It's Hasbro-ver: Hasbro Licenses Power Rangers Toy Rights To Playmates

[00:00:07] This is Rangercast, episode 27, recorded on Thursday, April 25th, 2024.

[00:00:13] This episode has both threads up their hands.

[00:00:16] Power Rangers comics move towards their next chapter.

[00:00:19] And exciting Toksans releases coming down the pipe.

[00:00:40] Alright this is Rangercast, as always I am Tyler, better known as Gear to Volto and I am joined by

[00:00:49] Josh, aka Crimson Sooners, aka

[00:00:52] And this household, we do not skip the intro.

[00:00:56] So we know there's obviously big news in the fandom this week about Hasbro and the future of the franchise.

[00:01:04] We will get to that later because we want to keep you listening up until then.

[00:01:08] First off, okay, if you recall our last episode, we talked about in fact the core subject matter

[00:01:17] was Austin St. John's plans to release shirts with quotes by the German mustache guy on them.

[00:01:24] Now he has opened that his online store with his wise leader where he calls it, you really should probably workshop that name.

[00:01:36] The shirts available launched were ugly but the good news they did not include that guy.

[00:01:42] At the time it launched included plain, mostly red text on off-white backgrounds by figures like Anne Frank and Mahatma Gandhi Abraham Lincoln.

[00:02:01] And the shirts have only gotten uglier.

[00:02:04] They now include that same plain text with AI art.

[00:02:08] So yikes, yikes on top of yikes.

[00:02:12] Go buy it.

[00:02:14] Yeah, I agree with you like...

[00:02:18] I don't...

[00:02:22] I don't know how to best put it but it's just a...

[00:02:27] What was his inspiration for this and why?

[00:02:31] And okay, I guess if you like history a whole lot, I guess but the shirts are ugly, they're butt.

[00:02:40] Yeah, the plain text shirts are still there.

[00:02:43] They're also shirts like Bible quotes, Bruce Lee quotes.

[00:02:48] Like who asked for this?

[00:02:54] Nobody.

[00:02:55] I'm going to answer it for you.

[00:02:57] Nobody, even the history majors like myself go what but why?

[00:03:02] You don't pick the famous quotes for it.

[00:03:05] You pick the more ironic and funny quotes.

[00:03:09] Ay, ay, ay.

[00:03:12] Well then again, this is somebody, you know the best big business argument he's shown is allegedly defrauding the government.

[00:03:23] Yeah, yeah maybe we're giving him too much credit of...

[00:03:27] Where did he come up with this idea?

[00:03:29] Oh well, okay.

[00:03:31] Now in Tokusatsu news, we made it everybody.

[00:03:34] The word Tokusatsu has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

[00:03:38] This is out of Tokusatsu Network.

[00:03:41] The March 24 update officially recognizes Tokusatsu as an English word borrowed from Japanese.

[00:03:48] It describes Tokusatsu as quote a genre of Japanese film or television entertainment characterized by the use of practical special effects,

[00:03:56] usually featuring giant monsters, transforming robots and master costume superheroes.

[00:04:03] I'm going to have to pick up a new dictionary.

[00:04:06] I guess so.

[00:04:08] The update also includes words like isekai, mangaka, as well as foods like takoyaki, hibachi and katsu curry.

[00:04:17] It overall codifies a mix of language and culture between English speaking countries in Japan

[00:04:23] in the way that accurately reflects the way that we interact with Japanese culture.

[00:04:28] Like for example, you hear the word anime everywhere.

[00:04:31] What? According to people, anime is just cartoons.

[00:04:38] And in other other Tokusatsu news, we do have a couple of release headlines to get out there.

[00:04:45] Disco Tech actually just a few days ago, I should say as we recorded this, it's Thursday, April 25th.

[00:04:53] They just announced a SDPD as standard definition Blu-ray of the series mobile cop G-Bahn

[00:05:00] continuing their run of space sheriff shows, mental hero shows.

[00:05:05] Mobile cop G-Bahn will be released in July of 2024.

[00:05:11] It's a really cool old show.

[00:05:13] Here is the log line from Disco Tech.

[00:05:16] The wicked Dr. Giba and the monstrous forces of Biolon have silently infiltrated every aspect of human society.

[00:05:22] To what end? World domination of course.

[00:05:25] Earth's only hope is the clues detective who's always in no show when it matters most.

[00:05:28] But in reality, this would be Bumbler is on a top secret mission.

[00:05:32] Put it into Biolon's destiny schemes as the mobile cop G-Bahn.

[00:05:36] With the aid of a young girl and entirely fleet of computerized vehicles that decide this next generation robot detective is ready to take on anything the bad doctor can prescribe.

[00:05:46] It features designs actually by Kato Amiya who went on to do designs for Zeyrom, Kamen Rider Z-O and Gato.

[00:05:53] Well, he actually was the creative Gato.

[00:05:56] The show was directed by Nichi Okonishi with music by Chume Watanabe who did music for Mazinger Z as well as space sheriff Gala.

[00:06:05] And it's supposed to retail $49.95 you may find cheaper on the Contrary Store or on Amazon.

[00:06:16] And this is quite news and that we know actual things.

[00:06:19] We just know there are no actual things.

[00:06:20] Probably by the time that we record this it'll be in our show notes where those details actually are.

[00:06:26] But a couple years ago media blasters acquired the right to distribute Shin Kamen Rider Purilog not to be confused with the movie Shin Kamen Rider from very recently.

[00:06:38] Kamen Rider Z-O which I just mentioned and Kamen Rider J.

[00:06:42] And they are going to have details on that in their weekly-ish Friday streaming.

[00:06:48] So look for link with details on that in our show notes.

[00:06:54] And even if you don't think you've seen Kamen Rider Z-O and Kamen Rider J, you probably have if you watch Mask Rider.

[00:07:02] They hacked and slashed a couple fights from those productions for early Mask Rider episodes.

[00:07:09] So if there are fights that look funkier than usual, that's what those were.

[00:07:17] Especially in those early episodes of Mask Rider.

[00:07:21] And now we'll be on to actual Power Rangers news.

[00:07:25] Boom Studios announced this week that the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic series is coming to an end with the one-shot Darkest Hour number one.

[00:07:34] Written as always by Melissa Flores.

[00:07:37] With art by Simona D. Gianfiles and Coloris Robolangulo.

[00:07:41] It brings an end to the Darkest Hour arc and to this current series and the eight-year storyline stretching back to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers lines.

[00:07:54] The log line from Boom Studios says it all ends here.

[00:07:57] With the Morphin Grid and Peril, the people of Earth are left without the Power Rangers to protect them.

[00:08:03] The ultimate battle against Dark Specter will play out with unexpected consequences.

[00:08:07] Well an unlikely group of Brogues, Villains and Rangers make strange company.

[00:08:11] But even if they win, can they rebuild everything they've lost?

[00:08:14] And Boom makes clear they're going to have more to announce when it comes to Power Rangers.

[00:08:19] This isn't the total end of the line.

[00:08:21] They heavily hinted that they'll have something to say at San Diego Comic Con.

[00:08:25] But if this is the end for now, then what a run.

[00:08:32] Yeah I mean eight years of fantastic stories.

[00:08:36] Three main storytellers introducing in my opinion probably the most...

[00:08:43] Well three? Five.

[00:08:46] Five?

[00:08:48] Matt Groom did a few and then Marguerite Bennett did some.

[00:08:52] You're right. You're right. So it would be five.

[00:08:55] But probably the second most popular Power Ranger media since the show itself introduced us to Lord Draken.

[00:09:08] Then we had a lot of crossovers and kind of just the ramifications of what it means to let them kind of do their own thing.

[00:09:17] And kind of tell the hidden gems of Power Rangers and giving their blessing for stories like Lord Zedin, Zordon's old fights.

[00:09:27] A little bit of Dark Spectre.

[00:09:29] And I feel like they were really almost a mainstay.

[00:09:33] I mean my wallets going to be very happy that I don't have to buy a lot of the comics anymore but...

[00:09:38] Yeah well not for a little while because this comic comes out in July and that's also around the time San Diego Comic Con is.

[00:09:47] And I think they're going to have something a few months later.

[00:09:50] So that's where I am with it is I think the current run is going to end.

[00:09:58] I don't think they're stepping away from it entirely though.

[00:10:03] I think they're just rebooting it for whatever is coming next.

[00:10:07] I mean comic series you issue number ones all the time just to do sales.

[00:10:13] Yeah I mean Power Rangers did it remember when they did that with what was at the end of Necessary Evil when they first introduced I think it was Matt the Green Ranger.

[00:10:29] And they said it all ends here and then it just turned out it was just splitting the comic into Mighty Morphin and Power Rangers.

[00:10:36] So it could be something like that and they just want to give like...

[00:10:39] I think they've been a little more emphatic this time.

[00:10:44] Yeah first off I do want to say I'm happy for Melissa like she's been the main head writer for almost two years now.

[00:10:54] I think she got her dream job of working at Marvel because she's...

[00:11:00] I feel like the writing was starting to be on the wall when she was announcing all the titles that she was leading including I think Spider-Gwen.

[00:11:07] And it was like I think her time at Power Rangers is only going to be maybe like individual stories or something like that.

[00:11:17] Yeah Melissa you know good for her she got her flower as she's got a second swing of the franchise after leaving Saban Hasbro before.

[00:11:25] Correct and in my opinion I think she has written the second best storyline right behind Shatter Grid.

[00:11:33] Now it does mirror a lot of Shatter Grid with Darkest Hour because it's oh the big bad comes here.

[00:11:42] We gotta gather all the Power Rangers from across everywhere to fight the big bad.

[00:11:47] But I do think that this isn't the last we see of this universe at all and for all we know they could just be taking a break

[00:11:55] and just realigning because we saw several tweets from Ryan like hinting like that he's coming back as the main writer or doing something very similar.

[00:12:06] But again though what a ride it's been what I think we're going to look back at some point and go man we're going to miss it.

[00:12:20] If it is really really really done we're going to miss it.

[00:12:22] I don't think it's done done it's definitely coming back because I don't think we know the details of the deal with Hasbro the way we know the details of Enway's deals.

[00:12:33] There's some of those say five times fast but I think it's notable.

[00:12:40] Oh I was going to say I just agree with you because the other half is unless look and I'm going to be blood look Ranger Academy is a complete miss in my view.

[00:12:52] I don't think it's a good opinion.

[00:12:54] It's I understand what the audience is they're going for right.

[00:12:58] I don't think it's well written at all.

[00:13:01] I'm really going to keep me up with it because I've got other things to do.

[00:13:05] I mean that shows how much you care about it as well.

[00:13:09] The idea is there but just in my opinion it's not my favorite and I don't even think it's well it's not directed at us.

[00:13:19] Oh that's fine.

[00:13:20] All right.

[00:13:22] Well I think also I think we should probably you know it's a good time to think about all the things that not only in the show but like everything around the franchise that has been made better because the work that was being done on the comics battle for the grid for example.

[00:13:40] Or the console game.

[00:13:43] Yeah here's a grid battle for there sometimes get the mixed up.

[00:13:46] Or the way that the morphine masters were what were really built up in the comics and then brought back into the show after not having been mentioned in Canon since 1993.

[00:14:00] And they actually were really pivotal in creating the mythology around dyno fury and cosmic fury.

[00:14:09] Yeah I would go as far as to say like how.

[00:14:13] Of a anchor it was even for the Power Rangers RPG at the moment where.

[00:14:20] Not only do they have the comic art but they base a lot of the stuff on the comics so you can run your original Ranger and everything in there and just the story telling aspect of it.

[00:14:30] Yeah and the comics played a small role but a role nevertheless in Hyper Force as well.

[00:14:37] Even though that and I'm not getting a second season getting kind of lost in the shuffle.

[00:14:43] I think regardless of what happens I think the place of the comics even it's not you know official.

[00:14:51] Bless from up on high canon the place of the comics enriching the Power Rangers universe is indelible.

[00:14:59] Exactly and I would say again that there's going to be arcs people love there's going to be arcs people thought could have used a lot of.

[00:15:07] Improvement on but it did give us a little bit more of what people wanted they people wanted.

[00:15:14] Well how did we get the not just something original I shattered great but like Tiger's or Dragon's World combined they gave us that.

[00:15:24] What about we even got the side stuff was like go go Power Rangers and more of their lives as the teenager aspect again it was a it was a great run.

[00:15:34] I don't like I said I stand by the I don't think it's done.

[00:15:39] I think they're just soft resetting it again for what's next but who knows for all that we know like maybe they are rebooting it because of all the plans that they had maybe to the wayside with everything that's gone on with like the main cast and everything for example.

[00:15:55] As far as the comments concerned I think I think Jason is still on the table does you know it doesn't matter doesn't Jason and Tommy doesn't matter that you know one's gone and one's just come back.

[00:16:06] That's fair that's fair I'm thinking more of the.

[00:16:12] Any type of reunions or what they are or weren't allowed to do or anything like that.

[00:16:17] Yeah I mean I don't know I don't know what kind of rules that has grow does lay out from you know it's not like the the rim of rules that Sega lays out for their for Sonic comics because they don't want to get sued.

[00:16:32] Correct and that's a whole credit.

[00:16:35] Oh yeah I mean to their credit though too I mean they really did let them kind of do what they have what they ever wanted in the whatever they excuse me can't speak tonight.

[00:16:44] Whatever they wanted to do in the comics I mean it wasn't particularly dark but it wasn't particularly like.

[00:16:52] Monster of the week episodes either.

[00:16:55] Yeah yeah they've been able to tell a consistent storyline at least from our to our from writer writer.

[00:17:03] Yeah.

[00:17:05] Now we do have obviously the big news about Hasbro and playmates and we will get to that after this break stay tuned.

[00:17:14] Welcome everybody to the anime lounge podcast I'm Matt one of your co-hosts I discuss the differences between the manga and anime and Matt's manga mentions.

[00:17:24] And I'm Lance your other co-host I walk you through Lance's lessons where I teach you a Japanese word related to each and every episode.

[00:17:30] Join us and immerse yourself as we explore the world of anime.

[00:17:34] Don't forget to drop by the lounge every other week again that's anime lounge podcast.

[00:17:40] I like to take moment to tell you about entertainment earth they carry tens of thousands of licensed products covering everything from Power Rangers to Pokemon.

[00:17:50] Ultraman to Iron Man and for Ranger cast listeners you can get 10% off your order and free shipping on any order $79 and up.

[00:17:57] Just go to e.toys slash ranger that's e.toys slash ranger or click the link in our show notes Ranger cast may receive a commission from your purchase.

[00:18:08] And we're back so Hasbro on Monday they kind of dropped a bomb on us they announced a global licensing agreement global meaning for their purposes everywhere but Asia with playmates toys to produce and distribute Power Rangers toys they kind of thrown up their hands basically.

[00:18:24] We don't know how long the deal goes but under it playmates will release a kid targeted Mighty Morphin line in 2025 and going forward playmates will have the rights to release various action figures blasters plushies roleplayers vehicles and accessories.

[00:18:42] And there's all this you know you know Rob Rob press release talk but playmates of course has been in the toy business for ages they hit it big in the 80s when they backed the Ninja Turtles cartoon and by 90 the Ninja Turtles line alone made up 60% of the action figures market.

[00:19:04] So you know they've also got licenses for Star Trek the Simpsons Miraculous Ladybug Hasbro will continue to own the other rights to the property and license things like comics like we have been all been talking about.

[00:19:20] And you know other merchandise it's not clear what this means yet for the high end stuff that was being produced by like 30 and super seven but it means that lightning collection has been downgraded from being on pause to being dead and buried.

[00:19:41] And the release is also silent about the future of the television show it talks up once and always in Cosmic Fury but doesn't really acknowledge the existence of Jonathan and whistle and Jenny Klein and whistle your call has tapped to oversee all film television projects.

[00:20:04] And entertainment one all the power just projects right now he is directing that new karate kid movie Jenny Klein was signed to a two year overall deal.

[00:20:15] At entertainment one two years ago she would have been the show runner on a new power show to hit Netflix but that's obviously not happening and entertainment one has been sold to lions gate.

[00:20:29] And in an investor call this week is actually courtesy of pink spandex a transcript of investment investor call wherein Hasbro CEO Chris Cox said the following in response to a question about this deal.

[00:20:47] And why why it happened he said two years ago we outlined where selection criteria would be in terms of brands to move forward with.

[00:20:57] He said basically can we generate 50 million dollars in revenue at a 10% operating profit and can we grow 200 million dollars or more revenue at a 50% operating profit online.

[00:21:08] We've chosen the lines to out online I should say we've chosen the lines to outsource that we don't think meet those thresholds but another company maybe a different cost structure or maybe a different set of expertise can still make a really nice business with even it was some

[00:21:22] We certainly will be driving crosslights seeing leveraging our brands for category expansion and new product opportunities like we're doing Lego like we do with Patel like we're doing with location based entertainment but I think power is probably the last brand that we will outsource.

[00:21:36] So if you hear what he's saying there he's saying that power is just was not profitable enough and that kind of sticks the fork in the brand in the longer term.

[00:21:53] You know you know Rito I could be petty and I could easily say that the brand is dead and you know that it's an unfortunate consequence of the comic ending.

[00:22:10] No TV show in sight Hasbro bumbling the cell I could be petty and say that and I won't be out who's kidding.

[00:22:20] I'm going to be absolutely petty to every person who said but if we put out toys of the other seasons people would buy them this literally from an official CEO share or CEO a shareholder saying yes it wasn't profitable.

[00:22:38] That's why we sell mighty morphin guys because it's not profitable.

[00:22:45] Now, yeah well it's like that's probably lighting collection.

[00:22:48] Correct and we could say either way of a you know did they market I think they did an okay ish marketing.

[00:22:56] Do we say like they didn't do enough for say megazord or more adult collectors. We could also say that to me there are many factors but I will be petty and circle background and say yes you have to have mighty morphin tied into some capacity or the or it will not sell.

[00:23:18] So that out of the way.

[00:23:21] Is it I feel like so much for the Hasbro stuff change because I think they lost their vision of what they wanted to do with the brand after COVID.

[00:23:34] I think COVID justice and I say this in a the same way I think Marvel lost their vision due to Chad Wicks Boseman's passing away and they had no idea what to do during the pandemic.

[00:23:48] I feel the same way Power Rangers after I think just as big as COVID just as big as COVID is Brian Goldner.

[00:23:56] He was the one that passed away correct correct.

[00:23:59] Yeah, yeah that's that's why I use the example is I think he had a vision for it and he wanted to make Hasbro into an entertainment business and when he passed away.

[00:24:11] The current CEO does not want that and he wants it to be a toy brand and they had no idea what to do with Power Rangers at that point.

[00:24:20] I think some of it is a lack of a vision and not having at least at least a fan and there to guide them or something kind of like the MCU had for the first three phases of here's a direction you can go with here's this here's that.

[00:24:36] I think they didn't have that so we kind of got stuck with it.

[00:24:41] I don't even I don't even know where the reboot is at this point.

[00:24:44] Well James on the editor in chief of of the toy book and senior editor of the toy insider and the pop insider spoke to Josh Moore on the substack Ranger reader and talked about what happened here and in terms of the issues around lighting collection.

[00:25:09] He said quote adult collectors are a fickle bunch.

[00:25:13] What some might view as a QC issue particularly on the paint's app side gets shocked up to be in the nature of making toys in some cases.

[00:25:19] The biggest concern with many collector lines and talk about all the major lights is is something called slicing.

[00:25:25] When this happens you'll have multiple companies competing for attention and dollars in multiple scales can go off the rails really quickly.

[00:25:31] One big problem with the lighting collection in my opinion is that when so many directions with products became hard to find for some collectors and that's a turn off by being placed in the toy department they were in theory targeting kids who may not have been familiar with the various incarnations of the Rangers that were being offered.

[00:25:49] Perhaps the biggest issue with the entire quote kid old movement in the past three to five years that too many toy companies chasing an agent population instead of focusing on creating awesome toys for kids.

[00:26:01] The fact that in the kid old position right now but the reality is that the kids of today need something being installed about 20 or 30 years from now.

[00:26:10] And goes on to say about the way that the brand is not performing as well in the toy aisle.

[00:26:21] He says streaming changed the game it's not like it was 30 years ago and toys are us couldn't keep the figures in stock that was fueled by hit series that kids had to tune in for.

[00:26:31] The Rangers content might live in the always on world of Netflix but it's also competing with a multitude of other things that fall off the top 10 list very quickly.

[00:26:39] Mattel's recent kid focused team and the masters of the universe is a similar example while the old school fans may have hated the animation style it was designed for them but it fell off so fast that the toys never had a chance to gain footing.

[00:26:50] Power Rangers wasn't a great spot when Hasbro picked up as it was in a bit of limbo fall in 2017 film which supposedly lost a studio more than 70 million dollars and I mean there's there is right there.

[00:27:02] It was distressed grand that I'm Saban somehow bamboozled Hasbro into paying $500 million for you know what I I feel like that entire though quote and context is missing though and I think it's kind of important.

[00:27:20] I would say it's not just kind of important. I think it's very important. You know they want to blame streaming they want to blame a lot of external reasons and I can understand that to an extent because the toy industry is not what it was prior to covid it wasn't what it was 10 years ago from that like yes toys kids are looking at tick tock kids are wanting to play video games I get that that that's that I do call BS on the

[00:27:50] quality control thing because that's been a major issue about the Power Rangers lightning figure collection for a long time now where it started strong and then it just fell off.

[00:28:01] No I'm going to say the same thing of again MCU comparison. How about you just write good content and it will sell itself.

[00:28:14] MCU is a great I can said I don't understand how

[00:28:21] I lost my train of thought again read oh man I just have so much so much virtual.

[00:28:26] No it's

[00:28:28] Everyone's complaining why did it has the MCU losses well it's an oversaturation of superheroes no we just want good stories if you write good stories.

[00:28:39] It sells itself.

[00:28:41] How much marketing has X-Men 97 done I'm going to say very little ish like it's it's enough if you're paying attention to it but guess what people are tuning in because it's really well written and it's a very good story and the toys are flying off the shelves as a result.

[00:28:56] I feel Power Rangers is the same way they had no direction of what they want to do with the brand and they just kept it as a placeholder you know if you write good stories like shattered grid for example where it's original and it's very very much a not just a love letter to the franchise but also to it world builds it gives good character arcs it'll sell itself there's a reason why Shattered grid was one of the top selling comic books when it was released back gosh.

[00:29:26] What six years ago at this point but those comments written for a different audience than the kind who go out and buy toys.

[00:29:34] I don't think so I think there's a I think it's the same kind you have their parents grab the credit card you know me.

[00:29:41] Yeah I think I think the problem that they have.

[00:29:45] I think they're missing the point.

[00:29:47] I think there's two problems and one of them he did say that I absolutely do agree with they aren't making items for kids who have the disposable income from 20 years ago 20 years ago I think was what light speed and time force at this point.

[00:30:03] Yeah they should probably be marketing that a little bit more versus mighty morphine mighty morphine got its second win because of the comic book it wasn't for sure because.

[00:30:13] I mean I think you know like stepping back I like you know given how little like the he-man example that's a great example.

[00:30:26] If there's not really a long enough period for toys for any given newer season to get cooking then I'm not sure how anything besides MMPR stuff will sell.

[00:30:49] Well but again I think that's also too that it's they use the he-man I'm going to use the Thundercats example.

[00:30:57] Thunder people are tired of that Western cow tech animation so when that Thundercats I think it was Thundercats war was released it immediately made people walk away from the franchise and then they blamed it was just the toy sales know it's because they're not writing good stories you write a good story people will pay attention to it.

[00:31:18] And yes again I completely understand there is external factors that go into that like new fans trying to get them in.

[00:31:27] I think the other thing that they're completely missing and I don't see anybody talking about it and I understand it the older I get Rito my birthday was recently so I understand it more maybe I gained some wisdom I don't know but what they're not addressing to is Power Rangers is a 30 year old.

[00:31:48] 30 year long franchise.

[00:31:51] There's not a real good jumping point to start at any point at this point.

[00:31:58] It has the same problem one piece does where you can't really jump in to one piece you really do have to start chapter one could you do that with Power Rangers on the later seasons shore samurai or mega force what whichever season you want to pick.

[00:32:18] But you do lose the significance of what it took to get to that point if you don't start from the very first season.

[00:32:26] You don't have to watch every episode but you do miss the significance of it and I feel like every company is missing that.

[00:32:36] Or enough for it's like the older fans and the younger fans can both enjoy it at the same time.

[00:32:43] There's not a watching point I understand better and I say all this because I understand a lot better now why Marvel and DC for example and I know I've referenced Marvel a lot tonight but there is it's scary of how similar they are looking in the same mirror.

[00:32:58] But I understand why they saw three boot about every 10 to 15 years because you have to have fans come in and I understand they want to branch out but that's where I will say they're not doing a good job of branching out and getting those younger fans.

[00:33:12] They're not doing a good job of retaining the older fans.

[00:33:16] They're not doing a good job getting just like the not middle age but like you're 15 to 20 old like young adult.

[00:33:23] They aren't doing any of that and I think some of that is they're afraid to try to branch out into the other franchises.

[00:33:31] The other part is I think no one knows what they want to do with it because I don't think Power Rangers knows what it wants to be.

[00:33:37] I think the biggest problem too is and I hate saying it but I think you will agree with me.

[00:33:43] I think it's a little stagnant because how much work can you do if whoa there's there's superheroes fighting an intergalactic threat every single season.

[00:33:50] Well is there something else with it. I mean Marvel can do it DC can do it. Why can't Power Rangers you know it took us 30 years just to get an explanation on the Morphin Masters.

[00:34:03] Well also to be fair you know I think we're we're talking like the shows the shows being vanquished to the Phantom Zone banish I should say but to be fair you know like I know.

[00:34:16] You know when I think of playmates I think of a particular kind of toy but apparently this guy says that they've been doing great work not just an inch of turtles but on on Voltron toys and he says he posits that you could say that Voltron may have been auditioned for making zords.

[00:34:34] They've been putting out a bunch of Monsterverse toys and they've been putting out their stuff at great price points. We know where as Hasbro last year put out $60 Furby.

[00:34:48] I want to add to that. So I think that's the next puzzle piece that's also not being discussed. Rito is I don't think Hasbro really respected the brand.

[00:35:00] I'm not going to say that they didn't try because they did because Lightning Collection early on shows they did try.

[00:35:09] I think as it went on though they had no idea what they wanted to do. We for example we were all how many times screaming at Hasbro not just with quality control but how many times were we screaming at them to get a Haslab.

[00:35:26] Many a times and it always went to Transformers. It always went to Star Wars. It's went to Ghostbusters when Power Rangers is literally right here going we are we will pay you money to make Megazords.

[00:35:40] We will pay you money to make show accurate stuff and they never did that.

[00:35:44] I never got the impression they respected the brand with the in my opinion the very failed attempt at the remastered collection with the Mighty Morphin crew for like the 30th anniversary.

[00:35:58] Yeah, there were a lot of things that they would start and stop like the Xeo Razor.

[00:36:03] Or at this end like the remastered figures where oh we're not going to give Tommy his dragon shield because we want you to buy two toys. It's like my dudes.

[00:36:15] Yeah, and right exactly where they kind of papered over that I guess prudent decision they made regarding the Red Ranger figure.

[00:36:26] Correct. Well we just wanted to represent the green candle bro. We get it the green candle was a major storyline but the green ranger has his power since then like my god.

[00:36:37] But again.

[00:36:38] And the green figure glowed in the dark that's how they sold it.

[00:36:41] Yeah, like I get it just but just come out and say we want you to buy more toys but they're not going to do that.

[00:36:48] There also there was no consistency at the top.

[00:36:51] Like they were like there were like product managers product designers being just cycled out like mad.

[00:36:59] Like John Warden was only here for like a year.

[00:37:02] We're from Ghostbusters.

[00:37:05] Well and I that's where I add this into of it where I say it they didn't respect the brand.

[00:37:11] I always circle back to that very infamous.

[00:37:17] What's it called that very infamous Power Ranger fan first Friday where they combined it with transformers and transformers basically got the full hour and Power Rangers got 12 minutes and the big selling point was the pinata.

[00:37:32] Yes, and actually correction he was involved with transformers before he was named.

[00:37:39] Global design lead on Power Rangers and Ghostbusters.

[00:37:43] Yeah.

[00:37:45] I like I said I don't think they at some point I don't think they took the brand seriously and that's their own fault for setting up but then again I say the same thing about my little pony right now.

[00:37:58] So I don't take my little pony seriously either so.

[00:38:02] Ha.

[00:38:04] But what I mean is at some point I feel like there was a tonal shift that they wanted to and again I'm going to use my little pony they want to get away from G4 the problem is they did nothing to develop on G5 and G5 is a very, very lackluster state right now.

[00:38:23] It's been confirmed like their 3D show was canceled.

[00:38:27] Why did it get canceled?

[00:38:28] Well, it's because it took two years to get to the actual story my dudes like you can do better writing Power Rangers to me is the same way at some point they pushed it to the side and to me that's where all your quality control problem started for it and don't get me wrong.

[00:38:47] Hasbro to their credit has bro has done stuff that even banned I didn't do they gave us the entire psycho Ranger team they gave us morpher's and helmets they gave us power weapons like actual good stuff don't get me wrong.

[00:39:02] But it always felt like with Hasbro and this read oh this could be always be something for its own.

[00:39:10] own episode on so but it always feels like every time they gave us something there was always a catch.

[00:39:20] And I never felt like they just trusted the brand to do its own thing.

[00:39:24] I mean, I've said the same thing about the Megazords.

[00:39:29] The Megazords are great.

[00:39:30] I don't mind them doing Dino Megazord, but it wasn't that good compared to the previous releases.

[00:39:35] If you're going to sell it to adult market, it doesn't need to be part of this is sort of sentient project.

[00:39:41] Sell it as a collector's item.

[00:39:44] Dragon Sword wasn't that good.

[00:39:46] I think Astro Megaship was great, but yeah, I could vent and see many, many, many hours on what I think Hasbro did right and even more so on what they did wrong and I'm not here.

[00:40:02] I would prefer I'm for a late stage Bandai to what we've to how we've been treating this last year.

[00:40:09] This last year, how about this last like two or three years?

[00:40:13] I mean it's like until at least Monday, like for a while I was wondering if Hasbro even remember they own Power Rangers.

[00:40:23] I meant Hasbro was saying the same thing of do we own Power Rangers question mark.

[00:40:27] I think probably, you know, probably forgot at one point and they were airing it.

[00:40:33] Yeah, I will throw this question at you, Rito in a weird and a weird role reversal of me asking you the question.

[00:40:42] Do you think Hasbro and maybe this is Power Rangers as a whole?

[00:40:46] I don't want to say plateau.

[00:40:50] I don't believe that, but did they finally realize maybe we've captain this is how much the brand is worth.

[00:40:57] It's worth $50 million or 50 billion.

[00:41:00] However, how many ever billions or millions it is.

[00:41:03] It's not going to make more money than this.

[00:41:05] Do you think we finally reach that point?

[00:41:07] I think Mighty Morphin Power Rangers came at a perfect time with dinosaur themed heroes at a time when people were still like high off Jurassic Park.

[00:41:27] And robots, don't forget robots.

[00:41:30] Right. Yeah, but I think I think that the conditions that allowed Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to take over the toy isle, take over toys are us and take over the zeitgeist.

[00:41:51] I think that those conditions are not possible to replicate.

[00:41:57] I think I don't know off the top of my head what Power Rangers toy sales look like year by year.

[00:42:07] I don't think that's something that I don't even break down specifically, but I think in terms of sentiment, I think I think fan sentiment probably reached a high point in Beast Morphers.

[00:42:23] And fans that has frozen engagement with the property peaked around Beast Morphers, which was oddly their first series fully at the wheel.

[00:42:35] And it was all downhill from there.

[00:42:37] And I think there was personnel changes.

[00:42:44] There were layoffs and when COVID hit, they decided to focus on what are better money makers for them or what are more proven money makers for them.

[00:42:59] Transformers, GI Joe, those being properties that they created and owned as well as licensed properties from which they make it also make a lot of money like Disney Marvel Star Wars.

[00:43:14] And I think I think this validates a sense that I had when Hasbro bought the property worried that I had.

[00:43:22] Whereas with Saban and Bend America, Power Rangers was job number one for each of them.

[00:43:32] With Hasbro it became a Coggin machine that was therefore expendable.

[00:43:40] I think I want to add this into, again, I want to compare it because I feel like kids reading it or kids watching it.

[00:43:53] 20 years later they have the disposable income.

[00:43:56] You have to evolve the brand as it goes.

[00:43:59] Sure, you can still have like its roots using the MCU as an example.

[00:44:03] It evolved because they cleaned up a lot of the mistakes that the comics made and was able to not only make it serviceable, but it was an enjoy to watch.

[00:44:14] It was a little rough around the edges at first, but the brand was able to evolve and grow and capture the audience for everybody.

[00:44:25] I don't think they tried that well enough with the 2017 film and I think it was doomed to its fate of this is a younger kid brand at this point.

[00:44:38] You have your dedicated fans, obviously you have your older fans, but I think it's like a tale of two sides of if they would have taken it seriously.

[00:44:47] You could have had an MCU, but instead this is where we're at now seven years later and people are wondering is this brand even getting a show by 2025 at this point?

[00:44:59] I mean, I think we're even at that point of what is the reboot even going to be live action anymore.

[00:45:06] I think it's almost, I think some of that too is that of another thing you mentioned from it and I'll throw this into of.

[00:45:15] I think the fans do play a part in that because they were unable to accept some change that would have benefited the show, such as an animated series.

[00:45:26] I think they can't do an animated series though.

[00:45:30] I can't pay toy.

[00:45:32] Yeah, but if you would have worked with toy, I don't think they would have cared.

[00:45:39] I think there's a lot more stock being put into they can't versus I don't think they tried.

[00:45:46] Let's say it was all accepted.

[00:45:49] Okay, let's just say then to a for sake of argument did accept it.

[00:45:53] The problem is is a lot of the fans.

[00:45:55] I'm not I'm not getting even say a lot of the fans also the vocal fans didn't want an animated series and I think that did hurt it as well because it's a lot of the fans.

[00:46:03] It took out some of the options that they could have done because you could have gotten yes, you could have gotten a thunder cat's roar scenario but you also could have gotten a teen Titan to from it and evolve the brand to the next step at that point.

[00:46:20] And it's something just to throw out there because I keep forgetting it and I keep remembering it.

[00:46:24] I also think to power interest didn't know what tone it wanted as well where we had that very serious but yeah, I would say.

[00:46:32] Also wonder what kind of power Heim had because he was kept on his consultant for a couple years and you could tell sometimes.

[00:46:41] Oh yeah, I mean how many times have we gotten tired of the duo slapstick comedy jokes that basically.

[00:46:51] I'm ruined it's not the word I'm looking for an or interrupt but just emotional with flash and episode because they had to get their two minutes of a gag and which wasn't even that funny.

[00:47:05] It was very cringy so.

[00:47:11] I mean we I mean how much more do we want to go on it because I think Hasbro.

[00:47:18] I think the heart was there in the very beginning but the moment it's and I'm quoting you when it became a cog in the machine.

[00:47:25] It just became a day to day number and we were never going to get anything from the brand at that point it was it was doomed to.

[00:47:33] I hope the comic is good and at least we get deck builder and RPG from it and what's it called heroes of the grid and.

[00:47:41] What's the video game, at least we have that.

[00:47:45] For as long as we do.

[00:47:49] Yeah, now.

[00:47:52] I guess you know there is only as one question and wrap this up with.

[00:47:56] Do you think we will see a new powered your show ever again.

[00:48:02] Oh yes it's inevitable stuff happens in 20 year cycles.

[00:48:07] Absolutely we will get something I think the bigger question is are we going to see it before 2030.

[00:48:13] Well yeah I don't know I think.

[00:48:16] That's the funny part you were about to say no and then you're like well I don't know.

[00:48:21] Like I think I'm hopeful that we'll see something again a helpful this in the end of road.

[00:48:26] I just don't know how we get there if you have the CEO out there saying that.

[00:48:32] It's not profitable that's not profitable despite all the like yeah we tried nothing and we're out of ideas.

[00:48:39] I'm off.

[00:48:42] Yeah, but I just like I think.

[00:48:47] I think it's a good idea.

[00:48:50] Yeah, but I just like I think.

[00:48:55] I think that not having a show is going to be bad like the longer you don't have a show the less likely it becomes that you do have a show.

[00:49:03] And it also depends too again if they do animated or if they do they're not going to do and made power.

[00:49:12] I really hope they don't because the magic power is its live action.

[00:49:15] No, well again I'm just using that as an example but if they depending on the medium it could because let's be off they're not getting something by 2024.

[00:49:25] They're not getting something by they could if they started today they could get maybe something by 2025.

[00:49:34] I don't I realistically my gut would say 2027 is when you're going to get your next show if that happens.

[00:49:40] Yeah, well I think there's going to be a show there needs to be a studio interested in making one and laser senior from Hasbro.

[00:49:48] Yeah, yeah, that's what they do now.

[00:49:51] Well and that's the flip side of it too and that's something we haven't even discussed is live action wise they moved away from New Zealand because the I think it was wasn't at the filming benefits just.

[00:50:02] No they moved away from New Zealand because the show was done.

[00:50:05] Oh I thought it was also to like the tax benefits and everything.

[00:50:10] No, no they just closed up shop.

[00:50:12] Which I mean I don't there's plenty of advantages locally if you just look around in states and everything New Zealand.

[00:50:20] I think they were I think there were rumors that if the end whistle thing ever got off the ground they would have shot in Canada but it's all academic now and all those helmets and props if they still exist for sitting in a warehouse in Los Angeles or something.

[00:50:33] Yeah, I mean I can attest that there's places that are really pushing for film industry at the moment obviously you still have your Georgia area I know here in Oklahoma they're really pushing for film and that would be a lot cheaper for them it wouldn't necessarily be somewhere they want to film because of scenery and everything versus like New Zealand but you still have that option and everything.

[00:50:57] I think that's also another factor though too is the cost with it with it being in New Zealand and everything at that point.

[00:51:06] 2027 would be the earliest and that's a rough thing to say but I mean.

[00:51:13] I just don't think that's happening.

[00:51:15] I just don't think that it's happening anytime soon.

[00:51:17] I think that if it were happening anytime soon it wouldn't happen like you know.

[00:51:22] I think Hasbro selling Entertainment One as a sign that they don't see themselves making entertainment anytime soon.

[00:51:30] Or not themselves anyway.

[00:51:32] I mean they're moving to this licensing model where they're doing Clue with Sony they're doing Monopoly with.

[00:51:39] With Science Gate.

[00:51:41] Can I say something.

[00:51:43] Yeah.

[00:51:45] That I do find ironic and maybe it's just because it's my own self humor.

[00:51:49] I do find it funny that the toy company has to outsource their toy because they have no idea what to do with it.

[00:51:57] Yeah it's like I think in the show it's Hasbro it's a toy company.

[00:52:03] Yeah I find that the irony behind that it's like a just so funny to me that just shows like how incompetent they were with the brand.

[00:52:13] Yeah well anyway we can go on and on but.

[00:52:18] Technically we do still have episodes to the cosmic fury to discuss so we will pick up where we left off with those some other time.

[00:52:27] It's funny for a dead franchise we sure do have a lot of news to talk about.

[00:52:31] Yeah and I mean to be fair too we still do have the comic and everything it's only April and we still have May June July.

[00:52:40] Three months of comic to see what's going to happen next.

[00:52:44] We still have Morphicon coming up which who knows maybe there's going to be surprises at Morphicon.

[00:52:50] Yeah that's where I have hope that that's my bingo that's kind of my run down list OK this is what they're saying.

[00:52:57] Let's see what the comic says at San Diego.

[00:53:01] OK if they don't say anything let's say Morphicon if nothing is said at Morphicon then yeah I would say we're already at the.

[00:53:09] Red alert Morphicon.

[00:53:12] No I mean in the more of if there was something for it where they announced a new show or here's our first look that would be the opportunity to do so.

[00:53:21] We're at Red Alert but now it's like if not be pushing the oh god button at this point like.

[00:53:28] Worst case scenario.

[00:53:30] Well if that happens the only time between now and our next episode you'll hear about on a Ranger Cast. Have a great one everybody.

[00:53:40] If you like what you just heard find us at rangercast.net or look us up in your favorite podcast app.

[00:53:46] Reach out to us on Twitter or leave a voicemail on our website.

[00:53:50] The opening theme is by Daniel Park. The ending theme is by me.

[00:53:53] Ranger Cast is distributed to under Creative Commons license.

[00:53:57] Attribute and share alike.