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Latest Super Sentai Show Replaces Maya Imamori With Kohaku Shida in Main Female Role

The official website for the live-action television series No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger announced on Saturday that Kohaku Shida is replacing main cast member Maya Imamori in the role of Sumino Ichikawa (Gozyu Unicorn). (No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger is the 50th anniversary entry in the Super Sentai franchise, which the Power Rangers franchise loosely adapted overseas.) Shida will start appearing in the series in episode 40, which will air on November 30.

Shida previously starred as the heroine Haruka Kitö (Oni Sister) in the 2022-23 Super Sentai entry Avatarō Sentai Donbrothers. She also performed in the television adaptation of Takeshi Natsuhara and Takashi Hamori's Legendary Boss, Sho (Densetsu no Head Sho) manga in 2024.

The show's website streamed on Saturday the preview for episode 38, which will air on Sunday. (The preview is region-restricted to Japan.) Like episode 37 as broadcasted, episode 38's preview does not feature Imamori.

The website announced one week earlier that Imamori was dismissed from her talent agency and the television series as well. Episode 37 aired on Sunday with Imamori's appearances completely edited out. Sumino Ichikawa had a single line of dialogue commenting about the episode's new villain, but the line was read by voice actor Ayaka Maekawa instead of Imamori. Furthermore, No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger's opening sequence has been edited to remove any footage of Imamori — replaced mainly with footage of the main characters in their suits with masks on.

Imamori, who will turn 20 in March, was released from No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger and her agency after she was reportedly discovered drinking alcoholic beverages while underaged. (The legal drinking age in Japan is 20 years old.) After the announcement, Imamori posted on Instagram on Saturday that her actions were unacceptable and deeply regrets them. She also apologized to her fans, co-stars, and those involved with her work, and said she will reflect on her life so as to not betray those around her.

Source: Toei via Hachima Kikō