Tokusatsu is pretty much a portal to Asian entertainment for some. Franchises like Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, Ultraman, and other related Japanese Toku might be a Westerners' introduction to Asian entertainment. For some, checking out Super Sentai after seeing Power Rangers might be an introduction to Asian entertainment. Maybe, one decides to watch J-Drama as a result. Then, one might consider that various localization of Japanese media happen. You might notice that South Korea and Taiwan are among a few to localize Japanese shows and adapt them into another format. For example, Meteor Garden is clearly based on Hana Yori Dango. The difference with Power Rangers is that these shows are truly adaptations from one form of media to another - that is to film everything from scratch instead of carrying over licensed use of Japanese footage. It's been some time since I'm a casual fan. I've watched some of this and that. I admit that I've watched almost every Super Sentai except for Goranger, JAKQ, and I don't know if I'll bother to finish Zenkaiger. I've finished much of the Kamen Riders from Kuuga up to Saber. I still wonder if I want to watch more Showa-era Kamen Riders since most of them tend to bore me. I haven't had any interest in checking out more Tokusatsu outside of Toei's landscape. I feel like that my vibes are rather low AGAIN. I can't really explain if it's taste fatigue or a change in preference. Yup, my preferences change like how I did enjoy Power Rangers at one point until I just found out Super Sentai is my preferred cup of tea and I dislike the other based on PERSONAL preferences.
Now, it seems that things can change in the digital age. Talk about the digital age's broad choices. You may have fansites or legit digital platforms. For example, digital subscriptions such as Netflix may offer some new shows. I think about how I decided to watch some Korean legal drama and it's now hard to drop the trend. Before, I preferred Japanese entertainment over Korean entertainment and Korean food over Japanese food. I always felt the Japanese usually had better entertainment. Now, South Korea is causing a Halyu wave that might change preferences. Right now, I don't even feel like watching J-Drama either after the Halyu wave. To think I once preferred J-Drama over K-Drama.
There's really a lot (and I mean a lot) of new stuff to choose from in the digital age. There's something to move on to. It's like saying goodbye to one franchise for another. It's like how newer shows can be a real distraction. I feel like that while I was able to enjoy Kiramager last year - I still feel that Netflix and other digital platforms have better offerings. I could watch some shows (both new and old) at my own pace within a limited time period. I feel like Toku is becoming more of a stranger to me at this moment! It's like watching some shows a few years back and then watching the latest show. That's a lot of distraction now, isn't it?
This is really me and having my change of preferences. I think a digital subscription might change one's perception. There can be newer choices both from the old and the new. It's like how I used to get excited for Japanese food and now I look forward to Korean food instead. Sure, I can enjoy tonkotsu ramen while I now prefer Korean soups. It's really a big change as preferences aren't necessarily static, right?
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