Zoken cranks out so much interesting stuff that getting any other idea to get some spotlight is a task. Well done, man.
As my own well of ideas has run dry, the last idea I had is for another superhero team, or rather, one that has already been created but revamping them. Like every team in the 90's, they had a shortlived series that tanked (in 1998 I believe). Much like Alpha Flight, Winter Guard, and Excaliber, they represent a specific nation. Yes, I am talking about the official superhero team of Japan, BIG HERO 6. They already have a roster but I'm going to try to be creative and essentially create most of my own team, save for two members.
Background: The last incarnation of Big Hero 6 came under strife when they were brainwashed for a time and battled Alpha Flight. In Marvel time that was about 2 years ago and in a way, thinks have changed for a nation that not only supplies vast amounts of technology, but is also a key U.S. ally. Much like any MU 616 nation, they have mutants and metahumans. They have drugs such as MGH, Snap and Kick coming onto their shores, and there is a thriving black market for technology that allows one to become a one-person army, especially from Latvernia (what? The concept behind SECRET WAR wasn't all bad). As a nation smaller than the U.S. and yet with a larger population, Japan'd be nuts not to have some sort of superhero squad ready. Many of the original Big Hero 6 members were traumatized upon being brainwashed, especially when finding out that it was a mutant boy who simply had become a fan, and not a real villian (this mind-controller was never revealed in the comics). Before a new incarnation of BIG HERO 6 could be reassembled, Japan devised the Ultra Sentai.
The Ultra Sentai are essentially a squad of "Power Ranger" esque police officers. Founded by a heavilly decorated police commander whose last name actually was "Sentai" for some bizarre reason (in Japanese "sentai" is literally translated into "fighting squadron") who stumbled upon a crashed alien spaceship that had landed there during the 40's-50's when 616 Earth seemed to see no end of alien invasions and monsters. Stripping the strange costume from the dead alien pilots, Captain Sentai was able to wear it, and it combined with his human DNA to enhance his strength, speed, agility, and could channel "the positive energy of virtues" into devistating strikes. Rather than become a solo hero, he was a loyal collectivist as many in Japan are and shared it with the force, who found a way to duplicate the suits and mass produce them. The suits take approximately 1 full year to create and have to be designed specifically for a person's height & weight. Japanese scientists were able to improve on the technology a bit, allowing the suits to be summoned forth by devices no larger than a wrist watch. As the suits take a year to create, the ULTRA SENTAI are chosen by spies who moniter people from all walks of life, from police officers, soldiers, businessmen, pro fighters, athletes, even seemingly "average" people like video game fans or gifted students who seem to display a certain "spark" that makes them seem worthy. If they accept a proposal to join the squad (which is essentially a well paid gig), they spend the year it takes learning courses in order to aid them in duties; a Sentai Acadamy as it were. As producing a suit for someone who seems to fail is very expensive, the recruiters have to be experts at weeding out potential "flunkers" and their selections are rare; perhaps 1 person a month is officially taken as a cadet by any one recruiter. However, by employing dozens of recruiters, they could build up their Sentai squad quickly.
At the start of our tale there are approximately 1,000 ULTRA SENTAI that are divided into color coded squads and each given an individual number, usually denoting their order of placement. Should any of them be killed or injured permanently during duty, their number is retired. The suits allow them enhanced strength, speed, durability, and agility, although not to incredibly fantastic degrees; about peak human. Naturally, as some are more competive or skilled than others, some Sentai are better fighters, or more intelligent, or empathic, etc. In a way they are like ninjas for justice; their attack in numbers and employ team tactics. The suits also allow them to harness their virtueous energy into a single blow that has crushing force of several tons (dependant on the wearer's strength, spirit, etc). Many of them have one signature strike and train to use this one-shot manuver in tandum with each other, i.e. a good 7 of them using it at once against a massive foe. The original "Capt. Sentai" had long since died in duty but somehow as the original, his "spirit" embodies their transmission technology and serves as a built-in mentor, sort of like WORLDMIND for the Nova Corps. If up to 100 Sentai sacrifice their suit's energy not for a blow but to call for his might, his spectre can be summoned as an energy being for up to 100 seconds. They can also harness their energies together in "formation attacks" for projectile manuvers.
However, despite all this, the ULTRA SENTAI alone are no match for professional supervillians, although they greatly reduce "normal" crime so that BIG HERO 6 are only used for supervillian threats or natural disasters. This is also where any supporting cast members will come from. They also act as cavalry for the BH6.
BIG HERO 6:
Silver Samurai: An original member of the team, he turns to the government after his NA francas and after losing a hand in battle with Wolverine. They use cloning technology to regrow his hand and Kenuichio Harada decides to stay to attempt to make a positive effect in Japan to make up for his past. However, much like a katanna, he is a double edged sword. He uses his underworld connections to infiltrate mobs from within and trick the criminals into believing he is a spy in BH6, who will use his connections to aid them. He then tells BH6 that he is spying on the mobsters and offers them information. He plays both sides so well that sometimes one cannot tell where his true affiliations lie. Not even himself. His placement on Japan's national team actually adds to his underworld rep in much the same way Kingpin might become scarier had he been an Avenger; it shows his influence is deeply engrained. With his armor and teleportation ring, Harada naturally can use his mutant energy to slice through most substances; he also uses this energy to make his throwing stars and even karate strikes deadly; so much as one blow can be a foe's last.
Sunpyre: The sister of Sunfire from an alternate reality, this version has had to spend some time getting used to this dimension's version of Japan. At first worshipping her "summoner" Honey Lemon, Sunpyre has learned to evolve into her own warrior, especially to honor the 616 counterparts of herself and Shiro. As a "legacy hero", she finds herself uncomfortable with popularity, especially with her flame powers.
Terry Domino & Red Ronin: Red Ronin was a 100 ft. tall, 23 ton Stark-built robot made to deal with giant monsters, especially Godzilla. Considering the fact that Stark & Co. have made entire fleets of giant robots with their reactivated Sentinal waves, the Red Ronin robot was considered "outdated", having been built "six years ago"; hey, if a video game system is considered obsolete after maybe 4 years, imagine a giant robot! Still a useful tool, it was sold to Japan as they are a U.S. ally and the motif fit their nation best. It was being shipped and looked over by expert "hi tech mechanic" and vehicle operator Terry Domino. Terry is an expert in martial arts and a decently large man ( 6' 3'', over 200 lbs) who dresses like a biker, the total opposite of the type you'd expect to be capable of reparing even hi-tech machines and vehicles. He has a knack for operating vehicles, at least land based ones, and for a time operated illegally as a "driver for hire" before being caught and offering his skills for a reduced sentence (as his crimes were never violent). However, despite being tall, athletic, and smart, his social skills lack so he has often been an outcast. While doing a check-up on Red Ronin, a power-surge caused by criminals hoping a blackout would slow the ULTRA SENTAI causes a short circut in the robot's controls. Rather than killing Terry, it allows him to mentally control the robot. Immediately enrolled in a tutorial class on how to operate Red Ronin, Terry acts as a support member of the team; he is the guy who operates and repairs their aircrafts and sometimes uses his martial arts skills to aid them in battle. However, when the threat is sufficient enough and there is enough room, he summons Red Ronin and smashes stuff. Naturally, this is an homage to GIANT ROBO, although I imagined Terry as a bit like Bean Bandit, from GUNSMITH CATS (and his own one-shot anime OAV, RIDING BEAN). Without Red Ronin, he is an expert combatant who can take an almost incredible amount of damage due to "heart". The government is currently in the works to give him a ULTRA SENTAI suit just to ensure he isn't killed, although he is insisting on wearing a jacket over it once he gets one.
Zeni: Modelled after the centuries old police officer Zenigata who used throwing coins as weapons, Zeni is a woman who can manipulate coins to extreme degrees. Naturally she can throw them with inhuman speed, skill and strength, but can also cause them to levitate and can increase their sizes to car-sized levels. She stands on a large coin in order to fly and can employ them as giant discs or shields. Her coins, once infused with her "chi", are virtually unbreakable. She is very serious and also the most suspicious of Silver Samurai. Aside for adamantium, her coins are also the only thing that his sword cannot cut (although if he had to, he could bat them aside).
Pop Cowgirl: Despite the name, she dresses in black leather and is not only a BH6 member, but a professional singer with a successful band. Her father was an eccentric genius/rocker who created hi-tech sound equipment that can double as both functional instruments and weapons. Her guitar is capable of emitting powerful sonic waves that can shatter objects, although they can be faint enough to just provide good tunes or render an enemy temporarialy deaf (and effect their equalibrium). Her bulky boots can deliver magnetically-charged "super kicks" and allow her to walk on walls or ceilings, and jump a good 30 feet up (although she had to take some stunt classes to work on her landings). Her guitar is also durabile enough to be used as a blunt weapon. Naturally, Terry has the hots for her, but she finds him a bit weird and is secretly a bisexual, having affections for Sunpyre and Silver Samurai.
Shinto: Coming from a family whose mutant gene allows them to be at "one" with their environment and the spiritual world (although this is seen as a family gift and not a curse), Duragon Maximura is a well groomed man who wears a domino mask and is able to feel the "elements" in his environment and manipulate them to his will. This includes summoning elements of natural things such as air, water, fire, earth, etc. but also being able to sense "energy" inside of any object, causing them to sometimes perform simple acts of his bidding. I.e. with enough concentration he could unlock a door or short out a power grid or engine simply by asking the spirits nicely enough. It is unknown whether all these objects and nature REALLY have spirits inside them or he simply has another power and a set "rationale" behind it (maybe he is an energy manipulator whose family heritage mistakes it something else). A capable hand-to-hand combatant, he can turn any environment to his advantage, able to "read" the area and know where people are hiding, when they were there las and what they said and where they stood or sat, etc. Quiet and shy by nature, his modesty keeps him from becoming a true demigod, but he has a violent temper when riled. Zeni has a crush on him despite her brash exterior, but he's too busy having flings with ULTRA SENTAI ladies.
THE VILLIANS:
Dr. Oni: Much like Arnim Zola, Dr. Demonicus or even Mr. Sinister, Dr. Oni is a master of the genetic codes of animals, mutants, and even otherworldly creatures from his former days as a performer of "alien autopsies" for whatever aliens or demons were slain by the military. Feeling his pay was too low for his genius, he mastered the ability to manipulate the genetic code to create monstrous creatures for the highest bidder. He can create their DNA from scratch to fit almost any buyer's specifications; the bigger, the pricier. There are rumors he even experimented on himself, but they are unproven.
Phantom Shogun: One of many crimelords in Japan's shadier districts, he is in a way like Silver Samurai; by day he is a CEO of a major corporation, and by night he is the masked underworld boss who has the power to make anyone obey his commands so long as he intimidates or inspires them. Thus, in both realms he builds himself up, has an imposing presence and so on. His plan is to rule Japan both legally and illegally to control both sides of it. Suspecting Samurai's ruse, he sees him as a true hypocrite. Naturally, he believes a Japan ruled by him would be more orderly and the "old customs" would not be lost.
Machizma: A young woman who was incredibly traditional to the "old ways" of being a Japanese woman, being a doting daughter and fiance, she snaps when her fiance's car loses control and is about to strike a tanker full of strange chemicals (actually a shipment ordered to Dr. Oni), and despite her devotion, her fiance leaps from the car and only saves himself. Instead of being killed in the chemical blast, the woman emerges in a body twice her normal size with the ability to have her strength & durability rise with her anger. Hiding facial scars behind a mask, she hates all remnants of men and Traditional Japanese culture (like museums), believing it seeks to hold people down.
Power Gamer: An unidentified master of video games as well as holographic technology, he has created hard-light holograms that look and feel solid. He offers his VR machines to the highest bidder to allow people to live out violent fantasies and play out action-paced games, little realizing or caring that their "skins" are real and creating havoc in the real world. Hooking up that technology into his mind, the PG can summon any warrior of his own design should he be attacked. He targets isolated youths and delinquients especially.
Well, that is a bout of insomnia well spent. What do you think?
It works.
