My Shiny Toy Robots

In 2014  tokusatsu fans were treated to a low-key parody series by the name of Kanpai Senshi After V (or Cheers Squadron After V   if you prefer) , which lampooned Super Sentai and various other superhero tropes through the exploits of the team Treasure V and their infamous after work drinking sessions. Though hardly revolutionary, the series came with its own unique charm and humour as well as a clear love for the genre it was mocking. Clearly its audience thought so too, as the series returned again in late 2015 for a second season - this time under the banner of Shin Kanpai Senshi After V. So for those on the lookout for more laughs and show that will make you want to hit the bars in Japan like no other, the further (mis)adventures of the Golden Warriors Treasure V are here to satisfy you. Cheers!

Last year the world was introduced to a brand new unendorsed Super Sentai (and tokusatsu in general) parody by the name of Kanpai Senshi After V ( Cheers Squadron After V ). While the show hardly broke new ground and proved somewhat divisive among Western toku fans (some of whom were probably expecting a faster-paced Akibaranger style comedy), it was a fun little show that lovingly poked fun at the franchise we all know and love. So it’s great to see that it’s now returned for a second season, this time going under the slightly altered title of Shin Kanpai Senshi After V ( New Cheers Squadron After V ). Time to pour a beer and raise a glass to our heroes’ victories once more!

Super Sentai and superhero tokusatsu in general are perfect for parody, especially the classic shows of the 70s and 80s. Not only are full to the brim with tropes, but there's so many unanswered questions or things that go on behind the scenes that you could build a whole series around just that. Toei had their own licensed go with Akibaranger , but plenty of other studios have done similar things in live-action, anime and manga. In 2014 it was the turn of a little series that goes by the name of Kanpai Senshi After V , which wasn't quite about the heroic exploits of the superhero team in question.

With sadly no Akibaranger around this year to fill the void of Super Sentai parody in our lives, a new contender has stepped up to the plate in 2014! While   Kanpai Senshi After V (roughly translating as Cheers! Warriors After Five ) may not have the official Toei backing that Akibaranger had, that doesn't make its influences any less clear. In fact, looking at this picture alone you'd think that the Showa era of Sentai had risen again.