In 1975, the Toei Company releasedHimitsu Sentai Gorenger,the first in their new series,Super Sentai.The show was their second foray, afterKamen Rider,into the tokusatsu genre, which features a heavy use of practical effects. The franchise was a hit with fans, with new series even debuting today in Japan, and in 1993, Toei partnered with Saban to release an American adaptation of the series calledPower Rangers. At the time, there was nothing likePower Rangerson American screens, and despite campy dialogue and over-the-top designs, the series soared to popularity and helped inspire elements ofthe modern superhero genre.
With the skyrocketing popularity ofPower Rangerscame a slew of other franchises looking to capitalize on the new American tokusatsu market, and several series took heavy inspiration from the success of the original franchise. The following 15 series are the best rip-offs of the series.
While the content may be original between each of these franchises, the general concepts are clearly based on the original franchise, or at the very least, their creation owes a debt to the success ofPower Rangersaround the world. Get ready for extreme pyrotechnics, giant mechs, andcolor-coded supersuitsas we dive into these incredible rip-offs of thePower Rangersseries.
15VR Troopers
In 1994, following the massive success ofMighty Morphin' Power Rangers, Saban Entertainment decided to keep the money train rolling with other adaptations. The first sister series toPower RangersbecameVR Troopers,an adaptation of three different seasons of theMetal Heroesfranchise. The series followed three teens (Ryan Steele, JB Reese, and Kaitlin Starr) as they learn about a mysterious VR dimension alongside our own.
This dimension is full of monsters, led by the evil Grimlord. Ryan, JB, and Kaitlin gain access to powerful robotic bodies that allow them to battle Grimlord and search for Ryan’s missing father.
While it didn’t have the same production quality and the costumes were generally more bizarre and bulky, the storylines were entertaining, with just a bit of a darker tone thrown intothe villain-of-the-week formula. The series didn’t last, only receiving two seasons before Saban set their sights elsewhere. The series took cues from its sister series in nearly every way, from the teen stereotype characters that loved martial arts to the extreme fight and transformation sequences. The connection becomes even clearer when you learn that Jason David Frank, thePower Rangers’Green and White Rangers, nearly played the role of Ryan.
14Ultraman (2019)
Let’s make this clear:Ultramanas a franchise is not a rip-off ofPower Rangers.In fact, the originalUltramanseries aired nine years before the release of the firstSuper Sentaiseason, and its success was a clear inspiration forSuper Sentai’screation. However, the 2019 reboot/sequel to the original 1966 series took clear cues from thePower Rangersfranchise.
Gone were the giant, organic alien superheroes, replaced by armored super-soldiers with unique abilities and weapons. The series acts as a sort of melding of the two franchises, bridging the gap between them to create something that feels wholly unique while also homaging the original.
The story follows Shinjiro Hayata, the son of the first Ultraman, Shin Hayata. Unbeknownst to Shinjiro, Shin’s exposure to the alien energies that allowed him to transform changed his genetic code, allowing him to pass superpowers down to his son. Which is good, considering that new threats have begun to land on Earth. While humans have lived in harmony with alien life for years, some refuse to live side-by-side with another species, creating tension that the Science Patrol is forced to alleviate. Granting Shinjiro a suit of experimental armor, the Science Patrol appoints him the successor to his father’s legacy, helping to stop alien threats as Ultraman.
In 1979, Toei releasedBattle Fever J,the third season ofSuper Sentaiand the first to introduce elements that became staples for the entire franchise moving forward. WhileBattle Fever Jwasn’t the first Tokusatsu series to introduce mech combat, it was the series that brought the concept toSuper Sentai,and, as a result,Power Rangers.
This love for mechs and giant robots would go on to influence many different series moving forward, includingTransformers,Mobile Suit Gundam, and, most important for this list,Voltron.
Adapted from the 1981 seriesBeast King Go-Lion, Voltron released in 1984 and followed five young mech pilots as they battled against the legions of King Zarkon. They commanded five leonine robots that could combine to form the robotic warrior, Voltron, in order to protect the planet Arus. The series became a staple of the ’80s, withVoltrontoys making their way into nearly every household.
Though it isn’t a rip-off ofPower Rangers,its roots and inspirations fromSuper Sentaimake it a perfect entry for this list, and with the more recent popularity ofVoltron: Legendary Defenderon Netflix, the future is bright for this pride of robotic lions.
Spinning off of theVR Troopersseries,Big Bad Beetleborgsthrew in theming that hadn’t been seen before in any prior tokusatsu franchise: bugs. The series was adapted fromJuukou B-FighterandB-Fighter Kabuto,both seasons of the JapaneseMetal Heroesseries. The show was released in 1996 and acted as pure wish fulfillment for kids at the time.
The story saw three teens from the town of Charterville stumble upon a genie in a haunted house, and they wish to become the superheroes of their favorite comic book series. The magic also brings the comic’s villain, Vexor, to life, and together, the Beetleborgs had to turn to the comics to defeat him.
Big Bad Beetleborgswas unique in that it focused more heavily on sitcom elements, investing in the daily lives of the teen leads. The supernatural, haunted house elements felt wildly out of place in a series that was heavily science-fiction in aesthetic, but this still led to a number of comedic moments from the first episode. While it didn’t have the staying power of thePower Rangersfranchise, only airing for two seasons, the series stood out with its cool designs that translated well to toys. As a spiritual successor toVR Troopers, there is no doubt thatBig Bad Beetleborgswas aPower Rangersclone, looking to capitalize on its sister series' success.
11Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills
It makes sense thatTattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hillsdidn’t last more than one season. The first wholly American tokusatsu series, the show took various cues from several of the popular series at the time, most notably fromUltramanandPower Rangers. It followed four teens who are drafted by an alien guardian named Nimbar.
This blob is attempting to protect Power Portals from Emperor Gorganus, an evil tyrant seeking to use the portals to expand his empire. Using tattoos inspired by constellations, the teens transform into giant, muscular aliens to fend off Gorganus' forces.
From the designs to the concept to the overall storytelling,Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hillsdid not live up to its fellow tokusatsu series. The series still has fairly positive reviews, especially in regard to the teenaged leads. Given the smaller cast of characters, the series was able to more closely explore their characterization, and as you can tell from the title, it never took itself super seriously. In fact, much of its charm comes from its tongue in cheek humor. While it certainly wasn’t trying to as a meta-parody of the tokusatsu genre, there were times it seemed to lean in that direction.
Related:The 15 Best Anime About Aliens
10Masked Rider/ Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight
This entry requires another disclaimer. No,Kamen RiderandKamen Rider: Ryuk,the inspirations forMasked RiderandKamen Rider: Dragon Knight,were notPower Rangersrip-offs. In fact, given thatKamen Riderreleased in 1971, you could easily argue thatSuper SentaiandPower Rangersare rip-offs of this beloved franchise.
However, this entry is focused on the American localizations, and it was the popularity ofPower Rangersthat allowed for these series to make their way overseas. More than that,Masked Rideris even set in the same universe as thePower Rangerscanon, meaning that it isn’t just a clone but a spin-off.
TheKamen Riderfranchise has been a staple of Japanese pop culture since its release in 1971. The first of Toei’s tokusatsu series,Kamen Rider,has spawned just as many sequels and spin-offs as its younger sibling.Masked Rider,which aired in 1996, changed several of the key plot details of the original series and failed to gain the same level of popularity in the States.
The series followed an alien prince named Dex as he came to Earth to battle an evil alien empire.Kamen Rider: Dragon Knighttakes elements of its original plot, but similarly changes the focus from a Rider war to battling an evil alien empire.
9Miniforce
Released in 2014,Miniforceis a localization of a South Korean, 3D-animated superhero show. The series follows four talking animals that have the power to transform into powerful robotic ranger forms, summon powerful mechs and weapons, and battle an evil alien overlord.
They have had several seasons with different themes, including cars and dinosaurs, and they have had a varying array of allies, including several that have joined the team as new rangers. So far,Miniforcehas checked off every single box for aPower Rangersclone, earning it a spot on this list.
Just from aesthetics alone, it’s pretty obvious thatMiniforceis attempting to capitalize on the popularity of thePower RangersandSuper Sentaifranchises, and while the series is definitely aimed at younger audiences, the design work is actually incredible. Seriously, the Ranger designs for the main cast shouldn’t look as good as they do, but SAMG Entertainment has made some of the coolest Ranger designs in years. The animal leads are far less interesting, simply filling tropes of the genre, but the series does take certain elements of the originalPower Rangersfranchise and elevate them.
8Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog
Many American-made tokusatsu series suffered from low production quality and rushed design work, with companies hoping to churn out something that could match the popularity ofPower Rangers.Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nogwas not one of those series. It only aired for 50 episodes beginning in 1998, but the series was one of the bestPower Rangersrip-offs that were released at the time.
The series brought the heavily science-fiction-themed series into the fantasy realm, taking it back in time to medieval Ireland and infusing the designs with classical weaponry and armor.
The series followed four (eventually five) young people on Kells who stumble upon the mystical realm of Tir Na Nog. The fairy king grants them powerful magical weapons that allow them to transform into elementally charged knights so that they can battle the evil Queen Maeve’s forces. The series took a lot of chances with its story, leaning heavily into tokusatsu themes, but in a way that felt truly original. The series was short-lived, to be sure, but fans of the genre have held it in high regard since its release. Given that it was a wholly original property, not adapted from any prior source material, this feat is all the more impressive.
7Squadron Sport Ranger
As seen withMiniforce, the tokusatsu genre has had worldwide appeal, especially in Asian countries. The superhero tropes have become popular throughout the continent, inspiring several new series. In Thailand, this new wave of international tokusatsu spawnedSquadronSport Ranger.Themed after various sports, the series aired for six years, starting in 2006, and utilized all the mainstays of the genre.
Powerful mechs, unique weapons (one of which is a soccer ball that descends from the moon), and bizarre monsters all played major parts in the series success in its home country, though it is largely unknown outside of Thailand.
The series follows five teenagers after they are granted powerful medals by Dr. Earth. These medals are the broken pieces of an alien technology that crash-landed on Earth years before. A second medal, taken for research by Dr. Heart, has begun transforming humans into monsters, and with the threat of an alien invasion on the horizon, Dr. Earth gave Ace, Up, New, Yu, and May sports-themed superpowers.
With the power of boxing, soccer, tennis, swimming, and gymnastics on their side, the teens must take the battle to the mutated monsters and prepare for the second coming of Starhunter.
6Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad
TheUltramanorGiant Heroesfranchise is one of the earliest examples of the modern tokusatsu superhero genre, first releasing in 1966 withUltra Q. This means that everything that came after is technically a rip-off of this massive franchise.Superhuman Samurai Syber Squadis a localized adaptation ofDenkou Choujin Gridman,a 1993 season ofUltraman, soit may be strange to see this series on this list.
WhileGridmanitself is not aPower Rangersclone,Syber Squad’s localization owes everything toPower Rangerssuccess. Nevertheless, the way the series played withexisting fears of technology and the internethelped this series stand out.
Originally namedPowerboybut changed to avoid confusion withPower Rangers,Superhuman Samurai Syber Squadfollows a young video game developer named Sam Collins as he is transported inside his newest game. Taking on the appearance of the main character Servo, Sam discovers that powerful Mega-Viruses have begun attacking the electrical grid and devices attached to it. Alongside his friends Tanker, Syd, Amp, and Lucky, who can enter the digital world and combine with Servo, Sam must battle the Mega-Viruses to keep his home safe.
