May 2023

Greetings, Splendid Seven devotees, martial arts aficionados, fighting video game fans, and admirers of all things Super Sentai and Power Rangers. Antoni here with another written entry focusing on Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran specializing in the martial arts they do. The Power Rangers fan in me always believes that there is select Power Rangers who are appropriate best friends and sparring partners for Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran to fight with, encourage them, and just be the best people they are in their lives as martial artists and as people. Therefore, I have mainly chosen the Saban-Era of Power Rangers from Mighty Morphin to Wild Force to act as The Splendid Seven’s sparring partners, best friends, and encouragers of the martial arts they do. As this has been a passion project of mine for several months, I figure that there are more Power Rangers suitable to be Sesshoumaru’s, Shuran’s, Inuyasha’s, Hakkaku’s, Ginta’s, Ayame’s, and Shunran’s best friends for life aside from their obvious Mighty Morphin counterparts, i.e., Tommy and Jason being Inuyasha’s best brothers for life as well as his main source of inspiration for being the Red Tyrannosaurus Inuranger and leader of his team. Thus, it is time to unleash the power for the rangers to champion every endeavor that The Splendid Seven find themselves in. Without further ado, let’s get started. It’s morphin’ time! Shift into Turbo! Let’s rocket! Go Galactic! Lightspeed Rescue! Time for Time Force! Quantum Power! Wild Access! Sesshoumaru and the Shining Emperors of the Cages (Mixed Martial Arts) Zhane, Merrick Baliton, and Sesshoumaru make a truly formidable trio of mixed martial artists who can strike terror on any paean who dares to challenge them. Unlike the UFC’s predominantly frat-bro, dude-bro mindset, Sesshoumaru and his two best friends who happen to be Silver Power Rangers live in discipline, honor, self-respect, and dignity. There are neither wild parties nor puerile pranks that these gentlemen find themselves doing, for regimented training, physical conditioning, mental meditation, and drinking tea after every sparring match are their rituals. Zhane considers Sesshoumaru to be one of the most valiant warriors to ever dominate the cage and always advises him on how to perform his takedowns more effectively. Merrick is grateful to have Sesshoumaru as his sparring buddy for life because they enjoy delivering deadly attacks, with his signature ground and pounds, sprawl and brawls, armbars, double leg takedowns, ankle locks, knee bars, and Kimuras being weapons of mass destruction. As a disciplined martial artist, Sesshoumaru is happy to have companions such as Zhane and Merrick, for they can find common ground in the things they enjoy most whether in Mixed Martial Arts or simpler moments like drinking tea in their dojo. Shuran and the Brutish Kings of the Rings (Professional Wrestling) Mike Corbett the black-clad Magna Defender and Ryan Mitchell the glowing Titanium Ranger may dwarf in stark comparison to Shuran’s massive size as a pro wrestler, but their coaching styles can motivate him to balance brute strength with tactfulness when making his opponents surrender. Mike and Ryan always encourage Shuran to remain open to every wrestling style, not just the American, British, Mexican, and Japanese styles that they have come to become familiar with, but also with international styles from Mongolia, Turkey, and India to attempt every submission hold, powerslam, bearhug, piledriver, Boston Crab, Full Nelson, and German suplex available. Outside the moves that Shuran practices with Mike and Ryan, they live by the codes of perseverance and being open to every challenge that is dished out to them and avoid any backstage politics usually omnipresent in Professional Wrestling. Mike always sees to it that Shuran does not always act impulsively when launching attacks, while Ryan ensures that Shuran combines technique with brute strength well. Shuran is grateful and happy to have two stout-hearted and valiant fighters like Mike and Ryan as his best friends because they can see beyond his brutishness and see a loyal soul underneath. Inuyasha and the Red Nemean Lions of the Olympic Arenas (Pankration) Inuyasha is one fortunate warrior to have intensely bloody ten-man Pankration sparring sessions with his best brothers forever Eric Myers, Leo Corbett, Tommy Oliver, Jason Lee Scott, Alex Drake, Wes Collins, TJ Johnson, Andros, Carter Grayson and Cole Evans, thus busking in Heracles’s and Theseus’s glory and might. Eric, Leo, Tommy, Jason, Alex, Wes, TJ, Andros, Carter, and Cole constantly champion Inuyasha’s muscular power as a Pankration champion and do everything in their power to encourage him to aim for Olympus. Inuyasha admires Eric’s fortitude, Leo’s strength, Tommy’s fighting prowess, Jason’s toughness, Alex’s military will, Wes’s heroism, TJ’s charisma, Andros’s focus, Carter’s determination, and Cole’s heart. Out of all the ten Red Rangers, Inuyasha is especially close to Eric, Leo, Tommy, Jason, Alex, and Wes because he enjoys his intense workouts with them and the many tracheal grip chokes, rear naked chokes, guillotine chokes, heel hooks, hammer fists, double axe handles, and Superman punches that they can employ on each other. Eric and Leo are just as impressed with Inuyasha’s strength and encourage him to be the strong husband he can be for Ayame, given that Eric and Taylor as well as Leo and Maya are also husband and wife. Hakkaku and the Black and Blue Bruisers of the Palace Grounds (Muay Boran) Black and blue may be the colors of the bruises that Muay Boran fighters receive when dealing with such visceral beatings, but they are also the colors of the attire Hakkaku’s brothers from other mothers wear as Black and Blue Power Rangers. Zack Taylor, Carlos Vallerte, Trey of Triforia, and Danny Delgado as Power Rangers donning black are honored to be as steadfast as a brother to Hakkaku, while Rocky DeSantos, Chad Lee, and Lucas Kendall as Power Rangers donning blue consider their loyalty to Hakkaku as unparalleled as ever. Zack and Rocky revel in Hakkaku’s head, shins, knees, and elbows of steel because of how they can be able to…