VR Troopers Christmas Ornaments from 1995

Poundland's Possible New Mascot

Whilst on a random visit to the local Poundland, I discovered this gem of a 3in action figure bootleg.

Judging by the head crest design, it looks to be carbon copied from some Power Rangers/Super Sentai incarnation or other. The articulation of the figure is pretty much similar to the basic mould used for Super Sentai, Power Rangers and Masked/Kamen Rider action figures from the mid-90s onwards. 

Sentai KO Party Bag Figures

This time of year I gather trinkets for the annual Romania Shoe Box appeal.

On my travels, I came across this bulk buy of metallic 2in Power Rangers In Space KO toys.

The design is pretty much your average everyone's muscly 1990's action figure build. The helmet and chest design from Power Rangers In Space is clearly noticable with some added tribal flames and markings on the arms and legs.

For the small figures they are, these are a pretty neat acquisition. Nothing outstanding, but a generic spaceman figure ideal for a stocking filler or a party bag.

Source: henbrandt.co.uk

Servo VS SKorn

Based on Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad (1994), the USA adaptation of Denkou Choujin Gridman (1993).

POWER RANGERS SAMURAI, Mystery Ranger.

From: Bandai
Retail: £7.99 GBP (Amazon UK)
Accessories: Samurai Spinsword 

Power Rangers Samurai - the American adaptation of Shinkenger and 19^th season of Power Rangers has made its presence known in toy aisles everywhere since the show launched in 2011. This colourful, sword-slicing incarnation of the Power Rangers has reawakened the brand after a year-long hiatus and looks to have been a success for Bandai.

Having a samurai group rounded up to 7 members just seems right. The latest member making up this ‘magnificent Samurai 7’ is presented in toy form with a gimmick. This characters toy packaging is shrouded over with the identity covered until opened. This stunt is something rarely executed on blistercard action figures and most notably witnessed in 1992 when Tiger Toys used a similar promotion to reveal the identity of Dr Claw within their Inspector Gadget line.

Power Rangers Samurai

Back in 2009 there was this amazingly ambient, artistic and explosive show called Sentai Samurai Shinkenger. The Sentai team of that year and into early 2010 were given a Samurai theme with a ton of Japanese cultural overtones.



Everything about that Sentai show was bliss and right; the gattai, the designs, the characters and stories etc. And best of all it was so quintessentially Japanese it was untouchable by western translation. (Or so I thought...)

An announcement came Summer of this year that Power Rangers was making a comeback in 2011 as 'Power Rangers: Samurai'. Oh dear...

Recentley Bandai unveiled pictures of the toys based on the show, and like the western dubs - these were lost in translation too. Non-show accurate toys for anything had just about got by in the 80's, but these days its inexcusable.


Again Bandai have laughably exaggerated the builds of the characters (the girls too) and made them look 'roided'.

I have not seen the cast for 'Samurai' yet, but I am guessing a few ex-Neighbours and Home & Away actors may be in the line-up. Still worth a chuckle on a rainy day.

Ta to Paul 'Logan Blaze' Anderson for the heads up.

POWER RANGER DESTRUCTION

I came across this old archive of shots from a Transmasters UK fan-meet I ran back in 1998. It was a tradition that Transfans would take a Power Rangers toy to a meet and that toy would be the sacrifical lamb at the gathering. This old mid-90's action figure of the Red Zeo Ranger went through a series of horrific torture methods. See the link for the whole show "FATE OF THE POWER RANGER"