Power Rangers is an American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action superhero television series. Produced first by Saban Entertainment, later by BVS Entertainment, and today by SCG Power Rangers, the television series takes much of its footage from the Japanese tokusatsu Super Sentai, produced by Toei Company. The first Power Rangers entry, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, debuted on August 28, 1993, and helped launch the Fox Kids programming block of the 1990s, during which it catapulted into popular culture along with a line of action figures and other toys by Bandai. As of 2001, the media franchise has generated over $6 billion in retail sales worldwide.
Despite initial criticism that its action violence targeted child audiences, the franchise has continued, and as of 2017 the show consists of 24 television seasons of 20 different themed series and three theatrical films released in 1995, 1997 and 2017. In 2010, Haim Saban, creator of the series, regained ownership of the franchise after seven years under The Walt Disney Company.
Video Power Rangers
Premise
Since Power Rangers derives most of its footage from the Super Sentai series, it features many hallmarks that distinguish it from other superhero series. Each series revolves around a team of youths recruited and trained by a mentor to morph into the eponymous Power Rangers, able to utilize special powers and pilot immense assault machines, called Zords, to overcome the periodic antagonists. In the original series Mighty Morphin, the wizard Zordon recruits "teenagers with attitude" against Rita Repulsa.
When "morphed," the rangers become powerful superheroes wearing color-coded skin-tight spandex suits and helmets with opaque visors; identical except in individual rangers' color and helmet design. Morphed Rangers generally possess enhanced strength, durability, agility and combat prowess. Some possess superhuman or psychic abilities such as super-speed, element manipulation, extra-sensory perception or invisibility. In addition, each individual ranger has a unique weapon, as well as common weaponry used for ground fighting. When enemies grow to incredible size (as nearly all do), Rangers utilize individual Zords that combine into a larger Megazord.
Rangers teams operate in teams of five or three, with more Rangers joining the team later. Each team of Rangers, with a few exceptions, obeys a general set of conventions, outlined at the beginning of Mighty Morphin and implied by mentors throughout many of the other series: Power Rangers may not use their Ranger powers for personal gain or for escalating a fight (unless the enemy does so), nor may the Power Rangers disclose their identities to the general public. The penalty for disobeying these rules, in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, is the loss of their power.
As in Super Sentai, the color palette of each Power Rangers team changes every series. Only Red and Blue appear in every Ranger team, while a Yellow Ranger has been present in every season except Power Rangers Dino Charge. Other colors and designations also appear throughout the series. A Rangers' color designation also influences their wardrobe throughout the series: civilian clothing often matches Ranger color.
Maps Power Rangers
History
Adapting the Super Sentai series
Production of Power Rangers episodes involves extensive localization of and revision of original Super Sentai source material in order to incorporate American culture and conform to American television standards. Rather than making an English dub or translation of the Japanese footage, Power Rangers programs consist of scenes featuring English-speaking actors (either from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom) spliced with scenes featuring either Japanese actors dubbed into English or the action scenes from the Super Sentai Series featuring the Rangers fighting monsters or the giant robot (Zord and Megazord) battles with English dubbing. In some series, original fight scenes are filmed to incorporate characters or items unique to the Power Rangers production. Like many of Saban Entertainment previous ventures in localizing Japanese television for a Western audience, the plot, character names, and other names usually differ greatly from the source footage, though a few seasons have stayed close to the story of the original Super Sentai season.
Along with adapting the villains from the Super Sentai counterparts, most Power Rangers series also feature villains with no Sentai counterpart. Generally, the primary antagonist of a Power Rangers series (for example, Lord Zedd, Divatox, etc.) are not adapted from the Sentai. Exceptions to this includes Mighty Morphin, Zeo, Lightspeed Rescue and a few others which only use villains adapted from the Japanese shows.
The series that began the franchise, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (an American adaptation of the 1992 Japanese Super Sentai Series, Ky?ry? Sentai Zyuranger), began broadcasting as part of the Fox Kids block of programing that aired on the FOX network. It lasted for three seasons (from 1993 to 1996).
Broadcast history
Saban Entertainment distributed the Power Rangers series from 1993 until the end of 2001, and Fox broadcast it until the fall of 2002. The Walt Disney Company purchased the franchise as part of a buyout that took place in 2001. This resulted in Fox Family Worldwide becoming ABC Family Worldwide Inc. This buyout also saw Saban Entertainment becoming BVS Entertainment in 2002, from News Corporation, Fox's parent company, and Haim Saban. The show continued to air on Fox until the company replaced its Fox Kids package with "FoxBox" in the United States. Since September 2002, all Power Rangers shows had aired on various Disney-owned networks (ABC Kids, Toon Disney and Jetix channels worldwide). When Wild Force ended, Disney moved production of the franchise from Los Angeles to New Zealand. This resulted in the closure of MMPR Productions and the dismissal of many members of the production. From Ninja Storm to date, Power Rangers is produced in New Zealand. ABC Family, another Disney-owned network, also used to air Power Rangers until it did away with its Jetix timeslot after August 31, 2006. On February 12, 2009, Toon Disney ended in the wake of Disney XD, ending cable airings of Power Rangers in certain areas of the United States. Several ABC affiliate broadcasting groups declined to air most of the Power Rangers series since 2006 due to the lack of FCC-compliant educational and informational content in the programs.
The Saban era seasons, starting with In Space, have gone under the "Saban's Power Rangers" moniker, up until Time Force. Since the re-acquisition of Power Rangers by Saban in 2010, this practice has continued once again starting with Samurai.
Starting in 2005, up until 2007, during its run on Jetix, Power Rangers reruns were aired under the moniker Power Rangers Generations, showcasing select episodes from Mighty Morphin through Dino Thunder.
An article in The New Zealand Herald published on March 7, 2009, identified Power Rangers RPM as the last season of the Power Rangers run. Production manager Sally Campbell stated in an interview, "...at this stage we will not be shooting another season." A September 1, 2009, revision to Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia by Disney's head archivist Dave Smith states that "production of new episodes [of Power Rangers] ceased in 2009". Production of Power Rangers ceased and the last series by BVS Entertainment, RPM, ended on December 26, 2009.
On October 1, 2009, Bandai released a press release that Disney would re-broadcast Mighty Morphin Power Rangers starting in January 2010 on ABC Kids in lieu of a new series utilizing footage from the 2009 Super Sentai television series. A new toy line accompanied the series and appeared in stores in the later part of 2009. ABC's over-the air telecasts ended on August 28, 2010, and turned the hour back to affiliates.
On May 12, 2010, Haim Saban bought back the Power Rangers franchise from Disney for $43 million and announced plans to produce a new season of the television series. The eighteenth season, Samurai, began airing on Nickelodeon on February 7, 2011, with the previous episodes beginning rebroadcast on Nicktoons later that year. It was also announced that Saban plans to make a new Power Rangers movie.
On July 2, 2012, it was announced that Saban Brands would launch a Saturday morning cartoon block on The CW, called Vortexx, on August 25, 2012, that would air Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. To commemorate the series' 20th anniversary, Nickelodeon began airing Power Rangers Megaforce on February 2, 2013, featuring all of the past rangers from the series' 20-year history. On October 1, 2013, Saban Brands announced that it had extended agreements with Nickelodeon and Bandai America Incorporated through 2016 for its globally recognized Power Rangers franchise. In January 2016, Saban and Nickelodeon extended their broadcast partnership through 2018.
The 90s Are All That aired Mighty Morphin Power Rangers as part of Mighty Morphin Weekend in 2013.
Television series
The first series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers through In Space followed a story arc called "The Zordon Era" with a gradually changing cast and characters over six years. Beginning with Lost Galaxy, although it had ties with the previous story arc, each Power Rangers series had its own self-contained storylines, independent of previous series. Crossover episodes between different series featuring rangers, villains, and other characters from past seasons also began with Lost Galaxy, with a few exceptions.
The Saban Era
The Saban Era is seasons 1-10 that includes Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993-1996) to Power Rangers Wild Force (2002). These series aired on Fox during the Fox Kids programming block. The Zordon Era is Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to Power Rangers in Space.
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993-1996)
- Season 1: When the evil witch Rita Repulsa and her minions Goldar, Squatt, Baboo, and Finster, are freed from their imprisonment on the Moon, the wizard Zordon, with the help of his assistant Alpha 5, enlists five teenagers--Jason Lee Scott, Trini Kwan, Billy Cranston, Kimberly Hart, and Zack Taylor--to become the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to battle Rita's invasion of the Earth, using their Power Coins and Dinozords to combat her monsters. Rita soon creates her own evil Power Ranger by brainwashing a recent transfer student Tommy Oliver, but the Power Rangers are able to free him from her control and he joins their side. This season uses footage from Ky?ryu Sentai Zyuranger.
- Season 2: Rita's superior Lord Zedd returns to the Earth to take over for Rita's incompetence, imprisoning her once more. His new monsters prove too powerful for the Dinozords, leading Zordon to empower them into the Thunderzords. Jason, Trini, and Zack leave to join a youth conference in Switzerland, and are replaced by Rocky DeSantos, Aisha Campbell, and Adam Park, respectively, and Rita returns and marries Lord Zedd. This season uses footage from Gosei Sentai Dairanger.
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995): When the evil wizard Ivan Ooze is freed by construction work, he takes revenge against Zordon for imprisoning him. As his powers are too strong for the Power Rangers, Alpha 5 uses the last of the Command Center's power to send them to the planet Phaedos to learn the ways of the Ninjetti from the warrior Dulcea to stop Ooze before he can conquer the universe. The movie, which does not fall into the canon of the TV series, drew inspiration from Ninja Sentai Kakuranger.
- Season 3: Rita's brother Rito Revolto comes to Earth and destroys the Power Rangers' Power Coins and Thunderzords. The Power Rangers seek out Ninjor, creator of the Power Coins, for new Power Coins giving them new ninja powers and the Ninjazords, and later the Shogunzords. Rita also enchants a new Australian exchange student Kat Hillard into slowly draining Kimberly of her Ranger powers, until the spell is broken; when Kimberly ultimately leaves to train for the Olympics, she entrusts Kat to be her replacement amongst the Power Rangers. This season uses footage from Ninja Sentai Kakuranger.
- Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers (1996): When Rita's father Master Vile comes to Earth, he turns back time, turning the Power Rangers, and many of their friends, into children. Zordon calls upon his proteges the Alien Rangers of Aquitar to protect the Earth from Master Vile's monsters and to help work on a machine that would return the child rangers to their proper ages. Unfortunately, Only Billy returns to normal as the machine which required the power coins as a power source is stolen by Rito & Goldar allowing Rita & Zedd to destroy the coins. The child rangers then travel throughout time to gather the fragments of the Zeo Crystal to bring time back to normal. During her journey in Africa, Aisha meets Tanya Sloan and realizes that she can do more help to stop the sickness plaguing the wildlife and sends Tanya back with her Zeo Crystal. This series also uses footage from Ninja Sentai Kakuranger.
- Power Rangers Zeo (1996): With the Zeo Crystal restored, time brought back to normal, and Master Vile defeated, the Rangers are caught off guard when Goldar and Rito destroy their headquarters. Although Zordon reveals he is fine, he warns the Rangers that the Machine Empire is planning on conquering the Earth, and the Rangers must use the power of the Zeo Crystal to become the Zeo Rangers to battle them. Billy, who used his scientific prowess to return to his original age during Alien Rangers, decides to work on the Zeo Zords and other machinery, and his presence in the destruction of the previous Command Center leaves him unable to receive the powers of the Gold Ranger, Trey of Triforia, but Jason returns instead. Billy soon begins to age rapidly, a side effect from the regenerator, he used to return to his normal age, and leaves Earth to be healed on Aquitar. This season uses footage from Ch?riki Sentai Ohranger.
- Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997): The intergalactic pirate Divatox kidnaps the wizard Lerigot to open a dimensional barrier so she can wed the demon Maligore. To stop her, Zordon gives the Rangers their new Turbo Ranger powers to stop her. Rocky, however, has been hurt, and in his stead Zordon sends Justin Stewart, a young boy who inadvertently discovers the Rangers' identities. This film drew inspiration from Gekisou Sentai Carranger and serves as a bridge to the subsequent TV season.
- Power Rangers Turbo (1997): After Divatox's plans are foiled, she sets her sights on conquering the Earth, with the Turbo Rangers and eventually the intergalactic police officer the Blue Senturion combatting her monsters. Tommy, Adam, Tanya, and Kat soon retire from being Power Rangers, choosing T.J. Johnson, Carlos Vallerte, Ashley Hammond, and Cassie Chan as their replacements, who are also assisted by the Phantom Ranger. Zordon also leaves, putting Dimitria in his place. This season uses footage from Gekisou Sentai Carranger.
- Power Rangers in Space (1998): After Divatox succeeds in destroying the Command Center, she is called off planet to participate in Dark Specter's evil alliance in conquering the universe. T.J., Carlos, Ashley, and Cassie travel into outer space to try to stop him, and meet up with Andros, who they join to become the Space Rangers to stop Dark Specter and his protege Astronema. They eventually awaken Andros' friend Zhane, the Silver Ranger, and free Andros' sister Karone (Astronema) from Dark Specter's control and ultimately use Zordon, captured by Dark Specter, to defeat Dark Specter's armies and free the universe from his control. This season uses footage from Denji Sentai Megaranger.
- Power Rangers Lost Galaxy (1999): The governments of the Earth decide to send out an experimental space colony Terra Venture, on which Leo Corbett stows away to join his brother Mike on the journey to find new planets. When it encounters a wormhole on the Moon, Leo, Mike, Kai Chen, and Kendrix Morgan go through it and encounter Maya and her planet Mirinoi which is under attack from Scorpius and his minions, led by Trakeena. After Leo, Mike, and Kendrix are stranded, Kai commandeers the Astro Megaship along with its mechanic Damon Henderson to save them. Mike, Kai, Damon, Maya, and Kendrix are chosen by the Quasar Sabers to fight Scorpius, but Mike seemingly falls to his death, leaving Leo to act as the leader of the Galaxy Rangers in his stead back on Terra Venture. Mike later returns after it is revealed the Magna Defender has been using his body as a vessel to fight Scorpius' monsters along with the Galaxy Rangers. Mid-season, Deviot revives the Psycho Rangers and the space rangers come to help. Kendrix ultimately dies while saving the Pink Space Ranger, Cassie and is replaced by Karone. They later must fight Captain Mutiny and his space pirates after they are transported to the Lost Galaxy. This season uses footage from Seijuu Sentai Gingaman.
- Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue (2000): Carter Grayson, Chad Lee, Joel Rawlings, Kelsey Winslow, and Dana Mitchell are hired by Operation Lightspeed to protect Mariner Bay from a group of evil demons led by Queen Bansheera from taking over the world by fighting as the Lightspeed Rangers. They are later joined by Dana's long lost brother Ryan. This season uses footage from Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive.
- Power Rangers Time Force (2001): When the mutant Ransik and his daughter Nadira escape custody of the Time Force police in the year 3000 by stealing the very prison, they travel back in time to 2001, but not before seemingly killing the Red Time Force Ranger Alex. His subordinates Jen Scotts, Lucas Kendall, Katie Walker, and Trip travel back in time to 2001 and seek out Alex's ancestor Wes Collins, as his DNA unlocks the Time Force Morphers, allowing all of them to become the Time Force Power Rangers to recapture the mutants Ransik uses to thwart them and stop the Bio-Lab who ended up creating him. They are ultimately joined by Eric Myers, who uses the Quantum Morpher and Q-Rex to fight. This season uses footage from Mirai Sentai Timeranger.
- Power Rangers Wild Force (2002): Jungle man Cole Evans, Air Force pilot Taylor Earhardt, would-be pro-bowler Max Cooper, florist Danny Delgado, and martial artist Alyssa Enrilé are chosen by Princess Shayla of the floating island Animaria to be the Wild Force Power Rangers to fight the evil Orgs. They are later joined by Merrick Baliton, one of the original Wild Force Power Rangers who used a forbidden power to defeat the Master Org 3,000 years in the past, after he is freed from the power in the present. This season uses footage from Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger. Wild Force featured an anniversary commemoration episode in "Forever Red", featuring the return of nearly every Red Ranger.
- Wild Force marked a shift from Saban Entertainment to BVS Entertainment in production and distribution and was the last season to be filmed in the United States.
The Disney Era
The Disney Era is seasons 11-17 that includes Power Rangers Ninja Storm (2003) to Power Rangers RPM (2009). These series aired on various Disney television networks.
- Power Rangers Ninja Storm (2003): Shane Clarke, Tori Hanson, and Dustin Brooks are bumbling students of Kanoi Watanabe's Wind Ninja Academy, but when Lothor kidnaps the other students, they are all that remain to protect the Earth from Lothor's evil space ninjas as the Wind Rangers. They are also joined in battle by adopted brothers Hunter and Blake Bradley of the rival Thunder Ninja Academy as the Thunder Rangers and Kanoi's son Cam as the Samurai Ranger. aired in 2003. This season uses footage from Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger.
- Ninja Storm is the first season to be filmed in New Zealand.
- Power Rangers Dino Thunder (2004): When the evil Mesogog appears to bring the Earth back to the Mesozoic age, Dr. Tommy Oliver of Reefside reluctantly enlists his students Conner McKnight, Ethan James, and Kira Ford to battle him as the Dino Rangers. Tommy later joins them as a Ranger, once more, as well as Trent Fernandez-Mercer, adopted son of Tommy's once colleague Dr. Anton Mercer, who is Mesogog's alterego. This season uses footage from Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger.
- Power Rangers S.P.D. (2005): In the year 2025, the Space Patrol Delta police force protects the galaxy from the Troobian Empire's forces. When their A-Squad of Power Rangers fall in battle, B-Squad members Sky Tate, Bridge Carson, and Syd Drew are joined by rookies Jack Landors and Z Delgado under the direction of Commander Anubis Cruger to be the S.P.D. Power Rangers. They are later joined by Sam, a young boy they save from the Troobian Empire who in the future becomes the Omega Ranger, as well as Cmdr. Cruger as the Shadow Ranger and technical expert Dr. Kat Manx as the Kat Ranger. This season uses footage from Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger.
- Power Rangers Mystic Force (2006): The sorceress Udonna enlists the help of Chip Thorn, Madison Rocca, Vida Rocca, Xander Bly, and new guy in town Nick Russell to become the Mystic Rangers to protect Briarwood and its nearby magical forest from the evil forces of Morticon, who plans on taking over both the magical and human worlds. They are eventually joined by Udonna's old friend Daggeron and his genie Jenji, and Udonna and her long lost husband Leanbow, who has been trapped as the evil Koragg since falling in battle 20 years prior. This season uses footage from Mahou Sentai Magiranger.
- Power Rangers Operation Overdrive (2007): Wealthy adventurer Andrew Hartford tasks Will Aston, Dax Lo, Ronny Robinson, Rose Ortiz, and reluctantly his own son Mack to act as the Overdrive Rangers, searching for the jewels of the Corona Aurora before either Flurious or Moltor, and later Kamdor and the Fearcats can. They are later joined by Tyzonn, member of a search and rescue team from the planet Mercuria, who has a past with the Fearcats. This season uses footage from GoGo Sentai Boukenger. Operation Overdrive also featured an anniversary episode in "Once a Ranger", bringing back several characters from previous seasons.
- Power Rangers Jungle Fury (2008): The Pai Zhua, or "Order of the Claw", has protected the world from the evil spirit of Dai Shi for nearly ten thousand years. When Jarrod, Lily Chilman, and Theo Martin are chosen by Master Mao to guard the container of Dai Shi's spirit, Jarrod is deemed unworthy and replaced by rookie or "cub" member Casey Rhodes. Angered by this slight, Jarrod attempts to steal Dai Shi's vessel, only to become possessed by his spirit. Mao, who falls in battle, entrusts in best student R.J. to lead the others as the Jungle Fury Power Rangers to stop Dai Shi from taking over the world. R.J. later joins them in battle, as does Dom Hargan, a former Pai Zhua student who went to find his path in life. This season uses footage from Juken Sentai Gekiranger.
- Power Rangers RPM (2009): A malicious and rapidly evolving computer virus known as Venjix has ravaged the Earth, leaving the surviving members of humanity to huddle for safety in the force field protected city of Corinth. To stop Venjix's attacks, led by his humanoid warrior Tenaya, the mysterious Doctor K enlists Scott Truman, Flynn McAllistair, Summer Landsdown, and reluctantly Ziggy Grover and the apparent cyborg Dillon as the RPM Ranger Operators. They are later joined by Gem and Gemma, Doctor K's old friends, who were presumed dead during Venjix's attack. This season uses footage from Engine Sentai Go-onger.
- RPM was the last season to be produced by BVS Entertainment.
- In 2010, a re-versioned edit of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers aired. During this year, Saban Brands bought back the rights to Power Rangers.
The Neo-Saban Era
The Neo-Saban Era began in season 18 and continues to present starting with Power Rangers Samurai. These series aired on Nickelodeon.
- Power Rangers Samurai and Super Samurai (2011-2012): In order to prevent Master Xandred's Nighlok forces from taking over the Earth, Mentor Ji of the Shiba House trains Jayden, Kevin, Mia, Mike, and Emily in the ways of the samurai to fight as the Samurai Power Rangers. They are later joined by Jayden's childhood friend Antonio as the Gold Ranger, who is instrumental in unlocking the group's Super Mode. These two seasons use footage from Samurai Sentai Shinkenger.
- Samurai is the first season back under the ownership of Saban and the first season produced by SCG Power Rangers. Power Rangers continues to be produced and filmed in New Zealand.
- Power Rangers Megaforce (2013): Zordon's protege Gosei calls on high school students Troy Burrows, Noah Carver, Jake Holling, Emma Goodall, and Gia Moran to become the Megaforce Power Rangers to battle the invasion of the Warstar Empire. They are later joined by the Robo Knight in his fight against the Toxic Mutants. This season uses footage from Tensou Sentai Goseiger.
- Super Megaforce (2014): With the Warstar Empire's forces increasing their invasion, Gosei gives the Rangers new morphers to assume Super Mega Mode, allowing them to call on the powers of all of the previous Power Rangers. They are joined by Orion, a citizen from the planet Andresia. Super Megaforce also features the return of several previous characters. This season uses footage from Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger.
- Power Rangers Dino Charge and Dino Super Charge (2015-2016): When an intergalactic bounty hunter comes to Earth looking for the Energems, entrusted to an alien who lost them during the asteroid bombardment that resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs, the Dino Charge Power Rangers are formed to find the Energems first. These two seasons use footage from Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger.
- Power Rangers Ninja Steel and Super Ninja Steel (2017-2018): The Power Rangers are protecting an item called the Ninja Nexus Prism from the forces of Galvanax, the champion of the universe's most popular intergalactic game show, who wants the Prism, which contains six magical Ninja Power Throwing Stars, to become invincible. The Rangers must master the arsenal of throwing stars, Zords, and Megazords, all made from the titular legendary "ninja steel", to stop Galvanax's warrior contestants sent to Earth to retrieve the Prism, the Steel and the Power Stars for him. These two seasons use footage from Shuriken Sentai Ninninger.
Feature films
The Power Rangers franchise has also generated three theatrical motion pictures. The first two are distributed by 20th Century Fox, and the third film released in 2017 by Lionsgate.
Distribution
Power Rangers has long had success in international markets and continues to air in many countries, with the exception of New Zealand, where the series filming takes place as of 2009. As of 2006, Power Rangers aired at least 65 times a week in more than 40 worldwide markets. Many markets carry or have carried the series on their respective Fox or later Jetix/Disney XD channels or have syndicated the program on regional children's channels or blocks, either dubbed into the local language or broadcast in the original English. Since the 2010 acquisition by Saban Brands, international television distribution rights for Power Rangers have been managed by MarVista Entertainment.
Broadcast in East Asian territories has been treated differently from in other international markets due to the prevalence and familiarity of 'the Super Sentai brand originating in Japan. Power Rangers was briefly banned in Malaysia for supposedly encouraging the use of drugs because it contained the word "Morphin'" in its title, which could be associated with morphine. The show eventually aired without the offending word. In Japan, many Power Rangers television seasons and movies were dubbed into Japanese for television and video with the voice actors often pulled from past Super Sentai casts, leading to the English-dubbed action sequences being "re-dubbed" or "restored" back to Japanese as well. Power Rangers Mystic Force is the latest season to be broadcast in Japan on Toei Channel in January 2014, with the Magiranger cast voicing their counterparts. After broadcast of Power Rangers ended in South Korea with Wild Force, Bandai of Korea started airing dubbed Super Sentai series under the ????? (Power Ranger) brand on JEI TV. Some seasons of Super Sentai broadcast in South Korea have similarly named titles as their American counterparts, such as Power Ranger Dino Thunder for Abaranger in 2007 and Power Ranger S.P.D. in place of Dekaranger.
Home media
As of October 2009, 33 Power Rangers DVD collections have been released in the United States:
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, 1995; 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
- Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, 1997; 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie/Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, 1995, 1997; 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (DVD compilation set of both movies.)
- The Best of the Power Rangers: The Ultimate Rangers, 2003; BVHE (DVD compilation of episodes from five different seasons of Power Rangers. The episodes include "Forever Red" and "White Light" [Tommy's reintroduction as the White Power Ranger])
- Power Rangers Ninja Storm Volumes 1-5, 2003; BVHE
- Power Rangers Dino Thunder Volumes 1-5, 2004; BVHE
- Power Rangers S.P.D. Volumes 1-5, 2005; BVHE
- Power Rangers Mystic Force Volumes 1-3 and 'Dark Wish', 2006; BVHE
- Power Rangers Operation Overdrive Volumes 1-5, 2007; BVHE (The release of an entire season for the first time in the US.)
- Power Rangers Jungle Fury Volumes 1 & 2, 2008; BVHE (Volumes 3-5 are only available in the UK.)
- Power Rangers RPM Volumes 1 & 2, 2009; BVHE
- Power Rangers RPM 'Bandai Demo DVD', 2009; BVHE (A promo DVD given away at Disney Stores. Contains the episode In or Out).
- Power Rangers Samurai Volumes 1-5, 2012; Lionsgate
- Power Rangers Samurai "Monster Bash" and 2 MMPR Halloween episodes; Lionsgate
- Power Rangers Samurai "Christmas Together, Samurai Forever" and 2 MMPR Christmas episodes; Lionsgate
- Power Rangers Super Samurai Volumes 1-4 plus The Complete Series; Lionsgate
Internationally, additional DVD releases have occurred (such as Lightspeed Rescue, Time Force and Wild Force in Germany) and as free DVDs attached to the Jetix magazine, published in the UK. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 1, Season 2, and Season 3, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, and Power Rangers In Space have been released in Germany as well in both English and German, with Power Rangers Lost Galaxy only in German. Additionally, Ninja Storm, Dino Thunder, S.P.D., Mystic Force, and Operation Overdrive saw complete boxset releases in the UK. In France, Mighty Morphin Season 1 and Season 2 have been released in their entirety in 5 episode DVD volumes, and the first 25 episodes of Season 3 were released in May 2008. In Italy, Mighty Morphin, Zeo, Dino Thunder and S.P.D. have appeared in their entirety. Zeo and S.P.D. were made available as commercial DVDs, while Mighty Morphin and Dino Thunder were issued as bi-weekly volumes at newsstands.
The iTunes Store previously made Power Rangers episodes available: part of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, all of Power Rangers S.P.D., and the first 26 episodes of Power Rangers Mystic Force. Subsequent seasons and episodes of the program also made their appearances in the iTunes Store, but as of July 2009, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is the only Power Rangers film available. In 2012, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 1 volumes 1 & 2 were released on iTunes to coincide with the DVD releases. As of February 2013, all 3 seasons of MMPR were released on iTunes.
On June 15, 2011, all episodes of Power Rangers from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 1 to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers re-version were made available for instant streaming on Netflix. As of 2017, all seasons through Dino Super Charge have been made available on Netflix.
On March 12, 2012, Shout! Factory announced a home video distribution deal with Saban, which includes the first 17 series of Power Rangers. Shout! Factory released the first seven seasons on DVD in August 2012, seasons 8-12 on November 2013, a 20-year collection on December 2013, and seasons 13-17 on April 2014.
On March 22, 2012 Lionsgate Home Entertainment reached a home media distribution deal with Saban to release Power Rangers Samurai to DVD and Blu-ray.
As of April 2015, all series through Super Megaforce are available on the iTunes Store.
As of 2016, Dino Charge became available on iTunes.
Broadcast
The series originally aired on Fox's children block, Fox Kids from 1993-2002. When Disney bought the rights to Power Rangers, it moved to ABC's Saturday morning block, ABC Kids from 2002-2010. During that time, all seasons aired on the ABC Family (now Freeform) and Toon Disney's block Jetix. When Saban bought Power Rangers back, the series aired new episodes on Nickelodeon, while previous seasons aired on Nicktoons.
Video games
See also
- Big Bad Beetleborgs
- Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight
- List of Power Rangers cast members
- Masked Rider
- Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation
- Super Sentai
- Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad
- Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills
- VR Troopers
- List of the highest-grossing media franchises
Notes
References
External links
- Official Power Rangers Website
- Fox Kids Official Power Rangers website (Archive)
- Power Rangers at Saban Brands
- Power Rangers at TV.com
- Power Rangers at Bandai
Source of article : Wikipedia
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