Summary
- Every Power Rangers season is based on a Super Sentai series, with Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger serving as the basis for the iconic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
- Not every Super Sentai show is adapted into Power Rangers, as some seasons like Dairanger and Kakuranger were only partially incorporated into the American version.
- Power Rangers has gone through various shifts and changes over the years, adapting different Sentai series to create unique storylines and new costumes.
Every Power Rangers season is based on a Super Sentai series, from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to Power Rangers Cosmic Fury. Following the relatively successful experiment in which Toei and Marvel collaborated for a Japanese Spider-Man show, names like Stan Lee and Haim Sabam noticed the potential of the Super Sentai franchise. The first truly successful result of that experiment would be 1993’s Power Rangers, the beginning of a 30-year-old franchise that includes movies, TV shows, video games, and much more.
Not every Super Sentai show has been adapted into Power Rangers. The Super Sentai franchise began in 1975 with Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, whereas the first Power Rangers series in chronological order covered a Sentai from 1992. While some Power Rangers shows are relatively faithful to their Super Sentai counterpart, others are drastically different.
25 Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger (1992-1993)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
By 1992, there had been at least two major attempts to bring Super Sentai into American television following Marvel’s collaboration with Toei for the Japanese Spider-Man show. However, neither Stan Lee’s Sun Vulcan project nor Haim Sabam’s Bioman project worked. It all changed when Sabam and FOX Kids reached a deal to localize portions of a Super Sentai series and combine those scenes with new, original scenes filmed in the United States. Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, a Super Sentai show about five warriors from ancient times who woke up in the present to fight Witch Bandora, was chosen to become Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
24 Gosei Sentai Dairanger (1993-1994)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Dairanger was the next Super Sentai after Zyuranger. However, it was never fully adapted into a new Power Rangers series. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers had become a cultural phenomenon, and it would not make sense to abandon the already iconic costumes and characters to start a new Sentai adaptation. That said, given that Zyuranger only had 50 episodes, Power Rangers had to be creative. Portions of Dairanger were incorporated into the show, which, after season 2, began to use quite a lot of original footage. Interestingly, Mighty Morphin’s White Ranger, who debuts midway through season 2, was based on a Dairanger character. There wasn’t a White Ranger in Zyuranger.
23 Ninja Sentai Kakuranger (1994-1995)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
While Kakuranger was never adapted into a proper full Power Rangers season, it did serve as inspiration for the Alien Rangers, which starred in their own mini-season toward the end of Mighty Morphin. A story about ninjas, Kakuranger set the tone for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ Ninjetti arc, during which the Rangers acquired new costumes, powers, and Zords. The core Kakuranger characters became the Power Rangers of Aquitar, whereas the Ninjaman was adapted into Power Rangers’ Ninjor. Kakuranger also directly influenced the non-canon Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.
22 Choriki Sentai Ohranger (1995-1996)
Power Rangers Zeo
After borrowing a few elements from Dairanger and Kakuranger to extend Mighty Morphin’s run, it was time for Power Rangers to move on from Zyuranger entirely. For the first time since the inception of the franchise, the Power Rangers were going to receive entirely new costumes, and the show was going to have a brand new set of villains. Enter Choriki Sentai Ohranger, a Super Sentai about an elite team of warriors recruited to stop the Machine Empire of Baranoia, which became Power Rangers Zeo. Despite the new costumes and villains, Power Rangers kept most of the Mighty Morphin season 3 cast.
21 Gekisou Sentai Carranger (1996-1997)
Power Rangers Turbo
Given that Zeo was not a particularly successful season, at least not compared to Mighty Morphin, Power Rangers had no reason to extend its Ohranger adaptation. As such, in 1997, the Power Rangers shifted into Turbo for a season based on cars. Gekisou Sentai Carranger, a show about five employees of a garage who are given superpowers to fight a group of evil alien drivers, provides the costumes and most of the action sequences. That said, Turbo added an original villain, Divatox, whose scenes were all from American footage, hinting at a slightly new strategy for the show.
20 Denji Sentai Megaranger (1997-1998)
Power Rangers in Space
While the Power Rangers shows up until this point had been relatively similar to their Super Sentai counterparts in terms of premise, Power Rangers in Space was significantly different from Megaranger. The final entry in the Zordon Era was about the second generation of Turbo Rangers going into space, where they met the lonely Ranger Andros and formed the In Space Power Rangers. Megaranger, however, had pretty much nothing do to with space – it was about five skillful gamers who were given the technology to become Megarangers. Regardless, Power Rangers in Space was a hit and saved the franchise.
19 Seijuu Sentai Gingaman (1998-1999)
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy was a bit more similar to its Sentai counterparts compared to In Space. Gingaman told the story of a group of warriors whose duty of protecting the planet was passed down from generation to generation, with the current chosen ones serving as the protagonists. The Starbeast swords became the Power Rangers’ Quasar Sabers, and the newest Power Rangers merged Gingaman’s premise with a space setting. Curiously, given that a Gingaman vs. Megaranger crossover was in production during Lost Galaxy’s filming, Power Rangers could initially not use the Gingaman villain costumes and had to create original antagonists.
18 Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoV (1999-2000)
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue kept the essence of GoGoV – five people who worked in rescue duties were recruited to become public servants Power Rangers. However, there were some significant differences between the two shows. In GoGoV, all five Rangers are siblings, whereas in Lightspeed Rescue, none of them knew each other. Another important difference is that none of the extra heroes from GoGoV were used in Lightspeed, which preferred to create an all-original sixth Ranger – the Titanium Ranger.
17 Mirai Sentai Timeranger (2000-2001)
Power Rangers Time Force
Power Rangers had dealt with time travel before, but trips to the past and the future became the motif for an entire season thanks to Mirai Sentai Timeranger. The 2000 Super Sentai, which became Power Rangers Time Force, told a story about a group of Time Police cadets from the 30th century who were tasked to navigate through history to recapture several criminals who escaped from jail. Time Force adapted some of the most important Timeranger scenes in a season that honored its Sentai counterpart but also did something different.
16 Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger (2001-2002)
Power Rangers Wild Force
Gaoranger, a season about a group of people who are given the power to connect to the Power Animals from an ancient era, was turned into Power Rangers Wild Force. Most of the Gaoranger concepts were kept for Wild Force, which was also about a team of young Rangers who could access the power of the Wildzords to fight the evil Orgs who were once again trying to claim Earth. Unlike Lightspeed Rescue, Wild Force kept its Sentai’s Sixth Ranger design, adapting GaoSilver into the fan-favorite Lunar Wolf Ranger.
15 Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger (2002-2003)
Power Rangers Ninja Storm
Power Rangers Ninja Storm marked an important shift in the franchise’s production, as it was the first Power Rangers season to be fully made by Disney. It was also the first Power Rangers season to be filmed in New Zealand and not in the United States, a tradition that would continue until 2023’s Power Rangers Cosmic Fury. While Ninja Storm was relatively faithful to its Super Sentai counterpart, Hurricaneger could have been used in a very different Power Rangers story. Before Disney acquired the franchise, there were plans for Hurricaneger to be adapted into Power Rangers Hexagon, which would have seen a Jason vs. Tommy civil war.
14 Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger (2003-2004)
Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Ten years after Zyuranger, Super Sentai went back to the dinosaur motif with Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger, the season that was adapted into Power Rangers Dino Thunder. The dinosaur motif, added to the return of Jason David Frank’s Tommy Oliver to the show, made Dino Thunder a nostalgic legacy season that is often listed as one of the best Power Rangers seasons ever made. In the original show, a Ranger another dimension arrives to stop an invasion and has to recruit three new warriors. In Dino Thunder, Doctor Oliver mentors three young characters who become Power Rangers. Interestingly, Dino Thunder had a meta episode that directly addressed Abaranger.
13 Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (2004-2005)
Power Rangers S.P.D.
The premise of Dekaranger is very similar to the story Power Rangers S.P.D. told. Both shows featured a special police force designed to take care of monster threats, with five cadets being recruited to receive special powers. Doggie Kruger’s design and name were kept for S.P.D., making the Power Rangers show even more faithful to the original series. Dekaranger’s story would continue past the show’s original run, and there is even a popular claim for the Dekaranger movie to be adapted into a Power Rangers S.P.D. reunion.
12 Mahou Sentai Magiranger (2005-2006)
Power Rangers Mystic Force
While every Super Sentai season is technically a fantastical story about larger-than-life elements, Mahou Sentai Magiranger was about magic itself. Power Rangers embraced that concept entirely, resulting in Power Rangers Mystic Force. One significant and arguably genius change to the source material was to make the Heavenly Arch Saint Magiel, played by original Witch Bandora actress Machiko Soga, into a redeemed version of Rita Repulsa in Power Rangers Mystic Force.
11 GoGo Sentai Boukenger (2006-2007)
Power Rangers Operation Overdrive
Power Rangers Operation Overdrive followed the same premise as its Sentai counterpart, GoGo Sentai Boukenger. In Boukenger, the SGS recruits a team of young individuals to travel the world in search of the Precious, ancient relics. In Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, a billionaire adventurer recruits five teenagers, including his son, to become Power Rangers and search for magical jewels.
10 Juken Sentai Gekiranger (2007-2008)
Power Rangers Jungle Fury
In Juken Sentai Gekiranger, Master ShaFu passes the knowledge of the Beast-Fist style to three young warriors to become Gekirangers. In Power Rangers Jungle Fury, The Pai Zhua, also known as the Order of the Claw, recruits their most skillful members to become Power Rangers. Jungle Fury was the first Power Rangers season in which the foot soldiers were given the same name as their Sentai counterparts – the Rinshi.
9 Engine Sentai Go-onger (2008-2009)
Power Rangers R.P.M.
The first car-inspired Super Sentai since Carranger, Engine Sentai Go-onger was adapted into Power Rangers RPM. Whereas Go-onger was about fighting invaders who wanted to pollute Earth and terraform it, RPM took place in a dystopic future in which several cities were now doomed. Given its unique premise, Power Rangers RPM had to take place in an alternate universe, meaning it is not part of the main Power Rangers timeline.
8 Samurai Sentai Shinkenger (2009-2010)
Power Rangers Samurai
Shinkenger tells the story of a descendant of a line of nobles who must be protected by the descendants of their vassels, now in the modern world. It was adapted into Power Rangers Samurai, whose premise, while somewhat similar to Shinkenger, was more about a new generation of samurai fighting a returning evil. It was the beginning of a new era for Power Rangers following the end of the Disney run.
7 Tensou Sentai Goseiger (2010-2011)
Power Rangers Megaforce
Goseiger sees five warriors working alongside a robot named Dates who come together to fulfill their mission of protecting Earth from the Warstar alien force. The series was adapted into Power Rangers Megaforce, which followed five teenagers chosen by a protegee of Zordon to protect Earth from Warstar. While Megaforce’s premise sounds similar to Goseiger’s story, a major deviation from the source material was yet to come.
6 Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger (2011-2012)
Power Rangers Super Megaforce
Starting with Samurai, Power Rangers introduced a new format in which the second season of a new series would be rebranded. As such, Power Rangers Samurai was followed by Power Rangers Super Samurai, whereas Power Rangers Megaforce was followed by Power Rangers Super Megaforce. However, Super Megaforce was based on a different Sentai entirely from the first season. Rather than Goseiger, Super Megaforce adapted Gokaiger, a season about pirates in which legacy Sentai heroes had been transformed into keys.