Love Japanese tokusatsu shows and suddenly have a lot of time to binge watch due to a pandemic? Do we have good news for you! Japanese TV production company Toei is launching a global YouTube channel called Toei Tokusatsu World on April 6 with 70 tokusatsu and anime shows from their archives.
For the uninitiated, tokusatsu is a type of Japanese live-action movie or TV show that uses a lot of special effects. Tokusatsu covers a range of genres including fantasy, sci-fi, and horror. Tokusatsu also has sub-genres such as kaiju (giant monster films like Godzilla), mecha (robot heroes like Giant Robo, AKA Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot for U.S. audiences), superhero (like Kamen Rider), and even a combination of subgenres such as Kyodai hero (superheroes or robots like Ultraman that have the ability to grow big to fight giant monsters.)
The Toei Company is the largest producer of tokusatsu superhero shows, starting in 1958 with TV series Moonlight Mask. And they’re still producing tokusatsu TV series and movies today. Toei’s most popular series include Kamen Rider and Super Sentai (adapted into the Power Rangers).
Toei Tokusatsu’s YouTube channel will launch with two episodes from each of the 70 series. The initial episodes will be broadcast in Japanese with English subtitles. However, subsequent episodes will not have English subtitles (or in any other language) for now, but Toei plans to add subtitles in a wide range of episodes in the future.
Toei’s anime lineup at launch includes Mirai Robo Daltanious, Combattler V, Voltes V, and Daimos.
NEED EVEN MORE TOKUSATSU?
If that’s not enough tokusatsu action for you, then check out the recently launched TokuSHOUTsu channel on Pluto TV. TokuSHOUTsu, run by Shout! Factory TV, is a linear streaming channel, like traditional broadcast TV channels. You’ll need to check the schedule for when your favorite tokusatsu shows will air.
What’s Pluto TV you ask? Well, it’s an amazing and FREE streaming app available on every major streaming platform including mobile devices and the web. A subsidiary of ViacomCBS, Pluto TV offers more than 250 channels supported by advertising similar to traditional TV channels. (We’re not being paid for this endorsement. It’s just an awesome streaming service.)
Shout! Factory TV also offers some on-demand shows including Super Sentai and Ultraman Leo as well as other classic sci-fi and fantasy shows such as Space: 1999 and The Prisoner.
Pull up your spandex skinsuit and strap on your helmet, and get ready for more tokusatsu action than you can shake a battle stick at.
