 This article is about a ranger in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger.
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"Gokai Blue!"
Joe Gibken (ジョー・ギブケン, Jō Gibuken) is Gokai Blue of the Gokaigers. He is Captain Marvelous' first officer.
Personality
A calm man, whose words are few. A compliment from this man is rare, a man with a serious personality who is hard on himself. Always training up his abilities with weapons, and never misses. Has known Marvelous the longest, and as such, he understands Marvelous the best out of the entire crew.
Biography
Zangyack
Joe serving Zangyack.
Joe was once a member of the Zangyack's Imperial Special Forces. While training under the Zangyack, Joe was often forced to endure rigorous and abusive training. It was during this time that he also trained under Sid Bamick, his sempai, or mentor. Sid taught Joe many of the sword-fighting skills he used to great effect as Gokai Blue.
When ordered to execute a group of captive children, he blatantly refused and attacked his superior officers, letting the children run away. Because of his insurrection, Joe was taken prisoner and outfitted with an electric collar that could keep track of his every move and would emit an electric shock that could kill him, should he try to remove it. He managed to escape though, with the help of Sid. Unfortunately, his sempai was left behind.
Once on the outside, he continued to fight through hordes of Gormin and Sugormin that came after him with a Z=1,000,000 bounty on his head, unable to settle anywhere in one place due to the tracking collar on him. It was then that Captain Marvelous first noticed Joe. Slowly becoming overwhelmed by his attackers, Joe wasn’t about to give up, though his end was just about imminent. Then Marvelous appeared, offering to help him fight the Gormin and Sugormin off. Realizing that Marvelous was a space pirate, Joe warned him that he would get no money for saving him… and that was when Marvelous told him that it wasn’t money he wanted. He wanted Joe.
They fought off the Zangyack forces together, proving to be quite the combination. Afterwards, Joe told Marvelous about the collar around his neck, and how removing it could kill both of them. Still, Marvelous took it upon himself to pry it off of Joe with his bare hands. As they fell to the ground, Marvelous mades his intentions known to Joe (that he was searching for the Greatest Treasure in the Universe), and he accepts, thankful for what Marvelous had done for him, and vowing to stay with him until he achieved his dream. Marvelous passed him a Mobirate and the Gokai Blue Ranger Key. 
TV STORY-Ep. 11: The Serious Rebellion TV STORY-Ep. 12: The Guaranteed Showy Samurai
Gokaiger
Three new comrades
Joe was the first member of Marvelous’ crew. Some time after, the crew received three more members. The first was the female thief, Luka Millfy/Gokai Yellow. TV STORY-Ep. 34: Dream Comes True They then came across Don Dogoier/Gokai Green, an insignificant but intelligent mechanic who Luka asked to fix their ship's computer, he was scared at first because of their reputation but returned and did his deed, saying that he needed to fulfill his promise. The others were impressed at how he fixed their computer, and also cleaned up the Galleon and served them dinner. Marvelous decided to recruit Don into their team, with Joe wishing Don good luck in an uncharacteristically friendly manner. TV STORY-Ep. 42: The Strongest Man in the Universe Don's dual-gun skills impressed Joe. TV STORY-Ep. 43: To the Legendary Hero Later, they met their fifth man, figuratively speaking. Ahim de Famille, princess of the destroyed planet Famille. Ahim wished to give hope to the other survivors of Famille and other destroyed worlds. She had trouble with becoming a pirate at first and interacting with the Gokaigers, while training with a sword under Joe's watch, she found it so heavy she fell to the ground, causing Joe to give his signature forehead-grip. TV STORY-Ep. 41: Something I Don't Want to Lose
Finding out that Earth was where the greatest treasure in the universe could be found, they set a course for the planet. Unfortunately for them, the Zangyack had their eye on the planet as well, planning on capturing it. At first the Gokaigers were uninterested in fighting off the Zangyack for the sake of the Earth—they were more concerned with finding the greatest treasure. This all changed when they saved a group of children. From then on, they became an official enemy of the Zangyack, with bounties placed on their heads (as of now, Joe has a bounty of 8,000,000 Zagins).
What are friends for?
After the team realized they could not take a short cut in mastering the Ranger Keys' powers, Marvelous sent Joe and Ahim to pick up some food. However, the two stop in response to the Action Commander Zodomas, whose swordsmanship attracts Joe's attention and fights him as the Gokaigers battle the Gormin. However, the Action Commander overpowers Gokai Blue and takes his leave as the other Gokaigers arrive. While the others eat, Joe proceeds to hone his fighting style to counter Zodomas's fighting style with Ahim forced to watch before Joe tells her. As Luka tells Ahim to accept his reasons out of friendship, Joe completes his training. The next day, Joe finds Ahim waiting for him and as she gives him her Gokai Saber to use in his upcoming duel with Zodomas. However, Zodomas uses Zugormin to as Gokai Pink arrives to his aid before the other Gokaigers arrive. After the others assume the forms of the Gekirangers and Dekarangers to take out the Zugormin, they give their Gokai Sabers so Gokai Blue he can use a five-blade fighting style to defeat with his Five-Blade Style Blue Slash. When Zodomas and the Zugormin are enlarged, the Gokaigers form Magi Gokaioh to ground Zodomas before destroying him. Soon after, Joe presents a "thank you" cake to the crew and is modest about it. TV STORY-What Are Friends For?
Revelation
While searching for a Samurai as per Navi's latest hint, the team came across Princess Kaoru Shiba, who had once held ShinkenRed’s power. Discovering that the ones who held the Shinkenger keys were pirates, she demanded that they give the keys to her. Of course, they refused. This resulted in Joe challenging her to a duel—if she wins, she gets the keys. If he wins, she shares the Shinkengers’ Greater Power.
Unfortunately, the duel is cut short, interrupted by an invasion by the Zangyack. Warz Gil, the Zangyack Emperor's son and commander, decides to come down to Earth to get the job done himself with the help of Barizorg and Deratsueigar. While the Gokaigers are engaged in combat with Delzeiger, Joe goes off on his own to confront the Emperor's son. Unfortunately for him, Barizorg is there to protect him, and as they fight it is revealed through a specific special attack that Barizorg uses that he is actually Joe's old sempai, Sid.
Clearly distraught by this, Joe was so shocked, he left himself open to an attack, Marvelous steps in and takes the brunt of the attack, saving him and also dealing Warz Gil a wound from his pistol. Barizorg escorted Warz Gil back to their ship, retreating—making it possible for Joe and Marvelous to retreat back to their ship as well.
Seeing his comrade in pain, and still curious over the fate of his old sempai, Joe decides to take matters into his own hands and goes out on his own to try to get through to Sid/Barizorg. Though determined to restore his sempai's memories, he is unsuccessful. Feeling as though he ended up in the same place he started, Joe suddenly realizes that he already has comrades that he left behind... and he can't let that happen.
As he makes his way back to them, he bumps into Kaoru again and she explains to him that she has seen the bond between the group, and that she has lost the duel. As promised, she gives them the Shinkengers' Greater Power. Joe rejoins his comrades and they defeat Deratsueigar. Afterwards, Joe makes an off-handed comment that he is "home," meaning Marvelous and the rest of the crew. TV STORY-Ep. 11: The Serious Rebellion TV STORY-Ep. 12: The Guaranteed Showy Samurai
Pirates vs. Angels
While the Gokaigers fight off a steady stream of Gormin, and Sugormin, their predecessors, the Goseigers, show up and steal their ranger keys back before the Gokaigers can use them to transform. At first, the two teams butt heads—the Goseigers upset over the Gokaigers having possession of their powers (more specifically, GoseiKnight’s power, after they get their own back), and the Gokaigers upset over the Goseigers' sneaky attempts to steal their powers back.
Their conflict was interupted by the return of the Black Cross King, who revived three enemies of the Super Sentai to fight the two teams in a seperate dimension each. Joe and Luka, with Aguri/Gosei Black and Moune/Gosei Yellow took on Gaiark Crime Minister Yogoshimacritein his Ugatz in a Feudal Japan movie set within a thirty minute timeline. Eventually, the two teams put their differences aside, find that they have more in common, and join forces (along with the spirits of the other past Sentai) to stop the Black Cross King.
The Black Cross King, having stolen the Ranger Key chest, made them into his puppet army. After discovering that when defeated they would be turned back into Ranger Keys, the Gokaigers and Goseigers engaged the past 33 Sentai. After single-handedly taking down the copies of the Gingamen, Joe teamed up with Hyde/Gosei Blue against a group of several Blue Rangers.
After defeating the Black Cross King, the Goseigers relinquish their keys back to the Gokaigers, as well as their Grand Power. The Gokaigers also received the Grand Powers of Gorangers, JAKQ, Denziman, Goggle V, Dynaman, Bioman, Turboranger, Dairanger, Boukenger, and Go-Onger. TV STORY-Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle
The Sixth Gokaiger
Shortly after their encounter with the Goseigers, the Gokaigers met Gai Ikari, who would be the sixth member of their team, GokaiSilver. With his knowledge of all the previous Sentai teams, being quite the fanboy, the Gokaigers are able to decipher Navi’s predictions more clearly, as to where to find the Greater Powers. TV STORY-Ep. 17: The Amazing Silver-Colored Man TV STORY-Ep. 18: The Big Abare with the Dinosaur Robot Drill
Deboning
Joe, along with Marvelous, Luka, and Ahim, were deboned by the Action Commander Worian. They were brought back to normal when Worian was destroyed after Don inspired Gai to combine the 15 Sixth Warrior keys to create Gold Mode. TV STORY-Ep. 19: Armor of the 15 Warriors
An act of mercy
When Navi told the Gokaigers they would have to offer help in order to find their next greater power, Joe joined with Don in looking for a good deed to do, resulting in them having to deal with a transvestite after they give back a ring that he dropped on the sidewalk. It was Luka and Ahim who discovered the latest former Sentai hero, which resulted in the Gokaigers gaining the greater power of GoGoFive. That is, after the foiled Basco's attempt to get it. TV STORY-Ep. 23: People's Lives are the Future of the Earth
Skateboarding lion
Joe’s past comes back to haunt him once again when one of Navi’s predictions prompts them to find “a skateboarding lion,” which Gai concludes is Yellow Lion of Liveman. As Joe and Ahim pair up to look for him, Joe saves an infant in a stroller that is rolling down a set of stairs—but he isn’t the only one there to stop the stroller. Joh Ohara, Yellow Lion, is there to help as well. Not long after meeting him, they encounter some Gormin and Zaien, the Zangyack scientist who turned Sid into Barizorg, they find out, intends to kidnap various talented fighters to turn them into mass-produced Barizorg. With this information, Joe asks Joh if there is a way to reverse the process, but finds out there isn’t.
After lamenting over this, Joe resolves that the only way to save Sid’s soul is to defeat Barizorg. He stands with his comrades to defeat Zaien, so that they could stop him from subjecting the people he kidnapped to Sid’s fate. TV STORY-Ep. 30: Just a Lone Friend's Soul
Showdown with Barizorg
It was when the Gokaigers finally do battle with Warz Gill himself, that Joe made his final stand against Barizorg. When GokaiOh is crippled in battle against Warz's new weapon, the Great Warz, Marvelous forcibly ejects his crew from the control center. Angered over this, Joe makes his way back to where the Galleon fell, and encounters Barizorg on the way, where they battle. TV STORY-Ep. 37: The Strongest Fighting Machine
Although getting knocked back by Barizorg a few times, Joe realizes that his relationship to Marvelous is different from that of Barizorg to Warz Gil. Where Barizorg blindly fights for his “boss,” who will not protect him, Marvelous will continue to fight for his comrades, even if they fall. Joe cannot die because he has a debt to fulfill to Marvelous—and he intends to keep his promise. Successfully blocking Barizorg’s signature attack, Joe, as GokaiBlue, performs the same attack and sends it back toward the cyborg, effectively destroying it. Upon its destruction, Sid’s spirit appears to Joe and tells him this is strength is not his alone - to use it to help his comrades. With that, Joe regroups with Luka, Ahim, Doc, and Gai to find Marvelous and finally defeat Warz Gil. TV STORY-Ep. 38: The Power to Seize Dreams
Please expand article to reflect the last episodes.
Super Hero Taisen
Joe questions why Marvelous is fighting the Kamen Riders.
Gokai Blue.
When Marvelous takes control of Dai-Zangyack and leads them in battle against Kamen Riders, Joe wonders why they have to fight the Riders and, with Don, joins with Daiki Kaito (Kamen Rider Diend), who is looking for Marvelous' treasure, and Hina Izumi
, a friend of Eiji Hino (Kamen Rider OOO), in finding out. They eventually meet the crew of the time-travelling DenLiner. TV STORY-Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
Go-Busters vs. Gokaiger
Joe and the rest of the Gokaigers went to the Zangyack's homeworld until they were overrun. They had two choices to either die or join the Zangyack. He chose to join the Zangyack once more. When he returned to Earth on a black Gokai Galleon, the Go Busters were sent to investigate and ended up fighting the Gokaigers. Gai appeared during the fight, but was then confused why they were fighting the Go Busters. Marvelous commanded Gai to give them Ranger Keys, so Gai gave them Goggle V and Timeranger, allowing Joe to change into Goggle Blue and Time Blue.
to be added TV STORY-Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: The Movie
Super Hero Taisen Z
Gokai Blue is set to appear in Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z with Gokai Silver, Kamen Riders Wizard and Beast, the Go-Busters and Kyoryugers. It has yet to be confirmed whether the rest of the Gokaigers will appear as well.
Video Game appearances
Gokaiger had two video games released during its run, Super Sentai Battle: Ranger Cross and Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: Gathered Transformation! 35 Sentai!. Gokai Blue appeared with his team in both of them.
Super Sentai Battle: Ranger Cross
Gokai Blue (Super Sentai Battle: Ranger Cross).
to be added
Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: Gathered Transformation! 35 Sentai!
Gokai Blue (Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: Gathered Transformation! 35 Sentai!).
to be added
Gokai Blue
Gokaiger costume
In battle he duel-wields the Gokai Sabres. Often he positions himself in-between enemies so he can battle both at once. He likes to fight with one arm behind his back occasionally.
Arsenal
- Mobilate
- Gokai Buckle
- Gokai Sabre
- Gokai Gun
- Ranger Keys
Mecha
- Main Article: Gokai Changes
Ranger Keys Gorenger-Dairanger
Ranger Keys Kakuranger-Gokaiger
As a Gokaiger, Gokai Blue has access to the powers of any past ranger. While there's the obvious preference for all 35 blue rangers, he has also been seen using other color rangers' suits and powers. He's also been known to take on powers of past female blue rangers, with the suit becoming a male version of its previous design.
DynaBlue
- DynaBlue (Episode 11, 199 Heroes Movie, 32)
- Great Explosion
- Super Dynamite
- New Super Dynamite
TenmaRanger
- TenmaRanger (Episode 5, 22, 33, 47, 51)
- Weapons
- Attacks
- Heavenly Gravity Star: Gravity Inversion Destruction
- Qi-Power Bomber
- Qi-Power Shoot
OhBlue
- OhBlue (Episode 22, 31)
- Weapons
- Attacks
- Lightning: Super-Power Tonfas
- Super-Power Dynamite Attack
GingaBlue
- GingaBlue (Episode 11, 13, 20, 47)
- Weapons
- Starbeast Sword
- Mechanical Blade Kiba
- Kiba Claw
- Attacks
- Pulse of the Stream
- Rapids Strike
- Flash of Ginga
- Weapons
TimeBlue
- TimeBlue (Episode 24, 39, 40, Go-Busters vs. Gokaiger)
- Weapons
- Attacks
- Press Re-Freezer
- Vector End: Beat Defender
HurricaneBlue
- HurricaneBlue (male version) (Episode 2, 24, 26, 47)
- Weapons
- Attacks
- Super Ninpou: Shadow Dance
MagiBlue
- MagiBlue (male version) (Episode 1, 3, 49)
- Transformation Devices
- Weapons
- Spells
- Attacks
- Blue Splash
Bouken Blue
- Bouken Blue (Episode 10, 21)
- Weapons
- Attacks
- Knuckle Cannon
- Hyper Concrete
GekiBlue
- GekiBlue (Episode 7, 32, 33, 42)
- Weapons
- GekiTonfa
- GekiTonfa Baton
- GekiTonfa
- Beast-Fist Techniques
- Weapons
Shinken Blue
- Shinken Blue (Episode 1, 12, 18, 45)
- Secret Disks
- Double Disk (given to him by Kaoru Shiba)
- Weapons
- Attacks
- Shinken Six Member Slash
- Secret Disks
Super Gosei Blue
- Super Gosei Blue (Episode 51)
- Weapons
- Attacks
- Super Sea Dynamic
Bouken Red
- Bouken Red (Stageshow, Goseiger vs. Shinkenger/40)
- Weapons
- Attacks
- Combination Crush
Gokai Blue Gold Mode as seen on a Dice-O card.
Gokai Blue Gold Mode
- As shown in cards, Gokai Blue, along with the other Gokaigers, can use Gai's Gold Anchor Key to become Gokai Blue Gold Mode. However, as it is Gai's key, Gokai Blue's Gold Mode is identical to Gokai Silver's Gold Mode, with the 15 Sixth Rangers rather than the past 34 Blue Rangers.
Summons
For attacks, Gokai Blue has been seen able to somehow summon manifestations of past rangers. He is the first ever seen doing so.
- Five-sword One-man Final Wave (Episode 4)
Ranger Key
The Gokai Blue Ranger Key.
The Gokai Blue Ranger Key (ゴーカイブルーレンジャーキー Gōkai Burū Renjā Kī) is Joe's personal Ranger Key which allows him to transform into Gokai Blue. Whereas the keys of the 34 Sentai were created out of the sacrifice of their powers in the Great Legend War, the origin of the Gokaiger Ranger Keys is unknown, though it can be assumed AkaRed had a role in their creation.
As with the other Gokaiger Ranger Keys, this key is commonly used in the Gokaigers' Ranger Key-compatible arsenal and mecha for different functions and attacks.
This Ranger Key was turned into a Ranger puppet once, by Basco. Along with the other Gokaigers bar an incapacitated Marvelous, Joe confronted and defeated the puppet Gokai Blue. TV STORY-Ep. 48: The Fated Showdown
Bounty
After escaping from Zangyack, his bounty was at Z=500,000 when they recruited Hakase TV STORY-Ep. 42: The Strongest Man in the Universe , which was then raised to Z=1,000,000 before they reached Earth TV STORY- Ep. 1: The Space Pirates Appear . It then doubled after the Gokaigers hinder Zangyack's efforts on Earth. TV STORY-Ep. 5: Judgement Pirates This is then raised even further to Z=4,000,000 TV STORY-Ep. 15: A Privateer Appears and yet further to Z=8,000,000. TV STORY-Ep. 39: Why? We're High School Students
Behind the scenes
Portrayal
Joe's two actors: Yuki Yamada and suit actor Yoshifumi Oshikawa.
Joe Gibken is portrayed by Yuki Yamada (山田 裕貴 Yamada Yuki). Prior to the series, he stated the series he wanted to become the most were the Kakuranger.
As Gokai Blue, his suit actor is Yoshifumi Oshikawa (押川 善文 Oshikawa Yoshifumi), whose previous role was Gosei Black in Tensou Sentai Goseiger and later served as suit actor for Red Buster in Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters.
Dub names
In the Korean dub of Gokaiger entitled Power Rangers Captain Force, which aired in South Korea, Joe as with the rest of the first five Gokaigers keeps his name (likely because they are not from Earth and thus don't have normal Japanese names), while his Ranger designation is Captain Blue.
Notes
- Joe's proficiency in swordplay could stem from his surname: "Ken" (剣) is the commonly used word for "sword" within the Super Sentai Series.
- Joe's attitude, past and use of dual swords is similar to Kevin Levin, from Ben 10: Ultimate Alien.
Counterpart notes
- Joe shares a few things in common with 5 of the other Gokaigers in terms of counterparts:
- He is one of three Gokaigers to have a counterpart from all 34 past Super Sentai teams, the other two being Marvelous and Luka.
- He is one of two Gokaigers to have all of their counterparts share the same color as them and be a part of their respective teams' primary groups, the other being Marvelous.
- He is one of two Gokaigers with no counterpart that was either an official or technical leader of their team, the other being Gai.
- He and Luka each have a counterpart played by Hiroshi Miyauchi. In Joe's case, his is Aorenger from Himitsu Sentai Gorenger.
- He and Don each have a counterpart played by Kenji Ohba. In Joe's case, his is DenziBlue from Denshi Sentai Denziman.
- He and Ahim share the same amount of opposite gender counterparts (4).
- He and Gai each have a counterpart played by Shiro Izumi. In Joe's case, his is ChangePegasus from Dengeki Sentai Changeman.
- Ironically, even though Joe is calm and serious, most of his counterparts (DenziBlue, GoggleBlue, DynaBlue, Blue3, ChangePegasus, Blue Flash, Blue Mask, Blue Turbo, Blue Swallow, TriceraRanger, TenmaRanger, NinjaBlue, OhBlue, Blue Racer, GingaBlue, GaoBlue, HurricaneBlue, Bouken Blue, and Go-On Blue) were much more lighthearted and/or childish.
- His serious counterparts include Aorenger, Dia Jack, Battle France, VulShark, Blue Dolphin, FiveBlue, MegaBlue, GoBlue, TimeBlue, AbareBlue, DekaBlue, MagiBlue, GekiBlue, Shinken Blue, and Gosei Blue.
- 4 of Joe's counterparts (Blue Dolphin, Blue Swallow, HurricaneBlue, and MagiBlue) were originally female.
- 2 Blue Rangers (Signalman and KuwagaRaiger) are not Joe's counterparts, as neither of these Blues are part of their respective teams' primary groups.
- He is the only male Gokaiger who does not have a Red Ranger counterpart.
- Even though Joe is the second-in-command of the Gokaigers, only 9 of his counterparts (Aorenger, Battle France, FiveBlue, Blue Racer, GoBlue, TimeBlue, DekaBlue, GekiBlue, and Shinken Blue) were the second-in-command of their teams.
Gokai Change notes
- Joe is the only male Gokaiger who has transformed into more than one female Ranger.
- Joe's most transformed form was Go-On Blue with six transformations; by comparison Blue Racer, from another vehicle series, was his least transformed with only one transformation. Of his Blue Ranger counterparts, aside from the aformentioned Blue Racer; Blue Flash is also one of his lesser transformations, also with only one Gokai Change to this form.
See Also
Noah Carver - His Power Rangers counterpart.
External links
- TV Asahi's page on Joe Gibken
- TV Asahi's page on Gokai Blue
- TV Asahi's page on Gokai Blue's Mobilate
- TV Asahi's page on Gokai Blue's Ranger Key
- TV Asahi's page on the Gokai Jet
- Joe Gibken at the Kamen Rider Wiki
- Joe Gibken at the Metal Heroes Wiki
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