Summary
After 30 seasons, thePower Rangersshow that I want to see the most is one that might never happen. Apart from thePower Rangersmovies and a couple of other exceptions like Netflix’sPower Rangers: Once & Always,Power Rangershas used the same format ever since its inceptionin 1993.EveryPower Rangersseason has aSuper Sentaicounterpart, even the ones that include a lot of original footage likeCosmic Fury. Theend ofCosmic Furyleft the future of the saga up in the air, and it’s now unclear whatPower Rangers’ future will look like.
Netflix’sPower Rangersrebootis reportedly no longer happening, with the project now being reworked as Hasbro Entertainment looks for a new creative partner (viaTV Line). Although I was very excited for aPower Rangersreboot series, this was not the project I wanted to see the most.Power Rangersdoes need a fresh start, perhaps with an original series not based onSentaiand aimed at more mature audiences. However, in addition to a live-action reboot, I would love to see an animatedPower Rangers– which is something the saga is still missing.
An Animated Power Rangers Show Is Long Overdue
Power Rangers still doesn’t have an animated show
More than three decades afterMighty Morphin Power Rangers, I believe the animatedPower Rangersshow is long overdue. Although there have been attempts at releasing an animated series based onPower Rangers, nothing ever came to fruition. So far,everyPower Rangersmovieor TV has been in live-action. There has never been an animatedSuper Sentaiseries or film either. Considering thatPower Rangershas been mainly based onSentaisince 1993, it is no surprise that it never got an animated show. Interestingly, other Tokusatsu properties have received the animation treatment.
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For example,Ultramanreceived a CG-animated series and a CG-animated movie. More recently,Fuuto PIintroducedKamen Riderto a new generation, now in anime form. AlthoughTokusatsu is by definition associated with live-actionshows, there is more than enough room to reinvent beloved properties likeSuper SentaiandPower Rangersas animated shows.Power Rangershas explored other media, including video games and comic books. Still, the saga is limited by what previous seasons and theSentaifranchise have done. ForPower Rangersto have an animated show, it would have to abandon its formula.
Why A Power Rangers Animated Show Would Be Incredible
Animated Power Rangers could do things live-action never did
One of my favorite things aboutPower Rangersis how it combines fantasy, science fiction, and all the tropes fromSuper Sentaiin a fun way.Power Rangersmay be a very formulaic show, but after hundreds of episodes across 30 seasons, the show got to tell great stories in a lot of different settings.SomePower Rangersseasons are mature, while others are more lighthearted. Regardless,the vastness of thePower Rangersuniverse means it can work in basically any genre or format. This is why an animated series would suit the franchise perfectly.
Considering thatPower Rangershas been slowly moving away fromSuper Sentai, now it would be the perfect time to test new formats.
Super SentaiandPower Rangerscan only do so much in terms of action sequences and set pieces due to the budget.While recentPower Rangersseasons look much better than the ones from the 1990s and early 2000s, the show still has a lot of limitations. An animatedPower Rangersshow would not have to deal with said limitations, meaning it would get to do things the live-action series never did.Power Rangers’ lore is richer than what the show can keep up with regarding visuals, which is why I’ve always wanted to see the franchise try different approaches.
The fact thatsome of the bestPower Rangersstories ever told came from the comic booksis not a coincidence. The comics do not have to worry if there will be enough budget for five Megazords to combine into one, or if the stories will be suitable for a very young audience. Considering thatPower Rangershas been slowly moving away fromSuper Sentai, now it would be the perfect time to test new formats. I believe an animatedPower Rangersseries could elevate the franchise and change it forever.
Recent Superhero & Sci-Fi Shows Prove A Power Rangers Animated Series Would Work
Some of the best shows of recent years have been animated
There have been some fantastic animated shows based on famous IPs recently, especially for streaming. For example,Invinciblebrought Image Comics’ famous superhero to the screen with a big-budget animated series featuring a stellar cast. Despite the long wait between seasons 1 and 2,Invinciblehas been among the most popular shows of the last few years. Another great example of an animated show that should inspirePower RangersisX-Men ‘97, which I believe to be one of the best Marvel projects ever put to screen. Other recent animated hits includeArcane,Castlevania, andCyberpunk: Edgerunners.
Why Power Rangers’ Newest Team Made Me Fall In Love With The Show Again
Power Rangers’ most recent team gave the show its best seasons in years, Dino Fury and Cosmic Fury, both of which combined nostalgia with new ideas.
What I like aboutArcaneandX-Men ‘97is that they serve as a reminder that animated series are not necessarily synonymous with kid’s shows. They have explored themes that live-action movies never did. IfPower Rangersever wants to have a show aimed at a slightly more mature audience compared to the traditional seasons, the animation media would work just fine.It would be interesting to have a couple ofPower Rangersanimated shows running at the same time– one aimed at the series’ main target audience, and one for older fans.
An Animated Power Rangers Show Could Bring The Comics To Screen
The Power Rangers comics deserve a screen adaptation
BOOM! Studios’Power Rangerscomics have helped reignite the franchise with amazing stories that go beyond anything the show ever did while honoring the originalMighty Morphinseries. From original characters like the Ranger Slayer and Lord Drakkon to events likeShattered GridandDarkest Hour, the comics have shown how much potential thePower Rangersuniversehas. That said, given the scope and the scale of those stories, they would only work in live-action in a big-budget production that would rival superhero blockbusters. In animation, however, things would be relatively easier.
The nextPower Rangersshow has not been announced yet.
I believe the best way of bringing thePower Rangerscomics to the screen for the first time would be with an animated show.Invincibleand X-Men ‘97 both followed their respective source materials quite closely while adding something new to them, which is exactly how I would want thePower Rangerscomics to be adapted.Power Rangers’ future remains unclear following the reported cancellation of the Netflix reboot, but the saga still has a lot of new ground to cover and exciting possibilities to explore. Hopefully, aPower Rangersanimated show will happen eventually.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Cast
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers marks the beginning of the Power Rangers franchise, centering on a group of teenagers with attitude who transform into superheroes. They are tasked with defending Angel Grove from the evil witch Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd, Emperor of evil, along with their monstrous minions.
