The phrase “Go, go Power Rangers!” is one that my generation is very familiar with since most of us have spent countless afternoons plopped in front of the TV to watch everyone’s favorite teenagers battle intergalactic space monsters.

I wasn’t actually allowed to watch the original series when it was on TV and truly began watching the show when it was “Power Rangers, IN SPACE,” which I think was the fourth American series.

But once I started watching it, I was hooked.

The combination of over-the-top action stunts, cheesy dialogue, colorful monsters and the best angst ever represented on a kid’s show drew me in.

I faithfully watched the entire run of the Space Rangers, and then the Time Rangers, as well as a few series after that before it decreased in quality and faded from memory.

But I would never ever forget the Power Rangers and their cheesy lessons about teamwork and friendship.

Ten Years Later…

While at a friend’s birthday party, my good friend Brad begins to tell me of this show he loves called “Super Sentai Gokaiger.” He spins a magical tale of Space Pirates fighting against an evil empire that tries to take over Earth. Space Pirates who can insert keys into morphers and turn into colorful armored fighters.

He then explains that he was referring to the Japanese Power Rangers series, which is now in its 35th season.

In Japan’s Super Sentai show, all 35 Power Rangers series take place in a shared universe culminating in the “Legendary War,” where the previous 34 generations of Super Sentai sacrificed their powers to save Earth.

Now, years later, a pirate named Captain Marvelous and his crew learn that “the greatest treasure in the universe” is hidden on Earth.

Smelling fortune, the Pirates accidently stumble into an invasion from the aforementioned evil empire and use their powers (as well as the powers from the previous 34 Power Rangers generations) to fight the empire and free Earth.

When I watched this show with Brad, I laughed at the corniness and goofiness but I was also amazed at how cool all the stunts were.

The show brought me a sense of boyish joy that I haven’t felt in years and, all cheesiness aside, the show really takes me back to a simpler state of mind and lets me just enjoy some good action.