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Okay, I'll admit it; Power Rangers kind of sucks.

This is a revelation I acquired shortly after my failed attempt to attend the 2010 Power Morphicon Convention, in Pasadena, in August 2010. That’s a whole sorted mess I won't get into, despite one magnificent highlight where I saved an old man from strenuous baggage carrying, at the Los Angeles Union Station, while on my way too the miserable event that very morning.

Seriously, nobody should be carrying traveling bags as heavy as cement buckets, and especially at that age, across the great distances within the Union Station.

I didn't have all that much fun at the very first 2007 Power Morphicon either, but again, not going to get into it.

Anyway, there’s a lot I can say about both the American AND original Japanese versions of the Power Ranger (dubbed Super Sentai), namely a lack of story pathos and some rather unneeded comic relief that more often fails then it works.

However, the franchise isn't so horrible that it warrants non-fans to contemplate suicide, in exchange to actually watching a minute of footage from it. And when elements within each individual series / season works, they really do work, like lone characters (and actors) that really stand out above the rest of the cast.

I'd love to get into each season with in-depth reviews, but my thoughts on Power Rangers somewhat echoes the opinions of Linkara’s online video series The History of Power Rangers, which looks at each season with a fairy level-headed critical mind...minus quotes like 'gun-swords are freaking awesome'...which they are of course.

[link]

Even if you hate Power Rangers, it’s still a very interesting web-series to watch, which thankfully condenses fifty episodes worth of individual seasons down to the manageable ‘best of’ entries, along with opinions of overall themes, continuing story threads, and characters of each yearly saga.

But despite all this, if there is one thing about Power Rangers AND its Japanese Super Sentai originators that I will gladly defend and champion to the grave, is its cavalcade of weekly monsters. Or Kaijin; a Japanese term which translates as ‘monster-person’, like the supernatural humanoids of classic Universal horror films, or comic book antagonists of a non-human / inhuman nature.

YES, YES, calm down, I know, I know…the Power Ranger Monsters are a wacky and an out-right ridiculous bunch that even I myself find frustrated with, espeshially when they get TOO extreme in their silliness (Abaranger and Power Rangers Dino-Thunder was not a good year for me). But most of the time these characters are strangely cool, imaginative, and if you get the references and jokes behind the designs, surprisingly cleaver creations.

And if you've been viewing my works for a while now, than you can clearly see that the Power Ranger Monsters, and related villains, have been a major influence on my own original character designs.

Although I've done tons of art featuring these characters in the past (wither they be Kaiju Portraits or Nayzor’s Sleeping Bikinis commissions), I will pay further homage to them through fan-fiction style redesigns! Other artists on DeviantART have done similar pieces before, but I hope to stay true to the humorous spirit of the originals; description wise though, I'll desperately try to keep them mercifully short.

*****************

Pantheon God Sphinx AKA Itassis, from Magiranger and Power Ranger Mystic Force

One of my more recent favorites from the franchise, whose more of a leading villain than a some one-time monster minion.

Sphinx / Itassis was a member of the ten-giants dubbed the Pantheon Gods, who served the evil Underworld lord called N.Ma (AKA The Master in Mystic Force). However, being the wise sage that she was, Sphinx soon realized that N.Ma was more harm than good for the practitioners of black magic, and joined up the good guys to destroy her former master. Sphinx then became the new queen of the reformed Underworld, while her US counterpart, Itassis, also turned towards the light-side, but sadly without the royal upgrade.

My version of Itassis is practically the same as her live action counterparts (because she rocks in either show), but I simplified her original look, and added more personality and soul to her face and eyes, which was originaly a very stiff mask with brightly lit, but expressionless eyes.

Slippery Shark, from Mighty Morphin Power Ranger

Although filmed in Japan, Slippery Shark was produced exclusively for Might Morphin Power Rangers' first season, and was another animal based monster created by the alien craftsman named Finster. And for some strange reason, he was a fully land-based beast, who'd burrowed beneath the ground, with his dorsal fin exposed, ala Jaws.

Candygram anyone?

He later returned as the leader of a small team of other resurrected sea monsters in season two, and this time he actually got into some real lake water. Slippery Shark also has a subtle rivalry / grudge with Tommy the Green Dragonzord Ranger, between the episodes they appeared in together.

My version of the character would have him as a brutal space pirate, employed by the villains to attack the Power Rangers. And is as lethal on dry land, as he is in the water. The rest of his crew would also be composed of ocean-based animal monsters from seasons one and two, such as Commander Crayfish and Pirantishead.

Bara Snoring AKA Somni-Bot, from Ohranger and Power Rangers Zeo

Sleep inducing, and equally narcoleptic robot from the Machine Empire, whose been sent forth to destroy our heroes, despite the fact that she's so utterly adorable! Sadly, the Power Rangers don't hesitate in destroying Somni-Bot, and although she is quickly rebuilt in a less cute form for a counterattack, the 'good guys' anilities her once and for all.

MY version of Somni-Bot would have her on the run from the Machine Empire, who despite their anti-organic-life doctrine, openly treat their own kind terribly (story elements taken from Ohranger), especially the lesser commoners who can't effectively serve the Royal House of Gadgetry. The Power Rangers take pity on the wayward robot, and with the added assistance of punk friends Bulk and Skull, rent a spot at a self-storage facility, where Somni-Bot now sleeps in peace.

Dora Skeleton AKA Bones, from Zyuranger and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

Living skeleton created by Finster, from season one, who had the ability to create his own magical dimension to battle opponents within, along with his own group of henchmen (unnamed skeleton men), among other weird powers (like what appears to be a green 'laser-rapier').

My version on Bones is more-or-less the same, but I made him a real skeleton, similar to the ones from Army of Darkness and Ray Harryhausen's classic output. However, he still gets to wear the snazzy fedora and cape...because that's just freaking awesome!

*****************

Big thanks to for introducing me to The History of Power Rangers

Next Up in the 2010 Halloween Uploads: an exceptionally sexy re-imagining of The Little Shop of Horrors...and yes, its going to be one of THOSE illustrations.

Description
Okay, I'll admit it; Power Rangers kind of sucks.

This is a revelation I acquired shortly after my failed attempt to attend the 2010 Power Morphicon Convention, in Pasadena, in August 2010. That’s a whole sorted mess I won't get into, despite one magnificent highlight where I saved an old man from strenuous baggage carrying, at the Los Angeles Union Station, while on my way too the miserable event that very morning.

Seriously, nobody should be carrying traveling bags as heavy as cement buckets, and especially at that age, across the great distances within the Union Station.

I didn't have all that much fun at the very first 2007 Power Morphicon either, but again, not going to get into it.

Anyway, there’s a lot I can say about both the American AND original Japanese versions of the Power Ranger (dubbed Super Sentai), namely a lack of story pathos and some rather unneeded comic relief that more often fails then it works.

However, the franchise isn't so horrible that it warrants non-fans to contemplate suicide, in exchange to actually watching a minute of footage from it. And when elements within each individual series / season works, they really do work, like lone characters (and actors) that really stand out above the rest of the cast.

I'd love to get into each season with in-depth reviews, but my thoughts on Power Rangers somewhat echoes the opinions of Linkara’s online video series The History of Power Rangers, which looks at each season with a fairy level-headed critical mind...minus quotes like 'gun-swords are freaking awesome'...which they are of course.

[link]

Even if you hate Power Rangers, it’s still a very interesting web-series to watch, which thankfully condenses fifty episodes worth of individual seasons down to the manageable ‘best of’ entries, along with opinions of overall themes, continuing story threads, and characters of each yearly saga.

But despite all this, if there is one thing about Power Rangers AND its Japanese Super Sentai originators that I will gladly defend and champion to the grave, is its cavalcade of weekly monsters. Or Kaijin; a Japanese term which translates as ‘monster-person’, like the supernatural humanoids of classic Universal horror films, or comic book antagonists of a non-human / inhuman nature.

YES, YES, calm down, I know, I know…the Power Ranger Monsters are a wacky and an out-right ridiculous bunch that even I myself find frustrated with, espeshially when they get TOO extreme in their silliness (Abaranger and Power Rangers Dino-Thunder was not a good year for me). But most of the time these characters are strangely cool, imaginative, and if you get the references and jokes behind the designs, surprisingly cleaver creations.

And if you've been viewing my works for a while now, than you can clearly see that the Power Ranger Monsters, and related villains, have been a major influence on my own original character designs.

Although I've done tons of art featuring these characters in the past (wither they be Kaiju Portraits or Nayzor’s Sleeping Bikinis commissions), I will pay further homage to them through fan-fiction style redesigns! Other artists on DeviantART have done similar pieces before, but I hope to stay true to the humorous spirit of the originals; description wise though, I'll desperately try to keep them mercifully short.

*****************

Pantheon God Sphinx AKA Itassis, from Magiranger and Power Ranger Mystic Force

One of my more recent favorites from the franchise, whose more of a leading villain than a some one-time monster minion.

Sphinx / Itassis was a member of the ten-giants dubbed the Pantheon Gods, who served the evil Underworld lord called N.Ma (AKA The Master in Mystic Force). However, being the wise sage that she was, Sphinx soon realized that N.Ma was more harm than good for the practitioners of black magic, and joined up the good guys to destroy her former master. Sphinx then became the new queen of the reformed Underworld, while her US counterpart, Itassis, also turned towards the light-side, but sadly without the royal upgrade.

My version of Itassis is practically the same as her live action counterparts (because she rocks in either show), but I simplified her original look, and added more personality and soul to her face and eyes, which was originaly a very stiff mask with brightly lit, but expressionless eyes.

Slippery Shark, from Mighty Morphin Power Ranger

Although filmed in Japan, Slippery Shark was produced exclusively for Might Morphin Power Rangers' first season, and was another animal based monster created by the alien craftsman named Finster. And for some strange reason, he was a fully land-based beast, who'd burrowed beneath the ground, with his dorsal fin exposed, ala Jaws.

Candygram anyone?

He later returned as the leader of a small team of other resurrected sea monsters in season two, and this time he actually got into some real lake water. Slippery Shark also has a subtle rivalry / grudge with Tommy the Green Dragonzord Ranger, between the episodes they appeared in together.

My version of the character would have him as a brutal space pirate, employed by the villains to attack the Power Rangers. And is as lethal on dry land, as he is in the water. The rest of his crew would also be composed of ocean-based animal monsters from seasons one and two, such as Commander Crayfish and Pirantishead.

Bara Snoring AKA Somni-Bot, from Ohranger and Power Rangers Zeo

Sleep inducing, and equally narcoleptic robot from the Machine Empire, whose been sent forth to destroy our heroes, despite the fact that she's so utterly adorable! Sadly, the Power Rangers don't hesitate in destroying Somni-Bot, and although she is quickly rebuilt in a less cute form for a counterattack, the 'good guys' anilities her once and for all.

MY version of Somni-Bot would have her on the run from the Machine Empire, who despite their anti-organic-life doctrine, openly treat their own kind terribly (story elements taken from Ohranger), especially the lesser commoners who can't effectively serve the Royal House of Gadgetry. The Power Rangers take pity on the wayward robot, and with the added assistance of punk friends Bulk and Skull, rent a spot at a self-storage facility, where Somni-Bot now sleeps in peace.

Dora Skeleton AKA Bones, from Zyuranger and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

Living skeleton created by Finster, from season one, who had the ability to create his own magical dimension to battle opponents within, along with his own group of henchmen (unnamed skeleton men), among other weird powers (like what appears to be a green 'laser-rapier').

My version on Bones is more-or-less the same, but I made him a real skeleton, similar to the ones from Army of Darkness and Ray Harryhausen's classic output. However, he still gets to wear the snazzy fedora and cape...because that's just freaking awesome!

*****************

Big thanks to for introducing me to The History of Power Rangers

Next Up in the 2010 Halloween Uploads: an exceptionally sexy re-imagining of The Little Shop of Horrors...and yes, its going to be one of THOSE illustrations.