Shiro Izumi as Burai in Zyuranger

Well he's already retired but I thought this is one performance that should be in this celebrities blog as another performance worth praising.  Shiro Izumi was previously known to play as Yuuma/Change Pegasus in Changeman and he returned as the first official sixth ranger in Super Sentai as Burai/Dragon Ranger for Zyuranger.  What makes him oustanding?  I just thought that he really plays the character of Burai very well from episode 17 until his eventual departure in episode 42 where his character Burai died.  One of the best features aside from his kickass moves?  His EVIL laugh that beats off Jason David Frank's cartoony version. Made me think he was playing a character that you take X-1 Mask, let him last for a couple of episodes then kill him.  Shiro Izumi makes Burai worthy of the song of Dragon Caesar.  Doragon-dragon-Caesar...!


Another of the best parts of his role as Burai was during the "Green with Evil" arc when his character was released from suspended animation by Kota.  So what happens during that is where he and the possible series heartthrob Yuuta Mochizuki have some very cool scenes.  Episode 22 of Zyuranger had the best fight scene ever before they use their Dino Bucklers.  So Burai's so determined to kill Geki out of sheer jealousy hence green with envy.  The clash scene out of suit really shows they're better Shiro Izumi and Yuuta Mochizuki is in their fighting abilities than Jason David Frank and retired actor Austin St. John (but no bad comments about them please) in terms of raw fight scenes.  For one, I really thought it was the best scene ever and perhaps one of the hardest to replicate scenes.


I just love how Shiro Izumi convinces us he's dying as the episode goes by, a plot that gets the best out of the actor.  So he really does show soon he is very ready to face death.  His best scene had to be when Burai was spending his last hours knowing he'll die and the touching scene he had with Geki.  In fact, that performance brought tears to my eyes and as well to Dragon Caesar's.  He did have a short cameo during the near finale of Zyuranger as Burai's ghost.  Too bad though, the actor had stopped acting and couldn't make a cameo in Gokaiger but oh well.