The Mighty Morphin Problem With Power Rangers 

I was born in 99 grew up on the Disney era. Dino Thunder needs more love.

Agreed it’s hard being a power ranger fan when the general public only know mighty Morphin and a nostalgia thing.

I wish we got more time force,in space,lost Galaxy,lightspeed style of power rangers. So many other good ones

"The point about MMPR is it's not fresh. It's OLD. DATED." That is so true. I like MMPR as much as the next Ranger fan but the over-saturation of it and its nostalgia boning for it makes me feel tired for it. Give me more reverence for teams like In Space, Lost Galaxy, Lightspeed Rescue, Time Force and Wild Force for examples.

The problem is there aren't that many standalone seasons that are universally loved by the fanbase, let alone have any greater pop cultural iconography. MMPR cameos get hype because they cater to the fans who were watching PR at its peak pop cultural relevance. Time Force was huge when it aired, but how many people actually got excited when Wes appeared in Super Ninja Steel 15+ years after his last appearance in Forever Red? RPM gained viral popularity in the years after it aired, but who really cheered when Gemma, Venjix, or Doctor K returned years later?

I just wish for once we get a new and original theme song like we used to get with each season that fit each theme

Japan doesn't need to care about returns because they're so fluent with their continuity, they know how to integrate the old with the new and market it successfully and its still entertaining to this day.

We really need to have some love given to the legacy of Jungle Fury. It's the cat's meow of the late 2000's kids action show nostalgia.

Mystic force gets hated on during tier list videos but you gotta admit outside of the plot of the red Ranger and characterization of Nick in general, every other character was fantastic. It gave us Xander and Gengi for crying out loud!

Also, Lightning Collection isn't the only issue. Its tough being a Hasbro fan lately. Even their high-end Transformers are having quality control/quality dip. Hasbro leaned into plastics over diecast, and breakage is real

Ninja Storm was my childhood season and we desperately need the Green Samurai Ranger in the lightning collection.

Power Rangers seasons I REALLY would like to see more about them: Wild Force, Time Force, SPD and RPM. I have no problem with Mighty Morphin stuff being released from times to times, but this is no excuse to neglect other seasons who are good and even better than the original one.

I really feel like in space would be an a amazing crossover with cosmic fury, Both teams have rangers who were originally from outer space and both have powers it would be cool to see what they could do with that.

Yes, they should collaborate with other PR seasons like they did for the 15th anniversary on Operations Overdrive. And I’m glad Ninja Storm was mentioned. If Hasbro marketing team decided to get other PR seasons like Ninja Storm (which it’s their 20th anniversary) to celebrate with MMPR, it will help to crossover the target audience of older and younger millennials. That will be a great start! Especially, for gen z because they’re not heavy about this franchise or the toys. And soon, will have more influencers or bigger stars to help promote it. And might I say, without Ninja Storm and Dino Thunder (favorite team up episodes), I don’t think PR would still be around. That also includes SPD too. The Disney era (to me) added more younger audiences to see PR.

Well, to be fair here...even the Disney years had a massive MMPR influence. It's always going to be there. But I will say this...even with that influence, they did manage to stand on their own as well. Wild Force was technically started under Saban/Fox but continued airing under Disney, Forever Red premiered under Disney. JDF then made a full time return under Disney in Dino Thunder...Adam returned in Once A Ranger. But even with Dr. O in Dino Thunder, the theme didn't have Go Go Power Rangers in it. In fact, it didn't have the word Go in it at all...lol. Power Rangers Super Legends was mentioned...who was the main face of it? MMPR Red AKA Jason. The MMPR influence should NEVER go away, but however, they do need to do more in making seasons stand out on their own. Like get rid of the MMPR themes, it was a bad idea to do that with Samurai and onward. The only time that made sense was when Zeo did it because Zeo was an evolved version of MMPR. Turbo continued the story but had a new theme entirely and not a remixed Go Go Power Rangers theme. Edit: Further example of this, this Disney era commercial - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qViu6fif6DQ.html

In Space, Lost Galaxy, Lightspeed Rescue, Time Force, and Wild Force at least deserve to have their Once and Always special.

Lost Galaxy and Time Force need more love. Those, along with In Space, were by far my all-time favorites and they hold up well today. Instead of more foot-soldiers and one-off monsters they should do some cool villain figures like Trakeena, Ransik, and Darkonda. I would love to see some characters from those seasons return with some meaningful follow-ups to their original stories. I did very much enjoyed the MMPR special.

If Disney hadn’t sabotaged RPM this series could very easily be a lot darker than it is now, not to mention more original.

I remember really wanting a toy of the Q Rex as a kid that had voice control functions with the Quantum Morpher. Maybe that's far too much to ask, but I'd love to see the Q Rex return in the Lightning Collection

The keyword here us Lazy. Companies who have these franchises just have to learn how to take risks. Either that or disappear into obscurity

It's a business at this point. As much as there is a demand for other versions, the guaranteed money makers are the mighty morphin versions.

This “over use” of MMPR is just at least for now is the way it is. Like it or not MMPR was when Power Rangers hit its popularity peak, it’s kinda like the original Star Wars trilogy. So it makes sense for Hasbro to go back to MMPR. Now personally it doesn’t bother me too much, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to see other seasons of Power Rangers get more attention. For example I want In Space (which btw is celebrating its 25th anniversary yet no special for that.) Lost Galaxy, Time Force, SPD, RPM & Dino Thunder to get more attention.

Absolute 100% yes to a Dino charge reunion special.

Nothing wrong with mmpr but then again there is nothing wrong with most of the other seasons. My heart is in the 90s but my fandom for power rangers is just that power rangers not just the first three seasons. Im ready for whatever power rangers becomes.

I find it fascinating how 2 of my favorite franchises (Transformers and PR) have that nostalgia for the original series that overwhelms their 2000s shows. Well, they're both Hasbro properties, and if Transformers is any indication, the Disney era is about to get its due, since on TF we're getting stuff from the 90s and 2000s again

With the passing of JDF, it's too late for Zeo, and probably Dino Thunder too (though in the latter case, it'd still be a good fit still for a special in which Tommy passes or ascends, or cataloguing the aftermath of such an event). But hey, SPD, Time Force, Turbo/In Space - Let's go! C'mon, there's so much more they could do with those, and they're all widely beloved series (well, maybe not Turbo, but In Space is and the Rangers are shared). Let's see Skye command and train a team of Rangers for a new branch of Space Patrol (bonus points if it's in a familiar location, how about we revisit Edenoi, Triforia, or Onyx?), or how about we have Jen and her crew hunt more criminals attempting to escape through time, or get the band back together for In Space and go on some new galactic quest - maybe a search for Dimitria? What happened to her?

For me Este I want SPD based ideas but also I want a Power Rangers that took place after the SPD , like y'know going forward for example maybe like SPD miniseries spin off where Sky Tate focused on his B-Squad , with Bridge , Lina Song , J.J Oliver , Z Delgado & Syd Drew

Awesome video 👍 Este I'm so glad that you can explain what's going on with power rangers and super sentai

The people In Japan:wow America really loves zyuranger Me:guys stop throwing out mighty morphin for know reason(also Goldar returned in beast morphers just reminding you)

I hope Jungle Fury gets more attention

It's like RPM gets no love in the whole Power Ranger "discussion category" but it's ok. Well at least the ESQUAD does!!!!!!!

I just wish they would stop to add that "GOGO POWER RANGERS" into every new theme song

I think mmpr is more prominent because it went 4 seasons plus Zeo and Turbo so about 6 with the same characters? So fans grew up with those characters, the original group and the replacements. Every other season has been 1-2 seasons. Some of the newer ones that went "super/mega" for another season are also more popular due to it not just being one and done.

Lighting colection of rpm would be sick and of course E squad for life colection would be a bomb.

All I want is lighting collection Morphers so they're more show accurate

Mighty Morphin is to Power Rangers the same way Tatooine is to Star Wars. There’s so much verity in this franchise and yet we keep going back to the desert planet.

I always wanted the lost galaxy saber! I think this issue is that MMPR is too iconic and has a lot more history than the other power rangers series. MMPR had 145 episodes while the others only gets like 30 or so before the new generation comes. I also like to compare MMPR to Pokémon and Yugioh. Even though there are over 600 Pokémon when you ask someone to name a Pokémon they will almost always say Pikachu or if you ask someone if they remember yugioh they will say,” is the show with the five piece guy and the blue dragon” lol. I feel if you ask someone about power rangers they will usually mention MMPR unless it’s a younger generation.

I hate the argument that "it's what people know and it sells so they make more" because it's a self fulfilling prophecy. Yeah, of course, if it's all you advertise and all you focus on and you make a billion toys about it, and nothing else then it's all everyone is gonna know.

I can definitely see your point, but as long as people are spending more money on it and leaving pretty much anything related to other seasons on the shelves, MMPR is gonna be the de facto team and theme they’ll use.

We need more stuff about late Saban era, Lost Galaxy especially

Power Rangers 2017 is literally the breakfast club with zords and that's why I feel it's gonna become a cult classic.

This is what I've been saying myself it just seems like since the Neo Saban era there's been this Reliance on the Nostalgia of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and when I always hear people say nothing beats the original it just seems like people are discrediting the other Seasons that followed after and acting like they didn't exist or contributing anything to the franchise if anything Seasons like in space Lost Galaxy Time Force Lightspeed Rescue and Wild Force even the Disney Arrow seasons are the reason why the franchise is still around to this day people tend to give mmpr too much credit yes while mmpr is the reason why the franchise became popular but however it's not the reason why the franchise is still around right to this day that's what a lot of people are not understanding

It is honestly kinda sad that it is commonly brought back to ye old mmpr days, I myself would rather see them do stuff with other series that I feel could've had a lot of potential like time force,ninja storm, dino thunder ect.

It was super apparent when I picked up the tabletop rpg, the system really wanted you to just play mmpr rather than make your own rangers

Again, as you said yourself, just the Power Rangers fanboys and fangirls will watch reunions of other Power Ranger seasons, but a reunion of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers will garner viewership from every 90s kid, even if it was just a 1-year phase of their life. Unfortunately yet fortunately, with now both Thuy Trang and Jason David Frank passed away, with Austin St. John facing incarceration, and Amy Jo Johnson wanting to distance herself from the series, Bandai will have to realize that they cannot rely on the cast, so they will have to move on themselves.

Just waiting for the Lighting Collection to make a Chrono Morpher from Time Force

Well the point with MMPR is that (expecially with the production in New Zealand) we had never had been a reunion like Once and Always. I spoke as 90s kid (and not an American one!) but OAA is the first time that we see Billy and Zack on screen together from 1994! And we see that the two MMPR group had keeped them in contact ... And finally the production as faced the Trini problem! Better later than never! I think that MMPR will be around at least for some other years because I have the impression that Hasbro is building that mythological lore to bound every single season that for a long time in missing in PR. Of course some points of the Zordon Era still less clear (Scorpina, Gasket, Master Vile ...) but I like the idea to see Mystic Mother Rita faced his father with Mystic Ranger help

This video is exactly how I feel with the franchise altogether.

As a Power Rangers and Star Trek fan, Star Trek (when it comes to the products you can buy) has been stuck in the 60's for nearly 60 years now. Maybe a little bit of TNG but for the most part it's all the original 60's series or spin offs from it. Plus, I'm sure that many of the Marvel and DC comics/properties always seems to stick to their origins as well. Not saying it's the best way to go, but it just seems to be the way things are.

So I think the things that should come back but haven't would be Time Force, Forever Red, dino charge, Maya from lost galaxy like they should take Kyurangers and adapt it with an all veteran rangers team that way you don't have to worry about giving focus to all the rangers stories and we get to see the rangers we all love.

I’m in my late 30s. Have seen every season. When I bring Power Rangers up to people, including people in their early 20s, I get “is that still going on?” Mystic Force and Zeo have my favorite theme songs. I could die happy seeing other seasons get more love.

look at super Sentai, their theme songs is fye and every season got their own UNIQUE theme song

My girlfriend has pointed out a somewhat similar problem with Yugioh, the vast majority of the merchandise outside of the actual card game is focused on the original series. Literally the only non-DM merch I’ve seen is a Stardust Dragon funko pop.

Mystic force was a great season!! One of the very few seasons to get its own movie! Sure, it was only a TV movie, but a movie non the less. They did so much with that one! Koragg becoming a good guy and the PR leader was a PR herself. The whole thing with Nick and his blood line. So much LORE!!!

Remember thens watch commercials just a kid wanted just toys mmpr power rangers no had toys in 90s???

Zeo was absolutely incredible! I stopped watching around the third season of mmpr and 20 years later returned. I'm disappointed in myself

I completely agree with that one guy, mystic force needs the representation it deserves ✊ They gotta make lightning figures for mystic force *cough cough* Solaris knight *cough cough*

I think the issue might be that later shows try to duplicate the formula of the MMPR, in that they hire cheap actors, write cheap scripts, film cheaply, and mine mine mine footage. I think Netflix trying to it's own thing is a step in the right direction, since Power Rangers has being trying to get away from Sentai plots for a long time... but the one thing they haven't took from Japan (and really should have by this point) is the quality. Get some good actors, write more deeper scripts, and stage better fight scenes and people will talk about that over the memories of the past. Nostalgia is a huge beast to slay, but in order to do that you can't ape off of it and think it's going to change anything. You have to have your own identity and unfortunately being constantly tied with legacy properties aren't helping. If Power Rangers wants to move on from MMPR, they need to divorce itself from the past from this point forward and be it's own thing. Plain and simple.

I think from a story telling perspective the two teams that should be refrenced more are the space and time force rangers, these both fan favourites but more importantly their specialisations open the door to so many story telling possibilities, we've seen some of this with wes and the interdimentonal stuff already. Another important point is that while I would prefer the original cast and characters both of these teams can easily be recast, time force was a big organisation and because the focus on time travel shenanigans you could easily just that there's a new team or were just meeting people from different points in the organisations history. As for the space rangers you could introduce a new team who had been mentored the old ones, implying andros became a zordon like figue to some alien or space based teams, they would act as a fast response team and could occasionally be called up to help future seasons teams with travelling to other worlds or facing a one off alien threat, for this this team I would have them refrence battles of events that we never see but would get expanded on in a comic series since the comic writers have been doing a great job. The idea behind all this that going forward is that going forward you more options for specials since these two teams could facilitate travel to anywhere at anytime, made up of new actors that are easier to schedule. I want to imply that theres a wider world of ranger teams still active and working together just like its been shown in the comics. I would throw in a few others for being specialists in their field like the mystic force team being the masters of magic and being the go to team for major magical threats, however that team is harder to recast right now so I didn't list them above. This all to facilitate future one off specials or short movies where can see these old team and how their stories continue without overshadowing new series by having them constantly team up with a more experienced or more powerfull team that could potentially solve the issue of the series themselves.

Other than MMPR, I also like Power Rangers in Space and Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. And if I had to choose any Power Rangers Lightning Collection figure or ZAP Megazord, I would choose Jen Scott the Pink Time Force Ranger. A figure that Hasbro hasn't released yet, but it's one that I'm hoping to get really soon. 🙏

A yearly "annual" hour long like the 30th anniversary but each year its the actors and suits from 30 years ago. So in two years, we would get a zeo, then after that a turbo reunion, then an in space reunion and so on.

There will always be mighty morphin stuff because it sells very well

I haven’t watched the movie but it reminded me that as a kid I had the head flipping action figures probably black and red, then I listened to the MMPR and chills and smiles, I’m surprised at myself

I miss back when power rangers shows had their own unique theme

Need more Ninja Storm content of all medias

Honestly this isn't just a power rangers problem, Pokémon is terrible for Kanto pandering, Digimon has been making adventure content for best part of a decade now starting with the 6 adventure tri movies, followed by last evolution kizuna, then we had the 2020 reboot and now we're heading towards an adventure 02 movie and final fantasy has turned ff7 into a multi part remake and they've released a remaster of the prequel crisis core, yes I am a 90s kid lol 😂, honestly these are just a few that came to mind most franchises are doing it

We need an RJ Lighnting Collection Purple wolf Ranger deserves respect

I feel like if they didn't just keep spamming mmpr every year, I feel like when we got the announcement of MMPR once and always the hype would have been bigger on endgame level hype.

I really want the In Space jackets that they wear when not morphed

wandered in from the Transformers fandom. we frequently have this problem with Generation 1 getting the lionzord's share of nostalgiabait marketing. even to the point where newer cartoons like Cyberverse and Earthspark have character designs virtually indistinguishable from G1. and honestly, the only real solution is to keep yelling at the people in charge. and hope that someday, you get someone who loves the entirety of the franchise making creative decisions. (like how we TF people currently have Mark Maher leading the charge on Generations: Legacy)

Samurai and Super Samauri using the theme was fine. But I'm like 90% sure MegaForce uses the same exact theme but just really obviously cuts out the parts they say ''Rangers Forever.'' atleast RPM had an original theme

and that's why i love Gokaiger and Zenkaiger, I know they are anniversary.

These are my top three lightning collection ZAP releases. 1. Super train megazord 2. Delta command megazord 3. Dino charge megazord

I just feel that power rangers is trying so hard to be its own thing and be less like super sentai but I feel like in order to continue being successful they need to stick closer to the source material. It doesn't necessarily matter if there is a japanese vibe to it bc gen z loves anime, leeching off mmpr is just getting annoying and ppl my age don't care ab it that much since we grew up on the disney/nickelodeon era.

Lost Galaxy will always be my favorite theme song. I would love Lightning collection Toro Zord from Lost Galaxy or Lightspeed Train Megazord.

The toy i wanted was Saba so bad . Also dino thunder theme was dope

The wild force megazords as well as the ninja storm megazords are some of the coolest zord ever created

I honestly want a Lightning Collection Zeonizer or Magna Defender morpher.

Wildforce always had the best megazords. I liked how they'd get one or two new zords at a time and it would be a totally different megazord but they would be a different combination. It kept the megazord fights from getting stale throughout the season.

Need Hasbro to hurry up & drop that Master Morpher & Green, Yellow & Black Ranger’s Helmets so I can complete my set ASAP!!!! Currently have the Green, Yellow & Black helmets I printed showcased in my display case

i really want them to bring back the wildforce crystals 😩

as a spider-man fan, i do agree while peter is my favorite, I would be sad in a world without 2099 and its so cool seeing mile, gwen, punk, spectacular. So defefently give some SPD and Dino thunder representation!!!

One Power Rangers toy I want: toys of the Zords from Ninja Storm for the Lightning Collection. Either those, replicas of the Morphers in Ninja Storm, or the Thunder Rangers' Thunder Staff. I just love Ninja Storm, and I'd say it's a good season for beginners if Mighty Morphin ain't getting them all that interested

I mostly hate how they keep trying to do MMPR/Zyuranger instead of adapting Zyuohger, Kiramager, ToQger, and LuPat

I’m so glad they’re doing the Hyper Force comic

majority of it can be related to the fact that kids from the 90s are now in thier 30s and have income to spend so make that merch $$$ until the next big era , we also have to remember that MMPR also goes with zeo and turbo as a lot of character and story carry over happens which now goes further into the newer series, as someone who isnt super into power rangers as much as i was as a kid , i still go for anything MMPR

simple me loves SPD , its my favorite season.

Totally agree, as much as I like this franchise, it has let a lot to be desired in the last decade and apperently it will continue to refuse to grow up from his comfort zone, only recicled the same plots over and over again, but who knows maybe one day will see a good mix of old classic shinnanigans mix with more consistent and detailed plots that would eventually revive the love for this franchise.

Lightning Collection Mystic Force and 2017 movie figures would be cool

Bandai doesn't know who their fan base is. Kids aren't into Rangers like we used to be back in the day. And them going back to nostalgia makes no sense because kids don't know who tf those guys are lol and adults shouldn't be watching the new stuff either because it's catered to kids (still, let's be honest). I don't know if they can bring them back to the forefront. Maybe if they go the Marvel route or do some animation like Spiderverse. Maybe then people of all ages will be into them and will be satisfied no matter the age.

I want the Super Zeo Zord and Pyramidas

We need a like morpher lighting collection where they get screen accurate higher quality morpher replicas like what marvel did for their legends series

I really want to see a new more posable wild force megazord

I mostly think it's nostalgic marketing in general, think about literally every long lasting franchise is doing it. Using the to either promote or sell to the new

Its annoying af because MMPR was mid af, Power Rangers was at its speak during the 2000s

I didn't grew up with mmpr, because I grew up in the disney era. So I don't really care about mmpr and with that I am not interested to buy anything from the mmpr line. But If I could buy something from the disney era I think I will definitely do it. And I would absolutely love it if one of the disney era series would make a comeback. But sadly that won't happen with hasbro...

Even Lost Galaxy has also many MMPR tropes, it was a good story. The show was unique and started a new wave that's why many people don't remember. 2000s show people remember it because the shows are connected but not having MMPR trope.

I'd want to see mentor collection figures, give the mentors some real love!

Honestly for me I think part of the problem is that the entire series needs modernization and that's why the comics got popular, it did new stories and introducing new ideas like Evil Tommy whose name is slipping from me but even then it is relying on MMPR but for me I grew up on Samurai so I want more for that

Spd and turbo reunion have all 3 in one movie that would be sick like a 3 hour special that's something that I would love to watch all 3 hours of or even a phantom ranger and blue senturion collaboration that would also be cool too