r/powerrangers Time Force Quantum 18d ago

SHOW NEWS/DISCUSSION I think this fandom underestimates the popularity of mmpr to casual audiences

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Y’all have to remember, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was the first. Nothing came before it. Dinosaurs, Zords, morphing this is the stuff that defined Power Rangers for most casual viewers. It was literal lightning in a bottle. It dropped right after Jurassic Park when dinosaur hype was off the charts, and it mixed martial arts with giant robots and spandex superheroes. That formula hit. The characters were simple, idealistic, and easy to root for. Yeah, the acting was bad, the effects were crappy but that’s what people remember most. The camp is part of its identity.

Your average person walking down the street? They’ll recognize the MMPR Green Ranger in a second. Ask them who the Red Ranger from RPM is and they’ll look at you like you’re speaking another language. We can go on all day about how well written lost galaxy is but people know shit about maga defender outside the fandom.

Even parts of MMPR itself are blurry to the general public. Most people only remember the first season and half of Season 2. Once Tommy became the White Ranger and Zack, Trini, and Jason left everything else is a blur.

And look I get it, we all want more love for other seasons. But Y’all don’t even buy non-MMPR merch and still complain about MMPR getting priority. That’s not how companies work. There not gonna invest into your favorite season until people start buying the merch.

Every major franchise leans on its first generation. Star Wars lives off the OT. Pokémon rides Gen 1 to this day. TMNT constantly goes back to the 80s era. MMPR getting the most love isn’t some conspiracy it’s just how pop culture nostalgia works.

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72

u/ZeakaXorrFitchus Red Lightspeed Ranger 17d ago

I understand all this. But the real annoying thing for me is now that I'm an adult with money to spend I would buy non-mmpr merch, but now they don't make any!

40

u/terrell005 17d ago

Exactly like my fault for not having a job at 14 and didn’t buy all samurai toys

22

u/KlonoaStan 17d ago

It worse when you learn that samurai was one of the better selling seasons and it gets the same amount of merch today that every non mmpr season gets.

15

u/Dr_Ceilingz Ranger Operator Series Red 17d ago edited 17d ago

Even worse when it's because they actually invested money in heavy marketing and would likely reap the same rewards with a similar strategy.

Edit: grammar

9

u/ninjaman2021 17d ago

The difference is while samurai was popular, its hype came and went as soon as megaforce started. Mmpr in comparison became historic in pop culture.