Imagine your entire childhood, the very reason for the bulk of your personality and all that comprises the behavior-assigning neurons in your skull, fading away into oblivion. We all have that one show, that memory, that fever dream, that little shard of pop culture from our younger years that clung to us as we entered adulthood like a fire chasing oxygen.
As did so many other kids across the globe, I wanted to be a Power Ranger. I would go so far as to call it the defining franchise of my formative years. “Ben 10,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Teen Titans”’ are all close seconds, but nothing excited me more than seeing the Power Rangers morph into battle.
Besides the eye-catching costumes, the awesome zords and the weapons with catchy names, I wanted to be brave like the Red Ranger, kind like the Blue Ranger, confident like the Black Ranger, graceful like the Pink Ranger, a great friend like the Yellow Ranger and optimistic like the Green Ranger.
Sadly, all good fantasies must come to an end. As an eleven-year-old, it was disappointing to realize that an interdimensional being caught in a time warp would never teleport me to his command center in the middle of the desert and grant me incredible abilities. However, I was comforted by the fact that I could always live vicariously through the teenagers with attitude who donned the multi-colored spandex.
With the recent news about Hasbro’s vague plans for the franchise, it seems my dreams are fading away. Hasbro announced on April 22 that they are leasing the toy production and distribution rights to Playmates. I was not upset with this announcement since Playmates has produced great action figures for “Ben 10,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Miraculous Ladybug.”
What upset me was how Hasbro put “Power Rangers” on ice over a year ago, and their first update to fans was that another company would hold the licensing rights to develop cross-category products. I could have come to terms with just this, but then I found out the “Mighty Morphin” line of comics from Boom! is ending.
The comic book series that Boom! has released over the last eight years has been the most successful in adapting the story of the original team to modern times. New life and engaging story arcs were breathed into the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” For me, it fulfilled my desire to see a much more fleshed-out story than what the original show was allowed to produce.
Now, the comics are ending, and the toy line is being outsourced. Apart from these announcements, Hasbro has been silent on the future of “Power Rangers.” Either of these statements alone would have been no big deal, but the fact that it all culminates as the franchise’s supposed hiatus nears its end is troubling.
The kicker is that elaboration is not due for at least another few months. Further updates about Boom!’s plans for the comics are meant to be released during the San Diego Comic-Con in mid-July. Playmates will release its first wave of products in 2025, but whether it will be in early, mid or late is unspecified. Then again, next year is supposed to be when an official statement is made about Hasbro’s decision to continue, reboot or officially abandon the show.
Everything rides on each of these events and how they carry over to the next. Boom! claims to plan to produce more comics, which is the most hopeful outcome of these releases. Playmates is a great company, but their products could be better, depending on the franchise.
The action figures for “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” are designed in details that are accurate to their source series, but they are barely articulate and are of low quality compared to the action figures from Mirage Studios. I was not a fan of their “Ben 10” figures. They looked great but were stiff as if they were meant to be three-inch figurines rather than action figures as advertised. Playmate’s “Miraculous Ladybug” figures are pleasing, but their costumes and hair are not always accurate.
What killed the show before was declining toy and DVD sales alongside an average box office performance from Lionsgate, which convinced Nickelodeon, Lionsgate and Saban to halt production. It was utterly unfair, and the prioritization of profit margin from children propelled the show in a less-than-favorable direction.
All this seems to be them treading the line to making the same mistake they made during the Neo-Saban Era and the missed opportunity of the 2017 film release. Hasbro needs to learn to trust the process and not be afraid to invest in faith like Disney and Boom! Comics did. It turned out amazing for them.
Disney tried appealing to older audiences, raising the budget for their seasons and casting internationally for the show, while Boom! added layers of romance, racial tensions, lore and self-conscious commentary that the original series was not allowed to visit. Each of these directions was a leap that was not guaranteed to pan out, but they worked and only helped the franchise and its growing and dedicated fanbase.
Overall, the ambiguity is troubling. The cloud of uncertainty over “Power Rangers” is escalating into a hurricane amidst the companies’ vagueness. It might be immature for a 20-going-on-21-year-old to get upset over a show primarily aimed at younger viewers, but I love what I love.
“Power Rangers” is a morphinomenal phenomenon that is important to me and many others. The majority of my wardrobe is inspired by the Green and Black Rangers. I learned martial arts because of the Power Rangers. They were my introduction to tokusatsu, which got me into anime. Geeking out over the show is how I discovered my love for writing and drawing and how to expand my imagination.
People need consistency in life. They need something outside of work or school to look forward to, something comforting and communal. Some people gravitate toward “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” some people to “Survivor” and some to “Shameless,” but I was drawn to the elite fighting force that came in assorted colors. If no solid or optimistic information is released soon, 2025 might be a dull year for me as a “Power Rangers” fan.
