Look, I’m not gonna say no to some new Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers action figures. But it kind of seems like a bad idea to package figures of the original TV show costume designs with their movie counterparts, mainly because they’re instant, undeniable proof of how much better the original suits were in comparison.
I actually quite like the new movie suits — at least, in comparison to almost every other updated look the Power Rangers movie has given us. So it’s cool to see these new two-pack sets of action figures Bandai will release for the film, which will pair the new movie version of each Ranger up with their respective MMPR counterparts.
But at the same time, if you want people to admire the work you’ve done updating the new suits for the movie, it’s kind of weird to have such a direct reminder of how they originally looked — a look which some websites might describe as the best Power Rangers costumes in history — right there in the packaging alongside them.
Hell, the MMPR figures actually just look nicer quality than the movie ones, full stop, especially as they get their classic weapons, fully painted and detailed, instead of… nebulous neon blue glowy things to slap on their wrists.
Still, even if it draws some rather unfavorable comparisons for the movie suits, this is a pretty great idea for a line of action figures. The Power Rangers “Then and Now” packs will set you back $US25 ($35) when they’re released next year.