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01-09-2021, 08:05 PM | #411 |
The Immortal King Tasty
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Yo, as someone with a longstanding belief that Ninninger is a criminally underrated Sentai season, I stand in solidarity with your take on its PR counterpart.
I also did enjoy Ninja Steel for what it was, although I didn't end up watching like any of the second season, which has also happened with a few other recent shows. My biggest thought about it has always been that I actually think it does, by far, the best job truly recapturing the spirit, tone, and style of the original Mighty Morphin' era, and would've been much more appreciated if it hadn't come after half a decade of shows that made people so sick of that as an idea. But like, Samurai was also trying to be a carbon copy of Shinkenger, Mega Force was wildly overstuffed and all-around incompetent, and Dino Charge also had aspirations of being original, leaving Ninja Steel as a series that got to really nail the back-to-basics concept. There's a sort of beauty to its simplicity, and that makes it a tragic series in a way, because I think fans are, understandably, after something that proves Power Rangers can still be a bit more complex and innovative. Ninja Steel could be straight out of the early 90's, and whether that's praise or condemnation will depend greatly on your own tastes. Which makes this another cool occasion to see someone giving the series a more positive look. While their juvenile humor isn't always great, Victor and Monty are actually my favorite character concepts for the comic relief of this era for exactly what you were getting at, which is how weirdly fresh it is to see a jock and a nerd teaming up to be obnoxious jerks, and that scene at the end of this episode legitimately is pretty great. It shows a respect for the viewer's intelligence Power Rangers isn't always great about by letting the scene hang on that moment where just the two of them singing to each conveys the emotions for a bit before resorting to the usual blunt dialogue explaining what's going on, and that was something that I sincerely appreciated. Power Rangers could use so many more scenes like that one. Also, I think Ninja Steel had more masked heroes on bikes than most Kamen Rider shows do nowadays, so that's something I have to give it credit for, too.
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01-09-2021, 08:32 PM | #412 |
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Quote:
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I also did enjoy Ninja Steel for what it was, although I didn't end up watching like any of the second season, which has also happened with a few other recent shows.
My biggest thought about it has always been that I actually think it does, by far, the best job truly recapturing the spirit, tone, and style of the original Mighty Morphin' era, and would've been much more appreciated if it hadn't come after half a decade of shows that made people so sick of that as an idea. But like, Samurai was also trying to be a carbon copy of Shinkenger, Mega Force was wildly overstuffed and all-around incompetent, and Dino Charge also had aspirations of being original, leaving Ninja Steel as a series that got to really nail the back-to-basics concept. There's a sort of beauty to its simplicity, and that makes it a tragic series in a way, because I think fans are, understandably, after something that proves Power Rangers can still be a bit more complex and innovative. Ninja Steel could be straight out of the early 90's, and whether that's praise or condemnation will depend greatly on your own tastes. Quote:
Which makes this another cool occasion to see someone giving the series a more positive look. While their juvenile humor isn't always great, Victor and Monty are actually my favorite character concepts for the comic relief of this era for exactly what you were getting at, which is how weirdly fresh it is to see a jock and a nerd teaming up to be obnoxious jerks, and that scene at the end of this episode legitimately is pretty great. It shows a respect for the viewer's intelligence Power Rangers isn't always great about by letting the scene hang on that moment where just the two of them singing to each conveys the emotions for a bit before resorting to the usual blunt dialogue explaining what's going on, and that was something that I sincerely appreciated. Power Rangers could use so many more scenes like that one.
Also, I think Ninja Steel had more masked heroes on bikes than most Kamen Rider shows do nowadays, so that's something I have to give it credit for, too. Glad you atleast liked the idea they were gunning for with Victor and Monty, by the way! Might just be due to me being a simplistic doof, but I kinda just feel like it just wouldn't be PR without cheeseball comedy, ya know?
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01-10-2021, 04:41 AM | #413 |
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I don't mind Ninja Steel either actually, I do prefer Dino Charge and Beast Morphers but other than that it's perfectly acceptable and red rangers like Brody and Casey tend to be underrated! The episode where Levi had to sing that song that would make him evil did have me in absolute stitches though, I mean there was a lot of so bad it's good value in that one even though I liked Levi as a character!
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01-10-2021, 06:15 AM | #414 |
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I don't mind Ninja Steel either actually, I do prefer Dino Charge and Beast Morphers but other than that it's perfectly acceptable and red rangers like Brody and Casey tend to be underrated! The episode where Levi had to sing that song that would make him evil did have me in absolute stitches though, I mean there was a lot of so bad it's good value in that one even though I liked Levi as a character!
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Last edited by DreamSword; 11-19-2021 at 08:25 PM.. |
01-10-2021, 08:33 PM | #415 |
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The friend who I binged the whole series with? His favorite season ended up being...
Mighty Morphin' Season 2 So I asked him to type up what he got out of the season and why he loves it so much, and he sent me this: "Season 2 of Mighty Morphin' introduces a god damn flesh mummy straight from hell to dunk on Rita and start menacing the rangers. He also uses his Olympian tier arm to throw gourds from the MOON to the EARTH in mere seconds, which is both awesome and incredibly stupid(even for this series). He even destroys Tommy in a one on one fight just to flex. Characters continue to grow, there's a long running plot about Tommy losing his powers and the worries therein, the legendary 'Dark Rangers' make their appearance in their walmart brand carpet suits, Kimberly does a Rita impression. We even get the definitive hero moment of Bulk and Skull of all people sacrificing what they've been working all season to get just to save the rangers. It's a great time all around that maintains an air of silly nonsensical fun, but still holds some substance and develops the characters further. It's also the first time any of the cast members are replaced, so while we bid farewell to a few, we get three new in return." ...I'd say that's a pretty good summation! Hahaha. Lord Zedd is hands down the best US original design that the series has ever had, and he makes for a fantastic villain all around. He's got an awesomely creepy design, a menacing voice, shown prowess in combat, and is even the source of some of the best jokes! What's not to love? Bulk and Skull's' character development also really starts to kick off in this season, and if you ask me, not only are these two the funniest comedy duo in the entire franchise, but they also legit have some of, if not THE best character development outright. Ontop of that, the show continues with its over the top action sequences and outright insane plots the series had become known for, making the season alot of fun to watch! ...But none of that matters because they replaced my favorite character, therefor the entire season sucks and I hate it. 0/10. I'm kidding of course. Especially nowadays that we know basically all of the details about what went on behind the scenes, I'm not really blaming anyone for any of the decisions they made. But, it definitely stung to see the characters I grew to love go when I was a kid, and that's a feeling I'll always remember. Of the Stone Canyon Trio, the one I ended up liking best was Aisha, because she was the sassy one and thus I got the most enjoyment out of her personality. However, she is not who we're focusing on today. Today, we focus on the best of the best. The honor of Favorite Episode today goes to... Episode 31: When is a Ranger Not a Ranger? ...That's a mighty deep question you're asking there MMPR, are you sure you're ready to answer it? We start off with Adam giving a soft spoken report on how kaleidoscopes work, and Ms. Appleby totally smokes Skull; I always got a kick out of the show's' sarcastic humor alongside everything else. And that hair on Bulk! This truly was the 90s, haha. And in true Power Rangers fashion, this simple report is enough to give the big bad inspiration for the Monster of the Week. Zedd also answers the question the episode asks: A Ranger is no longer a Ranger when their image is scattered to bits! And a Ranger is in danger when their memory is on the fritz! Nailed it. And yes, he needs to specifically steal Adam's' kaleidoscope, no other one will do! Meanwhile, Kim, Tommy, and Billy all decide to go stare at the mountains through the kaleidoscope because uh... OH CRAP Z-PUTTIES! I will NEVER not love MMPR's' soundtrack. "I Will Win" rocks out in the background as the trio shows off their martial arts against the Z-Putties. Tommy showing off by taking one down with one finger, Kimberly doing a bunch of gymnastics flips, and Billy being straight-forward and to the point. I actually really dig the subtle development Billy has throughout the past two seasons; Going from a pushover of a nerd to a true martial artist who can stand his ground with everyone else. Zedd zaps the kaleidoscope to create Scatterbrain and holy COW is this monster OP! He instantly brings the Rangers down by mind-wiping them. No attempts to stop him, no defense, no will save, just bam, memory and morphing ability gone. That's nuts! At the Juice Bar, the Stone Canyon Trio are all spending their time staring at an abacus(???) when the REAL stars of the show arrive! They tell Ernie that they plan to do a stakeout, and we get to see a bit of Rocky's' mischievous side with him hypnotizing the duo. Just in time too, because Zordon calls in about the new Scatterbrain monster on the loose. And the way Zordon describes how its power works is totally nuts! "Scatterbrain fires a ray which scatters its victims into millions of pieces and then reassembles them without any memory of who they are." Like... holy crap??? That's one of the most intense and insane things I've ever heard, and I LOVE IT! That aside, I do like how this episodes gives the SCT a chance to shine. From Aisha appealing to Kimberly's' sense of friendship, to Rocky immediately taking reigns as the leader now that Tommy is out of commission, there's actually some good stuff here! Oh, and Adam figures that they might be able to use prisms to fight Scatterbrain. That's a thing, I guess. The biggest takeaway though is that Bulk and Skull's' stakeout is successful, and they finally learn who the Power Rangers really are! Side note: Anyone else ever get a small kick out of how the Rangers always looked directly at the camera whenever they morph? Cause I do. But yeah, Rocky and Aisha confront Scatterbrain, whose Mind Ray causes frikken EXPLOSIONS! Adam arrives with the prisms, but in classic Adam fashion, instantly gets his molecules rearranged by Scatterbrain. Nice reflexes, Adam. I absolutely love Bulk and Skull all throughout this. They genuinely admire the Power Rangers as heroes despite what their real identities end up being, to the point of showing genuine distress not only when Aisha and Rocky get blasted, but at the mere notion that the Power Rangers could be lost forever. And then, one of the greatest moments in the history of the show goes down. Bulk and Skull, complete with a wild west remix of their theme song, face off against Scatterbrain, and in the process sacrifice their memories in order to save the Rangers. The two become legitimate heroes in their own right, even impressing the Power Rangers and making them in the two's' debt! SO GOOD! This also marks one of the few times that a monster didn't have to fall before being made gigantic, as Zedd opts to just throw his Growth Bomb anyway. I like to think he was so impressed by Bulk and Skull that he out and out knew Scatterbrain couldn't handle them, and considered the battle lost right then and there. True heroes, everyone! So of course after the Megazord fight where Bulk and Skull try to tell of their exploits, no one believes them, because Bulk and Skull must suffer. Atleast Kim and Aisha are decent enough to give them a pat on the back this time. Overall, like most of MMPR, this episode is a total blast. It's full of energy, it's fun to watch, and Bulk and Skull get one of their absolute best moments. What's not to love? After-Show Bonus If there's one thing I wish had happened in this season, it'd be the introduction and use of the rest of the Dairanger suits alongside White. Don't get me wrong, I totally get why Saban opted not to use them, but man have I really grown to love those suits overtime. And while it's a total rumor with basically no basis, some say that had Saban gotten Steve Cardenas to return for Forever Red he would've shown up wearing the Red Dairanger outfit, and man that would've been awesome, I think.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 01-27-2021 at 06:28 AM.. |
01-11-2021, 03:55 AM | #416 |
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I’ll mostly remover this one as “the one where the US fights actually got some quality”, given that previous episodes mostly used their US fight budget for Putty fights, along with some close ups to tell us “the Rangers are totally in the same area as this monster who never appears in the same frame as them”. Especially given that VR Troopers and Syber Squad (which were both airing at roughly the same time) were also pretty light on US fights (the latter for good reason, though), so that makes this episode stand out in that aspect all the more.
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01-11-2021, 07:03 PM | #417 |
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I’ll mostly remover this one as “the one where the US fights actually got some quality”, given that previous episodes mostly used their US fight budget for Putty fights, along with some close ups to tell us “the Rangers are totally in the same area as this monster who never appears in the same frame as them”. Especially given that VR Troopers and Syber Squad (which were both airing at roughly the same time) were also pretty light on US fights (the latter for good reason, though), so that makes this episode stand out in that aspect all the more.
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01-11-2021, 08:38 PM | #418 |
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Dino Thunder Pre-Show Preamble Somewhat similar to Dino Charge, Dino Thunder is another season that I feel I never really "got." Again, many fans put it near the top, if not at THE top of the list for best Power Ranger seasons, some even calling it "the Time Force of the Disney Era" among many other high compliments. Heck, even many "Sentai Only" fans seem to like it from what I've seen! And again I just... I dunno, it doesn't really do that much for me? The pacing in the early episodes is atrocious for one. Conner is a douche who takes too long to fully come around, certain aspects of the plot require you to think of Trent as Anton's' biological son despite him being adopted(such as the lock on the White Dino Gem), and it also has one of my most hated episodes in the entire series("Bully for Ethan"). But I still like the season overall! Yeah, don't get me wrong, there IS alot to like here. First off, the goal was clear from the start: Create a(n at the time) modern update to Mighty Morphin', and I'd say they succeeded for the most part. Tommy being the mentor, while it didn't have the best execution, was a great idea and lead to some great moments. And of course, the overall coolness factor of the White Ranger, although for the first time my favorite character wasn't a Ranger; it was Devin, who makes up half the comedy duo with Cassidy. Oh, and this season, while not the first to have the "Civilian Powers"(that would be In Space) was what made it an overall staple of the Disney Era. Some liked it, others didn't. I'll let you guess what side I'm on. I think the biggest takeaway I got from the season though, was how much respect it not only showed for itself, but for the Toku medium as a whole. And that is no better exemplified than in this episode. One that any fan of Dino Thunder will not at all be surprised to see listed. Episode 19: Lost & Found in Translation The set up is simple: It's late, and not much is going on other than homework. Ethan, being the nerd he is, decides to take advantage of Hayley's' new satellite dish to watch foreign TV. Kira is down to end the night on a high note, but Conner is disinterested, that is until it's revealed what exactly begins to play on the TV... It's Abaranger, complete with the theme song and everything! Of course, in the context of the PR universe, Super Sentai is a Japanese show based on the Rangers, but yeah, this episode is literally the show runners doing their best to shake hands with the Japanese staff. The personalities of Conner, Kira, and Ethan are all written perfectly here too. Ethan is hooked instantly, Kira is a bit cautious but willing to give the show a chance, and Conner does his best to try and find everything and anything to complain about. The purpose is thus made clear; To try and give a stance as to why exactly people to this day not only like Power Rangers, but Toku shows in general. Every time Conner complains something is weird, or unrealistic, or stupid, Ethan and Kira are there to remind him not to rain on their parade and explain why they're personally having fun with what they're watching. I especially love that the makers of DT knew exactly what episode of Abaranger to choose for this one too, where the evil plot is to give everyone a bad hair day. It's the type of plot straight out of MMPR! The Tommy of the show is even absent for most of it due to a dumb reason! Conner of course is dismissive, but again, Kira and Ethan are like "Bro chill, just try to have fun with it." In the end, it's not just the action scenes, but the heart and soul of what the episode is saying that wins Conner over, to the point he even uses it for his social studies project. And so the episode ends, but this line from Kira really brings it home, I feel: "We're not so different, we're just a slightly different interpretation." After-Show Bonus Did you know the show runners originally wanted Devin to be a US original Sixth Ranger until it was discovered they didn't have the budget? I could never find a concrete answer to what exact Ranger he would be, but answers/theories range from making Red's' Triassic Mode its own Ranger to a Green Ranger who'd pilot the Parasaur Zord. But me personally? I would've loved if he'd been the series first Purple Ranger, and pilot to the Stego Zord. What do you all think?
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Last edited by DreamSword; 10-08-2022 at 11:28 AM.. |
01-12-2021, 05:04 AM | #419 |
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I thought it was that they were going to make the Triassic mode its own ranger and then they didn't just because they found out it wasn't in the Sentai, but I would have actually liked if they'd still done that!
As for that episode, I can see how people are a bit too harsh on it, but as cool as it is to technically see a Sentai dub(sort of) I would prefer if they hadn't presented it as a ''show'' in their universe and just admitted that Power Rangers is based on Sentai. And yes, Conner is terrible. I can see how some people might hate Ryouga more, but it's just that at least he gives me something to cling on to, he sort of almost reminds me of Kenta from Megaranger whereas Conner just never really appealed to me and I did find Dino Thunder a bit overly Americanised in general anyway, although it is still one of the better PR shows but I agree it can be a little bit overrated. |
01-12-2021, 05:58 AM | #420 |
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Outside of making it an episode that's totally removed from the Power Rangers universe, I'm not exactly sure how they could do that? Plus, if they do go that route, we'd miss out on the nice character writing the show has to offer.
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