Here's how I see things. What 4Kids did to Tokyo Mew Mew is the same thing that Saban did to Super Sentai back in 1993 (and they're still doing it to this day with the modern Super Sentai seasons, mind you). What'd we get from Saban? Why, none other than a live-action kid's TV series known to one and all as Power Rangers. Even though I've denied it for a really long time, and I really hate to admit it, but when you get down to it, Power Rangers is basically just an americanization of Super Sentai that utilized both footage and costumes from the series, as well as used original american footage of its own. However, Power Rangers was a goddamn success when it first aired, and many people (mostly kids) loved it. If Saban can americanize a show, what's so wrong with 4Kids doing the same thing? Saban even did some of the things that people give 4Kids shit for.
"They changed all the names! The english names are horrible!"
... uh, quick question. How the hell is a name like 'Zoey Hanson' a terrible name? Is it offensive? I don't think so. It's just a simple name. Same thing applies to names like...
Corina Bucksworth
Bridget Verdant
Kikki Benjamin
Renee Roberts
Mark
Elliot
If you seriously think that 4Kids needs to burn in hell because of name changes, your head clearly isn't on right. One thing I'd like to mention is that 'Tart', the name of one of the Aliens/Cyniclons, is a term used to describe prostitutes. The changed name, 'Tarb', is basically 'brat' spelled backwards. Now, what would you rather have? A character named after prostitutes, or a character whose name is basically a word spelled backwards?
While name-changing of characters wasn't exactly common in Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers due to the fact that most of the characters as well as the story (we'll get to the story in a second) were completely different, it was still there. Most of the monsters, which were known as Dora Monsters in Zyuranger, were basically the same, except with a different name.
Pudgy Pig is the same as Dora Circe
Shellshock is the same as Dora Tortoise
The Giant is the same as Dora Titan
Bones is the same as Dora Skeleton
... you get the point.
As far as name-changes of items, terms, and such, 4Kids also changed some things around. People also like to bitch about this endlessly, even though some of the changes are for the better, such as...
'Chimera Anima' to 'Predisite'
'Aliens' to 'Cyniclons'
This type of thing is done even more in Power Rangers.
'Dino Buckler' was renamed 'Power Morpher'
'Dino Stick' (that's a very stupid name, especially when you consider the fact that the item itself is a fucking RAY GUN that can be turned into a mini-sword) was renamed 'Blade Blaster'
The 'Legendary Weapons' (Ryuugekikan, Mothbreaker, Triceralance, Ptera Bow, and Saber Daggers) were renamed 'Power Weapons' (Power Sword, Power Axe, Power Lance, Power Bow, and Power Daggers)
'Howling Cannon' was changed to 'Power Blaster'
The 'Guardian Beasts' were changed to 'Dinozords'
'Beast Knight God King Brachion' (try saying that five times fast) was renamed simply 'Titanus', so on and so forth.
"They change the food to american food!"
Are you high? How is the food in any way important? Unless it was important to the plot somehow, like with Toriko, there's nothing wrong with 4Kids editing a japanese food item so that it looks like a PB&J. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: No one gives a shit if Serena's scarfing down donuts instead of rice balls.
There's really only one instance of a food change that I can recall in Power Rangers, and even then, it was nothing more than another name change. In Super Sentai, the one weakness of the monster Dora Circe is a rare herb called Moly. In Power Rangers, the item was still the same aesthetically, but the name 'Moly' is never mentioned, and it's simply referred to as 'spicy food', which Pudgy Pig dislikes.
"They changed the entire soundtrack!"
This doesn't seem like something worth bitching about, but I've heard people complain about it nonetheless. I don't know WHY you'd complain, because if there's one thing that 4Kids definitely excels at, it's music. Their original opening song for Sonic X, as well as the opening theme for their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show are proof of this. Their skill at making original songs carry over to Mew Mew Power as well, especially with the opening theme.
Power Rangers also has its share of original songs, and they're all loads of pure awesomesauce. A couple of genres that are commonly used for music in Power Rangers are hard rock 'n roll and heavy metal. Probably the only songs in the entire series that aren't rock 'n roll/ heavy metal are the Bulk & Skull theme and the theme song to Power Rangers Mystic Force. Just listen to these songs.
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I swear to god, it's impossible for Ron Wasserman (who composed most of the soundtrack for MMPR) to make a bad song.
"They changed the entire story!"
Alright... this argument sorta holds water. However, when people complain about this, they say that the new story is shit and that the old story is better.
One thing about the story that was changed by 4Kids was the main villains' origins. In the japanese version, they're an alien race that once lived on Earth millions of years ago. However, due to 'changes in the environment', they had to move to another planet, which turned out to be worse. When they went back to Earth, they find out that humans are living on it, and decide to take it back. In the english dub, the Cyniclons were an alien race living on a planet that was so badly polluted that they had to move to another planet that, just like in the japanese version, turned out to be worse. Then, they discover Earth and the humans, and decide to take over.
... doesn't seem like much was changed, other than the planet where the Aliens/Cyniclons originated from and their motives for taking Earth. Also, the english dub story makes a bit more sense, since, in the japanese version, the 'Aliens' originated from Earth, while the they actually come from a different planet in the english dub. Some might argue that the 'Aliens' in the japanese version can no longer be considered beings from Earth since they've been away for about a million years, but that still doesn't negate the fact that they originated from fucking EARTH!!! Last time I checked, aliens were supposed to be extra terrestrial beings from another planet, i.e. not from Earth. The 'Aliens' from the japanese version aren't aliens at all, while the in the english dub, they actually ARE aliens under the name Cyniclons, hence why the english story makes more sense. Try telling me that the old story is better after that.
The same change occurred in the transition from Kyoryo Sentai Zyuranger to Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. In Zyuranger, an evil witch by the name of Bandora waged war on the dinosaurs all because her son died. In the end, the Guardian Beasts sealed away Witch Bandora and her minions on the planet Nemesis before slipping into a state of suspended animation (A.K.A. hibernation). Then, two dumbass astronauts carelessly free Bandora and her minions, causing the Mysterious Wizard Barza to retreat to his underground lair and revive the five Holy Warriors of Justice. Each warrior was a member of an ancient human tribe that lived with the dinosaurs.
In Power Rangers, Rita Repulsa is an evil witch who was sealed on the planet Nemesis, which travels close to Earth every 10,000 years. Before being sealed, though, she trapped Zordon in a time warp, preventing him from taking physical form. Thanks to the same dumbass astronauts, Rita and her minions managed to escape, planning to conquer the nearest planet, Earth. In response, Zordon and his assistant Alpha-5 recruit 5 'teenagers with attitude' to become the Power Rangers and fight against Rita and her evil forces.
Remember, just because the story is different doesn't mean it sucks.
"They cut and censor everything!"
..................... hold on a second.
*3 minutes later*
Yup, I'd like to have my will written exactly like that once I perform my suicide. Bye. *hangs up phone* What? Oh, sorry about that. Last time I checked, the company is called '4Kids'. They're supposed to censor shit for a reason: so that the show can be aimed at kids. Sure, there are some unnecessary edits that they make such as food (which we already dealt with) and removing on-screen text, but those are very minor and complaining about them will only make you look like a nitpicky douche. Also, about Mew Mew Power, the original japanese version has the girls naked in the transformation scenes. Are you saying that 4Kids should let that shit slide in a show aimed towards kids? Cause it sure seems like it. They made cuts and edits to the transformation scenes because the girls were nude in them, with the exception of Brid- oh, I'm sorry, Lettuce's transformation scene, which was cut out completely. That needs no explanation whatsoever. Besides, a teenager like most of you probably won't like anything aimed towards kids (due to MLP:FiM, note the keyword: probably).
As far as Power Rangers censorship goes, again, there isn't much, for the sole reason that most of the footage in the show was original american-made footage. They only used footage from Super Sentai when the Power Rangers were fighting a monster, or when they had to pilot the Megazord against a giant monster. However, there were a few instances where censorship was applied.
- One of the villains from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy was Villamax, a villain that, unlike most evil characters, actually has honorable qualities and morals, and is what you'd consider a 'man of his word' (quite different than his Super Sentai counterpart, the hot-headed, bike-riding, gun-toting Gun General Sambash). In Power Rangers, he usually shown using a sword, instead of a pistol like Sambash used. This is thanks to the 'showing guns in children's shows' controversy, and explains why most of the footage he was featured in was american-made. This counts as censorship of guns, since they basically changed his weapon from a firearm to a blade (which looks more bad-ass, anyway).
- In the Power Rangers Time Force episode Ransik Lives, there's a scene where Ransik, the main villain of the show, gives a televised terrorist-esque speech threatening to blow shit up, and then shows scenes of buildings blowing up. The episode aired on Fox Kids on 9/13/01, just three days after 9/11. The producers knew they had to do something about the speech to keep themselves distanced from 9/11, so the solution? They edited the scene so that the season's theme song (or rather, an instrumental version of it) played instead, effectively blocking out his little speech. This wasn't the only edit. When Disney aired reruns of the show, the speech was left intact, but instead of buildings, they instead showed mountains being blown to smithereens. The reason why this is considered 'censorship' needs no fucking explanation whatsoever.
- A very minor one, but something that I guess still requires mentioning. In Power Rangers Samurai, one of the more recent seasons, the kanji on the Pink Samurai Ranger's helmet means 'heaven'. However, the writers decided to translate it as 'sky' instead to avoid offending any religious people, not unlike how 4Kids always censors crosses.
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Well, that's all I have to say. In conclusion, if you prefer the japanese version, fine. However, show the english dub some respect. Just because you like to watch anime with bullshit cluttering up the bottom of the screen (A.K.A. subtitles) doesn't mean you have to ruin the fun for people who want to actually understand what the characters are saying. Allow me to close this with a quote from a voice actor you may or may not know.
"I'd rather not READ a TV show." -Vic Mignogna
