Morphenomenal: How the Power Rangers Conquered the World

by Joshua Moore

Overview

WHEN IT FIRST APPEARED ON AMERICAN TELEVISION SETS IN 1993, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was like nothing else on TV. The brainchild of Israeli-American music producer Haim Saban, the show stitched together segments from the Japanese children's program Super Sentai with newly recorded live-action footage, and its unexpected popularity quickly cemented the Fox Kids Network's reputation as a pop-culture powerhouse. Garish, heartfelt, utterly strange, and bursting with irrepressible energy, the show was a dramatic departure from the animated fare that dominated kids TV at the time, and came closer than any program before-or since-to being a “live-action cartoon.”

Three decades later, the Power Rangers are global icons and a billion-dollar business. In Morphenomenal, journalist and lifelong fan Joshua Moore delivers a deeply researched narrative history of Power Rangers-from its inception to today-and details milestone moments for the brand and show, as well as offering fresh looks at its thriving toy line and an adult fandom that can't get enough of those “teenagers with attitude.” Drawing on original interviews, new research, and the kinds of insights that only a true devotee can bring, this is a bold and boisterous account of one of the most unusual and beloved franchises in pop-culture history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493081615
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	05/15/2025
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Joshua Moore has been a fan of Power Rangers since it began airing in 1993, according to his mother. (He was two years old when it premiered). Over the last decade he has written about sports, business, the COVID-19 pandemic, movies, video games, and Power Rangers for the Lexington Herald-Leader and other media, including popular fan site Ranger Command Power Hour. A marketer, freelance journalist, and broadcaster, he also runs Ranger Reader, a newsletter about Power Rangers.

Table of Contents

Contents
A Note on Sourcing
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Rockstar
Chapter 2: Day of the Dumpster
Chapter 3: Teamwork
Chapter 4: A Pressing Engagement
Chapter 5: High Five
Chapter 6: Green with Evil
Chapter 7: A Pig Surprise
Chapter 8: The Mutiny
Chapter 9: A Monster of Global Proportions
Chapter 10: The Power Transfer
Chapter 11: Ninja Quest
Chapter 12: Rangers in Reverse
Chapter 13: Countdown to Destruction
Chapter 14: A Parting of Ways
Chapter 15: Fighting Spirit
Chapter 16: One Last Second Chance
Chapter 17: The Master Returns
Chapter 18: Edge of Extinction
Chapter 19: The End
Chapter 20: Lightning Strikes
Acknowledgements
Interviews
Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

Nobody has told the Power Rangers story as comprehensively as Moore tells it, because nobody else has spent as much time immersed in the show and with people who helped bring it to life, as well as with the people-fans like him-who've kept it alive. Tenacious reporting, lively writing, and unrelenting passion make Morphenomenal an entertaining experience befitting the show whose history it chronicles.” —Margaret Loesch, TV executive, former president/CEO Fox Kids Network

“Morphenomenal is a meticulously researched love-letter to 30 years of the Power Rangers superhero franchise. Joshua Moore has crafted a readable and compelling story that will delight anyone interested in popular culture, whether Power Rangers fans or otherwise. Morphenomenal guides us through the brand's triumphs, hiccoughs and setbacks, from the perspective of a lifelong Power Rangers enthusiast. I couldn't put it down.” —Simon Bennett, executive producer Power Rangers Dino Fury, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always

“Morphenomenal is a stellar look at the creation (well, re-creation) of a franchise that would become a household name. It's a wonderful deep dive into a watershed moment of pop culture and the surprising legacy it's had - few expected Power Rangers to be more than a campy addition to early '90s children's television. Thirty years later, those naysayers have been proven wrong and Moore's book is the perfect gift for everyone that's stood on the side of those Mighty Morphin teens.” —Daniel Dockery, author of Monster Kids: How Pokémon Taught a Generation to Catch Them All

“All heroes have an origin story, but the most compelling ones are the tales of the underdogs who brought them to life. With meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Moore transforms the behind-the-scenes history of the Power Rangers into a thrilling saga as dynamic as a classic Mighty Morphin episode. This book is essential reading for anyone fascinated by the real origins of this iconic pop culture franchise.” —Scott Niswander, NerdSync

“Moore has put his energy, knowledge, and insight of Power Rangers history into Morphenomenal, and the result is a fun and invoking read for any fan of the franchise, young or old.” —Shawn Pryor, author of Kaiju Unleashed: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Strange Beasts

“Morphenomenal by Joshua Moore is a wonderfully satisfying catalog of the creation and duration of the Power Rangers as a pop culture franchise. It's a comprehensively researched and entertaining record of modern media history and the way it can capture everything from television to toys to comics to movies and videogames. In an era where information is becoming harder and harder to find and verify, Moore has presented the ultimate document for Power Rangers fans and media historians (like me) to add to our libraries to make sure that this story is preserved and accessible for future generations.” —Dan Larson, Secret Galaxy

“Thanks to author Joshua Moore, fans will now get the chance to go behind the scenes for a unique look at the franchise…. Moore's meticulous research, extensive conversations with cast and crew, and attention to detail have unequivocally captured the magic of what made this show so special.” —Comics Online

From the Publisher

Morphenomenal is a stellar look at the creation (well, re-creation) of a franchise that would become a household name. It's a wonderful deep dive into a watershed moment of pop culture and the surprising legacy it’s had — few expected Power Rangers to be more than a campy addition to early ’90s children’s television. Thirty years later, those naysayers have been proven wrong and Moore’s book is the perfect gift for everyone that's stood on the side of those Mighty Morphin teens.

author of Monster Kids: How Pokémon Taugh Daniel Dockery

Morphenomenal is a meticulously researched love-letter to 30 years of the Power Rangers superhero franchise. Joshua Moore has crafted a readable and compelling story that will delight anyone interested in popular culture, whether Power Rangers fans or otherwise. Morphenomenal guides us through the brand’s triumphs, hiccoughs and setbacks, from the perspective of a lifelong Power Rangers enthusiast. I couldn’t put it down.

Simon Bennett

Morphenomenal by Joshua Moore is a wonderfully satisfying catalog of the creation and duration of the Power Rangers as a pop culture franchise. It’s a comprehensively researched and entertaining record of modern media history and the way it can capture everything from television to toys to comics to movies and videogames. In an era where information is becoming harder and harder to find and verify, Moore has presented the ultimate document for Power Rangers fans and media historians (like me) to add to our libraries to make sure that this story is preserved and accessible for future generations.

Secret Galaxy Dan Larson

Moore has put his energy, knowledge, and insight of Power Rangers history into Morphenomenal, and the result is a fun and invoking read for any fan of the franchise, young or old.

author of Kaiju Unleashed: An Illustrated Guid Shawn Pryor

All heroes have an origin story, but the most compelling ones are the tales of the underdogs who brought them to life. With meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Moore transforms the behind-the-scenes history of the Power Rangers into a thrilling saga as dynamic as a classic Mighty Morphin episode. This book is essential reading for anyone fascinated by the real origins of this iconic pop culture franchise.

NerdSync Scott Niswander

Nobody has told the Power Rangers story as comprehensively as Moore tells it, because nobody else has spent as much time immersed in the show and with people who helped bring it to life, as well as with the people—fans like him—who’ve kept it alive. Tenacious reporting, lively writing, and unrelenting passion make Morphenomenal an entertaining experience befitting the show whose history it chronicles.

Margaret Loesch