Disney's Power Rangers

 

Yes, I know for a fact that almost everyone groans over the Disney seasons, mostly the ones made by Kalish. But in my opinion, not that many were that bad. I mean, everyone says Disney has bad ideas. They don't actually. They just lack content.

Power Rangers Ninja Storm

Super Sentai counterpart - Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger.

This one was the first fully produced season by Disney. I count Wild Force still as a Saban season. It was the first season to be filmed in New Zealand. This one was a big risk. Because this season was supposed to reintroduce people into Power Rangers, as this season was really a parody. Hence there is so much comedy in it. This season was almost non-canon (not in the Power Rangers Universe) until Dino Thunder fixed it. But I see this season as not one to hate. Like I said in previous posts of mine, Ninjas and Rangers don't mix well for me. But to be honest, I actually enjoyed this season. If Shinkenger were to get adapted for Power Rangers (and I really hope it does someday) I think I would probably enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Ninja Storm, if it were in the right hands that is.

Power Rangers Dino Thunder

Super Sentai counterpart - Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger

This has to be the best Disney season in my opinion. Tommy Oliver was brought back in this season. But most people watched this season just for him, which I think is a stupid reason. I watched it because it gave that old nostalgia feeling of watching MMPR again, which I enjoyed. Having teenagers as rangers, dinosaurs as its theme (of course that's Abaranger to blame) and having an evil ranger turn later on in the season. Some call this a rip-off of MMPR, but still enjoy it. Disney did manage to dub an episode of Abaranger, and that's how I discovered Sentai. This is my favorite season from the Disney era.

Power Rangers S.P.D.

Super Sentai counterpart - Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger

We are now entering the Kalish seasons. I'll say that I did enjoy the first half of this season, but then it just all went down hill. And to be honest, I was hoping that this was a good season. But what confuses me is that the promos said S.P.D. takes place in the year 2020, but in the show it takes place in 2025. The promos must have been wrong. I really don't have much to say on this season. This season was an okay season, the first half rocked, the second half was trash and rushed.

Power Rangers Mystic Force

Super Sentai counterpart - Mahou Sentai Magiranger

Another season I was hoping to be good. The premiere was something interesting, but then episodes afterwards weren't that great. Probably the only decent episodes were Stranger Within, Dark Wish, and Mystic Fate. That's it. While I didn't enjoy Magiranger much (because like Shinkenger and Hurricanger/Ninja Storm) Magic and Rangers don't mix well for me. It's just not my taste you know? This was the first season not to have a team-up with it's past successors, and episodes were reduced due to budget.

Power Rangers Operation Overdrive

Super Sentai counterpart - GoGo Sentai Boukenger

WARNING! USE OF FOUL LANGUAGE IS IN THIS PART OF THE POST!

Don't even get me started on this season! This season just flat out sucked! This is the shittiest season I have ever seen from Power Rangers! And I thought Saban's Masked Rider was a shitty adaptation (it still is) but god damn! Overdrive beat it by a mile! No one, and I mean NO ONE, liked this season. Bad acting, unlikeable characters. Hell, even the Once a Ranger team-up sucked! Boukenger was so much better than this! I hated everything out of this season. I think what Kalish was trying to do was try to make this a homage to the first season (having an Asian as a Ranger, having a Black guy as the Black Ranger, etc) This was the last season to use a Battlizer, and thank goodness because I thought it was stupid anyways! I wasted about 9 fucking months watching this season! Who can I see to get them back??

Power Rangers Jungle Fury

Super Sentai counterpart - Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger

To clarify for everyone, this was supposed to be the final live-action season of Power Rangers. Because according to Lavender Ranger, Disney didn't want to share profits with Toei, Bandai, or Plex anymore which is why Disney tried an animated version. However, since Power Rangers is a co-owned brand, Disney owns half and Toei owns the other, Disney decided to do one more season before canning the show for good. Not because of Shinkenger.

Anyway, this season had its dialogue written great, but its story wasn't that great. This was the first season to not have a Battlizer since in Space. Instead, extra Rangers were made in reminiscence of the Titanium Ranger from Lightspeed Rescue. Again, no team-up due to budget. Rumor is that Bandai and Jetix Europe help fund for the Spirit Rangers. Another rumor, 'scab' writers were picked up due to the writer's strike (rumor is Judd Lynn was one of them) This was another okay season for me, I still prefer Gekiranger over Jungle Fury.

Power Rangers RPM

Super Sentai counterpart - Engine Sentai Go-Onger

The Kalish seasons ended with Jungle Fury (Thank god!) Disney got in Eddie Guzelian. According to him on RangerCrew, he was told by the Execs of Disney that he could do whatever he want since this was the last season, and Eddie decided to go out with a big bang. However, there was 'creative differences' with him and Disney during production, and he went overbudget so Disney fired him and Judd Lynn was brought back to be EP for the second half. This season was very tough to adapt, considering that Go-Onger was very childish Sentai. And with all the footage Go-Onger had, new footage was made for the tone of RPM. Due to Eddie going overbudget, there was no extra rangers, no battlizer, or team-up. I can't help but think about the rest of the seasons if Eddie stuck around to produce it fully. I was really looking forward to his finale when I read it. And Go-Onger? While I do enjoy the comedy out of Go-Onger, I think RPM was handled more properly than Go-Onger. This was also considered one of the best seasons of Power Rangers, and RPM is now officially my favorite season!

UPDATE: 1/27/10

 

To be honest, I really was looking forward to a Shinkenger adaptation regardless of what people say. Whether it's how Shinkenger is "too Japanese and hard to adapt" when it actually isn't, or how people don't want Shinkenger to be bastardize which I think is a stupid term made up by fanboys, which I hate also.

So, all in all, Disney didn't have bad seasons. It's just the Kalish seasons that were bad. If you haven't checked out the Disney seasons just because they're Disney, check out atleast Ninja Storm, Dino Thunder, and RPM. Skip the Kalish seasons. Trust me, you won't miss anything.