Summary
Dino Thunderbroke one of thePower Rangersfranchise’s non-written rules 20 years ago, and the result was incredible. ThePower Rangersuniversehas been around for over 30 years, going fromMighty Morphinin 1993 toCosmic Furyin 2023. Following the reported cancelation of theNetflixPower Rangersreboot, where the show goes next remains to be revealed. At a time when the relationship betweenPower RangersandSuper Sentaiis a point of discussion, it is interesting to revisit the one time the American show had a proper crossover with the Japanese franchise.
Mighty MorphinPower Rangerswas based onKyōryū Sentai Zyuranger, repurposing footage and combining the Japanese scenes with original material filmed in Los Angeles with American actors. The success ofMMPRmeant that this collaboration betweenPower RangersandSuper Sentaicould continue for years to come, with every new season covering a differentSentaiseries. Still,it would take two decades forPower Rangersto directly incorporate the existence ofSuper Sentaiinto its story.
10 Must-See Power Rangers Seasons Every Mighty Morphin Fan Should Watch
Catching up with Power Rangers is tricky, but some seasons are perfect for those primarily familiar with the 1990s phenomenon that was Mighty Morphin.
Power Rangers Dino Thunder’s “Lost & Found In Translation” Acknowledged Super Sentai
“Lost & Found in Translation” Was Power Rangers’ Most Meta Episode
Dino Thunderepisode 19“Lost & Found in Translation” was a meta parody ofSuper Sentaithat included footage fromBakuryuu Sentai Abarangeras if it were an in-universe Japanese show inspired by the Power Rangers.Abarangerwas theSuper Sentaishow on whichDino Thunderwas based. As such, every episode ofDino Thunderused footage from Abaranger, namely for most of the fight scenes and all of the Zord battles. This is the same formula thatevery season ofPower Rangershad always used, yet “Lost & Found in Translation” did something radically different from other episodes.
Trent Fernandez
White Ranger
“Lost & Found in Translation” was the firstPower Rangersepisode to directly acknowledge the existence ofSuper Sentai.Ethan, the Blue Ranger, discovers a TV show from Japan based on the Power Rangersfrom Reefside.Dino Thundernever refers to it as “Abaranger,” nor does it use the actual lines from theSuper Sentaiseries. Still, the American Power Rangers watch the show on TV and argue about how accurate it is to their real adventures. The episode is full of meta jokes that play with the fact thatPower Rangersis a localized version ofSuper Sentai.
Why Dino Thunder’s Super Sentai Episode Was Such A Big Deal For Power Rangers
Power Rangers Rarely References Super Sentai
Power Rangershad been an American adaptation ofSuper Sentaithat combined Japanese footage with original scenes from the start. This unusual strategy that started withMighty Morphinturned out to be a massive success and set the tone for the future of both franchises. However,Power Rangershad never acknowledged the existence ofSentai, not even through alternate universes or cheeky references. Even whenPower Rangershad crossovers with other Japanese properties, such as Kamen Rider showing up inMMPRseason 3, the show would use alternate names instead of referencing the original franchises.
Dino Thunder’s “Lost & Found in Translation” used footage fromAbaranger’s “Abare Leaguer Bind.”
Dino Thunder’s “Lost & Found in Translation” was aSuper Sentaiparody, but it was also a love letter to the franchise from whichPower Rangerswas born. Conner, theDino ThunderRed Ranger, does not like the show at first and makes several comments about how it misses the point of the Power Rangers. This was the opposite of the criticism thatPower Rangersoften faces in real life when compared to the originalSuper Sentaishows. At the end of the episode, Conner grows fond of the show and says that it can help bridge different cultures.
How Power Rangers' Relationship With Super Sentai Has Changed Since Dino Thunder
Dino Thunder Remains Power Rangers’ Biggest “Crossover” With Super Sentai
More than 20 years afterDino Thunder,Power Rangersnever directly referencedSuper Sentaiever again. The show has included some references to the Japanese franchise through Easter eggs, such as howHeckyl fromDino Chargecomes from a planet calledSentai6. Likewise,Super Megaforceintroduced the concept of Ranger Keys and featured someSentaicostumes that had never appeared inPower Rangers. Still, those were mostly blink-or-miss moments with very little context.Super Megaforce’sSentaicameos were perceived as plot holessince some of those had never been made into Power Rangers.
WhetherPower Rangerscan work withoutSuper Sentairemains to be seen, but the two franchises will forever be tied in terms of tone and aesthetic.
Power Rangershas also started to move away fromSuper Sentai. For example,Power Rangers: Once & Alwayswas mostly original footage, whereasCosmic Furyfeatured original costumesand only used Japanese scenes for the Zord fights. While the future ofPower Rangerson TV is uncertain, the next series is expected to feature all-new footage and work as a reboot of the franchise. WhetherPower Rangerscan work withoutSuper Sentairemains to be seen, but the two franchises will forever be tied in terms of tone and aesthetic.
Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Cast
Power Rangers Dino Thunder is a television series that premiered in 2004, serving as the 12th season of the Power Rangers franchise. The show follows three high school students who become superheroes known as the Dino Thunder Power Rangers, tasked with saving the world from the evil Dr. Tommy Oliver and his minions.
