Go, Go, Power Rangers!
Believe me, there was once a time that liking Power Rangers was very not-cool for kids older than 5.
That was also the same time I discovered and really enjoyed the show. Like a few things I enjoyed growing up, I was probably a year or two old for it when I really got into Power Rangers. For a while, the neighbor kid I was friends with was really into the show as well. Then one afternoon on the school bus, I talked about looking forward to getting home to catch that day's episode. Suddenly, he announced loud enough for the other kids on the bus to hear that Power Rangers was a stupid show for little kids. Of course, I quickly agreed with him to save face but ran home to watch the Power Rangers anyway. I secretly watched the show and played with my Power Rangers toys for another year, despite constant teasing from my older brother.
The Power Ranger franchise is a live-action superhero series based on the Japanese franchise Super Sentai. Initially produced by Saban Entertainment, later Saban Brands, and today SCG Power Rangers, LLC (and its parent company Hasbro), the series takes much of its footage from the Super Sentai television series. The first entry in the American series debuted on August 28, 1993, under the title "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," on the Fox Kids programming block. The show quickly launched a line of action figures and other toys made by Bandai, which generated over $6 billion in toy sales by 2001.
As of 2002, Power Rangers consists of 29 seasons on television, 3 theatrical films, and 21 different themed series (Power Rangers in Space, Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers Dino Charge, etc.).
The show was briefly owned by The Walt Disney Company from 2002 to 2010 when Haim Saban, the creator of the series, regained ownership. Saban later sold the Saban Brands company to Hasbro in 2018.
I'd say that I got into the show sometime in 1994, towards the end of the first season. Shortly after getting hooked on the show, Tommy, the Green Ranger, turned into the White Ranger, which was a big deal with the kids in school. I would have been in 5th grade when that major storyline took place. I was captivated by the bright colors and cartoonish action and fight scenes which were pretty similar to the colorful world of pro wrestling that I loved so much back then.
Next year, in the fall of 1995, I was in the 6th grade, which according to kids on the school bus, was too old to watch Power Rangers. I kept watching regardless until one cold, rainy Saturday morning. My Dad had hired a marine mechanic to come to look at the motor on the Ra-El, the family's fishing boat. I was in the living room, minding my own business, watching a rerun of Power Rangers. They were coming through the house when the mechanic stopped in the living room and looked at the television.
After getting himself an eyeful of Mighty Morphin action, he looked at me and then my Dad. Never mind the fact that it was raining outside, he said something along the lines of, "My kids watch this baby junk instead of playing outside, too," and the two continued on to the backyard.
This man I never met before, nor ever saw again, was just one more person telling me I was too old to watch a show I enjoyed.
I never watched another episode.
That's why I was highly interested in ripping into this pack of 1994's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Super Pack of trading cards. This pack included a handful of beautiful POGS that I found visually appealing. The POGS were just another reminder of the time that was the wonderful 1990s. The bright colors in the images bounced off the cards and captured my attention right away. My interest in the show spiked again, and I watched an old episode just for old time's sake on YouTube.
While I enjoyed it, I can finally agree with that grumpy old boat mechanic that I am too old to watch the show now.
However, I'm not too old to enjoy this trip down memory lane... and I hope you enjoy it too!
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