Series REVIEW: Dogengers Metropolis

If there was every any proof on just how much Japan loves its superheroes, you don't need to look much further than just how much the Dogengers series has grown since it began back in 2020. What started out as a fun little series about the local heroes (and villains) of Fukuoka has continued to expand across multiple seasons, each showcasing brand new heroes alongside its roster of established favourites. It certainly shows no signs of stopping any time soon as well, returning for a further 12 episodes of hijinks in 2023 with its fourth series Dogengers Metropolis. Continuing to spice up the format a little from previous entries, this entry pays tribute to Japan's long-standing love of police-themed heroes as it follows the newest member of the team - Special Duty Police Hyakutoban!

Series REVIEW: Dogengers High School

Not just content with being among the heroes to make a cameo appearance in the Ms. Kuroitsu from the Monster Development Department anime adaptation, Fukuoka's finest returned once more in 2022 for a further 12 episodes of local hero shenanigans. Dogengers High School is the third entry in what could now be comfortably called the Dogengers franchise – taking things back to school with a brand-new hero and slightly shifted focus. It seems as though the team behind the series are also beginning to notice the popularity has garnered on a worldwide scale too, with the episodes having been made available complete with English subtitles for a very limited time on their official YouTube channel. Sadly though that tight window has now past, with only the first episode remaining on the channel (and without the subtitles no less).

Series REVIEW: Dogengers: Nice Buddy

One of the most pleasant surprises in the tokusatsu world last year was a little show by the name of Dogengers, which showed off several of Japan's local heroes (and villains!) in a 12-episode love letter to both superheroes and tokusatsu as a whole. While it's popularity in its home country was perhaps to be expected, what its makers probably didn't expect was just how much of a hit it would prove with fans across the globe as well. Proof that you can't keep a good hero down, Rookie, Ohgaman, KitaQman, Yamashiron, El Brave and Fukuokalibur are all back for a second series of superhero shenanigans - this time going by the title of Dogengers: Nice Buddy. These further 12 episodes saw the return of director Fumie Arakawa (Super Sentai, Tokusatsu Gagaga), with Suzumuru Nobuhiro (who has also worked on a number of Super Sentai and Kamen Rider shows) joining her as co-director.

Series REVIEW: Dogengers

Local heroes are a huge part of Japan's superhero scene. From heroes that act on behalf of a specific company to heroes that represent cities or prefectures, these mascots are beloved across Japan - educating children and proving that being a hero goes beyond just what you see on television. Unfortunately they're also something many Western tokusatsu fans ever get a glimpse at. Even if you go beyond the obvious language barriers, the clue is in the name - many of these heroes act locally and thus their exploits are rarely seen on wider scale. However this year the various heroes of Fukuoka came together for Dogengers - a 12-episode crossover series which has quickly gained a cult following. The series was created with the intention of promoting "good health and wellbeing" and directed by Fumie Arakawa - notable for being the first ever woman director in tokusatsu, having worked on a number of Super Sentai series as well as last year's fan-favourite Tokusatsu Gagaga. The heroes featured in the series are Kitakyushu City's KitaQman, Ohga Pharmacy's Ohgaman, Yamashiro Gas' Yamashiron, the hero of Tengen El Brave and Fukuokalibur. Dogengers takes its name from "dogen", a phrase in the Hakata dialect similar to that of "y'all".