Power Rangers General Discussion Thread

[Mat-Man]

I wouldn't even care so much about that, if you could just do the panel by panel thing on your phone.

I got the Transformers bundle from IDW eons ago, and just seem to remember it being harder to read on my phone overall.

I don't know of any free comic readers that do it, but I have one called "Smart Comic" that does it, and allows you to change directions for reading manga. it was $1.99 in the Apple App Store. It does need to have iCloud Drive (at least for Apple devices) but supposedly you can get your comics from OneDrive, Dropbox, etc. but it's got some kind of issue with Google Drive. I haven't figured out how to get it to sync to any of my cloud storage except iCloud Drive, so I can't speak to how it works regarding the others.

 

[lastmaximal]

It amazes (terrifies?) me this property is over THREE DECADES OLD and within SIX YEARS of Hasbro buying it; it’s all but dead in the US.

You cannot get a property with less overhead. Japan SHOOTS THE SHOW FOR YOU. Stop doing your own shit in New Zealand and just go back to basics and shoot a bunch of nobodies in a Vancouver backlot and overdub the suit footage.

I've genuinely lost track of what ambitions they had for their take on this, and I think they have too. But the core formula... it ain't really broke, don't fix it.

It has to be one of the easier franchises to turn a profit with. It even has a "G1" you can (and they have) milk while you work on stuff. Arguably even multiple ones that are popular with the audience.

 

[Sabrblade]

You guys gotta see this!

The #PowerRangersPreservationProject Presents The Dino Rangers Pitch With Bio-Man Pilot Footage!

Sometime after Saban’s Galaxy Rangers Pitch but before MMPR footage was ready, Saban released DINORANGERS — a 6.5 minute Pitch recycling more bits from the lost Bioman Pilot cut against Zyuranger Footage [and even some Bioman!].

New US Bio-Man footage included previously seen Preservation Teasers like Victor Lee’s and Zack Taylor’s extended intros, a solitary peek at an Americanized Peebo as Alpha-5, plus a variety of new shots of the teens in the desert, additional interactions [90210], and a final moment of Zack at Victor Lee’s Dojo.

Most notably, Barbara Goodson appears as the iconic voice of Rita Repulsa — predating the original MMPR Cast — while also dubbing Trini in Zyu footage, as the Bio-Man Pilot Cast were years removed from production. Much of the dialogue would be recycled in the MMPR Pilot and Series. Other observations:

• DinoRangers was set in 2014
• Zordon referred to as both ‘Zantor the Wise’ and ‘Zoltar’
• Command Center = The Desert Control Center
• Power Coins = Coins of Power
• Squatt and Baboo = Grock and Mongo
• Bones = One of Rita’s Core Henchmonsters
• Dino Zords + Megazord = Dino Droids + Mega DinoDroid

Coming Soon from Saban Entertainment… if Rita allows it!

Digitization & Archival by @PR_Media_Info.

 

[ZakuConvoy]

Man, what a weird look into what could have been.

Seems like this version might have been planned to be a bit more jokey and comedic. Or maybe that was just playing everything up to get companies excited to fund it.

Still, great find!

 

[lastmaximal]

Love this.

I've always loved that Haim Saban was trying to get this going from that far back (until he finally talked to the patron saint of 90s kid TV, Margaret Loesch), because the local (English) dub of Bioman was the first Sentai anything I ever knew.

And I somehow went through my entire time with Power Rangers, all the way until lapsing out of it, without knowing that. So discovering it was one of those mind-blowing weird kismet things.

And oh wow, this opens right up by firmly establishing it's the 90s with that NOT joke. And the rest is just pure cringe charm, delightful.

 

[Sabrblade]

It's like that perfect missing piece between the Galaxy Rangers pitch and the very first "Day of the Dumpster" pilot.

In fact, there was actually a third version of said MMPR pilot episode, one filmed between the first version above and the final version that aired on TV. The director of this pilot, Adrian Carr, has uploaded this lost middle version of the pilot to YouTube, showing a very different set of opening scenes with a full fight between the ranger teens (before they become rangers) and Bulk and Skull's gang (yes, there was more than just the two of them, originally). The fight scene with the Putties is also different, with different fight choreography. The Megazord fight is also the most different part of all, using footage from one of the final Zyuranger episodes instead of the Goldar fight that ended up being used in the final version:

And here's the official final version for comparison:

 

[Sabrblade]

ConorTheWaffle continues his Power Rangers retrospective journey with the Guardians of the Earth: United they ROAR!

 

[Sabrblade]

Power Rangers voice actor Campbell Cooley shares his experience auditioning for the voice of Lord Zedd back when the character was first brought back for Dino Fury (he didn't get the part, of course, since Zedd was voiced by Andrew Laing, but still):

 

[Steevy Maximus]

Since Hasbro has..off loaded the brand from their hands for the moment, it’s apparently time to clean the closets.
Heritage Auctions is running a monthlong auction for, basically, everything viable left from the Saban/BVS/Hasbro media warehouses concerning Power Rangers and it’s cousin series (there was stuff from TMNT and Beetleborgs). Sale encompasses everything from the original MMPR American assets, through the feature films, up to Once and Always.

https://entertainment.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?dept=2182&mode=live&auction_name=7354&ic5=CatalogHome-ActionArea-BrowseAll-071515

Playmates will be showing off their initial offerings next March at the 2025 American Toy Fair with expected rollout for the Fall of 2025.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

They coulda built a museum with all that stuff.

Oh, but to have 15 grand, though...

Actually, the idea of never owning that doesn't bother me as much as I thought. Bandai and Hasbro have done some really good work replicating that over the years.

It's a little cleaner in spots, in terms of gaps and the like, and I kinda prefer the way the doors are straight vertical on the front, but otherwise...

 

[Sabrblade]

A couple of videos talking about this:

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

Quick question: If I wanted to get a good replica Dragon Dagger, which is my better option? Legacy or Lightning?

 

[Badgertron]

So, is Hasbro just washing it's hands of anything to do with PR for the time being? Was it announced how long this licensing deal is going to last?

 

[Tm_Silverclaw]

So, is Hasbro just washing it's hands of anything to do with PR for the time being? Was it announced how long this licensing deal is going to last?

Right now.. Who the hell knows. Seem the current CEO of Hasbro honestly has no idea what to do except try and funnel all money into WotC.

 

[Steevy Maximus]

Right now.. Who the hell knows. Seem the current CEO of Hasbro honestly has no idea what to do except try and funnel all money into WotC.

Everything I’ve seen and read…he’s cut from the same cloth as most modern tech/game CEOs. He started his career in brand management at P&G, then got to play at Microsoft for a bit. Then he got hired at Wizards of the Coast.

His actions echo what a LOT of the tech industry are doing to prop up stock prices: shed employees, sell or license off large amounts of assets, focus on the biggest properties and high margin products. Game companies are chasing live service games, he’s got WotC chasing digital CCGs. His statements from the Q3 Financial Statement seemed quite glowing to Magic/D&D (Wizards products), but even barely mentioned the large swath of other stuff Hasbro makes. Even Goldner would ply a more even hand when talking about the company’s portfolio. If Activision funneled all its money into Call of Duty, and EA into its sports range, then Cocks is doing the same by doubling down on Magic/D&D to the detriment of the toy side of the business.
It feels to me that he’s a “gaming guy” that got saddled being part of a toy company and really doesn’t know what to DO with all those legacy properties, and is such a “business goon” he’s following the same game plan as everyone else. His leadership is reminding me of the trend Mattel followed, where they were “run by business guys” to a point where the company was struggling and losing key licenses. Remember where Mattel was when Hasbro offered to buy them a few years ago?
(Side bar: Apparently, there was renewed “rumblings” of a purchase this past summer when a Private Equity firm started making offers on Mattel. We’ll see how THAT ends up, given PEF’s tendency to ruin anything they buy)
Mattel didn’t really start to turn things around until 2018, when they finally got a decent CEO on board that, basically, followed Goldner’s guidebook on leveraging in house brands and expanding media presence.

I don’t think Hasbro is going to improve until a real “entertainment brand” guy gets back in the driver’s seat.

 

[LordGigaIce]

Quick question: If I wanted to get a good replica Dragon Dagger, which is my better option? Legacy or Lightning?

never got the Lightning version but I have the Legacy version and it's really nice

 

[Tm_Silverclaw]

Everything I’ve seen and read…he’s cut from the same cloth as most modern tech/game CEOs. He started his career in brand management at P&G, then got to play at Microsoft for a bit. Then he got hired at Wizards of the Coast.

His actions echo what a LOT of the tech industry are doing to prop up stock prices: shed employees, sell or license off large amounts of assets, focus on the biggest properties and high margin products. Game companies are chasing live service games, he’s got WotC chasing digital CCGs. His statements from the Q3 Financial Statement seemed quite glowing to Magic/D&D (Wizards products), but even barely mentioned the large swath of other stuff Hasbro makes. Even Goldner would ply a more even hand when talking about the company’s portfolio. If Activision funneled all its money into Call of Duty, and EA into its sports range, then Cocks is doing the same by doubling down on Magic/D&D to the detriment of the toy side of the business.
It feels to me that he’s a “gaming guy” that got saddled being part of a toy company and really doesn’t know what to DO with all those legacy properties, and is such a “business goon” he’s following the same game plan as everyone else. His leadership is reminding me of the trend Mattel followed, where they were “run by business guys” to a point where the company was struggling and losing key licenses. Remember where Mattel was when Hasbro offered to buy them a few years ago?
(Side bar: Apparently, there was renewed “rumblings” of a purchase this past summer when a Private Equity firm started making offers on Mattel. We’ll see how THAT ends up, given PEF’s tendency to ruin anything they buy)
Mattel didn’t really start to turn things around until 2018, when they finally got a decent CEO on board that, basically, followed Goldner’s guidebook on leveraging in house brands and expanding media presence.

I don’t think Hasbro is going to improve until a real “entertainment brand” guy gets back in the driver’s seat.

The problem is.. if he's a WotC guy... There is ONE thing he cares about. ONE THING ONLY. And that is MTG.

Remember, WotC had a HUGE effing property, and they lost it because they didn't want people over 13 competing it IT's tournaments.. Nooooo They had to graduate to Magic the Gathering Tournaments instead!!!!

WotC killed one of their biggest brands in Japan, because they couldn't get people away from that... to MTG.

I will say to the day I die that WotC purposefully killed the Transformers Card game, just so they could either move the budget to MTG, or just focus on MTG.

WotC is honestly toxic to Hasbro, and I feel it, and all their people should be let go and let them go back to being their own company. If they succeed or fail, that's on them.

 

[wentwood]

Has anybody played Power Rangers Super Legends on PC or PS2?

 

[Daith]

I hate defending WotC at all right now but honestly, most of the moves they have made have been for their betterment. Now to hell with them breaking the OGL and trying to ram monetization down D&D's throat, But on the Magic side, they really have been profiting off of most of their decisions.

All of us here are burned by the Transformers TCG getting axed, but in the long run it had the legs of most TCG's as far as longevity felt going on. I'm going to be honest, the gameplay never felt great. I can fanboy about the brand overall, but I could never get that into the game as it kept introducing more and more oddball characteristics into the game that required more than the typical deck format of most games. Master cards, Triple changers, the normal oversized transformers, combiners, Titans.... The board state of the game felt much too messy just barely a year into the game. And if it is one thing I've noticed playing TCG's for the last 28 years games that have too many variations in the normal game tend to die out faster. Granted that's just calling out the Transformer cards themselves not the deck of weapons, items, and everything else I've conveniently forgotten in the last few years. In the long run the Transformers game early on felt like it was going to fizzle out sooner than later.

Now on to most everything else, most of their moves have been maximizing the MtG brand, and even the stupid stunts they pull at times hasn't hurt the game that badly long term. Brand crossovers are here to stay sadly since it is bringing in profit. LotR with or with out the chase One Ring card would have been a great seller, but that stunt did make it a best seller. And honestly it was one of the crossovers that people would have less to complain about fitting into the rest of MtG's flavor. Now do I think everything should get Magic cards? Hell no, but sadly it is bringing in more money most of the time and getting more people in.

Secret Lair drops have been back and forth over the years over multiple issues. Their recent going back to limited print runs have only bolstered the FOMO lately so I'm actually considering a full superdrop near the beginning of next month for the Marvel cards, as much as I hate the idea of dropping that much money on what will amount to less than half a deck. But damnit it's a strategy that is working for them.

Honestly making WotC a two brand effort helps them overall. You can be rightfully pissed about them axing Transformers, DuelMasters, etc. But honestly they put the full focus of WotC into the cash making brands and pushed everything else gaming to the side companies, and as much as I hate it, it's worked.

Getting back to Power Rangers though in this PR thread.

Cock's has made it easily apparent he doesn't care for the brands overall. And we all know that most anything outside of MMPR isn't selling as much as any other PR season. Hasbro buying the Brand was something Goldner did because he saw the potential in it overall, and sadly Cocks just sees dollar signs in anything. Let's not kid ourselves, producing Power Rangers is a costly endeavor. Cocks thinks like Disney did fifteen years ago. Why continue making a show at cost when the returns aren't coming in when he can just throw the brand to someone else, let them make the toys and just profit off the franchise of a show that still makes money from 30 years ago. And unlike the previous years where Saban could come and rebuy it and contuinue off it, he's going full burn it to the ground making all the money he can off of the history of the brand. And even if someone does pick up the show eventually it would be a brand new effort completely or they would need to repair the damage they already did with the Toei relationship.....

I could ramble on more about a lot here but I gotta get ready for work. But let's not kid anyone here, we are seeing our beloved franchises die just like Toys R Us did do to the same greedy mindsets of those in charge who don't give a damn about the things that are making them money to begin with.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

The problem is.. if he's a WotC guy... There is ONE thing he cares about. ONE THING ONLY. And that is MTG.

Remember, WotC had a HUGE effing property, and they lost it because they didn't want people over 13 competing it IT's tournaments.. Nooooo They had to graduate to Magic the Gathering Tournaments instead!!!!

WotC killed one of their biggest brands in Japan, because they couldn't get people away from that... to MTG.

I will say to the day I die that WotC purposefully killed the Transformers Card game, just so they could either move the budget to MTG, or just focus on MTG.

WotC is honestly toxic to Hasbro, and I feel it, and all their people should be let go and let them go back to being their own company. If they succeed or fail, that's on them.

Hey, over here...

Yes, hi, I'm kind of a card game-illiterate guy. I know Magic is one, and Pokemon is one, and Yu-Gi-Oh is one, and there are a bunch for other licensed properties, and it all just kinda falls apart from there.

What was their other HUGE effing property?