If you’re a fan of Power Rangers then the name Koichi Sakamoto should ring a bell for you. Acting as everything from stunt director to director and producer, Koichi Sakamoto’s run on Power Rangers was one of the longest running jobs spanning nearly 20 years. After leaving Power Rangers (though he did direct the final episode of Power Rangers Super Megaforce) he spent time working on both the Ultraman franchise as well as directing Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger which will be adapted next year as Power Rangers Dino Charge. Thanks to both the Tokusatsu Network as well as RangerCrew.com we can share with you the promotional images from the licensing expo as well as the pilot for this new series being developed by Gunblade Culture Industry SPC in South Korea. The press release, courtesy the Tokusatsu Network, is as follows:

Las Vegas, Nev. (June 12, 2014) – From the executive producer and director who brought adoring fans the hit popular series, “Power Rangers,” Koichi Sakamoto will bring to life the next generation of superheroes with a new action drama, “GUNBLADE.” The highly-anticipated show will be unveiled during the 2014 Licensing Expo at Mandalay Bay Convention Center on Tuesday, June 17.
During the three-day tradeshow, visitors of the Kocca booth will experience an exclusive eight-minute sneak preview of “GUNBLADE” and will also have the opportunity to interact with one of the superheroes.

Produced by Gunblade Culture Industry SPC, a South Korean-based production company and a subsidiary of A mate Inc., “GUNBLADE” is the tale of the extraordinary “Gunblade Team,” a six-member special missions unit, assembled to protect and defend humankind against the evil Dr. Dexter and his super computer, “Olympus.” Seeking assistance to carry out his diabolical plan to destroy the Earth, Dr. Dexter resurrects an ancient destructive clan, “Gothic,” who had been sealed away for evildoing. Now with the threat of humanity becoming extinct, the Gunblade Team must stop Dr. Dexter from destroying the Earth. Equipped with the “GB Drive,” a special smart phone type device, GUNBLADE members can use its applications to transmit high-tech weaponry, assist in a variety of attack skills, garner protection by an impenetrable shield and even transform into a special armored suit.

“GUNBLADE is an extension of popular superhero programs that have appealed to audiences of all ages for years,” explains Sakamoto. “As a child, we looked up to superheroes because we wished we could be one ourselves. With superhuman powers, they saved the world from evil and got to wear cool costumes. As an adult, I believe our inner child still possesses that same feeling of admiration, which is why I believe superheroes have exploded in popularity and is what I hope to achieve with GUNBLADE.”

The $20 million budgeted production is scheduled to begin filming this August and will be on-air in Korea as early as March 2015. “GUNBLADE” will be distributed throughout select Asian markets in June and September 2015 and is planned to air in Europe and the United States by January of 2016.

The pilot trailer is below.

Currently, Gunblade is slated to release in March of 2015 in South Korea, select Asian countries the rest of 2015, and a potential airing in the United States and Europe in 2016. What do you think? Are you excited for Gunblade? Discuss the trailer/pilot in our discussion thread!