Power Rangers Samurai is the eighteenth season of the children's television series Power Rangers, which is based on the Japanese Super Sentai Series. The season was the first to be produced by SCG Power Rangers, after Saban Brands (replacing BVS Entertainment as the main producer) acquired the franchise. The season marks the franchise's debut on Nickelodeon, premiering on the main network and Nicktoons on February 7, 2011. Samurai uses props, footage, script, and characteristics from Samurai Sentai Shinkenger and, according to press material, had a "brighter tone and an infusion of fun and comedy that wasn't present in seasons 16 and 17." Samurai is also the first season to be shot and broadcast in 16:9 widescreen and in HD. Though 2006's Boukenger (which was adapted into Operation Overdrive) was the first Super Sentai series to be shot in widescreen, preceding Power Rangers seasons were not. However, Shinkenger was also the first Sentai series to be filmed with an HD camera at 720p resolution. Samurai also returns the series to a multi-seasonal format; the second season, titled Power Rangers Super Samurai, began on February 18, 2012 and is officially considered the nineteenth season overall.

Plot

The Samurai Power Rangers–Red Ranger Jayden Shiba, the stoic leader; Blue Ranger Kevin Douglas, the devoted second-in-command; Pink Ranger Mia Watanabe, the big sister; Green Ranger Mike Fernandez, the creative rebel; Yellow Ranger Emily Stewart, the youngest and most innocent; and, eventually, Gold Ranger Antonio Garcia, the expressive fisherman/tech wiz– fight the evil Master Xandred and his army of Nighloks, who want to flood the planet with the waters of the Sanzu River to bring about the end of civilization.

Promotion

Saban announced they would be enacting an "aggressive" multimedia focus, with planned apps, games, streaming content, and social media content in addition to live shows and a feature film. The run-up to the new series was promoted by 145 Days of Power Rangers, a daily airing of every Mighty Morphin episode in order. An official Power Rangers Facebook page was also created. On November 24, 2010, the Power Rangers website placed a trailer for the show online, hosted on Yahoo! Kids. The new Samurai Rangers also appeared at the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Paul Schrier has a recurring role in the season, reprising his role as Bulk originating from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Jason Narvy subsequently reprised his role as Skull in the final episode. For the second batch of episodes airing in 2012, Saban began promoting the season with the title of "Super Samurai" to reflect the upgrades to the Rangers powers (glimpsed already in "Clash of the Red Rangers The Movie"). Actor Hector David, Jr., released an official teaser poster for "Super Samurai" on his Facebook profile.

Cast and characters

Rangers Supporting characters Villains Guest stars

Episodes

Power Rangers Samurai (Season 18, 2011)

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Power Rangers Super Samurai (Season 19, 2012)

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Reception

By 2012, Power Rangers had an average of 2 million viewers. The highest rated episode was the May 15, 2011 broadcast of "The Blue and the Gold", with 3.7 million viewers.

Comic book

Papercutz produced two issues of a comic book based on Power Rangers Super Samurai. The Samurai Rangers also played a role in the 2018 comic Book Event "Shattered Grid", celebrating 25 years of the Power Rangers franchise.

Awards and nominations

Home media

The complete season of Super Samurai was released on Blu-ray on December 4, 2012 and DVD on January 7, 2014 by Lionsgate Home Entertainment.