Super Sentai movies usually work in one of three ways -
one - a team up
two - a tribute
three - an adventure SOooooo huge, it needs to be a movie.
By a
Team-Up, I mean those like "MagiRanger vs Dekaranger" where two sentai teams band together under circumstances beyond the show's control, to stop a greater evil from one or both shows. The only time two sentai teams actuall fought each other was Carranger vs Megaranger, where the two teams actually fought each other.
By
Tribute, it means that it's a movie meant to acknowledge the existence of past rangers, even those long gone/passed on. This usually occurs like a team up, except that the rangers in queastion are tought by the old rangers lessons on life and how to deal with it. It's amusing to see how old rangers go on with their daily lives after their series' end, and one of the reasons why these movies are interesting to watch - you never know how teams end up(
or just end:wink:)
By
Huge Adventure, I mean "longer episode". These usually have higher levels of special effects, CG, and Fight choreography, to the point that it warrants a movie. Usually, a late, yet powerful crony appears to do something against earth, usually to take someone hostage, deliver a message at all costs, steal something of the rangers', or just as a showcase of a Giant Robo, Mecha, or Upgrade that NEEDS to debut in a movie and nowhere else. Also, in these movies, they explore more drama than the show does, like a ranger telling someone they like them(
and having to save them from something fatal to boot), family issues, and personal issues....Like "Dekaranger: Full Blast".
Other good examples of these are "The Magiranger Movie" and "Boukenger: The Greatest Precious". In both these movies, some outside individual is taken and the rangers must attempt to rescue them before time runs out and the bad guy wins. Interestingly enough, in both these movies, Red runs someone over with a vehicle/moving object.....
Well, you know what's wierd? The Thai forums I've been to label it as "Den-O X GekiRanger".
I can't translate most of what they say, but it leads me to believe, and I might be crazy for saying this, that it might be a Geki-Den-O team-up....At least that's what J-Hero's boards and Thai-toku's boards feel like.
I dunno - like you said - The rider movies tend to be "for the fans" in that they have absolutely nothing to do with the show; they're just there to give you another perspective on the heroes you know.
As much as I hate to admit it, if some day, TOEI decided on such a team up, that'd be a big deal. Kamen the 1st did it against Ultraman

, Saban tag-teamed the Rangers and Black/Black RX/ZO, so why wouldn't Den-O or any future Rider be exempt from a crossover?
Just food for thought. All that detective work just gives me headaches. Plus, I've been trying to make a new avatar out of the Dairanger opening, and nothing I do works...this sucks.
