In 1993, Haim Saban’s Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers debuted in the United States on the Fox Kids (now CW4Kids). The rainbow-colored masked superheroes quickly became a phenomenon, rising to international popularity. While the franchise ran for 32 years, it would not have reached such heights today without its Japanese original, Super Sentai.
The live-action hero series is over 50 years old, and Saban adapted selected squads that appeal to American audiences. And now, one of the longest-running franchises could be meeting its end. Gozyuger voice actor Yuki Kaji informed that Super Sentai’s airing network, TV Asahi, has not officially confirmed the closure of the franchise, only that the current running series has a finale set for next year.
Kyodo News’ Assumption on Super Sentai’s End
According to Anime News Network, the rumor spiraled from a Kyodo News report. The journalist received intel about Super Sentai’s ending on Oct. 30th. The source informed them that TV Asahi saw a decline in the tokusatsu franchise’s viewership and marketing. That includes revenue losses from conventions, the toy merchandise, and even movie adaptations. The earnings help cover studio production costs.
However, Kaji and the Gozyuger crew later clarified that the network has not officially confirmed the end of the Power Rangers’ Japanese franchise. When the Tegasword actor first heard the news, he expressed sadness and gratitude on X (then Twitter). He later apologized to fans, “I haven’t heard anything official yet. I’m sorry for causing concern.”
Power Rangers Rumored to Separate from Japanese Counterpart
There are rumors that Saban’s Power Rangers is planning to pull away from Super Sentai. In recent years, the American counterpart has been exploring ways to create its own concepts inspired by another fan-favorite series. BOOM! Comics Power Ranger Unlimited has opened possibilities as it explores and expands on the lore of Mighty Morphin’ and the Rangers after them.
The separation could be related to Saban Entertainment’s investment in necessary footage edits for storytelling purposes. Whatever Super Sentai sent to them, the production crew replaced most of the episode with their casts and location scenery. Monster costumes also meet this demand, for not every Super Sentai gets adapted.
A great example is the underrated Ressha Sentai ToQger. Saban Entertainment did not see the train-themed heroes appealing to the American audience. The series’ villains, the Shadow Line, were later used in the Nickelodeon and Netflix shows. Madame Noir remains the same in Power Rangers: Dino Fury. Baron von Nero, on the other hand, got a face and name change when he became Ninja Steel.
The Wrap also supports this speculation because of Disney’s ongoing discussion with Hasbro. The toy manufacturer wants Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ showrunners, Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz, to produce a new Power Ranger series. The show’s mission is to attract a new generation of fans through immersive storytelling. Hasbro has been dedicated to taking Saban’s beloved adaptation to the next level since 2018.
Is Gozyuger the Final Super Sentai series?
No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger is the 49th Super Sentai, celebrating the franchise’s half-century anniversary. The story tells the tale of the five outcasts collecting the Sentai Rings. A wish will be granted once all of them gather in one place while competing against the Universe Warriors. With Tegasword, they must learn to cooperate to survive. The series is planned to end next year, but it’s unknown if it will be the last Super Sentai Series. Neither will it have a Power Rangers adaptation.
Comicbook appears to hold the answer in an Oct. 4th article. Journalist Matthew Aguilar mentioned a series that will come after Gozyuger. Yokai Sentai PhantomBuster is expected to be the 50th Super Sentai in the franchise. The concept is based on Ghostbusters fighting against various Japanese folklore ghosts. Until TV Asahi publishes a response on the situation, Super Sentai will stay on the air.
