Is Nanso Satomi Hakkenden Super Sentai/Power Rangers in Japanese Edo Period?

December 19, 2025

Some says,

"Nanso Satomi Hakkenden is Super Sentai/Power Rangers in Japanese Edo Period."

According to my theory, they're similar but different.

They are both moralistic tales.

However, Super Sentai/Power Rangers feature their teamwork most.

But inversely, they're not invincible if they're not unite completely.

In contrast, Hakkenshi/Eight Dog Warriors, 8 heroes in Nanso Satomi Hakkenden, are one man army even if they're alone.

I questioned Chat GPT whether Hakkenden and Super Sentai/Power Rangers is similar or not.

It introduced both similar points and different points.

Similar points

・Ensemble “team” structure: Hakkenden is fundamentally about assembling a destined group of heroes; Sentai is also team-centric.

・Clear “signature identities”: Sentai uses colors/suits/roles; Hakkenden uses names/marks/beads/virtues to distinguish and bind the heroes.

・Quest / gathering arc: the “find the others / unite the party” dynamic will feel familiar if you like team-formation narratives (common in modern action/adventure).

Different Points

・Medium and pacing: Hakkenden is a sprawling, multi-perspective literary epic; Sentai/Power Rangers is primarily episodic TV built around weekly action set-pieces.

・Core genre DNA: Hakkenden is moral-historical fantasy with Confucian/Buddhist framing; Sentai is tokusatsu superhero action with transformation gimmicks and spectacle as a core grammar.

・No “henshin suit” formula in the original: you won’t find the signature “transform + suit + roll call + monster fight + mecha” rhythm that defines Sentai.

I want to expand Hakkenden to foreigners, so I conceived "Harem Protagonists as Hakkenshi" and "Garupan Captain Group as Hakkenshi" as a testtype for it.

But I've not known yet how to attract Hakkenden to foreigners more effectively.

It's more effective by using Cool Japan and Japanese traditional culture.

Casting of "Harem Protagonists as Hakkenshi" and "Garupan Captain Group as Hakkenshi" is below.

Harem Protagonists as Hakkenshi

仁(Jin)/benevolent: Inue Shinbei: Kasugano Haruka(Yosuga No Sora): (CV: Shimono Hiro)

義(Gi/justice): Inukawa Sosuke: Manaka Junpei(Ichigo 100%): (CV: Suzumura Kenichi)

礼(Rei/courtesy): Inumura Daikaku: Yuiga Nariyuki(We Never Learn): (CV: Oosaka Ryota)

智(Chi/wisdom): Inusaka Keno: Yuuki Rito(To Love Ru): (CV: Watanabe Akino)

忠(Chuu/loyalty): Inuyama Dosetsu: Ichijou Raku(Nisekoi): (CV: Uchiyama Koki)

信(Shin/faith): Inukai Genpachi: Momonari Junta(DNA2): (CV: Nanba Keiichi)

孝(Kou/filial piety): Inuzuka Shino: Itou Makoto(School Days): (CV: Hirakawa Daisuke)

悌(Tei/brotherhood): Inuta Kobungo: Fuyuzora Kogarashi(Yuuna: the Haunted Hot Springs): (CV: Ono Tomoki)