Henshin Grid

Friday, April 23, 2010

RPM Micro Megazords

This might be old news but...

In Spring of 2009, Bandai America released the RPM Micro Megazords. They got a lot of reaction from fans because the High Octane and ValveMax came with a 'bonus' zord and Torque Megazord was a whole-new original Megazord, with four new zords. Fans asked Bandai America for what animals they are but they didn't give a straight answer. The Black one at the top was Panther and car mix; the middle purple one was a fox or bat like sci-fi car; and the cyan one was like a condor racecar. The red bonus is a car-like pick-up truck. With ValveMax, came with a purple Cobra Bonus zord. The High Octane shield became a black frog, so it wasn't completely original.

In late 2009, they made three other Micro Megazords with bonus zords of themselves. But they were only released in the United Kingdom and possibly other European countries. The important part is that they were not released in the United States. Recently, PRRPM came to Germany, marketing is different, some things that weren't released in U.S. where released there and things that were aren't. It depends on the market and it is another branch of Bandai. Mach Megazord came with a silver and navy bird-like jet bomber; PaleoMax came with a red manta ray shield; and 'Engine Shogun' came with a black space shuttle. The space shuttle to me looks like a orca or a dolphin. The color schemes match, I wish they went a little more 'out there' with the colors.

Engine Shogun Megazord is based on Dai Shogun, the re-version of High Octane Megazord from the Go-Onger movie. This megazord didn't appear on the RPM show. Bandai America did plan to release the deluxe Megazord but never did, anywhere. I find it interesting that it is called 'Engine Shogun.'

Power Ranger-Exclusive Monsters (Not Main Villains)

Now that I covered the monsters not used from their Super Sentai source, B-Fighter monsters used in PR, and combination monsters, here are some American and New Zealand monsters exclusively made for Power Rangers. I am not covering all the humanoid ones to appear in InSpace, Lost Galaxy, and SPD. I am also not covering main villains (like Lord Zedd, Thrax and Mesogog) or the recurring footsoldiers, which I have already done before.

MMPR

Wizard of Deception
When they filmed "The Return of the Green Ranger" in Season 2 in Australia, we got this guy with a pumpkin mask and long black hair wig that made the Tommy clone. He was not defeated.

Rat Monsters
Ah, the infamous rat monsters. When I first saw these guys in "The Return of the Green Ranger" in Season 2, I thought they were the most lame monsters ever seen, so lame. I thought they got them off a costume rack. But little did I know, Saban was banking on them. Rumor is Haim Saban loved them.

A true fact was that the monsters were originally created for MMPR the Movie, evidenced by the photo above. I was glad someone did talk sense into Saban to get rid of them. But they were used in the show and that's just fine.

TURBO

Maligore/Dark Spectre
Made for the Turbo movie, he was used again for Dark Spectre in PRiS, I still can't tell the difference between them.

IN SPACE

This creature to fall unto Andros was a re-construction of one of the grunts (Maggots) from Masked Riders. The Maggots were original creations by Saban. Above photo from a scan of a Japanese book talking briefly about Power Rangers.

LOST GALAXY

These Skeleton warriors (there were four of them) were original creations. These were for one episode only. They were color coded (green, yellow, blue, and white).

TIME FORCE

These five warriors came in with Vypra, they were also American-made. These were for one episode only. They were color coded (red, green, yellow, blue, and pink).

DINO THUNDER

Mesogog is a main villain and an original creation but I also got to mention that his final monstrous form was also an original creation. For me, it was a pretty impressive creation.

SPD

Don't know this guys name and don't remember what episode he was in. He kinda looks inspired by that Darkness demon monster from Legend, except the horns are pointing inward. Above photo from a scan of a Japanese book talking briefly about Power Rangers.

This alien was captured by the B-Squad and A-Squad. For me, he looked like a token alien monster. Above photo from a scan of a Japanese book talking briefly about Power Rangers.

Omni
The revealed 'big boss' that had two forms, both original creations. The final Megazord fight scene with this thing was all new made by Disney. The only case of an original Megazord battle from the New Zealand crew. Above photo from a scan of a Japanese book talking briefly about Power Rangers.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

White Sentai Warriors: Males don't have 'White' in their names

I brought this up before in past posts, but I thought I would highlight it in this post. That in Super Sentai, most of the White Rangers that have the actual word 'White' in their titles are women and all the men don't have the word 'white' in their titles. In fact since the series started in 1975, the first to have the word 'white' in their title was White Swan in Jetman in the year 1991! There has only been 3 official warriors with the word 'white' in their titles.

Big One (JAKQ, 1977) -- The first white warrior, he was introduced later in the series. He was the fifth warrior. In the above picture, he is in the lower right corner.

Change Mermaid (Changeman, 1985) -- Sayaka is the second white warrior, the first female. She had pink accents in her uniform, she is one of 3 to have pink accents.

White Swan (Jetman, 1991) -- Kaori is third white warrior, the second female and the first to have the word 'white' in her title. She had pink accents in her uniform.

Kibaranger (Dairanger, 1993) -- Kou is fourth white warrior and second male white warrior, the first and only youngest warrior. He was the first white warrior to have a vest and the first to be a sixth ranger.

Ninja White (Kakuranger, 1994) -- Tsuruhime is fifth white warrior and third female white warrior, she was the first female leader. Her picture is to the bottom left.

Gao White (Gaoranger, 2001) -- Sae is the sixth white warrior, the fourth female white warrior, the third to have pink accents and the last warrior to have the word 'white' in their title. Her picture is at top right.

Abare Killer (Abaranger, 2003) -- Mikoto is the seventh White warrior, the third male white warrior and the second white warrior to be a 'fifth member.' He also is the second white warrior to have a shield. He is the first white warrior to be evil. According to Gokaiger, he is considered a sixth ranger.

Deka Break (Dekaranger, 2004) -- Tetsu is the eight White Ranger and the fourth male white warrior. He is the second white 'sixth' ranger--as he is treated as a sixth ranger.

Deka Swan (Dekaranger, 2004) -- Swan is the ninth White Warrior, she is technically with black and orange accents.

Magi Mother (Magiranger, 2005) -- Miyuki is the tenth White Warrior, the fifth female white warrior and the third female white warrior to not have the word 'white' in the title. She is the second female warrior to be sixth or seventh.

Geki Chopper (Gekiranger, 2007) -- Ken is the eleventh White Warrior and the fifth male white warrior, he is the second white warrior to have orange and black accents.

So the point I am making is that maybe it is a culturally thing that the only female white warriors have been called 'white.' They probably view white a feminine color, a bit like the color pink, but they still have white male rangers. For Sentai, there are 5 male white warriors (all not called 'white') and 6 female warriors (only 3 called 'white').

As for the Power Rangers, male White Rangers do get called white. There are 4 male white rangers (only 2 called 'white ranger') and 4 female white rangers (3 are called 'white ranger').

Kiba Ranger = White Ranger
Ninja White = White Aquitar Ranger
Gao White = White Ranger
Abare Killer = White Dino Ranger
Deka Break = Omega Ranger
Deka Swan = Kat Ranger
Magi Mother = White Mystic Ranger
Geki Chopper = Rhino Ranger

Of course, there was White Racer, which was just Radiata Fanbelt who was a fan and wasn't an official member. But also to mention she was called 'White' and was female. Carranger, 1996

Super Sentai Group Shot 2010 -- Everyone included or some excluded?

I wish this was bigger, because it is hard to see some. It has Aka Red in it, but it doesn't have Deka Master (Shadow Ranger), Deka Gold, Deka Swan (Kat Ranger), Deka Bright (Nova Ranger), Magi Mother (White Ranger), and Wolzard (Koragg). Now some are expected not to be there but I am surprised Deka Master is not there.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Favorite Re-Color of Morpher

Lighting Morpher
Red re-color of the basic morpher. PR only. This is the name for the toy.

Triassic Morpher
Re-colored and re-modeled form of the basic morpher for the Battlizer. Power Rangers only.

SP-License of Deka Swan and Gold / 'Kat Morpher'
Re-paints of the Delta Morpher, the black parts were repainted white and the white letters were re-painted, one orange and another red. Funny enough, Deka Gold's morpher went to Kat Ranger instead of Deka Swan's. I found it interesting. Neither got names on the show, these are fan names.

'Bright Throttle'/'Nova Morpher'
Gold re-paint of the Omega Morpher for Deka Bright/Nova Ranger. Neither were named on the show, these are just fan names.