Rangercast: A Power Rangers Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Tyler and Josh talk about the announcements out of Toy Fair in New York, including details of the upcoming Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Re-Ignition toy line and plans for an AI upscaling of the first season.

Also mentioned in this episode:

• Greg Aronowitz has been looking back at SPD
• Renegade's final Heroes of the Grid Kickstarter raises nearly $300,000
• Janperson, Kikaider Reboot, Kamen Rider X coming to Blu-Ray, courtesy of Discotek
• Hector David Jr. recently did time for battery
• Robert Baldwin dead after battle with cancer
• David Weatherley, best known as Spencer in Operation Overdrive, dead at 85
• "Father of Ultra Music" Toru Fuyuki has died
• A Different World reveals perils of using AI

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We had the pleasure of speaking with Shawn Pryor, author of the reference guide Kaiju Unleashed, which is now available from Epic Ink. The book covers giant monsters in film and television, in Japan and beyond. It looks back at Ultraman, Daimajin, Pacific Rim and even Colossal.

Sad news to share: This week we learned of the death of David Weatherley. Best known to Power Ranger fans as Spencer, the trustworthy butler to the Hartfords in Operation Overdrive, the accomplished thespian was 85. We'll have more to say about him next time.

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Buy last-minute gifts or a little something for yourself from Entertainment Earth. Click our link for 10% off in-stock items and free US shipping on orders $79+: https://ee.toys/RANGER

We're pleased to bring you an interview with Pan, the face, voice and pen behind the tokusatsu-themed idol project Bakery Sentai Panranger. Pan (they/them) this week released their first original song, GUARDIAN. We talked to them about their background, style and the rigors of a summer spent performing at cons and other events all over the country.

Mentioned in the news segment:

• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie going out of print
• TokuSHOUTsu asks eight fans to share the tokusatsu they're thankful for
• Kickstarter preorders are live for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, co-written by Amy Jo Johnson

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(Photo by Parallax.Photos)

In this episode, we finally get to discussing the first few episodes of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury: Lightning Strikes, Beyond Repair and Off Grid.

We also talk about some toy news, some comic news and a rare mention of Sentai in People magazine. We discuss the arrest of Gokaiger and Garo actor Junya Ikeda and mourn the passing of Eka Darville's young son, Mana.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Funko Pop! Tyrannosaurus Dinozord at Target
• BOOM! Studios Direct Reserve Kickstarter campaign for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return
• Dannielynn Birkhead, daughter of Anna Nicole Smith, cosplays as Donbrothers' Oni Sister for Halloween
• Dekaranger to get a 20th anniversary movie
• Kyoryuger marks 10th anniversary with two-episode King-Ohger crossover
• New Garo series coming next year
• Agency drops Junya Ikeda after fraud arrest
• Mana Darville, son of RPM's Eka Darville, dies after battle with brain cancer

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This episode was recorded just prior to the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, so we glossed over Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always to honor the union's guidance.

Tyler sat down virtually with Andrew Bush, director of the Kickstarter tokusatsu project Metal Force. The project aims to create a horror-tinged short. The project is about a metal band that gets abducted by aliens and granted superpowers. It has raised more than $4,000, twice its initial goal. Funding closes next Monday.

(This recording makes reference to the Writers Guild of America strike. The WGA has since reached a tentative deal with producers. The SAG-AFTRA strike remains ongoing.)

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Tyler and Josh talk about the Power Rangers Cosmic Fury teasers and details, including the return of Billy and other old friends. We also break down the 30th-anniversary comic release (spoiler warning). And Power Rangers Day was on Aug. 28. We talk about how Hasbro did and didn't celebrate it.

Referenced in this episode:

• David Yost returns in Cosmic Fury -- get a sneak peek
• SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator blasts studios for refusing talks
• A first look at the Lightning Collection Master Morpher
• 30th-anniversary Funko Pops: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Pink, Black, Ranger Slayer
• Super7 unveils Vile Violet Rita Repulsa
• SuperX MMPR hoodies coming later this month
• Hasbro Pulse lists 30th anniversary tee
• Melissa Flores AMA on r/PowerRangers
• Fresh off Entertainment One sale, Hasbro launches Hasbro Entertainment
• Power Bow and Power Axe tipped for HasLab

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Summer travel plans are forcing us into a brief hiatus, We expect to be back in late August to talk about news including Lionsgate's planned acquisition of Entertainment One.

For this episode, we turn the clock back to 2008 and Anime Central in Chicago. Jason David Frank, Robert Axelrod, Steve Cardenas and Karan Ashley held court for fan press at one of the first conventions to invite guests from the franchise. Here unguarded reminiscing on the show's early days and lots of laughs. Thanks to Lisa J of No Pink Spandex for her help in recording the original episode from whence this came and to Rangercast listener Lee Sands for saving the file after all these years.

Tyler and Josh talk about the news (or lack thereof) out of San Diego Comic-Con. Hasbro's repositioning and the ongoing strikes of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA may keep us waiting a while for the future of Power Rangers. In the meantime, the Lightning Collection line will be put on pause. We talk about the series of events that got us here and the people and events responsible for Power Rangers' apparent second-class status in the Hasbro empire.

• Hasbro: "Development is ongoing" on Jenny Klein-led Power Rangers series
• Lionsgate leading suitor for Entertainment One
• Shin Ultraman distributor Cleopatra Entertainment releases new pressing with better subtitles
• Toei releases the concept and design for Kamen Rider Gotchard
• BOOM! Studios teases 30th-anniversary book, Amy Jo Johnson limited series
• Ranger Academy comic series hits shelves in October
• Reshoots lead to postponement of Legend of the White Dragon
• Hasbro PulseCon set for Sept. 22

Donate to the Entertainment Community Fund and support those affected by the Hollywood strikes

After New Zealand media confirm Power Rangers is leaving its longtime production home, Tyler and Lamar reflect on what they'll miss and chat about what may be to come.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Leak reveals Lightning Collection Omega Rangers
• threezero drops Armored Black Ranger
• An early look at the Cosmic Fury Megazord
• Once & Always soundtrack on Spotify and Apple Music
• Super7's SDCC offerings
• Shodo SUPER Megaranger team available in December from Premium Bandai
• Johnny Yong Bosch is Ultraman Blazar
• Toei's Shinichi Shirakura tasked with promoting Kamen Rider and Super Sentai internationally
• New trailer for Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger's 20th anniversary film
• Tsuburaya expands Ultraman licensing program
• Shin Kamen Rider to Amazon Prime on July 21
• Teaser out for Godzilla Minus One
• Toho plans two western e-commerce sites, one just for Godzilla
• Miryokucon (which Tyler staffs) is Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 in downtown Baltimore

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Despite no new episodes of Power Rangers until the fall, there's still some news we had to get through. Tyler and Josh talk about toy developments in the US and Japan and some other recent developments.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Roku Channel adds Power Rangers
• Our first look at the Cosmic Morpher toy
• SOC Daizyujin and Dragon Caesar reissues
• Preorders open for Kamen Rider Black RX Blu-ray set
• Buy a Shin Japan Heroes transforming toy
• Bandai Namco gets the master toy license for Ultraman in North America
• Toei trademarks Kamen Rider Gotchard
• Tsuburaya announces Ultraman Music Live
• Jason David Frank's family insists he approved of projects announced after his death
• Landlord sues JDF's karate school for unpaid rent
• Showrunner Simon Bennett confirms Cosmic Fury is his last rodeo
• Reddit moderators protest change to site's API policy but CEO stands firm
• Member of fan community needs help with severe post-COVID complications

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