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View Full Version : JCO: Power Rangers ROCK.... now at least.



JohnCrichton
01-21-2002, 12:44 AM
This hits, kicks and flying punches just keep on coming as I want the world to know that they should be watching Power Rangers once again!!!

When it first came out it was RAW as all hell. Budget was next to non-existant. Acting was par with Saved By the Bell and I was wondering if they thought I was stupid and didn't notice that they were cutting to Japanese stock footage when they morphed.

But, I'm a huge martial art geek, and I will forever love Godzilla and his movies. Here I got a combination of both!

And some of these actors could fight pretty damn good too! That or at least do good gymnastics that made it look like they could fight!

I fell into the groove of the whole thing and eventually I accepted it for what it was and I was having fun and cheering and rocking with the music as the rushed into battle to kill the latest monster!

Then came what I thought would be the sure fire death of the series.... when they started cross splicing together different Japanese Sentai Series (http://www.geocities.com/megasliver/) and alot of the rythmn and feel of the show was utterly thrown off. Together they slapped together American footage with Dairanger (http://timecapsule1.tripod.com/1993.htm) and Zyuranger (http://timecapsule1.tripod.com/1992.htm). Results were pretty ugly....

Then there was decension among the actors who were getting paid the wages of extras.

Then came the soccer moms who came in harping about the show's violence, as a result my beloved violence was heavily editted.

I sat through it all for some sadistic reason. Watching the Rangers turned to kids, from horrible voice acting on characters that could've been cool from an awesome Sentai called, Kakuranger (http://timecapsule1.tripod.com/1994.htm), but instead they opted to use the horrible idea of Mighty Morphing Alien Rangers (http://www.rangercentral.com/mmpr-rg-alienrangers.htm).

I sat through that... and alot of darkness.

Seemed like they just didn't care anymore.

Until......... Power Rangers IN SPACE!!! (http://www.rangercentral.com/data-pris.htm)

Frelling blew the ROOF off what it was thought Power Rangers was!

I remember the coming of the latest season and all the Rangers of old had been retired. I thought they didn't care anymore, but I dunno what happened, or what decision was made, but they hired somebody with talent and a clue of what Sentai was meant to be about.

Action and direction became much more anime-esque as they called in Japanese directors to handle the action aspects of the show.

The end of what us Power Ranger Fans call... the Zordon Era came when the Red Ranger of the series had to take the life of the famed floating head, Zordon himself, to save the rest of the Galaxy that was being attacked by the forces of darkness.

This was the famed Power Ranger Finale called, Countdown to Destruction Part 1 (http://www.rangercentral.com/episodes/ep0001/episode.htm) and Part 2 (http://www.rangercentral.com/episodes/ep0002/episode.htm).

The energy release from his chamber vaporised about all the the villians of the past seasons, freeing up the rest of the Power Ranger Series to come in the Post Zordon Era to forge their own destinies, stories, casts and villians and thus staying more true to the source from which they came..... Sentai!

Since then the stories have been notch-top, creative, fun and no punches pulled.

The latest series, Power Rangers Time Force (http://www.rangercentral.com/data-prtf.htm) was nothing short of excellent. I even got some of my Power Ranger Skeptic friends to get in on the action. I busted out the series finale and they were up out of their chairs cheering they had so much fun!!

So, don't punk out any longer. The show is pimped and there's no reason any longer to be ashamed of tuning in and watching.

That's it for me and I hope you will keep your mind open for a amazing ride of some serious fun and action.

So, click on the links... read through the Episode Guides (http://www.rangercentral.com/main-episodes.htm) n' do some fun homework on the show you should be watching. The Space Episodes(Countdown to Destruction and afterward) all have visual summaries to check out and get into. Become a memeber of the message board and the webmaster, zyuray, can even hook you up with back episodes you might've missed by really want to see.

That's it from the CNX's own Supreme Toonami Ranger and thanks for your time!

"My time, is UP!!!"(PRTF reference ;) )


EDIT: I should've combinted this with the other JCO.. :b

Jedigreedo
01-21-2002, 03:48 AM
I liked Power Rangers until they did the Zeo thing, then I got back into it with Turbo (I like cars. :D) and the first Space stuff was pretty cool but after that I just gave up... I got sick of the changes, lame monsters, all the continuity and stuff... Special F/X were getting better though, like the space scenes, those were kinda cool. Sometimes I browse the episodes sometimes of the newer versions but I just find it kinda lame. Although watching it for the martial arts only is kinda fun... :cool:

Bird Boy
01-21-2002, 11:50 AM
I've tried..believe me..I've tried. I quit watching after the first Power Rangers movie.

Now the whole name "Power Rangers" comes off to me as corny.

I'd really like to get back into this show...I really would..but I just can't see it happening.

But, I did enjoy reading your post... :)

-BB

JohnCrichton
01-21-2002, 12:33 PM
Glad you enjoyed, but believe me I know where you're coming from.

The first movie to me was only good in retrospect, but soon after that.... I don't know why I continued to punish myself in watching the show.

But now, alot's different. It's not just a toy commercial that they try and keep a float so they can debue their next toyline. Each series is its own two season story arch, so there's a beginning and eventual(and usually action packed!!!) finale.

Give what remains of Time Force its chance, especially the series finale.

That and trip through the episode guides I posted up. If you go in there from Countdown to Destruction and afterward there's visual episode summaries if you click on the title of the episode.

Live Action Anime deserves its due. It's got to be easier to draw and animate a action sequence, but in Live Action it taxes the actors and stunt men physically! Puts the director and his creative use of camera work to the test.

In any case, glad you enjoyed and thanks for reading anyway!

Supernovametalstar
01-21-2002, 01:11 PM
Lame monsters? The monster designs are a fun part of the show to me. They get better and better with each passing series. More intricate designs, more detail in coloring, distinctive features like teeth, eyes, etc. Gingaman/Lost Galaxy had a good mix of different time periods (Egypt, feudel Japan, heavily armored warriors, motorcycle riders). I especially liked the costumes for the demons in GoGo V/Lightspeed Rescue.

I'll agree that in earlier series like Kakuranger/MMPR season 3, the monsters were nothing more than household appliances with feet and arms :D and you don't take them seriously, but now, the monsters in Timeranger/Force, they are vicious and look the part.

Ricochet
01-21-2002, 02:50 PM
I admit, I'm an on-and-off closet PR fan... Not to say I like it necessarily, It just has this appeal... :wakko: :wakko: :wakko: :wakko: :wakko: :yakko:

HellCat
01-22-2002, 04:02 PM
I was fan up until Turbo. It kinda annoyed me that after all that time they spent saying Zeo would be great, they made it really short. They've done a good job with the contuity, rewarding those who have stuck with it all the way. I saw parts of the story which ended In Space- a good way to clean the slate. I've also seen a few Lightspeed Rescue eps which brings me to a question- The technology used by the Rangers was always a mix of magic and tech. So how did the Lightspeed Rescue team get Ranger abilities?

JohnCrichton
01-22-2002, 04:25 PM
Power Ranger's origin varies form tech-based to magial base.

Power Rangers Lightspeed Resucue (http://www.rangercentral.com/data-prlr.htm) was pretty mediocre of a PR Series, but not without its cool fun points. It was technologically based. Powers and mechs made by man.

Power Rangers Lost Galaxy (http://www.rangercentral.com/data-prlg.htm) was magic and mystic based, dealing with young heroes blasted across the galaxy to find and draw magic Quasar Swords from a stone to take on the mantle of Rangers. Then eventually ended with them returning the swords back to the stone (http://www.rangercentral.com/episodes/ep034/episode.htm). Awesome series and my personal favorte, a close second being Power Rangers in Space (http://www.rangercentral.com/data-pris.htm).

Most innovative, I think, in "Children's" Entertainment in making a highly watchable live-action cartoon series that has been going strong since 1992!

Hey, if you wanna know more about Power Rangers and it's roots, I'd like to refer you to the Live Action Anime Thread (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17489) where you can see and read about Power Ranger's Easter origin, the more serious counterpart called, Sentai.

Sentai like Rangers is basically what happens when you combine drop kicking martial arts, with over the top city smashing, monster bashing Godzilla action!!!

I sent the news Press Release to Toon Zone, but since PR isn't fully cartoon(althought it's a live-action cartoon!) I don't think they'll post it up.

But for your viewing pleasure here's the press release covering Power Rangers: Wild Force (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&selm=T3I%257.1344%24TS6.2917%40www.newsranger.com&rnum=1) and the highly anticipatedPower Rangers Theatre (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/020112/120005_1.html) coming soon!!!

Later!

Samhaine
01-22-2002, 04:29 PM
I don't remember alot from the original, to the ninjas, to Zeo, to Turbo, but I know I watched them all. Even watched the movies when they came on HBO. My favorite hade to be Power Rangers In Space, tho. It had just about everything going for it. Plus, the finale was great.

I then watched the first ep or two of Lost Galaxy. And from that moment on, I have not watched an episode of Power Rangers since. I just couldn't handle how bad it was compared to Space.

Hey, JC, quick question: Was PR in fact a Japanese show first that Saban took and made us think it was US? And, if so, when did it actually become (ie, which series) a strictly US show? And was there a movie similar to the US one? I always wondered about that...

JohnCrichton
01-22-2002, 04:39 PM
Check out the Live Action Anime Thread (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17489) for PR of the past and find out that it's origins started in Japane in 1975 as Goranger (http://timecapsule1.tripod.com/before.htm).

It was the show Zyuranger (http://timecapsule1.tripod.com/1992.htm) over in Japan that was first turned into the Power Rangers we know today.

About every year since, they've come out continually with new series in Japan and us Americans have been doing our damnedest to keep up with them making American counterpart series.

It was started with I'd say Power Rangers in Space where we started trying to duplicate more faithfully(thank god!) to the more serious Sentai series of Japan.

Apparently Power Rangers Time Force (http://www.rangercentral.com/data-prtf.htm) almost followed the original series to the letter! Which might account for why it was so excellent.

kiddiesunshine
01-23-2002, 10:01 AM
i remember a season where one of goldar's eye lights was out.

VinceA
01-23-2002, 10:56 AM
JC, in addition to loving anime & sentai are you also a kaiju fan? I'm not a big sentai fan (not sure why) but I'm deep into kaiju (especially Godzilla)

electricsheep
01-23-2002, 11:02 AM
I liked the first couple of seasons of the MMPR, it was hokey and fun...

JohnCrichton
01-23-2002, 01:08 PM
Yeah, the old days were pretty hokey and fun with "Rad Bugs" and the such.

I prefer action.

As for Kaiju, I wouldn't say I'm a fan, but I've always loved true blue Godzilla stuff. Next time I order Sentai I'm definately picking up some Godzilla. He's like the king of giant monsters!

:)

SilverKnight
01-23-2002, 01:27 PM
Actually, I remember Power Rangers being the first show that I ever NOT liked. When did it premier, anyway? 94? Well, in either case, I was a whopping 10 or 11 when it first came on and I was PSYCHED to see it. Then I watched it. I saw the first monster come out, and I can clearely remember my face just falling. By the end of the show, I was prepared to bash myself over the head with a pipe for ever thinking anything good could come out of it. However, the only thing that could come out was, "That's IT?" >shrugs< Ah, the curiosity of childen. :)

JohnCrichton
01-23-2002, 01:59 PM
Ugh... I remember my reaction when it first came out. :p

I read it in the newspaper and the concept and I remember it saying, "This show shouldn't last too long...."

I was like, "Damn right! That's a horrible idea!" And then I saw it and I was pretty disgusted... then for some sadistic reason I kept tuning in and I was like, "Heh... hey, these cut scenes are like that Godzilla stuff I used to like... hey, these cut scenes are high octane action in a kung-fu style that my dad used to bring me... hey, the actors can fight!"

Pretty soon the combo turned me from a hater, to a lover, and then soon seasons after that turned me into a hater again, but being a hardcore fan, for some reason I thought it was a good idea to sit through a bunch of god awful seasons.

Didn't see it coming, and my buddies and I pretty much considered the show a frelling joke; but In Space came out and locked me in as a fan for life.

Things've changed.

Sandro
02-04-2002, 05:55 PM
Ah yes. I remember when I first heard of this "Power Rangers thing" :D . At first, I didn't watch it (something I regretted for a little while afterward) but then something forced me to watch and I have been a faithful follower ever since.

JohnCrichton
02-04-2002, 06:33 PM
Thank you Sandro!

*shakes your hand heartily!!!*

Check out those other links. If you like Power Rangers, Sentai is going to up and blow your mind!

That and my buddy Knux Five found a place where you can buy VCD's of past episodes: http://www.coolvcd.com

That and Power Ranger Theatre is going to hook up the fans daily with all the stuff they've missed.

:)