Three years ago, Shout! Factory and Saban struck a deal that saw the first in a long line of releases from Saban's now world-renowned Power Rangers franchise. The release in question was Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Season 1 Volume 1. It was the first but most definitely not the last of the Power Rangers franchise that fans would see finally get a proper release. Nearly three years after the release of that initial box set, Shout! Factory has seemingly come to the end of the road with the Power Rangers. That is because on March 10th, Shout! Factory will release what would be the first of the Power Rangers installments in the "post-Zordon era." The installment in question is Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. Long-time fans of Saban's Power Rangers franchise will especially appreciate this upcoming release primarily because it is the complete "series" set in one stand-alone box set. That is quite the noticeable change of course for Shout! Factory being that its previous seasons of Power Rangers were split up into multiple box sets. So, that Shout! Factory didn't take that route this time is sure to impress any long-time Power Rangers fan. Second to note of this collection is the writing within the episodes. The most noticeable aspects of the "series'" writing are that while it serves as its own series separate from the original Power Rangers franchise, it also maintains at least the slightest of links to that franchise thanks to the inclusion of Bulk and Skull yet again, and of course the re-introduction of the Astro-Megaship from Power Rangers in Space. It's sort of the writers' way of saying the past is gone but not totally forgotten. Long-time fans will appreciate this just as much. Also, worth noting of the writing is the fact that the writers were able to keep Leo's personal drama in check throughout the series, opting instead to allow the series' central stories maintain their place at the forefront of each episode. Last but not least of all that makes this set so welcome is its continued use of both "live" footage and stock footage from its Japanese base series. Just like the writing mantains a link to Saban's original Power Rangers franchise, so does this balance of footage. It rounds out the reasons that fans will want to add this set to their own collections. Together with the series' writing and its complete complement of episodes, all three noted elements combine to make Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series a fitting final release from Shout! Factory's series of releases from Saban's original Power Rangers franchise.
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series seems to be the last of Shout! Factory's Power Rangers releases. That is unless there is a deal in place that would allow Shout! Factory to release Seasons 8 - 17, which were previously released in two separate box sets containing Seasons 8 - 12 and 13 - 17. Regardless, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series is still a box set well worth the addition to any Power Rangers fan's personal collection. The most obvious reason that fans of Saban's long-running property will appreciate this set is the very fact that it features the entire "series" in one stand-alone box set. Shout! Factory didn't split it up into two separate sets unlike with its previous Power Rangers sets. This has been a point of contention among fans ever since Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Season 1 Volume 1 was released on DVD back in 2012. Save for the mid-season filler "series" Mighty Morphin' Alien Rangers every other season of Power Rangers released by Shout! Factory since has been split into no less than two boxes. That being the case, having this potentially final season set released in one box is a breath of fresh air. Should the seasons that followed actually be re-issued separate from their previously released five-season box sets, hopefully they will in fact be re-issued as their own complete stand-alone sets, too just like this one. Regardless, this complete showing of episodes in one box is the cornerstone on which the rest of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series' positives rest. It is a solid cornerstone, too.
The fact that Shout! Factory has presented Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series is a solid starting point in examining what makes this box set a success. It's not all that makes the set a success. The writing that went into the show's episodes is just as worth noting. Long-time audiences will appreciate the fact that the show's writers didn't just make a whole new series. They actually maintained a pretty solid link to Saban's original Power Rangers series with the inclusion once again of Bulk and Skull into various episodes including the two-part season opener. The Rangers even utilize the Astro Megaship from Power Rangers in Space throughout this season. These two elements of the show's writing by themselves show that the writers wanted to do their best to not alienate fans that came on board way back in the days of MMPR. The actual episodes though, are just as important to the presentation. Within the episodes themselves, the show's writers were able to balance just enough the personal drama of the Power Rangers (E.g. Leo's coming to terms with Mike's "death," Archie's dealing with Leo and the pair's growing friendship, Cerina's longing for her home world, etc.) with their battles against Scorpius and his evil forces. The writers never let that personal drama step on the "series'" central story line, thus creating a whole that keeps audiences fully engaged from the "series'" premiere to its final, climactic battle. The end result of that writing is yet another part of the whole of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series that shows just why long-time fans of the Power Rangers will enjoy this latest release.
The inclusion of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy's complete forty-five episode run in one complete stand-alone box set and the writing that went into the show's episodes complement each other quite well in terms of elements that make this box set a success for fans. The show's look is just as important to the presentation as the writing and the fact that the "series" has been presented in whole here. Both those that aren't so familiar with the Power Rangers and the franchise's long-time fans will appreciate that even this far into the Power Rangers' run, will appreciate that the show's heads once again combined new, live elements and CG along with the stock footage from its Japanese source series Seijuu Sentai Gingaman. This would be the last of the Power Rangers series to make that balance so noticeable for audiences. And it really added a certain something to the show, too. It could be argued that the balance of both elements creates once again that certain sense of old meets new that somehow creates so much enjoyment. It's that familiar something that especially long-time fans will understand and that new fans will appreciate when they see that balance for themselves. It's something that sadly was lost in some of the seasons that followed. The seasons in question had more of a spit-shined look about them. That look took away that certain feeling established by the previous Power Rangers seasons. Long-time fans will especially agree with that sentiment. And in doing so, they will agree even more that the use of both the original Japanese and American footage for this season completes the season, making all the more reasons for fans to add this set to their collections.
The mix of Seijuu Sentai Gingaman's original video with Saban's live and CG elements is a standard that long-time Power Rangers fans will definitely like about this season. The balance of the show's writing elements adds even more reason for audiences to pick up this box set when it hits stores. It's nice to see that the writers didn't alienate the Power Rangers' original audiences even in creating a new branch of the Power Rangers legacy. Rather they honored those fans and the legacy of the original series while bringing in a whole new generation of audiences with this season.
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series seems to be the last of Shout! Factory's Power Rangers releases. That is unless there is a deal in place that would allow Shout! Factory to release Seasons 8 - 17, which were previously released in two separate box sets containing Seasons 8 - 12 and 13 - 17. Regardless, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series is still a box set well worth the addition to any Power Rangers fan's personal collection. The most obvious reason that fans of Saban's long-running property will appreciate this set is the very fact that it features the entire "series" in one stand-alone box set. Shout! Factory didn't split it up into two separate sets unlike with its previous Power Rangers sets. This has been a point of contention among fans ever since Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Season 1 Volume 1 was released on DVD back in 2012. Save for the mid-season filler "series" Mighty Morphin' Alien Rangers every other season of Power Rangers released by Shout! Factory since has been split into no less than two boxes. That being the case, having this potentially final season set released in one box is a breath of fresh air. Should the seasons that followed actually be re-issued separate from their previously released five-season box sets, hopefully they will in fact be re-issued as their own complete stand-alone sets, too just like this one. Regardless, this complete showing of episodes in one box is the cornerstone on which the rest of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series' positives rest. It is a solid cornerstone, too.
The fact that Shout! Factory has presented Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series is a solid starting point in examining what makes this box set a success. It's not all that makes the set a success. The writing that went into the show's episodes is just as worth noting. Long-time audiences will appreciate the fact that the show's writers didn't just make a whole new series. They actually maintained a pretty solid link to Saban's original Power Rangers series with the inclusion once again of Bulk and Skull into various episodes including the two-part season opener. The Rangers even utilize the Astro Megaship from Power Rangers in Space throughout this season. These two elements of the show's writing by themselves show that the writers wanted to do their best to not alienate fans that came on board way back in the days of MMPR. The actual episodes though, are just as important to the presentation. Within the episodes themselves, the show's writers were able to balance just enough the personal drama of the Power Rangers (E.g. Leo's coming to terms with Mike's "death," Archie's dealing with Leo and the pair's growing friendship, Cerina's longing for her home world, etc.) with their battles against Scorpius and his evil forces. The writers never let that personal drama step on the "series'" central story line, thus creating a whole that keeps audiences fully engaged from the "series'" premiere to its final, climactic battle. The end result of that writing is yet another part of the whole of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series that shows just why long-time fans of the Power Rangers will enjoy this latest release.
The inclusion of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy's complete forty-five episode run in one complete stand-alone box set and the writing that went into the show's episodes complement each other quite well in terms of elements that make this box set a success for fans. The show's look is just as important to the presentation as the writing and the fact that the "series" has been presented in whole here. Both those that aren't so familiar with the Power Rangers and the franchise's long-time fans will appreciate that even this far into the Power Rangers' run, will appreciate that the show's heads once again combined new, live elements and CG along with the stock footage from its Japanese source series Seijuu Sentai Gingaman. This would be the last of the Power Rangers series to make that balance so noticeable for audiences. And it really added a certain something to the show, too. It could be argued that the balance of both elements creates once again that certain sense of old meets new that somehow creates so much enjoyment. It's that familiar something that especially long-time fans will understand and that new fans will appreciate when they see that balance for themselves. It's something that sadly was lost in some of the seasons that followed. The seasons in question had more of a spit-shined look about them. That look took away that certain feeling established by the previous Power Rangers seasons. Long-time fans will especially agree with that sentiment. And in doing so, they will agree even more that the use of both the original Japanese and American footage for this season completes the season, making all the more reasons for fans to add this set to their collections.
The mix of Seijuu Sentai Gingaman's original video with Saban's live and CG elements is a standard that long-time Power Rangers fans will definitely like about this season. The balance of the show's writing elements adds even more reason for audiences to pick up this box set when it hits stores. It's nice to see that the writers didn't alienate the Power Rangers' original audiences even in creating a new branch of the Power Rangers legacy. Rather they honored those fans and the legacy of the original series while bringing in a whole new generation of audiences with this season.