Best Power Rangers Moments of 2018!

For the last time, we say: Happy 25th Anniversary, Power Rangers!

2018 was the milestone year Power Rangers fans had long awaited. There was hype, excitement, and a whole lot of buildup leading into the grand 25th anniversary. But the end result? It wasn’t the live tours, escape-the-room’s, or epic slate of toys that fans had expected. In fact, the end result was rather unexpected, as Power Rangers’ 25th anniversary became a year of transition at the hands of the brand’s latest acquisition.

In a year of turbulence, Power Rangers still found a way to give us moments we wished we could forget, moments we actually did forget, and most of all, moments we never will forget. Power Rangers had some pretty cool moments in 2018, and it’s time we look back at the TOP 10 Power Rangers moments of 2018!

 

#10. August 28 – National Power Rangers Day

In 2018, Power Rangers got its own holiday!

August 28 became known officially as National Power Rangers Day, a holiday recognized by the Registrar at National Calendar Day. 25 years to the day Mighty Morphin Power Rangers first premiered in 1993, fans around the world celebrated by sharing their favorite memories growing up with the franchise, and wearing their favorite Ranger colors.

On no other day has the love for Power Rangers felt so real across all of social media.

National Power Rangers Day is slated to become a re-occurring holiday every year hereafter, but 2018 will always be remembered for the year that kicked off the official day of observance for our favorite spandex-clad superheroes.

 

 

#9. November 6 – The Ultimate Visual History Release

The book that some thought would never come, finally arrived in 2018.

For years, Power Rangers fans had been teased by the thought of an all-inclusive book that documented the entire history of the franchise. In 2018, fans were finally given that gift as Insight Editions delivered Power Rangers: The Ultimate Visual History.

Full of never-before-seen photos, stories, and factoids, Insight Editions’ illustrious creation immediately became a must-own product for Power Rangers fans of all ages. Readers drifted down memory lane, reminiscing in their favorite seasons from 1993 to present.

2018 delivered one of the greatest gifts a Power Rangers fan could ever ask for – the gift of 25 years of power, treasured forever.

 

 

#8. December 1 – Sudarso Team-Up

The most beloved Power Rangers actors in recent memory finally joined forces on-screen as Yoshi and Peter Sudarso brought their Blue Ranger powers together in Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel‘s Christmas special, ‘The Poisy Show’.

While seeing Koda and Preston team up to take down Sledge is a moment that will always be special, it’s the journey behind both of these actors that really makes this moment so iconic.

Two young boys who grew up worshiping Power Rangers, finally becoming back-to-back Blue Rangers, including one special moment from Power Morphicon 2016 that no one will ever forget.

In 2018, the journey of two brothers who grew up Power Rangers fans finally came full circle in a team-up the Sudarso family will cherish forever.

 

 

#7. March 28 – Shattered Grid Begins

2018 delivered the biggest comic book event in the franchise’s history – Shattered Grid!

While BOOM! Studios’ entire Power Rangers: Shattered Grid event comes in at #7 on our list, it was the day that the first issue released that defined the event’s shining moment.

On March 28, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #25 hit stores, and fans around the world were buzzing at the contents of the issue’s close: Tommy had been killed.

The original Green Ranger’s death had people talking, as everyone went the extra mile to protect the issue’s shocking spoilers. It was a moment that defined the past, present, and future of the Power Rangers comic book franchise. The golden boy of Power Rangers had finally met his demise. The end result? A juicy comic book team-up event that spanned over ten individual comic books to come.

Readers still anxiously await more of the fallout of Power Rangers: Shattered Grid in 2019, but it was Tommy’s death in 2018 that became the catalyst for the game-changing events currently ongoing, and still to come.

 

 

#6. October 9 – Street Fighter Showdown Release

If there’s one thing you didn’t expect from Power Rangers in 2018, it’s a team-up with the characters of Street Fighter.

But that’s exactly what 2018 gave to fans as Capcom’s most popular heroes and villains teamed up with Power Rangers to create a short film released by Lionsgate.

Jason David Frank and Ciara Hanna returned to franchise, alongside the debut of one of the newest Power Rangers: the Ryu Ranger. The short film reached fans across both fandoms in celebration of Power Rangers: Legacy Wars, the most successful video game for the brand to date.

If the characters of Street Fighter can team up with the Power Rangers in 2018, there’s no telling what kind of crossovers await in the future.

 

 

#5. March 22 – Shattered Grid Trailer Release

In all of 2018, no single piece of Power Rangers content reached more people than the Power Rangers: Shattered Grid trailer.

That’s right: a trailer for something that doesn’t even exist reached more people around the world than anything else during Power Rangers’ 25th anniversary. Crazy, right?

But that’s how wildly exciting, fresh, and dark Kyle Higgins’ trailer creation was. At only 2 minutes in length, the trailer saw Jason David Frank bring Lord Drakkon to life in dark, twisted live action. It left fans imagining what a more mature, live action Power Rangers product could look like.

While that may still one day come to fruition, 2018’s Power Rangers: Shattered Grid trailer was awesome, and kicks off the top 5 Power Rangers moments of the past year.

 

 

#4. August 28 – Dimensions In Danger Airs

2018 gave viewers the next Power Rangers anniversary episode in a storied lineage that includes ‘Forever Red’, ‘Once A Ranger’, and more.

Viewers around the world watched as Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel‘s 25th anniversary episode aired in primetime, bringing ten legendary Rangers back into the fold to fend off Lord Draven alongside the Super Ninja Steel Rangers.

Iconic moments included Tommy Oliver debuting his Master Morpher, the Falconzord making its improbable return, and plot holes from various Power Rangers seasons finally tying up.

It was the most highly anticipated Power Rangers episode in recent memory that celebrated the franchise’s 25th birthday in style with moments that were shocking, unexpected, and most of all, fun.

 

 

#3. August 18 – Beast Morphers Cast Reveal

It’s rare that a year goes by where the new Power Rangers cast reveal isn’t close to the top of the list.

The tradition of passing the torch from the current Power Rangers cast to the future is a moment that never fails to send goosebumps down spines. 2018 was no different as the Power Rangers Beast Morphers cast made their victorious debut on stage at Power Morphicon 6.

Whether you were in the room in Anaheim, or watching from afar online, you welcomed the newest cast with open arms to the chants of “Beast Mor-phers!” and social media followings.

It’s a special moment that no other pop culture franchise appears capable of delivering on a re-occurring basis like Power Rangers. 2018 simply added to the next chapter of this incredibly memorable tradition that we can only hope never comes to an end.

 

 

#2. February 15 – Hasbro Acquires Power Rangers

It was one of those late night e-mails that companies send after work to avoid sparking too much attention. But this one wouldn’t get by that easily, as Power Rangers fans worldwide were left with their heads in a total daze.

“The Power Rangers brand and Bandai have decided to part ways”.

Ever since Power Rangers was created in 1993, the franchise had been joined at the hip with Bandai, the popular toy production company. But after recent events that left both sides maligned, it was time for the two to split.

Enter Hasbro – the toy giant desperately looking for ways to become a media giant. Hasbro decided not only to absorb the rights to Power Rangers’ master toy license, but also the brand as a whole as Power Rangers would join the likes of Transformers, My Little Pony, and GI Joe as part of Hasbro’s brand blueprint.

2018, and the entire future of Power Rangers, was forever changed as the brand was sold off for the fourth time in its 25-year history. Hasbro dropped the Power Rangers bombshell of 2018, and we all still await its aftermath.

 

 

#1. February 18 – Beast Morphers Reveal At Toy Fair

It’s a moment not many fans got to experience in person, but the only moment memorable enough to top an epic cast reveal at Power Morphicon and a bombshell announcement of the franchise changing hands.

The scene was Toy Fair 2018. Power Rangers’ Executive Producer Brian Casetini took to the stage to announce the newest season of Power Rangers – Power Rangers Beast Morphers. After revealing the logo, Casetini proclaimed “We are now proud to introduce you to your first look at the newest team of Power Rangers” – and into the room sprinted the three heroes of Super Sentai’s Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters, posing in front of a bewildered crowd.

It was a moment that left the room full of audible gasps, people jumping from their seats, and perhaps even some raucous expletives stemming from the absolute shock of everyone in attendance that Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters would be the source material for Power Rangers’ next season.

Online, fans were reluctant to believe that the news emanating from the room in New York City could even be true. Surely Uchu Sentai Kyuranger was destined to be the next season of Power Rangers, right?

Not so. Being in the room, it was an all-time franchise moment we’ll never forget. And without a doubt, the top Power Rangers moment of 2018.

 

So, did we get it right? What else about 2018 made your year awesome? Let us know! And check out some of the honorable mentions that almost made the list!

 Honorable Mentions

•Power Rangers Supersonic – BOOM! Studios did something pretty awesome in 2018 by introducing a pre-Zyuranger Super Sentai team to its Power Rangers comic books. Chikyu Sentai Fiveman entered the storyline as Power Rangers Supersonic, and we can only dream of seeing more universe expansion like this in the franchise’s future.

•Power Rangers Hyperforce – You probably forgot this happened in 2018, but the bulk of Power Rangers Hyperforce aired this year. Fans were treated to special moments including the surprise appearance of Power Rangers icons such as Jason David Frank, and Yoshi Sudarso. While a potential second season appears unlikely at this point, 2018 still gave Power Rangers fans the exciting conclusion to the brand’s first-ever tabletop RPG.

•Kishiryu Sentai Ryuusouger – The newest Super Sentai team made their debut in 2018, as the latest dino-themed incarnation was introduced to Tokusatsu fans around the world. While the dinosaur theme has been a proven winner for the Power Rangers brand for a long time, only time will tell if these heroes will make their way overseas into a future adaptation.

•Power Rangers: Heroes of the Grid – Power Rangers fans were delighted with the announcement of an original, new board game. As gamers rallied to pledge their support for this Kickstarter-backed project, they were also given a strong taste of what the future holds as Renegade Games debuted their newest game at conventions nationwide, allowing fans to get a sampling of the action that awaits in 2019.