Power Rangers Samurai

Power Rangers Samurai is the eighteenth season of the American children's television series Power Rangers, which is based on the Japanese Super Sentai Series.[1] The season was the first to be produced by SCG Power Rangers, after Saban Brands (a successor to the original production company, Saban Entertainment) acquired the franchise, and it the first to use the "Saban" name since the first half of Power Rangers: Wild Force. The season marks the franchise's debut on Nickelodeon, premiering on the main network and Nicktoons on February 7, 2011.[2]

Power Rangers Samurai
The logo for Power Rangers Samurai (first season)
Also known asPower Rangers Super Samurai
Saban's Power Rangers Samurai
GenreAction
Adventure
Fantasy
Superhero
Created byHaim Saban
Toei Company
Based onSamurai Sentai Shinkenger
by Yasuko Kobayashi & Toei Company
Developed bySaban Brands
Toei Company
Directed byPeter Salmon
Luke Robinson
Jonathan Brough
Akihiro Noguchi
Jonathan Tzachor
Nobuhiro Suzumura
StarringSee below
Opening theme"Go Go Power Rangers"
ComposerNoam Kaniel
Country of originUnited States
Japan
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes45 (List of Samurai episodes, List of Super Samurai episodes)
Production
Executive producerJonathan Tzachor
ProducerSally Campbell
Production locationsNew Zealand (Auckland)
Japan (Kyoto, Yokohama and Tokyo)
Running time23 minutes
Production companiesSCG Power Rangers
Power Rangers Productions, Ltd.
Toei Company, Ltd.
DistributorSaban Brands
MarVista Entertainment (International)
Release
Original networkNickelodeon
Picture format720p/1080p (HDTV)
Original releaseFebruary 7, 2011 (2011-02-07) –
December 15, 2012 (2012-12-15)
Chronology
Preceded byPower Rangers RPM
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Re-version)
Followed byPower Rangers Megaforce

Samurai uses props and footage from Samurai Sentai Shinkenger and, according to press material, had a "brighter tone and an infusion of fun and comedy that wasn't present in seasons 16 and 17."[3] Samurai is also the first season to be shot and broadcast in HD. Though 2006's Boukenger (which was adapted into Operation Overdrive) was the first Super Sentai series to be shot in HD, preceding Power Rangers seasons weren't. Samurai also returns the series to a multi-seasonal format; the second season, titled Power Rangers Super Samurai, began on February 18, 2012 and is officially considered the nineteenth season overall.[4][5][6]

Plot

The Samurai Power Rangers–Red Ranger Jayden Shiba, the stoic leader; Blue Ranger Kevin Douglas, the devoted second-in-command; Pink Ranger Mia Watanabe, the big sister; Green Ranger Mike Fernandez, the creative rebel; Yellow Ranger Emily Stewart, the youngest and most innocent; and Gold Ranger Antonio Garcia, the expressive fisherman/tech wiz– fight the evil Master Xandred and his army of Nighloks, who want to flood the planet with the waters of the Sanzu River to bring about the end of civilization.

Promotion

Saban announced they would be enacting an "aggressive" multimedia focus, with planned apps, games, streaming content, and social media content in addition to live shows and a feature film.[3][7] The run-up to the new series was promoted by 145 Days of Power Rangers, a daily airing of every Mighty Morphin episode in order. An official Power Rangers Facebook page was also created.[8]

On November 24, 2010, the Power Rangers website placed a trailer for the show online, hosted on Yahoo! Kids. The new Samurai Rangers also appeared at the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.[9]

Paul Schrier has a recurring role in the season, reprising his role as Bulk originating from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.[10] Jason Narvy subsequently reprised his role as Skull in the final episode.

For the second batch of episodes airing in 2012, Saban began promoting the season with the title of "Super Samurai" to reflect the upgrades to the Rangers powers (glimpsed already in "Clash of the Red Rangers The Movie"). Actor Hector David, Jr., released an official teaser poster for "Super Samurai" on his Facebook profile.

Cast and characters
Main article: List of Power Rangers Samurai characters

Rangers
  • Alex Heartman as Jayden Shiba, the first Red Samurai Ranger.
  • Erika Fong as Mia Watanabe, the Pink Samurai Ranger.
  • Hector David Jr. as Mike Fernandez, the Green Samurai Ranger.
  • Najee De-Tiege as Kevin Douglas, the Blue Samurai Ranger.
  • Brittany Anne Pirtle as Emily Stewart, the Yellow Samurai Ranger.
  • Steven Skyler as Antonio Garcia, the Gold Samurai Ranger.
  • Kimberley Crossman as Lauren Shiba, the second Red Samurai Ranger.

Allies

Villains

Episodes
Main articles: List of Power Rangers Samurai episodes and List of Power Rangers Super Samurai episodes

Reception

By 2012, Power Rangers had an average of 2 million viewers.[11] The highest rated episode was the May 15, 2011 broadcast of "The Blue and the Gold", with 3.7 million viewers.[12]

Comic book

Papercutz produced two issues of a comic book based on Power Rangers Super Samurai.

The Samurai Rangers also played a role in the 2018 comic Book Event "Shattered Grid", celebrating 25 years of the Power Rangers franchise.

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominee Result
2012 2012 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite TV Actor Alex Heartman Nominated

Home media

The complete season of Super Samurai was released on Blu-ray by Lionsgate Home Entertainment on December 4, 2012.[13]

References
  1. "Power Rangers | Seasons | Samurai". Power Rangers Official Website. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  2. ""Power Rangers Samurai" premiering in February 2011". Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  3. Loveday, Samantha (September 23, 2010). "Saban reveals new Samurai theme for Power Rangers". Licensing.biz. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  4. "Power Rangers Super Samurai Promo". Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  5. The Licensing Book, October 2011
  6. "Saban Brands Super-Charges the #1 Kids Action Show". The Business Journals. January 30, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  7. Littleton, Cynthia (July 26, 2010). "MarVista to sell 'Rangers' TV library". Variety. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  8. Power Rangers Facebook
  9. "The 84th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is Set to Feature New... -- NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --". 2010-11-01. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  10. "Original Powers Rangers Cast Member Returns - TV News at IGN". 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  11. Harris, Jim (2011-12-19). "Saban". Retail-merchandiser.com. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
  12. "Cable Top 25: Lebron/D-Wade, 'Pawn Stars,' Durant/Westbrook, D-Rose, 'WWE RAW' Top Weekly Cable Viewing - Ratings | TVbytheNumbers". Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-21. Retrieved 2012-06-29.
  13. Power Rangers Super Samurai: The Complete Season Blu-ray, retrieved October 10, 2016
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