For a normally lighthearted, kid-friendly long-running Toku franchise, Super Sentai has had several rather (mildly) dark entries. Among them include:
- J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai started out darker in comparison to Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, namely that numerous people, good or bad, get brutally murdered in various ways, the villains being a crime syndicate, the de-facto of said organization being an utter Bad Boss, and the heroes becoming cyborgs due to severely vicious accidents that happened to most of them (and with one of them, previously died). However, due to how much of an impact this had on ratings, it was retooled into something more lighthearted, toning down the kid-unfriendly elements a bit.
- Choudenshi Bioman: Compared to Dynaman. The overall tone is grittier, the Mechaclones' ability to imitate anybody is taken to horrific lengths, the focus on children is gone, Gear (especially Doctor Man) proves to be viler villains than Jashinka, and one of the heroes is killed in only the tenth episode.
- Dengeki Sentai Changeman was very notable for having the first set of alien invaders in the franchise, having the Big Bad being a massive Bad Boss who forces his forces to fight for him via the threat of their planets as well as other points such as soldiers getting maimed by combatants in the first episode and a human villain who feigns being the father to one of the heroes' allies as part of the villains' scheme and him being a Godhood Seeker.
- Hikari Sentai Maskman had a Star-Crossed Lovers environment that had some impact on the protagonists, ranging from The Hero and one of the members from Tube that fell for him who spends most of the series frozen to another with at least two love interests. Additionally, one of the main members temporarily turns evil for a couple of episodes and in the end, even though said hero and girl reunite, it doesn't last long as the girl become the new ruler of Tube and is forced to break things off with him.
- Choujuu Sentai Liveman starts off with Academia being attacked by Volt, with three students joining said group while murdering two of the titular team's friends, and the professor dying because of the constant attacks as early as episode 2. While the show can crack jokes from time to time, even then, happiness is fleeting and rare, compared to the tragedy that at least half the episodes end on. Around the final stretch is long dark story arc - no humor, lots of death and explosions; especially when it was revealed that the true goal of the Big Bad was to steal the brain of his smartest general and put it with the other brains that he harvested from other geniuses long ago to make himself youthful again.
- While not as dark as the season that succeeded it (see below), Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman is definitely much darker than its predecessor, Kousoku Sentai Turboranger. The villains are a league of aliens who've committed planet-wide mass murder hundreds of times, the very first episode has the Fivemen as children being forced to leave their parents behind in order to escape being killed, and while it has plenty of light-hearted moments throughout the season, the plot gets progressively darker towards the end.
- Choujin Sentai Jetman is also another Sentai with aspects of Star-Crossed Lovers as it starts off with The Hero losing his love interest because of the villains who ends up brainwashed as one of them, which puts her then-boyfriend into a major Heroic BSoD when he finds out. There is also the Jetmen's most recurring enemy being a rather cruel individual who only cares about himself and intentionally sets out to hurt and cause misery to others, most of the Vyram schemes being flat-out scary, and two episodes having the team being temporarily booted out with a replacement team due to the latter's cruel commander. Not to mention, in the end, The Lancer dies after a mugger accidentally stabs him, laying on a bench while wishing two of his teammates happiness with their marriage.
- Gosei Sentai Dairanger has a generally more grim tone than Zyuranger as it deals with points such as The Hero's father having betrayed his comrades in the past and joining the Gorma, The Lancer ending up in a Star-Crossed Lovers situation with his beloved who ends up Living on Borrowed Time and ultimately doesn't get saved, the series having a ridiculous death count among characters, and a giant destructive dragon who is a Wild Card to the fight between the heroes and the Gorma, opting to cause destruction if either side go to far, being above good and evil. Towards the end, the team's mentor was also revealed to be a Gorma, having rejoined them in an attempt to appease said dragon, later having also died due to a duel, and due to both sides' powers being both sides of the same coin, they are locked in a never-ending cycle of war to maintain balance.
- Chouriki Sentai Ohranger intended to be Darker and Edgier, about an invasion and robot terrorism, only becoming Lighter and Softer after several real life incidents happened that may or may not have been giving the show a bad rep. Regardless, not even a Retool could remove its dramatic and emotional elements.
- Denji Sentai Megaranger, at least when compared with Carranger, deals with factors such as the Megarangers befriending a benevolent baby Nezirejian who gets killed by his older brother, all of Guirail's plan involve despicable tactics such as human shields and mass poisonings, the de-facto Big Bad having been warped into villainy due to the death of his daughter and being blamed for his experiment, and towards the end, Nezirejia exposes the Megarangers' identities, which leads to their school and the entire town turning on them.
- Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive, being an emergency rescue series, deal with rather nightmarish disaster settings, with fire, car accidents, and rather claustrophobic ambience, gruesome depiction of the victims injuries to showcase the horrors rescue workers have to live with in their jobs, the monsters' design and what they do to people, having many mature themes and plots, and the Big Bad being the Evil Matriarch to most of the other villains who ultimately doesn't regard her offsprings at all, even sending them off to die at worst.
- Mirai Sentai Timeranger includes factors such as the monsters doing real-life criminal activities, two Rangers having a higher risk of dying (Ayase has an terminal illness, while Naoto dies from a Zenitt gunshot In the Back), the Big Good who is actually the mastermind behind the villains' actions, and a mentally defective Ax-Crazy Cyborg with Omnicidal Maniac fantasies and delusions of godhood. In the end, even after they managed to fix everything, Tatsuya ends up having to part ways with his teammates as they go back to the future, even hugging Yuri goodbye after they confessed their feelings for each other.
- While for the most part a show about wacky ninja shenanigans, Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger gradually gets more serious over the course of its run, to the point of being darker than its predecessor Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger. It even starts out with Jakanja descending on the Hayate Way Ninja Academy and killing the student body, leaving the three survivors who were doing remedial training to deal with them by becoming the titular team. Other factors include the rival team dynamic early on with the Gouraigers before their Heel–Face Turn, Ikkou being put in a near-death scenario thanks to Manmurumba, the arrival of Sandaaru, the subsequent death of Kagura at his hands towards the end, followed by the death of Shurikenger an episode later and an Eldritch Abomination seeking to destroy the entire universe.
- Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger is quite a bit more serious than its predecessor Abaranger. While Abaranger has dark elements, such as its Cosmic Horror Story and some of the characters' backstories, it never really let up its comedic bent. Dekaranger has its fair share of cartoonish moments, but is far more grounded and much more willing to deep its toes into some dark, if not outright horrific topics such as drugs, genocide, implied suicide, and much more. It also noticeably loses the comedic bent more often than Abaranger, making for some really tragic endings. Curiously both series were written by Naruhisa Arakawa, but the difference in tone could not be any more stark.
- Juken Sentai Gekiranger, in addition to the rivalry between the main trio and two of its lead villains, has its final arc reveal about Long instigating Rio's Start of Darkness and murdering Jan's mother and home village, The Reveal of Jan's father Dan having his soul stuck in Suugu and the tragic release of his soul, and ultimately Long being responsible for Rio and Mele's deaths.
- Samurai Sentai Shinkenger is far darker than the previous series, Engine Sentai Go-onger with shots of the previous Shinkenger team being killed and mauled, very brutal sword duels between Takeru and Juzo, a Big Bad who personally killed Takeru's father, Deconstruction of fealty and loyalty tropes, even class distinctions (Sixth Ranger Genta is initially looked down upon by Takeru and Kaoru's Jerkass attendant Tanba always insults him for being a "mere Sushi Seller" and not a true Samurai), and one of The Dragons trying to open the gates of Hell to cause a literal Hell on Earth for shits and giggles!
- Tokumei Sentai Go Busters went the same way as Ohranger, as it too dealt with robot terrorism and the Busters themselves can be weakened to the point where a city could be destroyed and the Enetron could be stolen - and also went Lighter and Softer midway through, shifting towards being more comedy-oriented specifically involving the BuddyRoids. In fact, it shifted up and down the scale a few times, so that you have Go-Onger scale wackiness at some points and things that would never happen in any of the above series in others. The end in particular cements the inability to Screw Destiny in two cases ( You figured no matter how many times we heard it couldn't be done, they'd find a way to save their parents and the other researchers, who were digitized within the Disc-One Final Boss. Also, a Ranger Living on Borrowed Time will usually be saved. When the final curtain closes, it's official: they really did have to kill their parents with Messiah, and saving Jin isn't possible.) Yes, we are still talking about the same series whose wacky robots made it seem the Spiritual Successor to Go-Onger.
- Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger is darker than most other Super Sentai series despite being an Affectionate Parody (albeit aimed at adults in Otaku O'Clock). The show has many contents and acts that are not suitable for children, but this trope really kicks in in Episodes 10 and 11 when Delu-Knight shows up as a really menacing and competent Monster of the Week with no silly gimmicks. Also, Z-Cune Aoi got done with in Bloodier and Gorier Episode 4 of Season 2.
- Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger, while more mild than other examples listed, has a few unfriendly moments such as the implied casualties from Ep. 3, Larry being violently assaulted by humans in Ep. 5 and a cat gets disintergrated/vaporized in Ep. 10. Not to mention the esoteric cruelities of Zyuland's rulers regarding human "intruders" and Yamato's emotional/social issues with his father around the last few episodes.
- Uchu Sentai Kyuranger, despite the general quirkiness of the cast (and the comedic episodes throughout), has easily the biggest Downer Beginning in all of Sentai - the entire universe was conquered by Jark Matter, with civilians shown being killed in the openingnote . Additionally, it features one of the earliest deaths of a Sentai ranger (Champ) in the entire franchise (Although he got better at the end, he was killed 16 episodes in, with only Mika dying earlier. The V-Cinema Episode of Stinger manages to go even further with this, realistically depicting the survivors of Jark Matter's tyranny, and that's before we get into The Corrupter turning the lone Monoceros native and the other Human Aliens against each other, noting that Stinger was out to redeem her and outright shoving her down the slippery slope in retaliation, leading to an outright Downer Ending.
- Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger deals with the three way battle between the two Sentais and the Ganglers. Other factors include the Lupinrangers losing their loved ones and accepting their task so they can wish them back, the Ganglers commiting actual crimes, Kairi being a jaded Sad Clown, and its numerous tragic and nightmarish moments.
- Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger is a downplayed example. Despite Kleon and Wiserue's silly antics, the series itself as a whole is quite dark when compared to the previous three Dino Sentai entries: The Downer Beginning is rather brutal (even by Sentai standards), the villains are Serious Business and have almost zero comedic traits whatsoever the moment they're introduced, and the Minosaurs are born from using humans as Living Batteries, which means the Ryusoulgers must kill the Minosaurs as quick as possible before they could kill their human hosts. Late into the season, it becomes a story of the Ryusoulgers having to do battle against their own creator, who made the villains of the season for the purpose of clearing out Earth for it to be remade. This is also the first Sentai, from all 40+ Sentai series, where the Red actually died before the final roll call, and did not get revived until the final boss truly died.
- Avataro Sentai Donbrothers is a bit darker than its predecessor despite the lively theme the poster is showing. Compared to Zenkaiger, Donbrothers has a more grounded perspective on both the heroes and villains. The Nōto are overall portrayed as serious threats: its generals are more than willing to dispose of anybody that doesn't adhere to their views ( And they are successful at killing four already), the Hitotsu-Ki can be born from anybody with an extreme desire, and the Anōni can disguise themselves as anybody within the world. As for our heroes, they all lost something of great value in order to fight as a result of knowing the secret behind the masquerade. Along with that, they have to juggle their civilian lives with their super-heroic exploits, which eventually bleeds into each other the more they fight. That being said, the series is noted for being one of the most bizarre Sentai series, with many of the events happening in the series simply because they can.
- Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, despite the fictional fantasy world setting, is generally considered as one of the darkest entries in the franchise in the same vein as Liveman, Jetman, and Timeranger, explicitly dealing with serious topics such as political corruption, discrimination, and mortality. Picaresque elements (such as the show's Rookie Red Ranger being an orphaned commoner-turned-wanted criminal), morally gray characters, actively competent villains, and excessive violence are far more prevalent here, and its humor is definitely not your typical Sentai humor. And that's just the first arc. The second arc is a whole other kettle of fish, as the appearance of the Galactinsects rams the story straight into Lovecraft Lite territory of all things.
