History Series / ResshaSentaiTokkyuger

[[quoteright:335:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tokkyuger_1352.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:335:"All aboard!"]]

-->''The TV Tropes page for [=ToQger=] is now approaching. The TV Tropes page for [=ToQger=] is now approaching. Please stay behind the white line until the page has come to a complete stop.''

'''''Ressha Sentai [=ToQger=]''''' (pronounced "Tokkyuger" and roughly meaning "Fierce Traincar Squadron Express Line Ranger") is the [=38th=] program in the ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' franchise, scheduled to air from 2014 to 2015. It's notably the first ''Super Sentai'' series to be outright [[CoolTrain train-themed]].

The Rainbow Line is a [[CoolTrain magical railway network]] powered by [[ImaginationBasedSuperpower the boundless imagination]] that exists in our world. However, it is under threat by the evil forces of Shadow Line, who harvest darkness from the human heart to expand their ''own'' railway lines and aim to TakeOverTheWorld.

Standing against Shadow Line are the heroes of Rainbow Line: five childhood friends who are reunited after many years apart, but [[LaserGuidedAmnesia realise that they have no memories other than the time they spent together]]. Drawing on their imaginations to picture themselves as amazing superheroes, they transform into the [=ToQger=] and defend the world from evil.

(P.S. [[RuleOfFunny It's a comedy.]] ([[SubvertedTrope At least]] [[MoodWhiplash at]] [[TearJerker first]] [[NightmareFuel anyway.]]) Compare to ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'' and the more recent ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger''.)


!! The Tokkyugers are:
* Right/'''[=ToQ=] 1''': The energetic {{Leader}} with a powerful Imagination.
* Tokatti/'''[=ToQ=] 2''': A klutzy SmartGuy that is good at analyzing enemies. [[spoiler:Has a secret crush on Mio]].
* Mio/'''[=ToQ=] 3''': A [[TheBigGuy sports-minded]] young woman that acts as the team's 'big sister'.
* Hikari/'''[=ToQ=] 4''': TheLancer, equal in terms of fighting power to Right but with opposing views.
* Kagura/'''[=ToQ=] 5''': TheChick. The least skilled of the group, but with the most Imagination and potential.
* Akira Nijino/'''[=ToQ=] 6''': The SixthRanger, a former Shadow Kaijin that now serves the Rainbow Line as its atonement.

----
!! Recurring ''Super Sentai'' tropes:

* AllYourPowersCombined: Renketsu Bazooka, the team cannon composed of each individual members' [[WeaponOfChoice personal weapon]].
** The new Daikaiten Cannon loads up to 5 of the team's [[TransformationTrinket personal Ressha.]]
* BigBad: The Darkness Emperor, despite being absent, is this. Until #11 that is.
* ByThePowerOfGrayskull!: [=ToQ=] Change!
* CallingYourAttacks: Returns this season along with the team cannon. The interesting thing is that the shot works differently depending on whatever the team imagines. Called (Insert Unique Effect Name) Rainbow Rush.
* ColorCodedCharacters: Subverted. The team is able to swap the Ressha in their [[TransformationTrinket ToQ Changer]], resulting in a costume swap between members. For instance, Kagura is normally the Pink Ranger but can use Right's Ressha to become a Red Ranger instead. This may explain why they are identified by their number instead of color like they have been for decades now.
** #1 also helps explain ''why'' the trope is normally in place, as Tokatti comments that with all the changes he can't tell who's who anymore.
* ColorMotif: The [=ToQger=] costumes are deliberately colorful and simple to compliment their rainbow motif. In contrast, the outfits for this season's baddies are much darker and highly intricate. Basically, simple and colorful = good guys. Complex and dark = bad guys. Pretty standard fare for Sentai.
* EarlyBirdCameo: As per recent tradition, they appeared in the previous VS movie. They changed it, however, in that [[spoiler:they appear after the ending to take down Neo-Geildon, who had just transformed into Neo-Messiah.]]
* EyeCatch: Averted. As with the case of ''[[Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger Gokaiger]]'' and ''[[Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters Go-Busters]]'', the show's logo appearing in the corner of the screen indicates a commercial break coming up.
* FiveManBand
** TheLeader: Right
** TheSmartGuy: Tokatti
** [[TheBigGuy The Big Girl]]: Mio
** TheLancer: Hikari
** TheChick: Kagura
** SixthRanger: Akira
* HumongousMecha:
** CombiningMecha:
*** Red Ressha + Blue Ressha + Yellow Ressha + Green Ressha + Pink Ressha = [=ToQ-Oh=]
*** Diesel Ressha + Tank Ressha + Car Carrier Ressha = Diesel-Oh
*** [=ToQ-Oh=] + Diesel-Oh = Cho [=ToQ-Oh=]
*** [=ToQ-Oh=] + Diesel-Oh + [=Build-Daioh=] = [[JustForPun Cho Cho]] [=ToQ-Daioh=]
*** [=ToQ-Oh=] + Diesel-Oh + [=Build-Daioh=] + Hyper-Ressha-Teioh + all of the support mecha = [=ToQ-Rainbow=]. This one is especially notable in that it's easily three times the size of the average mecha.
*** In the summer movie, Lion Ressha + Eagle Ressha + Panda Ressha + Alligator Ressha + Cat Ressha = [=SafariGaoh=]
** MechaExpansionPack: Like previous ''Sentai'' mecha, there are an assortment of support Ressha that make alternate arms. Combinations with [X] Ressha are called [base mecha] [X] (or [X]-[Y] when it uses different ones on each arm).
*** Shield Ressha: Provides a [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shield]].
*** Car Carrier Ressha: [[ImprobableWeaponUser Shoots out]] [[AttackDrone vehicles as ammo]] - including other Ressha if [=ToQ-Oh=] is using a second one. As a separate car, it can launch the [=ToQgers=] to dangerous places via the cars, or act as a bridge.
*** Tank Ressha: This armored car is used as [[MegatonPunch boxing gloves]]. As a separate car, it can refuel the Rainbow Line with special supercharged fuel.
*** Fire Ressha: Includes a [[MakingASplash water cannon]] and a [[PlayingWithFire Flame]][[{{Irony}} thrower]].
*** Police Ressha: Grants a [[CoolGuns gun]] and a set of handcuffs.
*** Drill Ressha: ThisIsADrill
*** The team also has some Ressha that they use with their weapons, but not the mecha: Energy Ressha is ammo for the Renketsu Bazooka, Scope Ressha is an accuracy add-on for the [=ToQ=] Blaster, and Hyper Ressha summons SuperMode armor and is the primary ammo for the Dai Kaiten [[note]]''Big Rotative''[[/note]] Cannon.
*** And for the third year in a row, special powerups for the ''Superhero Taisen'' film - only this time, it's not from [[Series/KamenRiderGaim the current Rider]] but a ''past'' Rider that shares the [=ToQger's=] theme ''plus'' the previous ''Sentai'', forming "[=ToQ-Oh=] [[Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger Kyoryuzin]] featuring [[Series/KamenRiderDenO DenLiner]]".
** VerticalMechaFins: On [=ToQ-Oh=]
* InTheNameOfTheMoon: Simplified, compared to [[Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger last season]]. The team transforms and then the [[TransformationTrinket ToQ Changer]]'s voice announces every member:
-->'''Right''': [=ToQ=] 1! [=ToQ=] 1! [[note]]''Tokkyu Ichigou! Tokkyu Ichigou!''[[/note]]
-->'''Tokatti''': [=ToQ=] 2! [=ToQ=] 2! [[note]]''Tokkyu Nigou! Tokkyu Nigou!''[[/note]]
-->'''Mio''': [=ToQ=] 3! [=ToQ=] 3! [[note]]''Tokkyu Sangou! Tokkyu Sangou!''[[/note]]
-->'''Hikari''': [=ToQ=] 4! [=ToQ=] 4! [[note]]''Tokkyu Yongou! Tokkyu Yongou!''[[/note]]
-->'''Kagura''': [=ToQ=] 5! [=ToQ=] 5! [[note]]''Tokkyu Gogou! Tokkyu Gogou!''[[/note]]
-->'''Akira''': [=ToQ=] 6! [=ToQ=] 6! [[note]]''Tokkyu Rokugou! Tokkyu Rokugou!''[[/note]]
-->'''All''': The victorious imagination! [[note]]''Shouri no'' imagination![[/note]] Ressha Sentai! [=ToQger=]!
-->'''Right''': Now departing! [[note]]''Shuppatsu shinkou!''[[/note]]
* [[KidAppealCharacter Kid-Appeal Characters]]: [[spoiler:The core five [=ToQgers=] technically as [[YoungerThanTheyLook they were actually kids]]. Yes, they are a team of them.]]
* MakeMyMonsterGrow: This season the MonsterOfTheWeek grows itself naturally in a similar way to ''Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger''.
* MonsterOfTheWeek: The Shadow monsters [[note]]Shadow ''kaijin''[[/note]].
** Although so far the [=ToQgers=] have faced one at a time, in #3 Baron Nero says that right now, multiple cities are being corrupted by Shadow monsters simultaneously.
* {{Mooks}}: The Kuros [[note]]"kuro" is Japanese for "black", following the villains' ThemeNaming[[/note]], themed after [[TheWildWest train robbers]]. They can also pilot giant Darkliner[[note]]Kuliner[[/note]] Robos.
* SuperMode: Hyper Ressha, which lets any of the Rangers go into Hyper Mode. [[spoiler:Sometimes two at once.]] The Hyper Ressha is also used with the Dai Kaiten Cannon.
* SuperSentaiStance: The [=ToQgers=] do theirs lined up one in front of another (like train cars) rather than side-by-side, though in their first appearance in ''Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters'' they did have one where they stood side-by-side.
* TitleScream: Like Series/TokumeiSentaiGobusters, it's [[AvertedTrope averted]].
** Not averted by the Series/KamenRiderGaim crossover though, in which the entire name of the special was said aloud, including, of course, both individual show names.
* TransformationIsAFreeAction: Done in the most hilarious way yet: when the [=ToQgers=] start their TransformationSequence, their [[TransformationTrinket ToQ Changers]] announce: "Commencing transformation! Please wait behind the white line!" ...[[LiteralMetaphor and they actually summon a white line.]] Which the monsters keep themselves from crossing.
** Averted by the Transfer Changes, which are done in real-time.
** Played with in the ''Series/KamenRiderGaim'' crossover, where the team faces an Inves that's little more than a wild beast. It ignores the line and charges the [=ToQgers=], only to get smacked around by the Ressha during the transformation.
* TransformationTrinket: [=ToQ=] Changer
** Akira uses a Blackberry Smartphone called the Appli Changer.
* TwoGirlsToATeam: First time in three years as part of the main team (''Kyoryuger'' had Amy and Yayoi but the latter wasn't part of the main six).
* WeaponOfChoice
** SwissArmyWeapon: The [=ToQ=] Blasters. [[note]][[{{Handguns}} Blaster Mode]] and [[CoolSword Sword Mode]]. [=ToQ-Oh=]'s Fumikiri Ken is the same.[[/note]]
** GiveMeASword: Due to the core [=ToQgers=]' ability to swap colors, they are able to use each other's weapons. Their standard weapons are as followed:
*** Right: [[CoolSword Rail Slasher]]
*** Tokatti: [[CoolGuns Form Trigger]]
*** Mio: [[DropTheHammer Signal Hammer]]
*** Hikari: [[AnAxeToGrind Tunnel Axe]]
*** Kagura: [[WolverineClaws Tekkyo Claw]] [[note]]''Bridge Claw''[[/note]]
** Akira: [[CarryABigStick Yudo Breaker]] [[note]]''Guidance Breaker''[[/note]]

!!Tropes present in ''Ressha Sentai [=ToQger=]'':

* AdultFear: As early as episode 1, the bad guys can kidnap your children ''in the time it takes to turn your head.''
** Invoked again in episode 16, where a boy's older sister is busy with something, the younger brother vanished when she looked again.
* AdventureTowns: In this season, instead of the Shadow Line attacking one town. They attack multiple towns and the [=ToQgers=] are chasing after them and saving each town.
* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: The villain's plan seem to be this. By causing enough dark emotions in the inhabitants of a town, they take over the town's Railroad and the Station.
* AristocratsAreEvil: The Shadow Line's leaders.
* AttackOfTheKillerWhatever: The Shadow kaijin are all themed after random objects.
* BoringButPractical: Invoked and weaponised in #2 when Right tells Hikari he can use his imagination while still applying logic, leading to the MonsterOfTheWeek's defeat by low bridge.
* BreatherEpisode: #42, the last episode before the end of 2014, serves as this before the endgame arc in the new year. A ClipShow, there are no fight scenes in this episode beyond flashbacks.
* ChekhovsSkill: Right tanking the Stove Shadow's coals without any reaction comes up again in #18, allowing him to con Ring Shadow into thinking the RestrainingBolt he put on Right wasn't even working.
* ChildhoodFriends: All five from the main team.
* CouchGag: Each episode's opening has a different [=ToQger=] knocked over by an explosion in the background.
* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: The team's powers come from their imagination. As in, imagine having super strength and being able to punch the bad guys through a wall.
** Kagura also deserves special mention in this department. She'll often cower in fear upon being cornered by {{Mooks}}, but then she starts repeating to herself "I am strong... I am strong!" And then she'll start overpowering them like nobody's business.
* ClipShow: #42 serves as this. See Breather Episode.
* CompositeCharacter/ Expy: The Shadow Line is basically the [[SamuraiSentaiShinkenger Gedoushuu]] [[XMeetsY meets]] the [[SailorMoon Black Moon Clan]].
* {{Crossover}}: The team appears in ''Film/HeiseiRiderVsShowaRiderKamenRiderWarsFeaturingSuperSentai''.
** Setting up the plot of the movie, they crossed over with ''Series/KamenRiderGaim'' for a one-hour spring break special.
* CreditCardPlot: A minor version in epsiode 4, Wagon mentions that the rainbow passes can be used to purchase things, but [[PoorCommunicationKills doesn't mention they need to pay back the money]], [[RealityEnsues fortunately, they can return everything they buy]] and [[WorkOffTheDebt pay back the nonrefundable goods by cleaning.]]
* CuteButCacophonic: Kagura in spades.
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: Kagura can sometimes enter this with her pretending.
** This also applies to the Ressha as well. [=Cho-TokkyuOh=] was never in the original plans for the Ressha in design, so using the combo puts strain on the Ressha.
* DeadAllAlong: [[spoiler:[[FirstEpisodeSpoiler The [=ToQgers=] themselves]]...are a subversion. Ticket actually said "good as dead", but they took it as literally dead and they started trying to solve it. As of #2, it's highly likely they aren't dead.]]
** Turns out what Ticket meant was that their own mothers wouldn't recognise them [[spoiler:because the Rainbow Line President magically [[PlotRelevantAgeUp aged them up into adults.]]]]
* DealWithTheDevil: In #35, Akira negotiates with Schwarz for the return of the Drill Ressha (which is needed to complete [=ToQ-Rainbow=]) after he is unable to take it back by force. Acknowledging that he too has seen some shine, Schwarz agrees, but on one condition... [[spoiler:to turn his back on the Rainbow Line and join with Schwarz to assist in his assault against Zed when called for. Akira lives up to his end of the bargain in #39, but is ultimately freed to rejoin the Rainbow Line when Schwarz is killed by the newly-empowered Zed in #41.]]
* DeathByIrony: The Rainbow Rush finisher defeats each monster in a manner that fits their crime somehow.
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: The [=ToQ=] Changer has a tendency to repeat the same thing twice, as can be seen in the Role Call.
** That detail just follows the general theme of the series considering that, in Japan, the arrival of a train at a station is announced that way. Ticket itself does that when arriving to ''Kettougahara'' [[note]]Duel field[[/note]] station in #2
* DetachmentCombat: [=ToQ-Oh=] partially disassembles to its component trains in #2 just long enough to let a barrage of bullets slip right through.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Z's and Grita's arranged marriage shares some real-life parallels. [[spoiler: Namely: The only thing that Z cared about Grita was her " shine ", Noire plotted to kill Z so her daughter could become the leader of the Shadow Line and Grita herself desired to just end her troubles in any way she can such as attempted murder to switching bodies with Mio.]]
* EarlyBirdCameo: The Diesel-Oh trains are in fact in the opening from the beginning. When the main trains are going over a bridge, you might not notice the more realistically colored ones on a lower level...
* EasilyForgiven: [[spoiler: Zed is saved by Gritta after the final battle, and she consoles him about his failure to gain a 'shine' of his own by telling him that light needs the darkness to shine as it does. As sweet as the ending was, consider that Zed ''killed Gritta's mother'' and followed it up by ''killing the general Gritta was in love with'' for the crime of ''saving her from him.'' You'd really expect anyone in her position to leave Zed to his fate.]]
* EldritchLocation: Invoked in #26 with a naturally forming pool of darkness under a bathhouse premises. At least it wasn't an ''onsen'' or we'd never hear the end of it.
* EnemyMine: #29 has the [=ToQgers=] working with [[spoiler:General Schwarz. It doesn't last.]]
* EpicFail: Kagura as Red in #19, trying to execute the wrap-the-enemy-in-rails move. They end up dragging her around.
* EstablishingSeriesMoment: [[spoiler:The very ending, in which the stationmaster informs the [=ToQgers=] they're as good as dead, pretty much [[{{Pun}} derails]] any sort of tone the motif of the team ran by.]]
* {{Expy}}: The Renketsu Bazooka and Fumikiri Ken to [[Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger Super Highway Buster and KanKanBar]]. Similarly, the Yudo Breaker to [[KamenRiderFourze the Billy the Rod.]]
** The team cannon ''should'' look like the Go-Onger's, since three of the individual weapons that go into it (Red's sword, Green's ax, Blue's cannon) are pretty much the same in both series.
** Wagon to [[Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman Colon]].
* EyeMotifs: The Shadow Line logo seems to be inspired by an eye. The Shadow Monsters themeselves have [[EyesDoNotBelongThere Eyes That Do Not Belong There]].
* FoodPorn: Kagura getting help from a patissier in making Mio's birthday cake in Station 30.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: What's Green always carrying around and playing with? A ''kendama,'' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendama a child's toy where you try to bounce the ball into a cup on each side]]. Why would the serious "cool one" have such a thing? You'll see it in a new light after Station 32.
* FracturedFairyTale: When Spotlight Shadow brings storybook characters to life, they end up deviating from their original personalities as a result. Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood are more interested in current fashion than their original destinations, Momotaro is not very heroic and the Emperor with [[NakedPeopleAreFunny '' new clothes '' ]]is openly annoyed by humidity.
* FreakyFridayFlip: #21. Getting to be a staple of SuperSentai of course, but this time there's actual arc relevance as [[spoiler:Greeta swaps bodies with Mio to get out of her ArrangedMarriage.]]
* FreezeFrameBonus:
** In the opening we see a clip with [[spoiler:[[http://i.imgur.com/tUcRQfS.jpg Diesel Ressha]]]].
** In #1 while the Conductor is explaining both the Rainbow and Shadow Lines to the team, [[http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w238/TempestMirage/ToQGerEpisode1Subbedmp4_snapshot_1022_20140308_001205.png a snapshot of the Rainbow Line is shown with all the colors that make it up.]]
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Early in #7, one of the affected civilians is slumped into a tree, looking like... [[http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a323/aaronhong/ToQGer07-0610_zps6940cd79.jpg Well, just see for yourself.]]
* FunnyBruceLeeNoises: In episode 2, Kagura made those after imagining herself as Kung Fu Girl.
* GirlishPigtails: Kagura
* GratuitousEnglish: The 2nd patch on Tokatti's jacket reads "[[spoiler:This is an Exclusive Brand]]". Also: whenever Kagura's channels her imagination during a fight:
-->[SPECIAL POWER] ''GIIIIRL!!''
** Right has a lot of this on his clothes as well, in particular his "Junk Motive" jacket and "Florida" shirt.
* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: The episodes are called "Stations".
* ImaginationBasedSuperpower: Quite possibly the most literal example of this ever. Imagination actually seems to function as a form of energy in the series.
* {{Imprinting}}: #30. The [=ToQGers=] are supposedly 'cursed' with nests on their heads and chicks in the nests that will kill our heroes if not raised properly. The chicks not only mature into big, strong roosters, but ''jump to our heroes' defence'', and can be seen running alongside the Rainbow Line later!
* IncrediblyObviousBug: Schwarz plants one on the Red Ressha, a big red petal that not only has a flashing light but ''goes through a few mecha battles'' before they find it.
* InstantExpert: Justified. The rangers can use the mecha as their controls work as they imagine it to.
* ItAmusedMe: Why Right and then Hikari started doing Transfer Changes during #1.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The title sequence starts with an announcement that "Ressha Sentai [=ToQger=] will be departing at 7:30." - the show's start time.
** In #2, Ticket gripes that the Rangers are treating their Transfer Change ability like a toy gimmick.
** Akira always expecting to die alludes to the fact that he was a MonsterOfTheWeek, ''which is expected to die every week.''
* LighterAndSofter: Looks to be this to ''ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'' just as Kyoryuger was to ''TokumeiSentaiGoBusters'', but [[CerebusSyndrome is steadily being subverted]].
* ManChild: Justified [[spoiler: Since they are children in adult bodies.]]
* MeleeATrois: #31. General Schwarz makes his move on Zed, only to take on Mork and Noire at once, both defending Zed for their own reasons and ready to take potshots at each other [[Series/TheWalkingDead Tomas]]-style. Then it actually goes further when Right busts into the scene, sees Zed for himself, and immediately takes him on, leading to Mork and Noire battling Right as well despite Zed being fully able to take him on (and in fact curbstomp all four of them if need be) [[UpToEleven for a fantastic five-way!]]
* MoodWhiplash: #1 is generally a comedic episode, making us think its a lighter and softer season. Then at the end we learn [[spoiler:that all the rangers are "as good as dead," which is the reason they were chosen. It was revealed by the monkey puppet for Pete's sake]].
* MythologyGag:
** Shadow Line's members are [[Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger themed after a specific color and make humans suffer]] [[Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger to complete a path of transportation.]]
** The Rainbow Rush FinishingMove hits the MonsterOfTheWeek with whichever odd effect that counters it specifically, bringing to mind the [[Series/HimitsuSentaiGoranger Goranger Storm.]]
** In #8, [[RobotBuddy Wagon]] [[Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters goes on a strike]].
** In #9, Toru's business card says [[Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger SCRTC]].
** In #12, a computer screen has various readings for [[Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters Enetron]].
** Cho [=ToQ-Oh=]'s FinishingMove shoots projections of all the Ressha forming him at the enemy, a move that's been done by several past mecha like [[Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger DaikaiShinkenOh with IkaTenkuuBuster]] or [[Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger Engine-Oh G6, G9, and G12]].
** [[spoiler: Let's see: [[Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger Grita is a child of a female villain who piloted a mecha]], [[Series/DenjiSentaiMegaranger attempted to sacrifice herself for a male character she loves]], [[Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger and is revealed to be a vessel for the Big Bad to get his One Winged Angel form]].]]
** #24 has Right use the Rainbow Rush to take down the MonsterOfTheWeek with a long row of ''shogi'' tiles, looking very much like the FinishingMove from ''KamenRiderBlade'' or ''KamenRiderDecade.''
** #25 has Tokatti use the MonsterOfTheWeek's pulling of storybook characters out of their books against it, by summoning all of them for a [[KaizokuSentaiGokaiger ToQ-Legendream!]]
** #26 has Akira introducing the team to bath house traditions, like drinking bottled milk coffee, which is actually a lesson from VRV Master in ''GekisouSentaiCarranger''.
*** In the same episode, [[spoiler: Coin Shadow]] sure feels reminiscent of [[NinjaSentaiKakuranger Kanedama]].
** #34 Billar Shadow use the weapon identical to [[Series/HyakujuuSentaiGaoranger GaoSilver Gao Hustler Rod Break Mode]].
** #36 Pen Shadow head is look-like identical to head from [[Series/KamenRiderBlade Kamen Rider Blade Jack Form]]
** [[spoiler: The final battle is very similar to that of Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger; Both involve rapid switching between all available forms, accessing a previously unused SuperMode, before finishing off the BigBad with a point-blank team bazooka to the chest.]]
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: #26. The team carries out their own promotion for the bathhouse, but fail to raise enough money when Akira established his own discounts. Then the big fight begins, and takes a bad turn when Akira smacks Coin Shadow ''into the pool of darkness energy he was after the whole time.'' As per RuleOfThree though, Coin Shadow cleaned up the darkness energy for our heroes as a result.
** Despite not being heroes, Noire and Schwarz have one of these in #41 - their effort to [[spoiler:free Gritta from Zed, while ultimately successful, has the unintended side effect of unleashing Zed's full darkness potential, which [[DeathByIrony gets both of them killed]].]]
* NumerologicalMotif: This time, the Rangers have numbers as their call sign instead of their colors.
* OddlySmallOrganization: The Rainbow Line is of less thant twenty Ressha, the 6 Toqgers as well as a handful of allies. Compare that with Shadow Line with its large fleet of Kuliners, Mooks and a wide array of kaijin.
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: In Station 21, Madame Noire squares off against Baron Nero in order to [[spoiler: buy time for the [=ToQgers=] to recover Grita.]] We see the two of them facing off with appropriate dramatic tension... and then they don't show up for the rest of the episode. The incident isn't brought up in the following episodes, either.
* OneSteveLimit: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with Right's sister Mai, who shares her name with [[Series/KamenRiderGaim another character]] the team met early on.
* OnlyOneName: As part of their LaserGuidedAmnesia, the [=ToQgers=] can't even remember their family names! [[note]](So far.)[[/note]]
** Their names are as follows [[spoiler: Right Suzuki, Haru Tokashiki (Tokatti), Mio Natsume, Hikari Nonomura and Kagura Izumi. They're written in paperlights in a flashback scene.]]
* PerceptionFilter: Fittingly anyone without enough imagination has trouble seeing the Rainbow and Shadow Lines. Everyday people can see the monster though.
* PinkMeansFeminine: This is actually subverted. Although TheChick gets pink as her primary color, none of the guys seem to mind being pink. In fact, Hikari willingly switched with Kagura as her weapon was lighter (though he left her with his weapon, which is too heavy for her to lift). ''Right'' winds up in pink as often as anyone else.
* PowersAsPrograms: There's a power-swapping mechanic this year, allowing the [=ToQgers=] to switch their colors and personal weapons around while keeping their number.
* PublicBathhouseScene: #26 gives us one with all 6 of the [=ToQgers].
* PurpleIsTheNewBlack: Frequently used with the Shadow Line.
* RailroadIndex:
** CoolTrain: The Rainbow and Shadow lines.
** JustTrainWrong: Any inaccuracies are justifed by the fact that these are magic imagination trains.
** RailEnthusiast: The show was made with them in mind; it even features train trivia in its ending sequence. Within the show, the first character to show such an appreciation for trains is surprisingly [[spoiler:General Schwarz]].
** RailroadBaron: The members of the Shadow Line fit by virtue of trying to take over the Rainbow Line, but especially Baron Nero.
** SteamNeverDies: Red Ressha - the most prominent train of the series - is a steam engine.
** TraintopBattle: But of course! And with ''flying trains'' in #2!
* RainbowMotif: The trains are part of the "Rainbow Line" and run on rainbow tracks. The way [=ToQ-Oh=] is built, with the component trains making five vertical stripes, even makes it look like a walking rainbow.
* RedOniBlueOni: Right and Hikari.
* RobotBuddy: Wagon.
* RollerbladeGood: [=ToQ-Oh=], by virtue of its feet being train cars.
* [[RubberMan Rubber Mecha]]: [=ToQ-Oh=] can expand Yellow Ressha and Green Ressha with punch and kicks attacks.
* RunningGag: Kagura needs help getting in and out of the mechs.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Each role is shared by 2 male [=ToQgers=].
** Sensitive Guys: Right and Tokatti.
** Manly Men: Hikari and Akira.
* SeriousBusiness: Akira and bathhouses in #26.
* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler: Grita [[TakingTheBullet shielded General Schwarz]] from Cho Cho Toq Dai Oh just so he can have a chance to live. Too bad the Emperor of Darkness erupted from her body and seemingly offs Schwarz via DisneyVillainDeath]].
* ShoutOut: In episode 10, one of title used as attack by the MonsterOfTheWeek is [=Adieu ToQ Express=], same as title from one of the movies from Manga/GalaxyExpress999.
** Hammer Shadow's gimmick evokes that of a [[Series/KamenRiderWizard Phantom]].
** Though it's done in LighterAndSofter ways (well, except Duel Shadow), it's like both the Wizard villains ''and'' the Shinkenger villains, since the villains evoke negative emotions to harvest the dark energy.
** Right trying to change with the Build Ressha ''and'' mimicking Akira is a nod to the power copying and BorrowedCatchphrase trend in Heisei KamenRider.
** #30. Wig Shadow is attacked by [[TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime angry chickens.]]
** [[spoiler: Zed's OneWingedAngel form is called Z-Shin. He sure has some similarity to another white colored [[Series/KamenRiderGaim Z(angetsu)-Shin (Mitsuzane Kureshima]]) in a way that they are both an Evil Counterpart to the main character, [[PsychopathicManchild psychotic manchildren]], manipulative, obsessive [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and]] sure have some tastes in wardrobe.]]
* SlapstickKnowsNoGender: [[EpicFail Kagura getting dragged around by the Rail Saber.]]
** Mio shoving Gritta aside [[FreakyFridayFlip when they're in each other's bodies.]]
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The official romanization of the word for "express line" is "[=ToQ=]" instead of the more common "Tok'''kyu'''". But as is often the case, it's not consistent; the official show website, for instance, spells the name of the robot as "Tokyuoh".
* SpikesOfVillainy: Shadow Line's train tracks have spikes.
* SweetAndSourGrapes: [[spoiler:In the final episode, the [=ToQgers=] decide to remain adults and leave their homes and families behind so that they won't lose their memories of their adventures. However, it turns out that thanks to their own imaginations, the heroes' family members can recognize them in their adult forms, and they all turn back into kids anyway.]]
* ThemeNaming: The representatives of the Shadow Line (including the {{Mook}}s) have the word "black" in different languages as their names.
* TheNightThatNeverEnds: The Shadow Line's main goal
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Mio and Kagura.
* TransformationIsAFreeAction: Our heroes can summon platform lines and pass gates that invoke this.
* TriumphantReprise: Akira[=/ToQ-6=]'s harmonica tune has one, in the form of his own battle theme.
* {{Tulpa}}: The shenanigans of the Shadow Line end up bringing Mio (in # 15) and Tokkati's (in # 25) imaginary characters to life in the form of:
** [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Mikey/ Maiki]]: An adorable yet mischievous creature (but is good deep down) who resembles [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shumai shumai]] that used to be a character Mio used to play as a doll.[[spoiler: He '' dies '' while doing a HeroicSacrifice for Mio.]]
** Ryo Knight: A blue-colored, star-adorned swordsman who was Tokatti's idea for a cool hero. [[spoiler: He is actually based on Tokatti's older brother Ryo.]]
* UnexpectedCharacter: [[spoiler:Ok, who expected to see [[Series/KamenRiderDecade Narutaki]] in the Gaim [=ToQger=] crossover?]]
* WeakenedByTheLight: Both Grita and Z have displayed signs that their bodies can't stand daylight for some time.
* WhamEpisode: Station 11 has [[spoiler: the shadow line emperor making his grand appearance, everyone except for Right losing the ability to see the ressha, and Greeta deciding to stay in the human world.]]
** Station 22 has [[spoiler: Z and Gritta's wedding, which results in Gritta EATING him and gaining his power. Effectively becoming the new BigBad of the series.]]
** Followed in the very next episode by [[spoiler: Gritta dying when Z explodes of her, absorbing her powers in the process and becoming even more powerful, then causually slashing Schwarz, sending him off of a cliff, for good measure.]]
** Station 32 takes the cake with its revelations about the team. As much of a shocker as it was when we first heard the line, we've long known that the "as good as dead" bit doesn't mean anything quite as grim as "[[DeadAllAlong Go, go, Zombie Rangers]]." So why don't they remember anything between being kids playing at their 'secret base' and being [=ToQger=] years later? [[spoiler: ''It's not years later. They're still kids, taken from there to the trains and given adult bodies to better withstand combat.'']] And with ''that'' question answered, we get new questions: The lanterns that give us the team's last names also have wishes; all were pretty innocuous except for Mio's: [[spoiler: Her wish is for her dad to not get hurt.]] Oh, and you know how Zed always sings that Japanese version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?" [[spoiler: Well, so did the [=ToQger=]s when they were kids - and again, by that we mean "''a few seconds before the first scene of the premiere,'' as their town was in the process of being covered in darkness."]] Makes you wonder yet again just ''why'' Zed usually looks human. And if ''they're'' [[spoiler: connected as closely as they appear]], does that have anything to do with why both the Hyper Terminal's mecha form and Zed [[spoiler: have the same title, "Emperor?"]] That's a ''lot'' of wham packed into one episode of the lightest sentai in some time. YasukoKobayashi does it again!
*** Mio's wish can be seen in even stronger context [[spoiler: at the end of the series, where it's implied that not only is her father [[MissingMom raising her alone]], but that two of the other [=ToQgers=] (Right and Hikari) have [[DisappearedDad also lost their fathers]].]]
** Station 40: The big imposing homebase/terminal that Zed's throne is in and where all the main baddies live--[[spoiler: It's the team's long missing home town!]]
** Station 44: You know how there's no black [=ToQger?=] [[spoiler: [[TheCorruption There is now!]]]]
** Hoo boy, Station 45...[[spoiler: Right is tainted with darkness, and not only leaves the rest of the team but destroys their rail passes, turning them back into children and removing their memories as [=ToQgers=] while he goes off alone to fight Zed, who has finally [[ThenLetMeBeEvil given in to his destiny]] and started a full scale invasion of the surface world after apparently killing Grita (again).]]
* WhamLine: From the ''first episode'':
-->'''Ticket:''' ''(why the group can become the [=ToQger=])'' I was saying because you're all as [[spoiler: good as dead!]]
** In Episode 32:
--> [[spoiler: Twinkle, twinkle little star....]][[note]]Both Toqgers and Zed know the same song![[/note]]
* WhamShot: #43: [[spoiler: [[TheHero Right]] giving off intense darkness.]]
** Immediately followed by [[spoiler: Right transforming into Dark [=ToQ 1=] at the end of #44]], absent any indication what it means for the endgame.
* TheWorfEffect: #30. Kagura's [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique "Ultimate Girl"]], normally a GameBreaker, proves useless against Wig Shadow.
* XtremeKoolLetterz: Officially, the team's name is "[=ToQger=]", and the team emblem is even [="TQG"=]. Q is one of the cool letters now, don't you know.
* XMeetsY: ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'' meets ''Anime/TheBraveExpressMightGaine''.
** Or it could be ''[[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Smile PreCure!]]'' meets ''Series/KamenRiderDenO''.
* YourSizeMayVary: The Ressha tend to vary between regular sized trains to giant mech sized. You could probably just HandWave it as the team utilizing imagination power out of convenience.
** Similarly, Car Carrier's cars. Are they the size of cars, or are they several stories tall when used as ammo by [=ToQOh=]?
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--> ''The TV Tropes page for [=ToQger=] has arrived at the last stop. The TV Tropes page for [=ToQger=] has arrived at the last stop. Please remain in your seats until the train has come to a complete stop.''
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* EasilyForgiven: [[spoiler: Zed is saved by Gritta after the final battle, and consoles him about his failure to gain a 'shine' of his own by telling him that light needs the darkness to shine as it does. As sweet as the ending was, consider that Zed ''killed Gritta's mother'' and followed it up by ''killing the general Gritta was in love with'' for the crime of ''saving her from him.'' You'd really expect anyone in her position to leave Zed to his fate.]]

(P.S. [[RuleOfFunny It's a comedy.]] ([[SubvertedTrope At least]] [[MoodWhiplash at first]] [[NightmareFuel anyway.]]) Compare to ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'' and the more recent ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger''.)

** [[spoiler: The final battle is very similar to that of Series/KazokuSentaiGokaiger; Both involve rapid switching between all available forms, accessing a previously unused SuperMode, before finishing off the BigBad with a point-blank team bazooka to the chest.]]