Basco Ta Jolokia

Kei Hosogai as Basco Ta Jolokia

Basco Ta Jolokia's true armored form with Sally at his side

Basco Ta Jolokia (バスコ・タ・ジョロキア, Basuko Ta Jorokia, alternatively Vasco Ta Jolokia)^{[Note 1]} is a fictional antagonist in the thirty-fifth Super Sentai Series Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. He and the Space Empire Zangyack battle the Gokaigers, but his ultimate goal is to obtain the Greatest Treasure in the Universe by obtaining the 34 Great Powers.^[1][2][3] Basco Ta Jolokia is portrayed by Kei Hosogai (細貝 圭, Hosogai Kei).

Fictional character biography

Basco Ta Jolokia is an overconfident privateer hired by the Zangyack Empire whose code of conduct is to discard something of lesser value to gain something more valuable, a means to an end to put it simply. Originally having a Z=3 million bounty on his head, Basco was one of the most dangerous pirates in the cosmos. Assuming a human guise, Basco joined the Red Pirates under Aka Red. As the Gokai Galleon's cook, Basco befriended Marvelous, whom he affectionately calls "Mabe-chan" (マベちゃん), as they gather the Ranger Keys before learning the truth behind Aka Red and his intentions for the Ranger Keys. Soon after, Basco betrays his comrades to the Zangyack in order to get the Ranger Keys and the Greatest Treasure for himself. Though he lost the Gokai Treanger Box to his former shipmate, Basco managed to get the Ranger Keys (レンジャーキー, Renjā Kī) of Super Sentai's sixth members (which include heroes such as Dragon Ranger, Abare Killer, the Go-on Wings, and Gosei Knight).

Arriving to the Earth on his ship the Free Joker (フリージョーカー, Furī Jōkā) after being contacted by Damarasu, Basco uses his Ranger Keys in a scheme to kidnap Captain Marvelous's crew, holding them at ransom to get the remaining Ranger Keys. But the plan backfires as Captain Marvelous and his crew are able to defeat and claim the sixth hero Ranger Keys. While hunting down Hyuuga in the Ginga Forest, Basco reveals that he also has the Ranger Keys of the Sentai teams' supporting warriors (including Signalman, Zuuban, Rio, and Princess Shinken Red). He fails to acquire the Great Power of the Gingaman and GoGoFive teams, later losing his remaining Ranger Keys to the Gokaigers in his attempt to get the Great Power of the Ohrangers.

In retaliation, Basco reveals his true form that soundly defeats the Gokaigers while revealing that he already has the Great Powers of the Changemen, Flashmen, and Maskmen. He lets the defeated Gokaigers live so that they can keep collecting the remaining Great Powers, as he intends to take the powers for his own when the time comes. This action, however, forces Basco to help Damarasu wipe out the Gokaigers so he would be spared from execution for his indirect role in Warz Gil's death. However, having obtained the Great Powers of Sun Vulcan and the Fivemen, Basco needs the Gokaigers alive to obtain the last remaining Great Powers and the ones they already have. To that end, Basco sets up the illusion that he killed Joe, Ahim, Luka, and Gai. But once his part in their survival is revealed, Basco literally stabs Damarasu in the back with the intent of cutting his ties with the Zangyack while leaving the weakened officer to die at the Gokaigers' hands. Because of this treason, the Zangyack Empire reinstates the bounty on Basco's head while raising it to Z=10 million. Soon after, Basco feeds the Gokaigers information they need to rescue Space Sheriff Gavan as part of an attempt to lure them away from the Gokai Galleon. However, when he attempts to approach the ship, he is intercepted by the Go-Busters. After a short battle, he sees that the opportunity is lost and withdraws. Before leaving, Basco hits Sally on top of her head for being distracted with food(which Yoko gave her bananas and a cantaloupe to eat) and not assisting him.

Shortly thereafter, after watching as the Gokaigers gain the Great Power of the Kakurangers, Basco finally makes his move to take the Great Powers from them as the Gokai Galleon crew intends to recover the five stolen powers. After losing his last Giant Lifeforms, he injures Sally on purpose so she could be taken in by the Gokaigers and steal the Ranger Keys. Even though Sally had a change of heart and joined Captain Marvelous' side, Basco reveals the bomb he planted on the monkey, killing his former sidekick while gravely injuring Captain Marvelous. After defeating the remaining Gokaigers, Basco takes their Ranger Keys and commandeers the Gokai Galleon. However, Basco still needs Navi as the robot parrot's perpetual energy will enable him to reach the treasure. After the other Gokaigers attempt to retake the ship, a wounded Captain Marvelous arrives to settle scores with Basco. Though he attempts to waver Captain Marvelous's conviction with the truth about Aka Red, Basco admits to being impressed that his former shipmate is still determined to the point of acknowledging him as they begin their final battle. The epic duel ends when Gokai Red pins them both down by stepping on Basco's foot and then stabbing their feet together, so the two can land death blows on each other at point-blank range. However, Captain Marvelous manages to survive due a fragment of the bomb which killed Sally blocking Basco's shot. Realizing that killing Sally had been his own undoing, Basco collapses with a last smug smile and dissolves into a red mist.

During the events of Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: The Movie, Enter created a data replica of Basco to aid him and the Zangyack.

Sally

Sally (サリー, Sarī) is Basco Ta Jolokia's pet space monkey, carrying a pair of cymbals much like a cymbal-banging monkey toy. In addition to serving as a bodyguard and servant to Basco, Sally is able to open up a hatch on her belly to produce Giant Battle Pseudo-Lifeform. The ability itself makes Sally of actual use to Basco, protecting the monkey from Gokai Red and Gokai Silver's finishing attacks during the visit to Moroboshi High School. After Basco betrays Damarasu during the failed execution of Captain Marvelous, the Zangyack Empire imposes a Z=50 bounty on Sally due to her association with the ex-privateer.

After Basco loses his last Giant Lifefoms, he arranges for Sally to steal the Gokai Treanger Box by shooting her to play on Captain Marvelous's sympathy. But as her injuries are treated on board the Gokai Galleon, Sally is touched by the pirates' kindness and starts to doubt Basco but brings what she believes to be the intended chest to him anyway. The Gokaigers follow Sally and convince her to leave Basco. However, once Sally is close to Captain Marvelous, Basco reveals that he had a necklace-type bomb planted on Sally as a fail-safe and triggers it. But Sally, in a final act of redemption, stores the explosive in her hatch to contain the blast as it destroys her instantly. This act not only minimizes the intended injury on Captain Marvelous, but indirectly saved Captain Marvelous' life in the latter's duel with Basco as Basco's final shot is blocked by a piece of Sally's necklace.^[4]

Sally is voiced by Toru Omura (大村 亨, Ōmura Tōru).

Giant Battle Pseudo-Lifeforms

Giant Battle Pseudo-Lifeforms (巨大戦闘擬似生命体, Kyodai Sentō Giji Seimeitai) are giants produced by Sally. Each Pseudo-Lifeforms model is based on the Seven Luminaries and is named after a different element. Voiced by Ibuki (勇吹輝) and Yoshimasa Tanno (丹野 宜政, Tanno Yoshimasa).^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]}

• Liquidroid Wateru (リキッドロイド ワテル, Rikiddoroido Wateru, 16): A blue colored liquid-based giant produced after Basco loses his remaining sixth hero Ranger Keys to the Gokaigers. It has a flexible body and stretching arms while using electricity-based attacks. Destroyed by Shinken Gokaioh.^[11]
• Moonroid Tsukki (ムーンロイド ツッキー, Mūnroido Tsukkī, 20): A gold colored moonrock-based giant produced after Basco's summoned warriors are defeated by the Gokaigers in his attempt to get the Gingamens' Great Power failed. It has a rock hard body and uses moon-based attacks. Destroyed by Shinken Gokaioh and Goujyujin.^[12]
• Fireroid Meran (ファイヤーロイド メラン, Faiyāroido Meran, 23): A red colored fire-based giant produced after Basco's summoned warriors are defeated by the Gokaigers in his attempt to get the GoGoFive's Great Power failed. It is able to absorb fire attacks to power up its attacks. After being weakened by Gokaioh, Meran is destroyed by Goujyujin.^[13]
• Soilroid Dororin (ソイルロイド ドロリン, Soiruroido Dororin, 39): A brown colored earth-based giant produced alongside Woodroid Moririn after Basco fails to acquire the Megarangers' Great Power. It is able to trap its opponents into a large pile of soil. Both Dororin and Moririn are destroyed by Kanzen Gokaioh.^[14]
• Woodroid Moririn (ウッドロイド モリリン, Uddoroido Moririn, 39): A green colored plant-based giant produced alongside Soilroid Dororin after Basco fails to acquire the Megarangers' Great Power. It is able to extend its Entangling Vine (唐魔蔦, Karamatsuta) arms and entangle its opponents with them. Both Moririn and Dororin are destroyed by Kanzen Gokaioh.^[15]
• Goldroid Geronpa (ゴールドロイド ゲロンパ, Gōrudoroido Geronpa, 47): A gold-based giant that can spread gold dust to temporarily paralyze foes, destroyed alongside Solar by Kanzen Gokaioh.^[16]
• Sunroid Solar (サンロイド ソーラー, Sanroido Sōrā, 47): A sun-based giant able to shoot giant sun-like fireballs. With the Goldroid, it can perform the Combination Tornado Dazzling Attack (合体竜巻眩惑アタック, Gattai Tatsumaki Genwaku Atakku). Destroyed alongside Geronpa by Kanzen Gokaioh.^[17]

Arsenal

Other than his CariBlade (カリブレード, Kariburēdo) cutlass and the CariBlaster (カリブラスター, Kariburasutā) gun, Basco uses a trumpet-like device called the Rapparatta (ラッパラッター, Rapparattā) that enables him to not only conjure Ranger Keys in his possession to fight and run errands for him at the risk of losing them, but mainly used to forcefully rob Great Powers still dormant within any past Sentai warrior. In addition, Basco carries a gold-colored Mobilate, which bears his personal symbol instead of that of the Gokaigers with the keyhole sealed shut.

Great Powers

Basco can forcefully remove Great Powers (大いなる力, ōinaru chikara) from a member of the past Super Sentai teams by using the Rapparatta. He has shown to have obtained five Great Powers (Changeman, Flashman, Maskman, Sun Vulcan, and Fiveman). Though the Great Powers he obtained are materialized into orbs with the teams' symbols on them, Basco infuses them into their respective Ranger Keys so he can fully use them before losing them to the Gokaigers.

Notes

References

External links

• Gokaiger antagonists at Super-Sentai.net