You don’t have to be a diehard Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fans are feeling the pangs of sadness over a recent auction that saw Hasbro sell off clothing, props, and other memorabilia from the franchise’s three-decade history. As io9 covered when the auction was announced, fans and former cast members saw it as the latest sign that the franchise and its legacy are not being respected.
As the opponents point out, instead of saving Power Rangers history, giving away certain valuables to the people involved in the making of the series, or even making the sale a charitable effort, this was a regular auction for a profit. Billed by Heritage Auctions and Hasbro as “a large and complete collection Power Rangers memorabilia once sold,” and items collected from “antiques Power Rangers Mighty Morphin in the latest season, Power Rangers Cosmic Furywhich was first shown last year,” the event raised more than three million dollars. According to a media report that mentioned many bidding wars, serious bidders went to the mats for rare items.
The highest dollar amount was the superhero Cosmic Blaster used in 2023 Netflix release Power Rangers Cosmic Fury“the team’s signature weapon that combines all five powers of the dino-themed Cosmic Fury Rangers into an 80-inch laser blaster,” according to Heritage Auctions. It went for $87,500.
Another big money item is shown above (middle photo), a small film of the Transformable Astro Megaship/Astro Megazord that was used in the 1998 creation. Power Rangers in Space. It went for $47,500.
Among the items for sale is the Green Ranger costume worn by the late Jason David Frank (as Tommy Oliver) from 1993-1995. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series ordered $30,000; the Pink Ranger costume from the same show cost $22,500, slightly less than the Yellow Ranger ($23,750). You can see the full auction results here.
This is the future Power Rangers it is not certain, at this time; it is unclear if the franchise will continue in its current form, or if Hasbro will pursue a reboot or a separate Japanese revival Super Sentai a franchise that first helped its existence. Whatever happens next, a lot of clothing and equipment will need to be created to replace what has now been sold.
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