ENGINE SENTAI GO-ONGER
Plot
In an alternate dimension to ours, the bright and technological Machine World, large vehicles known as Engines fight against evil polluting creatures known as the Gaiark. The Engine defeat the Gaiark and prevent them from their goal of polluting the Machine World. However, the Gaiark escape to the human dimension, and intend to pollute and destroy Earth instead. The Engine follow them there, but can only exist in their large Engine forms for 10 minutes at a time. So, they separate into their Engine Souls (small chips containing their spirits) and Engine Casts (smaller models of themselves). They enlist the help of humans, which allows the Engines to lend the humans the power of their Engine Souls and make them Go-Ongers!
To transform, the 3 core Go-Ongers insert the Change Souls into the Go-Phones, while Hant and Gunpei insert theirs into the Shift Changer. The first 3 press a button on the phone, while the latter 2 press up a lever. They all transform with a call of "Let's Go On!" During their henshin sequence, they place their helmets on their heads with a call of " 'Met On!"
Main characters
Heroes
Esumi Sousuke/Go-on Red - Furuhara Yasuhisa
Leader of the Go-Ongers, Sosuke is confident and sure of himself. He keeps a Go-Onger coin and flips it regularly to check his luck, believing that confident men will always have luck. He seems slightly inexperienced at being a hero, but makes up for it with enthusiasm. His Engine partner is Engine Number One, Speedor. He was a racecar driver before the attack of the Gaiark.
Kousaka Ren/Go-on Blue - Kataoka Shinwa
The caretaker of the team, Renn has even been called the mother of the team, with no objection from him. He is trusting, almost to a fault. Renn is careful and pays great attention to detail. He keeps a small notebook with him and takes notes on almost everything related to fighting the Gaiark. He is also the team chef, using their meager means to make meals for the team, usually involving eggs. His Engine Partner is Engine Number Two, Bus-On. He was a bus driver before the attack of the Gaiark.
Rouyama Saki/Go-on Yellow - Aizawa Rina
The eternal optimist. Her catchphrase is "Smile, Smile!", used to tell people (and herself, on occasion) to remember to smile even in the darkest situations. Saki is always bubbly and bright. Her Engine Partner is Engine Number Three, BearRV. She was working as a walking concessionist at a race track before the attack of the Gaiark.
Jou Hanto/Go-on Green - Usui Masahiro
A happy go lucky man that worked as a part-time pizza delivery man, Hant found the original three Go-Ongers during a delivery. Amazed by their strength and technology, he asked to join the team. Eventually, he was given the powers of Go-On Green and met his Engine partner, Engine Number Four, Birca. Hant is the child on the team, being constantly amazed and sometimes dealing with a lack of focus.
Ishihara Gunpei/Go-on Black - Ebisawa Kenji
A former cop, Gunpei is very serious. He also happened upon the Go-Onger by accident, but instead of being amazed, he found the first 3 Go-Onger to be too lighthearted and inexperienced to be the only defenders of Earth. He also applied to join the team and led some rather extreme measures in attempting to join. Eventually, he was given the powers of Go-On Black, and met his Engine Parter, Engine Number Five, Gunpherd.
Villains
The Go-Ongers fight against the Barbaric Machine Clan Gaiark. They are the last of the Gaiark clan and are led by three Ministers.
Land Pollution Minister Yogostein (voiced by Yanada Kiyoyuki) - A pun on "to soil" (yogosu), Yogostein is the general that leads the land-based creatures in their army. He has a spear as a weapon and all his sentences end with "nan".
Water Pollution Minister Kegalesia (acted by Oikawa Nao) - She is the only one of the 3 that is human in appearance. She leads the water-based creatures in their army. When upset, she steams from the top of her head, leading one of the other two generals to tell her to calm down while turning a handle on her head to cut off the steam. She also drinks when angry, and has the ability to regenerate damage to her skin. She uses a whip as a weapon and ends every sentence with "ojaru". Her name is a pun on "to get dirty" (kegaeru).
Air Pollution Minister Kitaneidas (voiced by Madono Mitsuaki) - He leads the sky-based forces of their army and uses a staff. He invented the element Bikkiurium and experimented on it's abilities, leading to his discovery of it's power to make their creatures grow. His sentences end with "Zoyo". His name puns on "filthy" (kitanai).
Uguts - The machine footsoldiers of the army, and they can also operate machines called Dohmas to attack. The Dohmas have a frog-like walking mode and a moth-like flight mode. Though normally used by the Uguts, they can be piloted by the Ministers, who used them in the Machine World.
Barbaric Machine Beasts (Bankiju) - Monsters created to pollute Earth. The monsters are each in one of the Ministers three classes, and that Minister tends to have a parent-child sort of affection for the creature. They are all based on an object and are named for that object and then the suffix banki. For example, the first creature the Go-Ongers battle is based on an incinerator (shokyakuro) and was called Shoukyaku Banki. The Banki can grow to larger sizes by releasing the Bikkiurium inside them. This is done automatically when they are destroyed, or it can be done optionally. When they grow, the Banki shout "Industrial Revolution!"
Side characters
Bomper (voiced by Nakagawa Akiko)- A small robot that guides the Go-Onger in the use of their powers, and can detect whenever a banki has been unleashed. Bomper was created to be the navigation robo of the Engines. He maintains the Engines and can send the Engine Casts to the Go-Onger. All his sentences end with "Bom-Bom!" Nearly everything concerning Bomper involves the number 6; he is 66 centimeters tall, wide, and long, he weighs 66 kilograms and has a top speed of 66 KM/H. However, it is unclear if he is officially Engine Number Six. Bomper also conducts a short education segment on the Engines at the end of each episode.
Catchphrases
Any creature that comes from the Machine World ends their sentences with the same word or syllable. Each of the Go-Ongers has a catchphrase, and the ending words of them all rhyme. They have made a point of specifically pointing out the time for their catchphrase/roll call, with one of the characters saying "Let's do that!"
Go-On Red: Mach Full Force (Mahha Zenkai)
Go-On Blue: Just Correct (Zubari Seikai)
Go-On Yellow: Smile Blooming (Sumairu Mankai)
Go-On Green: DokiDoki Delight (DokiDoki Yukai)*
Go-On Black: Dash Dynamic (Dasshu Gokai)
* DokiDoki Delight refers to DokiDoki Pizza, the pizza shop that Hant worked at before becoming a Go-Onger.
The team catchphrase is "Pressing forward on the road to justice!" (Seigi no Rodo o tsukisusumu!).
Each Go-Onger also has a nickname, shown during the opening sequence.
Go-On Red - Speed King
Go-On Blue - Cyclopedia
Go-On Yellow - Sweet Angel
Go-on Green - Vagabond
Go-on Black - Chaser
Vehicles/Mecha/Items
The Go-Ongers mecha are the sentient, living Engines that they partner with. The Engines return to their normal (large) size by the Go-Onger reinserting the Engine Soul into the Engine Cast. The personality of each Engine seems to naturally match their partner.
The Engine can speak from inside their Engine Souls, and when inserted into the Go-Phone or Shift Changer, a cartoon-like hologram appears and can speak to the heroes.
Engine Number One, Speedor (voiced by Namikawa Daisuke) - He is a condor-themed sports car (the name combines the words speed and condor). He is by far the fastest of the Engines, being able to travel the length of Japan in 3 hours at his max speed of 1000 KM/H. He can use an attack called "Accel Full Throttle", where his talons push him into the air and he flies. He forms the upper body and arms of Engine-O. His sentences all end with "Dorr Dorr!" He is the partner of Go-On Red.
Engine Number Two, Bus-On (voiced by Egawa Hisao) - A lion themed bus (Bus and Lion). He is assertive and has brute strength. He can fire Bus Missles. He has a destination sign above his eyes, which serves as another form of communication. The sign will often says simple things like "Go-Onger" or commands such as "Stop!" and "Fire!" or even symbols such as angry faces. Bus-On forms the lower part of Engine-O from the hips down, and the Go-On Sword is carried inside him. His sentences all end with "On-On!" He is the partner of Go-On Blue.
Engine Number Three, BearRV (voiced by Inoue Miki) - This spunky engine (Bear and RV) gets her pep from not being a picky eater. Her upper half can open, allowing her to "eat" even enemy vehicles! She speaks Kansai-Ben, a dialect of Japanese that shortens certain words. It should be noted that while we may see an RV as a mobile home, the Japanese tend to use the term "Recreational Vehicle" more liberally, as BearRV appears to more closely resemble a dune buggy. She forms the center of Engine-O and provides the V-Shield. Her sentences end with "V-V!" and she is the partner of Go-On Yellow.
Engine Number Four, Birca (voiced by Hoshi Sōichirō) - Birca is a combination of an orca and a motorcycle. His sentences end with "Bir Birrrrca!" He speaks with a Italian sounding personality, but has also spoken Spanish, French, English, and Mandarin thus far. He's a free spirit and can rush into battle without thinking. He is the partner of Go-On Green, and often addresses him as "amigo". Birca is able to combine with Engine-O, becoming it's left arm and allowing for a slashing attack.
Engine Number Five, Gunpherd (voiced by Hamada Kenji) - This Engine is the combination of a police car and a German Shepherd (Gun and Shepherd). He has a serious crime-fighting personality. His nose is a gun, the Gunpherd Gun. His sentences end with "Gun Gu-Gunnn!". He can also combine with Engine-O, forming it's right arm and allowing a shooting attack.
Engine-O - Known as "The King of Engines", Engine-O is the combination (Engine Gattai!) of Speedor, BearRV, and Bus-On. His primary weapon is the Go-On Sword. His final slashing attack is called Engine-O Go-On Grand Prix and after winning a battle the Go-Ongers say Checkered Flag (both are racing terms).
Engine Spoilers for those who have never seen the show.
Spoiler
Weapons
Mantangun - The sidearm weapon of each Go-Onger. They are powered by inserting the Engine Soul into the gun. It's shaped like a gas pump and has a Gun Form and a short-sword like Rod Form. It is named for the Japanese word for "a full tank (of gas)" (mantan).
Go-On Gear - Each Go-Onger has a specific weapon, which is formed from the Engine logo on their chests.
Go-On Red carries the Road Saber, and can perform the Saber Straight attack.
Go-On Blue has the Garage Launcher, a very large blue bazooka, he can peform the Launcher Starter attack.
Go-On Yellow uses the Racing Bullet, which is a device that holds a small car that she can whip and shoot. She uses it to perform the Bullet Crash attack.
Go-On Green has the Bridge Axe, and Go-On Black has the Cowl Laser, but neither of these have had their own specific attacks yet.
The core 3 Go-Ongers can combine their weapons into the Highway Buster, powering it with one of their 3 Engine Souls.
The other 2 can combine their weapons into the Junction Rifle, powering it with one of their 2 Engine Souls. All 5 can combine into the Super Highway Buster, powered by one of the 5 Engine Souls.
Bases
The Go-Onger travel around in their motor home, Ginjiro Number One. It contains a small living area with a kitchen, and a backroom where the Engine items are kept along with some couches. The Go-Onger drive Ginjiro Number One from place to place, stopping occasionally to rest and eat. On at least one occasion, they've been seen quickly packing up the RV and driving it to the scene of a battle, though they may use it to get to battles more often.
The Gaiark operate from HellGaile Palace on a mysterious island. The area around the palace seems heavily polluted and Uguts flying Dohmas are sometimes seen patrolling the area.
Translator notes
All beings from the Machine World end all their sentences with a word or syllable. These don't appear to have an English meaning and are usually left untranslated. In the case of the Engines, it's usually the last syllable of their names.
Trivia
While related to the English words "Go On", Go-Onger actually combines the Japanese words for Thunderous Sound (gōon) and Ranger (Renja). The Thunderous Sound refers to the sound of a loud Engine.
Thus far, the Engines have acted as the narrators of the show.
The first syllable of the last names of each Go-Onger spell out Ecology. (E-Ko-Ro-Ji-I)