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What is Power Rangers?
Power Rangers (PR) embodies the message that any superhero conveys. With Batman, its roots are dark and psychological. Superman is the standard for everything true and just. Spider-Man relates to kids about not fitting in with life and being able to rise above it.
With something like Rangers, it's not all that different. It's a superhero story told from a viewpoint differnt than most. Kids are attracted by the colored spandex, fight scenes and things that go ka-boom. Adults...are attracted by the same thing, but they realize that Rangers has over five hundred episodes of story and characters within a very layered universe provided by the show. In other words, there are so many contrasting elemets in the PR universe that at least one part of it can appeal to just about anyone.
For instance, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers started with dinosaurs and high school kids saving the world in their spare time from a space witch with migraine issues. The evil Green Ranger was the character that turned most weary fans into hardcore variety. And the phenomenon launched from there.
Toys stores have made some big profits ever since Rangers hit the market. Over the years, it still beats out top competition like Star Wars, Transformers and World Wrestling Entertainment. Today, the show is ready to launch its 14th season and airs in over 160 countries.
So where did this all come from? How did we go from "Turtle Power" to Power Rangers?
In one word, Tokosatsu. In Japan, there are five major branches to Tokosatsu (live action superhero): Ultrman, Kamen Rider, Metal Heroes, Godzilla and Sentai. All of those have been Americanized to some degree, but Sentai, which stands for "task force," is what Power Rangers actually came from.
Sentai is on its 30th season, which backdates its origins to 1975. After 1977, the Japanese producers got the idea of revamping the show every year to keep it fresh to the young audience. So every year since, the seasons have started with new characters, settings and a new name/theme. From animals to space to time travel and dinosaurs, just about all themes are being covered. And Mr. Haim Saban was waiting for the right theme to import to American audiences. 1992's Zyuranger, a dinosaur themed season, was the winning ticket.
By splicing the actions sequences and hiring American actors, Saban had created Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for 1993.
Saban was really the driving force behind the PR project. The majority of staff working on the show were convinced that it'd get cancelled before the first season was over. Even Richard Epcar, voice actor for several monsters, admitted to thinking it would crash and burn. It was Saban's dream that made this shakey idea into a 14-season world-renowned hit.
Below is a chart for every Power Rangers season, just in case you thought it was cancelled years ago.
For more information on Sentai, visit this page of the Writer's Guide to the PR Universe, created by the fandom's most psychologically challenged member, Joe Rovang. Then head over to Super Sentai.com and check out the Time Capsule for overviews on every Sentai season and how it relates to PR.
Back to the topic, why on Earth would a reasonable adult watch this?
There's no one answer for everyone. For some people, PR is their generation of superheroes. For others, including myself, PR's ideas helped boost my creativity in writing and drawing, and has become a stable consistency in my life since it's debut on August 28, 1993.
Like in any fandom, the PR fandom has it's share of nervous-wreck members who validate people's opinions that PR fans have serious issues. On the other hand, some of the older fans use PR as either an escape from frustrating times in their lives (like any show, movie or book), or something to fuel current interests like art or writing.
It's interesting to me that I want the PR fandom to mature as I have, yet I know that is asking too much. Sometimes I wish the show would turn ultra-serious, sometimes I long for the campiness of the original season. One of the great things about Power Rangers is the fact that there IS such an abundant variety of things that fans can take interest in. We have Rangers all numerous nationalities, we have seasons based on entirely different themes (space, time travel, ninjas, dinosaurs, etc) and characters of any kind you can imagine. The fantasy of it all is the driving force behind the success. That and good marketing.
What else should I know about Power Rangers?
In 2001, Saban Entertainment was purchased by our corporates masters, the Disney empire. With it came the end of Fox Kids in the US and the handover of hit shows like Power Rangers, Digimon, Spider-Man, X-Men and others to ABC Family channel (formerly Fox Family) and ABC Kids. And in 2002, MMPR Productions (the company responsible for producing PR since 1993) was shut down. In its place rose Village Roadshow KP Productions. PR was then outsourced from LA to Auckland, New Zealand and has been filming there since 2003's Power Rangers Ninja Storm. Though starting in 2005, the company Rangers Limited has been in charge of PR.
Because of that, the actors involved with seasons prior to Ninja Storm were unable to return to the show due to their contracts. USA has union actors, New Zealand has non-union. The two mix as good as opposite ends of a magnet. It's simply forbidden to act in both groups....UNLESS...the actor switches his contract, such was the case with Jason David Frank (JDF) who played Tommy Oliver the original Green Ranger. For 2004's PR season, Power Rangers DinoThunder, JDF was able to return to the show as the new Black Ranger- the first veteran Ranger to return for a whole season since 1996.
There's other important events to acknowledge. First and foremost, Thuy Trang, who played Trini Kwan the original Yellow Ranger, was killed in a tragic car crash in 2001. Ms. Trang was not wearing her seatbelt, which would have otherwise saved her life. The Power Rangers Time Force episode "Circuit Unsure" was dedicated to her memory.
Also, Bob Mahanan, the original voice of Zordon, died of causes unknown.
On a happier note, PR had it's 500th episode on February 28, 2004. Though it's no longer the smash hit that caused parents to riot in toy stores, the ratings have significantly gone up since Ninja Storm, when former writers/producers Doug Sloan and Ann Austen returned as executive producers after several years gone. The two stayed onboard for the Ninja Storm and DinoThunder seasons.
Another tragedy struck the PR/Sentai fandoms as recently we lost Machiko Soga, the talented Japanese actress who originally portrayed "Rita Repulsa" in 1993's "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers." She played numerous roles in Sentai, her final one being in 2005's "Magiranger." Disney retained the footage of her into 2006's "Power Rangers Mystic Force" as she was revived as a "good" version of Rita who was the source of the Mystic Rangers' powers revealed in the final two episodes of the season. She will be sorely missed by fans of all ages.
Generally, a PR season begins filming in October and ends production eight to nine months later in June. The first episode will air in that February. For example: DinoThunder started filming in October 2003, first aired in February 2004, finished filming June 2004 and the final episode aired November 2004. One PR episode takes about two months to fully produce.
Who are these Rangerfans?
They range from average Joes to anything imaginable. They are out there, and they are abundant. They are people with real emotions and life issues who share a common interest in a television show. And to prove the longetivity of the fandom, the first Power Rangers convention has been set for June 24th - June 27th 2007 in LA, and more information can be found on www.powermorphicon.org.
Hopefully, this Q&A has informed new fans just how big Power Rangers really is today, and has reminded us older fans what continues to make it a great place to be.
For the best PR messageboards, I suggest Rangerboard.com (beware the troublemakers here) and Power Rangers Network (beware the non-sensible members). Also, Rangertalk is here for both PR and Sentai.
-Windgrail
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