiya). Though their Earths may be separate, these Gavans must soon unite as the one behind these crimes threatens the entire multiverse.
From its very first episode, Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity was a series that promised some big things. A multiverse-spanning adventure on Earths where aliens and humans co-exist, it offered a modern take on the more sci-fi-esque adventures of the original Space Sheriffs whilst also borrowing from those which had been inspired by them (such as Dekaranger or Kyuranger). But while ultimately the series proved to be a lot more down to Earth than that description may suggest, Project R.E.D.’s opening gambit was certainly ambitious in other ways instead. The multiverse aspect quickly proved to be a lot more limited despite being the foundation of the entire show, with Gavan Infinity only visiting a select number of parallel worlds – and in turn a limited number of Gavans. There are a couple of instances where the show has some fun with the concept (Gavan Ameise being a talking ant), but for the most part it feels far smaller in scope than its premise lets on – instead focusing on smaller, more personal stories with its cast whilst an overarching storyline brews in the background.
The end result might not be quite so grandiose, but the format it adopts quickly proves to be one of the most interesting aspects of Gavan Infinity. Focusing on a few select parallel Earths, episodes instead centre around team-ups between Reiji and the other Gavans that appear in the show – Reiji’s Cosmo Layer-travelling abilities acting as a vehicle to facilitate this. Individual stories usually relate to whichever Earth they’re taking place on, while the overarching story draws more on Reiji’s investigation of the Emorgy crimes – eventually culminating in them all crossing paths as the show reaches its climax. With each Earth having its own Gavan and in turn each Gavan having their own supporting characters, it’s a clever way for the show to wield its relatively large cast in a way that doesn’t see them constantly battling for the spotlight. Similar to how each Gavan is powered by a different emotion from their respective Emorgear, their respective stories also contrast nicely in tone despite all following the same themes. For example, stories taking place on Lambda 8018 with Gavan Bushido have a touch more melodrama, whereas those on Iota 5109 with Gavan Luminous are often more wacky and/or light-hearted. The episodes themselves may be of varying quality, but it doesn’t ever feel like the show doesn’t have handle on how to use its ensemble. And even though Reiji may be the connecting factor throughout, even he sometimes feels like a guest in his own show with how well it balances the time spent between them all. This is particularly noticeable with the introduction of Gavan Raiya midway into the show, where it briefly becomes just as much about his journey through the Cosmo Layers as it does Reiji’s.
And although Infinity isn’t canonically linked to the original Gavan, as any good reboot should it certainly embodies its spirit whilst at the same time doing its own thing. All the staple elements of the original Metal Heroes series are there in addition to the familiar suit design – from the iconic jouchaku transformation sequences to the inclusion of the Galaxy Federation Police, Makuu Space and even a new version of the Electronic Starbeast Dol as a mid-series auxiliary mecha. Not all of these elements are presented in quite the same way they were in the original series, but are prominent enough to make it clear that the show doesn’t ever forget its roots. Its love for the original Gavan also stretches beyond basic concepts and terminology, with eye-catches and musical cues slightly more subtle examples for keen-eyed fans to spot. There are also numerous references to other Metal Heroes series peppered throughout as well – the most obvious of course being Gavan Raiya, a direct reference to World Ninja Jiraiya of Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya. Infinity even inherits Metal Heroes’ penchant for impressive fight choreography both in and out of suit, which together with its great soundtrack (another Metal Heroes staple) covers all the bases for a perfect tribute. Project R.E.D. might not technically be a full Metal Heroes relaunch in the way some might have hoped, but the love poured into Infinity could easily make you think otherwise.
However perhaps the greatest tribute the show could make to the original Gavan is to find a similarly charismatic lead, and Infinity definitely finds that in Reiji Doki (played by Kouhei Nagata). Bursting with energy and delightfully charming, Reiji’s place is very much a “big brother” type character to the other Gavans – his strong sense of justice imprinting on them in a way that opens their eyes to the multiverse they’re part of. But while on the surface his fiery energy seems like that of youthfulness and curiosity, behind it is also a much darker truth – a burning rage inside of him that stems from watching his mentor gunned down in front of him. Nagata balances these two sides of the character brilliantly, not only securing his place as star of this show but also a character with potential (and popularity) to carry over into future Project R.E.D. instalments. Supporting Reiji is his longtime partner and head of Archives Division Daisuke (Arihiro Matsunaga), whose calmer demeanour and more scientific of the multiverse helps keep Reiji in check. Their long time friendship also means he’s one of the few people that truly understands Reiji, making their dynamic a crucial one even if the series doesn’t dwell on it a great deal. Rounding off the intrepid explorers from A0073 is AGI (Kohana Ariska), their forever cheery AI assistant whose mind is as brilliant as her investigative abilities. The trio’s personalities complement each other nicely, making them the ideal team to both spearhead the show and serve as the connecting tissue between the various Earths.
What really sets Infinity apart though is that it doesn't rely on Reiji the same way the original series relied on Retsu, and is quite happy to repeatedly let him take the backseat in favour of the show's other roster of Gavans. Starting off with Setsuna (Ryuga Akahane), whose position as an artificial human brings a slightly different dynamic into play. Initially created for warfare, Setsuna now finds himself instead keeping the peace - a disciplined warrior who values the samurai code but longs truly experience human emotion, making him a suitable candidate to wield the power of sorrow. Proving two heads are definitely better than one however are Kiki (Kokona Sumi) and Koto (Lana Tanida), whose dynamic proves that it isn't always about the Gavans themselves. While it may be Kiki that fights as Gavan Luminous, their partnership is easily the most established and explored in the show. Any risk to that partnership stands out as some of the most dramatic moments in Infinity, but above all the pair are just constantly a pleasure to watch on screen - reflecting the joy-based Emorgy that Luminous wields. Finally rounding off the core group of Gavans is Kunai (Kentaro Yasui), whose slightly later addition to the show revitalises the format whilst also helping to pull these individual stories into the overarching plot. His powers come from fear and this is also very much reflected in his actions, as he attempts to unite the Gavans together against a common threat. Though a few others do appear in the show, it's these along with Infinity that make up the core of the show - the others more centred around gimmicks rather than the characters themselves.
The format is however a double-edged sword when it comes to supporting cast of each Cosmo Layer, because whilst it does ensure there usually aren't too many characters featured per episode it does also limit just how much development they can have. As such most of the Galaxy Federal Police higher ups don't leave a huge impression beyond their designated roles, with perhaps the exception of Setsuna's superior Rui Amou (Anna Iriyama). The same can be said of Kunai's sister Hatsune (Maikichi), who despite being a driving force in her brother's initial arrival feels more of a plot convenience in later appearances. Other notable members of the supporting cast include robotic detective Patran (voiced by Takehito Koyasu) and his partner Rikiya Wanibuchi (Hiroto Yasuda), who begin the show unaware of the Archives Division's real purpose before being pulled into their investigation. Though intended to be the comedy duo of the show, Patran's own desire to become Gavan receives a surprising amount of focus which in turn ensures the pair never just fall into the background.
The show's villains however are a bit more of a mixed bag, with the show only really designed to have one notable overarching villain. The character in question is Tesshin Mikage (Ray Fujita), the former Gavan of A0073 who betrays the Galaxy Federation Police and takes up the mantle of Death Gavan after discovering a "universal truth". Best known to tokusatsu fans as Rei/Zero in the GARO franchise and Kitazaki in Kamen Rider 555, Fujita brings the appropriate level of aura to the character - relentless in his goals but clearly harbouring a dark past similar to that of Reiji. Though the show doesn't outright tell the audience a great deal about him, the parallels drawn between Tesshin and Reiji as well as the dialogue between them are enough to infer elements of his backstory and motivation. Below him the other Gavans also have their recurring villain to represent their world, but comparatively are much more straightforward - Bushido and Raiya's both corrupted crime bosses whilst Luminous' is a woefully underdeveloped former mentor. Behind it all is the mysterious Aza Zorth, a godlike entity pulling the strings across the Cosmo Layers. Like Tesshin Aza Zorth is steeped in mystery, and likely to play a much bigger part in Project R.E.D. beyond that of just Infinity.
As previously mentioned the series primarily takes the format of individual episodic stories spread across the MultiEarths within the Cosmo Layers, with an overarching storyline looming over events to keep it all tied together. Almost contrary to shining metallic suits, flashy weapons and CGI mecha fights, the stories are more often than not far more personal ones that focus on the emotional states of the victims/perpetrators of the week. Monster battles are still a staple, but act as a manifestation of these emotions - the "Emons" all being variations on the same core design. That doesn't make for much in the way of variety when it comes to some of Infinity's action sequences, but does make it the human drama that much more interesting. The problem lies in Infinity perhaps being a little too preoccupied with this kind of episodic storytelling, leading the overarching plot to suffer when it was revealed the show would only be running for 23 episodes. While a half-year run is hardly new ground for tokusatsu superhero shows, it is a departure for Toei when compared with decades of year-long Super Sentai series. Infinity has a lot to say about both human emotion and fighting against the will of a higher power, and while it is able to do some of this subtly the last stretch of episodes is a barrage of plot developments without any time to breath. Revelations that could have easily constituted mini-arcs become two-part stories at best, robbing them of the drama they could have had. Then even when rushing through all the necessary points to get it to the climax, Gavan Infinity fails to provide a definitive ending. While it perhaps didn't need a full 50-episode run, even a handful more episodes to stretch out its rushed finale would have made a world of difference.
The surprisingly short episode count unfortunately doesn’t do Infinity any favours in dispelling the notion that it feels like something of a transitionary series between Super Sentai and Project R.E.D., which also stems from some of the carryover aspects present in the show as well. While the overall format of Infinity might be quite different to Sentai’s more rigid formula, elements such as the mecha battles and weapon gimmickry are far less removed. Idea recycling and prop retools are nothing new to tokusatsu, but touches like the Gavarion Trigger’s transformation device to robot design mirroring Gozyuger’s Tega Sword as well as the Gavarion Blade being a retool of Donbrother’s Zanglassword feel like relics of the not-too-distant past. Infinity’s mecha sequences also often feel out of place – the high concept space battles different enough to distance themselves from Super Sentai’s staple element but a far cry from the spectacle of the original Space Sheriff shows’ dogfights. With so much of the focus being on the human aspect, they often end up feeling superfluous in a show that’s already trying to pack so much in so little space. Similarly the Emogears feel an attempt to combine the success of Kyoryuger’s Zyudenchi and Kamen Rider Gavv’s Gochizo into the perfect gimmick, and whilst their sentience does play some part on the overall story it’s yet another element that comes out feeling somewhat undercooked. Even the fact Toei decided to start their new venture with a Gavan reboot feels a bit like they're playing it safe with a legacy IP, despite other recent attempts at bringing the character back having never really gone anywhere in the long term. That said, Infinity being a reboot as opposed to a continuation could mean things go very differently this time around.
Of course it is important to note that Gavan Infinity was also never meant to have a definitive ending. Toei have already shown their hand when it comes to just how much interconnectivity the Project R.E.D. series are going to have, with Infinity’s finale leaving significant plot threads unresolved to be explored in KakuseiHunter Omegahorn. The show effectively ended on a cliffhanger, the finale also followed up with the confirmation that Reiji would be appearing in Omegahorn in a role seemingly very different to the one he played here. How did he get here and what does it mean for the rest of the Gavan Infinity cast? Well you’ll have to continue watching to find out. It’s a bold strategy that could enhance enjoyment of Infinity in retrospect as well as add more depth to both Omegahorn and Project R.E.D. as a whole, but also comes with plenty of risks as well. It’s a big shift from Super Sentai’s five decades of largely unrelated shows that could each be enjoyed on their own merits, as Omegahorn itself now has to strike a balance between continuing Reiji’s story and sufficiently showcasing its new characters and setting. It’s far too early to tell how well this will pan out in the long run, but as far as Gavan Infinity is concerned as a standalone series it does begin to feel like only half a show. Whatever the end result may be, it does at the very least show the level of ambition Toei has for Project R.E.D. – as well as an acceptance that Super Sentai’s successor couldn’t just be the same thing again with a slightly different coat of paint.
Following on from 50 years of history is no easy feat, but Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity certainly gets Project R.E.D. off to an interesting start. Its key strengths lie in its wonderful characters and strong focus on human drama, which combined with some impressive fight scenes and choreography make it a worthy successor to the Space Sheriff Gavan title. However it also struggles under the weight of its own ambition, its scope limited by budget constraints and its smaller episode count hampering the overarching story. Nevertheless its ensemble style of episodic storytelling is a good proof of concept for future shows to follow in the future, and its flaws may require re-evaluation as the wider world of Project R.E.D. begins to take shape. Gavan Infinity is far from perfect, but it's clearly only the start of something much bigger.
1 comment:
Honestly? I think Gaven Infinity had plenty of time to better use its plot points and characters. Its what it CHOSE to do with that time is the my main issue with it.
Also, I wish there time to properly establish an Reiji, Setuna, and Kiki dynamic. Like, actually have them meet up and really kick start the main plot and give it the focus it deserves.
...I still miss Super Sentai. Seriously, what will it take to bring it back?
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