Summary

• Power Rangers' next show must address the criticism of Cosmic Fury's costumes, aiming for a better reception.
• The shift towards original suits signals Power Rangers moving away from Super Sentai adaptations.
• Despite the controversy, original suits can be good for Power Rangers, allowing for new stories and designs.

The next new Power Rangers season in 2024, the show is in a good position to reinvent itself and bring something different, but that will not be easy.

Power Rangers has been attached to nostalgia for decades, especially when it comes to the original Mighty Morphin era. Some Power Rangers tropes like the Zord battles and the morphing sequences are considered part of the saga’s DNA and would be quite tricky to remove, whereas other aspects of the show could use some changes. Following Cosmic Fury’s ending, which felt like a finale to the whole saga, the series’ installment will arguably be Power Rangers’ most important release in years.

Power Rangers’ Next Show Will Have To Solve Cosmic Fury’s Costumes Criticism

Cosmic Fury’s suits led to divisive reactions

The next Power Rangers TV show, assuming it will not be a direct Super Sentai adaptation but instead something similar to what Cosmic Fury did, will have to nail the costumes following the criticism aimed at the franchise’s latest show. Cosmic Fury was a very different Power Rangers season for many reasons, including but not limited to the shorter amount of episodes and the lack of filler. The biggest difference between Cosmic Fury and previous Power Rangers seasons, however, was the lack of Super Sentai footage, which was limited to the Zord battles in the 2023 show.

While Cosmic Fury borrowed some elements and footage from Uchu Sentai Kyuranger, such as the cosmic orbs and everything concerning Zords and Megazords, the Dino Fury sequel was mostly an original series with lots of American footage. For the first time since the inception of the franchise, most of the action sequences of a Power Rangers season came from original, American footage rather than from repurposed Super Sentai scenes. As a result, Cosmic Fury had the chance to use original costumes instead of recreating the ones from Kyuranger, a divisive decision that led to some criticism.

Why Power Rangers Cosmic Fury’s Costumes Were Such A Big Deal

Power Rangers had never used that many original suits

Power Rangers has followed a clear formula since 1993, which is why any changes to how the show works will naturally be divisive at first. As a 10-episode series designed to wrap up the Dino Fury era, Cosmic Fury was bound to be unlike any other Power Rangers season that had come before it. Those who were expecting a direct adaptation of Kyuranger, or of any other Super Sentai show for that matter, were likely disappointed to learn that Cosmic Fury was only going to use the Zords and Megazords from the Japanese show instead of adapting everything.

By not using the Kyuranger suits, Power Rangers’ latest show put itself in a tricky position in which its original costumes were going to have to win over audiences. The fact that the Cosmic Fury suits were made using different materials and under a different style from what Power Rangers was used to caused this decision to be even more divisive. There are some noticeable differences between the Cosmic Fury costumes and previous Power Rangers suits, the former of which were closer to superhero costumes from American movies and TV shows.

Despite all the controversy surrounding the Cosmic Fury costumes, there were some great things about them. The weapons, which were also original, were a great addition to the team’s aesthetic and brought something Power Rangers had been missing for a while – individual weapons for each Ranger that are later combined into a Power Blaster. The designs were simple but effective, and the shields were an interesting addition. Ollie’s evil Blue Ranger costume was the highlight of the season, though, combining portions of the Ryusoulger Blue Ranger suit with some original elements to create a fantastic design.

The Cosmic Fury costumes kept the helmets from Dino Fury/Ryusoulger.

Why You Should Get Used To Original Power Rangers Suits Going Forward

Power Rangers is moving away from Super Sentai

Power Rangers has been slowly moving away from Super Sentai adaptations, as seen in the franchise’s two main releases of 2023. Power Rangers: Once & Always, which brought back original cast like Walter Emanuel Jones and David Yost to celebrate the original show’s 30th anniversary, had no Sentai footage whatsoever and played out as an original film. Cosmic Fury’s Sentai scenes were limited to whenever the Zords and Megazords were on screen, with everything else being original. Should this approach continue, original suits will become the norm for Power Rangers.

A Power Rangers continuity would be the perfect way for the franchise to have a fresh start, and this would certainly include having original suits. Power Rangers should not abandon the saga’s identity, but after 30 seasons, it would be interesting to see a new series with a different format and that is not a Super Sentai adaptation.

Power Rangers Has Had Great Original Costumes Before

Cosmic Fury was not the first case of non-Sentai suits

Cosmic Fury was not the first time Power Rangers used original costumes, and it most likely not be the last. From the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie armors to original characters like the Titanium Ranger, Power Rangers has proven more than once that it can grow beyond its Sentai inspirations. Naturally, Power Rangers will always be associated with Super Sentai, and it is impossible to discuss one franchise without mentioning the other. Still, there is room for original Power Rangers stories to experiment with new formats and designs, starting with the costumes and the weapons.

Whatever Power Rangers’ new show turns out to be, nailing the suits will be its first major challenge, even more so after the divisive reception to Cosmic Fury's design choices.

Other great examples of non-Sentai suits are the ones from the 2017 movie. While Power Rangers (2017) was based on Mighty Morphin, which itself was based on Zyuranger, the costumes used in that film were very innovative and even shocked a lot of people initially. Whatever Power Rangers’ new show turns out to be, nailing the suits will be its first major challenge, even more so after the divisive reception to Cosmic Fury's design choices. However, the franchise’s history indicates that it can be done.

Stream Power Rangers Cosmic Fury on Netflix