For twenty-four years Power Rangers have lit up television screens throughout the world. Growing up with the multiple groups of brightly colored individuals, I feel as if the franchise has become an integral part of not only my life, but my generation as well. That is why when I heard they were making a new movie, I could not help but get excited. So, in light of this new movie, I have decided to make a list depicting my favorite Power Rangers series. Now, onto the list of D.J.'s Top Ten Power Rangers series!
#10: MegaForce
Okay, I will be he first to admit that the more recent Power Rangers series have not had the same spark that the original ones have had, but this one is different. Sure it has a rather cheesy plot line and cliché characters, but the idea behind it is amazing. This series acts as a tribute to all preceding Power Rangers by incorporating past rangers, characters and costumes included. Heck, the final battle features every ranger fighting together to fight an enemy and if that is not amazing then nothing is.
#9: Lightspeed Rescue
This series was the first of the Power Rangers franchise that I actually remember watching when I was little. I later went back and rewatched the ones that came before, but this was my first. I felt that this series was probably the most realistic out of all the other ones as the rangers act as real life heroes, such as firefighters, police officers, lifeguards, etc., before they even put on their spandex. Out of the entire franchise, this one is probably the most realistic.
#8: Jungle Fury
I know the whole animal themed rangers was already done by Wild Force, but I feel that this series did a good job at filling the shoes left by its predecessor. Along with its fairly interesting plotline, this series also deals with peoples personalities and the animals that represent them, something I find intriguing. Because of that, this series has made it on my list.
#7: Time Force
Now this series takes me back. I still remember watching these rangers go back in time to stop a villain that, unlike most villains in the franchise, is not a big blocky costumed character. Out of all of the various series and universes, Time Force has, in my opinion, some of the most realistic villains in a design sense. Despite the obvious fakeness of a good majority of the villains, many looked like they could have been real, something that was incredible given the time period this series came out in. Hehe...time period.
#6: Ninja Storm
Ninjas. Enough said.
#5: SPD
These guys are more or less the Men in Black of the Power Rangers universe. They go around apprehending aliens that seek to cause harm to the Earth, sometimes without even morphing. In fact, the power rangers are only a last resort for when the patrollers that work for SPD (Space Patrol Delta) cannot beat an enemy. While the series does center around the rangers, it does put emphasis on the "normal" people that work for SPD, something that I liked a lot while watching this series.
#4: Dino Thunder
I love practically everything about this series. The various zords, the links to history and evolution, all of it. This series is also one of the few that give the rangers special abilities outside of their ranger transformation. Plus they bring back Jason Frank, the original green/white ranger, to play the rangers' mentor and, later, the black ranger. That makes this series awesome by itself.
#3: Wild Force
Now this series was incredible. To the best of my knowledge, this series is the only one in the Power Rangers universe that introduced the zords as these mythical beasts with actual consciousness instead of machines built to fight evil. It offers a new depth to the lore surrounding this particular universe and adds diversity to Power Rangers as a whole.
#2: Mighty Morphin
Okay, how could I not put this one on my list? Yes, the plot was cliché and the majority of the villains were stupid and hilarious, but, for its time, this was revolutionary. No one had seen anything like it (ignoring Super Sentai) and people loved it with all its cheesiness and hilarity. They loved it so much that, to this day, Power Rangers still exists. It is the mother of all other power rangers and has more than earned its place on my list.
#1: Mystic Force
As much as I love both Wild Force and Mighty Morphin, I love Mystic Force even more. At the time that this series came out, I was obsessed with magic. I had read all the Harry Potter books up to the last one, I loved watching magicians, and, I admit, I tried casting a few spells on my sister, so when I heard of a Power Rangers series that was about magic, I was drooling. Not only did this franchise fuel my obsession, but it also had an incredible story full of plot twists, success, failure, mythology and mythical beasts, and many more concepts that I love to this day. That is why, out of the numerous other versions, this one will always hold a special place in my heart. Plus the intro music is awesome.
