Does Toei Celebrate Or Acknowledge MMPR's Anniversary Every 10 Years One Way Or Another?

 

I don't like Power Rangers while acknowledging Toei Ltd. is responsible for its existence. I may have skipped most Power Rangers. I have no intention of watching those episodes of Power Rangers Megaforce that I missed. I watched Beast Morphers check out how Hasbro will carry it on while Saban's name is still plastered alongside Toei Ltd. With Power Rangers having turned 30 as a franchise - I still feel like writing this one even when I dislike the franchise. It's because I still acknowledge that Toei is also involved in its existence. Therefore, calling it a bootleg while knowing it's a licensed localization is just plain ignorant!

I decided to check out some past events and here's what I feel...

Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger aired in 2003 instead of 2002

No one should really forget that Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger was a highly innovative season. It simply didn't get so much love back then due to language barriers (for outsiders) and need to talk about how Chojin Sentai Jetman and Gosei Sentai Dairanger are much better. Talk about being in a pickle like how Tensou Sentai Goseiger is in between two highly regarded shows namely Samurai Sentai Shinkenger AND Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger.

Abaranger is the second dinosaur series to be created. Why was it aired in 2003 instead of 2002? 2003 would be ten years after Dairanger and NOT Zyuranger? However, Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger ended up airing in 2007 - 20 years after Hikari Sentai Maskman. A strange oddity isn't it that 2003 could've made room for a martial arts Super Sentai but Toei chose dinosaurs instead? That would be very funny indeed to think about!

I guess Toei was looking at their milestones. It was 10 years after Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers gave them a stronger foothold in the American market. Sure, I really felt disappointed that Power Rangers airs in the Philippines instead of Super Sentai but BLAMING THE FORMER IS JUST STUPID. They decided to celebrate their milestone with a dinosaur-themed show. 

The difference is that Abaranger is obviously self-contained. Trying to create a Super Sentai timeline will create a million more contradictions than the already convoluted Power Rangers timeline. Gokaiger is pretty much a continuity error and is best regarded as a yearlong crossover. Many events in Abaranger IGNORE every last Super Sentai entry altogether. Besides, even other Super Sentai seasons give different reasons why dinosaurs went bye bye because they're SELF-CONTAINED. 

Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger was 20 years after Mighty Morphin' 

I could rant on and on why I really dislike Kyoryuger after I watched Abaranger. I don't care how "advanced" the equipment is because a bad story is a bad story - even when it's brand new! I guess Toei wanted to test Riku Sanjo out on how he'd write Super Sentai. I think Sanjo has done a better job with Kamen Rider and I'm a fan of Kamen Rider Drive. Drive did manage to do some cool stuff here and there. I wonder if the crossover with Shuriken Sentai Ninninger was meant to try and boost up interest in that show? With this in mind, I did feel that Super Sentai started to collapse. I was also once afraid to admit that I was a fan of Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters because others kept bashing it UNFAIRLY. I'll thank Power Rangers fans who checked out Go-Busters and enjoyed it. Heck, even Judd Lynn (an overhyped writer) enjoys Go-Busters. 

The show had references here and there. I think naming the pink ranger AMY Yuzuki was probably in reference to Amy Jo Johnson. Another character that was there was called IAN Yorkland - a possible reference to IAN Malcolm. It was in 1993 when Jurassic Park came to America and the dinosaur hype allowed Mighty Morphin' to finally hit the shores. I managed to finish the show but that annoying DAIGO Kiryu (and I feel he's been named Daigo on purpose, after Daigo from Dairanger) just ticks me off. The hyperactive energy of the show is something I can't even cope up with. I may not like Power Rangers Dino Charge as well but the show's lack of hyperactivity was a plus for it. So yeah, Yoshi Sudarso's visiting Toei Studios isn't that epic compared to meeting big-time martial artist Donnie Yen!

The show had some Wizard of Oz references with the Deboss. It could be viewed because The Wizard of Oz was screened in 1953 making it 60 years after the film. I even wonder if that's the reason why Rita Repulsa was given the cartoony Wicked Witch of the West laugh instead of Bandora's scarier, more sinister cackle. 

This show should've given me more reasons to give a more critical view of Kishinryu Sentai Ryusoulger. It's because of Toei's love affair with dinosaurs. I even wish that Hasbro just skipped Ryusoulger entirely. 

Akibaranger Season Tsuu's final episode does feel like as well

What interested me was that Mika Koizumi returned as a ghost. So far, nothing is known about the actress Yuki Yajima and she's probably just living a private life somewhere. The controversy behind her disappearance ranged from several theories such as she just quit, a contractual dispute, or that she was pregnant. Speaking of which, it seems Minh from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (Trini's daughter) may have been a character made in response to Yajima's alleged pregnancy. I kinda wish I didn't watch the special altogether since I still dislike Power Rangers. 

Thuy Trang's death in 2001 still shocks me. An episode in Power Rangers Time Force was dedicated to her memory namely "Circuit Unsure". I only found out about her death a few years after it happened. I can't recall when I heard of her death until I Googled it. I couldn't help but still think of Mika's demise in Chodenshi Bioman. 2013 would be 20 years after Mighty Morphin' first aired in America. Akibaranger Season Tsuu was in 2013. The ending was really creepy. Why in the world were the Akibarangers killed off JUST LIKE THAT? I felt it was cold-bloodedly evil! 

After the final episode, Mika soon arrived with Naoto Nakadai and Naoto Takizawa to pick up the Akibarangers. Interestingly, Trini was shown in a flashback of Power Rangers Dino Thunder. The episode "Circuit Unsure" was an Eric Myers-focused episode. Eric's counterpart is Naoto. My wild guess was that Mika was supposed to be with Burai. Instead, the producers chose Mikoto because it was Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger's 10th anniversary. Mika only existed for 10 episodes in Bioman yet she's given a memorial. I feel like the whole scene was dedicated to the memory of Trang herself instead. 

In short, it was Harsher in Hindsight. Bioman's first episode had Ryuta Nanbara asking, "You don't want to die young, now would you?" Eventually, Mika dies in episode 10 all too soon and is unable to follow in her deceased brother's footsteps. Trang ended up dead in real life in 2001. I feel like Mika's cameo in-suit was all in honor of the late actress herself and not Mika. 

I think Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger may also be paying tribute to Mighty Morphin' aside from other shows

I guess it's hard for me not to throw my bad jokes about the show. I still imagine that Himeno should've been played by Jacqueline Scislowski or that So Kaku does resemble Yoshi. I couldn't get over the Spider-Man jokes I'm throwing at Jeramie even if I'd rewatch Saban Spider-Man over the over-the-top Japanese Supaida-Man. The late Stan Lee praised the Japanese adaptation while having an animated cameo in Saban's adaptation. Full circle? It's also 25 years since Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog showed up. I guess Kamen Rider Saber (which was in 2021) was pretty much a testing ground of sorts as a "sequel". I did think of a possible few jokes worth throwing.

Sure, one can argue that Rita Kaniska's name is from the Ruritateha or Blue Admiral Butterfly. However, she seems to display traits that might make her the true heiress of Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa (and by extension, Emperor Zetto from Ressha Sentai ToQGer) - not Thrax! Rita herself rules over the planes of Gokkan. It's almost as if the Mystic Mother (Rita Repulsa purified) from Power Rangers Mystic Force asked Snowgel to hide her daughter. Years later, Rita Kaniska rules Gokkan. I think it's been done on purpose. Rita from Super Sentai Strongest Battle was just a misguided youngster trying to revive Dai Satan. Rita Kaniska gets headaches from time to time causing her to scream hard. 

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Just some weird rant!

Updated: August 30, 2023