Saturday, March 16, 2013

Does Power Rangers Need to Create Racism to Create a Good Villain?


In the 1980s, there was a very popular cartoon called G I Joe, a Real American Hero. The good guys were not well developed and have cheesy lines,as are the characters in Megaforce. G. I. Joe has a heavy influence based on the Japanese cartoons from the Super Robot genre: its animation. its premise of a good vs a demonized evil. What was more particularly odd about Cobra however, was that Cobra consisted of actual human beings. Sure, there name was that of a serpent. However, they were more or less created of the same genetic material, DNA as you and I, (provided this is not read by extraterrestrials). They were given Eastern influences like a Eastern European Baroness, a Middle Eastern-like base after the Iran-Contra scandal and a city that was their equivalent of Shangri-la. The show was created at the peak of American prosperity in the Republican Reagan era.
Currently, we live in a heavily divided America, with a less so divided world. Countries fear the problems of the Middle East and North Korea. The military is given discounts everywhere, and are as popular in media as American sports. Who can blame them given the fear instilled to them by both drill sergeants  tough environments and stressful situations?
Sure, it would give Power Rangers a cultural feeling. A backwards, misunderstood one, but one that would be covered by the press and enjoyed by someone of some sort of intellect, propagandized or not.
Haim Saban is well known for his politics. He can turn himself into an American hero, the hero of Jerusalem, albeit a problem that was started by the Allies in the first place.
And this is not to say that this has to be a bad form of racism. The show could be an allegory of the times a la Animal Farm or something.
The show can also make American look admirable to kids again.

I've been joking in case you have not been able to tell.

With the new GI Joe film coming out, I sure do hope that nostalgia is gone and looking forward is the way of the future. I'm not saying we have to go with the counter culture anti-Vietnam peace movement with Power Rangers, but at least give us Darth Vader-ish villains we can hate, yet sympathize with Power Rangers! It's a kid's show that should teach about tolerance, especially in a show that mimics the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers!

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