Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Saban's Power Rangers

Like with Disney's, I'm going to go through all the Saban Power Rangers and give my different opinion on each series.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Season 1
Super Sentai counterpart - Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger
OBVIOUSLY, these six are the ones that started it all and considered an "icon" for the Power Rangers since it is the first. I wasn't born the years before MMPR aired (I was born in '94) and didn't discover Power Rangers till Turbo, and boy I was completely lost! Anyway, this season wasn't bad, and Zyuranger wasn't bad either so I like both. And sure, MMPR is cheesy but its what brought Power Rangers to what it's become today. Footage didn't match which kinda bothered me but at the same time, I was cool with it.


Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Season 2
Super Sentai counterpart - Gosei Sentai Dairanger
I will say that this is my favorite season out of all three MMPR seasons. Tommy as White Ranger won me over, but I liked him as Green Ranger instead. Lord Zedd has to be one of my favorite villains and once again, footage didn't match because Saban decided to use Zyuranger footage in this season and mix it up with Dairanger footage. Also, since there was drama during production, some of the footage with Jason, Trini, and Zack made no sense at all. I have seen Dairanger, and I know everyone loves that season, but I thought it was an okay season for me. There were things I loved and things I didn't like. But I won't say MMPR S2 is better. Both have their pros and cons.


Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Season 3
Super Sentai counterpart - Ninja Sentai Kakuranger
Ok, this season kinda confused me. Because I saw the movie before the actual season. This season wasn't that great if you ask me. I was about to stop watching this season up until Kat came along. Lord Zedd wasn't as great as he was before, and I thought the Ninja powers concept was kinda lame.

Then there was the Alien Rangers saga. I somewhat enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the finale of MMPR, it leads right up into Zeo. But I really have nothing to say about it. Now, I haven't seen Kakuranger, but I'm betting Kakuranger was better.


Power Rangers Zeo
Super Sentai counterpart - Chouriki Sentai Ohranger
Ugh! This season was soooo hard to get into! It was just.....boring! I don't know how fans enjoy this one. But I'll say that this was a great spin-off to MMPR. It had a team-up with the Alien Rangers which I kinda liked. And there wasn't really a finale. It just goes right to the Turbo movie with no really explanation. I have seen bits of Ohranger and I kinda like it more than Zeo.


Power Rangers Turbo
Super Sentai counterpart - Gekisou Sentai Carranger
This was the first Power Rangers I ever saw. I actually saw the first movie and then decided to actually watch the show and here I am now. I didn't see all of Turbo when I was little. I only caught the second half and even I'll say that this season wasn't good. The season starts out as Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, which I didn't like and I was confused! Because it never told what happened to the Zeo powers or how the Turbo powers were made! The first half didn't handle the Carranger footage properly if you ask me. I did enjoy the second half however. Like everyone else, I didn't like Justin. A kid as a ranger just isn't a good idea. And yes, I know Dairanger and Ohranger did it, but I didn't like it then either. I really liked the finale however, great way to end the season and go right up into in Space. I've seen a few episodes of Carranger subbed and I like it. The comedy series are really my favorite.


Power Rangers in Space
Super Sentai counterpart - Denji Sentai Megaranger
Well you see, I really love this season as much as I love Megaranger! I fell in love by the second episode! And this was actually the first full season of Power Rangers I saw. It had everything I could want in a Power Rangers series, good characters, great costumes and zords, awesome plot, and a good tone. This season took a more mature tone compared to the first five. It's really the main reason why I fell in love with Power Rangers and are part of the fandom today. What I really liked the most from this season was the Psycho Rangers, Dark Spector, and Countdown to Destruction.....'nuff said.


Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
Super Sentai counterpart - Seijuu Sentai Gingaman
Okay, I will admit. Like Kamen Rider Dragon Knight, this season goes really slow at first. Then I actually began to fell in love with it as soon as the Lights of Orion hit the screen. This is definitely my favorite season from Saban. And it makes number 3 on my favorite PR (Number 1 would be RPM and 2 would be in Space) This season had everything I wanted in a PR season, good characters, great costumes, plot, setting, and tone. Saban made this season have like a Star Trek kinda feel. It steers away from the Sentai material, something that Power Rangers doesn't usually do.


Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
Super Sentai counterpart - KyuKyu Sentai GoGo V
First season that was unrelated to the past seasons until the team-up with Lost Galaxy. And the first ever Power Ranger made Ranger, the Titanuim Ranger, which he was not in GoGo V. To be honest, I thought GoGo V was really boring. I thought Lightspeed was better. And yes, I know, everyone thinks this season isn't good but I actually liked it. This season was decent to put it that way. Better than GoGo V in my opinion.


Power Rangers Time Force
Super Sentai counterpart - Mirai Sentai Timeranger
The most beloved season from Saban I believe, mainly because it remained close to the Sentai counterpart and it was handled properly. Everyone loves this season, as do I. I loved it when I was young and I still love it today. Another PR made villian, Ransik, was a great addition to Time Force. Time Force couldn't deal with some things like death, Time Blue of Timeranger was dying of a disease and Time Fire dying in the finale. All in all, it was handled well and a good season in my book. Some people weren't too happy about Jen not kissing Wes.


Power Rangers Wild Force
Super Sentai counterpart - Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger
Apparently this is a Disney season, But I still label it as a Saban season. The tenth and was supposed to be the final season of Power Rangers. You see, I kinda liked this season as a kid, but after rewatching it again, I don't like it much. Bad acting, unlikeable characters (coughcoughColeEvanscoughcough). I actually enjoyed Gaoranger much better than Wild Force. There was just so much......how do I put this? More epicness in Gaoranger than Wild Force to put it that way.

So, to end this, like Disney's, Saban had some good seasons and some bad seasons. Although most people think Saban's were better. In my opinion, Power Rangers is Power Rangers to me. Whether it's owned by Saban or Disney. If there's people in spandex fighting off monsters with a giant robot, it's Power Rangers to me. I'll always support Power Rangers, even if it is canceled at the moment. I will go over Saban's Masked Rider and Kamen Rider Dragon Knight next.

2 comments:

  1. IMO, the best seasons by Saban were:

    1. Time Force
    2. Lost Galaxy
    3. Lightspeed Rescue

    The worst were:

    1. MMPR
    2. Turbo
    3. Wild Force

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  2. The NON CANON team-up of Kakuranger vs. Ohranger was used in Zeo Rangers and Saban made it canon. It was kind of well placed.

    Season 3 of MMPR was boring- I agree. I mean, it would have been better that after Lord Zedd married Rita, they could have become more evil and despicable while being loving to each other.

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