POWER RANGERS
Created in 1993 by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy alongside Toei Company, Power Rangers is a landmark superhero franchise that adapts Japanese Super Sentai tokusatsu footage into American live-action sagas. Spanning 30 television seasons, multiple feature films, video games, and expansive comic series, it remains one of the longest-running action franchises in pop-culture history.
Cronologia
Panoramica
Created in 1993 by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy alongside Toei Company, Power Rangers is a cornerstone superhero franchise that adapts action footage from Toei's Japanese Super Sentai series with original American scenes.
The television series ran continuously for 30 seasons (encompassing 973 episodes) from its debut Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in 1993 through Power Rangers Cosmic Fury in 2023.
Beyond television, the franchise encompasses four major feature films—including the 1995 theatrical debut, 1997's Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, 2011's TV movie crossover, and the 2017 Lionsgate reboot—alongside dozens of video games across console, PC, and mobile platforms. The expanded universe also thrives across comic books, transitioning from early Hamilton and Marvel runs to an expansive universe published by BOOM! Studios. Having evolved under various stewards—Saban Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, Saban Brands, and Hasbro—the IP remains an iconic pop-culture phenomenon.
Origini
The roots of Power Rangers date back to the late 1970s when Toei Company and Marvel Comics agreed to exchange source material, leading Stan Lee to unsuccessfully pitch an adaptation of Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan to American networks. Early exposures included local broadcasts of Gorenger in 1975 and a comedic dub of Dynaman on the USA Network in 1987.
During a business trip to Japan in the 1980s, producer Haim Saban watched Chodenshi Bioman in his hotel room and recognized its potential. Saban teamed up with Shuki Levy to produce a pilot titled Bio-Man, which was rejected by major US networks for over five years.
The concept gained traction in 1992 when Margaret Loesch, the head of Fox Kids who had previously worked with Stan Lee, backed the project. Saban and Levy reworked the pitch using footage from Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger as Galaxy Rangers. Following successful test screenings, Fox greenlit Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, partnering with Bandai America for merchandise and debuting the series in 1993 to immediate cultural hysteria.
I PEZZI DI POWER RANGERS
Collezionismo
The Power Rangers collecting ecosystem has spanned over three decades of toy production, defined by major manufacturing transitions.
Bandai America held the master toy license from the franchise's inception in 1993 until 2018, producing iconic Megazords, Auto-Morphin action figures, and the highly sought-after Legacy Collection line.
In 2018, Hasbro acquired the franchise and launched the Lightning Collection, a detailed 6-inch figure line tailored for adult collectors. In late 2024, merchandise production transitioned to Playmates Toys under a new licensing agreement. High-value collectibles include vintage 1990s mint-in-box Bandai Megazords, die-cast morphers, and rare comic variant covers from BOOM! Studios. A historic moment for collectors occurred between October and November 2024, when Hasbro auctioned off official screen-used props, costumes, and Zord components through Heritage Auctions, offering fans direct access to canonical television history.
Filming for the live-action television series moved from California to New Zealand in 2003 during Power Rangers Ninja Storm and remained there until 2023.
