This came to mind today, as I am obsessed with the heroines in Sentai and Power Rangers. I know they are boy's franchises but I wondered how many episodes got female focus. , I also did a Super Sentai one but couldn't do the whole thing because I have not seen all the seasons. But with PR, the whole PRC episode Guide is almost complete and I've seen almost every episode of Power Rangers.
MMPR First Season18 of 60 Episodes of the first season were female-focused. Episode 3 and 7 Kimberly and Trini shared. What fans call the 'Girl Power' episode. Trini had 4 episodes to her own: Episodes 4, 9, 11, and 48, while she was somewhat important in "Dark Warrior," "Trouble with Shellshock" and "Food Fight." Kimberly shared 12 & 16 with Billy. Kimberly had 9 to herself (5, 14, 24, 26, 27, 31, 45, 54, and 57). That is like 25%, a quarter.
MMPR Second Season
13 of 52 episodes (25%) were female-focused. Kimberly had 66, 71, 76, 79, 85, 107, 110 and 111 to herself, but 71, 79, and 110 she shared with Tommy. "Forever Friends" she shared with Aisha. Trini had "Welcome to Venus Island" and Aisha had "Where there's Smoke, There's Fire." "Storybook Rangers" featured Kimberly and she was important in "White Light." Aisha was important in "The Power Transfer," "The Ninja Encounter" and "Goldar's Vice Versa."
MMPR Third Season18 episodes of 42 episodes (42%--almost 50%) had females in the primary. Kimberly was important in one part of "A Friend of Need," she had 9 episodes: A Brush With Destiny, Changing of the Zords, Follow that Cab! and A Different Shade of Pink saga. Kimberly and Aisha sort of shared "A Ranger Catastrophe" 2 parter with Katherine. Aisha had the 2-part "Stop the Hate Monster" and the 2-part "Hogday Afternoon." Katherine had the "A Ranger Catastrophe" 2 part, A Different Shade of Pink saga, Another Brick on the Wall and Sowing the Seas of Evil. Aisha and Katherine shared "The Sound of Dischordia."
Zeo10 of 50 episodes featured the girls (20%). Tanya had four episodes and Katherine was involved in 6 episodes, she shared 3 with Tommy (For cryin out loud, There's no business saga, and A Small Problem). Tanya was sort of important in Episode "Game of Honor" and Katherine was in Hawaii Zeo and the rest of There's No Business like Snow Business 3-parter.
Turbo9 of 45 Episodes (17%). Katherine had 2: "Weight and See" & 'Cars Attacks', Tanya had "Transmission Impossible," Ashley had 2 episodes and Cassie had 2 episodes. Cassie and Ashley shared "The Rival Rangers." Cassie had focus in the Phantom Ranger episodes as well. Katherine was also important in "Passing the Torch."
In Space6 out of 43 episodes (13%) had females featured. Cassie had 4 episodes (When Push Comes to Shove, A Wasp With a Heart, A Delta Discovery and Silence is Golden), Ashley had 2 episodes (Grandmother Matchmaker and Invasion of Body Switcher) and Ashley was involved in "Red with Envy" but was not in focus. And "A Rift in the Rangers" had both girls. "Always A Chance" involved Cassie a bit.
PRLG7 of 45 (17%) had female focus. Maya had Kendrix had 2 episodes (Memories of Mirinoi, Loyax' Last Battle), Kendrix had 2 (Double Duty and Power of Pink), Kendrix and Maya shared "Orion Rising," Karone had 2: Protect the Quasar Saber and Facing the Past. The girls were victims in 2: Stone Beauty and Mean Wheels Mantis. The lack of girl episodes could be chalked up to Kendrix actress' sickness. Maya was important in some episodes but had no focus.
PRLR8 of 40 episodes (15%). Dana had 4: A Matter of Trust, Go Volcanic, The Last Ranger, In The Limelight and Kelsey had 4: The Fifth Crystal, The Great Egg Caper, Riding the Edge and Up To the Challenge. They share no episode together.
PRTF13 of 40 episodes (32%), Jen had 2 episodes on her own (Jen's revenge, Time Force Traitor), 4 she shared with Wes (Trust and Truimph, Something to Fight For, Ransik Lives, and Undercover Rangers), she was main focus in 2-part opener, and Katie had 3 (Future Unknown, Legend of Clock tower and Full Exposure). Lovestruck Rangers, the girls had to fight the villains, but the episode mostly dealt with the boys but it is the episode where Ransik made fun of "Girl Power." Jen had main focus in "End of Time Part 3." Jen also had some importance in "Quantum Secrets." Jen was the leader but even though being the leader and in charge, I was only counting the episodes that mostly dealt with her. Wes had like 11 episodes were he was in focus (not including the four he shared with Jen) but 7 were solely his--the other 4 he shared with Eric or others. So we can say Wes had 5 more solo episodes than Jen.
PRWFThe Girl Rangers had 6 of 40 in focus (15%). Taylor had 3 episodes (Revenge of Zenaku, Click Click Zoom, and Bear Necessities), and Alyssa had 3 (Father's Footsteps, Ancient Awakening and Battle of Zords). Alyssa did help in Secrets and Lies and Taylor had some focus in other episodes but she was a minor character.
PRNSBeing the only girl, Tori only had 8 episodes of 38 that featured mostly her (21%). 4 Episodes she had to herself (Snip It, Snip It Good, Beauty and the Beach, The Wild Wipeout and Pork Chopped), "Double Edged Blake" and "I Love Lothor", "Nowhere to Grow" and the Thunder Stranger saga has some focus on her.
PRDTKira had 5 episodes to herself (Diva in Distress, Missing Bone, Mad Mackerel, A Star is Torn, and A Ranger Exclusive), out of 38 (13%), but had some focus in White Thunder saga.
SPD6 of 38 had female focus (15%). Syd had 3: Dogged, Zapped, and Stakeout; Z had 2: Sam Part 1 & 2, and Kat had Katastrophe. Z had some focus in Messenger Part 1. I am surprised Z didn't have more focus.
Mystic ForceGirl Rangers got 8 episodes of focus out of 32, females all together got like 11 episodes (25 to 34%). Madison had 3 to herself: Rock Solid (which she kinda shared with Nick), Scaredy Cat and Ranger Down. Vida shared a lot of episodes, like Code Busters, Petrified Xander, Stranger Within Part1-2, Hard Heads and The Return. Clare had Gatekeeper 1 & 2 and Long Ago. Udonna had Light Source Part 2 and Heir Apparent Part 2. The episode they were supposed to have together from Magiranger was not used.
PROO6 out of 32 episodes had female focus (14%), even though Ronny On Empty Part 1 & 2 had her name, it barely had any character development on her but eh, I'm counting it. Rose had 2 episodes (one she shared with Tyzonn) and Ronny had 4 (2 she shared with Will and 1 she shared with Mac). Ronny was the victim twice.
Jungle Fury Lily had 6 of 32 episodes in focus (21%), she was lightly spotlighted in Taste of Poison and Dance the Night Away. Her solo eps were Way of the Master, Pushed to the Edge, Bad to the Bone and Fear and the Phantoms. Pizza Slice of Life and Pushed to the Edge had some Camille focus.
RPMThere was like 5 to 6 out of 32 episodes (18%) that had female focus. Summer had Ranger Yellow Part 1/2, Dr. K had Dr. K and shared If Venjix Won with Ziggy, Gema had Not So Simple but she shared it with Flynn. Summer was important in many eps and Gema shared eps with Gem. Summer was important in Brother's Keeper and Belly of the Beast.
SamuraiWon't do the numbers until season ends.
In later seasons, it doesn't matter if there was a duo of females or only one female. There was more female focus in the beginning but probably because there was more episodes, the percentage was about the same. Jen had more focus because she was leader.
Episode 11 of Gokaiger we get Karou (female Shinken Red of Shinkenger) but we get to see Gokaiger transform into Dynaman and ZYURANGER. This is what most Power Ranger fans have been waiting for. One fan on Rangerboard said it was strange coincidence that the episode that pays tribute to the current Power Rangers will also feature the original Power Rangers, in a way, of course they are the Super Sentai counterparts. Another fan countered that it is no coincidence. Toei is aware that which series is currently Power Rangers. Plus Koichi Sakamoto who was the stunt coordinator for more than decade of Power Rangers is one of the stunt coordinators on Gokaiger. It could had been designed as a wink to fans, or maybe just a coincidence. Picture above is a capture of the trailer on Tv-Asahi.net.
Ah yes, I was reminded that Dynaman was also the first to see the light of day in the US as it was parodied on the USA Network in 1984 for a couple of episodes (basically the same show but with comedic voice over).
