DVD Review: Power Rangers Samurai: Volume 3 “A Team Divided”

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
EDITORIAL

On The Disc

• I’ve Got a Spell on Blue
• Forest for the Trees
• Test of the Leader
• Jayden’s Challenge
• Extras
  • Cast Interviews
  • Power Rangers Dub–step
  • Character Galleries
• Trailers
  • Power Rangers Samurai DVD and Direct Download Trailer
  • Power Rangers Super Samurai DVD and Direct Download Trailer
  • Fred 3: Camp Fred the Movie Trailer
  • Wolverine and the X–Men DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) DVD Trailer
• Audio
  • English 5.1 Surround Sound
  • Spanish 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • French 2.0 Stereo Sound

REVIEW

Packaging:
The foil O–Cards are back; in fact, this packaging is identical to that of previously released four–episode volumes. As usual, it earns a four out of five for overall quality.

Episodes:
The technical quality is once again on par with Lionsgate’s previously released four–episode volumes. As with volumes one and two, volume three is presented properly in the 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. Although I haven’t gone over the episodes frame–by–frame, or even scene–by–scene, all except for Jayden’s Challenge appear to be presented in there original, unedited format. Jayden’s Challenge is missing the recap at the beginning of the episode, but appears to be otherwise unedited. This alteration is minor, but there’s still no excuse for it. All in all, the episodes earn a very solid four out of five, which would have been a five out of five if not for the aforementioned alteration.

Extras:
Lionsgate did a superb job with the extras on this disc. For starters, there are cast interviews, which are exactly what they sound like; a documentary style behind–the–scenes short that will likely be most appreciated by the older fans. Next up is the Power Rangers dub–step video, which originally premiered on YouTube. Enjoyment of this extra is entirely dependent on one’s enjoyment of dub–step, and younger and older fans alike will either love it or hate it regardless of age. Rounding things out, the character galleries from volume one have been included on this release as well; these are basically short biographies of each Ranger character, and will likely appeal to fans of all ages. Although the character galleries were included on volume one, it certainly doesn’t hurt to include them again on volume three, especially when one remembers that volume one was released nine months ago, and that some younger fans may not have it. All in all, the extras are well balanced, and earn a solid five out of five.

Picture Quality:
The quality that I’ve come to expect from these Lionsgate releases has returned. The video is once again in its proper 16:9 widescreen format, and the image quality itself is also once again top–notch. Lionsgate has earned another very strong five out of five here, after stumbling with the releases of the holiday specials.

Sound Quality:
See my comments above regarding the picture quality. The English 5.1 surround sound mix is consistent with previous releases that utilized surround sound, earning the sound quality a five out of five.

Final Thoughts:
Three words: Buy this disc! It’s a real shame that the holiday specials weren’t up to par with the standard releases, but that says more about the specials than that it does anything else. If you haven’t already, go ahead and pick up the first two Power Rangers Samurai volumes as well. Even with the missing recap, Lionsgate has delivered an excellent product.

Final Rating: 4.6 out of 5

How The Power Rangers Samurai Times rates DVDs:
DVDs are rated on a scale of 1–5 with one being the lowest rating, and five being the highest rating. The rating is determined by averaging the rating of the packaging, episodes, extras, picture quality, and sound quality, all of which are rated on a scale of 1–5 with no decimal points, fractions, or negative numbers. If multiple contributors review a disc, their individual ratings will be posted followed by the final rating, which will be an average of the aforementioned individual ratings. (Obviously averages may contain decimal points.) Finally, when rating episodes, only the technical details of the episodes are rated; these include alterations, as well as sound and picture quality.

DVD Review: Power Rangers Samurai: “Christmas Together, Friends Forever”

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
EDITORIAL

On The Disc

• Christmas Together, Friends Forever
• I’m Dreaming of A White Ranger
• A Season to Remember
  • Stick Together Music Video (16:9 “Widescreen”)
• Extras
  • Mega Bloks Holiday Toymation
  • Train Like a Ranger PSAs
  • Power Ranger Swarm Music Video
• Trailers
  • Power Rangers Super Samurai DVD and Direct Download Trailer
  • Wolverine and the X–Men DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) DVD Trailer
  • Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred Trailer
• Audio
  • English 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • Spanish 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • French 2.0 Stereo Sound

REVIEW

Packaging:
The gorgeous foil O–Card is back for Christmas Together, Friends Forever, so the packaging once again earns a three out of five. The packaging is otherwise consistent with all previous releases, save for Monster Bash.

Episodes:
Christmas Together, Friends Forever consists of one episode of Power Rangers Samurai, one episode of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, and one episode of Power Rangers Zeo. As with Monster Bash, it’s simply unfair and unrealistic to hold everything on this disc to the same technical standard, so the same review technique used for that disc will apply here.

As with Monster Bash people purchasing this disc are probably doing so for it’s namesake, Christmas Together, Friends Forever. Although Christmas Together, Friends Forever leaves a lot to be desired, it’s a step up from Monster Bash, but not by much. Once again, the episode is presented in the 4:3 “full screen” aspect ratio, even though the footage was framed for the 16:9 “Widescreen” aspect ratio, and once again the change in aspect ratio effectively results in the sides of the footage being “chopped off.” As I’ve mentioned before, I find this annoying; the original Nickelodeon cablecast, the NickToons reruns, and even the Netflix stream are all presented in the correct 16:9 aspect ratio—only the Lionsgate DVD and its direct download counterpart are presented in the wrong aspect ratio. Also, just as Monster Bash used 2.0 Stereo Sound  for Party Monsters, Christmas Together, Friends Forever does the same thing for its namesake. With this in mind, my criticisms of this release of Christmas Together, Friends Forever are pretty much identical to my criticisms Party Monsters on Monster Bash.  With that in mind, I’ll paraphrase my review of that episode on that disc, I can only hope that Christmas Together, Friends Forever sees a proper release at some point.

Lionsgate decided to add a bit more diversity into the two “bonus” episodes this time around, so we have one Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers and one Power Rangers Zeo Christmas special. The “Mighty Morphin'” episode is I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger, and much to my dismay, it’s the edited “broadcast version” that’s already available on Shout! Factory’s DVD sets. The “extended version” has only been released on VHS, and Lionsgate effectively blew a perfect opportunity to rectify that problem and give fans another reason to pick up this disc. The “Zeo” episode, A Season to Remember is identical to its release from Shout! Factory, complete with the “Stick Together” music video appended to the end of the episode. I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger looks fine, but A Season to Remember really shows its age at points, which appears to be a problem with the masters used for “Zeo” as a whole. This isn’t Lionsgate’s fault, and everything is watchable, but it’s sad to see certain scenes from “Zeo” look worse than footage that’s a year older.

I give the overall episode quality on these releases a three out of five. Christmas Together, Friends Forever was handled as poorly as Party Monsters, so I can’t give it anything higher than a two out of five, while I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger and A Season to Remember earn a solid four out of five given their age and the quality of the material that was used.

Extras:
Lionsgate has decided to refer to the “extras” as “special features” on this release, likely to distinguish them from the bonus episodes. First up is the Mega Bloks Holiday Toymation; which is a short stop–motion video made entirely with Power Rangers Samurai Mega Bloks, and is definitely worth checking out. Next up are the five “Train Like A Ranger” videos, featuring the Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Pink Samurai Rangers. Some of these were already included on previous DVD releases, but they’re a good extra for children whose parents who may not have picked up previous releases. The “Power Rangers Swarm” video is once again included as an extra, so if you’ve missed the first volume of “Samurai,” this is another chance to own it on DVD. Christmas Together, Friends Forever’s extras section earns a five out of five; there’s only one new “extra” here, but the repurposed material is diverse enough to make up for that. It’s also worth noting that extras are presented in their proper 16:9 aspect ratio, which makes the decision to alter Christmas Together, Friends Forever itself even more baffling.

Picture Quality:
The image clarity for Christmas Together, Friends Forever is excellent, but the aspect ratio alterations wreck the overall image quality. The picture quality for I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger is outstanding given its age, while the picture quality for A Season to Remember could be better. The picture quality is a three out of five overall; the altered aspect ratio really hurts things, especially when the episode that’s altered is the one that’s supposed to be the key selling point.

Sound Quality:
The use of 2.0 Stereo Sound in Christmas Together, Friends Forever is a let down when there’s a 5.1 Surround Sound mix readily available. What’s worse, the mix sounds tinny in some areas and flat in others; it’s not as bad as the mix used for Party Monsters, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. As with Monster Bash, the 2.0 Stereo Sound for the classic episodes is excellent, and sounds just as good as it did when the show was new. The “Samurai” sound quality earns a two out of five, especially when placed next to the classic episodes sound quality, which deserve a five out of five. Those two extremes effectively skew the rating of the sound quality to roughly four out of five.

Final Thoughts:
Much like Monster Bash, the only reason anyone should buy this disc is if they’re interested in owning a copy of the featured “Samurai” episode, in this case, Christmas Together, Friends Forever. Having said that, if Christmas Together, Friends Forever ever sees a proper 16:9 release with a 5.1 Surround Sound mix, I would recommend skipping Christmas Together, Friends Forever entirely. Anyone whose considering this for the bonus episodes should seriously look at Shout! Factory’s offerings as an alternative; for a little extra money you’ll get a lot more footage. Compared to previous releases, both holiday specials have felt poorly produced. Christmas Together, Friends Forever is a slight improvement over Monster Bash, but that’s not saying much compared to the “volume” style releases that preceded it.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

How The Power Rangers Samurai Times rates DVDs:
DVDs are rated on a scale of 1–5 with one being the lowest rating, and five being the highest rating. The rating is determined by averaging the rating of the packaging, episodes, extras, picture quality, and sound quality, all of which are rated on a scale of 1–5 with no decimal points, fractions, or negative numbers. If multiple contributors review a disc, their individual ratings will be posted followed by the final rating, which will be an average of the aforementioned individual ratings. (Obviously averages may contain decimal points.) Finally, when rating episodes, only the technical details of the episodes are rated; these include alterations, as well as sound and picture quality.

DVD Review: Power Rangers Samurai: “Monster Bash”

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
EDITORIAL

On The Disc

• Party Monsters
• Trick or Treat
• Life’s A Masquerade
• Extras
  • Halloween Safety Video (16:9 “Widescreen”)
• Trailers
  • Power Rangers Super Samurai DVD and Direct Download Trailer
  • Wolverine and the X–Men DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) DVD Trailer
  • Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred Trailer
• Audio
  • English 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • Spanish 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • French 2.0 Stereo Sound

REVIEW

Packaging:
As with previous Power Rangers Samurai releases, Monster Bash once again comes packaged inside of a so–called “Eco friendly” case that does little to actually protect the disc. Although the case is still protected by an O–Card, one notable difference from past releases is that the O–Card lacks the shiny “foil” design of previous releases. The packaging earns a two out of five instead of the usual three out of five for two reasons: First, the lack of a foil O–Card makes Monster Bash stick out like a sore thumb next to previous Power Rangers Samurai releases, and second, the sleeve that houses the artwork for the case literally tore when I pulled on the piece of tape that said “pull” so I could actually open my DVD.

Episodes:
Monster Bash contains one episode of Power Rangers Samurai, and two episodes of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers; the “Mighty Morphin'” footage is almost 20 years older than the “Samurai” footage, so it’s simply unfair and unrealistic to hold everything on this disc to the same technical standard. Given that Party Monsters is the “feature” of this disc, while the “Mighty Morphin'” episodes are considered “bonus episodes,” I’m going to focus on the “Samurai” footage first.

If you’ve purchased Monster Bash, or are considering purchasing it, you’re probably buying the disc for Party Monsters. Keeping that in mind, this particular release honestly leaves a lot to be desired. For starters, the episode is presented in the 4:3 “full screen” aspect ratio, even though the footage was framed for the 16:9 “Widescreen” aspect ratio. As can be expected, the change in aspect ratio effectively results in the sides of the footage being “chopped off.” I’m not going to lie, I find this annoying; the original Nickelodeon cablecast, the NickToons reruns, and even the Netflix stream are all presented in the correct 16:9 aspect ratio—only the Lionsgate DVD and its direct download counterpart are presented in the wrong aspect ratio. Likewise the 2.0 Stereo Sound is okay, but it leaves a lot to be desired after hearing the 5.1 Surround Sound mix on previous releases. Lionsgate clearly wanted to make Party Monsters look and sound as much like the “Mighty Morphin'” footage as possible, and the end result is a substandard release of the aforementioned “Samurai” episode. Having said that, I can only hope that Party Monsters sees a proper release at some point.

The two “bonus” episodes of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers included on this disc are Trick or Treat and Life’s A Masquerade. Both episodes look decent given their age. Remember, this is material that was shot on film and mastered onto digital tapes almost 20 years ago; as long as people don’t press their noses against a 42″ flat–screen, these episodes will look fine. It’s worth noting that the episodes on this disc are presented in reverse–chronological order; Life’s A Masquerade originally aired on October 30, 1993, and Trick or Treat originally aired on May 3, 1994.

If your planning on buying Monster Bash for either episode of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, my advice would be not to do so. Life’s A Masquerade can be had for under $20 dollars on Shout! Factory’s Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers – Season 1, Vol. 1 release, and Trick or Treat will be available on the “Season 1, Vol. 2” release coming next month for a similar price. Likewise, both episodes are available for under $40 dollars on the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season One complete box set, and for higher prices on the complete series box set, and seven season set, all of which are available through Time Life. The episode quality is comparable on all releases, and the Shout! Factory discs offer a better value for your money.

I give the overall episode quality on these releases a three out of five. Party Monsters was so poorly handled that I can’t give it anything higher than a two out of five, while the “Mighty Morphin'” episodes are easily worth a four out of five given their age and the quality of the material that was used.

Extras:
Lionsgate doesn’t actually consider the “bonus” episodes to be extras, so the only “extras” on the disc are the Halloween Safety Video and the trailers. The Halloween Safety Video features the Samurai Rangers offering tips for safe Trick–or–Treating, and is a nice bonus for younger viewers. Older fans who enjoyed the old Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers PSAs will probably enjoy this extra as well. Monster Bash‘s extras section earns a four out of five; there’s only one real “extra” here, but it’s new, and it’ll definitely appeal to certain fans. It’s also worth noting that unlike Party Monsters itself, the Halloween Safety Video is presented in its proper 16:9 aspect ratio.

Picture Quality:
The image clarity for Party Monsters is excellent, however the aspect ratio alterations really ruin the overall image quality. The picture quality for the “Mighty Morphin'” episodes varies from scene to scene, but nothing is worse than it’s ever been. At the end of the day, the picture quality earns a solid three out of five; “average” describes it perfectly.

Sound Quality:
The use of 2.0 Stereo Sound in Party Monsters is a let down when there’s a 5.1 Surround Sound mix readily available. What’s worse, the mix sounds tinny in some areas and flat in others. In contrast, the 2.0 Stereo Sound for the “Mighty Morphin'” episodes is excellent, and sounds just as good as it did when the show was new. The “Samurai” sound quality earns a one out of five, especially when placed next to the “Mighty Morphin'” sound quality, which deserves a five out of five. Those two extremes effectively skew the rating of the sound quality to a solid three out of five.

Final Thoughts:
At the end of the day, the only reason anyone should buy this disc is if they’re interested in owning a copy of Party Monsters. Keeping that in mind, if Party Monsters ever sees a proper 16:9 release with a 5.1 Surround Sound mix, I would recommend skipping Monster Bash entirely. Anyone whose considering this for Life’s A Masquerade or Trick or Treat should seriously look at Shout! Factory’s offerings instead. Compared to Lionsgate’s other offerings, Monster Bash leaves a lot to be desired.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5

How The Power Rangers Samurai Times rates DVDs:
DVDs are rated on a scale of 1–5 with one being the lowest rating, and five being the highest rating. The rating is determined by averaging the rating of the packaging, episodes, extras, picture quality, and sound quality, all of which are rated on a scale of 1–5 with no decimal points, fractions, or negative numbers. If multiple contributors review a disc, their individual ratings will be posted followed by the final rating, which will be an average of the aforementioned individual ratings. (Obviously averages may contain decimal points.) Finally, when rating episodes, only the technical details of the episodes are rated; these include alterations, as well as sound and picture quality.

DVD Review: Power Rangers Super Samurai: Volume 2 “Super Showdown”

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
EDITORIAL

On The Disc

• The Rescue
• The Bullzord
• He Ain’t Heavy Metal, He’s My Brother
• Kevin’s Choice
• Extras
  • Everyday Fun Music Video
  • Weapons Gallery
• Trailers
  • Power Rangers Super Samurai DVD and Direct Download Trailer
  • Wolverine and the X-Men DVD and Blu-Ray Trailer
  • Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow DVD and Blu-Ray Trailer
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) DVD Trailer
  • Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred Trailer
• Audio
  • English 5.1 Surround Sound
  • Spanish 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • French 2.0 Stereo Sound

REVIEW

Packaging:
The packaging is identical to previous releases; if you’ve read my previous reviews, you already know how I feel about the foil O–Card packaging and the actual cases. The packaging earns yet another three out of five rating for reasons noted in the past three reviews, although I’m tempted to knock that down to a two out of five because the DVD is so loose in this particular case. (Of course, this could just be my disc, so we’ll stick to the three out of five rating.) Unlike the previous Power Rangers Super Samurai release, Super Showdown lacks a reversible ad from Shout! Factory for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers  Season 1 Volume 1 and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Complete Series set.

Episodes:
As with all “Super Samurai” releases, the technical quality of this release is simply outstanding. The Rescue, The Bullzord, He Ain’t Heavy Metal, He’s My Brother, and Kevin’s Choice are all free from alteration earning them a five out of five.

Extras:
Once again, the Everyday Fun music video is treated as one of the extras. Don’t get me wrong, I love the video, but this really feels like skimping on extras to me. I realize that this is probably to ensure that kids get the video no matter which disc their parents pick up, but it still seems like there could have been something different here.

The other extra on this disc is an updated weapons gallery. All of your old favorites are included once again, but new “Super Samurai” weaponry has been added to the gallery as well. On one hand, the new stuff is really nice to have, but on the other hand, the old stuff makes this feel like an extras section that was really trying to pinch pennies.

As usual, trailers can be accessed from the extras menu. Overall though, the level of recycled extras forces me to knock the rating for the extras section down to a four out of five rating.

Picture Quality:
Once again, quality is on par with previous releases earning it an easy five out of five.

Sound Quality:
See my comments regarding previous DVD releases; another easy five out of five here.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, Power Rangers Super Samurai Volume 2: “Super Showdown” is very good; the technical quality is outstanding as usual, but the duplicate extras and lousy cases hurt this release. Still, the updated weapons gallery is excellent, and I absolutely love the foil O–card packaging, even if I don’t like the case inside of it.

Final Rating: 4.4 out of 5

How The Power Rangers Samurai Times rates DVDs:
DVDs are rated on a scale of 1–5 with one being the lowest rating, and five being the highest rating. The rating is determined by averaging the rating of the packaging, episodes, extras, picture quality, and sound quality, all of which are rated on a scale of 1–5 with no decimal points, fractions, or negative numbers. If multiple contributors review a disc, their individual ratings will be posted followed by the final rating, which will be an average of the aforementioned individual ratings. (Obviously averages may contain decimal points.) Finally, when rating episodes, only the technical details of the episodes are rated; these include alterations, as well as sound and picture quality.

DVD Review: Power Rangers Super Samurai: Volume 1 “The Super Powered Black Box”

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
EDITORIAL

On The Disc

• Super Samurai
• Shell Game
• Trading Places
• Something Fishy
• Extras
  • Everyday Fun Music Video
  • Character Gallery
• Trailers
  • Power Rangers Super Samurai DVD and Direct Download Trailer
  • Wolverine and the X-Men DVD and Blu-Ray Trailer
  • Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow DVD and Blu-Ray Trailer
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) DVD Trailer
  • Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred Trailer
• Audio
  • English 5.1 Surround Sound
  • Spanish 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • French 2.0 Stereo Sound

REVIEW

Packaging:
If you’ve read my previous reviews, you already know how I feel about the foil O–Card packaging. Likewise, you should also know that I can’t stand the actual DVD cases, because they don’t properly protect the discs. In any case, there’s no need to rehash this for a third time; just know that as soon as Lionsgate finishes releasing a season, I’ll be replacing all of their cases with more durable ones. The packaging earns yet another three out of five rating for reasons noted in the past two reviews.

Also of note is a reversible ad from Shout! Factory for Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season 1 Volume 1 and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Complete Series set. This isn’t really a part of the actual release, but it is a nice cross–promotion.

Episodes:
This is yet another release with superb technical quality; Super Samurai, Shell Game, Trading Places, and Something Fishy are all free from alteration earning them a five out of five.

Extras:
Quality matters, and the extras on The Super Powered Black Box are a clear example of quality over quantity. For starters, the Everyday Fun music video is included on the disc, which should be enjoyable for both children and adults alike. The other extra on this disc that I’m particularly fond of is the character gallery. It’s easy enough for children to comprehend, but older fans will likely appreciate it as well. As usual, trailers can be accessed from the extras menu.

Picture Quality:
Quality is on par with previous releases earning it an easy five out of five.

Sound Quality:
See my comments regarding Power Rangers Samurai‘s DVD releases; another easy five out of five here.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, Power Rangers Super Samurai Volume 1 “The Super Powered Black Box” is on par with Power Rangers Samurai Volume 2 “A New Enemy.” Lionsgate appears to have found there footing with these DVDs, although I’d still like to see them utilize more functional DVD cases under those awesome foil O–cards.

Final Rating: 4.6 out of 5

How The Power Rangers Samurai Times rates DVDs:
DVDs are rated on a scale of 1–5 with one being the lowest rating, and five being the highest rating. The rating is determined by averaging the rating of the packaging, episodes, extras, picture quality, and sound quality, all of which are rated on a scale of 1–5 with no decimal points, fractions, or negative numbers. If multiple contributors review a disc, their individual ratings will be posted followed by the final rating, which will be an average of the aforementioned individual ratings. (Obviously averages may contain decimal points.) Finally, when rating episodes, only the technical details of the episodes are rated; these include alterations, as well as sound and picture quality.

NickToons Takes Time for “Power Rangers Time Force”

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
NEWS

Rangerboard reports that NickToons has announced their next season of Power Rangers. Starting on August 17th, NickToons will be taking time for Power Rangers Time Force as they kick off their Mega Morphenomenon. At present, it is unknown whether or not the Mega Morphenomenon is a rebranded Morphenomenon, or if it is a different type of marathon that will include additional seasons. Furthermore, we currently have no idea what version of Power Rangers Time Force will be shown on NickToons.

Several episodes were altered after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and many episodes of this particular season have not been presented in their original format since then. (Fans colloquially refer to these episodes as “the pre–9/11 version” of the show.) When “Time Force” went into reruns, Disney ran altered episodes that had been modified to comply with broadcast standards, which went into affect after the aforementioned attacks. (Fans unsurprisingly refer to these episodes as “the post–9/11 version” of the show.”) Further complicating matters, the version of this season that’s currently on Netflix is actually a hodgepodge of “pre–9/11” and “post–9/11” episodes, as well as some hybrid cuts combining the post–9/11 opening with pre–9/11 footage, and in some cases even introducing alternate shots that were previously unseen.

Obviously the original cuts are preferable to any others, but we simply don’t know what NickToons has been provided with. For those who are curious about the differences between each version of the episodes, Rangerboard’s AFPR–DragonRanger put together these episode comparisons. The Mega Morphenomenon will take place during the same time as Power Morphicon, so fans in attendance of the convention will likely be unable to see the Mega Morphenomenon barring the use of a recording device for time–shifting.

The Mega Morphenomenon featuring “Time Force,” will be the fourth Morphenomenon to date; so far NickToons has shown “Jungle Fury,” “Dino Thunder,” and “Ninja Storm” in that order. When “Lost Galaxy” comes to Vortexx this fall, seasons 16, 12, 11, nine, and seven will have had some form of TV presence within the past year. For those who are eagerly awaiting this fan–favorite season’s NickToons debut, Rangercrew’s Samuraicast has posted the following promo for the Mega Morphenomenon.

Mega Morphenomenon Promo

The Holidays Come Early with Two More “Power Rangers Samurai” DVDs from Lionsgate

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
NEWS

TVShowsonDVD reports that Lionsgate has announced Power Rangers Samurai Christmas Special #1 for release on October 16th. The disc’s feature is Power Rangers Samurai‘s Christmas special, Christmas Together, Friends Forever, which runs approximately 23 minutes. In addition to last year’s special, the disc will include two bonus Christmas specials from seasons past. A Season to Remember from Power Rangers Zeo will be included on this set, as well as Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers‘ I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger. It is currently unknown whether or not this DVD will feature the original “video version” of I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger, or if it will feature the same “broadcast version” that will be available on Shout! Factory’s DVDs. The original “video version” ran roughly 28 minutes, while the broadcast version ran roughly 24 minutes, making both versions desirable to certain fans.

Also, I should point out that Rangerboard’s AFPR–DragonRanger has informed me that the run times currently listed on these discs are inaccurate. Lionsgate has simply multipled 23 minutes three times; that rough approximation works for Power Rangers Samurai, but fails for the bonus material; earlier seasons had shorter run times with greater variations between episodes.

Additionally, Lionsgate has also provided additional information regarding Power Rangers Samurai‘s other holiday release. Monster Bash, the Halloween themed DVD will feature last year’s Halloween special, Party Monsters, as well as two Halloween themed episodes from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. According to DVDAF, those episodes will be Life’s A Masquerade, and Trick or Treat. Monster Bash will be released on September 11th.

DVD Review: Power Rangers Samurai: Volume 2 “A New Enemy”

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
EDITORIAL

On The Disc

• Day Off
• Sticks & Stones
• A Fish Out of Water
• There Go The Brides
• Extras
  • Bloopers
  • Ask A Ranger
  • Weapons Gallery
• Trailers
  • Power Rangers Super Samurai DVD and Direct Download Trailer
  • Wolverine and the X–Men DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) DVD Trailer
  • Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred Trailer
• Audio
  • English 5.1 Surround Sound
  • Spanish 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • French 2.0 Stereo Sound

REVIEW

Packaging:
Once again, the foil O–card looks absolutely gorgeous, and is worthy of special praise. Unfortunately, this also means that the packaging itself suffers from the same problems associated with the packaging for volume one. As I noted in the review of volume one, Lionsgate decided to use so-called eco–friendly packaging, which does a poor job of protecting the disc inside of it. Furthermore, as I also noted in the review of volume one, the eco–friendly packaging isn’t eco–friendly if I have to replace it in order for it to function properly. Thus, Lionsgate’s beautiful O–foil card counterbalances a lousy DVD case. Predictably, I’m once again forced to give the packaging a rather average three out of five.

Episodes:
As with pretty much everything pertaining to Power Rangers Samurai, the technical quality of this release is outstanding. Day Off, Sticks & Stones, A Fish Out of Water, and There Go the Brides are all free from alterations; this is in sharp contrast to volume one in which only one episode was presented exactly as it originally aired. Additionally, the 5.1 surround sound mix really comes through for these episodes making them sound even better than they did originally. Overall, this is a huge improvement over volume one, and it’s deserving of a five out of five rating.

Extras:
First up are the bloopers, and much like the audition tapes on the previous DVD, these aren’t “pure” RAW bloopers; the Bulk and Spike theme has been added to make them more accessible to children. These are still an excellent, fun extra though, and are definitely worth one’s time.

Next up is a segment entitled Ask A Ranger, which is basically a nice little question and answer session with the cast. Like the Power Rangers Swarm video, the majority of these clips were posted on Saban Brands’ official YouTube channel, so if you’ve been following that and are familiar with the Power Rangers Swarm video, you’ll probably be familiar with these as well. Still they’re a nice extra, and one that I’m glad was included on this disc.

The last real extra is the Weapons Gallery. Basically, this could be described as the “Power Rangers Samurai Technical Manual,” and it’s definitely my kind of bonus feature. Although this is similar to the Character Gallery on volume one, it’s a much more comprehensive extra. This particular bonus feature includes reference material for weapons, Power Discs, individual Zords, and Megazords, broken down into various categories.

Once again, it’s possible to view the trailers from the extras menu, and once again, I have to give the extras a five out of five; Lionsgate really did make sure that there was something for everyone here.

Picture Quality:
As with volume one, volume two’s picture quality is simply superb; once again, it easily earns a five out of five.

Sound Quality:
Yet another easy five out of five for these DVDs. Power Rangers Samurai is known for exceeding technical expectations, but the DVDs take this feat to a whole new level. The 5.1 surround sound simply trounces the mix used on all Nick channels, and this is coming from someone whose watched the episodes in HD and SD, and from two different providers at that. Simply put, the audio is perfect.

Final Thoughts:
This is an incredibly solid release, and one that I can highly recommend purchasing. If not for the so–called “eco–friendly” case, this would be an absolutely perfect release. Even with the poor quality case though, this release is still worth picking up; besides, a new high quality case can be had for just a few dollars. All in all though, I feel comfortable recommending this disc to even the most critical “Samurai” fan.

Final Rating: 4.6 out of 5

How The Power Rangers Samurai Times rates DVDs:
DVDs are rated on a scale of 1–5 with one being the lowest rating, and five being the highest rating. The rating is determined by averaging the rating of the packaging, episodes, extras, picture quality, and sound quality, all of which are rated on a scale of 1–5 with no decimal points, fractions, or negative numbers. If multiple contributors review a disc, their individual ratings will be posted followed by the final rating, which will be an average of the aforementioned individual ratings. (Obviously averages may contain decimal points.) Finally, when rating episodes, only the technical details of the episodes are rated; these include alterations, as well as sound and picture quality.

DVD Review: Power Rangers Samurai: Volume 1 “The Team Unites”

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
EDITORIAL

On The Disc

• Origins – Part 1
• Origins – Part 2
• The Team Unites
• Deal With A Nighlok
• Extras
  • Auditions
  • Train Like A Ranger
  • Power Rangers Swarm
  • Character Gallery
• Trailers
  • Power Rangers Super Samurai DVD and Direct Download Trailer
  • Wolverine and the X–Men DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow DVD and Blu–Ray Trailer
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) DVD Trailer
  • Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred Trailer
• Audio
  • English 5.1 Surround Sound
  • Spanish 2.0 Stereo Sound
  • French 2.0 Stereo Sound

REVIEW

Packaging:
The foil O–card looks absolutely gorgeous, and is worthy of special praise. Unfortunately, the actual case is an entirely different story; Lionsgate decided to use so-called eco–friendly packaging, which does a poor job of protecting the disc inside of it, and isn’t eco–friendly if I have to replace it in order to fix this. The O–card is worthy of a five out of five, but it’s cancelled out by the actual DVD case, which is only worth a one out of five, bringing the packaging’s rating to an average three out of five.

Episodes:
Origins – Part 1 is the first episode on the disc, so that should negate a lot of complaining from the get–go. With that in mind though, Origins – Part 1 is shown with the “wrong” credits; Antonio wasn’t in the original credits on Nick, and his addition to the credits on NickToons is annoying at best, and wildly inaccurate at worst. So much for negating complaining; the subject of the complaint has merely been modified. There really is no excuse for this though; Lionsgate had plenty of time to request the correct opening from Saban Brands. Having said that, the rest of the episode appears to be unaltered, with fades intact where they belong, and no other alterations to the footage. If Power Rangers Samurai is ever released in box set format though, I do want to see these credits corrected; given that the credits for Origins were unique to those two episodes, there exclusion is inexcusable.

Origins – Part 2 is no better than part one when it comes to the credits; once again, Antonio, Bulk, and Spike are credited before there introduction in the actual series. As I noted before, this is inexcusable. Likewise, the rest of the episode appears to be unaltered, at least at first glance. (I haven’t put these episodes “under the microscope,” so to speak, at least not yet anyway.)

The Team Unites is the third episode on the disc; I wish I could say that this episode was better than the previous two, but that would be a lie. This time it’s not the opening credits that are a problem, instead it’s the intro sequence. The Team Unites originally premiered with an extended intro sequence, which is absent from the current DVD release. I seriously hope that this is corrected before any potential box set release, because I honestly was expecting better from Lionsgate. Yet again, the rest of the episode appears to be unaltered.

Deal with A Nighlok: Finally, an episode that appears to be properly presented in its original format, without alterations to the intro or opening credits. All in all this is a step up from the previous three episodes, but then again, this episode lacked alteration’s from the get–go.

At the end of the day, I unfortunately have to give the episodes themselves a two out of five. Although the technical quality is superb, (see below,) the pointless content alterations are unforgivable, as is the fact that they occurred on three of the disc’s four episodes.

Extras:
There are short clips of each cast member auditioning for their Ranger roles, (sans Steve Skyler auditioning for Antonio,) as well as clips for Bulk and Spike. It’s worth noting however that these aren’t “pure” audition tapes; music has been added to make them more accessible to children. Each tape provides some insight into the show itself; for example, Alex’s audition tape shows that he’s a much more natural actor than we’re normally led to believe. Najee’s audition tape is taken verbatim (sans character names,) from The Blue and the Gold, while Erika’s tape appears to be a variation on the script from There Go the Brides. Hector’s tape is clearly meant to be read as a scene with the Red Ranger, and is the “second half” of Alex’s tape; the scene appears to be an early draft of Origins – Part 2, while Brittany’s tape looks like it was taken from an early version of Sticks & Stones. Finally, Paul and Felix’s tape appears to have been specific to the auditioning process.

Moving on, Train Like A Ranger is a series of short exercise warm–ups; I’m not going to lie, I appreciate what Saban is doing here to promote a healthy lifestyle among children, although there are plenty of adults who could benefit from this as well.

Power Rangers Swarm is Saban’s well–known YouTube video set to Ron Wasserman’s Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie theme song. Many of our readers have probably seen this, but it’s still an awesome extra.

The Character Gallery consists of Ranger bios, and is incredibly well done. This is definitely a nice extra for newcomers to the show, but one that long time fans can appreciate as well.

I’ve already mentioned the trailers, but they can be accessed from the extras menu for those who may want to view them again. Overall, I give the extras five out of five stars; they’re definitely solid, and there really is something for everyone in them.

Picture Quality:
Simply put, the picture quality on this disc is absolutely stunning. Even on my 42″ HDTV, this standard definition DVD looks amazing; the picture quality is crisp and clear, and not a spec of detail is missing. For standard definition content, this disc is beyond perfect, even rivaling my cable provider’s HD cablecast. The picture quality easily earns a five out of five.

Sound Quality:
Much like the picture quality, the sound quality is absolutely superb. Like the picture quality, it earns a five out of five.

Final Thoughts:
For $12.99 on Amazon, this is probably a worthwhile purchase, but don’t pay more than $15 dollars for this; it’s just not worth your money. I really wanted to give this release high praises, but in good conscience, I just can’t do so. Although the extras are excellent, as is the technical quality, I just can’t overlook the packaging flaws or the unforgivable episode alterations. The math may work out to a four out of five rating, but the episode content issues honestly make this feel like a three out of five release. As I stated previously, I sincerely hope that these issues are addressed in the event of a box set release.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

How The Power Rangers Samurai Times rates DVDs:
DVDs are rated on a scale of 1–5 with one being the lowest rating, and five being the highest rating. The rating is determined by averaging the rating of the packaging, episodes, extras, picture quality, and sound quality, all of which are rated on a scale of 1–5 with no decimal points, fractions, or negative numbers. If multiple contributors review a disc, their individual ratings will be posted followed by the final rating, which will be an average of the aforementioned individual ratings. (Obviously averages may contain decimal points.) Finally, when rating episodes, only the technical details of the episodes are rated; these include alterations, as well as sound and picture quality.

Get Ready To Super–Charge Yourself With The Series That Started A Global Pop Culture Phenomenon: “Power Rangers”

PRESS RELEASE
Production Now Underway for Several Multi–Disc Box Set Collections to Be Made Available Directly to Fans Through Time Life

LOS ANGLES—Following its debut in 1993, Saban’s iconic live–action pop culture series, Power Rangers quickly became the most watched children’s television program in North America. Emphasizing the importance of teamwork, responsibility and helping others by following the adventures of a group of ordinary young people who “morphed” into superheroes, this long–running series has been seen in more than 60 countries, translated into numerous languages, and remains a mainstay in children’s programming blocks. For 19 years, the highly entertaining saga and fan favorite characters from Power Rangers have captivated children and adults alike, and are beloved by legions of fans worldwide.

Now you can return to where the phenomenon began and re–live these thrill–packed adventures when Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Saban Brands, unleashes a cornucopia of home entertainment offerings, many of which have never been released on DVD, from the original series Power Rangers. Through unprecedented access to Saban Brands’ vast archive of content, many of these DVD collections produced by Shout! Factory boast extensive bonus materials and collectible packaging, making them must–haves for loyal fans and collectors.

The first multi–disc set to be released will be the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season One, Volume One 3–DVD set, which will arrive in stores and will be available through select digital entertainment platforms on August 21, 2012. Marking the DVD debut of the original Power Rangers series, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season One, Volume One features the first 30 original episodes from the first season and delivers over 10 hours of high–energy, family friendly entertainment. Poised to attract a new audience of kids as well as young adults who grew up with this popular series, this 3–DVD set is priced to own at a suggested retail price of $19.93. Pre–order is now available at Amazon.com and ShoutFactory.com.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season One, Volume Two 3–DVD set is slated to arrive on store shelves Fall 2012. Featuring the subsequent 30 original episodes, this DVD set continues more action–packed adventures of five teens, who quickly learn the full impact and awesome responsibility of their new powers and weapons. The evil villain, Rita Repulsa and her henchmen prove to be very worthy adversaries for the young super heroes, and they are challenged at every turn.

In an effort to provide avid collectors with an exclusive first–to–own experience, fans will have the first opportunity to collect upcoming box sets through a Time Life direct–response television and online campaign. Shout! Factory has teamed up with Time Life to make Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season One 6–DVD set and the 40–DVD collection of Power Rangers: Seasons One — Seven directly available to fans starting July 30, 2012 through Time Life’s direct–response on–air TV campaign, as well as online.

The Power Rangers: Seasons One — Seven 40–DVD collection will include: All 145 original episodes from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Seasons One, Two and Three, plus the ten-episode series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Alien Rangers. It then continues on with Power Rangers: Seasons Four — Seven, featuring all of the original 183 episodes spanning the seasons entitled Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers In Space and Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. In–depth bonus content includes: a retrospective featurette on the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers phenomenon, brand–new interviews with members of the cast and the creative team, and much more!

As excitement builds for these anticipated home entertainment releases, Shout! Factory, Saban Brands, and Time Life will announce additional news and activities for fans in the upcoming months. Meanwhile, fans will have the opportunity to learn more about upcoming collections by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@shoutfactory). Join the excitement and relive the action on DVDs!

About Saban Brands

Formed in 2010 as a subsidiary of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world–class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company’s experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands. SB applies a strategic transmedia management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages. The company provides full–service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct–to–consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions. SB is led by a superior management team with decades of experience in media, content creation, branding, licensing, marketing and finance. For more information, visit www.sabanbrands.com.

About Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY–nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Los Angeles, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.