Tokyo – Japan
Takamiya Tatsuya is the typical fifteen-year-old who wants adventure and fun instead of a boring life composed of studies and responsibilities. Born to a Japanese mother and an American father, he has traveled to America many times, always enjoying the best of what both countries can offer. Mangas, comics, anime, cartoons, one of his half sides always telling him to enjoy the things that came from the other. But there is one thing both parts enjoy equally: Kamen Rider. Every time a new series is out, Tatsuya is there to watch from the first episode until the last.
Tatsuya has white shoulder-length hair, red eyes, and a pretty face. His body, despite being slim, is toned and were it not for his clothes, one could see the outlines of his developed muscles. He is dressed in a black shirt, with blue jeans, black-white-red sneakers, and a red leather jacket over his shirt.
Today was supposed to be a normal day for Tatsuya. He woke up, ate his breakfast, took a shower, and left his home to enjoy some time in the local arcade. Halfway there, Tatsuya found himself the victim of dreadful circumstances, a piano fell on him, followed by a toilet, a flower pot, a water sink, and an anvil. He could've survived, but he got run over by the ambulance when the paramedics arrived.
Limbo
The afterlife was different from what Tatsuya expected; there was no line to heaven and hell, no infinite void of darkness. Instead, it was an endless void of white with some weird-looking robot for company. The weird robot resembles the Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future, except it is in 3D and not featured in the Aqua Teen Hunger Force cartoon.
"Greetings, Takamiya Tatsuya". The robot says. "I welcome you to my humble realm, where you will spend eternity with me."
Tatsuya didn't like the sound of that, his senses screaming: 'stranger danger', agrees with him.
"Unless you want to face one of my challenges, of course". The robot says, raising his scissor hand and clicking it.
"I'll take the challenge". Tatsuya says without hesitation.
"Very well". The robot says. "Follow me".
The robot turns around and starts walking. Tatsuya is having second thoughts, but decides to see where this is going.
Being dead and stuck in an infinite void where time and space don't exist is a real problem when you can't feel anything around and your perception of time is completely null. Tatsuya doesn't know how long he has been walking, but it feels like seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years all at the same time.
When the robot stops, it takes a step to the right and turns back to face Tatsuya eye-to-eye.
"Behold". The robot says, raising its hand, gesturing to what is in front of them.
"A breakfast table?" Tatsuya says as he observes the round table full of milk, fruits, and cereals.
"Ops". The robot raises its other hand, and the table disappears, replaced by a desk with a Plasma TV ultra 8K. "Behold".
"It's not plugged". Tatsuya says while staring at the turned-off TV.
"Me dammit".
30 minutes later
After summoning an oil generator and reading the TV manual, the robot finally turns it on. On the screen, it shows the image of a city that looks like the dream of all emo, punk, and gothic teenagers in the world, Victorian aesthetic on the buildings, tall skyscrapers with gargoyles in every corner, red sky whenever dawn is upon it, blimps in the skies, and a dark atmosphere surrounding the air.
"Behold". The robot says. "Gotham City, crimes in every alley, corruption in every corner, injustice for all, peace for none".
"I don't remember a city called Gotham". Tatsuya says while watching.
"This is an alternative reality from yours, young Tatsuya." The robot says, making the Japanese boy stare at him.
"Are we talking about the multiverse?". Tatsuya asks.
"Indeed". The robot nods its head and turns its eyes to the TV. "In this universe, many cities and events that never happened in your world occurred, and many more will pass in this one".
"Amazing". Tatsuya says, eyes shining as a smile graces his lips just from imagining all the possibilities. "But what does this have to do with your challenge?"
"I'm glad you asked, you see…" The robot raises his hand, and for some reason, dramatic music starts to play, with smoke appearing out of nowhere. "Thousands of years ago, there was the manga of KA, a work of art that came from another universe, which changed the course of history itself. This book was something never seen before; it was black and white, and you had to read from right to left. The book had fallen in a land where men wear buckets on their heads, and carry sticks with shark blades, and once found by the natives, it changed the culture forever."
"…What?!" Tatsuya says. "What does this have to do with anything?"
"I'm not finished yet". The robot says in a rude tone, clicking its scissor at the Japanese teenager. "The book inspired many to follow its example, inside of it, it told the story of a person sent to another world, which you in turn, inspire the creation of the isekai genre, but what people didn't know is that the manga of Ka wasn't a story, but a guide so people could learn what destiny awaits them after death. Not heaven. Not hell. But a transportation, reincarnation, or transmigration to another universe, where their memories would either be erased or be kept, depending on the god who will send them there, which everyone meets after dying."
"I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone right now". Tatsuya says, undecided if what he heard was the most creative or the most stupid thing he has ever heard. "Are you saying that 'rest in peace' is a lie?! That people will switch from one universe to another every time they die?"
"Yes". The robot says, trying to sound great and inspiring.
"I think you are crazy". Tatsuya states, matter-of-factly. "Either that or I'm actually in a TV prank."
"You do not believe me?" The robot asks.
"Believe what? That you are a god, and the isekai genre was created by a book that fell on earth from another dimension?" Tatsuya says in annoyance, frowning at the fact that he is being forced to go through with the robot's nonsense. "You're making this up!"
"Wasn't a book, it was a guide". The robot says.
"So, all those isekais I've read were nothing but guides and not a good story to pass the time?" Tatsuya asks, annoyed that those manga were a waste of time.
"No dude, they were mangas." The robot says, making Tatsuya raise an eyebrow at him. "No, I mean, they were guides, no, they were manga. LISTEN HERE, YOU'RE TRYING TO CONFUSE ME ON PURPOSE."
"I thought you said the book fell here to guide people after they died". Tatsuya says.
"But then the people who found it used to create the isekai genre." The robot says, repeating his storytelling.
"Change the disk". Tatsuya says with a frown, annoyed that the robot is stalling him by starting the story over. "When did this happen?"
"Thousands of years ago". The robot says with a majestic tone, raising its hand while smoke appears once again.
"Not again?! You still haven't told me what the challenge is." Tatsuya says, his eyes twitching as he feels his sanity lose its grasp on him.
"I told you, it is the Morphing Grid". The robot says.
"You didn't say anything about a Morphing Grid". Tatsuya says, now feeling angry. "Whatever that is".
"I didn't?" The robot asks, confused somewhat.
"No!". Tatsuya shouts.
"… Thousands of years ago, there was a book called the manga of Ka". The robot says.
Tatsuya rolls his eyes and massages his temple. He knows this will take a long time.
Longtemps plus tard (a long time later)
"And that is why the dinosaurs went extinct. Because of hamburgers." The robot says, finishing his story with an air of wisdom but not emanating a drop of it.
Tatsuya can't say anything. He stares at the robot, blinking and hoping this is a nightmare that he will soon wake up from.
"Aren't you gonna say something?" The robot asks.
"*sigh* Okay…" Tatsuya says, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes to process the story he has been told. "Let me repeat it to see if I understand."
"Go ahead". The robot nods in agreement.
"There is this energy source called the Morphin Grid that exists in a high-dimensional space, which fuels a bunch of Sentai-wannabes called Power Rangers". Tatsuya says, trying to cool his anger down. "This energy can be accessed and harvested by a tech device called a morpher that transforms those who are chosen by the Morphin Grid to become Power Rangers."
"Yes". The robot nods, his tone sounds happier. "You get it quickly."
"*sigh* Thank You!". Tatsuya says before continuing. "Then, these Power Rangers use their power to fight for peace, justice, and freedom against evil and tyranny".
"Don't forget the cool weapons and giant zords". The robot says, raising the scissor hand.
"Yeah, yeah". Tatsuya says, waving his hand in dismissal. "And this Morphin Grid chose me to be a Power Ranger."
"Exactly, you've seemed to have understood it all". The robot says, nodding its head.
"And the challenge you have is that I must go to one of the infinite universes of the multiverse, and bring peace, justice, and freedom to them". Tatsuya says.
"Right on the money." The robot says. "So, do you accept my challenge?"
"Before I give you my answer, I need to ask". Tatsuya says and pauses to catch a breath. "Do you have any idea how impossible the task you're giving me is? Even if the Morphin Grid gave me all its infinite power, it is not possible for one person to do it alone."
"Don't you humans have a saying? All it takes to change the world is the will of a single man". The robot says with no emotion.
"Yes, but…" Tatsuya's words die in his mouth as images of many people from his world that changed the course of history go through his head. Good men, bad men, all of them put their mark in history and will never be forgotten, and all these men had no help from the Morphin Grid like the robot is giving him. "I… I don't think I can do it".
"Afraid?" The robot asks, surprisingly, with some concern.
"Yes". Tatsuya looks into the robot's eyes and lets it see what he is feeling right now. "Yesterday I was just some random bystander, walking by the streets of Japan, going forward with my life, then I suddenly get sent to some weird limbo with a strange robot telling me that I'm some sort of chosen one that has to save some world, and that if I don't, evil may triumph, and all the pain and suffering will be in my hands because I could've acted but chose not to… It's… It's too much. I'm not some chosen one! I'm not a hero… I'm just a face in the crowd who got picked by the band to sing on the stage with them. That's the only reason I'm here, pure, sheer luck, or lack of it, depending on who you ask."
"I would be so sure about that". The robot says with a confident voice.
Out of nowhere, a piece of paper appears in the robot's hand. It is a file with Tatsuya's name and picture on it, along with useful information about him, such as personality, behavior, and skills. The paper was either a psychological profile or a resume.
"Proficient with martial arts, sharp shooter, top-notch swordsmanship. Some would say you are a modern-day samurai." The robot says. "And given that your mother's family were samurai in the past, I'll say you're fit for the task."
"Actually, the Takamiyas were ninjas, not samurai". Tatsuya corrects the robot.
"… I see". The robot says, for some reason, looking at both directions while doing it, making Tatsuya raise an eyebrow at the action. "Either way, you are a ninja, not just a commoner. I bet you can count on one hand the number of people in the world who can say they are an actual ninja."
"Thanks". Tatsuya says, scratching the back of his head as his cheeks turn red, getting embarrassed from the compliment.
"You're welcome". The robot says with a nod. "Will you accept my challenge? Reminder that the other option is to be here with me for all eternity".
"Is this supposed to make my choice easier or harder?" Tatsuya half-closes one eye and wide-opens the other.
"I like to think of it as the best of two different worlds". The robot says in jest.
"*Sigh* Do you really believe I can live up to the expectations and responsibilities of a Power Ranger?" Tatsuya asks with genuine concern.
"It is not me who has to believe in you". The robot says with no emotion.
Tatsuya let the words sink in and didn't say anything. A few seconds pass, and he looks around. He is not thinking about what staying in that place would mean to him, but contemplating what challenges he may face ahead once he accepts the robot's proposal.
Once his mind is made up, Tatsuya looks back at his metal companion with determination in his eyes and takes a step closer to it.
"I accept!!!"
"The robot smiles(?) and nods his head. A bright light appears between the two, and from inside, two ninja stars emerge. The robot grabs the larger one and holds it in front of Tatsuya.
"This is your morpher; it will allow you to transform into the Ninja Steel Red Ranger." The robot says and gives it to Tatsuya, who looks at the device with gleaming eyes and an open mouth, amazed by it.
"So cool". Tatsuya says, trying his best not to drool all over his morpher.
"Indeed". The robot says as he grabs the minor ninja star. "This is the Ninja Power Star Red, it is the source of the power that will turn you into the Red Ranger."
"How do I use it?" Tatsuya asks as he grabs the star from the robot's hand.
"To transform into a Power Ranger, you must put your Power Star in the center of your morpher and spin it". The robot says,
"That sounds easy". Tatsuya says as he looks at both stars in his hands. "Anything else?"
"Yes, you must say; It's Morphin Time! Whenever you're going to transform, followed by Ninja Spin! Right before activating your Morpher.
"… Yeah, not doing that". Tatsuya says with a deadpan stare.
"Oh, you will". The robot says with a knowing tone and smile(?) "It's automatic, you'll see".
Before Tatsuya can retort, a portal opens beside them, making the teenager stare at it.
"It seems our time is up". The robot says, looking at the portal, then at Tatsuya. "I would wish you good luck, but you won't need it."
Tatsuya looks at his benefactor and nods. There were so many things he still had to think about, yet so little time that a part of him feared those thoughts would come back to haunt him for not getting closure. With no other option but to put them on hold, Tatsuya walks towards the portal, each step feeling heavier than the last one, but he knows he will not be able to follow through if he stops on his tracks. Taking a deep breath and focusing on what is in front of him, Tatsuya locks his eyes ahead and marches forward, disappearing into the portal to a new and different world.
A few moments later
The robot is alone again. It raises its hand and makes Tatsuya's file appear again. He erases the world samurai from it and adds ninja in its place, and where it is just his name, the last name Takamiya is added in Kanji to it. Then, another file appears next to Tatsuya, but with a different photo; it also has samurai written on it, but the robot doesn't erase it, instead its eyes go to the name and adds the last one in it. Takamoto, also written in Kanji to make it harder to be confused. Then, the files disappear in thin air, leaving the robot to stare at the empty space where Tatsuya was once standing.
"Okay, I may have caused the death of the wrong kid. On the bright side, he was also eligible to be a Power Ranger, which surely compensates for ruining his future and taking him away from his family and friends, now, as long as I don't screw things over even more, like choosing the others based only on the fact they are ninjas or samurai like I did with Tatsuya, or sending them to the wrong universe, everything will be just fine". The robot says "… Which universe was I supposed to send them again?"
The robot ignores those thoughts; he still has three more rangers to recruit, and the samurai is discarded since the ninja took their place because of the robot's mistake.
"Now, how do I kill them and make it look like an accident, as I did with Tatsuya?"
Which universe do you want Tatsuya to visit? Here are the options.
Highschool DxD
Sekirei
Akame ga Kill