Power Rangers Ninja Storm Episode 1 review, "The Prelude to a Storm" is a really well paced, executed script to screen first five minutes

A little bit of background between me and Ninja Storm:
I was a dumbass teenager who didn't give a shit about Saban losing the brand. It wasn't cuz of shit like Kid Rangers, or Justin or the cast getting fired in Mighty Morphin, but I just didn't really know what the fuck that meant.
I watched Ninja Storm every morning it was out on ABC Saturday Morning, despite liking Wild Force more, despite not even realizing Wild Force had changed stations, despite watching the End of The Power Rangers. (It doesn't make sense what I wrote, but you sorta get what I mean...)
My main memory was liking the Thunder Bros concept, it not turning as legendary as Tommy or Burai, being disappointed Cam was the Sixth Ranger, that Cyber Cam existed, laughing at the villains in a LOL not actually laughing way, and being horribly disappointed with the Shane arc.
What was my end result after 10-15 years later?

One major problem with the intro is that they show what Ninja Storm is in the credits prior to it supposedly being a surprise that they're ninja students.
Tori looks at her watch, signalling something important is distracting her from the live and death situation of recreational surfing.
Shane hangs out with his skateboarding friends without discussing through exposition that he's a skateboarder, instead doing the moves and explaining what his athletic abilities are.
Dustin is introduced to friends in his motor place that is actually
Rock music. Grungier.
Boo, remember me, is a sign that he's a ninja sneaking up on her.

They are shot using dialogue on in a van where a lot of stuff happens.
The van tells a story, with its bright blue, showing youth, that it's Tori's color, that it bumps like crazy, possibly having another backstory, about why it's like that due to origin or preference.

Dustin talks about Power Rangers.
Tori doesn't believe.
Dustin reflexive.
Yet, Shane is the one using the mirror, being the risk minded. (Is he though?) Aren't they all?
Tori, logical. Drives the car.


The forest is a big contrast to the city.
It makes the episode and journey feel bigger.

When they get to the forest, the Rangers are normally in center.

To use the ninja effect and in addition go in the point of view of the rangers, they use blurry pans, a very non special effect to get across the idea of ninjas and ultra high reflexes.

There are some special effects with the ninja shadow attacks.

They make a cut so that the ninjas go from not there to there.

They cut from the Rangers with clothes to Rangers throwing clothes to having ninja clothes.

Is Dustin an homage to Saban's Masked Rider or Power Rangers Turbo with his humor?

In fact, in contrast, the whole intro reminds you all the friggin time who they are, which is very expostionary.

Power Rangers Ninja Storm preview

A little bit of background between me and Ninja Storm:
I was a dumbass teenager who didn't give a shit about Saban losing the brand. It wasn't cuz of shit like Kid Rangers, or Justin or the cast getting fired in Mighty Morphin, but I just didn't really know what the fuck that meant.
I watched Ninja Storm every morning it was out on ABC Saturday Morning, despite liking Wild Force more, despite not even realizing Wild Force had changed stations, despite watching the End of The Power Rangers. (It doesn't make sense what I wrote, but you sorta get what I mean...)
My main memory was liking the Thunder Bros concept, it not turning as legendary as Tommy or Burai, being disappointed Cam was the Sixth Ranger, that Cyber Cam existed, laughing at the villains in a LOL not actually laughing way, and being horribly disappointed with the Shane arc.
What was my end result after 10-15 years later?

Power Rangers Mystic Force Episode 30, "The Return" review

Toby recaps everything.
It's not voice over, but it's expository. Not much is being done with the setting of the Rockporium.
However, we do get to see the characters react. I legit feel like they don't treat some of the stuff that happened seriously and it works.
Leelee Phineas
Toby and Leelee's mom.

Udonna is dr strange or the venture bros equivalent of sr stange
She goes to the underworld which I don't recall
Koragg comes back

Jenji is absolutely wasted. Doesn't fight anyone. Does a fire heart laundry joke.
Fire heart himself is barely in the episode wasted why I don't like.


The voice actors set up that the Master is in the hand of the Ten Terrors
Maroon is storyline about not wanting to harm others is boring and fails since Koragg already has that code.
I don't get why he plays with a ball and hits
Xander doesn't at all think that Vida isn't fighting matoombo. A line like did he take your powers would be nice.
Matoombo destroying the electricity to summon the Master could be a ruse.

Luckily the ten terrors don't use this against them

Gekkor goes after matoombo wounding him
Vida out of character takes the Solaris train to save matoombo

I guess they need to summon the master anyway

And despite being old they are not aware

Matoombo doesn't really have an arc. He just wants to not be a bad guy for no reason sorta like Jack and SPD last season. Like you figure this would've occurred millions of years prior. They could
Just make him another Koragg.

It is pretty sad when matoombo dies and sacrifices himself to protect Xander. As odd as Xander's character was, and even Itassis makes fun of it, it was cool for him to have a moment this episode.

Michael Bacon in VR Troopers, Episode 4, "Lost Memories"

The episode "Lost Memories" involves a lady's amnesia before going into something more. She shows up at the steps of Tao Dojo, because of course the Girl and Boy Scouts save the day.

JB contacts the Missing Persons Hotline and notifies the police department. I'm current studying Grimlord, and I do wonder, what if Grimlord had taken control of the Police Department. He owned housing as mentioned in this episode, can tear down buildings, and has control of the mayor, a major influencer of who at least gets chosen for sheriff or police commissioner.

JB claims to know the Skugs, which is weird, because their trope is sorta like any "Matrix Agent-like" stranger is a Skug.

It later on becomes more of a Ryan based episode, but does use more of JB than him ironically. In fact, kids would definitely like him a bit more just because he is the monster defeater of the day. Then again, he isn't the main character.
JB sucks fuck you Ryan and your "rpretty thing" we're going.

JB defeats the monster of the day as Kaitlin takes on Ivar.
I wish the monster had more of an intro. They really don't use much Spielban footage to set up what the JB bad guys are.

Did Toei make Kamen Rider Amazons because Ghost did so poorly?

There's no evidence of this and their business schtick is now is basically just keep producing till something sticks.

Michael Bacon in VR Troopers Episode 1: The Battle Begins Part 1

"The Battle Begins, Part 1" introduces JB very well, even if it is a Ryan centered episode. There actually aren't many episodes where Ryan isn't featured as a main character, since he does the Flashback at the Korean Temple, thinking of his dad's lessons, but there are.
Ryan and him are shown as equals by giving them near identical bikes and motorcycle costumes. Oddly though he sits in the back of the car, when they go to meet the Professor.

He gets the win for Tao Dojo, while you normally save the last fight for someone who's the best fighter. (Maybe there's a technical reason for it too, albeit the karate tournament didn't really get into tactics. Also, it was 3-2, so maybe there was a moment where Kaitlin was the first fighter, possibly making her an equal, but it was probably Tao.

He's a mix of Zack/Tommy in terms of him being second in command and constantly beating bad guys, and has Billy's brains, giving him the equivalent of all Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' male characters, outside of Jason. He tells Ryan how VR works.


Kaitlin goes straight after a monster.
Editing error: Kaitlin says she'll distract the Ape Rocket Punch monster, but it's JB who runs straight at him.

JB happens to get close to her and Laser Lance Command.
JB tries to locate Ryan with the Professor's assistance after he disappears.

His character was not originally supposed to be in the series, as it was originally only Metalder based, especially if you've watched the Cybertron pilot with Jason David Frank and no Spielban footage. Kaitlin had an equivalent and Tao was still involved.

I'd assume the dog or the Kaitlin equivalent or Tao would've helped Ryan at the end of the episode of Cybertron.

No Rocket Punch Ape monster footage vs Kaitlin and JB though.

There's also a bit of Power Rangers knowing their powers without ever using them thanks to the knowledge given from their technology trope.

Also, I forget the next episode, but I would have JB go after Grimlord with Ryan resting.

JB can Han Solo, Ryan saying he owed him one.

I also wonder what was the status of the Grimlord's minions going through the barrier, since JB stopped a monster, but Ryan failed.

Thoughts during Chaser spit take scene

Why didn't they make another Chaser?
Could've been an upgrade.

I was never really a fan of Chaser being the third Rider for this show:
1) 2 motorcycles on a non-motorycle Rider show
2) motorycle-car-motorcycle
3) He had nothing to do after he became Rider
4) they killed him off anyway. So what was the point?
5) it just seemed like a Disney, don't hire more actors, and just turn some random main character into a Ranger thing like with RJ and Sam.

I guess his whole arc later was to save Banno and Gou, but whatever.