Scifi is supposed to be fun, kids – take a look at Space Sheriff Shaider. Chicken Nugget would be one example, but here’s another. This wacky tokusatsu television show ran during the 80s but lives forever in our hearts. Watch the episode below and then we’ll talk more about fun scifi:
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Space Sheriff Shaider lived on – Action footage from Shaider was used for Season 2 of VR Troopers. As you watch Space Sheriff Shaider (SSS), you’re probably thinking ‘this is *so* weird,’ and you’re absolutely right. SSS *is* weird – by design. Wikipedia tells us that ‘Tokusatsu shows [like SSS] have their origins in early Japanese theater, specifically in kabuki.’ Kabuki theater products are famous for being ‘weird’ or ‘offbeat.’ Tokusatsu shows date back – over a hundred years ago – and helped invent Godzilla and the kaiju genre.
“But, but, it looks so … lame and cheap!” Yes, it does. Think about that for a second and read this Redditor’s explanation: “Just the art of the medium itself. People have said it better than me in this thread already, but just the magic that was born out of limitation to resources that the entire genre has become synonymous for.”
What does that sound like, kids? It sounds like us. We’re also of limited resources, we’re also the people they don’t take seriously. Yet, we love what we do and we’re fighting every day to prove our worthiness. We’ll get there, just like Tokusatsu – we just have to keep going.
I hope you enjoyed this dive into Space Sheriff Shaider and fun scifi. Please feel welcomed to dive down the rabbit hole of every other Sci-Friday I’ve published in the past couple years. Have a great weekend!
