Power Rangers is an American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a
live-action superhero television series, based on the Japanese tokusatsu franchise Super
Sentai. Produced first by Saban Entertainment, second by BVS Entertainment, later
by Saban Brands, and today by SCG Power Rangers and Hasbro, the Power
Rangers television series takes much of its footage from the Super Sentai television series,
produced by Toei Company.[1] The first Power Rangers entry, Mighty Morphin Power
Rangers, debuted on August 28, 1993, and helped launch the Fox Kids programming block
of the 1990s, during which it catapulted into popular culture along with a line of action
figures and other toys by Bandai.[2] By 2001, the media franchise had generated over
$6 billion in toy sales.[3]
Despite initial criticism that its action violence targeted child audiences, the franchise has
continued, and as of 2019 the show consists of 26 television seasons of 20 different themed
series and three theatrical films released in 1995, 1997 and 2017. In 2010, Haim Saban,
creator of the series, regained ownership of the franchise after seven years under The Walt
Disney Company.
In 2018, Hasbro was named the new master toy licensee. Shortly afterwards, Saban
Brands and Hasbro announced that the latter would acquire the franchise and the rest of the
former's entertainment assets in a $522 million deal, with the first products from Hasbro
becoming available in early 2019.[4][5]
Since Power Rangers derives most of its footage from the Super Sentai series, it features
many hallmarks that distinguish it from other superhero series. Each series revolves around
a team of youths recruited and trained by a mentor to morph into the eponymous Power
Rangers, able to use special powers and pilot immense assault machines, called Zords, to
overcome the periodic antagonists. In the original series Mighty Morphin, the
wizard Zordon recruits "teenagers with attitude" against Rita Repulsa.[6]
When "morphed," the rangers become powerful superheroes wearing color-coded skin-
tight spandex suits and helmets with opaque visors; identical except in individual rangers'
color, helmet design, and minor styling such as incorporating a skirt. Morphed Rangers
generally possess enhanced strength, durability, agility and combat prowess. Some possess
superhuman or psychic abilities such as super-speed, element manipulation, extra-sensory
perception or invisibility.[7] In addition, each individual ranger has a unique weapon, as well as
common weaponry used for ground fighting.[note 1] When enemies grow to incredible size (as
nearly all do), Rangers use individual Zords that combine into a larger Megazord.
Rangers teams operate in teams of five or three, with more Rangers joining the team later.
Each team of Rangers, with a few exceptions, obeys a general set of conventions, outlined at
the beginning of Mighty Morphin and implied by mentors throughout many of the other series:
Power Rangers may not use their Ranger powers for personal gain or for escalating a fight
(unless the enemy does so), nor may the Power Rangers disclose their identities to the
general public.[note 2] The penalty for disobeying these rules is the loss of their power.
As in Super Sentai, the color palette of each Power Rangers team changes every series.[note
3]
Only Red and Blue appear in every Ranger team, while a Yellow Ranger has been present
in every season except Power Rangers Dino Charge. Other colors and designations also
appear throughout the series.[note 4] A Rangers' color designation also influences their
wardrobe throughout the series: civilian clothing often matches Ranger color.[note 5]