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is a Japanese language
Japanese language

IPA: [n?iho?go] is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is related to the Ryukyuan languages....
 word for a military unit and may be literally translated as "squadron", "task force", "group
Group (air force unit)

Group is a term used by different air forces for an element of military organization. The size of a group varies considerably between different countries....
" or "wing
Wing (air force unit)

Wing is a term used by different air forces for a unit of command. The terms wing and group are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another, and this may cause confusion....
". The terms "regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
" and "flotilla
Flotilla

A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a Tactical formation of small warships that may be part of a larger Naval fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same ship class of warship, such as destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats or Minesweeper ....
", while sometimes used as translations of Sentai, are also used to refer to larger formations.

s perhaps best known as a term used during World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 by the military of the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan

The Empire of Japan was a Japanese political entity that existed during the period from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until its defeat in World War II in 1945....
, for Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF) and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, the organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War....
 (IJNAS) military aviation
Military aviation

Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front....
 units equivalent to a group or wing in other air forces.






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is a Japanese language
Japanese language

IPA: [n?iho?go] is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is related to the Ryukyuan languages....
 word for a military unit and may be literally translated as "squadron", "task force", "group
Group (air force unit)

Group is a term used by different air forces for an element of military organization. The size of a group varies considerably between different countries....
" or "wing
Wing (air force unit)

Wing is a term used by different air forces for a unit of command. The terms wing and group are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another, and this may cause confusion....
". The terms "regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
" and "flotilla
Flotilla

A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a Tactical formation of small warships that may be part of a larger Naval fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same ship class of warship, such as destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats or Minesweeper ....
", while sometimes used as translations of Sentai, are also used to refer to larger formations.

World War II

It is perhaps best known as a term used during World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 by the military of the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan

The Empire of Japan was a Japanese political entity that existed during the period from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until its defeat in World War II in 1945....
, for Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF) and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, the organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War....
 (IJNAS) military aviation
Military aviation

Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front....
 units equivalent to a group or wing in other air forces. However, the term had slightly different meanings in the IJAAF and the IJNAS.

An IJAAF Sentai was made up of two to four squadron
Squadron

A squadron is a small military unit or formation of cavalry, Armoured forces, aircraft , or warships....
s (chutai). In the IJAAF, two or more Sentai comprised a hikodan (air brigade
Brigade

A brigade is a military unit that is typically composed of two to five regiments or battalions, depending on the era and nationality of a given army....
). In the later stages of World War II, the IJAAF abolished chutai and divided its sentai into hikotai (flying units) and seibutai (maintenance units). A sentai commander (sentaicho) was generally a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel

Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the army and most Marine and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel....
.

In the IJNAS, a sentai was a larger unit: a kokutai was the equivalent of an IJAAF sentai. Several sentai made up a kantai (air fleet). In the IJNAS, a Sentaicho was usually a Naval Captain
Captain (naval)

Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navy to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The Naval officer ranks#NATO Rank Codes is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
.

Super Sentai

The is a franchise of Japanese tokusatsu
Tokusatsu

is a Japanese language word that literally means "special effects." It is primarily used to refer to live-action Japanese film and Japanese television drama that generally feature superheroes and make considerable use of special effects....
 television dramas
Japanese television drama

, also called dorama , are a staple of Television in Japan and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including romance, comedies, detective stories, horror, and many others....
 that uses the word sentai to describe a group of between 3 and 7 costumed superhero
Superhero

A superhero is a Character "of unprecedented physical prowess dedicated to act of derring-do in the public interest". Since the debut of the prototype superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes?ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas?have dominated American comic books and crossed over into other mass...
es who often pilot mecha
Mecha

Mecha, also known as meka or mechs, are walking vehicles controlled by a pilot, often appearing in science fiction or other genres involving a fantastic or futuristic element....
.

See also

  • Senshi
    Senshi

    "Senshi" is Japanese language for "soldier" or "warrior". It may also refer to:* Brandon Silvestry, a professional wrestler better known by his ring names Low Ki and Senshi...