I've always wondered how the PR franchise would've evolved if it followed the Super Sentai formula exactly and rebooted the cast and the series with each yearly iteration.
Hasbro's Power Rangers era and General Tokusatsu discussion
- Thread starter Samurai8472
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Huh? That's exactly what it has done ever since Lost Galaxy in 1999. The only exception since then has been adapting both Goseiger and Gokaiger under the Megaforce title and with the same cast and premise. Otherwise, the only variation in the Neo-Saban and Hasbro eras has been stretching each adaptation out for two seasons -- Shinkenger became Samurai and Super Samurai, Kyoryuger became Dino Charge/Super Dino Charge, Ninninger became Ninja Steel/Super Ninja Steel, and Go-Busters has been two seasons of Beast Morphers (fortunately they dropped the "Super" formula).
I ended up deciding to go ahead and watch the Beast Morphers Halloween episode (and might also watch the Christmas episode when I get to it chronologically), and it wasn't half-bad. The clip show format of the episode was fun and the clips that were used made sense within the context of the story, while the Zord battle felt sufficiently high-stakes for just long enough to get Nate and Steel involved and give them a chance to destroy a giant robot themselves, which hasn't actually happened that much since their debut as Rangers.
I mean, started the new cast with each new series with MMPR / Zyuranger -> ??PR / Dairanger.
Instead of retaining most of MMPR acting cast for the Dairanger Zords taking over, have a new cast each time a new series was supposed to start along with new suits & new zords.
Remember many of the OG MMPR lasted for quite a while before they were completely phased out by the PR Turbo era.
^ The franchise wouldn't have lasted, because American Children's Programming culture in the mid-90s was 100% dependant on consistency and simplicity.
Of course I remember that; I was there at the time. But it was only the first 6 years out of 27. For most of the franchise's existence, it's been done the Sentai way. The way you phrased your post made it sound like it had never been.
Anyway, if they had tried it that way from the start, it probably wouldn't have lasted as long. American audiences weren't used to that kind of format, and the original cast was a big part of MMPR's appeal. Starting over from scratch might've led to an early cancellation.
It's worth keeping in mind that the original Sentai series, Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, ran for a single continuous "season" of nearly two years' duration before rebooting with a new cast and title, as did the original Kamen Rider four years earlier. So even they spent extra time with the original premise and cast before starting their annual reinventions.
To bad we'll never know for sure if it would've survived the earlier annual reboot since that's "Alternate Timeline" like stuff.
The one thing I would've changed was to have them adopt the Dairanger costumes in season 2, and leave off that clumsy, poorly justified stock sequence of the DinoZords morphing into the ThunderZords. The Dairanger costumes were some of the best designs in the franchise.
I just finished watching Kamen Rider Ryuki. It was...alright, I guess. It had its good parts (Kamen Rider Ouja is the best evil Rider in the franchise and my favorite character in the show, and the suits all looked good), but its overall story ranged from ok to stupid, and the ending wasn't great. I also didn't like Shinji, the main Rider, very much, and most of the supporting cast was either bland or annoying, with Ren (Kamen Rider Knight) being the only character besides Asakura (KR Ouja) that I had any investment in.
Still, I don't regret watching the show. It had enough decent moments to get me through, even though a few stretches (like the Shinji in jail stuff) were pretty bad. I still have to watch the Ryuki film, which serves as an alternative ending from what I've heard, and the 13th Rider special, which was referred to as an alternate episode 1. I'm then going to rewatch the Kamen Rider Brave special (which is an Ex-Aid thing but has Ouja come back, and I really want to rewatch it after getting to like Ouja) and the Zi-O tribute episodes, before finishing things off with Rider Time: Ryuki, which I haven't seen.
Just because I want to, heres my ranking of the Kamen Rider series that I've watched all the way through so far, from best to worst:
OOO
Kamen Rider Drive
Kamen Rider Fourze
Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Kamen Rider Zi-O
Kamen Rider Decade
Kamen Rider Kiva
Kamen Rider W
Kamen Rier Gaim
Kamen Rider 555
Kamen Rider Ryuki
Everything above Gaim I think is atleast ok, and Gaim, 555, and Ryuki are almost equally mediocre, with only little things putting one above the other.
Now that Ryuki is done I'll probably be continuing a OOO rewatch that I started, and maybe continue Build, which I had put on hold.
Still, I don't regret watching the show. It had enough decent moments to get me through, even though a few stretches (like the Shinji in jail stuff) were pretty bad. I still have to watch the Ryuki film, which serves as an alternative ending from what I've heard, and the 13th Rider special, which was referred to as an alternate episode 1. I'm then going to rewatch the Kamen Rider Brave special (which is an Ex-Aid thing but has Ouja come back, and I really want to rewatch it after getting to like Ouja) and the Zi-O tribute episodes, before finishing things off with Rider Time: Ryuki, which I haven't seen.
Just because I want to, heres my ranking of the Kamen Rider series that I've watched all the way through so far, from best to worst:
OOO
Kamen Rider Drive
Kamen Rider Fourze
Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Kamen Rider Zi-O
Kamen Rider Decade
Kamen Rider Kiva
Kamen Rider W
Kamen Rier Gaim
Kamen Rider 555
Kamen Rider Ryuki
Everything above Gaim I think is atleast ok, and Gaim, 555, and Ryuki are almost equally mediocre, with only little things putting one above the other.
Now that Ryuki is done I'll probably be continuing a OOO rewatch that I started, and maybe continue Build, which I had put on hold.
Bryan Edward Hill Will Write eOne and Hasbro’s Power Rangers Reboot
https://deadline.com/2020/10/eone-hasbro-bryan-edward-hill-power-rangers-movie-1234604204/
https://deadline.com/2020/10/eone-hasbro-bryan-edward-hill-power-rangers-movie-1234604204/
So, based on this guys TV work, I expect the first episode (or movie or whatever) will definitely include the phrase "Fuck Zordon", right before one of the Rangers rips Bulk's eyes out with a butter knife...
Hasbro Fan first Friday reveals Power Ranger's Dino Fury's first official female green ranger and the new black ranger
It will be the first gender swap since Power Ranger's Wild Force
Just revealed on Hasbro Stream for toys.
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Tankjoh from Ryusoulger is named "Boomtower".
Doom Snake
Shock Horn
T-Rex Champion Zord
Others are: Stego Blade Zord, Tiger Claw Zord; Tricera and Ankylo not named
Hasbro Pulse | Fan First Friday: Power Rangers Livestream
New 6 in figures
Prototypes of Hasbro's version of the zords
Hasbro's version of the Ryusoul keys. No flip action and they're stickers LOL
It will be the first gender swap since Power Ranger's Wild Force
Just revealed on Hasbro Stream for toys.
-
Tankjoh from Ryusoulger is named "Boomtower".
Doom Snake
Shock Horn
T-Rex Champion Zord
Others are: Stego Blade Zord, Tiger Claw Zord; Tricera and Ankylo not named
Hasbro Pulse | Fan First Friday: Power Rangers Livestream
New 6 in figures
Prototypes of Hasbro's version of the zords
Hasbro's version of the Ryusoul keys. No flip action and they're stickers LOL
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Kamen Rider Saber episode 8
Hmm. This one was a mixed bag IMO.
I don't know why Ogami had to power down to confront Medusa Megid. That wasn't really needed except to create the illusion he'd meet an early death.
I had a feeling no one would die after last week's civilians could be turned back to normal after being turned into stone
I didn't like the whiplash of mourning Ogami and then Mai complaining to Touma about finishing his next novel. That was awkward
That cameo from Kamen Rider Gaim's Oren and Jounouchi came out of nowhere. Apparently they're getting a special feature
I did like how this was resolved with Touma actually writing a script for how he and his friends would deal with the situation. Very clever use of the fact that he is a storyteller.
Granted the whole "friendship is my true power" was a bit cliche, but its basically a staple in Toku so its fine.
King Arthur using Kamen Rider Saber as a weapon brought back memories of Kamen Rider Decade and how he would use Kamen Rider's as weapons
FINAL FORM RIDE!
Curious about that picture at the end. Did we see Sophia with the original saber?
Hmm. This one was a mixed bag IMO.
I don't know why Ogami had to power down to confront Medusa Megid. That wasn't really needed except to create the illusion he'd meet an early death.
I had a feeling no one would die after last week's civilians could be turned back to normal after being turned into stone
I didn't like the whiplash of mourning Ogami and then Mai complaining to Touma about finishing his next novel. That was awkward
That cameo from Kamen Rider Gaim's Oren and Jounouchi came out of nowhere. Apparently they're getting a special feature
I did like how this was resolved with Touma actually writing a script for how he and his friends would deal with the situation. Very clever use of the fact that he is a storyteller.
Granted the whole "friendship is my true power" was a bit cliche, but its basically a staple in Toku so its fine.
King Arthur using Kamen Rider Saber as a weapon brought back memories of Kamen Rider Decade and how he would use Kamen Rider's as weapons
FINAL FORM RIDE!
Curious about that picture at the end. Did we see Sophia with the original saber?
Kiramager episode 29
That was great but no evil Jyuryu?
Also scary doctor Evil Dr. Sayo was even creepier singing her character song
Oradin got carbonited?
LOL I love the way he split at the end
"I gotta go buy scratchers and milk. I'll be back"
I think Grateful Phoenix's finisher attack is a homage to "GoGoV"/Lightspeed resque
That was great but no evil Jyuryu?
Also scary doctor Evil Dr. Sayo was even creepier singing her character song
Oradin got carbonited?
LOL I love the way he split at the end
"I gotta go buy scratchers and milk. I'll be back"
I think Grateful Phoenix's finisher attack is a homage to "GoGoV"/Lightspeed resque
Well, when they called him "Kamen Rider Saber," I didn't realize they meant it so literally! I've seen many power-ups become Kamen Riders' weapons, but I've never seen a Kamen Rider become the power-up's weapon.
I'm really starting to wonder why they didn't just make this a Sentai series. It's got five color-coded heroes on the same team, working for a mentor figure out of a secret base, and it's got monsters that grow giant for the final battles. The only thing it's missing is a roll call sequence.
When he grabbed her, I thought the idea was that he'd get her in a wrestling hold and then turn to stone so she couldn't break free.
I think his real intention was to shock Touma into clarity, so he'd stop worrying about how to use the new power and refocus his efforts on defeating the enemy.
I think that in her own way, she was trying to distract him. She did succeed in cheering him up.
Hey, that's another Sentai-like trope. Although it also ties into the whole King Arthur/Knights of the Round Table theme.
Speaking of which, didn't they have any English speakers to tell them that "King of Arthur" doesn't make any sense?
This one didn't do much for me. Episodes like this are so much about exposition and action and introducing the new toys that the emotional impact is kind of glossed over. Oladdin being alive is something that should carry more weight, but it looks like that won't be delved into until later. We didn't even see Mabushiina reuniting with him.
She looked kinda hot with the goth eyeliner. And I liked her singing better there than in the end titles.
Sure looked that way. Weird to say he's been alive all this time, yet then kill his physical body five minutes later so he can turn into a giant mecha.
I didn't notice. Those sequences kind of blur together for me.
Is there some sort of copyright issue with the story of "King Arthur" in Japan's copyright system?
Kind of like the "Mickey Mouse" copyright extension issue we have here in the US?
Mickey Mouse was created in the 20th century. King Arthur is a figure of myth and literature stretching back over centuries. He's public domain.
No, it's just the usual weirdness you get when English is filtered through Japanese grammar with a limited understanding of English grammar. Maybe it's some kind of blend of "King Arthur" and "Arthur, King of the Britons." It probably just sounds better to the creators and they know most of their audience won't know the difference.
After all, other Wonder Ride Books include things like "Lamp Do Alangina" for Aladdin's lamp, "Jakkun-to-Domamenoki" for Jack and the Beanstalk, and "Hanselnuts to Gretel" for Hansel and Gretel. (Maybe they were thinking of hazelnuts? Why?) So accurate English is not a priority for them. It just stands out more in this case because the whole phrase is English.
Jetman episode 10, A Dangerous Game:
The way they played around with the team members personalities when they drank the juice was pretty fun, and gave us some nice insights into their personalities.
Grey is only the second robot I've ever seen who smokes, with Bender from Futurama being the other one.
This was the most we've seen of Commander Odagiri in a while.
The way they played around with the team members personalities when they drank the juice was pretty fun, and gave us some nice insights into their personalities.
Grey is only the second robot I've ever seen who smokes, with Bender from Futurama being the other one.
This was the most we've seen of Commander Odagiri in a while.