American Footsoldiers

UPDATED JULY 15, 2009 9:00 PM EST

For those who do not know, some of the footsoldiers for the Power Rangers were not from the direct Japanese source. I also refer to the footsoldiers as grunts. Also wonder why some of them didn't get toys?

Z-Putties / Cotpotros
In Season Two of "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," Lord Zedd made his own putties. These were based on the Golem Hei from "Zyuranger" a.k.a. the Putties of Season One. They were referred to as 'Putties' but fans have dubbed them as 'Z-Putties.' The original Putties would teleport away once exhausted. But the Z-Putties went away when hit on the 'Z', which fans consider way too easier than the first ones. In Zyuranger, there was no getting rid of them, many grunts in Super Sentai don't disappear, they are just beaten or exhausted. Maybe the reason the Z-Putties were created was to go with familiarity. The Z-Putties are the only one of two American-made grunts to have their own toys.

Tengas / Dorodoros
Tengas first appeared in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, but they were called Tengu, based on Japanese folklore. But because of 20th Century Fox copyright, they couldn't use the same name so they changed one letter. The Tengus were created by Ivan Ooze, but the Tengas hatched from eggs, brought by Rito. The Dorodoros were the grunts from Kakuranger, maybe because of their look they were not chosen for Power Rangers. I suppose they used the Tengu costumes because they still had them. The Tengas are one of the few footsoldiers in PR history that can talk. I think the Cogs and Pirnatrons did. The Dorodoros did slip into some footage and were referred to as fans as 'Blue Putties.' The Tengus are the second and last American-made grunts to have toys, probably because there was enough time to make time, while other series lasted a year and with the rush the show people couldn't get to the toy people the designs.

Piranhatrons / Wumpers
Wonder why Robot Warriors got a toy and Piranhatrons did not? Piranhatrons were first seen in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, but some had human faces and spoke, this disappeared in the show. Other American-created grunts were the Putra Pods. They were created to go along with the pirate theme of Divatox. The Wumpers were the grunts of the Bowsock in Carranger, they were called Robot Warriors, they were brought by General Havoc. They were probably brought on because they had no choice but to use the footage. The Robot Warriors were first seen as as Shadow Rangers. Robot Warriors got called Chromites in the toy lines.

Quantrons / Kunekunes
Wonder why the Craterites got toys and the Quantrons did not? Because the Kunekunes were from the footage and I suppose the American toy company thought the show would use it. Quantrons were Astronema's footsoldiers, looked more 'space,' so I guess it is why the Kunekunes were not used. Kunekunes were seen once in one episode called Craterites, because there was no choice to use the footage since the Megazord fought them. The Craterite toy also included the Megaranger villain Bibidibi, which I suppose the toy company thought they would use. Bandai America also did this again in Ninja Storm, by adding a small villain from the original series that was not used in the American series with a grunt.

Stingwingers / Yaatotto
Stingwingers were obviously created to go with the insect theme for the Lost Galaxy villains. Yaatottos of Gingaman were used for the Swabbies later on, just like the Craterites/Kunekune and Wumpers/Robot Warriors. Neither one got action figures, probably because the Yaatotto did not look appropriate for toy form. The Power Ranger-exclusive footsoldiers were not done again... until Dino Thunder.

Tyrannodrones / Barmia Hei
So five years later, in the 'Disney Era', the Tyrannodrones were created to match with the Mesogog theme. The Barmia Hei are Abaranger came in two colors, which was rare for Super Sentai at once. Some grunts have come in different colors but rarely at the same time for a whole footage. Once again like Craterites/Kunekune, Wumpers/Robot Warriors, and Swabbies/Yaatotto, the original grunts were used once again. The Barmia came in as the Triptoids. They came from a computer game and were used repeatedly again but came out for no reason, mainly because they had to use the footage.

Maggots / Chaps
Believe it or not, the Skugs and Ultra-Skugs from VR Troopers were from the original footage. The only other grunts from Saban's shows that were not from the original footage was the Maggots from Saban's Masked Rider. The Chaps from Kamen Rider RX were used occasionally but the Maggots were the main footsoldiers in that series.


Grunts to get action figures:
MMPR - Putties (8" figure), Z-Putties (5.5" figure), Tengu (5.5" figure), Putties (5" figure)
Zeo - Cogs
Turbo - 'Chromite'
Space - Craterite
Time Force - Cyclobot
Wild Force - Putrid
Ninja Storm - Kelzak (5.5" and 12" figure that came with Ninja Storm Warrior Pack), Kelzak Fury
Dino Thunder - Triptoid (green, white, black)
SPD - Krybots, Orangehead Troobian
Mystic Force - 'Evil Space Alien' (Hidac)
Operation Overdrive - 'Evil Space Alien' (Chiller: grey, green)
RPM - Grinder

Grunts not to get action figures:
Turbo - Piranhatron
Space - Quantron
Lost Galaxy - Stingwingers, Swabbies
Lightspeed Rescue - Batlings
Dino Thunder - Tyrannodrones
Mystic Force - Styxoids
Jungle Fury - Rinshi

Red-colored special class Grunts
I am not sure if this happened more in Sentai (even though the Zorors of Flashman were red already), but the Cotportos of Dairanger and the Orgettes of Gaoranger had special red suits but strangest thing (since Toei seems to name everything!), they had no special name. While the Maggareppa of Hurricanger had no red suits, Ninja Storm had the Kelzak Fury. I don't recall if the Kelzak Fury toys or Kelzak Fury soldiers in the series appeared first. My own personal opinion is that the Kelzak Fury are based on the Red Orgettes. But who knows the real reason?