Saturday, June 25, 2011

Pros and Cons to adapting Gokaiger #2 - Financially

In March I wrote the pros and the cons to Saban adapting Gokaiger. Now there are speculations by fans that there will be a season 2 of Samurai and either they will use Goseiger footage or create their own. Also executive producer Jonathan Tzachor has stated how he didn't consider the Disney seasons as 'canon', meaning in continuation with the new series. Jason David Frank (Tommy) had recently commented in a convention about this, judging by the comments posted by you guys, the fans, you're not so glad about his comments. But of course like others said, JDF is no longer affiliated (as of now) with Saban and is just one man. But if all of this canon business is true, it would put a damper to adapting Gokaiger. From what my sources (who have since have stopped contacting me all together in the past year) told me in the past, whoever is adapting Power Rangers (Saban or Disney) are told in advance or are aware of the newest Sentai. But maybe Tzachor doesn't know about Gokaiger.

Here again are the....
Last time I did Cons first so I decided to do the reverse.
Advantages to adapting the series would be that since Bandai America likes repackaging toys and re-painting toys to save money, they can release a lot of old toys (more than before) for the Gokaiger-adapted season. And if they do use 'Rangers' of past Power Rangers, they can release more toys. Linkara (History of Power Rangers) says Disney didn't understand why they were doing Forever Red because they were advertising old toys and not new ones, this series would allow Bandai to sell new toys of old, sort of like MMPR Reverison of 2010 (the toyline).

Selling old toys and having exposure of old seasons might boost sales of DVD and rental of streaming on Netflix.

If they do follow Gokaiger that has so-far brought back many Red Heroes from Sentai, a Power Ranger adaption can bring old actors, maybe not just red. Since in Gokaiger, the past teams have lost their power sand no longer can transform, Saban crew can pick any actor of past team, doesn't have to be red.

In Power Rangers, we can finally see females in colors we haven't seen before like Navy, Black and more Reds and Silver and White. They are different twists to the suits of past Rangers and they some how make them more interesting.

It seems that Toei has been sort of adjusting things for Power Rangers, now this is just a speculation, but not true. For example, the other auxiliary zords so far (Mystic Force, SPD, Wild Force, Samurai, MMPR, Time Force and Dino Thunder) and in future (Ninja Storm and RPM) were all Power Rangers-related, not one is of Sentai before 1992. Another is that with 18 episodes and photos and info out of up to episode 20, there has been no tribute to a non-PR Sentai. So it would be very easy to re-shoot scenes featuring the past costumes. Scenes of the Gokaiger transformed as past teams is brief. Could it be that Bandai had agreed to do more focus on Power Ranger-turned Sentai? Or maybe just a coincidence because since those Sentai are the latest and get (Japanese) kids more pumped since it is the ones they grew up with. Also the recent Sentai has had the most auxiliary mech.

The Gokaiger transform into past teams, but not only one that were adapted into Power Rangers but all 34 past teams, many (15) that were not adapted. And many of the costume designs are sort of ugly or not appealing to modern audiences. But look at Gingaman, those suits were adapted for Lost Galaxy and many fans complained those suits were ugly and looked like Charlie Brown T-shirts, also that the Lightspeed costumes looked like pinwheels/peppermints. If Saban Brands chose to skip over footage of past Sentai, it would be a bit difficult, as the Gokaiger sometimes become past warriors, mixed with those that were adapted into Power Rangers. For example in Episode 3, Yellow becomes Gao White, who PR fans know as White Wild Force Ranger (2002). But the other two--Big One and White Swan, were not ever Power Rangers.

Another factor is that Saban is planning to use the Samurai theme in 2012 and Goseiger will most likely be adapted in 2013 and Saban Brands have confirmed that 2013 will be the anniversary year for Power Rangers. Since Gokaiger celebrates 35 anniversary and there will be a lot of nostalgia for a season if Gokaiger is indeed adapted into Power Rangers, it would be strange if it was airing in 2014 after the 20th anniversary and with so much nostalgia. One can think Saban is having Samurai for 2 seasons and Goseiger adaption for 2013 a.k.a. the 20th anniversary in order to skip Gokaiger for 2014 and adapt the 2012 Sentai for 2014. But Disney and Saban, both who have run Power Rangers, have never skipped a season. But now rumors are that Samurai will use Goseiger footage, so it might be a little strange when they do tributes. But funny enough, the Gokaiger get the Goseiger powers in the 199 Heroes movie, and the Headers appear in Episode 16, so maybe they can make it work.

Another factor is the 'Legend War,' I have commented before on how it would be hard to explain how it is possible for one team to be present if many of the Rangers shared powers. Now, if the Saban producers choose to not use the 15 teams that were not PR, then they would have to re-shoot the 'war' with only 18 teams and I mentioned this before in this post:

Ugh, I hate this word (Canon) now. There is a lot of contest between fans if RPM is canon because it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and the only connection to past seasons it had was the presence of "Jungle Karma Pizza," the work place of Jungle Fury. As for the show itself in having past rangers come in, that is up to the writers. But since Tzachor doesn't consider any Disney seasons as canon, it would be VERY HARD to adapt Gokaiger. They could get another producer other than Tzachor to produce it or force him to do it. Or they can cheat and not bring any Disney Era actors, but how could they not if they all live near where they film (international wise I mean)? With Saban including all seasons in Netflix streaming, fans think this mean they are all canon but not so sure, because it's just video, not included in the new episodes. But what does canon matter? Sentai has played with it a lot and so far have skipped through or not mentioned certain things in Gokaiger.

It would take a lot of money to get past actors back and to ship them from the USA, yes they might not get a lot and they might be just in for one episode but there could be disputes, I mean PR actors during Saban era are notorious for money disputes. And it would take a lot of money to shoot the Legacy War again and add new scenes with Titanium Ranger and Spirit Rangers, if they choose to shoot them. And also, will past actors would want to come back? Also, scheduling, maybe they won't be able to get even one member on one team, I'm sure lots of veterans would be glad to come back but you never know, with such a global mixing pot of actors. It's not like Japan where they are all in the same country, lots of these actors are in United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and other countries.

NOTE: Don't get me wrong, I have no problem them using the suits from Goranger to Jetman, I would welcome it.

Gokaiger Rumors and Retrospective Video with Power Rangers

It seems that there will be a Go-Onger tribute as the Gokaiger will receive Speedor, spoiler drawings on Dukemon22's site:
Toku Insider
'Speedor had to be physically shown to you by a bandai worker, so getting a picture of it would be near impossible.'

Check out this retrospective of Super Sentai because of the 199 heroes movie, so it is a little old. But they talk about Power Rangers at 33 minutes point, they talk about SPD being dubbed in Japanese and the original MMPR being based on Zyuranger. They also showcase Power Rangers Samurai being based on Shinkenger. The Japanese hosts look shocked at them using Kanji.

Friday, June 24, 2011

JDF confirms Skull's return

Jason David Frank confirms Jason Narvy (Skull) will return for a couple episodes of Power Rangers Samurai:

He also talks about the non-canon nature of the series, that no other old characters are planned to return and Deker is NOT Cole.

Clearer Gokaiger Movie pics in Figure Oh Magazine

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Footsoldier combo in Gokaiger movie

REVISED 6/22/11 9:25 PM EST
I managed to spot 29 grunts out of this monster to appear in the movie. I feel sorry for the man or men inside this thing. Only half of those I spotted appeared in Power Rangers in one point or another. At further inspection, I found more!

They seem to be missing these 5, maybe they are located in the back:

Crimers (JAKQ)

Madaraman (Goggle Five)

Unglers (Maskman)

Grinamhei (Jetman)

Rinshi (Gekiranger)

With Power Ranger names...
Note: Ryuujinhei Jaryuu (Lava Lizard) are not included probably because they are doing one minion per series. Even though those grunts belonged to another sect, it is still from the same series, note how the High Zobiru (Styxoid), Batsuroid (Blue Heads), and other extra grunts are not included.

Gokaiger Rumors and Spoilers for the movie and Gokai Silver Jacket

Gai's team jacket.

I don't know what episode but it seems Go-On Wings (in suit) communicate with Gai (it seems there will be a Go-Onger tribute episode) and he will become a combination of them (the key is two parts). I don't know what Akashi/Bouken Red is doing there.
UPDATE 6/29/11:
It looks like Gai will recieve the Go-On Wings key in Episode 19 this Sunday July 3rd.

Episode 19, The Armor of 15 Warriors (July 3):
Gai wants to help out on the Galleon and shows the crew his cooking skills, which causes Don to become jealous.

It seems both Kazuki Maehara (Ryouma) and Teruaki Ogawa (Hyuuga) are returning. Rumors is that Basco will release his Kuro Kishi Ranger Key.

Episode 20 (July 10):
Navi gives the crew a new clue by saying "You'll have to find the warriors in the closed forest." When Gai hears this, he tells the crew to go to the forest where the Seijuu Sentai Gingaman used to live. Marvelous and his crew heads towards the forest, but on their way a man in black starts to chase them. While they are trying to flee, they meet Basco.

In ep 20, Basco will summon DekaMaster, WolzardFire and MagiMother. Basco's hidden powers become clear.

It seems the Gokaiger will change into Battle Fever J in the movie.

And also change into Goranger.

Movie Spoilers:
The G3 Princesses act as cheerleaders in the movie.

Baseball Mask shows up.

Agent Abrella from Dekaranger are appearing in the movie. Isao Sasaki is voicing "Gatsun Beron Pachin", the guard of the treasure inside the ghost ship. Mitsuko Horie and Tsuyoshi Matsubara are going to be in the movie.

Nanashi (Moogers), Cotoportos [Dairanger], Zenith (Cyclobots), Karths (Chillers), Barmia Hei (Triptoids), Golem Hei (Putties), Imps (Batlings), Magerappa (Kelzaks), Kunkune (Carterites), Rinshi, Yaatotto (Swabbies), Dorodoros [Kakuranger], Ugats (Grinders), Hidrer [Changeman], Wular [Tubroranger], Jinners [Liveman] and Orgettes (also known as Putrids) and more.

All the grunts merge.

The name of the GokaiOh repaint that is evil is "GhostGokaiOh".

Translation of official description:
As expected from you greedy pirates, you'd even throw away your comrades for a treasure."
There's a rumor that there's ghost ship heading towards Earth and it's picking up the souls of dead people. It's said that there's a treasure called "God Eye" inside. The Gokaigers decides to search for it. They believe that if they can get God Eye, they'll be able to find the greatest treasure in the universe. It's also said that no one comes out alive from the ghost ship. Los Dark is the captain of the ghost ship, he has no real body and is planning on using the God Eye. The insides of the ghost ship is true mystery. The Gokaigers will have to fight the enemies of the past Rangers. The hatred inside the various grunts causes them to merge into one monster. Dekaranger's enemy, Agent Abrella, appears and states that they've picked up 1500 souls of defeated monsters. Baseball Mask from Goranger, says that he has reborn into a different Baseball Mask and challenges the Gokaigers to a baseball match. The Gokaigers Gokai Change into the Gorangers.

I couldn't help it and it led me to doing this.