Super Sentai TV Series Comes to an End After 50 Amazing Years

One of Japan’s most significant, largest, and most iconic franchises of all time is coming to an end. Known as Super Sentai in Japan and Power Rangers in the United States, the series is a hugely popular franchise. For fifty years, it has shaped major trends and themes. If you grew up watching color‑coordinated heroes battle monsters and aliens, this marks the end of a beloved era.

What is Super Sentai?

In 1975, Himitsu Sentai Gorenger was first aired in Japan. Created by Shotaro Ishinomori, the show told the tale of how the evil terrorist organization known as the Black Cross Army wreaked havoc across Earth. The Earth Guard League, or EAGLE, was the force that fought the Black Cross Army. When only five members survive countless attacks by the Black Cross Army, they are gifted special electronic super suits that grant them superhuman strength, speed, and durability.

This premise continued to define the Super Sentai series. Each new show kept the colorful suits, giant monsters, and iconic transformation scenes. At its core, the series belongs to the tokusatsu genre—live-action shows that rely heavily on practical and special effects. In these battles, no one just gets punched and falls. Sparks flash, and heroes go flying through the air.Giant robots wield mega swords, huge aliens shoot laser beams, and entire cities and mountain ranges get demolished every episode.

How was it localized in the United States?

The series had released a new show every year since it began. However, it wasn’t until 1993 that Super Sentai truly gained popularity in the United States. Localized as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the American version reused footage from the original shows. It mixed that with new scenes featuring American actors and original storylines. Power Rangers was set in the fictional city of Angel Grove, where a group of teenagers was chosen to protect Earth from the evil Rita Repulsa and her army of monsters.

To say that Power Rangers was a massive success would be an understatement. Toys, clothes, movies, video games, and more were all given the Mighty Morphin treatment. Power Rangers helped usher in Japanese tokusatsu shows to Western audiences, with other shows such as VR Troopers and Big Bad Beetleborgs being prime examples (though they adapted material from the Metal Hero series rather than Super Sentai.)

The original run of Power Rangers lasted 30 seasons and is still ongoing today, albeit under a new ownership. Even today, many years after it first began, the original American Power Rangers series remains a cultural touchstone. With 2017’s Power Rangers film, 2019’s Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid, 2023’s Power Rangers: Once And Forever film, and 2024’s Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind all keeping the original series alive, it’s safe to say it was a game-changer back in 1993.

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It’s Truly the End Of An Era

The Super Sentai series is one of the world’s largest and longest-running television shows in history. It became a global phenomenon that had an incredibly influential impact on children’s entertainment. The very sight of brightly colored heroes power posing as a team before leaping into battle is incredibly iconic. The Ginyu Force from Dragon Ball Z, itself one of the most iconic and successful action series of all time, is a prime example of how important Super Sentai became.

Sadly, due to lessening returns from related events, movies, and tie-in materials that were unable to match production costs, the decision was made to end the franchise. It’s challenging to pinpoint precisely when and why the franchise began to lose momentum over the years.

With a multitude of streaming services offering more anime, live-action shows, and movies than anyone could ever have the time to watch, the market for people’s attention is more oversaturated than ever before. The novelty of the franchise is no longer new or cutting-edge, as its primary tropes have become the norm across the board. Releasing a brand-new series every year, while admirable, may also have inspired an inevitable sense of burnout.

What is the legacy of Super Sentai?

It’s sad to think that such a titanic and influential series like Super Sentai is coming to an end. For some, this might seem incomprehensible. The series has entertained and inspired children worldwide for decades. There was just something special about getting home from school, grabbing a snack, and sitting down to catch the latest action-packed episode. “Tommy is the White Ranger now!?” There were countless schoolyard discussions about what other color Rangers would appear next. And, man, heading to the local video store with your mom to rent the first Power Rangers movie was unlike anything else in the world.

Here’s to over fifty years of monster-punching, laser-shooting, building-falling, giant-robot-dinosaur-running, action, and excitement. Here’s to over fifty years of giving kids good role models and tons of after-school fun. It’s definitely the end of an era, but there’s always the chance for a revival someday down the line. No good hero stays down for long. Did you watch any of the Super Sentai series back in the day? Let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear what your favorite is!