Mighty Morphin Power Rangers | |
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![]() Logo for the original Power Rangers series | |
Also known as | MMPR |
Genre | Action Adventure Science fantasy Superhero |
Created by | Haim Saban Shuki Levy |
Based on | Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger Gosei Sentai Dairanger & Ninja Sentai Kakuranger by Toei Company |
Developed by | Saban Entertainment Toei Company |
Starring | Jason David Frank Thuy Trang Austin St. John Walter Emanuel Jones Amy Jo Johnson David Yost Johnny Yong Bosch Karan Ashley Steve Cardenas Catherine Sutherland Charlize "Charlie" Kersh Paul Schrier Jason Narvy David Fielding |
Voices of | Barbara Goodson Richard Steven Horvitz Robert L. Manahan Robert Axelrod Kerrigan Mahan Dave Mallow Michael Sorich Wendee Lee Bob Papenbrook Kim Strauss Tony Oliver |
Narrated by | Dave Mallow (series announcer, "Today/previously on Power Rangers" segments) |
Theme music composer | Ron Wasserman |
Composers | Shuki Levy Haim Saban (as Kussa Mahchi) Ron Wasserman Kenneth Burgomaster |
Country of origin | United States Japan |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 3 1 (Re-version) |
No. of episodes | 145 32 (Re-version) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Haim Saban Shuki Levy James Simone (Re-version) |
Producers | Ronnie Hadar Jonathan Tzachor Dan Evans III (Re-version) |
Production locations | California (Santa Clarita & Los Angeles) Japan (Greater Tokyo Area Tokyo, Saitama, Yokohama and Kyoto) |
Cinematography | Ilan Rosenberg Sean Mclin (2nd unit) |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 20–21 minutes |
Production companies | Saban Entertainment Renaissance Atlantic Entertainment Toei Company, Ltd. MMPR Productions, Inc. |
Original release | |
Network | Fox (Fox Kids) |
Release | August 28, 1993 November 27, 1995 | –
Related | |
Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers | |
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) |
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (MMPR) is an American superhero television series that premiered on August 28, 1993, on the Fox Kids programming block. It is the first entry of the Power Rangers franchise, and became a 1990s pop culture phenomenon along with a large line of toys, action figures, and other merchandise.[1] The show adapted stock footage from the Japanese TV series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (1992–1993), which was the 16th installment of Toei's Super Sentai franchise.[2] The second and third seasons of the show drew elements and stock footage from Gosei Sentai Dairanger and Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, respectively, though the Zyuranger costumes were still used for the lead cast in these two seasons. Only the mecha and the Kiba Ranger (White Ranger) costume from Dairanger were featured in the second season while only the Kakuranger mecha was featured in the third season, though the Kakuranger costumes were later used for the mini-series Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers. The series was produced by MMPR Productions and distributed by Saban Entertainment, while the show's merchandise was produced and distributed by Bandai Entertainment.
While a global storyline would continue in Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers in Space, and Power Rangers Lost Galaxy (which could be considered respectively and unofficially as the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons of the original series), the subsequent series would not be sequels or spin-offs in the traditional sense, having self-contained plots with no strong connection with the original series (except taking place in the same universe, not being reboots). The exceptions would be Power Rangers Dino Thunder, which could be considered as a continuation of the original classic series by having the presence of the character Tommy Oliver (the Green Ranger and later White Ranger, portrayed by Jason David Frank) as part of the regular team of Rangers of the generation of that series (in some of the other series the character only made special participations). Another series connected to the original classic series would be Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, as one of the main villains of this series, Thrax, is the son of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd, main villains of the classic series.
In 2010, a remake of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, with a revised new look of the original 1993 logo, comic book-referenced graphics, and extra alternative visual effects, was broadcast on ABC Kids, and Bandai produced brand new toys to coincide with the series. Only the first 32 of season one's 60 episodes were remade. It was the final Power Rangers season to air on ABC Kids as Haim Saban re-acquired the franchise from Disney, who took over the rights in 2002. With the beginning of Power Rangers Samurai in 2011, the franchise had moved to Nickelodeon.[3][4]
The original series also spawned the feature film Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, released by 20th Century Fox on June 30, 1995. Despite mixed reviews, it was a success at the box office,[5] and earned a cult following. In 1997, a second film titled Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie was released as a bridge between the series Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Turbo. In 2017, a reboot film based on the original series was distributed by Lionsgate, simply titled Power Rangers.[6] Due to both the film's financial failure and Hasbro's acquisition of the franchise in 2018, another reboot is in development.[7][8]
A television special titled Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always commemorated the 30th anniversary of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and premiered on Netflix on April 19, 2023, with returning cast members David Yost, Walter Emanuel Jones, Steve Cardenas, Johnny Yong Bosch, Karan Ashley, Catherine Sutherland, Barbara Goodson, and Richard Steven Horvitz who reprised their roles. Charlie Kersh portrayed Minh, the daughter of Trini Kwan and the third Yellow Ranger.[9]