Friday, September 23, 2011

Is Saban contracted to adapt all consecutive Super Sentai series into Power Rangers?

UPDATED 7/2/12 6PM EST
Saban Brands has stated after the International Licensing Expo 2012 that they are contractually obligated by Toei to not skip a Sentai season.
Here is a question that is asked a lot but I don't think it has been highly investigated. The question I am referring to is the fact that so far (as of 2011) Power Rangers has been adapted from every consecutive Super Sentai series since 1992. No series after Zyuranger (1992) has been skipped for footage. They may have skipped suits like Dairanger but they used the footage for zords, some arsenal, and monsters so I still consider it using a consecutive Sentai series, same goes for Season 3 and Kakuranger. They didn't skip a consecutive season because if they did, we wouldn't had Thunderzords or Ninja Zords. Adapting for me is using any amount and size of footage. In the credits for Season 2, they mention Dai Rangers and end of season 3 they mention Kakuranger, very little Zyuranger footage was ever really used by season 3. So the question is if Saban (and Disney when they owned the franchise) contractually obligated to do the Super Sentai series in order and not skip one? Linkara has brought this up in History of Power Rangers, he felt like Carranger could be skipped. Many people have wished many a Super Sentai series would be skipped, many even thought Shinkenger was 'unadaptable' and now we have Kanji at McDonalds. Linkara also brought up the topic of the possibility of using a Super Sentai series prior to Zyuranger. Many fans had brought up in the past that a past Sentai could be adapted. I agree that could have. I would had welcomed to skip a series as well. 

 
So far it is an unspoken rule to not skip one. I think it goes higher than Saban or Disney, I think Bandai is also in the works. Many people think Toei doesn't play into a lot of Power Rangers but I think Toei is more in control. Because Toei recently approved that Power Rangers Mystic Force to be an online game for South Korea. Also Toei lets Sentai be labeled as Power Rangers in Korea and Thailand, so maybe Toei has more sway. Also at the end of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Movie, (which I've seen so many times lately because of my nephew) it says A Saban Entertainment/Toei Company production. Anyway, there is no official statement that we know of that a Sentai series can't be skipped for Power Rangers. But I, myself, with no confirmation believe that they can't skip a Sentai series. Maybe there is a contract and maybe not, but since no series has been skipped, makes me think there is a contract or an unspoken agreement. Also fiscally it is bad financial move, here are cons and pros. The reason there is more cons and than pros is that some cons are to adapt or not adapt.

Pros to adapting consecutively

Cons to adapting or not adapting consecutively
1. Before 2009 when there was just a one year gap, the props and costumes could be shipped easily and didn't have rely on making new stuff. And they didn't have create a lot of new stuff. They have made new stuff before but it took time.

1. Before 2009 when there was just a year gap, if they skipped the next Sentai, they would have to make their own series and would cost a lot more and maybe earn as much as when adapted and not bring in profit. [Not Adapting]

2. Before 2009: Toy-wise adapt the next series was easier as Bandai already knew what they were using from Bandai Japan.

2. Before 2009: If didn't adapt the next series, there was very little time between one season and another to design new stuff, even though Plex does it for Toei every year. [Not Adapting]
3. It is good business to adapt a consecutive series, why waste a new series of footage?

3. Con to adapting the consecutive season is not making sense or having a contrived season like Carranger/Turbo or any season fans have beef with. Carranger might have fared better if not connected to previous seasons.

4. Post 2011: It is good to have 2 years or 3 years gap to get ready for stuff and knowing the whole series before adapting. For example, Saban's crew knew what to expect with Shinkenger.

4. Stuck to a series that may not had been good. [Con to adapting]


5. In Gokaiger's sense, adapting it has problem with old sentai and also locating past PR alums. But con to not adapting is fans looking forward to old alums coming.



6. Adapting something they don't know the end of, like with Abaranger and not knowing AbareMax was not a sixth and just a powerup. [Con to adapting]



9 comments:

Anonymous said...

They skipped Dairanger?

LUKE said...

I personally think they still can adapt Maskman now...they can use monster from Goseiger etc

Justin said...

You said that that can't skip super sentai series for power ranger but couldn't you say that they skip the team but mech/zords in might morphing power ranger/zyuranger when they zyuranger custom/uniforms but they three different super sentai's mechs?

Justin said...

Corrcect if I wrong but couldn't you the mighty morphing power ranger/zyuranger used three different mechs from from three different super sentai series including zyuranger own mech as well they didn't skip mech. But you could say they skip the team, I know one sentai team as alien ranger but does that realy count?

LUKE said...

plus if Saban already know that fans know that they adapt from Super sentai; Why didn't ask fans to vote what series that fans what them to adapt next...that make me curious as well...

Dessa said...

@Justin - They used the White Ranger (Kiba? Ranger) costume from Dairanger as well. So that's a member of the team.

psowill said...

Hey I'm wondering will this mean they'll have a super sentai song all english theme opening for one episode kinda like they did in the first saban run.

JLH said...

Kakuranger was never mentioned in the end credits on the show. It was in the end credits of the Lost Episode special, but that's it.

Revan said...

It will be wise for Saban to make his sentai own series, since he's the owner of franchise it will be a good investment, maybe it will expansive for the first but with the time passes the price making footage will be more cheaper. by the way by investing in Movie studio and/ Animation Studio in NZ will be a good symbiosis mutualism between Saban Brand and local citizen