The 31st installment in the Super Sentai “VS Series,” the V-Cinext film Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger VS King-Ohger, began its limited theatrical run at Shinjuku Wald 9 and other select theaters on May 1. The Blu-ray & DVD release is scheduled for October 29. The just-concluded Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger teams up in a dream collaboration with the ever-popular Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, delivering a turbocharged crossover between the delivery squad and the royal heroes. ORICON NEWS interviewed Haruhi Iuchi, who played Taiya Hando/Boon Red in Boonboomger, and Taisei Sakai, who portrayed Gira Husty/Kuwagata Ohger in King-Ohger, to hear all about the film’s highlights.

Haruhi Reflects on the End of Boonboomger, Shares Joy at the Crossover with King-Ohger

— Haruhi, congratulations on wrapping up a year of Boonboomger!

Sakai: Great job!

Iuchi: Thank you! At first, I felt more sad than anything, but recently I’ve come to feel really glad that we were able to make it through to the end safely. There’s still the Final Live Tour, so I’m feeling really motivated to keep going.

— You also made a surprise appearance in Episode 1 of Gozyuger, which caused quite a stir.

Iuchi: The reaction was overwhelming. I was honestly confused when I first got the offer. It wasn’t Boonboomger, I was turning into Kuwagata Ohger, the character’s name was totally different… Even the appearance and personality were nothing like Taiya. Fans were like, “Wait, isn’t that Taiya? But he’s becoming Kuwagata Ohger!?” and were surprised. Many people said they were happy about it, saying things like, “I was sad Boonboomger ended, but I’m so glad you came back to Sunday morning programming right away.” That made me feel really relieved.

Sakai: I was surprised too! But I was honored that you transformed like that.

Iuchi: Thank you so much!

Sakai: I was like, “No way, Kuwagata Ohger!?” Totally caught me off guard.

Iuchi: (The interview took place the day after the Gojyu-ger premiere) Just earlier in the waiting room, I told him, “Yesterday, I became Kuwagata Ohger.”

Sakai: (Having not seen Episode 1 yet) I asked, “Why Kuwagata Ohger?” (laughs)

— So you got to work alongside the kings of King-Ohger.

Iuchi: I was super happy. From the time I was auditioning, I had been watching King-Ohger in real time to study and learn, and I kept watching until the end. So getting to work with people I had watched for a whole year was really exciting, and it felt so real. Their costumes are different from ours, and their transformation gear is so big! Once we started working together, I was blown away by their energy. Each of them plays a king, and their presence was really powerful.

Sakai: Since we were set in a fantasy world, I was kind of jealous of your real-world setting. Grass is always greener, I guess (laughs).

Iuchi: I always thought you guys looked flashy and cool (laughs).

— Taisei, you even rode the Boonboom Supercar.

Sakai: It was super cool! The ride was more comfortable than I expected.

Iuchi: Right? The seats are really well made!

Sakai: It even has air conditioning!

Iuchi: Air flows from below too! And in winter, the seats get warm!

Sakai: Really? That’s awesome!

— What are your impressions of each other?

Sakai: He’s such a good kid! Like, super lovable. When we were on set together, I could tell that Haruhi being at the center really made the Boonboomger team look like they were having fun. He wasn’t pushy like “Come on, let’s go!” but more like gently guiding everyone. I really felt that watching him.

Iuchi: That makes me really happy—thank you! I felt like the King-Ohger cast seemed really mature. Calm, composed, and once on set, they were all so sharp. I first met them during the baton pass, and my impression hasn’t changed since. But from what the staff said, apparently that’s not always the case (laughs).

Sakai: Who told you that!? (laughs)

Iuchi: Someone said, “Taisei’s just a big kid” (laughs). Through filming this V-Cinext, I really felt his kindness. He was easy to talk to, and I appreciated that a lot. I’m not the type to initiate things myself. There were lots of times when we were waiting around just the two of us, and we got to talk about so many things—it was a lot of fun!

Sakai: Thank you!

Most Memorable Scene? Taisei and Gira Talk Growth

— Which scenes left the biggest impression on you?

Sakai: Definitely Orange (Boonboomger’s Genba Bureki/Boon Orange, played by Satoru Soma) and White (King-Ohger’s Jeremy Brasieri/Spider Kumonos, played by Masashi Ikeda)! Their scene was so over-the-top and gooey (laughs).

Iuchi: Right? (laughs) They were all like, “Well, you know…” That whole scene had such a mature vibe!

Sakai: It felt like a different world (laughs).

Iuchi: Also, it was fun watching the Blue duo interact—(Boonboomger’s Ishiro Meita/Boon Blue played by Yuki Hayama, and King-Ohger’s Yanma Gust/Tonbo Ohger played by Aoto Watanabe). Those two are senior and junior at the same agency, and apparently Yuki had been consulting Aoto since the audition phase. So even before filming started, during just the Boonboomger period, Yuki was like, “I’m so nervous… being paired with my senior…” That was funny. It was like, “Wait, is he doing that all nervous? Shashiro looks cool but is probably freaking out inside!” (laughs)

Sakai: Watching with that in mind would be even more fun!

— What were the highlights of your own characters?

Sakai: The car action scene where Taiya and Gira appear in the Boonboom Supercar. After filming wrapped and I saw the footage, I thought, “Whoa, that looks awesome.” I think we were also able to really show the bond between the two characters. Then Gira takes out like 50 enemies in a single swing (laughs). That part really stood out.

Iuchi: For me, there’s a scene where Taiya goes to Shugoddam and opens up to Gira, and I loved that part. In Boonboomger, Taiya was the oldest, so he didn’t show his weaknesses. But Taiya often says, “A composed adult is someone who can show vulnerability,” and I think he finally started to embody that. Since this story takes place after the series finale, I felt like Taiya had really grown during his time in space. Even though he’s my character, I was happy to see that development. I really love that scene.

— Finally, a message to the fans.

Sakai: Boonboomger is reaching its climax, and King-Ohger is back after a year. I think this combination of two Super Sentai teams makes for a really fun movie. Gira’s growth is also something to watch for—please catch it in theaters!

Iuchi: This movie takes place after the TV series of Boonboomger. I used to say, “It ends in a way that hints at the future,” and this really delivers on that. There are sides of Taiya—like his moments of vulnerability—that we couldn’t show with just the Boonboomger team. But working with the King-Ohger cast made that possible. You’ll get to see new sides of each character, and aspects that only time could reveal. I hope you’ll come see it in theaters. Gojyu-ger has already started and the franchise is moving forward, but we all want to return as Boonboomger again someday. So please support us then, too. Thank you all so much for the past year!

Interview Video

Introduction: Boonboomger VS King-Ohger

Japan’s proudest hero franchise continues to evolve and charge into the future! Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger, true to its name, has been protecting Earth's peace with exhilarating high-energy action. Now, they are about to encounter the legendary heroes of Planet Chikyuu—Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger!

This epic story unfolds across three worlds: Planet Trickle, Planet Chikyu, and Earth. Witness the high-energy collaboration of the Couriers and the Kings!

Story: Boonboomger VS King-Ohger

Nicola, newly crowned queen of Planet Trickle, is set to form an alliance with Planet Chikyu. The Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger are invited to serve as official witnesses to the agreement. However, the remnants of the Hashiriyan gang suddenly appear, led by Manhole Gurumer, who steals the royal family's treasured gem from Nicola.

To make matters worse, Minongan, one of the Five Jesters of the Uchu Insects, emerges and seizes the sacred sword Ohger Calibur ZERO, which was to be used in the alliance ceremony. Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger rush to the scene to fight alongside Boonboomger, but due to Manhole Gurumer,’s mysterious powers, the heroes are scattered across different locations.

Separated across different planets, Taiya and the others each set out on their own to escape their dire situations. Meanwhile, a menacing pulse begins to rumble from deep underground… As an overwhelming evil awakens, can the two great Super Sentai teams reunite and fight together once more?

The battle spanning three worlds begins now!

Source : ORICON NEWS