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• So, the Japanese are building robot ninjas.
  And Duke University is teaching monkeys to control robots.
  These two research groups should never meet.

• Chris found something neat.
  Chris notes: Now let's see about finding the script for the unproduced third part to Fate of Lightspeed...

• Our own Matt Williams has already moved on to bigger and better things, having just pulled in TWO references on Cartoon Network's recent Adult Swim webcast. The proof is in the pudding, and Matt's holding Bill Cosby hostage here.
  Chris notes: Casting adrift this mortal coil of sporadic updates and BYOBF references and ascending to the domain of Williams Street internet attache. How long you think before Matt's on staff?
  Derik notes: Depends, does he have incriminating photos for leverage like Amit?
  Chris notes: Amit was in those incriminating photos.
  Derik notes: Pfshaw; I'd like to see THAT hold up in court.

• In our endless pursuit of exploring PR's minutia, our own Jesse Herndon has finally managed to deduce the precise return address in Kim's infamous "you never satisfied me as a man" letter to Tommy. Oh, Coach Schmidt's training camp was in Florida, all right... Florida, California. She moved to a different part of THE STATE. Oh, you cannot tell me this breakup was about distance...
  Jarod notes: I thought we were in the endless pursuit of leisure.
  Chris notes: No, that's the new Sugar Ray album. Not their strongest, either.
  Derik notes: Not to nitpick grammar- but that really should be 'his best' Chris.
  

• So I was catching up on this week's One Life to Live, and I happened to notice an ad for Ernie Hudson's new show 10-8 coming this fall to ABC. While I found this intensely amusing -- of all the Ghostbuster actors I would have pictured headlining a cop show, Winston would be the last -- what caught my eye was the presence of Saban Ent.'s own Sarah Brown as a character. She was sporting a red flak-jacket with energy dispersion properties, cut intriguingly low around her mecha-cans.
  Jesse notes: Having just watched VR Troopers from start to finish, including a couple episodes with her in swimwear, I can assuredly say Sarah was given the surgical Eliza Doolittle work over.
  Chris notes: Shuki must have bought her those after she had the kid, when you can safely lie about that kind of thing -- they popped up (so to speak) during her Birds of Prey appearance as well.
  Derik notes: Wait, I thought Eliza was Dr. Doolittle's caring but unpleasantly hypochondrial sister?

• A few weeks ago I happened to pick up the TRU exclusive Savage Battle pack at a Toys R Us upstate. It was the last they had in stock, and it delighted me to no end. I was finally going to own the Master Org figure- screw the forty bucks it set me back! And it wasn't until sometime after I got home I realized there was a second toy in there that had no individual distribution. There's an Armored Yellow Ranger included. A quick perusal of John Green's guide confirmed for me the absence of a Taylor Mega Battle. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the first "true" Mega Battle granted a female Ranger, he says pointedly ignoring Cassie and Ashley's Astro Armor from the Space release. Fic writers take note.
  Chris notes: Like all the Savage Battles, there isn't a ton of "armor" in this upgrade beyond the gauntlets and boots they all share, but the toy itself comes with this really neat chicken-claws that fit over her forearms and hands. Max's upgraded Fighting Fins are also neat.
  Derik notes: Chris and I always wanted Alyssa to have an armored upgrade on the show that would allow them to resurrect the dead "PR for Grrrlz" line. The White Fairyized Ranger, with sparkly transparent butterfly wings, a telescoping White Tiger Baton that spits out pastel ribbons... and Alyssa is horribly embarassed to use it.
  Jesse notes: PR for Grrrlz? A Pink Ranger with bad hair in a faded and torn oversize uniform listening to Blur?
  Chris notes: Grrrll power is not just a Seattle Grunge thing anymore Jesse. And PR4G was the Barbie-knockoff line with cute dress-up rangers.

• Maybe it's just because I haven't been paying attention, but these Abaranger Megazords were a pleasant surprise. here and here. (Remember to open the links in a new window if you want them to work.)

• Man, whoever plays the Black Ranger next year is gonna be hated-on by the fans so bad...

• This just in- CHYLER LEIGH IS THE KISS OF DEATH!
  I called this six months ago. David E. Kelley's The Practice is facing what looks to be its "closing arguments." Zap2It reports the long-running legal drama's contract with ABC has expired, and the producers are uncertain as to the future fate of the program. Astute Funaroverse readers will recall that this is the fourth program in six years that the lovely Mrs. Khayman has destroyed, on three networks.
  Derik notes: Wither now, Chyler? Whither now?
  Jesse notes: There's only one chance. Chyler has to get naked in something, quickly. FOR THE EARTH!

• "So I'm on vacation, and while shuttling from one theme park to another I make the acqutaince of two young women from the great state of Texas. Being, as they were, from Texas, I did not mess with them. We got to discussing thrill rides in our respective cities, and the younger of the two suggested I try the "Texas Twister."
  I asked where that's located, and the elder of the pair laughed and said they'd be happy to show it to me personally. Then their mother showed up, and we filtered apart. It was not until later, upon discussion with my associate and travel companion that the notion was approached that I had just been offered, and refused, a menage a trois. And so I leave it to you, the humble Funaroverse reader... Was I being propositioned?"

• Some nifty auctions for autographed PRWF swag on ebay have come to my attention, and I would, in turn, like to direct your attention to them. Lord knows how I don't like to see collectibles languish, unsold. First up is this lovely headshot of the angelic Jessica Rey, also featuring a delightfully TACTLESS plug for her website.
  -Next up, if you feel like making your autograph heyday a REYday, consider also bidding on this lovely Spin-Morphin' figure, also autographed by Jessica. Not featuring any desperate plugs for hits, but still nice. I love that butterfly signature of hers.
  -And finally, this boxed set of the first wave PRWF figures, sporting the collective John Hancocks of all five core Rangers, Danny Wayne Stallcup, and Sin Wong. Cheap at twice the price, for all you salivating Jindrax fangirls.
  Chris notes: You may be wondering; Chris, why are you updating for this? Something you stand to gain nothing on? Because I was asked nicely by our dedicated beat reporter T-Dini. Like the Rolling Stones, I'm here to make an Emotional (Lightspeed) Rescue.
  Derik notes: These actions are awfully tame considering some of the things T-Dini has gotten from rangers over the years.
  Chris notes: But I don't think you can sell something social on e-bay. Maybe in Nevada.

• Mesa am mooey mooey sorry for our recent attack by devious Gungan hackers. No doubt this was in brutal retaliation for our slanderous attack on Jar-Jar Binks and Auld Lang Syne last New Years. Gungans have a laid back, relaxed take on revenge. Rest assured that no, that was not our last update.

• Jefferson Starship told us that no time is a good time for good-bye. And they would be right. I don't like having to give up my primary writing chores. But when I am physically shaking due to the amount of stress this is putting on my already taxed system, I think it's time to step back. Besides, my relationship with the 'verse was about as screwed up as the one in Miike's "Audition." I need this for myself.
  Chris notes: Back when I was a teenager, I used to spend my summers on Mackinac Island in Michigan. I'd work as a packer in one of the small fudge shops which dotted their main street. It was there that I first honed my prowess on the Simpsons arcade game. And where an elegant and worldly French piano instructor first taught me the meaning of love-- err, how to run a website.

• This past weekend a preview for Ninja Storm ran on ABC Family. The usual "we don't even have one episode in the can" mishmash of Toei footage, but it's worlds above the pap ABC Kids produces for their ad campaigns. So you'll have to wait until closer to February to get your first glimpse at PRNS #1: "Reconciliation! The Unbroken Franchise is Relocated? Go Now!" Until then, enjoy the encode at PRN.

• Go see the film Treasure Planet. Paul Schrier gets a special thanks at the end of the credits for what should be obvious reasons. And then go pick up a copy of Red Star Annual #1, jam-packed with Paul's delightful computer work.
  Goofy notes: Garwsh, what would a graphic artist be doing listed in a CG intensive film? A-hyuk.

• Chris Peterson and Will Mayberry have reopened the Secret Files of Ali Mac, and bring their pet website back to life. And good for them. Even if it no longer has the endorsement of Alison, it was a handy site to everyone's favorite -- Nuts. I never picked a coy word for her, like I did with AJJ. Anyway...
  Quisp P. notes: Random fun fact regarding Alison. In Germany, "Truth Discovered" was entitled "Die Schwester mit dem Busen."
  Derik notes: You had to ask your mom for help with that one, didn't you?
  Quisp P. notes: Totally.

• Will also took the time to show off his impressive culinary skills by producing this marvelous cake in the image of the Crimson Thunder Ranger.
  Jesse notes: I thought he was the Red Shadow Ranger.
  Chris notes: He was. The new production team changed the name Bandai selected.
  Derik notes: You know what type of cake that new Blue Ranger would be? GERMAN Chocolate. Master cake for the master race!
  Chris notes: I'd like to preemptively apologize for the slanderous words of my webmaster to all of our German friends out there, such as Dagmar and the good people at Power Rangers World...
  Derik notes: Stop sucking up to the Aryans! It will do you no good, Spanard!
  Chris notes: What have the Germans ever done to deserve your constant ridicule?

• Johnathan Custis is a really great guy. I just wanted to get a chance to say this before we board up all the windows and deadbolt the door. Polite, courteous, and helpful. We neglected to inform people weeks ago of Sarah Brown's appearance on the now very canceled Birds of Prey, or Brad Hawkins' turn on Fastlane (featuring PR's own Mark Richardson). But Johnathan still managed to get caps of both, along with Ilia's appearance on Fastlane. Two VR Troopers AND Master Org for the price of one? But that's not all. Since we acted now, we also got Archie Kao's last appearance on CSI!
  Sarah, Brad, Ilia, and Archie!
  Chris notes: Best of all? You can actually use these graphics, provided you credit him for his hard work. Like us, he believes in open source. Good man, he is. Indeed. Makes ya proud to still be in this fandom.

  -Johnathan also has a really, really, really amazing site dedicated to Power Rangers Turbo. That most maligned of incarnations, and Derik's very favorite season. This is just the kind of website I wish we had more of. It's all available here, and it's well worth a look.

• Going up two newsbytes, Eva Beckwith provides us with the following transcript from the Dallas Morning News, Friday, November 22, 2002, section 3J, from movie columnist Jane Sumner.

  "His classmates at Plano High School knew him as Dana Wroblski. But it was as Brad Hawkins that he guest-starred this week as a slick mobster on Fox's Fastlane series. Brad, who was discovered by Eddie Winkler, director of the teen broadcast division at the Kim Dawson Agency. launched his acting career in 1994 as the lead of VR Troopers, a spinoff of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. In 1996, he took a break to pursue his dream of a music career. During his three-year hiatus, he opened for the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and charted two Top 10 videos."
  Chris notes: Excuse me while I snigger pointedly at Brad's unfortunate real name.

• Mike Devine let us know Melody Perkins is continuing her trend of advertising for internet companies, this time throwing her lot in with the juggernaut that is Microsoft. Thanks for the cap, Mike. I forgot how to do that trick where you cap your own monitor. Derik, care to illuminate for the people at home?
  Derik notes: Hit 'Print Screen'. Then paste it into... anyplace.

• From the "astounding coincidence" department (as well as the "suck up to our lords and masters department"), something that can compare to such time-bending incidents as, say, the Wild West Rangers and Colonial Tommy. I bring you the oldest known drawing of Mickey Mouse. A 700 year old drawing from Austria. Yes, he appears to have a human (and disturbingly female) body, but there it is. The Austrian government is planning to challenge Disney's rights to Mickey.
  Derik notes: Stupid MTA guy needs a firm smack. Malta Mouse is firmly int he public domain, Wailt has every right to produce derivitive works which he owns. Matt notes: Reminds me of a joke I saw in a Disney Cartoon book where Walt was purported to have come up with the plot to "Masters of the Universe" in 1941. Chris notes: You still work here? Matt notes: Oh, crap, how'd this get *here*? Derik notes: I seem to think a lot of people need a smacking lately. Maybe I need conciling. Oh, and if Disney continues extending copyright law in congress, they could concievably infringe upon Malta Mouse eventually...

• So I'm on the Celebrity Breast Forum (I have hobbies outside of this fandom), and what should I happen upon but the following pictures of Katrina Devine from Atomic Twister. Name aside, she's charmingly well clothed for the entire duration. Extra special thanks go to Wonderboy, who I would have e-mailed for permission... Except you can't e-mail other posters to that forum. For good reason.
  Chris notes: For instance, my band is consuming large portions of my free time.
  Derik notes: Chris, that's a band of pirates.
  Chris notes: Aarugh, that we be matey, that we be...

  -Katrina's breasts are popping up all over the place! For those of you who happen to be a skosh naughtier than our usual clientele, the intrepid Ryan Johnson brings us some hot SKIN PICS of her from the Australian edition of Ralph magazine. Following in the brave footsteps of our Sentai brethren, Village Roadshow is. Maybe I'm daft, but does it look to anyone else like ol' Kitty here has lazy eye? I'm reminded of the rather charming description given men's magazines in the story Dance of a Lifetime. "It's not porn, but it's as close as legally possible."
  Derik notes: I just want a crack at the wiseguy who dubbed those things men's magazines, as though every man out there were just chomping at the bit to see partially clothed women.

• Our flash-facts section has been hereby locked down until further notice. And until somebody can scrounge up enough material on PRNS to make restoring it viable.

• A website recently had pictures of Jason Frank and his fiance available, but a slew of jealous cookie-dough-eating Oliverettes hissed and clawed until the poor webmaster was forced to take it down. PR fangirls are scary when confronting reality (that they'll never touch any of these people). The emotional disconnect those poor Yost fans have had to make ever since his sudden transformation into George W. Bush comes readily to mind. If said webmaster would like to contact me, we'd be glad to host the pictures here. This site exists specifically to invoke the ire of others.

• From the collection of our own Derik Smith, these scans of Australian MMPR and PRZ magazines. Of particular note is a completely different "Bad Reflection on You," a version of Doomsday far more in keeping with the Zyuranger finale, a comic which formalizes the UAE as an agency back in Zeo, and Klunk. Klunk is clearly intended as Orbus, from his bio. But I don't care. We have a canonical name for another Machine Empire robot, and screw internal logic. He's a Klank repaint now, baby. (PRAwiO)
  Chris notes: This kind of stuff is my OXYGEN. Almost as much as Monk/Sharona porn.
  Derik notes: I seriously want one of our Australian readers to drop us a line on whether or not this version of Doomsday might have actually aired in OZ. Like the reedited version of "Changing of the Zords" that runs in the UK. BTW, that's so wrong Chris.
  Chris notes: What intrigues me is that while the artists and writers of the Zeo magazine were clearly given visual cues for Ohranger, they got nada on Kakuranger beyond the colors of the team. Rito looks like Bones. My god- Delphine is blue. And check OUT those Battle Borgs. It's like ROM suddenly acquired the ability to grow. And this coming from someone who reads Lil' Bow Wow slash?
  Jesse notes: To help him in the battle with the Dire Wraiths, of course.
  Jarod notes: Rito looks like Dr. McCoy?
  Derik notes: Hank or Leonard?

• Stand and deliver. We made a passing comment as to how Serpentera would look on that sentai mech comparison chart, and Ray Calderon provides us one which actually includes the old girl. If you want it, here it is. Come and get it. But you better hurry, cause it may not last.
  Chris notes: Badfinger's right! PRC has been experiencing server troubles. And don't steal his graphics, bitches.
  Lynn notes: Give it a week and someone will make a site from this picture.

• Ray additionally graces the fandom with a fantastic little bit of flashware. It's PRC's "Top Ten Moments in PR History," and it's well worth taking a look. Though I would note that, were I compiling this, the Astro Megazord's "come get some" hand gesture to the Barillian Bug would SO be on there.
  Chris notes: Really, now that we're retired from the nuts and bolts of news reporting, there's no reason Derik and I couldn't do a special project like that for the site at some future date.

• Blake Foster returns to network television this coming Friday, with Fox's "Brady Bunch in the White House." Oh god, make the hurting stop. I give the first Brady Bunch movie credit for taking an already awful premise to its next logical step, but this is just sad. You can't do an already crummy premise all over, with the pretext that it's "kitsch." And this is coming from a fan of POWER RANGERS. But, um... Go Blake.
  Derik notes: So you'd rather they bring back an hour-long TV drama version of the Brady Bunch? Where Mike legitimately runs for State Senator? How soon you forget the fever dream that was CBS' "The Bradys."

• Farscape fans scare the crap out of me. Come to think of it, Farscape also scares the crap out of me. But you can't fault the tenacity of that fandom. While the likes of you were eating pudding like a bunch of cowboys as the Walt Disney Company destroyed nearly all of the props and paraphernalia used in PR, they were rallying to keep the Jim Henson Company from tearing down their sets. It's all available here. Thanks go to James Anatidae in rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc for calling this to my attention. And so I make this proposition to you, my friends. If things go south on Ninja Storm within the first ten episodes, we rally together and ride in to the rescue like some MacGuffin Wildzords. If nothing else, ads demanding the ousting of Doug Sloan and Ann Austin and the restoration of Jonathan Tzachor would be deliciously moronic in the eyes of the media.
  Chris notes: This sort of thing doesn't have a great track record of working historically, but that kind of movement from Gargoyles fandom did force Disney to acknowledge the god-awful Goliath Chronicles "never happened." Besides, I want to be Bjo Trimble.
  Derik notes: I think you mean 'Be PR's Bjo Trimble.'
  Quisp P. notes: Where have all the cowboys gone? Into Hershey's Cookies and Creme. A mouthful of cowboys in every bite.

• Do we have time to insult one more person before we go? I think so. Ronixis. Insane sixteen year old. One of those people who used to think Toonami was a way of life, and not just a shockingly successful marketing gimmick. Arguably the most entertaining Power Rangers fan of the last two years. Scope this action here. Then go read his website and have a good, long cry. You see, there's a "conspiracy" run by every major company to keep children's television bland and generic. As opposed to the actual one they have to rule the world. Clearly these heads of industry are about as intelligent as Captain Planet villains. What this paranoid little twat fails to grasp is that corporations partner when at all applicable in order to save as much money as possible. Michael Eisner is not scared of Thundercats. The only people scared of Thundercats are people with taste.
  Chris notes: Did you ever stop and think about Captain Planet's enemies? These are people that run companies whose sole purpose is to pollute. How do you think those board of director meetings go? Their quarterly market projections?
  Jesse notes: For that matter, what about Ziktor Industries? Its entire purpose is to breach the Reality Barrier! Karl's in another DIMENSION for half the business day! And his employees are all Skugs!
  Derik notes: To be fair, Thundercats boes have a real '1970's German Sci-fi porn' vibe to it. And scary-ass fans. Not just the furries, anyone that can expound on Mandora an an example of Thundercats didactic approach to humanism needs a good swat to the head.

• Oh, what the hey. One more mortal insult intended, and then we blow this joint. Mingy Muppet Dogma. An unfunny ten year old from Ray's message board with severe emotional problems. Not unlike the child in Del Amitri's "The Whole World is Quiet." This is the little boy who claims I've made up the entire contents of this site, and that Jesse is unreliable. He can look at PRSW and PR's TV Tome site, and claim it's all a fabrication. A bigger man might let this slide. But I just can't help spanking him like the unruly child he is. Check out el Mingyverse, which is just like our site and Snoops' el Warnerverse-- except so, so much worse. Fine line between being a scathing humorist and just being a jackass, folks. Learn your lessons now.
  Ellen Brand notes: Somebody needs to be strung up by his reproductive organs. Derik notes: Be fair, Chris. We don't know it was his UNCLE that molested him, like in the song.

• Running a site on the Internet is the most thankless task in the world. And with good reason. This is not a job. This is not an obligation. This is a hobby. This fandom has seen far too many webmasters forget their place, and start down the self-destructive path of pitying themselves and bullying others. And I have reached a point in my life where I feel I must bid you all adieu. For the last four months my grasp has exceeded my reach, and my health and emotional well being have paid the price for that. I simply cannot continue to run the Funaroverse under these conditions.
  
  Call it poetic justice that my retirement comes on the heels of Disney's dissolving MMPR Productions. I see this as the best possible breaking point for the site. I've watched people I care for lose their livelihoods, and it sours me on enjoying Ninja Storm as much as I should. We celebrated all that Power Rangers has been for the past two years. I leave it to others to chart where the series will take us now.
  
  Will we ever be back? I'd like to think so. I just have too much going on in my life at this time to worry about things like Jack Guzman's upcoming role as the live-action Mr. Clean. If nothing else, this site will not be shut down. I find the practice of dismantling old websites to be a bit distasteful, and counterproductive to the proliferation of material. And we still have a few surprises coming up, like our Q&A with Paul Schrier and a full summary of the original script to Doomsday. But I feel our days as a weekly news digest are over for the foreseeable future.
  
  I'd like to take a moment to thank my staff. The whole useless, good-for-nothing, poor-spelling lot of them. You've all been dear friends, and lord knows releasing you from your contracts isn't going to change that fact.
  
  But most of all, I'd like to thank the readers. You people have been a real inspiration to me, and it always did my heart good to know that someone out there cared about the work we did. Even if not one of you ingrates ever thanked me for the hell I went through securing the Chip Lynn interview.
  
  The final news update will be coming this weekend.
  
  See ya in the funny pages.
  
  CLF
  
  Postscript: A note to the wise, kids. Thank your webmasters while you still have them. Why not pop on over to PRC's comments forum, and leave Ray a nice note for the six years he's given this fandom selflessly? And then e-mail Jesse, and thank him for painstakingly transcribing each and every episode. Help control the pet population.

• Comic book superhero and Joe's Crab Shack spokesman Kyle Rayner was recently revealed to be "Secretly Hispanic" by his writer Judd Winwick. Which is to say, he discovered his long-lost father a secret agent of Hispanic descent. This shocked Kyle, who up until this point assumed to be lilly-white. Fans rallied against this revelation, claiming it's impossible for someone to be utterly aware of their ethnic heritage, and mocking it as a blatant attempt to add more color to the (very white) Justice League.
  So... I recently discovered while going through some of my father's old papers, that the Funaro crime family changed its name several generations back during an extended stay in Italy. We were originally... the Corderos. Ladies, gentlemen; I am secretly hispanic. This would explain where my natural skill as a hot-blooded lover came from.
  Derik notes: Now you can live out your life-long dream of speaking in awful unnatural "Spanish" dialogue, like Rocky does in all those fanfics!
  Chris notes: Madre de Dios!

• We here at the Funaroverse like to honor the hard work of fans who try to give a little extra something to our net community. And certainly at the top of that list are the hard working monsieurs and madames at France Five. These good folks work their butts off to produce a homemade Tokusatsu, and they do a heck of a job at it. Why not give them your patronage at their home page? My cheri amour...
  Quisp P. notes: Nothing like watching our fearless leader mangle the French language.
  Chris notes: Si! Danke gutt!

• More newsbytes are coming, but I'm too damn tired to write them. Expect everything else we're working on in a day or two. You try living the high stakes life of a supervillain, and see where it gets you...

• Theoretical Power Rangers alum (she counts more than a grip, but less than a voice actor) Chyler Leigh has made what can only be described as a staggeringly good career move. Within the space of two days, Khayman's wombmate successfully transferred from the sinking ocean liner that was Girl's Club to the viable Love Boat that is David E. Kelley's The Practice. I sincerely hope we don't have to report that show's cancellation in the near future.
  Chris notes: I'm not trying to pontificate here, but ABANDON ALL HOPE for this show. That girl, while ridiculously talented and adorable, is ratings poison!
  Derik notes: great resume, though. she'l have killed shows on three major networks, and had a moderately successful role in a feature film as the brainy chick who *didn't* get naked.
  Jarod notes: The likelihood she's going to refer to someone on an ABC program by a derogatory term for homosexuals seems much slimmer than it did on Fox. Even if she's basicly playing the same character.

• On November 30th, Blake Foster is going to be holding another one of those chats he's so famous for. Thanks to Dan for supplying this pic of the last time (here) Blake participated in one. Note the presence of his old helmet. More information is available here.

• Courtesy of the marvelous Johnathan (as opposed to The Amazing Jonathan), these caps of Ilia Volok's recent turn on Fox's Fastlane. He LOVED Bill Belamy! Loved him with all his heart! But then Richard Evans stole him away!

• You know, we like to joke about fanfics that paint Kat as the ultimate evil in the uñiverse, and the reason children and old people die. And then someone had to go and actually write about it. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... CRAP!
  Chris notes: So people say to me, Chris, I thought you were never going to do newsbytes about individual fanfics. And to that I say- not to PROMOTE them...

• Somehow, when constructing my newsbyte weeks ago on Melody Perkins' recent promotional work for Real Media, I neglected to make the obvious "Karoni" macaroni collage joke you were all expecting of me. I would like to take a moment to apologize.
  Derik notes: I don't get it.

• Johnathan Custis brings us yet another nugget of sentai mecha goodness. This guide to the scales of the sentai robos which have peppered Toei programs over the years. As is always the case in giant robot programs, this gauge is totally off. Even if those increments are meters rather than feet (which I believe they are). Recall PRLR. Dana's Rescuezord can hold several stories worth of cars. Now look at how small Lightspeed Rescue Megazord is. Even so, this pic is just horrifying. Imagine this fleet running towards YOUR house.
  Jarod notes: Imagine a fleet of a hundred or so Evil Space Aliens of comparable height running towards your house from the other direction. Scared now?
  Derik notes: Notice that since Serpentera wasn't a mech in Japan, it isn't included. That's a shame, because it would require at least the entire background of this picture just to get past its arms. And that's laying down.
  Quisp P. notes: What was Serpentera in Japan?
  Derik notes: Lovecraftian god posessed by the spirits of a dead yazuka crime family or something. Like I know from sentai.

• One of the questions we had been asking ourselves (when not on our quest to discover new and exciting woodchuck wood-chucking quotas) was how they were going to get the cover art to the forthcoming Ultimate Rangers DVD to span the various incarnations of PR. Some sort of hodge podge, like the original opening credits to season two? PrometheusUFO provides the moderately exciting answer. Behold! Mighty Generic Outline Rangers! I rather like this, truth be known. It keeps the various incarnations of the show in the background, which doesn't confuse stupid parents or former fans.

• Stephen! (KLANK! WHAM!) went to the trouble of encoding and zipping the legendary Dairanger exercise video. This is something I think every child should be forced to watch during Phys-Ed. For added weirdness, mute your computer and play Dr. Macdoo's Macahula Dance during it.

• One of the things we have a real dearth of in this fandom are websites dedicated to the sundry and varied thematic sister programs PR has. There are NO good Beetleborgs sites, there used to be a passable Masked Rider site (same with SSSS), and Rachel Dawson has a damn fine Mystic Knights shrine. Next Mutation fans are out of luck. But hey! There is one nice VR Troopers site out there, and so I thrust this lovely place into the limelight for you all to admire. Oh sure, a lot of stuff has been "coming soon" for three years and change, but at least it EXISTS.
  Chris notes: Sometimes, when I'm tired of the hassle of running this site, and I'm thinking of quitting because Derik never updates, I toy with the notion of doing a compendium to the Beetleborgs universe. Though only I would care...
  Jesse notes: I just spent the last hour looking for fan sites to Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters From Beverly Hills. Why aren't we getting paid for this?

• It's Election Day. And in that spirit, we encourage all US Fuñaroverse readers of legal age to participate in our great electoral process. Me, I'm going to be paying a visit to my surgeon, enjoying the ministrations of the device known as "the scraper." Which, when you really think about it, is pretty much the same thing as voting.
  Chris notes: I personally am voting for a man I remain confident can lead the great state of Minnesota into the 21st century. Mr. Robert Zimmerman.
  Derik notes: Who?
  Chris notes: Bob Dylan. Bear in mind, I also voted for Tommy as President in '00. I'm not much for partisan politics.
  Derik notes: Is he dead? I was never clear on that.

• Tommy thought he had defeated the remnants of the Machine Empire once and for all with the destruction of General Venjix. But he was mistaken. From out of the past arises an unstoppable juggernaut as our new executive producer. Prince Gasket returns, and woe to any who stand in his way. From this week's Variety, Yellow Lightning brings us this article on Ninja Storm. Spoilers ahoy. Like, right up through the introduction of the sixth Ranger.

  And in the spirit of the above, we present YOUR DENVER BRONCOS! Pau! Sally! Glenn! Adam! Jorgito! Grant! Katrina! The other Katrina! Cubby! Annette! Justin Timberlake!
  Jesse notes: All we could find on Adam was a listing for him as a bus driver on a show produced in, surprise surprise, Australia.
  Chris notes: I wasn't even going to attempt finding a site for Jason Chan. The name is just too common, and I didn't want to encourage disinformation regarding who we had joining the cast of our little spandex show. However, disclaimers applying, this gentleman seems promising. From the UK! Love, international style!

• You knew it had to happen sooner or later. Cute-as-a-button Khayman sibling slash sex partner Chyler Leigh's Girls Club has been canceled. Far be it from me to make any kind of crack at David E. "Snoops" Kelley's expense. I have nothing but bonhomie for the man who brought us such modern day fables as Lake Placid. A cautionary tale of what happens when Betty White has too much viagra in her cracklin' wild oat bran. And also, there's an alligator.
  Chris notes: In the space of one year, Chyler has killed TWO television shows on the Fox network. Me, I blame her doof husband...
  Jesse notes: I wonder if they'll be taking down those giant posters of her in the malls now? I'd totally want one for my house.

• Purdue is one step closer to building a FUNCTIONAL PLASMA TUBE. I swear, if some giant interdimensional head shows up prophesizing doom and destruction...

• I'm back now. As you can see, my webmaster (whose job it is simply to encode the painstakingly old-world crafted jokes I make) could not be bothered to update until I had been gone for THREE days. The complete travelogue to my recent vacation will be available in the near future. Derik is all atwitter waiting for its publication.
  Derik notes: 'old world crafted?' I thought you paid korean comedians .03 an hour under inhumane workign conditions...

• Ilia Volok has been making a name for himself. Master Org was recently seen on last week's Firefly (info courtesy of Ecliptor17), Robbery Homicide Division (the unflappable Jesse Herndon), and this coming Wednesday's Fastlane (T-Dini). We want caps. This is, to be fair, the kind of stuff Ilia had been going prior to PRWF, but it's nice to see the age-old taint placed upon PR alums isn't quite so strong on the good doctor.

• And while we're on the subject, RHD also recently featured Jennifer "Vypra" Yen, not to mention Steve "Darkonda" Kramer. Shame they couldn't have picked one of the more SUCCESSFUL CSI ripoffs, like Archie.
  Jarod notes: Uhhh... Archie's on the original CSI.
  Chris notes: Which is itself just a ripoff of Quincy.

• In a surprising change of pace, PRC's message board actually provided a rather good little discussion regarding the mythologies from which each of the Thunderzords are derived. Rather surprised nobody pointed out the White Tiger is a very revered figure in Indian culture.
  Chris notes: If you look at this in relation to the toy's tech specs, Zordon's little robots predate most of these mythologies by thousands of years. It's like how Japanese culture, writing, and spirituality were the result of Demonic Era artifacts -- when Earth was most likely used as a spaceport for alien cultures. Fascinating speculation, that.
  Derik notes: Robogoat is a MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE. That is SO messed up.
  Chris notes: Derik and I actually had a long discussion years ago on the newsgroup about the dragons of PR, and why none looked much like one another. This, of course, predated a real live dragon popping up on the show -- of the EUROPEAN stock.

• Well, I'm off to Las Vegas until the 27th. And that means Derik is in charge. Don't expect a single update until I get back, in other words.
  Chris notes: I love Vegas. Only city in the world where "International Superstar Rick Springfield" can be said with total sincerity in promotional materials.
  Derik notes: Hey- you're not back yet, and this is updated!
  Chris notes: I got online from Vegas to yell at you!
  Derik notes: Fine, go ahead and undermine my point.

• Best of PR. DVD collection. Seven eps. Warrior Jedah. PRC board. Can't be funny. My foot's already halfway out the door.

• Ryan Johnson brings us this news regarding Ninja Storm's production staff. Janine used to work on Action Pack shows. And I don't mean "generic crap hour-long action programs." I mean, she worked on REAL Action Pack shows! For Sam Raimi!

• Courtesy of the delightful Will Maberry, these additional scans from the Sentai Mech Artbook of scrapped designs. Not Zyu/Dai hybrid Zords, but still relevant to PR. First up is Gao Bat. Next up are Gao Mouse and Gao Horse from the finale, and their scrapped Megazord configuration. Your guess is as good as mine how this worked in practical terms. Note the Q-Rex inspired redesigned Gao Elephant, not to mention Gao Dolphin, Hummingbird, and Mole! Then there's the finale's very awesome Gao Peacock. Who is, as Derik guessed, an analogue to the Eaglezord. Gao Manta is the last of the finale's mecha, and along for the ride are Gao Warthog, and what looks like a totally new configuration based around the Falcon. Totally new legs, two new arms (Warthog's arm configuration looks like Digmon from 02!), Gao Bat hitching a ride, and a new head. Grife.
  Chris notes: You know what I love most about Japanese robot-oriented programming? They never lack for adjectives. Even the most mundane show becomes "FIGHT! Super Robot Equestrian Life-Form Mr. Ed!"
  Derik notes: Hrm, Geo Peackock looks nothing like the one considered fro PRWF's finale. (Before that was scrapped.)

• El Ceriñaverse update!
  Boy, there's a sentence we haven't had to use for a while. Our own diligent Derik Smith took note of the surprisingly well-clothed Ms. Vincent making a repeat performance on Howard Stern's Son of the Beach, this time changing tacts from nuclear coed to coed Madame. As opposed to naked coed. Let's hope Cerina gets some slightly more choice roles in the future. She seems like a nice girl, even if we do delight in tugging on her metaphorical pigtails. The episode in question is entitled "Witness for the Prostitution," if anyone is curious.
  Derik notes: Unlike AJJ, who we make fun of because she is a spiteful bitch.
  Chris notes: Dick Dietrich from Night Stand is on this show?
  Derik notes: Why else would I be watching it?
  Chris notes: I dunno, maybe the blatant cheesecake girls?
  Derik notes: ...

• Courtesy of Krissy (who'd very much like it if we'd plug her Catherine Sutherland site, available here), these rather startling pictures of Catherine being made up for her appearance in The Cell. Let it never be said PR alums aren't willing to suffer for their art.

• Knux Five brings us this amusing article from last month's Toy Fare Magazine. it seems one of the people behind the Transformers Armada line used to work on PR for Bandai. Megatron seems less than enthused by this. Poor Chad. He really *can* do the splits now.

• Damn you, He-Man!
  Derik notes: Properly- that's 'damn you MotU' Chris.

• Matt Williams brought us this article last week of particular interest to fans of the departed series Farscape. Or who are just giant freakin' shills for the Muppets (such as myself and Derik). I just remembered we had it in the backlog. Oops. EMTV is looking to unload the world famous felt-and-wire production, and among the prospective buyers is everybody's favorite media despot, Haim Saban!
  Chris notes: Um, when did Disney SELL the Muppets in the first place? This article makes a vague assertion to the fact that EMTV bought it from Disney... Why buy it back? Why even sell it to start with? Am I the only one to remember the hoopla when the merger took place? The Muppets at Disneyworld TV special, featuring Jim Henson's final performance as Kermit? Mmm... The Jim Henson Hour... Derik notes: Perhaps they dumped it during he late 90's, under pressure to increase profitability by shedding inactive liscences they were holding.
  Chris notes: Isn't Mickey Mouse an inactive liscence? What's the last real project involving him? Before House of Mouse... Mickey's Brain? And that was a short.
  Derik notes: Would you spend millions promoting a property about to enter into the public domain?

• And in related news, my man Snoop Dogg has been shamefully cut from the final version of the upcoming Very Muppety Christmas. Thanks to the good folks at Toonzone's message boards for calling this to our attention.
  Derik notes: I'm not one to encourage conspiracy theories, but notice Snoop gets cut out of a muppet movie while they're under the stewardship of GERMANS. I bet that new Blue Ranger is behind all of this!
  Chris notes: Uh, Derik? Australia...
  Derik notes: Australian Austrians! Hiding in PLAIN SIGHT!

• Folks ask me why I'm so cynical. Why my heart is blackened and cold. Why Cole is unable to use his empathy on me. This, ladies and gentlemen, would be why. Oh, the auction is over by now... But look at what he was trying to get for a FREAKING VHS COPY OFF OF NETWORK TELEVISION. People like that deserve some sort of finger torture.

• Look what David Yost! is up to! (Cyro)
  Quisp P. notes: *Ahem* 'Appearing in this production or in these photos is in no way an indication of any performers sexual orientation.'
  Chris notes: *rolls eyes*
  Derik notes: Congradulations David!!!

• Beonca brought us these additional pictures of Glenn, the latest piece of fresh meat to be thrown on the metaphorical PR barbie like so much... Ah... Fresh meat. Yeah. Right. Anyway, he's really very adorable and awkward, and I've no doubts Derik is writing slash about him even as we speak. Thanks, Beonca!
  Chris notes: Is it too early for us to be making fun of them? They might be amazing actors. But this guy looks like such a DOOF!
  Lynn notes: And Mustang Sally looks like Hansi: The Ranger Who Loved the Swastika.
  Chris notes: Earth Power! Wind Power! Aryan Power! Ninja Storm'll be WHACK.
  Derik notes: It's 'barbae' Chris.

• Power Rangers Network has managed to score a rather impressive scoop, bringing us two articles from New Zealand and Australian newspapers detailing members of our forthcoming PRNS cast. Meet Sally Martin and Glenn McMillan. Well, I must say they're certainly going for a different "look" to our alums this year. Glenn and his school chums put me in the mind of Power Rangers Britannia. Spot of Quidditch, anyone?
  Chris notes: Can't fault their investigatory credentials. This is shit we'd certainly never think to look for. But the SITE... So hideously over-designed...
  Derik notes: Just because our first site was pure HTML with no graphics doesn't make that right for everyone Chris.
  Chris notes: ...you're the one who thinks anything after HTML 2.0 is a sex crime.
  Derik notes: I know, I'm playing Devil's advocate.

• Timbo alerts us to these auctions for the Blue Shadow, Red Shadow, Yellow Ninja Storm, and Red Ninja Storm prototype figures. Love the color inversion in the Shadows especially. They look like something Astronema, or possibly Skull, would play chess with. And hey, no cheezy gimmicks on the first wave releases!
  Derik notes: By process of elimination, Sally is the Blue Ninja Storm Ranger. These prototypes eliminate Yellow NS, and Blue and Red Shadow. Yay, one extra guy!

• Johnny Yong Bosch is still diligently plugging away at a career in voice acting. Our own Lynn recently confirmed a small role in the "Ah! My Goddess" movie, and unsubstantiated reports have placed him as the young Prince Adam in a past episode of Toonami's He-Man revival. I'd make a joke about roles involving the name Adam, but my brain ceased to function a good five hours ago.

• Ellen Brand was noodling away at real.com when she noticed a certain someone's lovely face being used to peddle Real's (soft) wares. Haw! I slay me. Go to the main page (www.real.com) and see for yourself. There's no mistaking those lovely freckles. Be warned, though. Her picture is in three parts, for those of you angling to save yourself a copy. Slap 'em together! Make a collage out of macaroni!

• Batman goes down in the annals of PR history as the man to break the name of our new production company, now that MMPR Productions has been crushed by Dark Specter while Astronema slept. Give a warm PR fandom welcome to Village Roadshow Ltd., the company which gave us Hercules, Xena, and the first Matrix motion picture.
  Chris notes: You know what amuses me immeasurably? The way this site makes PR sound like a brand new series. Because to all of the people who will be working on it, it IS. PR has never *aired* in New Zealand, it was banned during season one!
  Derik notes: That never got lifted? Huh. Hey, does anyone know if shows produced in NZ are exempted from Australia's odd local production quotas?
  Quisp P. notes: Tee-hee, 'annals.'

• Devinemi reminded us that Archie, Ron, and Amy Jo aren't the only alums to currently be enjoying gainful employment. The delightfully pixieish Sasha Williams is currently working on a movie entitled Dark Wolf. Pictures of Sasha being turned into a werewolf are available here.
  Chris notes: I want vampire AJJ to bite werewolf Sasha. Then we'd get all sorts of crazy combinations, like that awesome Real Ghostbusters ep with the crossbreeds. Remember the werewolves that grew giant bat wings?
  Derik notes: Why has no one optioned Ghostbusters for one of those awful syndicated sci-fi shows? It's one of those 'perfect' concepts that requires no explanation for the viewer and produces great episodes.

• Timbo notified us that the Deluxe Red Lion; Deluxe Isis, and Deluxe Ultimus Megazords are now available at Amazon. Huh. Isis is $60 there, too. I thought FAO Schwartz was just ridiculously overvaluing the thing. Also, notice the review for Isis says it includes a RHINOX. Not a rhino. A Rhinox. Good lord. I guess Tankorr really is repenting for his sins during Beast Machines.

• Lydia Hunter swung by my palatial estate and left a note with my manservant Bulk, letting me know that Ron Rogge has a recurring role on ABC's new show MD's. Though he was in the original pilot (and subsequently cut), Ron's television premiere is in episode five. Get those VCR's ready for some hot Mitchell action, folks.

• General Takach brings us exciting news from *the future!* It seems Kickboxing Academy, Christopher Khayman Lee and Chyler Leigh's makeout debut together will soon be coming to video and DVD. Preorder it now! Yes, you can thrill to the first time Khayman kissed his own sister... But not the last...
  Derik notes: Look for Chyler in Fox's upcoming Girl's Club. Look for Khayman at the Piggly Wiggly, giving out samples of Hillshire Farm Little Smokies.

• Karan Ashley's manager has written a book about her meteoric rise to fame. Given that this site represents her a management, I'd say this guy is pretty much confirmed to be who he says he is. I must confess I'm utterly fascinated by what he would have to say. Not to mention that he apparently also discovered Erykah Badu.
  Chris notes: I loved Squatt and Badu. PR really lost something when Mallow and Sorich left.

• Amy Jo Johnson's vampire movie Cold Hearts is now available for purchase. I've no doubt the film contains too much metaphorical booty in the proverbial pants.

• AJJ's nekkid movie, Pursuit of Happiness, is currently playing on Starz. I couldn't think of any more spin for this film than we've already given it.
  Chris notes: I wonder if the PRU version of AJJ is related to TJ? And while we're on the subject of Johnsons, how could I have neglected to make a joke in the My Little Eye byte about "seeing Sean's Johnson?"
  Jesse notes: Your time is nigh. Go to bed, old man!
  Derik notes: I don't get it.

• And on the subject of Amy's NEXT movie that will get absolutely crap distribution and go immediately thereafter to video- Her film The Liars Club is currently playing in limited release in Chicago.
  Lynn notes: And all the psudo-porn shots I had to wade through to actually find that info.... the horror! I need therapy now.
  Derik notes: Now?
  Chris notes: Hey Lynn, you're in Chi-town. You go see it.
  Lynn notes: How much you paying me? It better be worth my time not to mention the expensive as all hell theater.
  Chris notes: Oh, now you all want to be PAID?

• Cool news. On the heels of Sunday's Red Rangerthon, ABC Family is giving Best of Power Rangers a well deserved daily slot! Oh, it's the same old season one pre-GWE dross none of us liked to begin with, but it's better than the 400 times we've seen Never Give Up and Lionheart this month, right? 8:30 EST, kids. Be there, or be marginally more square than you already are for being a Power Rangers fan over the age of ten. Major thanks to Matt for breaking this.
  Chris notes: The big question is why they're skipping High Five. It contains nothing particularly objectionable post-9/11.

• As you may well know, the Funaroverse is a nonprofit website out of necessity. Because we would be sued down to our mucus membranes if we tried. So our work here is subsidized, like public broadcasting, through donations and our for-profit endeavors. These subsidiaries include Wüf brand dog food, the Girls of Many Nations Party Line, and Smutty Joe's Smutorium. And today we're pleased to announce a new addition to the Funaroverse family of auto dealerships. Welcome to Planetnaboo, Power Rangers Spoiler Warnings!

• So. Forever Red has finally aired, and I think it was at least as exciting as that new ostomy paste that doesn't get all cementy. Let's all take a moment to give our thanks to the good people at MMPR Productions, and particularly story editor Amit Bhaumik. Episodes like this don't just hide among the contents of a produce truck, waiting for Turbanshell to consume them. And, to clarify this once and for all, that was the real Danny Slavin in the episode. He was edited in during post-production. No stock footage of "The Slav" was used outside of his morphing sequence.
  Chris notes: I'm still not totally convinced this episode isn't an elaborate hoax.
  Jesse notes: Tommy has hair like Fido Dido now.

• Prometheus UFO alerts us to this article on the recent appearance of the Power Rangers (ie: five lunks in suits) at Time Square's Toys R Us to commemorate the show's tenth anniversary. Ray Calderon helpfully provides these pictures of the event and generic autographed photo for the kiddies. This has got to be the weirdest promotional tie-in since P. Diddy did his "All About the Bennigans" campaign.
  Derik notes: Ray's pics might be temporarily unavailable, there's been a snag while switching servers that should be corrected presently.

• And while we're on the subject, I don't know what the hell kind of promotion this company was putting on involving some chump in a Wes costume, but it's too damn early to be illuminating a Christmas tree. Still, they did recognize Jen is the leader. Thanks to Rachel Trench for bringing this to our attention.

• Is Archie Kao going wild again, as Kais are wont to do? Why, I believe he is. Aaron Thall noticed Arch in last week's People Magazine, where he's listed as being a cast member of CSI. Not just a recurring character, a cast member. Next up, Vickie Marlin alerts us to Archie's appearance on this week's episode. Hey, cut me some slack. You still have... What, two days to get your tapes ready and make some caps? And finally, as anyone with a pair of eyes who watches the end credits noticed, Archie appeared in Forever Red as the voice of General Venjix. That's what we like to call a hat trick.

• Our thanks go to Jarod, or as we like to call him around these parts, "The Alabama Slammer," for getting this update online in the absence of my no-good webmaster. Kids today. Isn't that always the way? They make time to quip and make hilarious bon mots...
  Jarod notes: That's just my name until I can legally change it to Jarod Jerusalem Intrepid Reporter and Eater of Puppies.

• It's ten in the morning. I'm hunkering down to enjoy Plinko with a big bowl of Team Cheerios. Nothing can ruin my good mood. Then our man Matt Williams throws this steaming turd in my cereal, and my day is ruined. From the New York Post (so you already know it's slightly more reliable than the Enquirer, but less reliable than Inside Edition), an article on the possibility of... Wait for it... Wait for it... Disney-Time Warner. Aaaaaah!
  Matt notes: A major point of contention in even discussing this hypothetical merger is that AOL Time Warner would have to spin off its cable assets to comply with regulations barring ownership of both cable systems and broadcast networks. And Time Warner Cable provides service to a number of states.
  Chris notes: Wonder how they got around starting The WB, then?
  Derik notes: Disney and AOL-Time Warner. A partnership just slightly less tumultuous than the Gene Simmons/Shannon Tweed marriage.

• On the subject of happier news, Ray Calderon was recently interviewed by the Orange County Register for a forthcoming article on the tenth anniversary of Power Rangers and that fake JDF episode I don't really believe is happening. Congratulations, Ray! You've graduated to the prestigious level of being PR fandom's Bjo Trimble. And everybody living in Orange County, California... Try and keep a lookout, all right?

• In the interest of brevity, sometimes elements included in the original scripts to episodes have to be excised. Such is the case with the hastily introduced Jungle Blaster in Team Carnival a few weeks back. Fortunately, the always dutiful Amit Bhaumik was there to provide us with the missing scene explaining its origin, and a blast from the proverbial Power Past.
  Alyssa notes: You're AMAZING, White Tiger!!
  Jarod notes: You think that's amazing, you should have seen him that time in Alaska, at the army base, fighting those cyborg terrorists. That was amazing!

• As you know, we here at the Funaroverse like to affect change peaceably. Like the wuss little brother on the WB's smash hit series Khayman's Creek (Rue Mcclanahan! Woo!). Such was the spirit in which we tried to make PRO less graphics-intensive. And so shall it be here. I was unaware Power Rangers Network existed until a few weeks ago. Look at it. LOOK AT IT! Wipe that blood out of your eyes and keep looking!! I want to like this site. They're hosting encodes of episodes by Will, and you know we all love Will. But gul-durnit... Graphics that take two minutes to load doesn't make your site good. Content does.
  Lynn Notes: Having buttons which lead to things would also be nice. About half the stuff off the main page doesn't work. Because they're trying to recruit people to do it.

• In an incredibly weird turn of events, I got a congratulations in the course of a Forever Red essay. I'm not entirely sure just what I did, but let's not look a free thanks in the mouth. Seriously, check this site out. Especially the essays on the cabal controlling the animation industry in the US. It's worth it. It's like watching somebody have a complete psychotic breakdown in text.
  Jarod notes: When did Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy become the same person?
  Chris notes: I think about the same time Fox "Galidor/Beast Machines/Cyber 6/Digimon/Los Luchadores/Ninja Turtles/Round the Twist" Kids became the last staple for American children's programming.
  Jesse notes: My name is Herndon! HERNDON! I AM NOT DAMON'S BROTHER!
  Derik notes: Seriously, while I'm even tangentially on the subject: The new Thundercats comic blows. This is why "fanfic" tends to be used as an insult in some circles.

• The lumbering masses at the PRC board have done it again, this time digging up a really nice poster of the Zeo Rangers from Totally Kids magazine, and what appears to be the first printed reference to the then-forthcoming Turbo motion picture. Of course, this also means they automatically assumed there was a Zeo movie on pike...
  Chris notes: Going to make a quick PRZ rant. Pardon the intrusion. You know, even Atari had the presence of mind to crush all their unsold cartridges before they sealed them up in cement and shipped them off to the dump. Billy leaves valuable, irreplaceable Megazord components lying around the Angel Grove dump unguarded. Just waiting for a battalion of Cogs to come and try to steal them. And last time I checked, Atari wasn't in the habit of using Eltarian technology. That was 3D0.

• Because I love you all so very, very much-- The single greatest MMPR:TM review in history. X-Entertainment is also a great fun site in general. Their shocking expose on Kid Cuisine totally blew the lid off that Swanson Dinners profiteering scam.
  Chris notes: And led to the single greatest sentence in history being spoken by the FBI. "I don't know what the VanDeKamps people are paying you, but I'll double it."

• Special thanks to my man Dan for finding us this site. Not only do they seem to be boasting a dubbed version of the final Gaoranger, but they also have a parody trailer for Ninja Storm. Worth a peek, unless you're on a crappy dialup like some of us.
  Derik notes: There's a sentai dubbing project? Why was I not informed?
  Chris notes: Because you think Sentai sucks?
  Derik notes: Actually, while 2 years ago I'd have said that Sentai was stuck in a 12 year rut of rehashing tired ofld material, I think it's managed to reinvent itself over the last 2 years with different pacing and episodic style, become more mecha focused.
  Chris notes: ...hasn'T PR become LESS mcha-focused in the last 2 years?
  Derik notes: Oh yes, the 2 series are heading in completely different directions. It's facinating to watch.

• Nora Melancon took a moment to let us know that Daniel Southworth is doing stunt work for the upcoming Frankie Chang movie "The Tuxedo." He apparently appears in the HBO behind the scenes special. Poor Daniel also finds himself in the ignominious position of having to teach the ghoulish Jennifer Love Hewitt how to fight. Or at least fake a punch for the close-ups until they can put a small Asian man in a wig and a dress. Man, why couldn't Dan get some decent work in a Jackie Chan flick? Jackie's square-jawed nephew? Street thug #4?
  Derik notes: Yah, I remember when Melancon escaped from the X-Vault. Good episode, that. Had this weird fixation on the Quantum Ranger...

• Last minute Forever Red update!! You know all the idle bitching I'd made about how ABC Family has effectively ruined this episode for me? Well, that doesn't mean we won't host our own images from the promos anyway. Courtesy of our own Jesse Herndon, an bagload of caps from the .60 and .30 versions. (PRAwiO)

• It's that time of the year again. When boys like Linus stake themselves out a spot in the ol' pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arise. And when men like Derik lurk in the pumpkin patch, waiting for boys like Linus. It's in this festive spirit that Eva Beckwith brings us Zoltan, the monolithic cucurbita pepo who just happens to sound like Zordon and Zoltar's OTHER brother. The Fredo of their Corleones. Or possibly the name of a grade-z stage magician.

• In the pursuit of perpetual wackiness, sometimes we inadvertently crib material from sources without being consciously aware of it. Such a situation was brought to my attention this past week. My new roommate is an insane fan of the series "Friends." Imagine my horror when, during one of the incessant reruns of the program which air locally, one of those overpaid, overrated actors discussed "Naked Wednesdays." I have no idea where I'd first been exposed to it. And so I extend my most sincere apologies for each of you. You deserve better than watered over Must See TV jokes.

• You know, every so often we ask ourselves why in the world PR never produced a genuine breakout star. Cerina's career seems purely limited to what's in her shirt, AJJ never went anywhere in particular, and even the Junoesque Ms. Valerie Vernon has yet to commercially release her country album. But then I'm reminded of the good folks at Jerry Bruckheimer's studio. CSI is, after Burger King and warm park benches to sleep on, the only thing keeping Archie Kao alive. And now they've gone and extended the hand of salvation to another. Walter Jones put in appearance on this past Thursday's episode as a drag racer. Always good to know Zack Taylor is doing marginally better for himself than Zach Galifianakis.
  Chris notes: Look for Richard Genelle and Gregg Bullock in starring roles on the forthcoming CSI: Edmonton. A show awash in the hearty stink of bacon and mounties.

• On the opposite end of the spectrum we find a star who sank to the depths of everyone's favorite mediocre children's television series. Well- the mediocre motion picture debut of everyone's favorite superheroes, anyway. Paul Freeman put in yet another appearance on this week's ER as Dr. Corday. Standard rules apply for both these bytes. Any of you good folks have snaps, we'll happily host them for you. And thanks to Eurydice for sending both our way.

• Eury also chipped in this scan of Hilary Shepard-Turner's fashion bout with Claudia Schiffer in the recent People Magazine "best dressed" issue. Gee, that's not even remotely one-sided, is it? Sheesh. Still, Hil's keeping herself in good shape.

• Alyson Kiperman and Jason Frank's episodes of Undressed have recently begun airing in the UK. Standard disclaimer here. If anyone, particularly Jason38uk, happened to get some snaps of this, we'd love to see them.

• Joe Rofang recently brought to our attention the fact that the Thunderzord toy boxes actually contained bios and tech specs for the fleet. Transcription is available here. One of the down sides to actually opening up your toys and playing with them is that you can forget crazy crap like this. Dragonia? Indestructible? Reasonably authoritative proof that Zordon created the Thunderzords five thousand years before his legendary battle with Rita?
  Chris notes: I choose to view the whole Thunder/Dinozord situation as being not unlike how the Animal Crystals of the Wild Force Rangers animate the Savage Cycles with sentience. Alpha saved enough of the Dinozords to keep them "alive," and their spirits ride into battle to activate the Thunderzord bodies Zordon had prefabricated.
  Jarod notes: To be fair, the only parts of the Thunder Megazord that fell off were the parts that attached TO the Red Dragonzord. The Zord itself might very well be intact.
  Jesse notes: I bet Dragonia is where the Kingdom of Kells is located.

• And while we're on the subject of the Dino/Thunderzord situation, Johnathan Custis brings us additional pictures from his Toei mech guide, this time spotlighting Titanus in Space, the Red Mobile Armored Vehicle, and some sort of odd serpent-zord. What in the blue bloody blazes would that be? Designs for the Serpentera toy? The dad-blasted thing didn't much resemble the show, but were the possible designs that drastic?

• If you've ever had a mad posh to look at the cast poses from the PRWF opening without those pesky letters getting in the way, you've lucked out. Courtesy of Jesse, it's caps from Disney's textless feed of ABC Kids. Yes, they actually feed them without text. Proud Family's feed even omits words on signs and objects. Is it the redneck feed?

• Last week a call was put out to you, our loyal Fuñaroverse readers. And in a landslide victory, Kelly Clarkson defeated Jus-- wait, wrong call. We asked if any of you could substantiate the claims of Alison MacInnis appearing on Unsolved Mysteries. This is one of the reason we need to institute some sort of a memo policy, folks. It seems our own Quisp P. Peterson was well aware of this fact. Not only did Ali appear on UM, but she also popped up on the Andy Dick Show. Yes. Well. Um. Ahem...
  Quisp P. notes: If nothing else, I want to see her humiliated by or in the presence of Andy. I'm owed that much.
  Chris notes: I'm reminded of the time a female acquaintance of mine was sent my photograph, and replied that I reminded her of a nude Andy Dick...
  Derik notes: You know, Andy Dick is much what I imagine Elgar looks like naked...

• This month, Danny Delgado takes the reins as the new Captain America! Max Cooper, no stranger to blue uniforms, is the Bucky for a new millennium! Just some of the goodness you can expect to see, should Disney's tentative buyout of Marvel Comics goes through...
  Chris notes: Just think, George Rodd would get his wish of a PR After Dark, via Marvel Max...

• In news which pertains to nothing, I watched my first episode of Ultraman Tiga today. My god, I had no idea the BBC was still making Dr. Who episodes! That involve giant monsters, and a silver guy from outer space who fights them. And no jelly babies. It's beautifully clear, but the effects budget looks to be around ten dollars.
  Chris notes: The Fox Box promotional machine makes me think of some kind of syndication package that airs on Sunday mornings at 5 AM, right after fishing shows, on some obscure channel in the UHF range. I fully expect a Fantastic Max revival to hit the airwaves in due time.
  Derik notes: Screw Fantastic Max, I want a Mighty Max revival. One of a handful of really good US animated shows of the early 90's...

• You know what I remember best about the halcyon days of my youth? A time when people weren't spoiling us about EVERY FRICKIN' THING pertaining to Forever Red. Enough already! I'm talking to you, Jason Frank! I'm talking to you, ABC promotions! Some things are meant to be savored, like your graduation, or when you lose your virginity on the PRTF Time Blaster! I don't want the cliff's notes! Sigh. Anyway, Prometheus UFO was a dear, and is currently hosting a RM and snaps from the latest ad ABC Family has thrust upon us.
  Jesse notes: Forever Red, brought to you by Dr. Pepper Red Fusion and Mountain Dew Red Alert!
  Chris notes: I would seriously kill to see an ad during the course of this ep with Rocky, Justin, Kai, and the rest hocking Pepsi Blue. It's LIQUID GUMMI
  Derik notes: What is this Dr. Pepper 'Red Fusion' you speak of? I like Dr. Pepper, is it good? DP strikes me as a hard taste to reflavor...

• This weekend's episodes of Lightspeed contained several edits; among them Vypra's luring the Rangers out in the open to confront Ryan. By blasting a building. If someone would like to illuminate me on what else got cut, I'd muchly appreciate it.
  Chris notes: You kids want to know the REAL REASON why the Titanium Saga isn't being run in its entirety on ABC Fam? The Darkside Connection's debut. The explosive feathers, and the quarantine placed over the city. The ep isn't AIRABLE in this climate. Which sucks, because Falcar is one of my favorite PR characters ever...

• I'm a simple man, with simple needs. I want big bucks and no whammies, I'd like a sandwich right about now, and I'd love to meet One Life to Live's Melissa Archer. But, as Mick and Keith so sagely told us, you can't always get what you want. So instead I'll settle for a surprise appearance by David Guzman, PRiS/PRLG's Runtus! Our lovable black arms dealer slash part-time North Pole employee cameoed on last night's Emmys, boffing Larry King with a puffball full of makeup powder.

• Matt has just written a treatise on the headaches caused by the current ABC Kids scheduling problems plaguing the country, and his theoretical solution. We recommend you go read it, as what he's saying is really quite reasonable. The phenomenal successes of Rugrats and Toonami prove his point. Or the fact that the new He-Man and Transformers have exclusive runs on CN.
  Chris notes: And congratulations go to Matt, who has just become the official webmaster for Toonzone's Adult Swim website! I've no doubt he'll soon regale us all with tales of how he's read by more people in the space of an hour than we are all year...
  Derik notes: They grow up so fast.

• Jonathan Custis recently purchased a sentai art book on ebay. Included therein was what seems like a holy grail in PR fandom's quest to try and comprehend just what was going through the minds of Saban and Toei executives in 1993/94, as the phenomenon of Power Rangers unexpectedly exploded. While the cross-communication that resulted in the "Zyu2" footage is reasonably well known, this new piece of information may be a Rosetta Stone. Ladies and gentlemen- Redesigned Dinozords, labeled "Power Rangers." (Geo shuts down high-traffic sites, try the mirror too.) Especially telling is that the sixth mech in the system is a barely modified White Tigerzord from Dairanger. Were Toei and Saban at least conceptualizing adapting Dairanger elements, while continuing to shoot US exclusive Zyuranger footage? A hypothetical "Zyu3?"
  Chris notes: All of this artwork contains Japanese text. It might lend a clue. Derik, remind me to e-mail Miko in the next couple of days?
  Derik notes: While this is all very interesting, I should note that a Japanese art book for Transformers also contains pictures of what it would have looked like if Rodimus Prime were a fire truck. Sometimes a tree is just a tree. Even if it's a German-exclusive Piranhatron figure.

• As a good many of you know, Kate Sheldon had some nebulously defined role in the film Bring it On (which PRC's board would have you think made the AFI's top one hundred films of all time). Our dedicated Sheldonphile Chris Peterson put himself through the torment of watching the film over and over again until he could bring YOU some proof positive Kate was in the movie. With her natural hair color, no less. And thanks to the good folks at PRAwiO once again for hosting duties.
  Krispy notes: My god, it was so horrible. That opening chant, before Mary Jane Watson loses her top... I swear, it's going to haunt me for the rest of my days! It's in my head, Chris! It's IN MY HEAD!!

• Who says Alison MacInnis isn't going places? An inhabitant of a web board I don't frequent is reporting an appearance of the always coifed Ms. Mac on Unsolved Mysteries, playing a corpse named "Wendy" dredged up during a case update. Anybody who actually talks to Ali want to substantiate this for us?

• For those of you grousing about what happened to the Power Chamber schematics Tim hosted, we're delighted to let you know that he's put everything on one central index page for ease of use. Tim's just an angel. And a mad hottie. He gets chased around by adoring fans at least as much as Jesus (aka the White Ranger) and Ultraman do.

• Our own Derik Smith is prone to sudden unexpected e-floodings from Japanese spammers selling him things of indeterminate use and origin. We're uncertain as to just why Derik gets these letters; as uncertain as Derik is about what they're trying to sell him.
  Derik interjects: Near as I can figure, they're either hocking toffee candies, or vacations to Thai sex-hosues... They are very loud, very busy, and very, very pink. It was in that spirit that we proudly present to you our new Funaroverse design!
  Lynn notes: I want it made abundantly clear that I had nothing to do with this, lest anyone decide to pin it on the chick.
  Chris notes: Trust me, we have people other than Lynn running around here who have a predilection for the color pink, or Thai sex hosues. Or toffee.
  Derik notes: No actually, I don't like toffee.

• PRAwiO is hosting a lengthy series of caps from 1998's Fox Kids/Family Affiliates Meeting. Featured therein are Haim Saban garbed as a milkman, a calf with a penchant for sniffing anuses, and a whole bunch of surprises you'll just have to see for yourself. Annotations for most of these pictures provided by the unflappable Jesse Herndon.
  Jesse notes: When you're a Stack, you're a Stack all the way! From your first cigarette to your last dying day!

• We're just going through newsbytes like Jennifer Garner goes through falsies. This week's issue of People Magazine (the best and worst dressed of 2k2) features PR alum Hilary Shepard Turner in a face-off against CLAUDIA SCHIFFER, of all people. You can guess who won the vote. Somebody wanna go buy a copy and get us a scan before the next issue is out? This might be the first and last time Hilary gets in a major publication.

• We're back on planetnaboo, and all is right with the world. Our thanks go to Jarod for finagling everything back to the previous status quo. Our additional thanks go to Buta-chan for tolerating our incessant yammerings for the past month or so.
  Chris notes: Hey Jarod, does eating chicken all the time ever get boring?
  Jarod notes: No, not when it's a great new taste from Subway!

• The fall television season is upon us. Until reruns start in Mid-October, in anticipation for the networks' collective November Sweeps push. Damn politics. And in the span of two days, two relics of Power Rangers make their presence known on some new programs. First up, Grant High School (better known to you as Angel Grove High) has gotten a choice slot as the high school on the WB's new show Do Over.
  Chris notes: I really, really want this show to succeed. I loved the Al Steiner porn it was adapted from. I can't wait to see the concessions they'll have to make to turn Aftermath into a weekly series!

  -And in a double-triple reference, the discarded uniforms from Starship Troopers which were used for GSA Troops in PRLG (and later modified for the two Time Force prison guard uniforms in PRTF and Reinforcements From the Future) have now been given a warm and squishy home on Joss Whedon's new series Firefly.
  Jesse notes: God, I have no faith in this show's survival. They started with the second episode. The series had two discarded pilots shot already!
  Chris notes: And also, Ben Edlund is a producer. When he could be doing better things, like producing that Tick movie. Or just finishing Tick #13. Traitor.

• If there's one thing that stings worse than when they installed my Prince Albert, it's when we print a mistake. So, given our track record, you can imagine how many hours of the day I spend in pain. John Green dropped us a line to let us know that his site's domain has changed to www.grnrngr.com. Consider our hot link changed accordingly.

• Go visit the official site for The Red Star, a comic which has included the CGI contributions of PR's own Paulie Schrier. As an incentive, check out this (flattering) picture of Paul included in the second trade paperback. Chef Boyardee would be proud.

• General Takach reports a fascinating blunder regarding the US Lunar Wolf Ranger costume. It has an extra band, denoting Merrick's place in the team dynamic. What does this mean? Beats the heck out of me. If we were to be literal minded, it means we've never MET the sixth intended Wild Force Ranger...
  Krispy notes: If even one of you brings up the Chromaline Titanium Ranger, I swear somebody dies.

• This has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but Derik and I just discovered that the Astro Megazord Digizord came in three different colors. Basic blue, PRLG Microverse Playset red, and WHITE. Naturally, this tiny little picture fueled our curiosity. If anyone out there has some information on where we might find a reasonably inexpensive (and MOC) Albino Digizord, we'd much appreciate it.
  Derik notes: Wait, you didn't know the Digizord came in 3 different colors?

• Fulfilling the dreams and desires of a man who was at the time talking out of his bag, Athers' Power Rangers Library is now online. Please go there. Right now. And start sending them your fanfiction. She has a design I love, she has quality control, she has a staff... She's our last, best hope of getting a new central fanfic archive back up and running, after the fall of Cynthia's site.
  Chris notes: Plus, if you're leading a boycott against Xing's current practices at ff.net, as our own Lynn has taken to do, this is just a nice alternative. Fanfiction.net has not only encouraged mediocre writing to flourish, but it's also killed the neighborhood fanfic archive. Please think of the kittens.
  Derik notes: Objectively, a site like this is what we'll need after the inevitable fall of ff.net. It was too big of a target; too ambitious to remain untouched by litigation. Fandoms need their own individual central archives, not a main hub. While small archives usually fall (Paladar's comes to mind), at least the pieces can be picked up. Athers gives us the best features of that site, tailored specifically to PR.
  Chris notes: Well, except for reviews- which gives us a chance to plug Selma's PR Fanfic Recommendations site again...

• Tim stands and delivers once again, bringing us two fresh new Klank comic scans. I like how he gets his own special little masthead on these. "KLANK!" It makes me think of the band WHAM! Make it big, baby. Make it big.
  Derik notes: These comics, simple as they are, provide a wealth of fascinating information regarding the Machine Empire. Like the fact that they can ingest raw materials and digest them for nourishment.
  Chris notes: You just like the fact that "screw," "tug," and "strain" are all sound effects used in it, 1960's Batman-style.
  Derik notes: Well, that too.

• Save for the fact that Judd Lynn is really really really good looking (like Derek Zoolander!), we really don't have any idea what the production end of PR looks like. That's why this is such a marvelous treat for the masses. Courtesy of the good people at Princesshayla.com, it's the fandom's first known image of Jonathan Tzachor. Boy needs to get something to eat, he does.

• Prometheus UFO gleefully provides us with the latest two Ninja Storm casting scriptlets. Tori/Shane number one and number two. And then mentor (and gerbil daughter) Kim number one and number two. Thanks man!
  Chris notes: Ya know... At least Stanton and Trakeena's were REUSED from PRLG. Kim is a name reuse with an incarnation-specific casting side.
  Derik notes: Glad I didn't have to buy them for once. Showfax was catching on to the fact that I never auditioned for anything.

• This is tangentially related to the show at best, but boy am I glad I never ended up buying those MMPR strawberry milkshakes. Yes, I had every intention of drinking them. On film.
  Jarod notes: What Jim Jones did for Kool-Aid, Chris Funaro does for milkshakes.

• And now we know the real reason why the Mutorgs fled back to the year 2002. They had a copy of the reputed original PRLG #32, featuring Patricia Ja Lee instead of Melody Perkins. Our congratulations go to mutated Org General Takach, and we look forward to high grade RM's of the bootleg.
  Chris notes: This is less funny than Scorpion Rain, but more funny than when people claimed we were behind Forever Red. Who made that accusation, again...?
  Derik notes: In an unrelated note, our condolences go out to longtime PR fan Aaron Thall over the loss of his feline life-partner.

• www.fanfiction.net announced friday that in one month's time they will delete every NC-17 fanfic from their archive. In addition, fan stories in several other categories have been and are being removed. This in response to complaints that minors are accessing adult-rated stories, effortlessly sidestepping the various safeguards in place to keep them from doing so. Kids today, so precocious. In response there's an online petition to pressure ff.net to reverse the decision.
  Chris notes: I figured out what Pepsi Blue tastes like, it's like drinking a gummi worm! It's Liquid Gummi!
  Lynn notes: See this is where those fandom specific archeives will come in mighty handy.
  Derik notes: Of course, the aforementioned well-meaning petition is hopelessly wrongheaded. Voices need to be raised not in protest, but support. ff.net has expanded to the point that its majority population is no longer the hardcore fic writers who so flocked to it for what it was- a free central archive with bitchin' options like chaptering and reviews where authors could easily meet and critique. The kind of complaints leveled against ff.net, by their very nature, come from fiction consumers, not producers. Producers value the freedom to produce and share anything much more than consumers do.
  Chris notes: ...you're saying that second quartile users are oppressing first quartile users. A small vocal minority is ruining things for everyone else.
  Derik notes: Welcome to America. Of course chances are some of the pressure being brought to bear on ff.net is coming from cause-heads who've never even used the site, and are merely offended by the idea of something that has no actual bearing on their lives.
  Jarod notes: Also, ff.net has made itself a lightning rod for this kind of attack simply by virtue of being the monolith that it is. That runs both ways, it attracts and weathers flack that would probably shut down a small, single-fandom archive, but at the same time it takes hit after hit. What's really needed is another fanfic site of Comparable size to confuse critics. It's difficult to bring pressure to bear on multiple fronts at once, thus why the music-sharing groups are targeted one-by-one, not all at once.
  Derik notes: Here's a game I like to play. If XXX Powerpuff/N'Synch stories should be banned, how about a tender, if explicit, fan-sequel to The Blue Lagoon? Or a G-rated Backstreet Boys story spoofing Blues Brothers? Still sure where the line should be drawn?
  Lynn notes: Uh, Derik? Under FF.net's new rules, none of those stories would be allowed, not even the G-rated one.
  Derik notes: Huh. Food for thought, that. Rock the vote kids. Vote for your favorite candidate, not for who you think can win, and help reduce the ambient level of stupidity in this country. Until the populace can no longer be played against itself, we remain slaves to a systerm that cannot recognize more than two diametricly opposed views at once.

• Are you (yes, you. with the face) frustrated and agitated about your ABC affiliate reslotting the airing of Power Rangers in your area? Are you too frickin' lazy to consult with Excite-TV or our own, admittedly lackluster, schedule? Need to make absolutely sure that Turn of the Wretched Wrench hasn't come on the Best of PR rotation yet? Look no further, friends, than Burgundy Ranger's brand new PR On-Air Central, a service whose scope and ambitious would probably kill a lesser man. I do not envy the task ahead of you, Burg. It makes me all the happier we never tried to move up to actually using graphs on this site.

• As you know, the Internet Movie Database is, at best, a shot in the dark. It stands about as much chance of being right about forthcoming projects as a random person you might stop on the street and ask. But there are exceptions. Or at least times when someone supplies something plausible enough that we take note. Included with a production code under guest appearances in the IMDB entry for Wild Force is a young boy's role in the season finale. And a title for said finale. Go look for yourself, if you cotton to some spoilers.
  Chris notes: Ouch. Darkly ominous titles, anyone?

• Saturday's second episode of PR (which Derik and I should be seeing in just a couple hours from the time of this writing) featured the return of two beloved MMPR alums. The new Duke Orgs Artilla and Helicos are voiced by Michael J. Sorich and David Mallow. That's right, kids. Squatt and Baboo are back, AND working for a Barbara Goodson character! It's like 1993 all over again. Homecoming even features the return of Mallow as the MMPR "last/next time" announcer, narrating a sequence of the episode.
  Jesse notes: This makes for three announcers over the course of the season. McConnohie for Lionheart, Reynolds for Bear Necessities' next time segment, and now Mallow. And Sorich has now claimed his third Org voice for the season. That's a record.

• Some questions have haunted mankind since the dawn of time. What is the meaning of life; why do bad things happen to good people while the unjust are rewarded; what would you do for a Klondike Bar? But all of these pale in comparison to- how intelligent a reference can we expect out of Power Rangers? Cyro answers this imponderable for us. It's a (German) biography of politician Victor Adler. Coincidence? Probably. Socialism is a little above PR's target audience. It's still cool.
  Matt notes: Mankind? I was unaware Mick Foley had been around since the dawn of time!
  Chris notes: Well, he IS the Hardcore Champion.

• Since no one ever bothered to check for themselves, I finally verified that the Temple Ruins playset's exclusive Princess Shayla figure IS, in fact, modeled after child role-model and possible methamphetamine addict Ann Marie Crouch. I think this calls for a luau! I didn't indulge, m'self. Though Sexy Repaint Megazord did make me rethink my previous stance on not buying toys anymore. Mmm... Animus...
  Derik notes: You are buying Ultimus Megazord when it comes out, right? Right? After all, I did play a tangental hand in the recolored Power Animals used therein...
  Chris notes: Yes, yes, and you'll get your damn fun fact about that in due process.

• Hey! Ryan Johnson helpfully notifies us of the cover of this month's Disney Adventures, featuring the Wild Force Rangers! Even though there's absolutely no accompanying article. Still, glad the world is now largely aware PR is a Disney property, and not languishing somewhere. The media does tend to be fickle about PR's continued existence.

  -Ryan additionally notifies us of the upcoming multi-incarnation compilation video, Red Alert. A generic MMPR episode, the beginning of the Secret City arc, and the most batshit crazy episode of Time Force in the entire run. Say what you will, Disney has certainly made sure PR has a viable... Er, PR machine. Can a re-release of Alpha's Totally Bitchin' Roshashana be far behind?

  -And completing the hat trick, Ryan lets us know that the only significant edits made to ABC Family's reairing of Green With Evil was trimming down Skull dragging Bulk from his (melted) ice cream as Goldar rampages past the Juice Bar, and the removal of Dragonzord attacking the Rangers atop the highrise. The actual impact of its missiles on the roof was hid by a commercial break. That's surprisingly light. Surprised that SAME FRICKIN' SCENE was left intact when Mutiny reran, though...
  Chris notes: Wow, three in one week. Ryan's pulling more weight than most of you guys. Why isn't HE on staff?
  Jesse notes: Don't ask questions you already know the answers to. It's bad form.

• In related news, 4Kids' dubbed Ultraman Tiga debuted this weekend. Just in case you were confused and thought PR's old slot had been given to Jeff Nimoy's What's New, Pussycat: The Series.
  Jesse notes: How is it THIS show can have building destruction and people fleeing in terror?
  Derik notes: Because it looks fake. Of course, September 11th looked fake... stupid Hollywood hyperrealism desensitizing me...

• Perhaps you noticed we managed to pull a second update in under a week's time from out of the ether. Perhaps you also wondered how we could possibly manage this feat, given the site's terminal lateness problem. The solution, once I thought of it, was simple. Migrant workers. They work for next to nothing, and they aren't all grabby with their "notes" privileges. Expect the same prompt service you've come to associate with other, better news sites in the near future.
  Derik notes: Does this mean no Naked Wednesday?
  Chris notes: Hey, if you're so jazzed to see Lupe...

• You know why I asked everyone who had pressing news to re e-mail me everything they had sent? This is why. You have TWO DAYS to order a lifesize Wild Force Red Ranger costume. On a mannequin. In the UK, which probably won't be shipped abroad. And the demand will determine whether the things are even produced in the first place. Thanks to Jason for telling us. Here's hoping enough interest was sparked initially to get them produced.
  Chris notes: I spent too long trying to catch up on the mail I had gotten while I was in the hospital- I couldn't really catch up on the mail I still had incoming.
  Derik notes: This falls under 'cheap at twice the price' for the helmet alone, even if it turns out to be a cheap cast knockoff.

• Rumors have been trickling in from the far flung colonies of the fandom that last Sunday's airing of Green With Evil contained numerous edits. And the restoration of the original "Green With Evil" title card, omitting the individual episode names. I'd love some confirmation of this claim from a reliable source, as I sure didn't bother taping it (some of us are sleepy, and lack the dedication to keep blipping out commercials to fit five episodes on one SP mode video tape.) But if BVS put out a DVD, I'd buy it...
  Chris notes: Figures, if they did edit it... Bulk and Skull inside the Youth Center as it's being attacked is much more "9/11 questionable" than their being inside a collapsing skyscraper in Turbo. Great job, Disney!

• The caped crusader pulls through in the clutch once again. Batman, while scouring ABC Medianet for net crime, discovered that while they still list JACK for this coming Saturday, October 5th's entry is up and running. And that, ladies and germs, will be the day that Forever Red makes its triumphant American television debut.
  Derik notes: Make that Sunday, October 6th for Chris and I. The second episode of PR gets run by our affiliate at 5 AM. Screw you, Hubbard Broadcasting!

• Last time we linked to Jessica Rey's official site it was up to the fans to determine which layout they preferred. Now the final product is up and running and worth a quick look. In addition, Phillip Jeanmarie's site, is up and running (albeit not complete) for those who are avid fans or merely have the time to kill.
  Lynn Notes: Derik would hate these sites since both are entirely flash and java based.
  Derik notes: 'Would'? Bah, pinko flash-heads.

• 1997's Speed Racer revival is now airing on Nickelodeon's SLAM! block, Sundays at 4 PM Eastern. This brand spanking new translation is story edited by former PR writer (and Shuki's sister) Ellen Levy-Sarnoff, and features Henry and Yolei's voice actors from Digimon as the new Speed and Trixie.
  Jesse notes: Almost makes you want to put on your copy of Manos, don't it?
  Chris notes: *honk, honk* Way to go, Speeeeeed!

• I'm feeling extremely unmotivated to do a fresh byte about AJJ. The Felicity season one boxed set is out. Blah blah. That girl with the ugly hair is in it. Amy Jo has a big butt, but I mask that comment by using a big word like "callipygous."
  Lynn notes: Do I have to keep cajoling you? It's your job to write about all the female Rangers; even the ones you don't like. This set is a good investment, folks. The WB isn't the best in their rerun airing practices.

• Anime News Service is reporting, from a purported ABC Family press release, the plot to the upcoming Forever Red. While we remain suspicious until Matt sees something on the Toonzone desk, I would also like to point out that anime sites will believe any old crap about Power Rangers you tell them. They're extremely unmotivated to fact-check stuff that falls outside of their jurisdiction.
  Chris notes: 99% of the rumors in PR fandom are true? Somebody better tell Chibi Cel-Chan to change that "rumors" button to read "news."
  Derik notes: Fans today, so complacent about leaked reports. I remember back when we used to doubt everything, uphill, both ways. Sadly, I don't think we'll ever recapture that giddy uncertianty short of a Stalinesque purge of PR staff, cutting away everyone who could have ties to the fan community. Maybe we should just start reporting lies to keep everyone on their toes...
  Jesse notes: (kids, highlight fer spoilers!) Actually, whoever wrote this hoax did their homework. Lion Tamer Org seems to be Gaoranger's Ringmaster Aurg.
  Jarod notes: And really, this site is just questionable in their accuracy anyway. You see the story they have about how the Playstation 3 will be coming in pill form? Sony's ads specificly said the PS12 would be the first with that feature!

• A trailer for JYB's current project (and tentative series pilot) Fast Max is now online. Now just watch as dozens of anime sites report that this is Johnnycakes' big foray into live-action work.
  Lynn notes: I desperately hope this series is picked up. I have to say it is the STRANGEST combination of genres I have ever seen. The trailer has cars, motorcycles, aliens, spaceships, and it seems to have a "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" theme going with the whole scavenger hunt plot.

• As you're no doubt aware, Ultraman is the most recognized person in the world, beating out such illustrious competition as Ronald McDonald and Jesus. He can't walk down the street without being mobbed like the opening scene to Hard Day's Night. And as such, it's that time again. Tsuburaya Productions is trotting out their golden boy for another doomed-to-failure US adaptation. Man, give it up. Hanna Barbera couldn't even sell Ultraman, and they peddled crap like Scooby Doo and the Snorks until they sold. In spite of this, this week marks the debut of Fox Box's (dubbed) Ultraman Tiga. And Animerica is getting in the spirit by promoting both the show, and the now-available DVD's from Image Entertainment. Thanks to Lynn for getting us this scan.
  Derik notes: Might I humbly suggest that Tsuburaya cater to the large portion of the American viewing audience who has no idea what Ultraman is like by tailoring a special new series to our Japanese tastes? I give thee- ULTRAMON! Gotta color time 'em all!
  Ultraman Jack notes: Ultra! Ultra! Jack!
  Chris notes: Remember when Dreamworks was going to do something with the Ultraman license, back in the 90's? I have an action figure from then. That's the sum total of what Spielberg did with the rights, isn't it?
  Derik notes: I remember the Ultrman cartoon from the late 1980's, when they lived in Lincoln's head. I loved that thing. That was before I became a fan and learned to hate everything.

• I'm going to make this very simple, so I don't continue offending all the parties involved. Everyone who e-mailed me with site business since the start of June through the beginning of this month, assuming it's still pertinent, and wasn't already added by the other staffers during my absence, please re e-mail me? My backlog is presently in the hundreds, and I do not savor having to individually check each letter.

• Just when you thought it was safe to return to your regularly scheduled fall programming, Disney springs a surprise anal ambush on us all. Let's roll with the changes, just like the Speedwagon told us. Monday, September 9th sees the premiere of Digimon Frontier in syndication. Check your local listings for time and channel.
  Things get stick-tay on the 14th, as ABC Family takes a sledgehammer to Best of Power Rangers, and liberally intersperses PRWF reruns for flavor. 8:00 AM Eastern sees the premiere of Lightspeed Rescue, immediately followed by The Master's Last Stand. The 15th kicks it off with Lightspeed Teamwork at 8:00, topped off by what is presumably PR's ABC Kids premiere from the previous day, Unfinished Business. At 10:00 is A Matter of Trust and Lionheart. Great job, Disney programming execs. You just broke some poor kid's head.
  Chris notes: The Walt Disney Company- another amazing division of Globo-Chem!
  Pit-Pat notes: Take it from me, I love you!

• As you know, we at the Funaroverse have the utmost dedication to providing you with informative, topical news; which Derik then uploads two weeks after the fact. To that end, we've instituted a new policy- Naked Wednesdays! Er, I mean, to sidestep this problem, Matt decided to just post the times and channels for ABC Kids' fall roster on the newsgroup, and let us link to it directly. Thereby giving all parties involved plenty of prep time. Good show, old bean.
  Chris notes: Because, god knows, Disney couldn't have mandated the affiliates run any of these shows in their proper sequential order. These are the MAJOR MARKETS in America. Does even one of them air things when they're supposed to? Our local affiliate cares so little about network scheduling that they actually let ANOTHER station run some of their afternoon soaps!

• Batman, while taking time out from his nightly patrols of Gotham, popped on the newsgroup to let us know that while the episodes for both next week's episodes on ABC are not known, nor for the week following, the 28th's episodes ARE. The episodes are titled... (highlight for spoilers)
  Taming of the Zords
  Monitoring Earth
  Our thanks go to the Dark Knight for his able assistance.

• We don't often cover the careers of PR's voice actors, beyond a select few. This is mostly because they turn out successful, and god knows we can't advertise successes on this site. It makes the regular actors look bad. But my arm has been sufficiently twisted, and so we bring you Wendee Lee's official site. Wendee is, as you know, the voices of Scorpina and Alpha 6 mark two. She's also very easy on the eyes.
  Lynn notes: Hey, you know what, I can probably play the six degrees of Wendee Lee when it comes to voice acting! She's been in just about every major anime!

• Emerging from the wild, untamed jungles in darkest Germany, intrepid explorer slash archeologist slash adventurer Chris Peterson has returned to share with us the latest wares acquired in his never-ending quest for booty. It's Power Rangers World, and it may be the single greatest PR site I've seen since Power Rangers Power Up! Let's just ignore that both of these sites were produced in countries outside of North America, in languages other than English, shall we? Scope the design. The graphics. The ease of use. It's everything PR's official sites aren't.
  Chris P. notes: Dagmar, we may have to pick apart your big, squishy brain to get an accurate translation. And, if you'd be a luv, translating a fan letter from us to the webmaster...
  Derik notes: Chris is much slashier than I'd realized... And he can be nicknamed Krispy!

• And what's Krispy been keeping himself up to lately? Why, in addition to his work at Producing Power Rangers, he's just begun work on the world's very first Kevin Kleinberg fansite! Go visit, we need to encourage shrines for our marginally less popular, yet still adorably puppyish, actors.
  Chris notes: This provides a tidy segue into the byte Lynn already wrote below...

• Well, anybody wonder exactly whatever became of certain PR alums? Most disappear right? Most thought this of Karan Ashley but here is the link to her management company. Browse around to find an updated picture not to mention some projects in the works.
  Lynn Notes: I watch way to many indie films to actually find stuff like that without trying.
  Derik notes: I hear Harrisson Ford has signed on to do a new one.
  Lynn notes: Apparently some of these movies are now available for sale off the site. Any rabid Aisha fans out there with 15 bucks to blow?
  Chris notes: ... Aisha has fans?

• This is a link we really should have referenced a long time ago, the former official Patricia Ja Lee fansite! The Q&A and exclusive pics more than compensate for those fifteen minutes of your life you will never get back.

• We really weren't trying for a theme of "actor sites" with this update, but Blake simply left us with no choice. Coming soon: for a nominal fee, you too can buy an autographed picture of young master Foster. Do you want Blake dressed up like a pimp, or alternately Anastasia on the cover of her latest album? Perhaps pensive, contemplative Blake? Or topless Blake?
  Derik notes: Hrm, I see Sean Johnson still has the smallest nipples of any PR actor...

• And continuing our double-header of Blakeness, we give you this interview from an official Brady Bunch fan site with everyone's favorite little guy. No, not Michael Dukakis.
  Chris notes: You know, I really can't complain at all about the job Lynn has been doing. Under a week, and we're already on our second update. She really pulls her weight.
  Derik notes: So glad you met Yoko, John.
  Chris notes: Yoko didn't make John do more Beatles work, "Paul."
  Lynn notes: I think he feels I am intruding on his slacking.
  Derik notes: That's sexual harassment, and I don't have to take it. ...And no one of our generation not from Minnesota knows who Michael Dukakis is.

• And now a byte for the rabid anime and PR fan alike... This article featuring long departed alum Johnny Yong Bosch. See... there is work for a former PR alum without getting naked after all!
  Lynn notes: Now here's to hoping he will end up at an anime con I can actually get to. Damn Sakuracon having been within a week of Anime Central!

• Proving that, yes, sometimes actors can escape the grim specter of post-PR work (in spite of everything we said above,) we bring you this glowing review of Sean "Puffy" Johnson's latest creative endeavor, My Little Eye. Ripped off from variety.com and transcribed to the newsgroup by some unscrupulous party whose identity remains shrouded in mystery.
  Chris notes: I wish Sean all the best at a career which doesn't require him to drop trou.

• Ebay is really an amazing opiate for the masses. It allows you to bid on crap you could never possibly muster the courage to purchase in the outside world without recrimination or the potential for wedgies. And what does our faithful friend Snoops Warner bring us, in that noble entrepreneurial spirit? MMPR Strawberry Milkshakes. Eat them up yum. I'm seriously tempted to place a bid before the day is over.

• Also courtesy of our capitalist friends at Bandai is the latest in PR's fantrabulous series, "action figures of US original characters." This trend had recently reestablished itself with last year's lovely Ransik toy, but had seemingly tapped itself out for Wild Force with the exclusive Princess Shayla figure. To our delight, Goggleboy proves us wrong. Next on pike is Master Org. Well, you know what they say. Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man. He even has a staff accessory, for highfalutin and posturing ACTION!
  Chris notes: Did anybody ever bother to buy the damn playset, so we can find out if the Shayla toy is based on the original actress? I mean, how hard is it to determine whether the action figure has a crop-top on?
  Jesse notes: Master Org looks like he has about as much range of motion as the Bulk and Skull PVC's from season two. Damn cumbersome robes to mold.

• When Derik and I aren't riding the range like the wily hombres you know we are, we like to kick back and relax by installing whoever we want into positions of power. Like the Supreme Court. Last week I made a plea to all you good people to vote for the Haunted Tank in DC Comics' online poll, and you responded. I'm delighted to (off-topically) report that the tank has won the contest, and will be appearing in future issues of The Power Company. He won by a margin of 613 votes. I don't think it's stroking my ego too much to think we actually did swing this vote. And so I extend my thanks to you, our loyal readers.
  Derik notes: At least this worked out better than that Sandra Day O'Conner thing...

• Major kudos go out to Brian, our web host. Who locked us out of the server since the 17th, preventing an update I put myself through emotional hell to produce from actually getting added on time- something I do realize you good people have yet to receive in the time since my disappearance. Thanks to Jarod, who moved us to Buta-chan.
  Jarod notes: And for those of you bitching about where the site is: this is why we advertise the funaroverse.com URL, and don't encourage direct linking to the naboo space. In case we have to move.

• I'd probably feel bad that we didn't get the chance to promote the special two-and-a-half-hour Best of Power Rangers this weekend, spotlighting Green With Evil, but it was supposed to be Derik's job to add that update. And a smashing good job he did! Besides, you all go to enough other sites in PR fandom that we're allowed an occasional lapse, right?
  Derik notes: That's next weekend Chris. This weekend is PRLG's finale, which I'm watching right now.
  Chris notes: I knew that. Notice they're going from PRLG to a presentation of MMPR. Bet from there's is MMPR season 3 or Zeo. Kinda unfortunate that PRLR's city-anihilationg premiere would've fallen across the week of september 11...
  Matt notes: That, and Forever Red you know. Aww, MMPR is stealing it's extra half-hour from Big Guy and Rusty next week. Poor Big Guy...

• We extend a warm Funaroverse welcome to our newest correspondent, Lynn. No, not Judd. We don't have that much sway with the man. Finally, this smelly rathole will have a woman's touch. And, just to earn her keep, she happily contributes this exciting link to a Nakia Burrise Q&A. See, this is the kind of stuff we live for. Mad props to you, Lynn.
  Derik notes: Well... I suppose I can tolerate the skirt. For now. For now...
  Lynn notes: Yeah now you guys gotta keep your pants on around here.
  Chris notes: That's what you think.

• It seems our own Matt Williams just can't keep his personal life out of the papers. Bad Matt. Bad. What would the rest of the Toonzone gang think?

• So, intrepid reporter Jesse Herndon was reading Lying in the Gutter at Comic Book Resources, and he happened upon this article. Battle for the Planets fandom is scary. Ignoring the myriad continuities. If you need more evidence of this, just take a gander at reactions to the recent revival comic produced by Image. And, if I might take a moment to say so, a little nostalgia is a dangerous thing. It's how you end up with someone like Cam Clarke slumming as He-Man. Or an X-Treme Thundercats.
  Chris notes: You may ask what relevance this has to us as PR fans. I see it somewhere between "cautionary tale," for when PR has its inevitable comeback, and just being of interest because of Gatchaman's sentai derived elements.
  Derik notes: I've read the Thudnercats comic. It took 3 minuites. How I loathe 'widescreen' storytelling in comics.

• Some items simply justify their own existence. Nose hair-trimmers. Sandwiches. That magnetic fishing game kids play. It is in this grand tradition that we present to you the single greatest piece of PR fandom memorabilia ever. The Mark Oxman t-shirt. Not only does it benefit a good cause, but wearing it reminds us all of just how far humanity can sink. Thanks to Marie for finding this for us.
  Chris notes: My god, I had no idea Mark even inhabited other fandoms.
  Derik notes: Hey now, I like Mark! He's... minunderstood.
  Chris notes: How is he misunderstood?
  Derik notes: By himself, mostly.

• I really don't ask very much of you people. Oh, I ask you to put up with my smarmy one-liners, as you slog through the site in search of some nugget of actual news, but you'd endure the same thing just by talking to me. So I now make a brief off-topic call to arms. DC Comics is holding a contest for who will be the newest member of the Power Company. I want the Haunted Tank to win. Please help me stack the ballot. The lead the tank takes is directly proportionate to my work ethic returning.
  Derik notes: This is the most underhanded piece of yellow journalism I've ever seen.
  Chris notes: I didn't start the Spanish/American War, did I?
  Lynn notes: You only wish you could achieve that level of journalism.
  Derik notes: We're at war with Mexico?

• Jiminy frooper doopers! Just when you thought the last thing we'd ever be seeing on store shelves was another Power Rangers album, Crowmeus finds the following listing on ebay's half.com. What really interests me is the "volume one" attached to it. Could it possibly be that Disney has listened to our pleas, and is giving us all of the various songs littering the former Saban warehouses, without the intrusive soundbytes in the Rock Adventure soundtrack? Full versions of the various Zeo songs (not included on the T:APRM soundtrack)? Mighty Raw's unreleased "Fly Power Rangers" from Space?
  Update: This same CD has now appeared on other sellsites, I'm sure someone will have it in-hand presently to review...

• Our fellow once-popular children's television program brother in arms, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, are experiencing a resurgence, thanks to the efforts of 4Kids Entertainment's Fox Box. As part of their media blitzkrieg to lure children into watching, 4Kids is- this weekend only- distributing exclusive "Fox Boxes" at Toys R Us' around the country, loaded with random crap pertaining to the various programs on the lineup. There's even a CD-ROM. Reminds me of the kind of promotions companies used to have back in '96 or so. Would it have ever killed Newscorp to try this kind of thing with the old Fox Kids lineup, I ask you? Thanks to Yellow Lightning for finding this.
  Chris notes: And, you know, due to the efforts of Peter Laird, who is actually trying to get the TMNT franchise back to its B&W comic roots.

• As I'm sure you know, there are only a handful of fic websites left active in PR fandom. Among these are Tim's site, and Symbolic Agony's. And, of course, we support both of them whole heartedly. Remember, kids. Always have your pets spayed or neutered, and always support your local fanfic archivists. However, an up and coming young fanfic archive has caught our attention. It's Athers' Power Rangers Library. They don't have anything there yet, but... My stars and garters. They actually applied the formula for a successful archive I laid down in my meandering and useless fandom essay. How can I NOT throw my full weight behind them?
  Chris notes: She has a staff! And unlike my site, hers is probably useful!
  Derik's notes: ass. No wonder Rachel married Rain Fletcher instead.
  Chris chokes: YOu-!

• You've no doubt spent the last month wondering why the contact address for the site leads to Matt's e-mail and not mine. Suffice it to say that, as Snoop Dogg taught us, it's a whole 'nother day, and I have returned. Perhaps you're also wondering, if you've sent me pretty much any e-mail since June or so, when I'm going to bother replying to you. Or putting your bytes up. Do bear with me. I'm still in semi rough shape. My protracted thanks to those lovable knuckleknobs who work on this site (albeit not very often) when I'm not around.

• Derik took a hedgerow clipper to the Hot Links list while I was gone, removing sites seemingly at random.
  Derik notes: Not entirely at random. The Wild Force Fan Zone had become an O-Town fansite.
  Chris notes: But I love O-Town!
  Derik notes: ...

• Congratulations go to our own Matt Williams on his recent hiring by the prestigious toonzone.net! It's just the sort of site that's up your alley. Why you continue to work for a mom-and-pop ramshackle outfit like us is completely beyond me.
  Chris notes: Hey Matt, does Toonzone PAY? Does this mean my dreams of being an internet media baron aren't so unreasonable?
  Jarod notes: See? You'll be the new Matt Drudge yet!
  Chris notes: I'd settle for Harry Knowles.
  Derik notes: Who?

• A scan of the print ABC PRWF ad, courtesy of Sodders!

• Hey, it's the log of the Blake Foster chat!
  Derik notes: The chat was delayed 24 hours due to technical difficulties, but turned out well for all that.

• Jason Frank's official website has pictures from the set of Forever Red. Included among them are some real nuggets. (Highlight to read) The return of the Rescue Rover, the Machine Empire sigil, and the Power Rangers debut of Dragon Borg, Lady Borg, either Lightning or Fire Borg (I can never keep them straight), what appears to be the Green Hunter Borg, and SHADOWBORG. Oh, and Bulk is apparently Tommy's manservant. I bet he has amnesia, and lost his wings, too.
  Chris notes: Ya know... If ever there was an excuse to bring the Zeo Crystal back, an amnesiac Bulk and Skull giving it to Tommy in his darkest hour would be it...
  Chris additionally notes: Is anyone else just a little panicked about how much is apparently going to be crammed in a 22-minute episode?

• OK, Matt is back from vacation, so he's here to clarify the stuff that Derik lazily looked at and then just uttered "buh" briefly before falling over asleep:

  -The worst-kept secret of the summer was officially revealed last week-- the move of Power Rangers to ABC's Saturday Morning lineup, which is now known as "ABC Kids". The block will start September 14th, and Power Rangers Wild Force will air at 11:30am as well as at 12 noon; hoewver, the 12 noon slot will be dropped on November 30th to make room for Digimon, which is coming to ABC Kids as well. A full press release has been dug up by the great people at Toon Zone.
  Derik notes: I thought the worst kept secret of the summer was the US plan to not invade Iraq.

  -Also, Fox Box has begun to promote its shows as Fox Kids slowly lumbers along to its conclusion. All of its shows have been promoted, including "Kirby" and "Ultraman Tiga", two of the higher-profile shows on this lineup. The only signifigant change is that "Food Feud" has been changed into "Fighting Foodons". Again, Toon Zone, in its inimitable fashion, has the official press release for FB.
  Derik notes: Matt, that's the second time you've mentioned Toon Zone like that. Are they paying you or something?
  Matt notes: Uh, no, no. Why would you ask that?

• Hey Kids, Comics!
  Pish, PR fans are such wanton pirates of intelectual copyright! Someone's already scanned the PRWF Comic from this month's Disney Adventures!
  Derik notes: Danny is far enough out of character to make you wince. Other than that, it's okay if you can stand the strange 1 page/half page format. Here's to hoping we see more of these.

• Blake Foster will be chatting in the #blake-foster chat on sourcerynet next saturday at 4 PM PST. This chat is brought to you by LunarWolfDan, Action, Satisfaction.

• Ooh, Closed captioning of muted dialog from Countdown to Destruction! I live for this stuff...

• There's some network news happening this week. Something about PR's move to ABC... I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention. Matt usually handles that stuff and he's on vacation. If he were here he'd probably tell you that Fox started airing ads for Fox Box series today, and I'd probably counterpoint by noting my own wave of nostalgia at seeing Ultraman Tiga's monster suits. Sentai's monster suits look too nice. I miss short japanese men in rubber suits.
  Matt would also probably have me say something about the increasing number of reports that PR may be relocating production to New Zeland next year, and I'd laugh at him and say that's just a rumor like that ridiculous 'Forever Red' thing.

• "The Master's Last Stand", the last new episode of PRWF for a little over a month (the longest mid-series gap for PR since PRLR), features a few things of notable interest. Such as how it features zero Sentai footage (the sole bit being hardly a second or two worth of Cole's morph, far less than "Reinforcements" did with its light use of Timeranger stock footage); The warehouse where Master Org holds the Rangers is named "Herndon Laboratories" (after SirSTACK, that jerk who quit writing spoiler warnings this week); Lex Lang is credited for Zen-Aku despite the Wolf Beast's conspicuious absence- nor is he mentioned in any way; Jon Briddell, who plays the second reporter, also played the "Lead Man" from PRTF's "Quantum Secrets"... who was actually the human disguise of the mutant Conwing!; Org General Mandilok has a male voice from one mouth, done by Ezra Weisz (Falkar & Troika of PRLR, Tentaclaw of PRTF), and a female voice from the other mouth, done by good old Rita Repulsa/ Prince Sprocket voice, Barbara Goodson, marking her first regular role on PR since PRiS!
  Derik notes: Did any other sharp-eyed fans notice this week's cameo by Pardolus? Hilarious stuff.

• Hey check it out, it's the 6th and final megazord for PRWF! The Ultimus Megazord! Red Ape, Blue Shark... Green Soul Bird? White Armadillo? Blue Bison? What's going on here? (Image courtesy of Gaopata, who is on holiday)
     How, you ask, could such a thing come to be? Well I have been infiormed that a certian story editor (who shall remain nameless) was in a meeting with Bandai several months ago discussing the tail end of the PRWF line. Upon being told the 6th megazord assortment (red ape w/ white soul bird arm) was to include the blue shark, black bison and yellow eagle, for the third time, he struck his fist upon the table and bellowed, "I say thee nay! For Gaoranger be already rife with recolors, let it be so in this final Megazord! And ditch the Soul Bird, I hate that gimpy thing, it's being sold seperately anyway. How about Gaopanda?"
     He was then informed that, though they liked the idea, it was probably too late in production to make any changes, and departed sullenly to drown his failure in mead and tavern wenches.
     Fast forward to today- Augist 9th, as this picture shows up online, with its str'ngly alt'red wild zords, much head scratching ensued. "Huh. I guess they did it after all. Stupid shark arm, I specificly ordered an orange tigershark, oh well..."
     Undaunted, our heroic writer provided some off-the-cuff musings on the recolored zords.
  The Green Soul Bird: Is the Soul Bird's father. We saw its mother in Soul Searching.
  The Blue Bison: Is an Auroch, an extinct relative of the Bison. Affectionately nicknamed 'Auroch the Conquoror-Zord.'
  Derik notes: While little is known about the White Armadillo, I speculate that since it's called the Armadillo Puck, Ultimus's finisher involves a slapshot using the Sharksword as a hockey stick.

• Paladin profiles wave 6 of the PR Heroes collection, the Turbo Rangers! Strangely, there appears to be no Pink Ranger, instead including the Phantom. I speculate that this is evidence that Cassie is the Phantom Ranger.

• Sodders once again has the reversed dialog Mut-Org speakfrom the teamup online. There was less of it in part 2, but it's still fun to listen to.

• Rañgerverse update!
  Here's a follow-up on our last article about ABC Kids: Disney's Buena Vista Online Entertainment portal has been updated. Of interest is a link to "ABC Kids Block". While the picture beside it does have a PR pic, it is labeled for ABC Family. However, a click of the link indeed goes to the abckids.com address, which redirects to the 1 Saturday Morning page at Disney.com. Hmm...

  -ABC Family has released its new fall schedule, which, for the first time, features PRWF as part of their Weekend lineup. Three episodes will air, one on Saturdays at the Usual Time of 8:30, and two on Sundays at 8:30 and 10:30. Additionally, BoPR has been shortened by a half-hour and broken up into half-hour chunks, airing before each installment of PRWF(8:30 Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 Sunday). Also of note, Digimon is gone from ABC Family completely, even on the weekday lineup. And Galidor joins the block at 11:30 both days. Full info is available over at Toonzone.
  Derik notes: Poor Digimon. I shall miss its homosexual subtexts when it moves to UPN...

  -I've noticed that in the Toonami fandom, people have been complaining and complaining about how new show Hamtaro, a grade-schooler based anime series like the stuff Nick Jr. used to play, doesn't fit with the rest of the lineup, which is predominantly action animation. With that in mind, here's what is going around as the ABC Kids lineup for this fall: Teamo Supremo, Fillmore, Recess, The Proud Family, Lizzie McGuire, Kim Possible, NBA Inside Stuff, and PRWF. Just wanted to mention that the exact opposite of the Hamtaro thing seems to be happening over at ABC...
  Matt notes: This information comes secondhand from an ad in the latest Disney Adventures magazine which was recently sent out early to subscribers. The magazine also apparently contains a PRWF comic, woot!
  Derik notes: Hey, Hamtaro's pretty coo- PRWF comic? Whot whot? I demand scans! Scans I say, woot!
  Matt notes: It hits newsstands on August 6th, and can be found in your supermarket check-out asile, woot!

• Time Fire/Quantum Ranger has opened his website, the aptly-named Time Fore/Quantum Ranger - Media/File Hosting Website. (We said it was apt, not catchy.) A site with enough raw content short of episode encodes to choke a mule.
  Matt notes: The real acid test is Derik. Derik hates the internet, and thinks anything after HTML 2.0 is Idolitry. Derik?
  Derik notes: So... pretty. Like a web site should be... I may weep.

• Ooh, the deluxe Temple Ruins playset has shwoed up on e-bay! This looks much cooler than the PRTf command center by virtue of actually being on the show. And, you know, of being on a better show at that...
  Derik notes: I dunno, I don't seem to recall net-launchers and grab-claws on the series... Hey, is Shayla based on the first actress? I see she's colored like AMC, but I can't tell from these fuzzy pics...

  -Also, check out these Japanese pictures of next year's carrierzord. It just looks like an armadillo, it's actually a Mammoth.

• More PR cast sightings, Dinobot spotted Vernon 'Ransik' Wells in a movie called Terror Beneath Loch Ness playing Coast Guard Officer Conally. Ethersgeo tell us Daniel Southworth appears in Shakira's newest music video, "Objection(Tango)", as a superman-type character who wails on Shakira's unfaithful boyfriend. Snaps are available here.
  He also contributes this amusing snippet from the book Remote Control by Andy McNab.
  
  "What's on?"
  "Power Rangers."
  "Who are they?" I knew very well what it was all about, but there was no harm in a bit of conversation... I said, "Which one do you like?"
  "I like Katherine; she's the pink one."
  "Why's that, because of the colour?"
  "Becayse she's not a geek, she's really cool." Then she told me all about Katherine and how she was a Brit.
  
  
• Now on DVD, is that Fox-made, Box-office bomb, "Kung Pow: Enter The Fist!" It's written, directed, and stars Steve "Thumb Wars/ Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls" Oedekirk. Why mention it here? Well, aside from it being a complete reworking of something involving Asians and martial arts into something quite different (like PR, except nonseriously... wait, PR is serious?!), here's some tidbits: Marcus Young, the bus-highjacking bandit from PRLR's "Go Volcanic", gets a huge hole punched through his chest in a very prominent scene. Speaking of prominent, Jennifer Tung, breast... err, "best" known as Nefaria from Masked Rider, plays the uni-boobed mystery woman named "Whoa." Hiro Koda & David Wald, stunt guys from various seasons, as well as John Koyama ("Colby" the bike riding brother of Leo's love interest in "A Red Romance") and James Lew (The Warrior that gives Leo his armored mode from "Facing The Past") are among the stunt team for the American footage.
  Jesse notes: I am officially the only guy on the planet who totally loved this movie. On the SirSTACK scale, it gets nine out of ten Stacks.
  Derik notes: The FDA recommends at least 5 Stacks a day too promote bowel regularity.

  -Also, in quite late news, remember that flick, "The Iron Monkey", released by Miramax last year, despite how it was made in China like almost a decade ago? Well, it has Bob "Rito" Papenbrook as the dubbed voice of the Chief Fox, Brianne "Circuit" Siddall as the dubbed voice of Young Wong Fei-Hung (which is ironic... Fei-Hung is supposed to be male, yet both his American voice dubber AND Chinese actor are females!), and Derek Stephen Prince as the dubbed voice of the General... and about 9000 other people. Ever heard a village where all the men sound like either Elgar or the Digimon Emperor?
  Derik notes: Only in my dreams... only in my dreams.

  -Concerning the Time & Wild Force team-up, "Reinforcements From The Future, Pt. 1", three of the Mut-Orgs have fan-reference names, though none are spoken onscreen: Rofang (the main one), Takach (the brutish one), & Kired (the flighty one). Cranston Plaza is named after Billy Cranston, the MMPR Blue Ranger. The prison where Ransik is being held, is known as Funaro Maximum Security Prison, named after... hmm, I wonder who? Jen uses her ex-partner Steelix's rifle from "Time Force Traitor." The Chrono-Blaster is named onscreen for the first time correctly (it was called "Time Blaster" once, not matching the toy name at all). Finally, the Mut-Orgs are made from suits of earlier monsters, such as Galaxy Book-powered Deviot & the wings of some monster I can't figure out yet (Kired), Strikning & Shadow World Gatekeeper (Takach), Darkliptor & Body Switcher (Rofang), and maybe a few more in the boots area. Oh, and Rofang's sword has been used by both Ecliptor & Furio.
  Matt notes: Many a sharpened eye noticed that Cranston Plaza was actually the Terrace Theater in L.A.
  Derik notes: Many a sharpened ear noticed the playfully-named Mut-Orgs speaking in reversed dialog. Sadly, unlike the Cyclobots in PRTF, they are not swearing. I'm told to expect more satanic messages in part 2...

• It has been brought to our attention that the sixth Hurikanger is NOT transgender, but the "female" form is actually a powerup for the male's. Additionally, the actor who portrayed Kenta/MegaRed in MEgaranger(which translated to PRiS) will portray this new ranger. So you can all stop your advance protesting that Disney is censoring an aspect of Hurricanger.
  Derik notes: We can still make jokes about it, right?
  Matt notes: No Derik, that would be like saying Andros is female because he has long hair. Not funny, just stupid.

• Check it out, original art from the Marvel comics MMPR:TM adaption is on e-bay. Specificly the climactic double-page spread. Cool.
  Derik notes: We'd prefer art from the unpublished issues, of course... but this is still pretty neat.

• Chris Funaro's foriegn service unit has recalled him to build a bridge in the Amazon. Filling in answering e-mail is Matt. Wave to the camera Matt.
  Matt waves: Hello nice people!

• Ever watch "Best of Power Rangers" and say to yourself, "Gee, I could have picked a better episode than that!" Well, here's your chance to prove it, mister. ABC Family is polling among Power Rangers fans to determine the best episode, per the fans' opinion, as well as the best series. Send an e-mail along to bestofrangers@yahoo.com with the name of your favorite PR ep in the subjectline. Counting ends this Monday morning, 7/29/02, so stand up and be counted. Get that vote in soon, so "The Rockstar" can finally claim its well-deserved honor as the "best PR episode".

• ABC has finally begun promotion of its new Saturday lineup, namely a new show called "Disney's Fillmore". While the show is one of those run-of-the-mill "heroes at school" shows that Disney has been cranking out as of late, the promo reveals that the "Disney's 1 Saturday Morning on ABC" name has been chucked out the window, in favor of the much simpler sounding "ABC Kids". Which seemingly adds fuel to the speculation that PR is moving to ABC. More promos should start popping up soon, so keep an eye on ABC...

• Derik played the GBA PRTF game last night. On easy. You may mock him. But he did it for RESEARCH reasons, seing how Timeforce never... time traveled, and how the show... sucked. The game is at once short, repetitive and unchallenging. Derik loved it, except the jumping, because he has poor motor control. Here's some screencaps of the 5 boss monsters with short descriptions.
  Derik notes: I liked the overall implementation of how the weapons worked, it felt very 'real.' Fun oddities- the Quantum morpher was a powerup any ranger could get. There was a time-stop powerup whose implementation made a lot of sense in terms of the TV show. Biggest gyp? You couldn't fight Ransik.
  Chris notes: Gah. Shovelware, designed to sell on its name and not its quality.
  Derik notes: PR action figures don't sell themselves on their own merits Chris, what did you expect?
  Chris notes: The PRLR game had an insane, wonderful plot with powercoins, kidnapped megazords, diva drones and sunken cities. That's worth buying for a fan. Hey THQ, you want someone to write a plot? I'll do it, for free even!

• News of the weird, Paul Segal points us to this molding variation between the WF Megazord, and the Kongazord's head. I'd chalk it up to swell and resolution loss as molds were duplicated, but the mouth is actually LOWER, and the curve of the brow... This looks like two completely seperate sculpts of the part, both put into production. 'ow bizare!
  Derik notes: This is very cool Paul, thankls for bringing it to everyone's attention!

• Ooh, look, new pictures of HR's transgendered green ranger! Apparently the male one wields a sword, and the female wields a baseball bat. Makes perfect sense to me...
  Derik notes: Hey cool beans, it looks like the Green mecha has 2 forms too!
  ChrisP notes: Hey, how about a spoiler warning on that?
  Derik notes: ...

• BessRockinLA regrets to inform us that AJJ is doing a live concert this August the 25th. Read about it here...

• Word on the street is Power Rangers and Digimon are moving to a new broadcast home this fall, and we're sure America will be Watching. Yep, it must definitely be the bright new world of ABC, the place where TV is good. So come on along this fall and tune into ABC together, and experience that special feeling that only Power Rangers and Digimon will bring. So remember: Fall is the Time, ABC is the Place!
  Matt notes: This byte was written at 3:30am... so excuse the bizarreness. If you have the time, jump here and count how many ABC promo campaigns I manged to reference.

• One of those always-fun impromptu chat sessions with Power Rangers cast occured Friday night on IRC channel #alt-mmpr. Interesting notes out of this include the fact that Taylor's character was softened out of concern of her being too "bitchy", and that her new hairstyle is, indeed, permanent (a new credits shot is expected soon). Full transcript is available here.

• Some interesting, if unconfirmed, early info on Ninja Storm coming down the pipe. (Highlight below for possibe spoilers)

        Power Rangers Ninja Storm - Which side will you choose?

        An exciting new form of interactive entertainment is in store for Power Rangers in 2003!      Power Rangers moves to the second power with two teams of Rangers, two fanclubs, and two ways to play.
       As the Ninja Storm and the Shadow Rangers clash, kids are encouraged to divide into two different clans and then fight using two distinct roleplay packs, a PS2 fighting game, online games and handheld toys for ultimate supremacy of their clan at the end of the season.

• The Battle of the Planets comic, from Top Cow and featuring artwork by the preternaturally gifted Alex Ross, is now in stores. For the uninitiated, Battle of the Planets is the late 70s English dub of one of the most influential Anime series ever, Gatchaman, which featured a group of five teenagers who transformed into superheroes with matching bird-fashioned suits and super powers. Yep, the precursor to Sentai-- not to mention the popular 1991 Sentai Jetman.
  Matt Notes: BOTP was not the only Gatchaman-related dub: two more were produced. Ted Turner's 1986 "G-Force" dubbed more of the series and was more faithful, while "Eagle Riders", dubbed by none other than Saban, tackled sequel series Gatchaman II. Interestingly, our very own Paul Schrier voiced the heavy-set green Gatchaman in this dub, known here as Ollie Keeawani, while original Jindrax voice Richard Cansino was "Hunter Harris", Gatchaman's leader.

• Sentai has a long-running tradition of releasing exclusive black-and-silver or Black-and-Gold recolors of their megazords in Japan. Only one ever made it into the series, PRLR's Lifeforce Megazord. So take a gander at this year's Black Gaoking, even though some of these molds were recolored to death already, it all looks very cool. (TCIM)

• This past weekend, ABC Family began its new extended 5-hour weekend lineup, and to mark the occasion, it ended Power Rangers Turbo and began "Power Rangers Space". That's right, the series formerly known as "Power Rangers in Space" has a new name, according to ABC Family's promotions department. Whether this is pure incompetence or if they will follow WWF/WWE's example and "Get the 'in' out" is currently unknown.

• Fox Box, the replacement for Fox Kids, began its inevitable onslaught of promos this past weekend. Using stunning subtlety, the ad depicts a huge crate landing on a multi-colored United States against a pastel background, with a typical Saturday Morning cheezy announcer shouting that the big crate'll be opened on September 14th. As you can see, a lot of restraint was used.
  Matt notes: If you look closely, you can see it crushing Fox Kids headquarters!
  Chris notes: Ultraman Tiga factors prominently in the scant few program clips shown. Easier to make out, in fact, that any of the animated programs.

• Also in Fox Box-related news, the lovely Yellow Lightning did some searching and found the domain registration records for the Fox Box website, launching this fall. It looks like 4Kids has registered two domain names for the site, foxboxtv.com and fox-box.org. Unfortunately, they have registered the sites through register.com, and as such both addresses point to those annoying "search everything" sites that attempt to change your homepage. Let's hope this doesn't indicate the budget for the block, or their shows...

• Sweet vindication shines upon me. Today's airing of From Out of Nowhere pt. 1 on ABC Family corrected a long-standing mistake in the original version; the misspelling of Tracy Lynn Cruz's first name. Which my webmaster erroneously claimed had been corrected in all subsequent reairings. It wasn't, he just refused to fix the fun fact. Ladies and gentlemen, reality has been adjusted in accordance with my fun facts. Life is good.

• Rene Alvarez has found a review of the heretofore unknown Jumbo Isis Megazord (Blimey! They made another one!). Objectively speaking, I love these things. It satisfies the desire in most toy collectors to have a giant "proper" Megazord sized action figure, without sacrificing anything in terms of aesthetic by needing to make the unit a workable gestalt. Really, isn't that why the Jumbo Megaship sucked?

• Spitting in the face of everyone in the fandom with years of hard work, dedication, and experience running websites, FK has decided to continue their streak of incompetence by hiring Ryan Johnson as their new webmaster for the Fox Power Rangers site. While this is merely an interim position- powerrangers.com is now part of the Go Network, and unrelated to foxkids.com- I have to say this offends me. Someone like Ray Calderon earned this job. Not Ryan. If you're gonna fish out of the fandom for webmasters, aim high.
  Chris notes: Oh, and congratulations!

• Sotheby's (we've moved up in the world!) is currently selling two items of particular interest. The first is the Baboo mask from the MMPR live show, followed by the partial Red Ranger costume from said stage show. At first I assumed the thing was just made so on-the-cheap that they couldn't bother to get the diamond design right... Until Chris P. noticed that it's just on the mannequin backwards.
  Derik notes: Damnit, why couldn't it be Zedd? They ruined a perfectly good Lord Zedd's Monster Head joke.

• This is a public service message from El Fuñaroverse. So, you've probably sent me an e-mail in the last couple weeks. One that I haven't replied to. Or you've notified me of something which I have also not responded to, or placed here on the site. Please understand that sometimes I'm busy doing other things. Like going to the doctor, or being seduced by Catherine Devenue. Circa Belle Du Jour. Minus the feces. I extend my sincerest apologies to each of you, and hope to clear my backlog in due process. Please bear with me. No slight is intended.
  Derik notes: Hey Conan- I made a public service announcement too!
  Chris notes: That's great, Max! Can we see a clip?

• As journalists, occasionally we report things with scant information. And this periodically bites us on the ass. It has come to our attention that Bergen Williams is not, in fact, equally lovely to the always radiant Suzi Shimoyama. We would like to take a moment to apologize, and publicly retract our prior statement.

• Proving that occasionally one fan can dispel a good portion of the innuendo which circulate around an alum, Ray Calderon popped off to see a recent concert of AJJ's at the Bitter End. His account of what transpired is available here. It's nice to know that; assuming she wasn't just being polite, she really does hold PR no ill will. Of course, she still makes fun of it incessantly. Thanks for doing this, Ray!
  Chris notes: Nice to see my suspicion as to where AJJ's musical stylings lay was reasonably accurate. I always thought she'd sound something like Sarah Harmer...

• Proving yet again the ineptitude of press writers, ABC Fam has released a press release for their new extended action block which includes brief descriptions of the shows, including BoPR. The description states that it premieres July 7th(so what have we been watching for about 4 months now?), says the block will recount "the introduction of Tommy the White Ranger"(which they skipped) and seems to hint at a huge showdown between Rita, Astronema, Maligore, Scorpius, and Diabolico. The release is available here so read it and have a laugh.

• Hey, the Animus Megazord is out! Well, online at least, I don't think anyone's spotted it in stores yet. Animus is the [quickly counts on fingers] fourth Megazord for PRWF, I'm told to expect six. (PR Mega)
  Derik notes: Fun Fact, Animus' arms are constructed such that it is physicly impossible to position him doing his fire arrow attack from the show.

• Has anyone out there played the PRTF game? ...Either of them? The PRLR game was kinda stinky, but it had the benefit of having a wacked-out plot with Diva Drones, power coins, evil Shogunzords and the Lightspeed Rescue Megazord wielding the Condor Galactabeast as a cannon. Did the PRTF game have any fun stuff like that, or was it just boring overhead 3d fighting?
  Jesse notes: The PRLR game's plot came from by Mark Hoffmeier, who wrote some early MMPR eps.
  Derik notes: Hey, does anyone have the Datazord program from those crappy PRLR CD-ROMS for download somewhere? I'd like to see it.

• Reports are surfacing that Marvel Enterprises, publisher of fine comics, is being eyed hungrily by many major media companies. While Sony is considered to be one of the front-runners, PR fans should be interested to know that Disney is considered to be the other front-runner, with Marvel seen as a great fit for Disney (giving it a credible action/adventure name). But another major player in this is... yep, you guessed it... Good ol' Haim Saban. Our favorite cartoon magnate has made it no secret that he is interested in getting back in the business, has a ton of money, and is buddies with Marvel Enterprises president Ike Perelmutter and Marvel Studios boss Avi Arad.
  Derik notes: I'm cheering for Disney, Marvel has wanting to start up a new childrens imprint for 2 years. Disney characters would be a great fit for that, to say nothing of Digimon and power Rangers... Plus liscenced comics are good for the industry, they bring in new readers.

• You know, I'm not one of you fancified city boys. I'm just a simple country hick. I don't have a master's degree in photo manipulation, with my undergraduate work primarily in the field of extreme arrogance. That said, and given the fact that he's done more for this fandom than any of us, I tend to believe Ray when he posts these pictures from the licensing expo of Ninja Storm.
  Chris notes: I love the new motto. Taking the World By Storm. Much catchier than Spirit of the Earth. Plus, not directly lifted from Gaoranger.

• We'd like to take a moment to congratulate Suzi Shimoyama on her recent promotion from staff writer to new co-story editor, replacing the soon to be departing (and equally lovely) Bergen Williams. We look forward to your first episode in the big Marchand chair. And watch out for Amit, I hear he's getting demoted to craft services next.
  Derik notes: I had actually been pestering Chris about trying to get a post-season interview with Suzi before anyone knew about this. Guess that dream's dead.
  Chris notes: Derik's just miffed I wasn't in IRC when this came out.

• This past Thursday was producer extraordinare Scott Page-Pagter's birthday. You should commemorate the occasion by going into our hot links directory and buying his album. Even world famous multimillionaires like Scott need a little extra scratch on the side, y'know? Gotta fund that jetset lifestyle.

• Rocco Botte alerted us to a recent appearance by Archie Kao in a Burger King ad. It seems Kai enjoys the new Homestyle Burger, declaring it to be "delicious... Ha ha!" In Rocco's words; That's right, Archie. You keep on eating that burger. It might be the last morsel of food you can afford for a while.
  Chris notes: I couldn't improve on his witticism. That's never happened to me before.
  Derik notes: There, there. It happens to lots of guys. We can just cuddle...

• This byte reminded me of the fact that I had recently seen Sasha Williams in another Coke commercial- this time in the "Do What Feels Good" promotion- but had completely forgotten due to government brainwashing. Or one too many Icees. Which is fundamentally the same thing. Sasha only appears for about two seconds, but it's unmistakably her. Nobody else has those eyes.

• Wavehead tells us of an appearance of Mike Chaturantabut in a rerun of Charmed which aired on TNT recently. He played a shooter attempting to kill one of the sisters. But for those of you who just aren't getting enough Chad in their diet, Chris Mid provides us with something exceptionally weird and cool. It's the MIKE CHAT KAMA! Engraved with his signature, this is the ideal way to terrify your enemies and drunken hobos.
  Chris notes: You know, I look back on Lightspeed Rescue, and I ask myself... Do you think in enough years, "Doctor Dana" is going to be a name with as many negative connotations for the denizens of the PRU as "Doctor Mengele" has in ours?

• Rachel Trench notifies us of another motion picture go-round for Dan Southworth, this time as an actor and fight choreographer for the short film Trailer: The Movie! Said film lampoons recent big budget Hollywood movies whose trailers seem much, much better than the full features themselves. Check out their crew bios. I had no idea Dan had been up for a SAG award for his work as Eric.

• And, for a momentary digression, the typical sentai fan, ladies and gentlemen!

• We'd like to mourn the passing of PRC's EZBoard, easily the last great humor site in the history of PR fandom. And my personal homepage. While the Ninja Storm logo Ray provided, and we linked to, is still valid, his message pertaining to the series itself has been lost in the high tide of the Internet. We wish Ray the best of luck at his new digs. (Symbolic Agony)
  Jarod notes: Why didn't we ever make PRC a hot link?
  Chris notes: I didn't think they needed a measly site like us to increase their hit count, actually. Not like we could ever touch what Ray already gets on a daily basis.

• Ask and ye shall receieve. Webmaster Derik Smith recently registered his disgust over there being no comprehensive file regarding all Wild Force paraphenalia being peddled this year, and Jason Takach's Wild Force Fan Zone and Ecliptor17 deliver an answer. While this doesn't cover things like night vision goggles and the Princess Shayla Oral Care Station, it's the complete list of Bandai action figures and deluxe toys. We muchly appreciate it.

• On those rare occasions where we can be bothered to actually update the site about appearances of alumus on other programs BEFORE those episodes aired, we tend to do much better in our ongoing quest to acquire snaps. Rather than our usual slapdash "did anyone catch this?" method. Stepping up to the plate this week are Time Fire/Quantum Ranger with his captures of AJJ on ER -- 1, 2, 3, movie file -- as well as Database Ranger with his zipload of pictures. By jove, I think there might be something to this punctuality thing!

• TF/QR- who, incidentally, we're quite glad is back- also provides us with the previously inaccessible snaps (and AVI) of Brad Hawkins as a corroner on Crossing Jordan. 1, 2, 3, and movie. Got kind of a Mary Jane's Last Dance vibe going on with this role, don't he?

• Tony alerts us to these (now closed) ebay auctions for bootleg Hong Kong "Gao Banger" toys. I love bootlegs. I especially love bootlegs that have insane or just incorrect naming patterns, it lets me pretend they're distinct teams. I wonder if these guys ever hang out with the Imaginary Racers? Or the Megarangers in Space?
  Wild Force Megazord Double Knuckle, Predazord, Kongazord

• Keeping with his yearly tradition of breaking it first, Ray brings us the official logo and Disney press summary for Power Rangers Ninja Storm! Hey Tim-Tims, I bet you're all excited about some recurring Shadow Rangers, huh? Better start considering which color you'll want to clarify yourself as before the show premieres...

• Just to silence our critics for a moment, we thought we'd actually try and get a punctual update out there. AJJ's episode of ER repeats this Thursday, and props to Nightranger for getting this information to us in a timely manner.
  Chris notes: This is the part where we'd normally ask for snaps of the episode in question, but... Ya know. We like to fie the gal.

• Galidor is confirmed for the "big move" to ABC Family in the Fall. Pertinent details are available here. Shame we can't get anything reliable on PR just yet, huh? Least we know where Digimon is going. And I like the "Island of Misfit Toys" feel ABC Fam seems to be taking on, by acquiring all these non-Saban FK properties and giving them a good home. Big Guy and Rusty, boy-eeeee! Now where's Godzilla: TAS and Eek the Cat?
  Derik notes: Glad to see galidor find a home after a rocky start, it's shaping into a pretty fun series.

• I wrote a new essay for the site. You should really go read it. This one sucks much less than the other three. Thank you.

• I received complaints because my webmaster refered to our British friends across the sea as 'Limeys' in a recent byte about the PRLG finale being released in the UK. My apologies for impolitic terminology. Derik?
  Derik notes: Brits are properly refered to as Pommies and Seisnegs anyway.

• Did anything about Signal Org seem hauntingly familiar to you? Any images come, unbidden, of punky aerial aces in transforming planes? Of taut love triangles set amongst the stars? Of Tommy's namesake? If not, then you were likely unaware that this past weekend's monster du jour was played by none other than original MMPR story editor (and Rick Hunter) Tony Oliver! Tony's last appearance on PR was during Time Force, and he's always a welcome face. Voice. Whatever.
  Derik notes: For a second there I thought you were talking about Brian Donovan.

• This Sunday's reairing of Shift into Turbo contained a not insignificant edit from the original version. Bulk's diatribe about not being able to communicate with normal humans was originally a long rant about how badly he wanted some bananas. The only remnant of this ADR left in the ABC Family version of episode was his immediate desire to go to Ernie's. I can't say I mind this change in the slightest, since it really sets up Bulk and Skull's overplot for the first half of the incarnation.
  Derik notes: Huh. Cool. What, no jokes about them completely skipping Zeo?
  Chris notes: Why? Just to have you say that Zeo was the nadir of PR quality in terms of acting, production values, and plotting? Damn Turbo-lover.
  Derik notes: Yay, Turbo!

• Proving once again that things sold on the black market are inherently cooler than anything you could ever buy officially, Jesse digs up these comprehensive scans of the very large, very well-designed box of the Megaranger in Space Black Ranger. Yes, you read that right. Megaranger in Space. He bought it in Korea, folks. That's all we know. And thanks to the good folks at PRAwiO for being such luvs, and hosting the scans for us.
  Chris notes: Megaranger in Space would make for a fantastic fanfic series. I mean, ignoring that it was the Carrangers who wanted to use the magical wishing clam to travel the stars, and meet Dappu's alien friends... Miku and Kenta just wanted food.

• Just when you thought the coolness couldn't possibly abound more than it already has-- and that sentence feels SO grammatically incorrect-- Tim goes and scans another amazing trinket from the UK PRZ magazine. Ladies and gentlemen, schematics for the Power Chamber and Command Center. Locations of the Zeozord hangers (plural!), a placement for the Chamber of Light from back in season two, and the revelation that the Command Center building contained a cloaking device. This explains Rygog and Elgar's surprise at just finding the Power Chamber.
  Chris notes: Not to mention that the PC ran on MORPHING GRID power, even though the Zeo Rangers themselves didn't...

• Jen Bigley recently noted that the name of a character in Arthurian myth inextricably tied to a wolf bore the name of Marrok. Picking up on this, Cyro found a website containing information on this mysterious figure. While I doubt this has anything to do with the naming of the Merrick character on Wild Force, it's still not without a certain cosmic significance.

• Gerald took a moment to let us know that the Sentai Time Capsule has officially shut down for good under his management, but might possibly return at some future date under the direction of someone else. We wish him all the best at his future endeavors.

• In the grand tradition of the Alt-MMPR Fun Page, PR Mega has opened the Alt.Fan.Power-Rangers Official Site. We here at the 'verse always support fans getting to know one another. Encourages the sense of community. This is also providing the impetus for us to finally get our "Meet the Staff" page done.

• I'm not a man who normally likes to beg and plead. You know, any more than it takes for me to get a date. But I want to take a moment to implore those of you in our audience who enjoy a good fanfic- and I know that's many of you- to make some time to stop by Selma McCrory's PR Fanfic Recommendation Database and contribute some recommendations of your own. Like PBS, it only works with the pledges of people like you. But with markedly less appearances by Red Green and Fred Rogers.
  Derik notes: There were Red and Green Rogers too? Cool!

• There comes a time in every person's life when they slowly begin to realize that either they will have to add another wing to their house, or they might just possibly have to stop collecting toys. To ring in my quitting the hobby, I chipped in a final bid for my holiest of grails, Titanus in Space. This toy runs, if you are a frequent reader of this site and have seen me bitch before, in the range of several hundred dollars on the collector's market. I didn't expect to win. I did. For less than the blasted thing cost when it was originally released. Just goes to show you- Never give up!
  Chris notes: And a very, very appreciative thanks to Paladin, who notified Derik of this auction last week and kept it on the hush for me.

• Hans let us know that yes, Pajama Lee is in fact our one and only Patricia Ja Lee. Any and all doubts were laid to rest with the release of Gatekeepers volume five, which credit her as P.J. Lee, a name she had previously used for the anime The Legend of Black Heaven. Thanks, Hans!

• Ensuring that Fox Kids' programmers will have a habitat to call their own after the network folds, ABC Family has already begun their wilderness outreach program. They've been transplanting former FK employees to another facility for the last several months; and at last... The new zoo exhibit has that peaty FK smell. Next weekend's Best of Power Rangers, in the grand FK tradition, is Honey I Shrunk the Rangers and Passing the Torch. From MMPR's climax to the introduction of the core Space cast. You just can't fake that kind of incompetence, folks.
  Chris notes: I wonder what episodes we'll be getting this weekend? Master Vile and the Metallic Armor seems less and less likely, now... Hogday and Zeo Beginning? At least that contains a sort of twisted logic to it. And it introduces Tanya a week before punting her off into the void.

• Sentai Rick took a moment out of his busy schedule to let us know that the Rangerplex is not dead. Netzero has apparently seized the domain and refuses to return it to him. So from here on out, the site will be available at its new home, http://216.169.102.12/powerrangers/. We wish Rick all the best of luck at reacquiring his primary URL.
  Derik notes: I hear a cadre of militant BeOS users staged a junta at NetZero and declared it the beachhead of the new 300 year plan.

• Jason Takach, who apparently heeded our advice and immediately reopened the Fan Zone (without telling us, the rat) has provided a fantastic service for the fandom. He's transcribed a bunch more casting sides for PRWF incidental cast. Go! Look! There's stuff for this weekend's episode! Featuring an amnesiac Alex in place of Cole... Which is much, much funnier... (side credit to Danny, jusrt 'cause)
  Derik notes: I knew WFFZ was starting up again, but only 4 days ago and we hadn't updated since then. Oh, and beware of possible spoilers for future eps

• We'd like to take a minute to explain something to everyone. We basically suck. We're lazy, we don't do things anywhere near approaching well-done or on time... We are, in essence, the Microsoft of PR fandom. It is in this spirit that we take the long overdue action of placing Japan Hero, which is a very nice site, in our hot links directory. And we extend an equally overdue apology to John Crichton, its webmaster.

• Power Rangers Database: The Ranger Files has a brand new domain, so from here on out, turn your www knob over to. Hint hint, Derik...
  Chris notes: So, three revisions to the hot links folder in a single update. I believe we might very well be setting a record here.

• Incredibly obscure artifacts and related materials aren't just related to shows like Power Rangers. Super Sentai has also had its share of obscurities which people salivate after like a pack of lunar wolves. And Jill has taken the time to transcribe and translate one of these precious gems for all of us to enjoy. It's the first of three Jetman NOVELS. Go, bask in the awesomeness. And major thanks to Jill for providing this service to so many.

• If there's one thing we love most here at the Funaroverse, it's hideously bad hoaxes. And this one's a doozy. Brought to our attention by Zeo 6, it's a falsified interview with Austin St. John, Jason Frank, and AJJ. The dates are wrong, the "actors" say things that are incorrect, the comment that PRLG was a failure is laughable... Oh, and despite being done this year, the writer is apparently under the delusion that Shuki is still producing PR.
  Derik notes: I see CLF burned out the microchip in his head and once again feeds on the blood of innocents...

• Courtesy of Miko, two bytes of very different context. First up, LA Models provides us with the cup size to yet another female PR alum with their entry for Ann Marie Crouch. As I'm sure you'll all remember, Melody Perkins once belonged to this agency. And don't get my webmaster started on how Faunt's modeling site wouldn't disclose his jock size...

• Miko additionally links us to the cover to Toei's latest PRLG video release, which is exceptionally awesome. And for once, is actually using some American glossies to get images. Why the hell does Toei always get the best video covers?

• Knux Five notifies us that FX is running double episodes of The Shield every night this week, leading up to next week's season finale. While Walter Jones' debut episode as 'Rondell Robinson' already aired Monday, any subsequent appearances he made on the series will be repeating shortly. Keep an eye out, Zack-fans.

• Zyuray wanted to take a moment to note that Amy Jo Johnson is continuing to play at the Bitter End every Tuesday at 9 PM in New York City. Their official website, with schedule, is available here. If any of you have a mad posh to see our ample bottomed little smoker perform, this is your chance.

• Today marks the imaginnary breaking point between season 1 and season 2 of PRWF. (Imaginary since, for the last 2 years, PR has run straight through with no season break) with a new status quo, a new hairstyle for Alyson Kiperman, and a new opening theme that including shots from upcoming episodes. A RM of the theme can be found at the Wild Force Forest Base.
  Derik notes: You'll have to join the Forest Base Yahoo Group to acess the file, very simple with a Yahoo ID.

• News on future WF episodes has been leaking like a sheldon this week. First, Paul Schrier himself checked in to let the fandom know that a certain dynamic duo is coming back. Yes, Bulk and Skull, everyone's favorite bullies/junior police officers/caretakers of Rito and Goldar/junior detective/police officers again/monkeys/shiftless, jobless loers/alien humters/astronauts/colonists are returning for one last go of things.
  Matt notes: On another note, Paul mentions a comic book project he's joined, The Red Star. Paul's creating 3D rendered objects/backdrops for the comic, a longtime passion fans have heard of before. Best of luck, Paul!

• News in that the PRTF teamup is a two-episode this year, and our villains will be... Ransik and Nadira. Which shoots PRTF's finale all to hell. Guess the temptation of evil was just too much to resist.
  Derik notes: If the 31st century government refuses to accede to Ransik's perfectly reasonable demands for a mutant state, they shoud continue to expect more mutant attacks.
  Update: And other, more reliable sources say that no, Ransik and Nadira do not appear in the teamup. This is why we avoid reporting on teamups, so we don't have to break it to everyone that JDF is actually playing Young Zordon.

• Continuing the PR tradition of bringing back former actors to voice a monster of the week, Monica Louwerens, aka Miss Angela Fairweather-Rawlings, has lent her voice to this week's 'Karaoke Org.' Congrats to Monica, it was nice, er, seeing you again.
  Derik notes: I'm confused, was Karaoke Org shooting Laser Disks? Is that's what in karaoke machines?

  -And speaking of this week's episode, did anyone catch Merrik's taunting reference to the MMPR:TM soundtrack during the barfight?

  -Not terribly relevant, but interesting. Sharp eyes caught cans of Coke and A&W root beer as set dressing tosay, a break from PR's tradition of using generic brands as set dressing.

• Wolf2k noticed (and promptly bitched about) Fox's UK PR video release of Escape the Lost Galaxy. Probably one of the best 4-part runs of PR ever, and the stinkin' limeys get it...

• You probably noticed that Toxica's new identity was named after Kitab Al-Azif, the Book of the Howlings by the Mad Arab Abd al'Azrad, (or as it's known to english speakers) The Necronomicon.
  ...none of which is particularly byte-worthy, but I thought I'd point it out since the Lovecraftian mythology is such a big part of PR's sister show, Digimon.
  Derik notes: Surprisingly, with 400+ episodes, this might well be the first Lovecraftian reference in PR. (I checked, Octophantom wasn't based on Cthulhu)
  Matt notes: The Necronnomicon, the Book of Dead Names, is a fictional creation of H.P. Lovecraft, a science-fiction writer. Curiously the Necronomicon has been widely adopted bu other writers, and now 'exists' in all kinds of fictional universes. Necronomica's name, as used, would mean 'She of Dead Names.' Since she was calling on Nazor's power, appropriate enough.
  Chris notes: I miss Digimon's fun chross-branding refs to PR.

• Fulfilling their place in the PR merchandising world as "makers of wacky stuff", Manley Toys unveils its newest creations. First, is the impractical but wickedly cool Power Rangers Night Vision Scope, which they REALLY should make an adult version of. Then, make sure your kid swims safely with the Power Rangers Swim Gear set! Blithely ignoring the shark ranger on the team, it's based on the red lion ranger. Yessir, cats love water they do!

• Speaking of liscened products... I hear that the PRWF toy line is the biggest in years- yet fuck me if I can find a simple list of what's out there! Bandai.com is hopelessly out of date, Amazon and KB both have lots of cool stuff- but different stuff each. Whatever hapened to Bandai's corporate partnership with Yahoo to sell toys online? I love the toy lines, I really do, and we get some really cool stuff each year, but it's very difficult to shill for Bandai if I don't know what's being sold. I hear the Jungle Blaster was on the Predazord box- but I'll be damned if I can find a picture of it online, or the second wave cycles. I hear rumors of a 3rd morpher, and how am I supposed to rant about how cool it is if I can't confirm it?
  Oh, and the blue Super Savage Cycle looks damn cool.
  Derik notes: The 3rd morpher is called the Battlized Buckle, it's name (and some show spoilers around it) were buried back in Toyfair coverage months ago.

• Like all good cable networks, ABC Family is altering its schedule. The first change will take place this coming Tuesday, when PRWF switches to a weekday run, displacing PRTF repeats. The big change occurs on July 6th, when ABC Family extends its weekend kids block to 5 hours, running from 7am to noon. Best of Power Rangers moves to a 10am-noon slot, so the VCR-impaired can actually sleep in. Alas, there's no VR Troopers, Beetleborgs, or Masked Rider, but if you like Spider-Man, he's got 6 spots on both days of the lineup. Full schedule can be found here.
  Matt notes: Awreet! Big Guy! Oh wonderful, worshipful schedulers, rewarding quality and watchability...
  Derik notes: *cough*SpidermanUnlimited*cough* Hey, there's a Beyblade show? Cool, the transforming tops kick ass. I'll have to ask att if it sucks or not... I'd ask a Canadian, but they have no ability to discern quality; look at Cyber 6.

• Hurricanger news! Sketches of the Green 6th ranger and his robo have surfaced heresabouts. 1|2|3|4|5 (RoboZone.com, via Miko among others)
  Chris notes: Can anyone who reads Japanese tell me if this is the Tenkuujin Robo I've been hearing about?

• Confirming what everyone has probably suspected, PRWF is heading to VHS (again, spiting on those with DVD players). But even with a tape-only release, these are extensive plans. The first two releases, scheduled for September 10th, are Lion Heart and Ancient Awakening, both of them together collecting 7 of the first 9 episodes(we don't know what they're going to skip yet). However, there are two more videos available on the 17th, Curse of the Wolf and Identity Crisis. These collect the entire Zen-Aku saga. If things continue at this rate, there's a chance that nearly the entire series will be on tape...

• Hey, check out these early pics from the PRWF GBA game. They art pleasing to mine eyes! (Mike Quasar)
  1|2|3|4|5|6

• Miko's (naturally) dug up these pictures of former actress Amy Jo Johnson in a couple of Direct-to-Video performances. 1|2|3
  Derik notes: The pictures above come from Cold Hearts, Pursuit of Happiness and Night Visions, respectively. Despite the titles and parties involved- not porn. Who knew?
  Chris notes: Though she was naked in Pursuit of Happiness...

  -Also of note are the images of her band, something I can't recall anyone ever having provided before now. Actress/Singer/Renisance Woman AJJ also put in some appearances on ER and Spin City in the geologicly recent past.
  Derik notes: See, it's like a theme byte, except we're too lazy to include snaps of AJJ on Felicity's finale, like an ABCFamily Spider-mania Marathon made up of the webslinger's guest appearances in 1960's Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Namor cartoons.

  -Plus; this rather chilling article about a recent break-in to AJJ's apartment- fortuitiously timed to coincide with her Felicity appearnace to be newsworthy. Bear in mind, should this trend continue, while a grizly murder is guaranteed to get her name back in the headlines, it's a lousy way to start a comeback.
  Derik notes: I'd like to take this opportunity to say that should any hypothetical incriminating photos find their way from AJJ's stolen laptop onto the internet- thanks, but we'll pass. We're not interested.

• Hey, it's Wednesday, and I just realized we're still sporting last week's schedule. I'm gonna blame this grievous oversight, and our tardiness in remedying it, on the fact my webmaster was hit by a copy of the klez virus being propogated via e-mail with the PR-related subjectline 'Owned by Saban Entertainment. Used without,' that had the misfortune to shit on his system files while randomly propogating copies of itself.
  Derik notes: Klez forges e-mail headers, so if you recieve a copy of it in your inbox, it's not from them, Klez just forged their address. So stop telling Joe Rovang he's infected, 'cuz he's not.

• An interesting (and somewhat scarily overthought) post about Trip, Trepanation and the Pineal Gland on the PRU yahoo mailing list. Übergeeks only.

• Yellow Lightning notes that the BVS video release of PRTF's Timeforce Finale has redubbed the backwards-swearing Cyclobots we all came to know and love. And kudos to them, kudos I say. Our children must be protected from backwards-swearing robots from the future.
  Derik notes: You could always go all Spielberg-y and edit out their guns and relace them with walkie-talkies... that shoot stuff. And then give the kids walkie talkies for their birthday, and watch 'em scream when you point it at them...

• Having just returned from my two-week sickout in order to secure Episode Two tickets, I am ready once again to be ensconced in the warm bosom of the fandom I love so much. Unfortunately, they still hate me in that fandom, so I'll have to settle for you guys.

• It's with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Jason Takach's Wild Force Fan Zone. You've been a fine webmaster, and provided many an invaluable service during your tenure in this fandom, Jase. While the finality of your main page's message does sadden me, I hope you will always remain a presence around these parts. You shall be missed, sir.
  Derik notes: Getting a life is the number one cause of death of PR webpages, but Life can be prevented. Early detection is the key. I encourage everyone at home to self-examine on a nightly basis.

• It's with a much lighter heart that we announce two new additions to the Fuñaroverse family! Please extend a round of applause to arriving contributing staffers Matt Williams and Chris Peterson. With this title comes the complete lack of attribution for information they scrounge up, but the rare distinction of being able to do So-And-So Notes: footers.
  Derik notes: Won't that get confusing with 2 people named Chris?
  Chris notes: Huh, I never thought of that.
  Chris notes: Hey, cool, I'm on the Internet! Hi mom!
  Chris notes: Under most circumstances 'I'm on the Internet' would not evoke a positive parental response.

• Last week intrepid Fuñaroverse webmaster Derik Smith received the following picture from a chap. Said picture purported to be an advertisement for the alleged "Tommy crossover" episode of Wild Force. Using images of the action figures. And featuring a Saban copyright from last year. After enlisting the aid of loyal PR fan Miko, we are able to provide a thorough denouncement. The picture says "Power Rangers vs. Gaoranger," and seems to be part of a web article produced last year comparing the toy lines.

• Let loose upon the world like a thing fresh from Victor Frankenstein's oven to your kitchen, 4Kids entertainment has officially announced its lineup for the new Fox Kids. Henceforth known as Fox Box. Props to the good folks at Toonzone for managing to ferret out a logo. Which looks like some sort of thing Derik and I would have designed... Matt, who found the info prior to coming under the Funaroverse aegis, gets proper byte attribution for the schedule.
  Chris notes: This lovable curmudgeon doesn't want to make a habit of this. Next thing you know, I'll have set a dangerous precedent. I might need to start feeding Jesse.

• Courtesy of Jesse Herndon, the final of the Power Rangers Turbo scripts purchased from Paul Schrier. It's Cassie's Best Friend, and brush with bestiality.
  Chris notes: Objectively, this episode is really no more disturbing than that Martin and Lewis slash I read last week. Still, Mr. Gooriffic... That's an unfortunate name. I wonder if a prefix like "Dr." might have spruced it up more?
  Derik notes: Geocities is undergoing systems maintenence, so the files in question probably won't show up until Saturday nightish.

• Starting June 1st, the Sentai Time Capsule will be reopening. The site will now be accessible through their new URL of http://timecapsule1.tripod.com. Change all links accordingly- such as our own hot links section. Hint hint, Derik...
  Derik notes: And can someone please explain Tai's place in the Wonderswan games to me? I've heard conflicting stories on... wait, am I supposed to be running a website? A PR website? How did that happen?

• It has come to our attention that the link provided to the Masked Rider pilot scans at PRAwiO is incorrect, and leads to an error page. In the absence of the PRAwiO webmaster, we would like to take a moment to provide you with a link to the correct page ourselves, and apologize for any future inconvenience. Our affiliate sites are clearly of an inferior quality to our already low-quality main site.

• Sean CW Johnson, he who regulars all Big and Tall Men's clothiers in the great state of California, recently put in an appearance on the season finale of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Sean-John also appeared on this past Monday's episode of Seventh Heaven, according to diligent street reporter T-Dini. Who told me back on the 10th. I was just too busy standing in line to update until after it had aired. Oops. So, anyone got caps?

  -Sean's cohort in all things Lightspeed, Michael Chaturantabut, also put in an appearance on a WB program this past week, showing up for the season finale of Charmed. From what I gather, for all of two seconds. Good show, Chad.

• Courtesy of Shadow Ranger, this delightful scan from a UK Zeo magazine featuring the origin of the Machine Empire . And because the resolution isn't fantastic, Tim went that extra mile (or kilometer), and transcribed it for us. It's everything I could have ever imagined. Go here if your vision is less than 20/10...
  Chris notes: This is a continuity bonanza. I wonder what a Cog Flyer is, though? Those transports that beamed them down to the lunar surface in Zeo Beginning?

• We can't all make unilateral career moves like Amit and get demoted to transport coordinator. Case in point, former story editor Douglas Sloan. Doug, formerly a producer on the Teen-NBC show "Skate," is now working on a film based on a Truman Capote story. It's Children On Their Birthdays, and I'm not sure whether I should feel good for Doug, or bad.
  Derik notes: You miused 'unilateral.' It's completely wrong for the Amit example. 'Lateral' is however applicable to Doug's.

• El Ceriñaverse update!
  Database Ranger and Deminevi collaborate (not that either of them were aware of it at the time) to bring us this. First up, caps of her recent appearance on Ally McBeal; followed by these pictures of the then-ingenue during production of the film Cabin Fever. Back when she was pure as the driven snow.
  Derik notes: That 'driven snow' has tire marks all over it.
  Chris notes: Dude, did you just steal a joke from Golden Girls?
  Derik notes: That depends- would you admit to recognising a joke from Golden Girls?
  Chris notes: Yeah, one about Blanche's daughter.
  Derik notes: Crap...

• Dark Horizons is reporting that next year's PR incarnation is slated to be the last. I could dignify that with an answer, but instead I point out that people also believed Paul Corbett was a member of the Wild Force cast. Or that Jason Frank is coming back. People are, by and large, gullible morons and thus unfit to live.

• Symbolic Agony takes a moment out of her schedule to let us know about some of the voice work of Patricia Ja Lee, and a possible VO job she might have done. First up, Padee's work on the anime series Serial Experiments Lain, credited as "PJ Lee." Additionally, Gatekeepers features a "Pajama Lee," purported to sound like Padee. Anyone sufficiently in the know want to confirm/deny that for us?

  -In a related note, SA also observes that Gatekeepers features apple-bottomed Black Ranger Johnny Yong Bosch. He plays the Gatekeeper of Darkness. Johnny recently attended Sakuracon this past April, and a nice little interview with pictures is available here.

• Brad Hawkins recently put in an appearance on NBC's Crossing Jordan, playing a morgue attendant. We had pictures of this in our backlog, but unfortunately the gent who provided them for us kind of vanished. Who else wants to step up to the plate?
  Chris notes: And while I'm here, we'd all like to take a moment to wish Time Fire/Quantum Ranger all the best for the next two years. See you when you get back, man.
  Derik notes: Where's he going?
  Chris notes: You know, I never completely caught that part. Went off to war, I think.
  Derik notes: That has more dignity than a jail sentence.

• In honor of this weekend's Best of Power Rangers, I'm making a plea to all the little Yosters out there. The British version of Changing of the Zords features radically different ADR, a modified name for the monster du jour, and lots of sequences calling the Shogunzords "Ancientzords." We desperately want some audio files. And so we plead to all our friends across the Atlantic. This is us pleading. Isn't it sad? Don't make us continue to do it. We still have a shred of self-respect left.

• A fellow by the name of Dinobot (not THE Dinobot? He of the rigid grill structure sig? Dude, if you go to our site, then we really have arrived!) alerts us to something fascinating about the Lost Galaxy test footage. According to him, the vessels shown in the clips are Narn spaceships from the series Babylon 5. This surprises me, as I never knew Netter Digital to do any sort of work for Saban Entertainment. Would anyone like to clarify this for us?
  Derik notes: Funny, I thought that one looked Narnish, I assumed I was imagining it... Sadly, there is neither a Dukat nor a Breen in the PRU.

• Elvio alerted us that the cover to the End of Time video release contains a rather surprising flub. Most of the Trans-Armor Cycle's left shoulder piece is visible, appearing to be ATTACHED to the Red Battle Warrior's right shoulder. Man, they really didn't edit those stills from "Time For Lightspeed" very well in Paintshop, did they? I expected so much more of Buena Vista...
  Derik notes: Photoshop Chris. Only Communists use Paintshop.

• Aaron Cameron gives us additional information about everyone's favorite former celebrity, Amy Jo Johnson. It seems AJJ will be appearing in the stage production "Love, Janis" as Janis Joplin. God help us. She'll be performing 17 Joplin songs at each performance. Yes, I can't wait to see a former Power Ranger let loose on Me and Bobby McGee. Shows are now through July 24th at New York's Village Theater.

• Due to the poor performance of his Iron Chefs in these last battles, Chairman Funaro is boycotting the Funaroverse for the next couple days. Resumption of service should begin once his touring production of Phantom of the Opera wraps.

• PRAwiO, courtesy of Jesse Herndon, has 'caps from an internal Fox PR retrospective from 1999. Notice is the PRLG test footage, including the early logo (in a Doctor Who font!) Jesse additionally coughed up caps of the original Masked Rider pilot with the destruction of Edenoi, and different actors as Molly and Albee.

• J Blackguard reports that Selwyn Ward will be appearing on this Friday's episode of the NBC soap opera "Passions." Our former Red Ranger will be playing Officer Johnson, an unintentional joke perhaps less amusing than Vernon Wells playing "Sab'han," but still reasonably amusing. TJ's secret mission on Earth involved Timmy the Puppet?

• And while we're on the subject of people with the last name of Johnson, former star Amy Jo Johnson will be appearing on the episodes of Felicity airing on May 7th and 15nd. I assume one of these is the series finale, but it's not like I'm willing to expend the effort to do that kind of research.

• Toy weirdness abounds. Paladin details the PR:H release of classic figures, including packaging variations on wave 5 reflecting the Disney buyout.
  And check off this Knockoff Grey Astro Megaship, which I think is cool because I love the AMS, and you don't see a lot of full-sized knockoff Megazords. (reDear)
  And the Deluxe Predazord hit stores this week. 3rd of 6 (last I heard) Megazords for PRWF. But we're still not scheduled to get the Elephant Zord, how sad...
  Featured on the back of the Predazord's box is an ad for the Jungle Blaster, a US-original five part weapon based on a potporri of later Power Animals in the series. Needless to say, we're curious as heck about this thing. And the second-wave cycles. Anyone got some scans?

• PRTF videos hit stores this week (well, last week). Dawn of Destiny collects the midway series arc with Dragontron , and End of Time collects the last four episodes of Timerenjaa. (Oh, like it's such an unfair jab.) Since there remains no news on a video release 2 unaired episodes, let's all bask in the wyrdness of PRTF's ending theme; the openign theme, without lyrics, but with sound effects.(ShadowForce)

• The latest lies from toku fandom surround the 4th and 5th Hurricanger's are that they're Hurricane White and Black, commanding wolf and bear mecha.
  Speaking of the latest lies, IMDB, always good for a laugh, lists 2003's PR series as 'Steath Force.'

• From the collection of Jesse Herndon, the fourth in our series of Turbo scripts. The Accident is now available for your Schrier-annotated perusal. Hosted as always by the kind folks at PRAwiO.

• Also courtesy of Jesse, this scan from Marvel Age: the solicitations for two more unreleased issues of Ninja Rangers/VRT and MMPR. Can I just say, the revelation that we were going to get an Eyeguy comic set in season three reduced my webmaster to tears? Curse you, Marvel! Curse you for denying us that!
  Derik notes: You mean 'curse you changing market demographics,' right Chris?

• Some things are just really stupendous achievements for the entire fandom. They let you know something long held by the community is, in fact, the truth. This is one of them. Courtesy of John Green, this sales sheet from Bandai about the late season one Evil Space Alien figures. Notable for including Rita, Mutitus, and Scorpina. Folks, they were in preproduction. Beats me why they got scrapped. Lets give a big round of applause to John! He found a holy grail! Photographic proof!

• Courtesy of the good people at Ranger Saga, this interview with the original cast circa early 1994. For some reason, I seemed to have forgotten Disney Adventures covered MMPR. Or anything that wasn't (at the time) Disney owned. It's light and fluffy, but I must admit that Austin's comment about Jason doing well in pol-sci has a humorously dark undercurrent to it.

• This is awfully late in the month to report this, and for that I'm deeply apologetic to all our Latin American readers. Pinkranger 2000 notifies us that FK Latin America is airing MMPR, PRZ, PRT, and PRiS all month long. One series a week, two episodes a day. This is really a nice potpourri to get kids interested in the classic shows, I think. Oh, people might harp about out of sequence airing, but that was never an issue for me. Mind you, I'm someone who likes to follow up a PRLR ep with a crusty old Zeo tape.

• Time Fire/Quantum Ranger brings us these caps of Sasha Williams' legendary Diet Coke commercial, as well as an avi. You're the man, dog. I'm too pained to make my compliments any wittier than Sean Connery would make them. 1 | 2 | 3 | avi
  Chris notes: Running a dedicated news site is thirsty work. The Funaroverse would like to officially declare Caffeine Free Diet Coke the official beverage of... Itself. When you want something that tastes like battery acid, and has no stimulants of any kind in it, caffeine-free Coke products are the way to go.

• Rachel Trench took a moment out of her busy schedule to let us know that she suffered through The Scorpion King looking for Daniel Southworth so we didn't have to. While Rachel is uncertain as to whether Dan actually appears in the movie as a stunt performer (I can't say I blame her- this film looks like it has BIG fights), he is credited as one of the two second-unit stunt coordinators. Thanks, Rach!

• Jessica Rey's official site is testing out three possible designs for its layout. Feel free to drop them a line, and let the webmaster know what you think.

• Elvio Gomez notifies us that Disneyland is now carrying a decent selection of Wild Force toys in select stores on-property. Among these are the basic figures, Zord-Morphins, and Savage Cycles. Humorously, the store Elvio noticed these toys in was located in Toon Town. I remember when they were selling Beast Machines figures at Disney's Animal Kingdom... At least there was some internal logic to that.
  Chris notes: Still, they're carrying PR merchandise on property. I'd have never imagined finding PR trinkets outside of Downtown Disney, if that.

• While inquiring on ATS about Toei's 1970's Spider-Man Tokusatsu, Derik was directed by the diligent Miko to this fascinating picture of Spidey teaming up with Kamen Rider V3. Here's my question... Are these "staged" for the sake of some publicity shots, or is there actually a crossover episode out there? The proliferation of bug-oriented heroic legacies in the same continuity is delicious.
  Chris notes: And before you ask how this pertains to Power Rangers- in the final episodes of Spidey's show, when they no longer possessed the suit to his giant robot Leopaldon, they kept using stock footage of his finisher to end fights. This tradition would be continued the next year, when Super Sentai began using giant robots.
  Derik notes: Battle Fever J, that selfsame Super Sentai, was the product of another Marvel corproduction, a team version of Captian America.
  Update: Thanks to everyone who wrote in, at great length, correcting the earlier summary. Oddly, the summary was accurate when I sent it, but my webmaster corrected it for me, adding errors. This is why Congress doesn't work, people.

• I'm sure you're all asking yourself why I took my sweet time with this update. Suffice it to say that I am in excruciating pain, and this place understandably comes at a slightly lesser priority than getting better.
  Derik notes: And Chris was highly amused when this update, written through gritted teeth on Sunday- didn't get uploaded until tuesday because I was working 48 hours straight for an internship.

• To pass time while some religious propaganda fulfills ABC's obligation to the original Family Channel owners (and I wait for PR to start), I was noodling around in the IMDB. And what should I happen to find under the name of our illustrious story editor? This. Poor Amit. Just when things were looking up for him, too. Ah well. At least he wasn't demoted to grip or anything...
  Derik notes: The oddest thing about ABCFam's religious programing is that it's produced in infomercial format. Of course the golden-age informercials of the early 90's selling format was based on a revival meeting, so I guess it's just art mirroring life. "You want to squeeze all the juice out of life? JHWH^tm revolutionized my life, he can do it to you too for just four easy payments... let's cut to the testimonials."

• So I'm in a hair salon (never you mind why), and I have time to kill. I start perusing the shelves. And what should I happen upon but one of those "trendy" new hair dyes. You know, the ones that come in colors seldom found in nature? They're made by a company called Ice, under the already referential brand name of "Metallix." But that's not the best part. One of them is called... Wait for it... Psycho Silver. I wonder how far you can take a coincidence, and still call it that in good conscience?

• In honor of last week's airing of Rangers Back in Time, we're proud to present to you, courtesy of Jesse, the official site of Sicily Sewell. The actress who played Young Aisha. Which this site humorously neglects to clarify, choosing instead to simply list her as the normal Aisha.
  Chris notes: They grow up so fast...

• In our "news of the truly inept" file, Dagmar Buse notifies us that German television has begun repeating MMPR from Day of the Dumpster. While this is, in itself, not unusual, what the episodes are prefaced with is. They're running Lost Galaxy's opening credits. This has got to be as stupid as keeping season one's pre-JDF credits up until MMAR.
  Chris notes: There... Lies a key... It's in space... She's a witch... She's got cones... It's a galaxy of Yost...
  Derik notes: Chris is on some really good pain medication right now.

• El Ceriñaverse update!
  Everyone's favorite naked person will be making another guest appearance on Ally McBeal April 29th. The episode is entitled "Another One Bites the Dust." Geez, I hope she doesn't end up on the cutting room floor again. That has to chafe, especially since Fox canned the half hour cut-scene driven Ally program years ago. I tell you, it's going to be hard to go back to looking at her clothed.

• We here at the Fuñaroverse had long thought the only Acclaim PRT comic we were missing was "The Mystery of the Phantom Ranger." It seems we were wrong. There is, in fact, a second Saban Powerhouse comic that we're missing. It's entitled "Ranger Rock," and features the second Turbo cast attending a concert. Confusion, confusion...
  Derik notes: This was the issue scheduled after 'Mystery of the Phantom Ranger' Chris, unlikely it saw the light of day. Still cool to know though...

• This is some of that minutia which only I find interesting. This is the company which produced a number of the suits and puppets used in the production of T:APRM. Among them the eagle chicklets which peck away at Lerigot, and the removed-in-the-final-cut mermaid.
  Chris notes: I have to say, the implication that the mermaid was either mostly prosthetics or animatronic in nature makes me almost glad we didn't see another until Marina. Didn't we get enough funky sea-people with the Aquitians?

• And again, my apologies to everyone who reported something which didn't end up on the site just yet. It should be up in a day or two.

• LunarWolf Dan has set up a PR webchat, and would like interested fans the world over (Well, english-speaking world over, likely,) to join him. While PR does have a well-pedigreed chat room (#alt-mmpr dates back 8 years!) everyone there hates people. So best of luck to Dan, and happy chatting!
  UPDATE: The nice people from #alt-mmpr sent us an e-mail calrifying that they do not, in fact, hate people, and telling us we should die. However, checking #alt today (Tuesday 23rd 430p EST) the chat topic is currently set to 'welcome to alt-mmpr! where everyone here hates people'.

• Perhaps you've noticed that our schedule is missing something. To wit, it's the title for next week's Wild Force. (Which I notice my webmaster is playfully titled himself. Way to reduce the overall level of confusion in the room, Derik...) Because nobody has a bloody clue what the damn thing is titled. Rest assured that it is a new episode, however. We'll correct it as soon as a name becomes available to us.
  Derik notes: Speaking of schedules... these saturday updates screw up our Sunday schedule. Someone looking at our schedule now sees next Sunday's schedule, not this Sunday's. (Rangers Back in Time and The Power Transfer miniseries.) You should really do something about that.

• We've seen a lot of amazing stuff go up for auction over the years. MMPR:TM Ranger costumes, Ninjor's head, Trey's Power Staff, the dilapidated original Zedd costume, the mask to a one-episode grunt who only the biggest nerd in the world would actually want to own... But nothing quite on par to this. Ladies and gentlemen, courtesy of Chris Peterson... MMPR:TM Goldar. I guess the guy who runs my comic shop really has decided to clear out his entire collection of PR rarities. And if you have a couple of thousand dollars to spend on something as fundamentally useless as Power Rangers, this is the way to do it.

• Thanks to our man Walt (and with initial notification from Hans), we can provide you with this link to Plex. A company who apparently have done extensive design work in the past for PR and Sentai. Not to be confused, I assume, with Rainbow Productions- they make the costumes. Which makes the helmet design for Gao Red on one of the pages odd- doesn't Bandai do that?
  Regardless, savor the experience. And proving once again than Internet Explorer is neither friend nor enemy, but simply above moral classification, I find myself unable to download the components necessary to use, of all things, the drop down menus for PR and Sentai on this site. I'd love to know just what it was they'd designed for MMPR Productions, distinct from Toei.
  Derik notes: The fault, dear Christopher lies not in our selves but in the webmastars. The drop-down menus don't go anywhere at the moment. The page is likely under construction. Reply Hazy, ask again later.

• You knew it had to happen sooner or later. Power Rangers now has a place in AOL's "kids only" channel. Since direct linking to a feature internal to AOL on the site is beyond foolish, we'll decline- but the keyword is "Power Rangers." Surprise surprise. The features are sparse- it mostly just direct links to FK.com, and the original features are hardly worth writing home about.
  Chris notes: I refuse to dignify The Rock or Frankie Muniz as a Ranger with acknowledgment of any kind.

• Courtesy of Symbolic Agony, this write up by Animerica of Toy Fair 2k2. The part of interest to those of us in PR fandom is down towards the bottom. Makes you wonder when some of these pewter figures will start making their way onto the secondary market, don't it?

• We've got a request coming down from upstairs, folks. And I'd like to deliver on it, with your help. I got an e-mail from a father this past week, wondering if there was a place online that currently had encodes of Time Force available for download. I don't like disappointing all the younger PR fans out there, and I know Will hasn't put all his Real Movies for PRTF up at one central hub. Anybody want to drop me a line about where the two of them can find these episodes? I'm a bit wary about putting his e-mail up on the site, but I'll make sure to forward it.

• And in a direct corollary to the above, Raul Ramerez asks us to please put his e-mail address up on our site. He needs the good people out there to send him every promotional picture the actors on PR have been sending to fans since the beginning for a project. Anybody want to pitch in and help him out?

• Devinemi directs us to this interview with stunt choreographer Michi Yamato. Michi worked in America on Saban's Masked Rider, and though I find nothing about his work on PR (or even what it was) anywhere online, apparently was involved with the program as well.

• In news which pertains to absolutely none of you, Chris Funaro and his beard have parted ways. Said beard, his partner for the last eight years, allegedly stormed off after failing to make headway in a contract dispute. We wish the now clean-shaven Chris the best of luck in all his future endeavors.

• Good news for users of Echostar's Dish Network. In a surprise move, Disney has settled their squabble with the #2 satellite provider in North America. Echostar will retain ABC Family and ESPN Classic on their lineup. The original article, courtesy of Reuters, and posted by Yellow Lightning, is available here.

• Last Saturday's episode of Wild Force featured the directorial debut of Taro Sakamoto (no relation to illustrious PR producer Koichi) on US shores. Taro's resume, as posted by Miko, includes Dairanger, Kakuranger, Carranger, Megaranger, Timeranger, and Gaoranger. He's clearly been enticed to work for MMPR Productions via some trick of Satan, to hear a great many hardcore Toei fans talk.
  Chris notes: By Lokar! They're on to us!

• Diligent viewer Sue Field alerts us to yet another appearance by Archie Kao on last Friday's CSI. His lab tech finally gets a name- "Archie." And his role seems to be expanding from when he debuted. Here's pulling for the guy to get made a recurring.
  Chris notes: Archie is continuing in the great tradition of Nobel laureate Tony Danza. Let's see if he can keep the name for all future roles...
  Derik notes: CSI recently diasplaced ER as the nations #1 rated drama, even as the Survivor series which launched CSI to sucess falls off.

• Our good pal Steven Livingston brings us the following captures of two PR alums plugging away in guest spots- one of which we had previously requested right here, so boffo thanks extended to him. First up, David Stenstrom- better known as King Mondo on Zeo, and Hal on Masked Rider- in his appearance on Grounded For Life. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 - plus an avi.

  -Then we have an avi of Ilia Volok's appearance on Judging Amy, which we much appreciate. Some snaps would be fantastic, though. Think anyone can rustle us up some?

  -And finally notice from Steven that Mike Chat has been appearing in a Honda Civic ad. Unfortunately, he lacks caps of that. Anybody else want to confirm for us?

• In other news, Dark Specter is very slowly plotting his revenge against humanity for Karone's defection. Well, at least none of us will be alive to see it happen. Leave it to Time Force to clean up. Or wait for the rebels to build us another Megazord...

• Taking a page from Justin Lam, Miko has ferreted out the covers to the next two Lost Galaxy video releases from Toei! Releases four and five are now available. I can't WAIT to see how they market the tape that includes PRiS/PRLG.

• El Ceriñaverse update!
  Perhaps you remember those times when resume/agency photos of former PR alum Melody Perkins were available on Ebay. For me, the appeal was always less the picture than the resume. Here's slanted logic if I've ever seen it- Cerina's agency photo, sold without the resume. So if any of you little horn dogs wants to drop a couple cents in her name, be my guest. (Courtesy of Chris Peterson, who rocks.)

• Welcome to our new digs at PlanetNaboo, everyone! Hope the transition was as smooth for the lot of you as it was for the three of us!
  Derik would like to apologize for inputting the wrong number for Green No More's listing on our schedule. No, ABC Family is not debuting a previously unaired third part.
  Derik notes: We really won't know for sure until it airs, now will we?

• Competition is healthy, it keeps us on our toes, lest we be displaced by a faster-breeding species with a smaller braincase. It is in that spirit that Matt Williams relaunches the Rañgerverse. Let's give Matt a big round of applause at his new endeavor! We wish him all the best at undercutting my hegemony.
  Derik notes: Matt's a good guy, I know him from back when I was first entering the fandom, he helped drag me into the whole thing. I have high hopes for the RV. Matt's an avid network hawk who follows internal politics and scheduling with a passion- one of the areas this site noticably lags. 'm psyched by to what he bring to the table.
  Chris notes: I'm intrigued that his site is blogger-based, allowing for instant updates without waiting on lazy-assed webmasters. Amazing thing, technology...
  Derik notes: I'm not gonna lie Chris, that hurts.

• Because so many of our readers happen to miss episodes, or just live in places that have yet to receive PRWF at this time, we'd like to take a moment to compliment the hard work of Blue Galaxy Space. This man has made the effort to encode an upload every episode of PRWF so far, much as diligent fan William Maberry did for PRTF. And so we take a moment to salute you, sir.

• So I'm chatting with a friend the other day, and what should happen to come up in conversation but the fact that Sony has actually begun production on an anthropomorphic robot friend. I suppose it shouldn't come as such a surprise to me. Sharper Image already has a model that looks like R2-D2 available commercially. But we are now, as a species, one step closer to having potentially murderous little Alpha units running around and mutilating our children. Meet Dream Robot! The future is NOW!

• Knux Five took a moment to let us know that Walter E. Jones had a role in last Tuesday's episode of The Shield on FX Network. From our understanding, his character had been referred to before in an earlier episode, and wasn't killed at the end of this ep. Here's hoping for the Zack-man to pull down a recurring role. Anybody cap this?
  Derik notes: The Shield is among the most criticly-acclaimed new shows this season. Go Walter!

• Time Fire/Quantum Ranger recently spotted an appearance by Master Org actor (and former Russian Olympic athlete) Ilia Volok on CBS' Judging Amy. Since he offered so graciously, we'd like to weigh in that yes, we'd love some snaps of this episode.
  Derik notes: He was an Olympian? Did he win anything?

• In slightly more callipygous news, Aaron Cameron took the time to let us know that the young woman in the Busta Rhymes video reputed to be Amy Jo Johnson is not, in fact, the former PR/Felicity star. I am naturally shattered, since it prevents me from making more devastating slams directed towards her back. Astute reader Marie Jordan also points out that this mistake is much more humorous for the fact that the actress in the video is black. Ringing endorsement for the PRC boards clientele, eh?

• Additionally, Bess Rock in LA notifies us that AJJ will be appearing April 6th in the Viper Room. Pertinent information is below. Amy will be performing songs from her new album, the Trans-American Treatment. Anyone interested in the treat of attending need only follow these directions--
  10:00 PM, Saturday April 6th
  The Viper Room,
  8852 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, Ca. 90069
  Telephone: 310-358-1880

  The password "Sneaky Alligator" gets you a discount on admission. Hey, doesn't Merrick control the Sneaky Alligator Predazord?

• And now we move on to "news CLF should have added a week and a half ago, but seems to have had a minor seizure and forgot about." Hefty little folder, that...

  -This is the single greatest thing I have ever had the pleasure to report. Courtesy of Justin Lam, this wav of Jason Narvy from his appearance in the film Extreme Heist. Formerly known as Wicked Game, and now available on DVD. I could tell you what he says, but quite frankly... You'll enjoy it ever so much more if you go in unawares. You the man, Justin.

  -Miko recently revealed to alt.fan.power-rangers that Daniel Southworth will be appearing in the forthcoming prequel to the Mummy films, The Scorpion King. No word at this time who Dan will be playing, though I wouldn't doubt he just might be playing The Rock's disgruntled friend from prep school.
  Derik notes: SK's prepress and trailers look promising.

  -In a surprising move, longtime president of Fox Kids and ABC Family Maureen Smith has resigned from her place with the company. As originally reported by Batman192 here. And then, as reported by astute Rene Alvarex, her replacement is none other than ABC Daytime head Angela Shapiro. I could make a snipe at ABC Soapnet's level of original programming, but I'd like to think I'm above that.

• One of the gags for our aborted April Fools update was going to be Funaroverse Q&A: Chris Funaro. A glimpse into the mind of one of the most eligible bachelors in the fandom. This, like the rest of that update, fell apart from lack of interest. And then somebody went and decided I actually was fascinating enough to interview. Ranger Saga has voted the Funaroverse PR site of the year, and celebrated with a round of twenty questions with yours truly. Go, get a taste of just how boring and stupid I am!
  Chris notes: We, of course, would like to thank webmistress Beonca once more for both the nomination and the win. Isn't that right, Derik?
  Derik notes: There was a nomination proscess? Who did we beat?

• One of my favorite parts about being a pseudo journalist is being able to print retractions. It reminds me that people are fallible beings. People other than myself, I mean. I'm already well aware of how fallible I am. Gerald of Sentai Time Capsule fame would like to publicly retract his assertions that Duke Zen-Aku was Schtein. Given that, you know... They just pretty conclusively proved on the show he's Duke Loki US counterpart. Gerald would additionally like to inform everyone that his site's server is temporarily down, but resumption of service should be any day now.

• And while we're on the subject of the innumerable mistakes I make on a weekly basis on this public forum... While braying like a jackass... Astute reader Jasper Smith provides several much needed corrections to things I've said in the last few weeks.

  - Alex Borstein is still a cast member on MadTV, where she plays fan favorite character "Ms. Swan." Oops. This mistake was less due to the fact that I thought she was fired than being utterly unaware MadTV was still on the air. Does anyone get the impression yet how out of the loop I am on most things?

  - Sarah Brown is actually a three-time Emmy award winner for her role as Carly on General Hospital. Oops. Why is it that I can only remember that one time she won? Aside from calling Shuki the love of her life. Oh, and I don't like that new Carly they have. She's all wrong with Sonny. And what's with trying to put her with Zander?

  - The Gao God box we recently linked to was not, in fact, the original box. It was the mass market release's packaging. An easy enough mistake to make- it's the original RETAIL box- but still something that should clarify. The mailaway didn't have that.

• Reports have been trickling in from Ray's message board, strewn amongst "update now" and "who's the hottest" threads, that callipygous former Pink Ranger Amy Jo Johnson put in an appearance during Busta Rhymes' latest video, Pass the Courvoisier. She apparently played a flapper. Anybody want to confirm this?
  Chris notes: You know, I could make a joke about where AJJ's career is going... Or some sort of "ghetto booty" comment... But that's just too lowbrow, even for us.
  Derik notes: Wait, this one's real? I thought it was part of the April Fools update, like the JDF/PR Reuinion thing.
  Chris notes: No, we canceled the April Fools update. The real news was getting too stupid to tell apart from the fake stuff.

• In one of those amusing nuggets that prove FK does still care about programming, however belatedly- Alyssa's commercial bumper has finally been corrected to read "White Ranger." It's still in pink, but that's a step in the right direction.

• Going above and beyond the call of duty, Azuline dropped a line to the good folks at WAM about their purported weekday action block. An official response from a representative confirmed that no, they are not beginning an action block, and Power Rangers and VR Troopers are not joining the schedule. That sound you just heard was Derik, breathing a sigh of relief about our schedule.

• Valencia Matt reports what he believes to be an appearance by PRWF's own Ricardo Medina Jr. at this past weekend's Academy Awards. Good old Cole appears to have been substituting as an usher for when winners are escorted off stage. Can anyone confirm this for us? I'd hate to think we're chasing another Sasha-esque ghost...

• So I'm watching VH1 last week (because nothing says "honoring George Harrison" like a duet with Jewel and Rob Thomas), and what should happen to come on right after the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony but their mediocre game show Never Mind the Buzzcocks And I'm prepared to turn it off, until I notice one of the contestants happens to be former Queen Machina voice actress Alex Borstein. Not much more that bears reporting- her team won, incidentally- but she really looks nothing like how I had ever imagined her.
  Chris notes: Given that I've never seen an entire episode of MadTV, where she was an alum...

• As you know, we're all about supporting fan artwork here at the Funaroverse. And it is in that spirit that we refer you to the exceptional work at the (unrelated to The Ranger Files) Power Rangers Database. Take a gander at this lovely picture of the Wild Force Megazord Sword and Shield Mode. Thanks, Database Ranger!

• El Ceriñaverse update!
  Everyone's favorite naked alumnus has new pictures online, courtesy of the deceptively named RomanticMovies.com. Here she is, out on the town at the premiere of Billy Bob Thorton and Bruce Willis' Bandits. Additionally, this ever so slightly dated article about her role in NATM, from the Las Vegas Review Journal. And in a real Blast from the Power Past, their interview from 1999 with the thoroughly exposed Ms. Vincent. Credit goes to the sharp eye of Devinemi.

• Aaron Thall notifies us that this week's episode of Earth: Final Conflict features an appearance by a Rescue Morpher. So all of you cappers out there with nothing else to do, get your VCR's ready.

• As I'm sure you noticed, Fox Kids debuted the "Cry Wolf" ad campaign this weekend, in an attempt to build up a fever pitch around the forthcoming Lunar Wolf Ranger Saga. Snaps should be available at Sean's site by now, and I highly recommend you stop by and take a gander. Nothing better than a nice, moody, pseudo-letterboxed ad.
  Chris notes: So, you think producer extraordinare Scott Page-Pagter will provide the voice of Duke Wolfie? He WAS Wolfgang on Beetleborgs, after all...

• And while we're on the subject of Duke Milkbone and his spandexed counterpart, courtesy of the last bastion of journalistic integrity left in PR fandom- Zyuray's message board- we can provide you with what they're claiming is the name of the Lunar Wolf Ranger. The source for this alleged info is Ann Marie Crouch, who plays Princess Shayla. Wow, she's been leaking like a sheldon the last couple of days, hasn't she?

• So I'm in a bar and grill Friday afternoon, trying to drown the sorrows of my latest trip to the oncologist in cheese sticks, and what should happen to crawl across CNN's news ticker? "Power Rangers creator makes record donation to Democratic Party, in light of McCain bill." Yes, our own Haim Saban, not to be stopped by some measly law, hastily shelled out seven million samoleans to the Democrats before it became illegal.

• The Sentai Time Capsule, now located at its brand spanking new location in our hot links directory, is reporting from anonymous sources that Schtein from Gaoranger will be the as-yet unreveiled Lord Zen-Aku from the toyline. While I find this a bit surprising, as the Gaoranger episode used in next week's Wild Force (featuring Schtein as Master Org's bodyguard) is the one that kills him off, it's not unusual for PR to give one shot villains their own toys. Amphibitor comes to mind.
  Derik notes: Darkonda (the best example) stuck around for about 30 eps after his sentai death...

• Sad news comes courtesy of our friend Keith Pepper. Contrary to prior reports, it seems Dawn of Destiny and The End of Time will not be released on DVD in the near future. Keith's sharp eye noticed that these entries are listed for ordering at national retail and rental stores from BVHE as VHS cassettes, not video discs. Looks like we're just going to have to wait Disney out on our first commercial episode releases.
  Chris notes: The Birth of Guilmon isn't going to get a DVD release either. But I ain't about to tell that to Digimon fandom, those people scare me...
  Derik notes: Aww, they're harmless Chris. Well- except that Takeriori crowd...

• I got my Craterite mask in this past Friday. A lovely piece of work, it is. And surprisingly pliable. I guess I didn't expect for it to be made of latex. A more thorough review of this one of kind piece of PR memorabilia is forthcoming, as well as pictures of your humble information czar dressed to the nines with the latest addition to his private collection.

• Derik, as you know, is a lazy, uncaring man who refuses to update when told. Below is the super informative, super-relevant, time-dependent update which he refused to put up on Tuesday. So don't blame ME for not putting things up on time. I'm not the weak link in this chain.
  Chris notes: Jarod's taking over as webmaster once we move to Naboo anyway... God forbid I should ever learn to do the actual HTML coding.
  Derik notes: Um. I blame Chris!

• The tentative date for PRWF's transition from Fox to ABC Family; September 14th, a day that will live in infamy, kids. The 7th will be the last day for Fox Kids programming as we know it before 4Kids Entertainment takes over and retitles it something else. No news on the date that Digimon Frontier will premiere on ABC's Saturday Morning roster.

• FK's new schedule was effective as of this Saturday. While PR remains in its usual slot, it was be preceded by Galidor. The finale of Transformers, in case you're curious, didn't run until 10:30 Eastern.

• Tonight we're going to take a look into the future.
  Derik notes: The future, Chris?
  That's right, emotionally supportive gay sidekick. All the way to the year... 2002. March 19th 2002, to be exact. For it is on that night that Andy Richter's sitcom will premiere on the Fox Network, only to be accidentally missed by two loyal Conan fans from Minnesota. And further, it is on that night that a scene from MMPR:TM will be hilariously reenacted, using Andy and the rest of his cast in lieu of the Power Rangers. Which no one, to the best of our knowledge, will have the foresight to tape or snap. Prove us wrong, kids. Fight the future. Find us snaps!
  Update: Ah, thank you Iceranger for makign a realmedia clip of the scene in question. Find it here.

• There's no such thing as bad publicity, even if it is a little surprising for a PR alum go this "in character" for their web presence, Ann Marie Crouch's authorized website is now online. Its presence annoiunced vuia a post to Jason Takach's Wild Force Fan Zone's guestbook. Plus, also courtesy of Jason, pictures of Ann in the film Bar Flies! #1 | #2

• Look! Courtesy of Miko, it's a picture of superdeformeds for all five characters on Hurricanger! Including those... Other two... Guys... Screw it. I'm not calling these guys anything until I can get someone RELIABLE to tell me what they're called. And since Jill's dead or comatose or something, that might take awhile.
  Derik notes: I heard a shark fell on her.

• Conclusively proving that the Disney buyout reaped far more good than bad, this report from Mediaweek, relayed by Burgundy Ranger. ABC Family's ratings have more than doubled since the relaunch. ABC Fam intends to extend the weekend schedule to 7-12. While this isn't exactly trouncing Nickelodeon's ass, it's still a good showing for PR's new home!

• In the interest of actually improving the usefulness of our schedule, we've taken the words of Fuñaroverse associate Jesse Herñdon to heart . The Monday-Sunday week looks odd, but it seems the most effective way to index such a convoluted lineup.
  Derik notes: Damn ABC, if they would just cancel PR reruns our schedule would be much more legible. ;)

• And while we're on the subject of networks currently running Power Rangers (and overtaxing our already twitching and spasming schedule), there are reports that cable channel WAM is looking at acquiring seasons one and two of MMPR, in addition to Power Rangers Zeo. Not to mention- and thank Lokar for this- VR Troopers. The new lineup would debut in May, as part of their afternoon action block. I guess it's time for me to foot the bill to expand my digital cable package... (our thanks go to "Kevo" for uncovering this factoid)
  Jesse notes: WAM, like Encore, is a part of the STARZ programing bundle. Mostly half-hour action shows for teens. WAM runs its programing comercial free, with large blocks of comercials between episodes.
  Derik notes: aarugh! The report has yet to be confirmed but- 25 episodes a week, plus VRT... I'll take a look at schedule formatting options but I promise NOTHING. And when will someone pick up BBM?
  Chris notes: When it rains it pours. PR on premium cable... heh.

• Courtesy of our man (and forthcoming webhost) Jarod, this article from Planet Gamecube regarding the upcoming Wild Force video game for the Gameboy Advance. What fascinates me is the fact that the game is top-down, and oriented around exploration. Could this be the closest to a PR RPG we'll see within our lifetime? Oh, and while you're there, take a moment to savor their message board. It's at least as much fun as Zyuray's.

• And while we're on the subject of web boards, let's take a moment to direct our attention to Robozone's brand new PR/Sentai message board. John Green's one of the moderators, so I have high hopes. I know what you're thinking. Chris, I thought you went to the message boards primarily to laugh at them? And I do. However, John's participation aside, I feel this board ought to have our full support. Robozone is affiliated with Figures.com, which has connections to the Toy Fare/Wizard conglomerate. In other words, these are people to whom we want to make a good impression. Increase fandom viability, and all that other good stuff. Thanks to Knightmare Cyclone for notifying us.
  Derik notes: Translation: Chris is sucking up.

• I'm not normally the sort to gloat. It's just not in my character. However, I simply can't resist expressing my delight at my latest acquisition. It's the paint master for the Craterite masks used in production of "The Craterite Invasion" in PRiS. Fascinating tidbit, in that they were originally going to be called Q-Zars by Saban.
  Chris notes: God, I loved Megaranger. I own a piece of one of my favorite grunts.

• Miko draws our attention to this depressing article about the health of Richard Genelle, formerly everyone's favorite MMPR juice pusher. While it is three years out of date, and we're delighted to hear Richard is doing so much better for himself, the timing of the article serves to explain why Ernie left so abruptly just prior to production of Turbo.
  Chris notes: See, I'm going to be good. I'm not making any jokes about Joe Camel being one of Ernie's suppliers, or smarmy comments about just what makes Ernie's tobacco smoothies so SMOOOOOOOOOTH...
  Derik notes: 3 parts fruit, 2 parts DeLUBE with vanilla and ginseng.

• So, I (Derik) was on Gnutella today, looking for a PR game rom to... uh... preview before buying.
  Instead I found a particularly nasty trojan horse called fastdownload labled as a PR file. The link is to a newsgroup post detailing how to kill it if some other naive PR-loving data pirate out there had the misfortune to actually install the thing...
  

• Chris McFeely's interview with Digimon/PR alum Wendee Lee (Alpha 6 in PRiS, TK#1 in DM.) is now online. I'd just like to take a moment to comment that she looks absolutely nothing like I'd have ever imagined. Maybe voicing Scorpina and the married name of "Lee" threw me- I expected her to be Asian. And while you're there, do take a moment to peruse her website, which has absolutely no content at the moment...

• PRTF is up for an Emmy in the field of sound mixing. While likely to be creamed by MTV's Grammy megamix, our congradulations go out to the team of Chuck Buch and Ed Suski for netting PR what looks to be its first ever Daytime Emmy nod. (props to Burgy for noticing this.)
  Chris notes: Sarah Brown, actress on PR's sister series VR Troopers (and guest star during Zeo,) went on to win a Daytime Emmy for her work on General Hospital.
  Derik notes: While Sound Mixing is a highly sought after special effects Oscar (usully going to whatever ILM did this year) the field appears somewhat thinner in Daytime. Among the competition; Martha Stewart Living. Ouch.

• As I'm sure you've all noticed, our online schedule is WHACKED TO SHIT. Silly 7 day schedule makes it hard for us to get next Sunday's PRT airings up in time to be useful. So, we decided to tell you ahead of time in newsbyte form and let you prep those VCR's with days to spare. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, it's Green, Green, Green!
  7:00E 134: The Green Candle, Part I
  7:30E 135: The Green Candle, Part II
  8:00E 149: Return of an Old Friend, Part I
  8:30E 150: Return of an Old Friend, Part II
  Derik notes: Couldn't we just do the schedule 2 weeks out Chris? And that looks more teal than green.

• Coming through in a clinch once again, our elite team of Digi-gnome informants has managed to sneak out the official ages for the Wild Force Rangers. Ladies and gentlemen, behold our first team to canonically be "young adults" with attitude! (highlight fer spoilers!)
  Cole: Unknown
  Taylor: 24
  Alyssa: 18
  Max: 17
  Danny: 24/25

• Part two of Robotech.com's illuminating interview with Tony Oliver is now online. Don't mind the glow about Jesse, he just got one of his pet theories proven. Tony WAS the story editor up until Doomsday, when Sloan took the position.

• Ever since that report about how much the Japanese toy-buying public enjoy importing Mega Battle toys from the PR line, I'd been expecting a retaliatory strike from Bandai JP. And now here it is. From Bandai's new Kamen Rider Ryuuki line, *armored* Kamen Riders. Yes, courtesy of the Department of Redundancy Department. Words escape me. (and, as a bonus, we get to see a guy discuss whether or not the Jumbo Wild Force Megazord is the offspring of Bandai's defunct Machinder series or not).
  Derik notes: The KR toys are closer to the conquoring LG Rangers than anything. I supposed because Gao is enjoying such popularity as a mecha-driven show, Bandai prefers weld the armor gimick onto a different property.

• One of the most important things a fandom- particularly a memorabilia/toy driven fandom- can have is an established sales and trading presence before speculators and scalpers descend like a swarm of hungry locusts upon a particular line. Free market keeps prices dowwn I always say. It is in this spirit that Paladin's PR Toy Trading Post opens its doors. We heartily support this endeavor, and encourage those of you who enjoy PR toys to do the same.

• It's time for your humble site keeper to brush away the cobwebs, and get around to tackling the e-mail backlog which has laughed in his face since just before his birthday. First up, alum appearances! Or lack thereof.

  -Sue Field alerts us to yet another appearance of Archie Kao. And yes, I would say that given the expression on his face, we are looking at another case of Kais Gone Wild. It's the official site for Quixtar, an e-commerce service. Is anyone else really weirded out when they see somber and dry Kai being all jubilant?

  -Next up, Sasha Williams. The woman who gets the most incorrect appearances attributed to her of any PR alum in recent history. Jon Kallis directs us to this thread, detailing the identity of the figure skater in that Olympic Coke commercial. With the opportunity to actually see the thing for myself, I would tend to agree- it's just NOT her.
  UPDATE: Just as we were about to go to press, hard-drinking reporter on the beat T-Dini confirmed for us that the woman in the ad is, indeed, our own Sasha Williams. Um... Yeah. Ignore what I said above.

  -And finally, heaven-sent messenger of love and beauty, Valerie Vernon. Matt Von Stetten believes he might have seen Valerie in a recent commercial for Denny's. Having not seen a televised advertisement for the place in quite a number of years, I'm relying on you good people out there to verify this for me. I for one think mere commercials are beneath the fair angel, but what do I know?

• Corrections keep pouring in. Dave Sarran took the time to notify us of a mistake we'd made regarding Kinokuniya and their ordering service for the Dai Sentai hardback. It's not Kinokuniya Japan offering the title in the US, it's Kinokuniya New York, a subsidiary. Our bad. Just go here, and use one of their helpful english-language pages. Do have the book's ISBN number on hand before placing an order, though. Boy, do we have egg on our faces...

• From the private collection of our man and yours, Shadow Ranger, these scans from the UK PRZ Magazine. This is the kind of stuff I live for. The artifacts from the fringes of the fandom. Klank got his own single-page comics! Love the stylized logo. Page one, and page two. These are exactly the sort of wacky misadventures I suspected the Machine Empire had when we weren't looking. Plus as a bonus, an explanation of how the Zeonizers work. I'm fascinated by the idea that the Zeonizer Crystals used to power the Zeonizers and Zeozords DO, in fact, contain minuscule fragments of the main Zeo Crystal.
  Derik notes: God, I love stuff like this...

• Everyone who has e-mailed me with information for the site, please bear with me. I've been deluged with material this week, and am running a little behind. We'd consider hiring staff, but we're cheap old men.
  Derik notes: Feeling your age Chris? Last wednesday was Chris's twenty-first birthday, he feels old now.

• Currently running a neck-and-neck race with the PAX Network, ABC has decided to scrap their projected network theme for the 01-02 season (said theme being "crap"), and start fresh with a younger, sexier roster of programming. Pepper Ann is out, Taito slash is in. Starting this fall, Digimon joins the roster of ABC's Saturday morning lineup. Pertinent information is available here at Toonzone. Y'see? Y'SEE? I told you production was halted on Digimon adaptation. I think the real question all of this raises is whether or not PR will be joining its sister series, when FK folds.
  Derik asks: Is FK really folding? I know 4Kids is taking over programing that block, but will it rebrand it, or will it still be 'Fox Kids?' Of note is that at least one ABC Fam ad I've seen refers to the new lineup as Fox Kids...

• Our interview with popular Power Rangers/Digimon voice actor Derek Stephen Prince is now online. We extend major thanks to Chris McFeely, for fixing us up. And to Justin "father of my children" Lam for getting Chris to notice me in the first place.

• And while we're on the subject, Justin also draws our attention to this fascinating book, Playing The Future. Noteworthy in that it contains a five page analysis of PR, and the positive effects it has on the children of today. About freaking time.

• You know, I normally don't go to alt.tv.sentai very often. It's just not a very interesting place, for one thing. No camaraderie or weighty discussions. But every so often, a little something comes along and actually provokes conversation. Unfortunately, this something unusually involves a hornet's nest and a stick. I highly recommend all of you mosey on over to Google Groups, and take a gander at the current France/American war. This is much more amusing when you realize an argument over a Real Movie of a Japanese program has spurned a fight over nationalism. Where's my popcorn and junior mints?
  Derik notes: Despite it's name, alt.tv.sentai is actually a catchall group for the discussion of tokusatsu, a genre whose definition lacks an equivilant English term. The word, IIRC has its primogeniture in the japanese term for 'special effects' unless someone wants to correct me.

• Freedom of information is the name of the game at the el Fuñaroverse. We're all for people using our content attribution is nice tho. However, one thing we will not stand for is when we are ripped off BADLY. Then- we make fun of them. Case in point, Rangers Forever. This time the subject for scathing wit is the otherwise useful and informative Melody Perkins Fact Page. They have five "exclusive" images of Melody from Planet of the Apes. Not, mind you, capped from a tape or disc. Taking inside of a movie theater. And, surprise surprise- the first three are ours. Attributed to the people at "Divine Melody." The REALLY amusing part is #1. Look at it. It's the picture Derik photomanipulated, of Alex sending us the caps, from the Time Shadow control center. Does the term quality control mean anything?
  Derik notes: Laying into them any further really is redundant. Context speaks for itself.

• Courtesy of Rene Alvarez, aka "the good Rene of PR fandom," three exciting pictures of Gao God's original packaging. It's all part of an attempt by Tokusatsu fandom to discern once and for all whether or not Bandai actually sanctions use of God components in standard toy formations of Gaoranger toys. While they're perfectly capable of this, it's a point of contention whether the "mythology" of the toys allows them to be proper versions of the gestalts. So, without further ado, here's front, back, and side.
  Derik notes: Internal to the series logic, while the GaoGod (US Animus Megazord.) components are physicly capable of linking up with other powert animals, their power level is so high that such a linking would destroy the other PA's.

• So I'm watching the Discovery Science Channel. And in the midst of Skeptical Inquirer and Secrets of the Deep, there appears Darla Haun. Currently peddling a product called "Lasting Lips." It fascinates me; she actually introduces herself by name at the start. I'd no idea our little Triple Force mother was such a name on the infomercial circuit.
  Chris notes: Oh, and I've officially decided it's not wrong for me to think she's hot.

• Hey, remember when Portal of Evil made fun of former Writers Guide webmaster Joe Rovang? We all sort of thought that would be the end of it? Don't be silly! There are still vast segments of the populace who have nothing better to do than mock the work of others, utterly unaware of Rov's testament to diligent research of bad television shows! Something Awful.com recently took a stab at it themselves. Now, what's sadder, folks- the way the sex/nudity page looks objectively, or the fact that I have several contributions on said page? (Rocco had the eye to direct us to it, and Tim was mindful enough to remind us after I saw something shiny and forgot. There's enough attribution to go around, fellows)

• It's former story editor MADNESS! First up, T-Dini alerts us to this interview at Robotech.com with original PR story editor (something we had been unable to confirm for years, though it was long suspected by Jesse) Tony Oliver. Best known to the masses of anime fans as Robotech's Rick Hunter!

• And then, getting it while the getting is good, Chris Peterson throws in this picture of the current "most mysterious story editor in PR history" (since we handled Chip, and all), Douglas Sloan! You know, I'm comfortable enough with my own heterosexuality to candidly say that he is a ruggedly handsome gentleman. Oh, and as a bonus, this picture of longtime ADR director, and Blue Senturion voice, David Walsh.

• T-Dini, who is really earning his keep this week, also notifies us that Kevin Kleinberg is appearing in an ad for Foot Locker, hocking Adidas shoes. You crazy kids need to keep an eye out; my webmaster has a major Trip fetish, and would love snaps.

• And while we're on the subject of former Green Rangers, major congratulations go to PRLR's Keith Robinson for scoring the lead on Fox's new weekly series Save the Last Dance, based on the hit film of the same name! He'll be playing alongside Chelsea Hobbs. But what will Angela think, Joel?

• Disgruntled (and callipygous) former Pink Ranger Amy Jo Johnson will be appearing on March 12th's episode of Spin City, playing the Mayor's slutty niece. What a stretch. I'd like to say, how bad I feel for Barry Bostwick, But not Charlie or Heather. They're used to associating with such base people.

• I'm sure you all noticed the scruffier voice Jindrax was sporting this week. Richard Cansino has apparently been replaced by in-suit Jindrax actor Danny Wayne Stallcup. We're unable to report if this is a permanent change or just temporary. It is, however, the first time a "suit" has ever provided his own voice for a character in series history.
  Update: Indications are that the change is indeed a permenant one.

• For those of our readers with the unfortunate luck to be living in the UK, where z's are at a premium in language, and u's are in abundance, Dragon Ranger provides these zipped movie files of the Elephantzord's debut from this weekend's episode of PRWF. 2.23MB, 27 sec | 1.61MB, 19 sec | 1.63MB, 20 sec
  Derik notes: I believe these are DivX encoded. Be aware.

• Effective April 2nd, El Fuñaroverse will be leaving the squalor of Geocities. Not by our choice, you understand, but because Yahoo is making it increasingly clear they have no desire to be in the web provider business. So, just in case any of you happen to have our Geo addy bookmarked, instead of one of our redirects, you might want to change those accordingly. We'll be making our new home at PlanetNaboo in the foreseeable future.
  Chris notes: You see, Derik? January 1st. "Why are we making a Phantom Menace joke? How does this pertain to Power Rangers in any way?" It was an OMINOUS PORTENT OF THINGS TO COME!
  Derik notes: So is N'Synch in Episode II. Doesn't make it right, just makes it a great DVD extra.

• Our interview with PRT-PRTF story editor Judd Lynn is now online. Enjoy.

• You know what's great about capitalism? Besides insider trading and point shaving? Comparison shopping. The ability to check going rates for a variety of items, and be able to sift out a much more reasonable price for your troubles, like a monetary prospector. It is in that spirit that Dave Sarran notifies us that Kinokuniya Company actually provides a much better rate for the Dai Sentai book than the going price in Previews Magazine. Sadly, Kinokuniya's "BookWeb" online ordering service is not available in English.
  Chris notes: I'm not exactly sure what use this is to most of you, since... You know, you can't actually order anything from them, but at least it's making you aware that it can be found through other mediums for a lower price.
  Derik notes: You realise this information is the exact opposite of helpful, right Chris?
  Chris notes: Suck on it.

• The diligent detective work of Aaron Chung has netted out this peculiar little quirk. Remember the pictures I showed you of the "Kagerangers" taken from what looked like the opening credits of the show (if not, they're here,) and how they didn't seem to mesh with the rest of the pictures we had of the additional two Hurricangers? They do. The Crimson/Orange Ranger has the same design as Purple does in the screen cap. And Navy is, in fact, the same design. The only major difference is that the gold accents are now silver. So what, you ask, is the deal? Beats me, but if you'll just proceed to the next newsbyte, we'll take a stab at what's going on...

• Raul Ramirez, upon doing some monkeying with the pictures provided of the Hurricanger publicity poster, noticed a multihued "star" in the upper right hand corner. After some modifications and tweaking, he realized that the colors of this star are red, yellow, purple, dark blue, and regular blue. While neither of us are quite certain just what this would represent to the show, it is fascinating. Why is crimson/orange omitted? In the case of the previous byte, actually replaced by the pinkish purple? This some sort of Demon Hunter "power switch-off" thing?
  Derik notes: More likely it's a company logo on the poster. And note that the 'yellow' band was green before he ran color-correction on it. Anyone with a better eye for japanese corporate watermarking recongize this?

• And then just as we were going to press, Jill, in her usual lovably snippy manner, provided these pictures and commentary on whom she dubs the Indigo and Wine Red Rangers. I still can't figure out where this clearly PURPLE Ranger in the snap comes from, m'self, but I'm glad she took the time to clarify.

• At great personal risk, and dodging sniper fire all the while, MokWllm smuggled the following picture out of the Playboy Mansion. From Hefner's forthcoming "Kais Gone Wild" video, it's Archie Kao cutting it up with one of the many fine ladies who populate the pages of Playboy.
  Chris notes: But we kid. Playboy is a magnificent institution. And not just because they consider us a legitimate news agency...

• And while we're on the subject of former Blue Rangers, our anonymous tip again pulls through in a clinch, letting us know that Michael Chaturantabut is appearing in the new (and, thanks to MGM, untitled) Austin Powers movie. He's even in the current trailers, getting his ass kicked by Beonce Knowles. Why do I suspect Mike was one of those members of Destiny's Child that didn't hack it for more than a week?

• And since we brought up Mike, it seems like a natural transition to mention that his costar from PRLR- and a woman who has no intention of appearing on Playboy- Sasha Williams appears in a new commercial for Coca Cola. One that apparently got a high degree of rotation during the Olympics. Anybody care to root for some snaps? We'd be your new best friends! Courtesy of Time Fire/Quantum Ranger.
  Derik notes: Woah, that was her? I was all- "Dude, that looks like Kelsey!" And he was all, "Dude, no way, Kelsey's way more butch!" And I was all- "Dude, you're right. It must be someone else." She looked good.

• Courtesy of Yellow Lightning, this fascinating article on everyone's favorite media despot and motorcycle enthusiast, Haim Saban. Seems Morgan Stanley, he of Dean Witter, feels he's entitled to a piece of that lucrative Disney buyout pie. Oh Haim, you scamp! How we've missed you!

• A fellow by the handle of "timefire," not to be confused with Time Fire/Quantum Ranger, recently pointed out to the newsgroup that Bandai USA refuses to learn its lesson. In the grand tradition of the Jumbo Astro Megazord, we're getting the Jumbo Wild Force Megazord. Coming in at a whopping two feet of plastic, this bad boy is a titan amongst PR toys, and should be available at fine toy proprietors near you. It retails for thirty bucks.
  Derik notes: We've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. An excited japanese PR fan imported Bandai USA's Jumbo Astro Megazord, only to discover 'It looks like a liscenced shampoo bottle.'

• We got a request to put this up, and we were just helpless to oblige. It's Japan Hero, and they provide reviews and commentaries on various Tokusatsu programs for prospective buyers from one of the many online tape traders. A useful supplementary to a crucial part of Toku fandom.

• You know, it's a shame Chyler Leigh isn't a PR alum. I have this great picture of her ass (well, REALLY lower back) tattoo, and no excuse to put it on the site... (image courtesy of whoever it was that ripped it off from ebay to start with)
  Derik notes: This would be much easier to justify as on-topic were someone to provide a matching picture of Khayman's ass. Then the two would go hand in hand! (Or cheek to cheek...)

• From this month's issue of Previews Magazine, Hans Adolph discovered that following the major push of Kamen Rider memorabilia in American comic book stores, the next big import out of Japan is the 25 Dai Super Sentai Material Book. Retailing for a smooth fifty smackers, this should be the collection covering everything from Go until Gao. Anyone from Toku fandom care to verify that for us, though? Chris notes: This is a marvelous find, either way. Books like this usually cost an arm and a leg to import, so $50 is a pretty good deal.
  DemiDerikmon notes: Not quite sure, but we THINK this is in japanese, just being imported. Does anyone out there know more concretely?

• Ask and ye shall receive. Lydia Hunter, who first notified us about Monica L's Kenwood spot, provides the following correction and accompanying snaps. Kenwood's infomercials are actually too high class to associate with the rabble of network and cable television, so the only way to see them is to order a copy, free of charge, from their website. Additionally, Lydia gives us these snaps from her disc. Thanks bunches!

• And while we're on the subject of infomercials, Aaron Cameron dropped us a line to let us know that Darla Haun, who played the mother in the PRLG/PRLR crossover, is currently doing infomercials for Tony Little's Gazelle Freestyle machine. Doing a quick check on Darla's name in Google, I was surprised to see she's done a number of these. Sadly, I also found out she appeared in a contemporary Mel Brooks movie. Dracula, Dead and Loving It, to be precise. Some things... you just can't forgive.

• El Ceriñaverse update! Devinemi knocks another one out of the ballpark with his deft observation that Ceriña appears in this month's FHM magazine. Sample pictures are available at their official website. And, as Nadir Ahmed alerted the newsgroup, Ceriña is appearing in this month's issue of Razor Magazine. There are also pictures available at their own official website. That is all.

• My webmaster and I would like to take a moment to profusely apologize for the lack of service this site has experienced in the last six days. Our ongoing attempts to snag the franchise rights to Kenny Rogers Roasters in the Midwest have again hampered our ability to update the 'verse in a prompt and timely manner. Curse the high stakes world of franchise negotiations!
  Derik translates: Chris and I kept missing each other, and Chris has bad taste in music.

• The hits just keep on coming. Chris Peterson has returned from his spice gathering mission to the new world, and in addition to rare animal pelts and cocaine, he's uncovered this fabled Lost Interview with Jason Faunt! Or maybe I'm just rusty on the whole "metaphor" front, from that week off... I do so hope you kids enjoy questions 9-17. I wrote 'em.

• With just under a week to go until the premiere of daily PR reruns on ABC Family, we remain just as in the dark over which episodes are slated to run as the rest of you. While one certainly hopes some place online will be announcing it... It would be a mercy for this site's scheduling practices, if nothing else... We're cautiously fatalistic.

• Courtesy of Captn Eclipse, the only coverage granted the press of the upcoming additions to the PRWF toy line, from the nice folks at Action-Figure.com. Of particular note are the confirmed American names of Gao Icarus, Gao Centaurus, and Gao God; as well as a THIRD ESA for this year. Highlight the text below, lest ye wish to be surprised...
  Isis Megazord, Pegasus Megazord, Animus Megazord; and Lord Zen-Aku

• Apparently taken from the opening theme to Hurricanger, Miko directs us to this snap of the two "Kagerangers," assuming that name holds accurate. Of particular note is the symbol on Purple's helmet. It's the scarab used for the Beetleborgs logo. However, this image, also brought to us by Captn Eclipse, seems to imply that the Purple and Orange Rangers are really just deeper shades of Red and Blue. Except... Take a moment. Compare Purple's helmet to that of the Navy Blue Kageranger. The designs aren't even CLOSE. In fact, neither is that of the Blue Ranger in the theme song capture to this pic. And where's Crimson/Orange in the opening credits? And what about Scarecrow's brain?!
  Chris notes: In somewhat less convoluted matters, Walt also chips in this picture of the insectoid mecha of the Kagerangers.

• Marc Siry, creative director for FoxKids.com, presents these fun pictures of himself in MMPR Productions' vast storage warehouse. First up, the sad fate of the Omega Megazord, following its destruction at the hands of Carter and Ryan. Note the declaration of peace. And that it needs to spend more time int he gym. And then- from Alison MacInnis to this. Diabolico's new dream date. You're a peach for sharing this with the fandom, Marc.

• And while we're on the subject of Power Rangers Theatre, Knux Five brings us this blast from the (power) past. It's both parts of the PR Power Playback OTO poster that ran in Totally Kids Magazine. You know, maybe I'm off my rocker, but I don't recall the secrets of the Shogunzords being unlocked via the Ninja Coins.

• My apologies to everyone whose contributions have yet to be added this week- they should be up shortly. We're just very pressed for time right now.

• Courtesy of Burg, this article regarding the financial bath taken by the Walt Disney Company, upon acquisition of Fox Family Channel and Saban. I have one response to this. Gah.

• Matt Williams directs us to TVGuide.com, which currently features a tentative schedule for the revamped ABC Family lineup debuting March 2nd. Most fascinating is the nebulous second PR listing on weekdays NOT including the Time Force tag. Dare we dream that Power Playback hath returned from Valhalla?

• Good news for Digimon fans comes in the form of this post from Chris McFeely, relaying for Megchan, former webmistress of the Digimon site. (And the one who translates Saban's scripts for them- you can blame her for season 1's Vault card game not making sense) Looks like we will be getting seasons 3 and 4...

• From the collection of our own Derik Smith; scans of the PRT mini comic "Into the Fire," lovingly hosted by the good folks at PRAwiO. Not to be confused with the Shawn Colvin song of the same name, or Jason and Kimberly's chant from T:APRM. Or with Ellen's fic combining the two. I don't think.
  Derik asks: Shawn Colvin had a song named PRAwiO? What a strange little dog.

• Jesse brings to our attention this fascinating glimpse into preproduction work failing to mesh adequately with that of post. Go get out your copies of Click, Click, Zoom. Atta girl/boy! There you go! Now go to the sequence where the mother is reading to her son about the legend of the Animarium. Notice anything unusual? The picture of the princess in the storybook uses the design of the original actress to portray Shayla. Right down to the same exact dress. Me, I attribute it to the story being diluted by each subsequent generation's retelling...

  -Notice something else about this episode, while you're watching that same exact scene? Note the weapon of the sixth ancient warrior, the one placing Shayla in suspended animation on the temple grounds. That's Gao Silver's Hustler Rod. Nice precedent there, props department! Of course, just the presence of SIX ancient warriors during the third episode is pretty damn nice...

• With the first three episodes out of the way, and my webmaster's complaints about upload sizes and webspace getting louder, we feel comfortable telling you that for all your promo snap acquiring needs, you can just turn to Sean's Wild Force Online, which Red Tulip Ranger had recently pointed out we no longer linked directly to in our hot links. Uh, oops.

• Also courtesy of Sean, this post containing a link to a DVD watchdog site. A site which seems to confirm that Buena Vista's next two PR videos- "Dawn of Destiny" and "The End of Time"- will also be released on DVD. I think I speak for us all when I say "about frickin' time."

• As you know, it's easy to make a website. It's much harder to make a good website. One that has a clear use and purpose. That's why we are throwing our full weight behind Selma McCrory's PR Fanfic Recommendation Database. Or "PR Recs," for short. I know what you're thinking. Chris, you're asking, I thought your site had stringent guidelines preventing it from endorsing most fanfiction, as it's hardly considered news? And you'd be right. We do. However, one thing the Funaroverse is very much about is providing useful services. And Selma has begun something that I consider to be very important. I think it's crucial for fanfic aficionados to have a place where they can go, and have stories recommended to them, uniquely suited to their personal tastes by era and genre. I mean, we all want to avoid the hullabaloo that is fanfiction.net's laughable "review" system, don't we? Have some people with grammar and syntax describe why they like stories?
  Derik notes: Am I the only one who has a hard time keeping a straight face when Chris discusses 'stringent policies' when our hotlink section is made up entirely of drinking buddies?

• As you know, we're all about giving shout-outs to those fan artists among us. Prolific pencil pusher Valencia Matt brings us his brand new drawing of White Wild Force Ranger Alyssa associating with her Toei counterpart, GaoWhite Sae. Fabulous work.

• Additionally, this fantastic CGI by some nameless Japanese artist, brought to our attention by friend to children and flying turtle gods Jason Bischoff, one fan's idea of how a Gao Horse and Gao Zebra might function as part of the Gao King system. Lara Croft, eat your heart out. Rowr.

• Jason also alerts us to an exciting fact for those of us tired of PR figures that always include an action feature, and are always pre-posed so as to be almost useless as a basic, fun toy. Toys R Us is now carrying an exclusive Wild Force 3-pack, containing the Red, Black, and Blue Rangers. These are resculpted basic PRiS 5" figures, with new helmets and belts, but that same great playability. No sign of Yellow or White, so it seems like they'll be bundled in with the Lunar Wolf Ranger.

• As you may well know, if there's one thing we can't get enough of around here, it's taking an opportunity to take potshots at former cast members. So then, perhaps you're wondering why these pictures of Yellow Wild Force Ranger Alyson Kiperman as Jason Frank's girlfriend on Undressed (courtesy, once again, of Devinemi) fail to elicit a smarmy response from me? Even this picture of her in a metallic blue bra? It's simple. She's not a former alum yet. Show's still in production.
  #1 - I assume this is her leg inside the stocking. Regardless, I love the "Return of an Old Friend," to gawk at it. HAW! I slay me.
  #2 - The happy couple, bitterly unaware that she just cheated on him in the previous episode. I actually had no idea that Undressed had cast members with tenures as short as this.
  Derik notes: Chris is apparently unaware that Undressed is an anthology show. For those of you keeping track- Chris doesn't watch Wrestling or MTV, yet he does watch the History Channel...

• Courtesy of Symbolic Agony (dude- love the name! Does it mean anything?) this order page from Amazon featuring Johnny Bosch and Jason Narvy's Extreme Heist. It seems clear that this is some sort of retitled version of "Wicked Game," given the plot similarities. Still, marvelous that the thing is finally getting a region-one release.
  Chris notes: I use 'dude,' of course, in the exclamative sense, since Agony is of the fairer sex...

• Go check out Jason Takach's Wild Force Fan Zone. Now, conveniently, located in our hot links column. Marvel at how he actually took the time to get the "three-tiered news site" format to look sleek and professional, while ours still looks like it was hammered out in ten minutes. Which, you know, it was.
  Chris notes: But, as you all know, this site's format will change when you pry it out of my cold, dead fingers...

• Despite the fact that love is a fallacy, foisted upon us by a greedy greeting card and chocolate lobby, we'd each like to take a moment to wish you and your special someone the happiest of Valentines Days.
  Chris notes: Sadly, we lack those cool PR St. Valentines e-greetings FK.com peddled last year. Speaking of, does it annoy anyone else that Blue Mountain is now a pay site? Isn't this taking crass commercialism beyond even its normal bounds?

• It's been brought to our attention that Tom Wyner is not, in fact, the voice of Gennai and Captain Mutiny. That's Mike Reynolds. Well, ah... Blame Jesse. He's supposed to notify me before I screw up like that. The report itself stands.

• Courtesy of Jill's site, pictures of the final four Power Animals, Gao Mouse, Stingray, Horse, and Peacock. Please keep in mind that these are, from my understanding, the only appearances of these characters. And likely will be, barring some sort of introduction in the Gaoranger/Hurricanger team-up. See, that "hundred beasts" in the title wasn't just hyperbole. They did have lots of Power Animals in the Animalium that we never saw! ...and who'll never get toys.

• Knux Five, to whom we're still indebted a first born for the comic scans, directs us to toonzone.net, which has this article regarding 4Kids Entertainment's plans for the FK block. While I expected subsequent Ultraman programs to be adapted (assuming Tiga did well), I must admit I'm a bit shocked that FK will be running the Pokemon movies.

• Due to the excessive bandwidth consumption put upon the PRAwiO, to the point of their webmaster complaining loudly, we present to you a mirror for the Ninja Rangers comic book, courtesy of Paladin. Give a hoot. PRAwiO is a cousin site, and deserves the same treatment as a delicate debutante, on the cusp of womanhood. Or something.

• And while we're on the subject of comics, courtesy of Todd Nauck; confirmation of just how far into production Image/Extreme Studios Power Rangers Zeo title got. Todd had pencils completed up to the fourth issue, as well as half of PRZ/Youngblood, and half of the first issue of BBBB. Major kudos to Todd, on being such a courteous guy, and not minding my questions.

• Astute video merchant Minerva Torres notifies us that Walter Jones' "Suckers," which we had previously reported was looking for a distributor (because its official website still says as much), is in fact available for rental. So, anybody care to volunteer for review duties?

• Brought to our attention by Devinemi, and woefully ignored by your humble news muppet until now- it's been a big mail week- This information on PRWF alum Alyson Kipperman. Her previous break on television came on that staple of post-PR careers, MTV's Undressed. She played the character of Janice in the third season. But that's not the best part. Alyson's boyfriend on the show, Carl, was none other than our own Jason Frank. Pertinent information is available here. Okay folks, I know someone out there must have been taping these episodes. Pony up with the snaps.

• Lydia Hunter alerts us to an infomercial for Kenwood brand stereos currently in rotation, featuring PRLR's own Monica Louwerens. Anybody mind keeping an eye out, during the 3 AM slots usually populated by programs of this nature? And enduring brand-loyalty brainwashing, to maybe get some snaps?
  Derik notes: Dude. That's just a mean request to make of people. Your contempt for humanity is showing through.

• The dutiful Chibi Cel-Chan has uploaded the PRWF theme to PR for Infinity, so for those of you lacking in FK affiliates or RM's, here's your chance to take a gander at the actual tune. As opposed to the one that ran right after PRTF's finale.

• Courtesy of mh_ch_sh (great name! where do I put the vowels?), this clearer picture of the Orange and Purple Hurricangers. I really like the whole B-Fighter design influence going on. Really makes it clear that they're not part of the same team as the core three.

• I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the addition made by my smart-ass webmaster to our PRWF flash-facts this past weekend. It was only just brought to my attention recently; rest assured that it has been corrected. God knows, I'd always thought this site was a bit higher class than making wrestling references.
  Derik notes: That's a little narrow-minded of you Chris. It's not like it was a WCW reference...

• From Digimon fandom, Tom Wyner (voice of Gennai, as well as PR's Captain Mutiny) has confirmed reports we'd been hearing about Digimon's fate in the Disney buyout. Disney retains Saban's American distribution rights to Toei programing, including Mon Colle Knights, Robots in Disguise and Digimon, but has no intention of either using these programs or releasing their rights at this time. While the show's future is uncertain, Digimon Season 3/Tamers writing and recording was halted before completion, and the dubbing studio producing it no longer exists. So it seems unlikely the dub will be continued. (Tom Wyner vis Chris McFeely, internal sources)
  Chris notes: I've gotten the distinct impression that Saban Entertainment was purchased by Disney specifically to get access to MMPR Productions. Which, while being sucky for DM fans, does seem a positive sign for those of us in PR fandom.
  Derik notes: Noooo! I need closure! Do Henry and Takato ever do it?
  Update: Whoops! Tom Wyrner is the voice of Devimon! Win some, lose some.

• As always, Jesse has snaps of the promo for this weekend's episode. My apologies on taking this long to upload them. Here she be, folks.

• Our anonymous source, who, as always, is anonymous, chipped in a couple bucks to help a couple starving site owners, and bought showfax's latest scriptlet, focusing on Jared, the apparent name of the Lunar Wolf Ranger. Not to be confused with Jarod, our auxiliary webmaster. Or Jared Fogel; Black Ranger Danny's hoagie-eating non-double. It's a retooled scriptlet from the previous bunch, circa Time Force, dealing with destiny force-wielding "Chad Collins." Humorously, Jared's comment to Sophia about the guy they really wanted being in Brazil seems an ominous portent to the direction PRWF's own overplot would end up taking.
  Derik notes: And hey, mad props to Stefan for buying us the scriptlet! Wait- did I just say 'mad props'? Eeew...

• A completely different anonymous source supplies us with the following information, direct from Toy Fair 2k2: Expect the upcoming waves of Wild Force figures to include a new batch of Auto-Morphins (finally!); 12-inch Rangers with Savage Cycles; several Megazord sets spanning the range of Gaoranger mecha; and my favorite, the Animarium Playset with exclusive Shayla figure. Hhh. Wonder which actress she's modeled on?

• You know, I've always said the diligence of this fandom is often unsurpassed. And it's folks like this who really remind me of it. Courtesy of Knux Five, it's scans of Ninja Rangers/VR Troopers #3, featuring the return of the Dark Rangers. Really loaded with lots of cool stuff; I'd easily say this ranks as one of the top 2 PR comic stories ever. (hosted on PRAwiO)>
  Chris notes: Oh, and just to correct my webmaster's assertions otherwise, this title ran to issue #5, not #3. Anybody happen to have the last two issues? And be willing to scan? I'd love to find out if any of this material was touched on again...

• Lunar Wolf Ranger (popular moniker in this fandom, considering the chap hasn't even debuted yet) directs the fandom to the Frankie Muniz vehicle "Big Fat Liar." In it you'll find Lightspeed alum, and Mr. Last-Name-Full-of-Letters, Michael Chaturantabut. Mike also apparently does stunt work for the film.

• El Ceriñaverse update! In one of those things that you're never quite sure is because of something that got left on the cutting room floor, or because Fox's web department is on smack, this inaccurate summary for last Monday's Ally McBeal. Listing our own Cerina Vincent as a guest role. She never appeared in the episode. Cerina is also in the March issue of FHM, for those of you who are into that sort of thing.

• Courtesy of "Valencia Matt," this lovely picture he drew of the Wild Force Rangers. Exceptional job, Matt. Wow, it's kind of nice when people just do stuff like this. Now, we just have to go to the trouble of getting this guy to commission some work for us...
  Derik notes: I like his webpage. It made me smile.

• El Fuñaroverse would like to take a moment to extend its heartiest congratulations to arriving Power Rangers story editor Amit Bhaumik. The dream lives. A fan is now head writer. You've certainly moved onto greener pastures from your days at the PROA. But never forget Derik's naked baby photos of you.

• In a move in keeping with 1998, and spoiling Countdown to Destruction pt. 2 the day before it aired, FK.com has updated with its complete Wild Force webpage. I can't say anything here is particularly turning me off from wanting to watch. Indeed, Taylor's history in the Air Force is really intriguing me. She CAN'T be a teenager. But... Gah... Turtle Lake City?

• Courtesy of Dragon Ranger, this DivX file of the new Bandai Wild Force ad, spotlighting the Kongazord, Savage Cycles, and Putrids. While this service is greatly appreciated, my webmaster has a grouse about not using Real Movies. He had some metaphor involving committee-developed camels.
  Derik notes: it was that macDIVX works like a horse designed by comittiee, and RM's are a much friendlier format for widespread distribution. Plus DIVX sucks.

• We would like to take a moment to mourn the insultingly low ratings of this year's Digibowl. According to this press release, courtesy of Burgundy Ranger, FK came in dead last in the ratings on 2-2-2k2. While I admit that the Digibowl might lack the quiet dignity of having Sting and Yo Yo Ma kick off the Olympic Games, it deserved to go out on a higher note than this...

• Oh, and we'd like to officially retract and disavow reports (which even made their way into one of our flash-facts) regarding the departure of the original PRWF Blue actor, on the grounds that they are... not true in any way. We'd feel mildly embarassed for being taken on by this- except that, you know, so was everyone else...

• From the private collection of Jesse Herndon, we bring you the third of five original Power Rangers Turbo shooting scripts, "Song of Confusion." Note that the snippets of the song written by John Fletcher in no way correspond to the finished project. (PRAwiO)

  -Also courtesy of Jesse, this scan from Marvel Vision #4. It's the solicited, but never released, final issues of MMPR and Ninja Rangers/VR Troopers. I never realized until this moment the amount of quality material those crappy comics actually contained. Look at that. Writing by contemporary top ten Fabian Nicieza. Art by Silver Age LEGENDS, like Steve Ditko, and the late John Buscema. What the hell happened, to get them assigned to a ghetto title like PR?
  Derik notes: MMPR/VRT #3 (the last published) ended with a clifhanger story wherein the Dark Rangers returned with a reconstructed Thunder Megazord to battle the season 3 MMPR. This soliscitation is for #7. If anyone has #3 comic and would be willing to scan it I, personnaly, would be eternally grateful...

• And while we're on the subject of comics, here's a nice promotional piece summarizing Marvel Comics' "Mangaverse" storyline. I notice that most of the original titles were not used, likely for some variety of legal reasons. FF was supposed to be a sentai, and Spidey was going to be a Masked Rider. Oddly, Avengers ended up as the sentai team.

• You know, when I implored my good readers to provide me with some manga-style fan art, this wasn't quite what I had in mind. From Miko, in a post to AFP-R, it's Studio Deng. While they do have a great many pictures of Tokusatsu heroines in the manga style, they also have a tentacle picture of Kat. So, you know, be careful spelunking around that place.
  Chris notes: I always thought tentacle molestation being a common theme in pornography said something about a culture. Could never quite put my finger on what, though. I wonder how games like Maniac Mansion must play in Japan? They have sentient tentacles as supporting cast!

• As you may know, there's nothing we here at the Funaroverse enjoy more than a good roast. Why, I remember back in the day, Dino would get so plastered, he could barely stand up straight at the podium... And it's in that spirit that we bring you, once again, El Warñerverse. A shameless, albeit good-natured attempt, by its webmaster to continually undercut my hegemony. Oh, and Snoops? You don't get to be a hot link yet. Sorry.

• Ladies and gentlemen, hell hath frozen over. In its final release of Power Rangers for the private sector, 20th Century Fox Home Video has put out the first episodic PR DVD. Courtesy of EInsiders, confirmation that Fox will be releasing the three-in-one seasonal video from 2000, in addition to Triple Force. One presumes as a two-disc set.

• Just when I thought Roger and Edward were the only ones whose current projects seemed doomed to include the phrases "direct-to-video" or "searching for backers," respectable old Walter E. Jones falls into a similar trap. Walter's new movie, Suckers, featuring Full House alum Lori Loughlin, is currently looking for financiers. And just to keep in mind, Walter doesn't seem to have a large role in the movie. The only reason anyone even knows he's in it is because of this photo. (the ever-resourceful Miko)

• We're about to embark on a magical, transoceanic experience. Buckle up kids, our adventure starts in the mysterious Far East! Courtesy of Toy Fare Magazine, and lovingly transcribed by KnightmareCyclone, confirmation that PR is actually the most popular imported toyline in Japan, beating out the US exclusive Gundams and Zoids, among Japanese toy collectors. In particular, the Japanese just can't seem to get enough of those Mega Battles unique to the US.

  <French Accent>Our journey carries us across the mermaid-laden waters of the Pacific, to that enchanted land known as America.</French Accent> While this article provided to us by the good people of figures.com is full of misinformation, it does provide us with confirmation that Bandai USA is optioning Hurricanger for 03's PR line. I'd take that as a strong sign that Bandai and MMPR Prod. expect to keep on producing PR into next year.
  Chris notes: Or it could just be another one of those Beetleborgs Force things. I'm just one of those glass-is-half-full types.

  And now our trip wraps up, across the pond known to one and all as the Atlantic Ocean... Shadow Ranger brings us these pictures of the UK exclusive PRTF Automorphins, as well as an extra special bonus: the also England-exclusive PRTF Zord-Armour Figures! Thou art the MAN, Tim.(hosted by Paladin)

• Before we get underway for this update, we'd here at the Funaroverse would like to take a moment to congratulate the New England Red Mauraders, on their startling upset in New Orleans this past weekend. This was most certainly a Digibowl to remember. I know I won't soon forget Bono's stirring rendition of "Hey Digimon."

• Also this past weekend, teenpop sensation and Pepsico pusher Britney Spears appeared on Saturday Night Live. In a joke perhaps par for the course, she played a living Barbie Doll. The sketch ended with Britney leaving to go "have a three-way with some Power Rangers." Nn. Yes. Well. Moving on...

• In one of those cross-incarnation cohabitations that makes being in this fandom so much fun, it appears that Roger Velasco made a movie alongside Edward Albert. Entitled Stagecoach, the film's producers seem to be shopping for a distributor. So any PR fans with a couple of grand to burn might want to consider giving them a call. Sure, it would be financial poison, but it's for a good cause...

• I had long thought the days of a FK program that tried new and exciting things, or had unique promotional tie-ins had long past. And then I found this place. Courtesy of Jason Takach, the official web site of the upcoming science-fantasy show Galidor. I haven't seen an official site like this in nigh-on forever. Or since Requiem For a Dream was still in theaters. I am so going to be watching this.

• My link to the picture of the Hurricanger villainesses (Vilanessi? Is there a proper term for that?) Miko posted no longer seems to work. Does anyone else happen to know of a place that swip-- Aw, "unofficially mirrored" it?

• Time Fire again delivers a nice little audio nugget, this time the unabridged instrumental theme to Power Rangers Zeo. Be warned, as he himself admits, it's not of the highest quality.

• Thanks to Paladin, we're able to bring you this picture of both PRTF Ranger/Megazord two-packs. Were I one to quote freely from the Sean Connery lexicon, I believe the appropriate response would be "you're the man now, dog!" Thankfully, I am not prone to such outbursts.
  Derik notes: Didja get looks for stopping to take pictures of a store shelf Pal?

• Knightmare Cyclone directs us to one of the earliest usenet posts ever made pertaining to Power Rangers, all the way back in 1993. Well over a year before PR had its own newsgroup.

• Fellow by the name of Super Sage brought this to my attention, it's the sneak preview for Hurricanger. Courtesy of Captn Eclipse, and hosted by Paladin, a mirror for the promo so neither is overwhelmed by bandwidth use, as well as the teaser for Kamen Rider Ryuki.

• Courtesy of, of all people, Rene Charbonneau, this article on Haim Saban's attempt to join the University of California's Board of Regents. This is a bit of a surprise; last I'd heard, old Haim was angling to buy Tyco.

  Chris Peterson brings us three newsbytes this week. And rather than work out a couple of segues to string them all together, I thought I'd just distill them down into a few info-bullets. Bear with me, this morning's update has caused me to crash no less than two times (once in the midst of finishing the last byte), and I'm fresh out of wittiness right now.

  -Rhett Fisher's latest confirmed appearance on Maybe It's Me is February 15th. More pertinent information, such as precise air times, are available on Chris' website, Rhett Fisher.com.

  -A movie file of Jason Faunt's banned Sam Adams commercial. She does yoga.

  -In tribute to Will's picture of Erin Cahill alongside her stunt double, Chris brings us this exclusive of Alison appearing in costume next to her also-suited double. I originally made a Cyborg Rangers joke here, but... You know.

• Eight years in the making, Joe Rovang's Psychotic Demented Apathy Rangers finally debuts. Note page four. Were it not for the fact that the chair he's sitting in happens to be green, I'd swear Squishy is on the toilet...
  Chris notes: This site does tend to bend the rules of our "no fanfic" policy, but at the same time... We never did put down a stance on fan-comics, did we? Or parodies?
  Derik notes: I think it slips in under human interest. "What is Joe doign with all this free time since he stopped doign the Guide?" Now you know folks...

• This weekend is the time for that most American of institutions, the Digibowl. In honor of this momentous yearly occasion... Which will likely not survive to see aught-three... My webmaster and I chose to take a week off to enjoy the sundry previews of this year's game and specials highlighting the classic moments of Digibowls past. Man, I can still remember John Elway and Mr. Ishida in their prime. Resumption of service begins now.
  Derik notes: The Galidor halftime promo looked cool, didn't it? Ah, I remember the good of days of MMPR season 3 when PR aimed lower, looked better, and was much more fun to watch. Looking forward to Galidor I am.

• Jesse informs us that Fox Kids has once again changed their pug-ugly station bug, this time actually going to the trouble of making the damn thing smaller, and finally doing away with "next show" picture popups. Oh sure, when the continued lifespan of the network can be measured in months, that's when they give an inch of ground...

• Fresh from Burg's farm to your breakfast skillet, the titles for the premiere episodes of Wild Force. Just check the schedule. Interestingly enough, they're NOT a two-parter. Wow, this is a heck of a lot more effort in promotions than I expected out of FK for two unconnected eps!
  Derik notes: I believe PRLG originally had a 3-part opener. Wasn't Race to the Rescue originally Quasar Quest part 3? (Not sure)

• Perhaps too late to be of any relevance, but like that's stopped us before, we bring you these pictures of Hurricanger. First up is this poster, containing the first known appearance of the surprisingly MALE Purple Kageranger. (He's the one you can't see behind the lens flare.)originally Or at least his helmet (so who was the second girl, in that unmorphed picture of the two female leads?). Additionally, the Time Capsule has pictures of the mecha used by the Kagerangers, as well as these images more in the style of the classic TV Magazine "darkened drawings of the new Rangers" pictures we're used to. Orange, and Purple. You'll actually have to go to his site to see the mechs.

• Rob Rosenberg alerts us to the Big Bad Toy Store, which is currently taking orders on the Hurricanger Whirlwind God toy. That is such a sweet piece. Thanks, Rob!

• A fascinating tidbit of information comes via Kate Sheldon. It seems that the Time Force cast has been led to believe that, when production begins on the PRTF/PRWF crossover episode (likely to start shooting in early-to-mid spring), the team-up will be three episodes in length. While that is, of course, subject to change- it is nontheless fascinating. Well, as is the fact that our new story editor seems to support the concept of an annual crossover, but that might well be a Tzachor-level mandate by this point.

• Jason Takach has notified us that Rocco's Wes/Mode Red Megazord Combo Pack is not an aberration, and that he too has found them. Most interestingly, he's found a second. An 8" Lucas, bundled with the intermediate Mode Blue. Ah, so that's the symmetry of the things...

• More proof of the good that comes of that global trading post that is Ebay (except when some bastard snipes you on the Titanus in Space you spent four years waiting for...), Jason T. additionally brings us these hilarious wavs from the Toei dub of Power Rangers Turbo. He managed to pick up the first volume of the series at auction, and I think we're all grateful for it. Of particular note to me is the Alpha introductory wav. Japanese interspersed with "yo yo yo" just seems to do something to me. As does Tanya's woefully inappropriate voice actress.

• And also on the audio front, courtesy of Time Fire/Quantum Ranger (I didn't put the hyphen in there, he did), the complete tracks to the German PRiS soundtrack. Of particular note, for the first time in... Ever... The complete Space theme song. The FK Countdown didn't even play this much. Man, the stuff like this that must be collecting dust in some Buena Vista warehouse... Or Aaron Waters' basement...

• Paladin's diligence in sifting through long-forgotten PR paraphernalia has netted a nugget of random information. Courtesy of this transcript of the Terror Toad children's book, the first canonical reference to Zordon's Master Plan. Oh, it just happens to be an unfortunate choice of words on the writer's part, but that's what us geeks wait for.

• Courtesy of Toonzone, Disney has already taken to use some of its Saban-acquired properties. Expect a Spider-Man compilation disc in April, to coincide with the release of Sam Raimi's theatrical feature. Consisting of four to five episodes, this should have very little, if any, truncating done. And again, confirmation that Disney is running all of its Saban properties under the Buena Vista banner. While this really says nothing about any possible MMPR DVD releases, I take it as a sign that Disney is well aware the value of the properties they acquired.

• Perhaps you've taken notice of the snazzy new banner, with the manga Zeo Rangers. It's one of those pictures that has circulated in the fandom for so long that attribution to the original artist has been lost. He was a Japanese PR fan, I know that, this wasn't in a faux-style. He also did a picture of Ninja Ranger Rocky which is somewhere in that vast marshland that is my hard drive. What I'm curious about is whether or not any of you good people out there happen to know of a way to get in touch with said artist. Or of anyone doing manga style work on this caliber. I don't implore you guys very often, and I admit, the idea of other casts in this style makes me salivate.

  -Oh, and pertaining to the above-- does anyone happen to know if Toei ever licensed official PR manga in Japan? I figure it's a long shot at best, but it's always best to find out. Theyve done it for past live-action programs...

• Also courtesy of Blake's official site, this picture of some group gathering or another, circa PRT. Note the attendance of Patricia Ja Lee, Tracy Lynn Cruz, and Greg Bullock. And doesn't Greg just look deliriously happy? So... Unaware, of what was to come for him. That poor bastard.

• Devinemi directs us to this recent interview with hideously overexposed PR alum Cerina Vincent. I like the slander towards the hardcore fans. I worried that after Erin our collective fandom ego might have been a touch too inflated. Plus-- additional slander, directed towards Cerina's home town of Las Vegas! Well, she would know about white trash, she was Miss Teen Nevada.

• Always able to ferret out this sort of thing before anyone else, Captn Eclipse brings these pictures of the forthcoming Hurricanger toys-- and, as a bonus, a picture of some stunt guy in the Red costume! 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

• And on that same front, Miko directs us to this clear team photo of the Hurricangers with logo, their individual weapons-- coincidentally available at a Japanese toy store near you, and more chibi paraphernalia.

• Courtesy of SnoopsWarner-- or, as I like to call him, Gao Snoopy-- these pictures of the Bandai UK exclusive 5" Automorphin Time Force Rangers. Actually, if we're getting down to semantics, courtesy of the Argos catalogue...
  Chris notes: Thank god I have British friends I could hornswaggle into picking me up a set!

• Rocco reports a peculiar oddity he discovered on a recent trip to Wal-Mart. A NEW Time Force release in the US. It's called the "Megazord/Ranger Pack," and includes the intermediate Time Force Megazord. And-- wait for it-- the exclusive 8" Red Ranger figure. It's a classic MMPR 8" mold, last used for the PRiS line, retooled as Wes. Its sale price, when he bought the thing (of COURSE he bought the thing, I plan to all but threaten him until he takes pictures and/or scans it), was $10. So keep a sharp eye out, Junior Lightspeed Rangers! Unca Chris is counting on you!

• You know, a lot of PR toys are either distributed poorly, or are only to certain markets. Like the UK exclusives. I can count on one finger the number of PRLG Conquering Power Rangers I ever saw. PR really needs something like a toy trading forum. A message board where fans can share toy sightings, and network trades and buys between themselves; with a good boardmaster to organize it all. I despair for the chances of something like GaoArmadillo hitting my area even if it is released...

• Courtesy of Jesse (what else is new?), caps of the last in the Wild Dream promos, "Wild Dream Awakens." Ladies and gentlemen, meet YOUR Iron Chefs! Exciting developments include: Blue has an afro; Yellow is, like her Gaoranger counterpart, blonde; and Black is either WWF Superstar The Rock, or, when viewed in profile, Subway icon Jared Fogel.

• Paladin was good enough to make a realmovie of the new, longer PRWF promo for those of us who mised it. Everyone say 'Thanks Paladin!'

• Yellow Lightning, relaying a comment made by PR alum Neil Kaplan to one of the sundry Digimon boards, regretfully informs us that Saban Entertainment as we know it has been dismantled by the Walt Disney Company. While by all accounts production on Power Rangers Wild Force continues uninterrupted, we're as yet unable to report just what division of Disney MMPR Productions directly reports to, or which parts of Saban Ent. involving PR have been dismantled. This sort of corporate restructuring is not unheard of, and not a source for panic at this time.

• Two fascinating comments from future owners of the Fox Kids programming block, 4Kids Entertainment. The first is official confirmation that Ultraman Tiga WILL be one of the shows slated to begin in September. I expect a massive push on the Ultraman franchise in the US from Tsuburaya Productions any day now. And secondly, in an abrupt, surprise move, 4Kids has announced its intentions to split the block with their chief competitors in the bidding war, DiC Entertainment. I find this amusing if only because a Disney subsidiary now has a stake in the new FK.

• Our anonymous tip, who continues to remain anonymous, tells us to that the name for the second (and final) actor playing the Blue Wild Force Ranger is "Phillipe." You're the man, Mr. Anonymous!
  Derik notes: Yeah, you rock Carl!

• So, I see the headline 'Jupiter's Moon Erupts.' Of course, that turned out to be Io, not the larger, colder Ganymede of PRiS fame. Still, here's a link to recent discoveries about the host of Zordon's secret moonbase, for those of you so inclined... (NASA)

• Miko brings us these exciting Hurricanger pictures, each of which give us a slightly better look at these designs. Man, I can't wait for aught-three's PR incarnation. First up is the cover to the forthcoming Hurricanger album. Blurred, as to be expected. Those pre-series costume pics are always fuzzy, no matter what the item they're for. Meanwhile, in the land of higher image resolution, there are these plush toys of the core three, as well as these SD figurines of the Rangers and their sweet, sweet mecha.
  Derik notes: 'SD' stands for 'Superdeformed,' anything that's been squashed down to chibi proportions.

• Courtesy of Jarod, this article on a decidedly... Odd young woman. No, your guess is as good as mine just what role she played on the show, she's not listed on any cast listing that I can find. Kind of makes you wonder who on the staff auditioned her, doesn't it?
  Derik notes: Actually, it makes me wonder about Jarod's choices in reading material.

• From the good people at Blake Foster's official website, two photographs of the former alum looking decidedly... Oh, I can't think of a coy simile, you work it out for yourself. First there's Blake with his teeming fans. Helpful hint: Blake is the one on the RIGHT. And then Blake looking solo and moody. I'm sorry, but... Rouge? HOOP EARRINGS?
  Derik notes: I believe that Chris is trying to subtly point out that these photos make Blake look somewhat effeminate. Me, I think it's the color choices. Light blue jersey with hot-pink background, in THAT lighting? Bad combination. Though- I agree about the hoop earrings.

• Jesse brings us these snaps of the latest in the "Wild Dream" series of promos, this time highlighting the villains. Note the first picture. That's DUKE LOKI. Can we expect the future Lunar Wolf Ranger to debut as one of the initial villains in PRWF, and only later reveal his identity? It would totally change his dynamic on the show, as well as be a major surprise for most of the kiddies. (A friend has, incidentally, taken me up on a sucker bet than next weekend's Wild Dream ad will spotlight the sundry mecha which populate Gaoranger; and then the final promo, during Digibowl II, will have the entire team appear unmorphed. I'll take that bet.)

  In a major coup for the US distributors of Pokemon, 4Kids Entertainment has purchased the Fox Kids Network for an estimated $25 MILLION dollars annually. Apparently NBC really were suckers to let their slot go for as little as they asked. While Pokemon is not expected to make the transition initially- AOL Time Warner's contracts are no doubt ironclad- I'd imagine the show will leap networks as soon as its rights on KWB expire. Among the series I anticipate on the roster this fall are 4Kids' adaptation of Ultraman Tiga, meaning that FK will remain a staple of adapted Japanese programming in the US. More information is available here, courtesy of Thomas J. Conner.

• Chris Peterson brings us these captures from Jason Faunt's new ad for Sam Adams beer; part of the "Mighty Tasty" campaign. Noteworthy for having been BANNED in my home town of Minneapolis, one of its test markets. In it, the versatile actor happily regales friends, while imbuing alcoholic beverages, with video of his sexual activities. It's so marvelous to see an alum moving on to bigger and better things.

• Chris also brings us this link to Vernon Wells' latest 8-by-10 glossy, looking very shiny, and not unlike my governor. Huh. Less "lumberjack-y" than in those pics Will got recently. Did he have to shave his head, for the Ransik makeup and wig?

• Mikel Colson additionally provides this fascinating insight into Vernon's recent short film, The Man with No Eyes, which I continue to remain too lazy to download. He plays a villain named Sab'han. Yes. You heard that right. He plays a villain whose name is pronounced "Saban." I SO want to find out whether or not Vernon had any input in that decision, or if it was just insane coincidence. Thank you, Mikel!

• Confirmation on the name of the Lunar Wolf Ranger's morpher- it's officially been dubbed the "Lunar Caller" by Bandai USA. Again, I like the lack of "morpher" as a suffix this year.

• We'd like to take a moment to inform you that Jesse, by the skin on his teeth (eeew), managed to save his WOFK, due to the laziness of Fox's satellite programmers. While this is pretty much a stay of execution, he will still, for the time being, provide us with up to the date announcements and forewarnings of promos and major FK events before they hit the airwaves. El Funaroverse hereby rescinds any and all salutations given previously. Even the marmoset.

• Courtesy of John Green, we give you this picture of Gao King utilizing Gao Panda and Gao Grizzly. Hell if I can remember its actual name. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, finally some pictorial confirmation of Grizzly's existence. Cutting it awfully late, in distribution terms. But then, I long suspected Bandai was going to continue putting out Gaoranger toys, along with Hurricanger, without a show to support them. I'm anxiously awaiting TV Magazine's limited edition 16-carat gold plated Gao Snoopy, myself.

• Thanks to the helpful assistance of Citizen_V (V for Vigilance!), Derik and I were finally able to attain our respective holy grails. First up, the Red Astro Megaship Microverse playset, with exclusive Green Space Ranger, and then its companion, Zhane's refit Blue Mega Winger. Sad? Yes. Pathetic? Definitely. Happy? Duh. (V, to hear Alan Moore talk, is also for Vendetta...)
  Derik notes: Citizen V was a World War 2 British Superhero. V for Victory.

• Sad news, PR fan George Rodd's engagement has been postponed indefinitely. There was something involving crazed Australian stalkers, murdered girlfriends, and some sort of attack parakeet; I didn't quite get the gist of it.

• A chap by the name of Wild Force White initially directed us to this picture from the liner notes of the T:APRM soundtrack, and Chris Peterson provided us with higher resolution scans of it. I dunno who or what the hell he is, but allow me to introduce this guy (link), the Turbo equivalent of Morbis. Note the Divatox style cloak, and Piranhatron styled shoulder pieces. And yet- the jeweled headband. The purple outfit. He's clearly another pirate. In what CAPACITY was this guy to have been used in the film? Was he used only for promotional pictures? Does he have footage that got excised? In absence of any other evidence, I'd say he's Diva and Havoc's other sibling, and Elgar's parent, but that's clearly not what he was INTENDED to be for the film.

• Chris also brings us these photographs taken during his trip to the Saban studios two years ago. Most exciting, to me anyway, being the picture of the elusive half-pipe building that's been a staple of the program from Turbo until Time Force.

• Feller by the name of Wavehead further clarifies the status of Jason Frank's participation in the Demon Under Glass production, as it currently stands. Which is to say, none. It seems that while the catalyst for the entire project was Jason himself, his management had managed to score him a role in a pilot for Studios USA. His role has been taken over by Babylon 5 alum Jason Carter.

• Courtesy of Jarod Burton- Sci-Fi Channel Online now has Vernon Wells' short film The Man With No Eyes available for download. While I'm on dialup, and unwilling to grab a nearly half-hour long film to review it, this is a marvelous treat for those of us with DSL.

• Jarod also brings us this cap of whom he believes to be Tracy Lynn Cruz, in her appearance on the series Eastside. Playing a character aptly named "Woman." While I have my doubts... She looks about 33, and her cheeks look wrong, he does make a case for her eyebrows. I have my doubts, but in the interest of keeping innocents from having to watch Eastside themselves, Jarod has done the dirty work of looking for her. And for that, we salute you.

• Proving that even when you cut them down to one showing a week, Fox Kids' scheduling department is still about as reliable as a Ford Pinto, this past Saturday's episode was not, as previously reported, Quantum Secrets, but rather The End of Time, pt. 1. Yeah, came as a surprise to me, too. They clearly want to burn through the finale before February 2nd's Digibowl II:Electric Boogaloo.

• However, some good news does come courtesy of the fine people at FK. February 9th's premiere of Wild Force will be an hour long! Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but has Fox ever given PR an intro that good? Shift into Turbo pt. 1 got an entire morning full of car-oriented programming hosted by Blake Foster and Bob Manahan, but have we ever had both parts of a premiere run on the same day? Chris notes: I just checked. We never have.

• The PRWF press release is out! And with it, along with the usual self-serving pap FK liberally sprinkles on their releases, we have surprisingly little new information regarding the cast and characters. Screw BVS Entertainment, I think PR is currently being produced by MI5. I wouldn't take all of this as being gospel- after all, last year's release spoke of all the amazing adventures across time and space the PRTF would be having- but I think this is a solid gauge of just how much Gaoranger we can expect to see adapted.

• Jesse brings us these snaps from the latest variation on the "Wild Dream Begins" promo series. Not a whole lot there beyond the Crystal Sabers and Power Animals, but hey! Look at the Fox Kids February spot caps he did! Red got a haircut! And White's there! She is quite the cutie, in this humble news muppet's opinion...

• An anonymous source, who wishes to remain unknown and anonymous, asked us to inform you that he, said anonymous source, learned the first name of the actress playing Wild Force White. It's Jessica. Thank you, Mr. Anonymous!
  Derik notes: Yeah- thanks Jake!

• In a move we'd all basically been waiting for, ABC Family has laid off over half its staff. This was to be expected, as Disney planned to fully integrate operations of the Family Channel with the rest of their subsidiary networks. Thankfully, PR fandom's "man over the wall" at the network, Andy, remains with the company. Matt has the rest of the details here.

• And with said restructuring also comes a revamped schedule. Ladies and gentlemen, come March, be prepared to swoon. Courtesy of "David," this listing of their new weekend programming. Bwoo-yeah. And to think, you naysayers doubted me when I said the Disney acquisition was a good thing.

• It appears that Jason Frank, the former backbone of the PR franchise, has fallen onto hard times. First, Jason seems to have pulled out of work on The Privateers, which is understandable. The thing has taken four years and several permutations to get off the ground. Secondly- Jason will likely not be appearing in the film Demon Under Glass. He's parted ways with the crew, halfway through production. I'd say, barring any future acts of god, we've just seen the death keel for the MMPR convention. (info courtesy of Michelle)

• Kate Sheldon, formerly Nadira of PRTF, recently put in an appearance on an episode of The Chronicle, playing "Leopard Woman." This makes her the third PR alum to put in an appearance there, after Monica L. and Jack Banning. The episode was entitled "Pig Boy's Big Adventure," so all you vidcappers had best take note. Mine missed it.

• Chris Peterson, who continues to hold my fish for ransom, would like me to implore you to continue sending him questions for his upcoming Faunt Q&A. The deadline is FRIDAY, people, so quit the dilly-dallying. And, to further entice you, Chris brings us this article from Jason's home town paper, from when PRTF first debuted.

• In the interest of accuracy, and in addition to our own truncated and annotated log, we bring you Will's official log from last weekend's Erin Cahill chat. Will appears to have taken offense to my frequent critiques of the event, and has ripped this site out of his links list. Ha. Well, his prerogative...

• Miko brings us these exciting pictures of Bandai's forthcoming Gaoranger video game. Most surprisingly, this thing, good as it looks, is for PSX, not PS2. Man, that thing can do stuff I'd never imagined.

• Hey! Lookie! The covers for the next two Japanese PRLG video releases! I'm completely out of witticisms!
  Derik notes: that's never stopped you before.

• Paladin has pictures of the knockoff Senturions. Well- Green, anyway. He's still looking for Red. Heh, looks like those Imaginary Racers have struck again. How long before you figure we'll see Imaginary Racer Lost Galaxy toys?

• Apologies on the lack of immediate updates, folks, but our webmaster had far more pressing matters to attend to. He was off becoming an uncle (and godfather!) So, ladies and gentlemen, lets all welcome little Adelaide Shea Mcginnis to the world! Chris notes: But there's no rest for the weary (nor the evil) at the 'verse, so expect her to be slaving in these coal mines as soon as she can crawl! If I'm damned to this pitiful existence, you're all damned with me!

• Courtesy of Tim, who unsubtly requested I plugged his website, the Transdimensional Archives, we bring you his log of the Erin Cahill chat, heroicly re-edited by our own webmaster Derik. Not many things to note, save for Erin's confirmation that the PRTF cast will be returning for a team-up, and that Michael Copon watched the show prior to joining the cast. Yes, the world of 3000 isn't an awful place because it's a fascist, totalitarian police state keeping down minorities... It's awful because there's no junk food. Sigh. (and congratulations to our own Derik Smith, who heroicly coached Erin through setting up her IRC software. Do note- the chat started 55 minutes late. Good work there Derik.)

• And while we're on the subject of chats, Chris Peterson brings us these exclusive snapshots of Alison MacInnis, taken during her Yahoo Chat back in 2000. It's the sort of thing that he would have put up at AMN, but... Ya know.
  We did some checking, and no one around here has a complete transcript of this November 17, 2000 yahoo chat. If anyone out there does have one lying around- we'd love to hear from you...

  -Chris also informs us that he'll be conducting a Q&A session with PRTF actor Jason Faunt in the weeks to come, and will be accepting your questions, to use at his discretion. You can e-mail him here. Chris would like to clarify that this is going to be a straight-out Q&A, and not a chat, so there's no last-minute, here.

• Fox apparently believes the time allotted to its FK programming block is worth over twenty-million dollars. That's just over three times what NBC licensed its children's programming block out to Discovery Networks for. Oh, but it's not just worth a mint- Fox will retain the right to preempt whatever programming is placed on its network ONCE A MONTH. Yeah, this is screaming "fixer upper" to me. (thanks to Burg for finding it)
  Derik notes: I think Fox is just trying to punish the PR collectors out there. 'No true completionist can go without a 4 hour block of network programing...' Of course- bear in mind the block is MIB, not MISB, and the box it C7 at best.

• Jill's main page now sports a snappy new picture of the core three Hurricangers. I'd love to know where that banner is hanging, and when she took it...

• My friend Jason Takach, who can be a vindictive little cur when he wants, jokingly suggested I create a new site to dump all my excess Cerina news, since I clearly don't want to report it anymore. And call it "El Ceriñaverse." My motivation for spending my fortune on this site would be to encounter... Wait, no, that's Kaga. I always get us confused. First up, thanks to some experimenting, and the assistance of non-IE users, are the direct links (and directory) to Cerina's FHM thumbnails. Good show, horny net-denizens. Secondly, this interview, wherein Cerina explains her motivations for appearing in NATM.
  A) Cerina is much, much smarter than I give her credit for. She is even aware of the fact that PR fandom is made up of adults.
  B) Cerina's mother encouraged her to do nude work. Cerina was tentative about it, and never plans to do it again, lest she be pegged a "booby girl." Okay, I admit it, "my mom made me get naked" is a damn good excuse. She's exonerated; I respect her again.

• You know, I don't normally go for those kinds of "lookit what I bought" posts, but when it's something so unusual, as merchandise goes, I can't help myself. It's one of the few, if only, Phantom Ranger items licensed for PRiS- the official Phantom Ranger toothbrush set. I spent 24 bucks on this thing, you damn well better take a look at it.

• Eva Beckwith called to our attention that while she did receive credit for directing us to the initial newsbyte regarding the Demon Under Glass fan group and the MMPR mini-con, we neglected to remind people of this fact again when we posted the most recent update. So, uh, props, Eva!
  Derik notes: Picky, picky. "Give everyone credit Derik." "Keep the links updated Derik." "Don't upload porn the the webspace Derik." You don't pay me enough...

• PR fandom's own Joe Rovang has earned a rare place in the hallowed halls of Portal of Evil, one of those indispensable websites I love. Fire up their search engine, and do a scan on the phrase "Writer's Guide," and you'll find it- along with a hilarious site where a Dawson's Creek ficcer gives you bad advice. And, since we have an excuse to finally mention them on the 'verse, PoE is affiliated with the always hilarious and topical Seanbaby. Now, if only something would come up that would allow me to link to the equally hilarious Teleport City...
  Derik notes: Joe Rovang's place in the Portal oof Evil makes him one of the leading candidates for next year's Queen of Evil crown...

• Snoops has decided to turn the miscellaneous information he has filling up his web space into a central net-hub. And he dubbed the place "El Warnerverse". Well, at least he did a nicer job of it than Rangers Forever did. And plus, more annoying frames.

• Since Mikey appears to have forgotten to pay a couple of bills, Cyro has moved his Power Rangers Game Zone to a new location. Adjust your links accordingly.

• We'd like to take a moment to mourn the passing of Jesse's invaluable What's on Fox Kids service. After four solid years of six-days-a-week work, Fox's transmitters finally went digital, thus putting him and his satellite dish out of a job. We salute you, Jesse Herndon. The man, the myth, the marmoset.

• On a similar note, Jesse brings us these caps of Saturday morning's Wild Dream Begins promo, spotlighting the Red Wild Force Ranger, and featuring our first American PRWF footage. According to an anonymous source going only by the handle of "Ice," we can expect four more of these promos, in the weekends to come, each focusing on a different member of the team.

• Ladies and gentlemen, we have news. Major news. Courtesy of the Demon Under Glass fan club, we give you- the date, time, and location of the world's first MMPR convention. Featuring the casts of MMPR through (season one) Turbo. You have six months. Start saving those pennies.

• T-Dini, our hard drinking street reporter, plied and pried the following information out of Sasha Williams. She is not, in fact, posing for Playboy. The playmate is another woman, apparently of similar build, also named Sasha Williams, thus the confusion. I'm pleased to know I can still respect Sasha.

• After a two year absence, Jason Takach has reopened Double Duty, his shrine devoted to the vibrant and vivacious Valerie Vernon. Good. We need more Valerie sites. Lazy Chris Ng... A woman calls off your engagement, and suddenly you shut down your shrine devoted to her?

• Miko directs us to this auction, via Yahoo Japan. Seems the Mega Pink stunt actor is auctioning off his costume. And while it could use a good washing, this is still an incredible find. Anyone know just how much he's asking for the thing? It'd probably be worth it, just for the helmet.

• Miko also brings us this picture of Mariska Hargitay in her Dulcea costume, from when Gabrielle Fitzpatrick was out on maternity leave, in the original version of MMPR:TM. A very rare find, indeed. And, since she reminded us, we're making the Zordmaker's MMPR:TM website a hot link.

• A person by the handle of "Wild Force White" has begun circulating this profile, courtesy of LA Models, of Paul Corbett, the IMDB's credited Blue Ranger for Wild Force. I should note that it surprises me how many people take his inclusion at face value. The rest of the team Paul's character (listed as "Keanu") was included in featured PR fans. And unless my friends are lying to me, they're not Power Rangers...

• Rhett Fisher's next episode of Maybe It's Me has been rescheduled to the 25th, as opposed to the previously released date of the 18th. Mark those calendars accordingly.

• Photographer Isabel Snyder's web site features her exclusive photographs of Cerina Vincent, used in her forthcoming FHM pictorial. But be warned, right clicking isn't possible on Isabel's site. So if you want copies of these pics without the usual magazine crap, you'll have to pay her money to get copies of the originals. Clever, that. (Again with the Cerina stuff! Argh!)

• Chris Peterson has confirmed for us that Paladin's picture is, in fact, the actual actress playing the White Wild Force Ranger. Apparently the picture was leaked by unnamed sources, and various persons in and around Saban have gotten slaps on the wrist over it. I'll say this, it's a testament to how hardcore we are, over our little spandex show.

• Ecliptor17 directs us towards this nice picture of the MMPR, produced circa The Mutiny, yet clearly "set" during the hiatus between seasons. Note the earliest appearance on record of Carla Perez as Rita!

• In the interests of broadening the horizons of the fandom just a skosh, we've decided that this, the second update of the new year, will highlight a bunch of stuff focusing on Japan and/or Tokusatsu, that we had been meaning to get to. It's like a theme night.

  -It has been drawn to our attention that we have stupidly, nay, cruelly, overlooked one of the better, more informative and pic-laden Sentai websites out there. So we're making amends, right now. It's Gerald's Sentai Time Capsule, and you should all go there right now.

  -A fellow by the name of Kendrick helpfully posted these pictures [1|2] of the latest Kamen Rider. Man. All I can think is- "I am so glad Saban never tried to revive the Masked Rider franchise. Who farted?" I guess they've decided to pretend this is 1996, and aim for that lucrative "Mortal Kombat 3" market.

  -Captn Eclipse has alerted the fandom to the fact that Just Be Distribution is currently selling copies of Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai for a low, low price. Ignoring the gross inaccuracies in the summary (Timeranger?), this is marvelous news. These tapes are NTSC, and ready to run on American VCR's.

  -After some digging through Excite Japan, Derik and I uncovered what I consider to be one of the most well organized, well-indexed "general knowledge" PR sites around. Pity that the thing happens to be in a language most of us do not read. It's Power Rangers Power Up!, and from its main page, containing the three rules which govern all MMPR, to its well done original incarnation banners, the whole thing just radiates glee. Man. Going here makes me smile. And while most of you won't be able to read his content, we should note- He's preserving the mystery of Kendrix's death and replacement for his readers, since PRLG is still only on season one in Japan. Very elegant job.

  -A Japanese review of the cruddy Jumbo Astro Megazord, which is redeemed beyond its subject matter by its cool forced perspective pictures of the thing towering above the city, and the webmaster comparing its design to a liscenced shampoo bottle.

• And a site which summarizes the characters, vehicles, and weapons of various incarnations of the show, amusing if only because it lists both Billy Cranston and Billy Mitchell as being the Blue MMPR. Stupid fanfic writers, makin' up their own last name; confusing the foreign fans...

• In honor of our first update of the new year, we're going to answer an age-old question. Why do the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne make no sense, to our modern ears? The answer is simple. Robert Burns employed Gungan slave labor to finish many of his poems at the time, including an aspiring actor named Jar-Jar Binks. And now you know... The rest of the story.
  Derik notes: Your metaphors appear to be set on frappe Chris...

• Jesse notifies us that Ron Rogge, formerly Captain Mitchell on PRLR, will be making an appearance on January 15th's episode of 24. Not sure in what capacity he's being used, but given the roles Ron usually finds, he'll likely be a police officer of some sort.

• Chris McFeely's Digimon Encyclopedia has scored another interview with a former PR alum turned Digimon voice. This time he has Derek Stephen Prince, better known to the lot of us as Elgar, in the spotlight. This interview is especially nice, since Derek makes a point of thanking MMPR Productions and Scott Page-Pagter for his break into VO work.

• Eurydice informs us that Brad Pitt's stunt double for many of his most recent films (as well as his martial arts coach for the film Fight Club) was none other than David Leitch, who played Chad's stalker Brian in PRLR.

• Marie Jordan points us towards this fascinating article from the Google vault, regarding one of the seminal moments in Saban Entertainment's long history. The squabble which led to Saban going union. After docking CKL and Roger's pay to cover all the production costs and salaries during the time they were not on the set, SAG ordered a boycott of the company. A compromise was reached and Saban Entertainment went union.

• AlisonMacInnisNet, AliMac's official web site, is shutting down after months of inactivity. After feeling pressure from her management to move the site, screened by prospective producers looking to hire her, away from PR, webmaster Chris Peterson has decided to close the fan-run site down. Though its content will be missed, we support Chris in this tough decision.

• El Fuñaroverse has been selected as a "Cool Site" by the Open Directory Project, one of the largest continuously updated web indexes online. We're one of only two PR sites to have received that distinction, and we greatly appreciate the honor! Yay us!

• Derik wanted me to make a newsbyte directing all of you to my observation on the PRU e-group, that Master Vile had begun dispatching forces to capture areas in Lord Zedd's former (fallen?) empire, the Dark Galaxy, by season three.
  Derik notes: The really fun theing here is you wouldn't find this in the ever-comprehensive Writer's Guide because the the reference comes from an announcer recap, which the Guide doesn't cover.
  Always being one to shy away from the limelight, I offered a counterthreat. If he linked to my theory, I'd link to his hoary old chestnut on how Zordon can exist in our dimension back when he's still a transmission in the plasma tube. MAD at it's best, I say.

• Scavenger Hunt time people! The winner gets exiled to an unnumbered dimension. The year was 1994. Newt Gingrich led a 'GOP Stampede' which took back control of the Senate and House. As Time's MotY Gingrich could do whatever he wanted. And so, as a treat for all the freshmen Republicans who had just been elected, most of whom had young children, Newt staged a PR event. Literally.
  He had the freshmen bring their kids to the Senate building to meet the Power Rangers. In costume. Photographs exist of Newt Gingrich shaking the hand of the White Ranger. They might be in old magazines, or on your hard drive; saved off of ancient websites. And I want one. Full credit for whomever brings me the heads of the Rolling Stones-- err, any pictures of this event. Thanks!

• I'd been meaning to add this byte since I first saw her on the cover of Stuff Magazine (a sort of low-rent FHM) two weeks ago, but it kept slipping my mind. The last byte I ever intend to write even tangentially related to Not Another Teen Movie, a photo spread of Christopher Khayman Lee's sister Chyler Leigh, available through her Yahoo Club. For shame, Khayman. You made out with this woman? Twice? For money?
  Derik notes: He was young. He needed the money.

• Former Black Ranger Walter E. Jones recently appeared in a bit part on the WB program Off Centre, playing a singing telegram. Apparently going by the moniker of DJ Cheddar. Uh, well, it's better than sleeping on the street. (submitted by "Peter")

• Matt Williams brings us this article on Disney's ten day stay of execution from Dish Network, pending further legal hearings. Until the tenth of January, ABC Family will remain available through EchoStar's satellite services.

• Jason Takach, who finally tired of my whining, brings us this review of the Wild Force Kongazord, with its much touted "battery-powered walking action." Alert a priest, we may need an exorcism on this thing. And also: O-Town is ARMED! I can understand boobytrapping the refrigerator to keep Lou out, but this?
  Derik notes: Chris needs some romance in his life. It's pathetic, he just mopes around the site in his underwear, watching the History Channel. Any eligible ladies and PR fans interested in one of PR fandom's most eligible bachelors are more than welcome to try bombard him with bad pick-up lines...

• One of those things we like to toss out there for the completionists among us; we present to you the single rarest Power Rangers toy ever produced by Bandai. Yes, RARER than the Thunder Claw. Ladies and gentlemen, the 14-Carat-Gold GALAXY MEGAZORD. Not just gold plated, like the Dino Megazord. This sucker is GOLD. ACTUAL GOLD. Exactly three were ever made. And that sound you heard from the Eastern coast of the United States was Paladin screaming like a monkey...
  Derik notes: Before you can ask, yes this does appear legit. The owner of one of the most extensive PR toy collections in North America lives in Minnesota.

• Every once in awhile, we here at Fuñaroverse like to engage in what I call a good 'heckling.' It's an act of love really. Or, as Derik puts it- 'gentle Pavlovian reinforcment.'
  A friend pointed me to Rangers Forever. It's largely devoted to a series of planned but thus far unproduced PR fan-projects, but among the more mainstream PR content on the page is a news section... composed of newsbytes copied from our page. (GoldZeoRanger)
  We'd like to compliment him on exercising his right to distribute our info freely, it's one of the cardinal ideals the site was founded on. That he didn't bother to, you know, rephrase anything is a bit tacky, All my webmaster's smart-assed comments are still there, and I'm pretty sure he isn't working for them...
  No, what bugs me is not that he used the information verbatim- it's that he copied it, and didn't rip it out of the source code. As a result, all of the hyperlinks are gone, rendering 2/3 of the bytes... meaningless. Well, consider yourself duely heckled guys, ane keep up the good work, always good for a laugh!
  Oh- and if you're reading this (and we know you visit the site,) you incorrectly list PRWF's premiere as the 2nd of Feb, it's the 9th. Fix that, won't you?
  Derik notes: I'd like to confirm that no, I am not working for Rangers Forever. The entire site was constructed out of template pages, they have little need for a webmaster. This would also probably be the source of their inabality to proprly rip off source code, having never dealt with HTML in making the site...

• Hans brings us this valuable addendum to the Gaoranger DVD byte we brought you the other day. These discs are REGION ENCODED, and thus will not run on a majority of US disc players. Neither Derik nor myself had given this a lick of thought earlier, since it seemed self-evident to us, but we felt his warning was quite justified. We don't want someone spending money on a disc they likely won't be able to play. Hans points out that PS2 users can play Region 2 discs, such as this, if they buy the Region X DVD, available in most electronics stores. And also- many laptops feature a "region toggling" option. However, this feature does lock after a limited number of uses, so beware.
  Derik notes: Or, you could just buy a region-free DVD player for $150 from AntiSocialNetwork, it also plays VCD's.

• A rumor from one of the message boards (so take it with a grain of salt) is that a fourth and final Gao Power Animal will be released, and appear in the last episode(s) of the show. The final Gao Bear repaint, Gao Grizzly. With Jill still in the US on vacation, this can't be verified, but it's still a rather irksome tidbit. Damn overloaded, ridiculous toyline.
  Derik notes: Plus it'd ruin all my Jindrax-and-thethree-bears-themed jokes.

• Jason, he of the Club for UK Fans, has delivered us another precious nugget of information. Ladies and gentlemen, courtesy of Bandai.com, the good people who broke the first pictures of Daniel Southworth as Eric, we give you... The (tentative) PRWF character names; Red : Cole | Yellow : Taylor | Blue : Danny | Black : Max | White : Alyssa And, as a bonus, their exclusive PRWF character wallpaper, which includes said names. Mac version is also available on the site, but we're too lazy to get the URL for it. And plus, awesome PRWF wallpaper. Again, note the early hype of the Lunar Wolf Ranger. Oh yes, we're gonna get Loki used early...

• Back from our self-imposed Christmas hiatus, we find ourselves awash in a news backlog. Armed with only a plunger, we plan to remove the obstruction. And bear with us, this metaphor is only going to get worse. Resumption of service begins... now.

• Since doing all five at once would be hara-kiri with anyone's bandwidth, Jesse incrementally bring you the second of his five original shooting scripts to Power Rangers Turbo. This time Jesse graciously presents The Spirit of the Woods, the first time Judd Lynn ever directly adapted a Toei plot. Albeit one from a different program than the one Saban was currently using... (SirSTACK, hosted by PRAwi0)

• My webmaster is making me berate FK.com's half-assed best leader poll. While I admire the fact that they actually bothered to get PRTF's entry right- Jen is listed, not Wes- they also cut out TJ and Carter. Sure, I doubt many people are going to be voting FOR Carter, this fandom has a major anti-Lightspeed bias, but... TJ? Shit, I'd vote for TJ, if he were available. (smooth move, FK... You kept the only black leader in the entire history of the show off the tally.)

• A tally of this past week's edits to PRTF would be innumerable at this point, suffice it to say that Artillacon was somehow able to go from trying to bring down an entire building to specifically picking out an elevator inside that building to pulverize. Good aim, on that one. Was this how he kept his wits sharp, by practicing his pinpoint accuracy? Ransik no longer blows up Fericks' lab, simply demolishes it; and he also chooses to leave the Bio-Lab facility mostly intact, upon claiming his serum. Again, I'm not having a problem with most of these cuts, from a storytelling perspective.

• Paladin brings us this picture, from sources who choose to remain anonymous, of the actress alleged to be playing the White Wild Force Ranger. Said sources declined to disclose her name at this time. I like the jacket. And notice the writing, beneath the tiger symbol? "Spirit of the Earth." The battle cry of the Gaorangers. If this is a hoax, they went to the trouble of making a really nice outfit.

• Paladin also directs us to this website, filled to the brim with various theme songs and battle music from the myriad Super Sentai programs. A real find, for those of you addicted to those catchy j-pop anthems.
  Derik warns: be careful oround the kakuranger theme, I had it stuck in my head for three days until I killed that guy.

• So we figured, hey, it's Christmas. Nothing MAJOR is going to break, in terms of news. Why not take a week's vacation? We often go without updating the site for a week! And then Hurricanger news started trickling down like it was bloody Reaganomics, and we had to cut those plans short. Courtesy of Miko, the well circulated, blurry picture of the core team of Hurricangers; the unmorphed picture of HurriBlue and HurriPurple, the girls of the series; the now legendary annual TV Magazine "blacked out team picture," this year surrounded by actual drawings of the cast, which kinda kills the point; and finally, a drawing of the sweet, sweet mecha, looking for all the world like they got pulled out of a Super Robot Anime. Oh daddy.
  Derik notes: Sweet, Sweet Mecha, the korean-produced robo-fettishishist porn involving short asian men in lesbian robot suits fornicating amid the wreckage of downtown Tokyo, is not to be confused with Holy Mecca, the seven fragments of God combined- or as PR fans know it, the Dino Ultrazord.

• Flamedrake presents us two awesome tidbits. The first is this order form from CDJapan, for the first Gaoranger DVD release, currently available in stores. He informs us that Gaoranger will be released much like Digimon, with roughly twelve discs to cover the entire series. Rumor seems to be that the older sentai programs will be released in reverse order, so we should be seeing Timeranger up next.
  Derik notes: Why bother and release Timereanger? PRTF will be showing in Japan in a few years, and the plots and characters are 95% identical... (sorry folks, couldn't resist a chance to slam PRTF, the Voyager of PR series.)

  Secondly, he brings us these hilarious caps of a heretofore unknown Dairanger exercise video. I could weep. They're in costume. This is everything White Ranger Kata aspired to be, and failed at. Oh, and check out pic thirteen. DaiRed has helmet snaps.

• Matt Williams directs us to a bio on Marvel Comics artist (and collaborator with noted detective novelist Greg Rucka on his forthcoming Spider-Man one shot) Scott Sava, graciously provided by the people at Newsarama. The pertinent bit--
  Sava originally entered comics primarily as a painter in the early '90s, painting for companies such as Malibu, DC, Marvel, Blackout, and Wizards of the Coast. Sava left comics and headed into animation, finding success, and landing gigs working on the Casper movies, the animated Spider-Man series, Power Rangers, and Eerie, Indiana.
  I'm curious what Sava's position on the show was. So, how long before Rucka does a PRZ one shot about when Bulk and Skull were detectives?

• In the interests of science, our good friend Jason Takach has taken several pictures of his newly acquired Wild Force Megazord, as well as posted a review. I'm most intrigued by Jason's assurances that the toy is chock full of diecast metal bits. I wonder just how close to Gao King this release is? Additionally, because I am lazy and oblivious, I finally noticed that Jason ALSO brings us the legendary PRLG Astro Megaship and Mega Winger Microverse playsets, featuring the Red Megaship- and Green Space Ranger- as well as the Blue Mega Winger, still piloted by good old Zhane. Fic writers take note.
  Derik notes: Hey cool! I've been looking for one of these for, literally, years. The PRiS 5" sets were the high point of the program. Hey, if anyone sees one of these on ebay for cheap, or has one to sell, tell Chris, won't you?

• Will Maberry, whose exclusive chat with Erin Cahill is just days away, brings the fandom several exclusive pictures of the Time Force finale's theatrical screening, two weeks ago. It's an annual tradition, for departing PR casts. Candid images #8-10. And say, isn't that last pic disturbingly reminiscent of Alison MacInnis' "being carried by Batlings" snapshot from last year?
  Derik notes: Despite what this newsbyte might lead you to believe, Will is actually quite a friendly person, not exclusive at all.

• www.angel-grove.org, our original domain, has been modified by its owner, Jarod, as a redirect to our Geocities space. Considering a-g.org is the only URL we have in some search engines, we really appreciate it.
  Derik notes: We were Angel-grove.org? Huh. I guess this is what I get for delegating domain issues to Jarod...

• Today, December 23rd, marks the one year anniversary of this website's launch. We hope it's been as much fun for all of you as its been for the both of us, and we wish you the happiest of nondenominational holidays. (I'd do a self-serving anniversary column, but given my rate of output, it wouldn't be done until the second anniversary)

• Yes, you read that right.Full Exposure will be getting its second domestic airing on Christmas Day. I can see the logic in this, Fox is likely trying to sneak it in under most people's personal radar. Who, aside from us, would be watching? Enjoy the last weekday schedule PR is going to have for the foreseeable future, kids!

• Surprisingly, Saturday's repeat of Quantum Quest contained only the tiniest of trimmings; modifying the producer credit to the Q-Rex transformation, and slightly cropping in Eric's first, explosive, morph.

• It's that time of year again, so that means it's time for Chris Funaro, and friends of his, to end up as part of the next incarnation's IMDB listing. Here she is, folks, Power Rangers Wild Force, as it shall never be. I give our nameless, mysterious benefactor credit, whoever s/he may be- they do their homework. This year's roster, expanding on the previous year's Dagmar Buse, includes IRC alums Kimera, Paladin, Mitsou, and Sonya, as well as my friend Chris Peterson.

• My good friend Tommy, the Black Wild Force Ranger, brings us these exciting scoops. The first is a brand new PR display in his area Walmart. One imagines that this display is going to get national distribution. Oddly, it includes the Armored MMPR:TM Rangers (minus Pink), the classic MMPR logo, and the Space Rangers. So, uh... Is that the "mission" the PRiS were slated for? To become the movie MMPR? Additionally, he informs us that the once TRU-exclusive Neptune's Daughter video has received national distribution, much like Triple Force. And minus the "Exclusive to Toys R Us" sticker. All of this is available here, at his site.

• The latest lies out of Tokusatsu Town, in keeping with the thematic tone of the previous lies, are claiming that the color breakdown to (the as-yet unconfirmed) Hurricanger will be Red, Orange, and Purple as male; and Yellow and Blue as female. The previous lies, of course, being that 02's sentai would feature two previously unused colors. While part of me would like to believe that, if only because it's as "fanwanky bad" as the name Lunar Wolf Ranger, and thus makes me smile, I don't give it much credit.
  Derik notes: It's all lies, even the true bits.

• Foxkids.com's official site for Wild Force has debuted, and it comes complete with two contradictory premiere dates. The 2nd and 9th of February, respectively. If asked to choose, I'd say it's the ninth, but I wouldn't hold up a cigarette paper between the two. Interesting, as well, that the Lunar Wolf Ranger is already on the main page. Even PRLR and PRTF didn't hype their sixth members this early, even if they were already mentioned on the first-wave toy backs.

• Courtesy of Jesse, we bring you this picture of Wild Force's own Red Mobile Armored Vehicle and TF Eagle (I don't care that my metaphor spans two different incarnations, those are the two that each appeared on the show), the Luxator and Lunar Animotor. Can I just say, these things look ridiculously awesome, for Bandai USA originals? Jesse also brings us this scan of the back of the Savage Cycle boxes, which is noteworthy if only so we can heckle the Black Ranger's bike. Hey, Mike Corbett called. He wants his Astro Cycle back.

• The Unknown Comic informs us of an appearance by legendary PR voice actor Bob "Pappy" Pappenbrook on a recent episode of the game show Card Sharks. Bob is currently teaching kickboxing, of all things, and was looking to win money to buy his ex-wife a new car. Wow, nice ex-husband, that guy is. Anybody else happen to catch this? I'd love some snaps.

• The retroactive editing being done to reruns of Time Force has been what we like to call a practice in extremes. Yesterday's airing of The Time Shadow contained innumerable cuts, among them the removal of the Twin Towers from the simudeck training exercise Alex put the Shadow Winger through, and newly added lines from Jason Faunt and Erin Cahill to remove any reference of the city possibly being destroyed. This is all well and good. It's Fox Kids' prerogative, for however long it continues to remain on the air. However, today's airing of Future Unknown contains no edits at all. 'Unknown', for those of you with short term memories, highlights Vexicon, the mad bomber. Who brings a helicopter, filled with terrified news reporters, down into a skyscraper, annihilating both the chopper and building. And who makes a snappy remark, upon doing so. I just... I'm shaking my head, here. You had to remove Ransik using the word "destroy," but a metaphor for 9-11 so obvious that Norman Rockwell may as well've painted it... Not a problem.

• Eva Beckwith directs us towards the Demon Under Glass Yahoo group. Demon stars PR alum Jason David Frank, as well as former star of slash fan-favorite The Sentinel, Garrett Maggart, and should be out next year. But, courtesy of the film's producer, we can tempt you with what might be the closest to a proper PR fan convention we'll ever see-- JDF is asking his old castmates to appear for their charity minicon. As Garrett is doing, with his Sentinel friends. Folks, I've been unable to pin down a location for this con, or even who I'm supposed to e-mail for more information, and I just JOINED the place. Any existing members who might happen to frequent this site- your assistance would be most appreciated. Thank you.

• Jason Takach, not to be confused with the Jasons in the newsbytes above and below, alerts us to yet another appearance by undead pretty boy Rhett Fisher on Maybe It's Me. The episode, entitled "Fever," premieres January 18th at 8:30 pm Eastern.
  Derik notes: Nice to see somebody getting work.

• Jason, he of the UK Club for PR Fans, recently mailed ITC, the Independent Television Commission, over the erroneous claims made by Fox Kids UK that "every PRLR episode ever" would be airing as part of a special marathon, when in fact, FKUK had no intention of ever running the bafflingly banned Go Volcanic. His complaint was heard, much to my amusement, and Fox got a mild spanking over deceptive advertising. Scans of the response he received are available here, and here.

• Cyro, in association with his sister Cynthia, brings us these scans of Haim Saban, from a recent article about his life and accumulated wealth, in a business magazine whose name I didn't manage to catch. While I appreciate the scans, Cy, you'd get double props if you were to rescan them, so the third column on each page of the article is legible. I, and I'm sure the rest of our audience, would really like to be able to read the entire thing...
  Derik notes: The link to this has been fixed. Sorry gents, my bad.

• It has remained one of the great mysteries of the fandom. Shrouded in mystery, like the precise whereabouts of legendary #alt-mmpr channel operator Smitor. But thanks to Google's expanded archives, we can finally shed light into those murky depths. Ladies and gentlemen- meet the founder of alt.fan.power-rangers. His real name is apparently John Schutz, but in my heart... He'll always be "Tofu."

• Ebay is, as you know, a sensationalist medium. It has to be, it's how you get people to look at your stuff. This is the place that pioneered the non-word "L@@K!" The one that looks like it has nipples in it. These two pictures are their definition of "Cerina Vincent in a see-through outfit." And folks, we have just officially crossed a threshold. I'm not reporting another thing on Cerina until she does something else, other than dress provocatively, or just be naked. (Though I do have a suspicion our girl Cerina is going to end up the Jerry O'Connell of the PR set. Famous for being famous)

• While Joe Rovang and John Green provided this information to us back in the earliest days of the site, PrometheusUFO reminded us in this AFP-R post that the MMPR CD-ROM's bios for the various characters included one particular feature of interest on the original Dino Megazord. Power Punch Missiles. Perhaps you remember those. The Astro Delta Megazord used its own, the "Flying Power Punch," as a finisher, five years after these specs were written up. (Well, and also of interest; the comment about how good a shape Rita keeps her body in. Are we to believe Rita "really" always looked like Carla Perez, Soga footage aside? Retcon it, like Byrne retconned Dr. Doom's scarring? There is a valid point to that, moon mud ISN'T going to change the physique of a 50-year-old to that of a 20-something...)

• Depressing, if not wholly unexpected, news comes courtesy of PR fandom's "man over the wall" at FK/ABC Family, Andy. Seems that, contrary to prior news reports, PR is not going to be a launch program for the channel's new lineup, debuting January 1st. I can't say this took me by surprise, PR has always been the Rodney Dangerfield of children's television programs.
  Derik notes: Now now Chris, that's unfair. PR has only been painfully unfunny since 1998.

• Disney is seeking an injunction against satellite television provider Echostar, over Echostar's forthcoming removal of the ABC Family Channel from their Dish Network service at the start of the year. Dish Network, which will be folding its service into DirecTV in the middle of next year, reaches an audience of six million. If contested by Echostar, this would effectively remove ABC Family, and any eventual PR reruns which may run on the channel, from the households of most satellite users around the United States and Canada. (Yellow Lightning)

• In the words of my always literate and eloquent webmaster, Derik Herbert Walker Smith, "Maya's boobies trumped Harry Potter." Like I expected any less. Yes, despite a stranglehold on the upper two slots of the weekend box office by Tom Cruise's Vanilla Sky and Batman and Tyler Durden's Ocean's Eleven, Cerina Vincent and Chyler Leigh's Not Another Teen Movie managed a surprisingly decent opening at #3, taking in 13.1 million dollars. A PR alum, and another PR alum's hot sister just broke into the top five movies in the country. Someone notify Chicken Little.
  Derik notes: Chyler Leigh is the sister of Christopher Khayman Lee, PRiS's Andros. They've starred opposite one another a few times over the years, and made out in 'Kickboxing Academy', where they were cast as girlfriend and boyfriend for their natural chemistry. ...dont' bring that up if you meet Chris, he's sensitive about it.

• And speaking of hot sisters, Chris Peterson brings us this enticing picture of Lauren Cahill, Erin's younger sister. She's a model/singer. Growl.

• Chris additionally brings us this nice review of Scott Page-Pagter's first album, Vicious Circle. Expect our review up, just as soon as the Christmas season is over, and I can actually spend money on myself without feeling as though it would be better spent on relatives.
  Derik notes: A Perfect Circle was total shit. Maynard needs to stick with his band- he's clearly not the one who writes the songs.

• Yesterday's reairing of Ransik Lives contains several minor alterations, this time imposed by Saban Entertainment themselves, rather than Fox Kids. So nothing on par with muting Ransik's entire mutant rights speech to the city. Among them are the replacement of the word "destroyed" with "defeated," which actually makes Ransik sound like less of a psychopath for wanting to subjugate the people of the past, and Ransik simply imposing a one hour time limit for the city's surrender, with no threats attached. I can't say I object to any of this, since it makes Ransik a lot more sympathetic. (submitted by Jesse) (naturally)

• Since I went to sleep early last night, and therefor forgot to give Derik these newsbytes to upload, I'd further like to inform you that Short-Circuited received a much smaller trim than Ransik Lives, omitting only footage of building destruction.

• There aren't enough PR websites that make me laugh, anymore. As a matter of fact, aside from Rocco's, I don't think there are any left that do. But that all changed, when this place got dropped in my box. It's Power Rangers for Infinity, and its section devoted to the stupid rumors of PR fandom has had me in hysterics for the last twenty-four hours. It's funny because it's true, folks. Our amount of stupid fans, per capita, is just ridiculous, and this place lovingly archives everything they ever spout off. And also, they have MP3's of all the various theme songs. Boffo!

• Marie Jordan brings us another review of JYB and Narvy's Wicked Game; this one much more favorable, and with it, amazing news. The film is AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. Albeit as a Japanese DVD, via Amazon JP, but with an optional English language track. It is, acording the the review, a multi-region disk and should play on US DVD players. Anybody here got some Yen to burn? Anyone? Jill? DrMM? Bueller?

• Marie also brings us this interview with a surprisingly candid and eloquent Jason Narvy, on his aspirations as a theatre actor, and even his work on Power Rangers. It's some deep stuff, and I highly recommend it. There's something to be said for the fact that he and Paulie are very likely the most intelligent cast the series has ever had.

• Stevie Folger alerts us to an appearance by Dan Southworth in US Navy Seals 2, playing a former Seal. I've no idea whether this film is a sequel to the movie Navy Seals, though I would tend to doubt it. Still, glad to see he's finding work.

• Raul Ramirez brings us the following correction- the video cover Miko provided was not, in fact, for the Mexican release of T:APRM, but rather for the video of "Trouble By the Slice;" there an exclusive released via Pizza Hut outlets. The Spanish and English releases of the movie had identical covers. Thanks, Raul!

• Aaron Davies wrote to inform us that the original communicator watch used in MMPR was in fact a combination of two different watches produced by "X-Data." Aaron informs us that these watches were not, as previously reported, sturdy, and were in fact made of cheaply plated metal. The face cover of the watch which came with the communicator band was shaped like a pyramid, for those of you on the prowl to kitbash your own. Thanks bunches!

• Time for another attribution run-around, as Paladin directs us to a link presented to him by Capt'n Eclipse. You want to see almost every Gaoranger mech on the market? Go here. However, be warned, there's an addendum... This picture is LACKING two. While it does include Gao Kong (he's lurking above Gao Hunter), it's missing the deluxe mech version of Soulbird, as well as the forthcoming Gao Panda.

• Cap has also learned from his sources that apparently the mecha for the next sentai program will be compatible with the Gaoranger line. While I'd be a bit wary of immediately believing that news, this is still that period of time when everything is up in the air regarding the next program, and rumors can be accepted at face value, it would fit the "toyline with related television series to spotlight some of the stuff" approach Bandai has had with Gaoranger.

• Oh, right, and since Pal has been hassling us about this for the last week, we present to you the latest bootleg toy that demands your fanfic attention. It's Time Force in Space, featuring the never before seen Black and Silver Time Force Rangers. Notice Silver's golden mouthpiece, and Black's silver accented visor. Black is too perfect NOT to be Alex, but who to make Silver, eh?
  Derik notes: Huh, I thought I'd added that... bootlegs are fun, aren't they folks?

• Look, it's the Deluxe Wild Force Kongazord! And he has, quote, "battery operated walking action." Normally, this sort of thing wouldn't be so odd. PR is known for the occasion walking toy, now and then. Thunderzords, Omega Megazord... What's different here is that this isn't a special version of the toy. It's the main commercial release. Which separates into five distinct Zords. Sporting features which the Gaoranger release did not. There's no space in the Bullzord to put a battery, nor is there enough range of motion for it to actually walk. I think we're looking at a remold, folks. Stay tuned for actual reviews of the thing from whomever we can sucker into buying it. (Thanks to Paladin for the info; Chris Peterson for the link)

• It's a banned episode bonanza on Fox Kids, all week long! Go consult with our schedule for specifics, but in the meantime, bask in enjoyment at episodes you thought you might very well never see again. Now- lets get to work on seeing the Destiny Arc and Full Exposure again before year's end, kapeesh?

• In news which certainly sent a flutter through my old, blackened heart, Chris Peterson brings us this nice article on Valerie Vernon from the hematology and oncology research center City of Hope. Valerie has apparently given up on acting for the time being (any word on just WHEN her long delayed Hello Kitty program for Saban is slated to air, anyway?), to concentrate on her music. Surprisingly, in country. Lets just hope she does better than Brad Hawkins. Oh, hey, and while I'm up on the soapbox, lets have a nice round of applause for places like City of Hope, huh? They provide an invaluable service.

• Feller by the name of VTR1A (awww, those must have been some hateful hippie parents!) directs us towards the first known photograph of next year's sentai team. Tentatively titled, according to dozens of unsubstantiated rumors, "Hurricanger," this is apparently this year's previous picture from TV Magazine in Japan. Unlike normal rollouts, this does not showing all five rangers obscured in silhouette, but rather just a grainy picture of Red's helmet. I have to give them credit, I am madly in love with that design.
  Derik notes:

• Tanned, toned, and with a killer headcold, I have returned from my vacation. Only to find, to my utmost surprise, that Derik and Jarod have done a more than fine job running the place without me. Suffice it to say that this was a major blow for my ego. I suppose this makes me the PR equivalent of Ozymandias, eh? Look upon my site, ye mighty! And despair. (Derik should also remember that when CLF goes on vacation, and his laptop time is at a premium, to change the contact address on the site. It bugs me when I'm flooded with e-mails on subjects which I had no idea we'd inquired about.)
  Derik notes: Change it to what? Jarod's? I ain't dealing with it.

• Jesse's diligence has produced a valuable nugget of information. It seems Wild Force WILL be premiering this February, on Fox Kids. In general defiance of what the fandom at large had come to believe was the case, which had been a fall premiere, on whatever network PR finds as its new home. Well, new PR's home, anyway. MMPR and up seem snug as a bug in a rug on ABC Family, by all accounts.

• Will Maberry will be holding a chat on IRC with former PR alum Erin Cahill, January 6th. Pertinent details about the whole thing are available here.
• Miko brings us- well, brings Derik, since she's in my killfile- this picture of the Spanish video release of T:APRM. While a surprising number of folks have registered their preference for this design over the American release, I find it rather similar to the "group poses" we get on the episodic video releases. Visual monotony.

• Two weeks into production on Wild Force, and already a cast member has been knocked off the tally. Yes, this is ridiculously old news, but Derik forgot to add it. Well, it wouldn't be Power Rangers if we didn't occasionally get the odd Audri DuBois or Erin Simms. Apparently, the episodes already produced had been designed with the idea that they could drop in a replacement Blue at short notice, so production shouldn't be delayed too much.

• With the near complete usenet archives now provided by Google (there are still some gaps in the records, as are even admitted by the archivists themselves, but it's the best we're ever going to manage, folks), Sir Dan managed to ferret out the very first post ever made to alt.fan.power-rangers. And it was a troll. It find that cosmically harmonious. Just take a gander here.
• Chris Peterson posted a link to the following ebay auctions, with US-packaged megazords giving Wild Force names for GaoKing, GaoHunter/Justice and GaoKong. For those too lazy to actually run up the auctions, highlight below for names.
  Wild Force Megazord, Wild Force Predazord and the Wild Force Kongazord. It's almost like Doug Sloan is back in charge of naming stuff again, isn't it?

• Remember when I said I wasn't going to be doing much work for the site until I got back? Scratch that part. Stevie Folger informs us that Blake Foster, who remains perpetually stunted at prepubescence due to ungodly science experiments, conducted by Saban Entertainment, will be playing Peter Brady in ABC Family's forthcoming Brady Bunch TV movie. -Chris

• Green Ranger posted a review of the PRWF Red Ranger. It's the first figure review I've seen for the new series, and it contains some good thoughts on the overall direction of the first-wave figures compared to previous years, so I'm linking to it.
• Matt Williams, whose been keeping tabs on the whole Fox/Disney/Saban thing with an almost scary intensity, brings news fromt he print publication Broadcasting and Cable's interview with UPN Co-ordinating Officer Adam Ware. UPN, whose childrens broadcasting on weekdays and sunday includes Disney properties, is considerign adding a Saturday block in response Fox's repositioning. Matt is putting in a long-odds bet, based on statments, that if PR were to lose its home on Fox Kids, it would reapear on UPN.

• Ready to play fandom telephone? Derik, running through afpr, spots a post by Miko, with info he got from PRDude from the PRO Yahoo Club who credits Hans of the Free Country message forum... with a scan of the first PRWF cardback showing various toys and characters. That scan is mirrored here. Sometimes I love this job...
  Derik also notes: I notice Yahoo Clubs is merging with Yahoo Groups. About bloody time, but 5'll get you 10 it's gonna be a headache.

• Shyranger (whose name is in bold just because I like the name Aaron) notes that on MTV's Total Request Live premiere of Britney Spears obstreperously-named I'm a Slave 4 U video last wednesday, a pop-up factoid informed the viewers that if she could be a superhero, she'd pick the Pink Power Ranger. That's gonna give me nightmares...

• A surprise; nature's way of reminding us she's still in control. In 8 days on December 15th, instead of a PRTF rerun, we're getting the season 3 MMPR episode I'm Dreaming of a White Ranger. IDoaWR was the final episode Kimberly appeared it, actually taking place in an interm between her leaving and Kat taking over (a brief scene with Kat has been cut from every network airing but is still present on the video release.) IDoaWR was, at the time, the first PR episode where the rangers never morphed, and features the unlikliest teamup of all as the Power Rangers head to the North Pole to stop Lord Zedd from taking over Santa's workshop. I'm kind of hoping we get Zeo's A Season to Remember on the 22nd... IDoaWR last aired on September 15th, 1998 during Power Playback. (BurgundyRanger)
  Jarod notes: If you tape your eyes open and don't blink, you'll see this is also the first episode with Ashley "The Brain" Hammond.
  Derik counternotes: By jove you're right! I thought that was the Zeo ep for some reason. Does this mean you're volunteering to vidcap and point her out for posterity Jarod?

• PRWF casting sheets for supporting/nonrecurrings for the pilot are out. Some interesting stuff. Hope they keep the reference in the last one... (originally spotted by the ever-prolific Miko, transcribed on PRU)

• You could check out the PR Liscencing Abstract, or we could just tell you that it lists the PRTF 'direct to video' video for May 2002. This will, presumably, be our 2 'missing' episodes. Plans are apparently for 52 eps of WF (as there was for PRTF, before the actors guild strike kiboshed nay hope for a movie)

• Psycho Blue tracked down this press release about Galidor, the new live-action fantasy adventure on Fox Kids. I reccomend a stiff drink before reading, the sheer volume of gush is somewhat nauseating. Is this a press release or an investment procure? Is there a difference these days?

• You know, Chris made this whole Info Czar thing look a lot easier than it is. Now there's chores to be done, and ooh those dance lessons. Paladin is looking into the manufacturer of the MMPR communicator watches, got a truly bizare submission frum Cyro this morning... 14 hours at school and I get back and spend 5 hours juggling instant messages, e-mails, transcritptions and updates. Heavy is the burdon of being me. Can't you people all get lives and stop making work for poor Derik?

• Miko, being especially on the ball, noticed the Official Amy Jo Johnson Website is up. I'm told it has no mention of her work on PR. I'd run it up myself to check except, you know, for having absolutely zero interest in AJJ's latest fatuity.

• Did you know www.TimeForce.com exists? They're an Italian watch manufacturer. Of course, Zeocrystal.com sells odor-absorbing crystals, so... While in the subject, I'm told there was a watchmaker who made a high-quality watch based on the old MMPR communicators (or, which the MMPR communicators were based on) does anyone know whom? (Yellow Lightning)

• Lots of auctions tonight... Check ou the New Wild Force Morpher, this is US packaging, not a Nippon import. We do hope whoever wins this posts a review, assuming it's not available in stores nationwide this Sunday when Target gets their trucks in... (And a nice high-res scan of the PRWF logo made available for free use wouldn't be out of place either...)

• Stevie Folger reminds us that the next Sentai should be announced soometime this December. In the spirit of that reminder, we did some checking, looking to see when the last few Sentai have been announced. Gaoranger was December 14th, Timerenjaa was around December 27th, and GoGoV named in a magazine article reported on December 25th.

• Chris Peterson points us to this article regarding the possibility of old Power Rangers episodes running on the new ABC Family (formerly Fox Family) channel. Oh course, it's STILL rendered maddeningly inconclusive by the media persistence in referring to the current PR series as 'MMPR.'

• Little Joey Rovang of Pembsbroke, Georgia told me about this link ebay auction of Lord Zedd's dismembered corpse, and sent us an adorable scrawled picture of himself as a Ranger. (picture not included.) (PRU, also reported by SnoopsWarner)

• Paladin profiles the Ohranger Tackleboy toy, better known in the US as the Zeo Warrior Wheel, which got an abridged release in the US....

• I'm about to depart for the next two weeks on vacation, and thus will be leaving the site in the able... Errr, the capable... Uh... Well, the adjectiveless hands of Derik and Jarod. Barring things like major news, weekly schedule updates, or Judd Lynn interviews, don't expect much in the next several days.
  Derik notes: That's it, keep it up... we CAN turn this into a porn site before you get back.

• Stevie Folger tells us Austin St. John is appearing in the upcoming Friday the 13th X. Since the only publicity photo we've got shows him as a generic security guard who's poking Jason's corpse with a stick, we can only assume his character will go on to live a full, happy life. ;)

• Matt Williams actually managed to hit one out of the ballpark, giving us this article from the LA Times on the future status of the Fox Kids Network and its programming.

• I'd like to take a moment, if I may, to plug a website. That's not, in and of itself, so unusual. Most of what I do here is plug various places for you to visit. But what I like about this place is that it does exactly what it sets out to do. Provide you with a nice, general primer on the various principle characters we've known, over the course of the show. How they look, some basic traits of theirs, and their vehicles. This is the sort of site you can show a neophyte fan, curious about the program, without bogging them down with exposition, as most of the big sites would. And I wish more "mega-fic" writers out there would take heed of places like this, before they go off using characters they've never seen before. Red Tulip Ranger's PR Database. And hey, you're supporting international fandom by going, something we here at the 'verse take very seriously.

• Courtesy of the good folks a Film Threat, a nice, if not especially thorough, review of Johnny Yong Bosch and Jason Narvy's long-delayed film Wicked Game. Humorously, this review uses the original production date, making it sound as though it's available commercially. This video still has not received general distribution. (Miko)

• While Jill's site does have pictures available of the forthcoming Gao Panda (not to be confused with the also forthcoming Gao Treeslug), Fortunecity stubbornly refuses to allow direct linking, and thus undercuts the point of newsbyting. Click on her link in the right hand column, if you'd like to see the CGI model the series will be using. It's on her main page, under "surprise!" As for the toy itself, Walt has come to the rescue. Here's a site comparing Gao Panda to its repaint brothers, Gao Polar and Gao Bear.

• Erin Cahill Online is now carrying a Real Movie of the recent PRTF "Be a Hero" PSA, as well as snaps. Major thanks go out to Will, since he just saved Jesse the trouble. RM available here, and caps here. See, kids? Jen and Wes DID get reunited!

• Justin Lam has finally compiled all the various covers to Toei's video releases of PRT and PRiS on a single page, along with an episode guide. As always, we'd like to remind you that Justin runs a really tight ship, and his page is a fabulous resource for PR and Tokusatsu minutia. Go there. Now.

• Jason Takach informs us that Target stores around the country are now carrying PRTF party supplies. He brings us this photograph of the main display, which must have an amusing story behind it. How do you EXPLAIN bringing a digital camera into a Target? And why is Harry Potter hanging out with the Time Force Rangers? Is JK Rowlings getting in some advanced publicity for her forthcoming Harry Potter and the Trizirium Crystal?
  Derik notes: That was a really lame joke, wasn't it folks?

• Paladin brings us these intriguing pictures of a bootleg PRiS figure. I think this is actually cooler than his earlier Green Space Ranger discovery, if only because- it's Tommy. Tommy, the White Space Ranger. See for yourself. Somebody damn well better be ficcing this thing, ASAP.

• And while we're on the subject, Mythranger directs us to this fascinating Chinese PRiS knockoff, which includes what looks like the magical simon game which gave the PRT their powers, and some kind of apeshit crazy Megazord.

• In what some might define as a a dream come true (more so than Cinescape was, anyway,) we have ended up in Playboy. Go read Playboy.com's interview with former Galaxy Ranger Cerina Vincent, and then notice the attribution for the picture on page five. Our thanks go to Rob, the writer of the article, for the credit.

• Major props go to my man Jarod, for stepping up to the plate in the absence of Derik, who has gone off to a Smith family reunion for the week. Always appreciate your hard work as auxiliary webmaster, buddy.

• Finally, an official press release regarding the current status of the Fox Kids Network, though not so much one that deals with what will be happening to said network's content, once they go exclusive to Saturdays. Since, you know, nobody really knows quite what will happen. Thanks go to Sir Dan for getting this for us.

• Chris Peterson informs us that principle shooting for Wild Force begins on the 29th. Which, considering that the show launches in February, strikes me as cutting it a bit close. We're not talking about a long period for post-production and ADR. But then, what do I know? Chris additionally brings us this fascinating article written by PRTF's own Kate Sheldon, for her home town newspaper. It depresses me that they cut a "Nadira spraying you with perfume" segment out of the Time Blaster.

• The Time Force "Be a Hero" PSA, featuring Jen and Wes sans helmets, began airing earlier this week, and ought to run in frequent rotation any moment now. So it won't be hard for people to tape themselves a copy. Jesse should be supplying us with snaps shortly, for our international readers.

• Monica Louwerens' episode of The Chronicle repeats this Friday, on Sci-Fi Channel. So in case you missed it, here's your chance.

• Jason's Power Rangers Club for UK Fans has done it again, supplying us with pictures of Jason Faunt's appearance on "Hollywood 7"/"S Club 7 in Hollywood;" his first post-PRTF role. A Real Movie of the appearance is available here, clocking in at 2.93 megs. And, as always, snaps are available at his yahoo club.

• Archie Kao recently made another guest appearance on CSI. Here's to hoping his lab technician character becomes a supporting cast member. He deserves more exposure. And on the subject of "exposure," those hentai among you take note for these next newsbytes...

• A completely unsubstantiated and very likely false rumor has begun circulating, courtesy of one "Borgman," that Sasha Williams, PRLR's Kelsey, will be doing a semi-nude pictorial in this April's Playboy magazine. Beats me as to veracity of this. But like the disclaimer says, we just point you to the news, we don't make it.

• However, on the subject of news which we CAN support... They are officially skating on the River Styx, ladies and gentlemen. Hell hath frozen over. Callipygous former Pink Ranger Amy Jo Johnson has appeared nude in a motion picture. This is an attribution line I never imagined I'd be typing, but courtesy of the website Celebrities Missing Their Panties -- and no, I am NOT including a link -- we can inform you that Ms. Johnson does appear fully nude in the forthcoming film "Pursuit of Happiness." So, I think we can add another alum to the tally of people who I've lost all respect for... Heck, I didn't even like AJJ that much, but I respected her stance on never doing nude work. Bah.
  Derik notes: Why is it only the PR girls end up doing nude work? Isn't that sexist? I should write a letter...

• Capt'n Eclipse points us to the official website of Marz Distribution, which is just chock full of exciting- albeit tentative- PRWF information. Among these are names for the principle villain, his minions, and the inevitable bikes. But the most surprising of all is the tentative name for GaoSilver's US counterpart.
  Derik notes: This is old news by this point. The webmaster added a link to this site last week- but then forgot to upload it. We assure you he's been eaten.

• It has been brought to my attention that Yellow Lightning is in fact a girl, and not a boy, as previously reported. Oops. Sorry, Jennifer, wistful thinking on Derik's part. It has also been brought to our attention that while a Dragon Coin was not included with the Dragonzord/Green Ranger set, the box art was adorned with images of the "dragon beastie" we previously showed. I assume this, along with the sticker, was the source of the recollection. So our thanks go out to John Green and Latinum Racer. (like the name) Both of whom it's always nice to hear from, even if it's to correct me...

• Time Force managed to go an entire season without actually sucking. Mark it down on your tallies, kids, it's the new number to beat, for Wild Force. Forty episodes. Lets just all be thankful that the count was never "PRTF managed to go so many episodes without being disappointing," in which case we'd have been resetting it constantly.

• Douglas Fisher, who played butler Nigel Philips on PRTF, recently appeared on Seventh Heaven, playing... Surprise, surprise, a butler. You might find it odd that we'd include an appearance of such a comparatively minor PR actor. Silly readers. It's irony! It's at least as good as if David Weisberg appeared as a nebbish scientist somewhere... Rather than just writing bad action movies...

• Famed performance artist and valued contributor to the fandom George Rodd has recently announced his engagement to his longtime girlfriend. We wish the future mister and missus all the best. And George, if you write your own vows, I so want to hear them.

• Jason David Frank is currently shooting a new movie, entitled Paris. Frank is said to be playing a starving artist. Additionally, Jason will also be appearing in a motion picture slated to begin production early next year. Entitled Demon Under Glass, he'll play a vampire. Well, see, now they have to get JYB to do a walk-on, in the framing sequence.

• Longtime story editors Judd Lynn and Jackie Marchand have chosen not to return for PRWF. Sources say they departed on good terms with the company and series. Their final episode as writers will be next week's EoT pt 3. No word yet on the identity of PR's next story editors.

• As those of you who have been with the series for a while know, those wacky folks at Saban Entertainment love to kid around. And they're not letting ownership by a soulless corporate entity keep them down. Yellow Lightning brings us this exciting revelation. By recording and reversing the dialogue spoken by the Cyclobots in End of Time pt. 1, she was able to decipher what had actually been spoken, by their voice actors. Suffice it to say, the stuff was a bit blue, and not suitable for young children. Still, it is funnier than the information download Zordon gave the Aquitian Rangers. Click on both of these at your own risk.

• Archie Kao, who has just been a busy little bee lately, put in another guest appearance, this time popping up on the crime drama CSI. Same offer as always, folks. Let us know if you have snaps, and we'll be glad to link to your website.

• In our ongoing quest to bring you insane Power Rangers toys which never *formally* existed, Paladin brings us this apparently legitimate (if such a word can be applied) bootleg PRiS toy. It's a TJ mold, recolored green. I dunno, maybe some of you folks out there have a better eye for spotting Photoshop forgeries than us. It's not like I have such a hard time believing a bootlegger would keep the Saban logo on the package. It would make things far MORE attractive, to prospective buyers.

• After not materializing 2 months after its scheduled release date, the UK PR Annual 2002 has officially been canceled. PR annuals are large hardcover books featuring bios of characters and events. The one scheduled for 2002 would have been for PRTF, and the first since Turbo when the series was discontinued.

• Fox Kids is dropping all weekday programming, after December 31st. A final compromise between the network and the affiliates was reached this month, wherein local affiliates, who had been loud and persistent in their complaints, were given total sovereignty by the network. Better start taping those PRTF episodes now, kids. (Geez, PRWF just became even more like Sentai- no reruns!)

• Longtime series producer Scott Page-Pagter's debut album, previously available for purchase at the now sadly defunct PROA, is now available on CDBaby's website. Go buy it. Scott's a great guy, he's brought us years of PR enjoyment, and his music is really good. I can't sing his praises enough. I don't ask you guys for much, and it's ten bucks you'd only waste on a Transdagger or something.

• Justin Lam brings us an update on the translated titles for Toei's PRiS video releases, now taking us all the way up to Countdown to Destruction. Save for a couple gaps at the start of the season, he's brought us pretty much the entire incarnation, and we appreciate it. In addition, Justin also provides us with the titles for first eleven episodes of PRLG, currently airing on CS Super Channel. All available here, folks.

• Billy Forrester, formerly Flabber of Beetleborgs fame (and, for my money, the greatest mentor on any Saban program, ever), recently appeared on NBC's The Weakest Link. Billy, now owner of a video store, apparently gave host Ann Robinson a good one-for. So, if any of you out there frequently watch the PAXNet repeats of the show, keep an eye out. Or, even better, keep a tape out; I'd love some snaps. (submitted by Chico)

• Former series story editor Douglas Sloan is currently working on a new series for NBC Saturday mornings, Skate. Sloan is a co-executive producer, along with former PR co-producer Ann Knapp Austen, and has even written a few episodes. Nice to hear Dougie is still finding work, after all this time. (courtesy of PRDude)

• Rhett Fisher's appearance on Maybe It's Me will be airing on the 16th. Thanks to Chris P. for the 411.

• Fox Totally Kids Magazine is bringing an end to its ten year run as of this issue. Gee, wonder if this has anything to do with a quasi-omnipotent corporation which just purchased a controlling interest in the network and its cable affiliate? On the PR front, the final issue contains cutouts of the morphed Time Force Rangers, Ransik, and Nadira; and a PRWF match game. Nice to see they made the kids aware of the new incarnation before folding up the paper, at least.

• We've corrected that unfortunate typo with the Trans-Warp Megazord countdown clock. Sorry to anyone who we might have unintentionally offended.

• It's a former PR alumnus BONANZA! Everything must go, the boss is out of town, and we've gone c-c-c-c-crazy! Archie Kao has put in a brief appearance in the new Jet Li effects spectacular "The One," playing a member of the LA County sheriffs department. Go, Archie! Fellow Galaxy Ranger Cerina Vincent, in addition to prancing around like a harlot on the big screen, recently appeared on Felicity... Which used to star Amy Jo Johnson, who will be appearing in the November 15th episode of ER.

• Michael Copon, while not being sent to the future against his will, cameoed on last Tuesday's General Hospital, as a member of a punk band. And, just as we were about to go to press with this newsbyte, Will Maberry surprised us with the news that Erin Cahill will have a role in the upcoming feature film The Biggest Fan. (Thanks goes out to a bunch of people whose names are currently escaping me. The danger of not updating your website for a week solid is that you start to forget who told you things. Oh, and Brent Crane, who is always a trooper.)

• T-Dini brings us another fascinating little nugget of information, which just retroactively made Time For Lightspeed that much more interesting. As previously reported, Alison MacInnis did not appear in many sequences in the episode (later revealed by Kate Sheldon to in fact be one of her own stunt doubles, subbing for Ali). What we didn't know at the time was that Alison was also unable to attend ADR sessions for the episode, necessitating a last minute replacement. Morphed Dana was voiced by CATHERINE SUTHERLAND. I broke out my tape this afternoon, folks, and he's right. Listen, especially, to the sequence where Jen and Dana attack one of Vypra's minions. That's Kat's wussy battle cry she makes.

• A massive fire recently claimed one of Toei's storage warehouses. One which included props and costumes used in the production of Gaoranger. While the series has, for the most part, wrapped production, and this will likely not cause a major setback on that side of the Pacific, it could have disastrous repercussions here, for Wild Force. Nearly all of Saban's costumes are imported from Japan, and the cost is often prohibitive to making more, beyond US Ranger and villain outfits. Lets hope it was nothing too significant. (info courtesy of August Ragone)

• We've received a fascinating crosscut of letters, since last week's newsbyte regarding Shockwave_Zero's series-accurate Tiger and Dragon Coins. Half of which lambast us for furthering the rumor that there was ever a commercial Dragon Coin released in the States, and the other half of which say there was one, but they can't find theirs. This, clearly, is not going to be resolved on simple terms. I've spoken to people who can prove there was a Power Coin shaped indentation in the styrofoam included with the Dragonzord, and people who can prove there was not. This... This is not fruitful. For whatever it's worth, I remembered there being one. In the interest of at least proving that, if nothing else, people's memories of a Dragon Coin ITEM being produced by Bandai USA, which featured a woefully inaccurate beastie on it (is it Titanus? Godzilla?) are correct, Jesse gives us this scan of the Dragon Coin sticker included with the Green Automorphin' Power Ranger. That's the symbol I remembered seeing, folks.

• It's time for another cracking installment of "Stupid Internet Tricks," featuring Steve Folger. At the best of times, the Internet Movie Database is a questionalble source of information. We fully expect to see an entry for 'Power Rangers Ninja Force' up within the week based on rumors the next sentai is ninja-themed, probably starring a potpouri of former PR cast members, and possibly The Rock. Hell, we're not exactly arguing from a position of strength, the 'verse's own Chris Fuñaro was credited as Zordon before PRTF began, but IMDB's entries for future series have always sucked. This beautiful bastard fucked up the entries for every past PR series, not for the sake of a great, baroque prank or joke, but because he's written an ongoing series of fanfic, bad fanfic, inserting himself into every incarnation of PR since it began, and he thought that achievment deserved some special recognition, so he gave himself a credit in every PR series as the Brown Ranger. I could go on about the stupidity, or the arrogance of that act, but instead I point to Charles Buch; sound, David Leon; music Ilan Rosenberg; cinematographer, dozens of others, not the least of whom is Chip Lynn. People who have been there since the begining, now listed below Steve-o. Good one.

• Jesse brings us exciting information from the episodics for The End of Time. Spoiler protected for those who wish to avoid such things, or made a point not to pay attention when the ads have ran. Highlight the text below to read.

  * The Neo-Crisis is a piloted mecha.
  * Wes is wearing the Quantum Morpher, in addition to his own.
  * Wes is seen, atop the badly damaged Quantasaurus Rex, destroying the Neo-Crisis with the Quantum Defender-- geez, two in a row with that thing! Did Eric finally ask the CPU how high they can notch up the power settings?
  * Jen no longer has her engagement band.
  * Ransik is missing his face plate, and good portions of his body armor.

• In addition, Chris Peterson informs us that Erin Cahill and Jason Faunt were recently recalled to the studios to shoot a PSA pertaining to the terrorist attacks on the US, and what kids can do to help. One also wonders if this will serve as "fair warning" for the mass destruction and planet-blowing-up antics of the finale?

• Confirmation on the street release date of Gaogod. It will be out in December, retailing for seven thousand yen. Additionally, a deluxe version of Gao Lion will be released, which can be configured into yet more of Gaoranger's nearly redundant combinations. Have all the possible toy combinations even APPEARED on the series? Have we yet crossed the threshold of Gaoranger being a show with a supporting toy line, to where Gaoranger is a toy line, with a tie-in program which highlights SOME of its products?

• Saban Entertainment and Fox Kids International are now official subsidiaries of the Walt Disney Corporation. The final deal was hammered out Wednesday, for a slightly lower sum than initially negotiated. A full press release, courtesy of Reuters, and lovingly transcribed by Yellow Lightning, can be found here.

• The latest Time Force video, "Photo Finish," is now available at participating Toys R Us locations near you. Featuring a seamless Movie Madness, itself a reason to buy it, the tape also includes the pretty much banned-from-FK episode Full Exposure. She's uncut, folks, and there's really no way to edit it to network specifications, after the WTC disaster. Jason Takach additionally contributed the summary blurb from the back of the video case, which could possibly be the worst pun in PR history. Seriously. I'm not even going to tell you, for fear of what might be thrown at me. See for yourself.

• Shockwave Zero's finished Tiger Coins are now available for purchase, with Dragon Coin replicas soon on the way. As you kids may know, the series Dragon Coin was never domestically released, as part of the MMPR toy line (Burai's golden Dino Buckler and Dragon Caesar Coin were released in Japan), though an ugly, inaccurate version bearing a godzilla-type lizard was sold with the Green Ranger/Dragonzord combo. Oddly enough, the Tiger Coin- itself a US creation- was similarly misrepresented, in the version included with the White Ranger and Tigerzord. SZ has corrected this, and done a spiffy job, if I do say so myself E-mail him at shockwave_zero@hotmail.com, if you're interested.

• Rhett Fisher will soon be appearing on the WB series "Maybe It's Me." The cameo, in The Mini-Jerry Episode, should be airing in the next two months, so keep an eye out. Rhett also contributes to the forthcoming release "Heroes Unsung," by Unsigned Artists for Unsung Heroes, from Extasy Records. Nice multimedia blitz there, Rhettly.

• Only took us seven days, but we finally got a title for #36. 10-20's episode was Circuit Unsure. Which, no doubt, means that Circuit and the Gatekeeper have already made their way out of Shadow World, and are seeking revenge on Diabolico as we speak. Wait, no, that's the as-yet unaired Circuit Unbound.

  Previously on Mike the TV's Ole Time Gospel Hour...
  

• Attempting to smuggle Sir Dan and a valuable digital picture (and accompanying article) about JDF out of harsh Australian waters, the valiant Derik missed the rendezvous point, and both were left stranded at sea, with minimal provisions. Thus explaining our lack of scheduling updates for the past week. Will they make it back in time? Does THIS LINK finally do something? And what of Gregory's love for Tad?

• Paladin gives us a review of the new PRTF fan club kit, currently being advertised up the wazoo on Fox Kids. It is, sadly, not much of an improvement from the MMPR fan club kit. Heh, how many of you kids remember that sack 'o random materials? Didn't they come with the exclusive PR brown paper lunch bags and leaf-blower?

• Apparently, Disney has begun to develop cold feet, regarding the intended purchase of Fox Family and Saban Entertainment. Renegotiations continue, and the spin doctors continue to put a positive light on everything, but after the September 11th disaster, the entire entertainment industry has taken a blow. I remain uncertain whether Saban NOT being bought out is a good thing. Read all about it here.

• In related news, Ecliptor17, through a contact at Saban Entertainment, has learned that pending the buyout, all PR video releases will be suspended. Understandable, Buena Vista Entertainment would not want to be competing against 20th Century Fox Video with tapes of the exact same programs. One imagines that the current slate on the table will be released. I'd hate to think this apparent PRTF direct-to-video might be suspended.

• Today's airing of Circuit Unsure has Monica Louwerens in an uncredited voice acting role and, pleasant surprise, is dedicated to the memory of Thuy Trang. We miss you.

• Another day, another minor alteration made to the PR episode. Yes, Trust and Triumph is next to go under the knife, again with generally seamless results. Circuit's warning of a mutant at the Trade Center has been changed to "Mutant at the industrial center!" Clearly, they either called Brianne back to give a new read, on the modified ADR, or just culled the line from another ep. Everything else remains intact.

• And, in a more surprising move, a SECOND new PRTF toy ad debuts this week, in the same slot (third Digimon commercial break). This time highlighting the Quantasaurus Rex. Hey, just in time for Christmas! But that's not the interesting part. The ad, rather than focusing on the current campaign of Ransik and Mini-Morbis, uses OLD WES! You remember, from the original set? Still regaling the young'uns with tales of his heyday.

• Jesse snapped us a picture of frequent PR voice actor Bob "Pappy" Papenbrook. From what, I don't know, although he has made a couple of live action appearances in the last year, on a variety of programs. Just thought you kids might be interested, in case you were ever curious as to what Rito and Deviot looked like.

• And the last 4 Showfax Scriptlets courtesy of, of all people, Zyuray. Hey Zy- e-mail Derik for a text transcript, won't you? (Hey, you saved me $8!) Since, you know, just posting the PSD's would be piracy.

• Tch, someone's been a naughty boy. That same morally-questionable person has transcribed and posted More of the Showfax Scriptlets to the PRU mailing list. El Fuñaroverse would like to take a strong stance against such flagrant piracy of intelectual property... but we can't get enough of the stuff. Beware of major series spoilers, of course.

• A gent by the name of Midnight Phoenix first drew this to our attention. Showfax, a service for aspiring actors which apparently faxes or forwards them brief scriptlets for prospective roles before auditioning, apparently has ties to PR casting director Iris Hampton, who graciously supplied their website with the (tentative) names and functions for PRWF cast members.

  In the interest of spoiler protection, we are going to white out the following information. Please click and highlight to read. And remember- give a hoot. Don't spoil.

  The currently listed roles for Wild Force are--

  Evil Guy/Drago
  Princess Rinoa
  Vanessa
  Good Princess Aquilla
  Trakeena
  Casey/Audrey
  Jake
  Sophia
  Commander

  Now, since Showfax site does CHARGE to download the scriptlets (called 'sides,'), it would be very, very wrong of us to just, you know, buy it and post the contents here. Fortunately... some less morally-contrained soul has already done so for the stand-out "Villianess" scriptlet, on the PRU mailing list.

  I wouldn't get my hopes up too much about this being the Trakeena we all know and... Well, if not love, tolerate. I suspect we're looking at archetype casting, and recycling a generic PRLG scriptlet. But even so... This is a cast list which includes SIX women. Including three who are simply given first names, and not functions. That is not Gaoranger driven, that I know of. I've got to assume one of them is either a girlfriend, or a Fairweather-type. Nor is this mysterious "Commander" slot, which I assume might be some sort of retooled Stanton archetype. Also not fitting the source material.

  Thus ends the spoilers, and the resumption of normal text. Wasn't that awesome, kids? Especially the part where Jen and Wes' kid is flung back in time, and is adopted by the Lee-Scott family?

• Proving again that we have the most awesome clientele of any PR website online, PrometheusUFO comes through in a pinch, supplying us with additional info regarding David Yost's new series (though apparently, it's only just a special), Alien Hunter. All within an hour of upload, no less! And here's what the IMDB has to say. It's the Croc Hunter in space. Dude. And they said Yost wasn't going places in the world.

• During the final commercial break of today's Digimon, a second commercial featuring Ransik and Mini-Morbis debuts, this time spotlighting the Time Force Control Center playset, and its exclusive (and awesome) Ransik figure. Nothing earth-shattering in this one, though one of the kids, playing Katie, does declare that "It's HURTIN' Time," which, if nothing else, should have been what her nonexistent Ultra Talking Time Force figure said.

• Hark, the herald edits sing. Jesse brings us comparitively minor editing news regarding Jen's Revenge, Monday's PRTF rerun. They replaced a brief clip of Fat Catfish blowing up a building with another Timeranger shot of him destroying a car. The episode is otherwise intact.

• Also courtesy of Jesse; the three pictures of Cerina Vincent in her "Mayawear" apparel I'd bought off ebay two months ago, just prior to the release of the flesh-laden trailer for Not Another Teen Movie. I'd had no real need for them, and given that my half-assed attempt to "protect her honor" was just as promptly nullified by her going off and posing nude, he figured you all might enjoy some higher quality scans. Feel free to take and use as you'd like, we're all about the freedom of information 'round these parts.
  Derik notes: they're very nice, if you like that kind of thing. I'm refering, of course, to the photos.

• David Harold Yost, our own Yoster Pastry, has surprisingly popped back up on the scene, following his rather haggard (understandably) appearance at Thuy's memorial. According to the reasonably accurate TVTome, David is currently a producer on the in-development program Alien Hunter. More news on this series... Like, say, a summary, as it trickles down our way.
  Derik notes: I'm gonna go out on a limb and say with a title like 'Alien Hunter,' the series is probably about 6 high school teens coming of age in a small town. Loving, learning, and growing- together.

• We were going to include a byte regarding a recent Australian article on JDF that Dan had scanned, but apparently Dan took it down before I could refer to it. Damn. Anybody else happen to have a copy?

• There really isn't a lot of time left on this auction, but a gentleman- who, from all appearances, and from the content of his auctions, appears to be the man who owns my local comic shop- was selling a, quote, "buttload" of PR related memorabilia. Unfortunately, by the time I remembered to put this all on the site, most had ended. You didn't miss much. A Putrapod prop, a Z-Putty Crest, Lerigot's hand. Stuff like that. But the most interesting of the lot, and still available, is a scuffed and battle damaged MMPR:TM Yellow Ranger costume. So, if you HAVE a thousand clams to spare, why not?
  Derik notes: That is obscenely cheap for an item like this.

• Well, it's monday, and our schedule isn't much better. Jen's Revenge is airing today, but we have NO idea what the rest of the week holds, since the episodes immediately after it, 'Time Shadow', 'Clocktower' and 'Uniquely Trip' were all aired recently. We assume Nadira's Dream Date is friday, fitting the recent re-airing pattern.

• Looking at our completely blank schedule, some explanation is probably in order. Well- due to the recent man-handling of the Fox schedule, none of the half-dozen or so online sites that are usually the source for our schedule know what's gonna air. Check back monday, we might have more of a clue of the week's schedule by then.,

• We at the Funaroverse are proud to present you with a rare and unique opportunity, in any fandom. A glimpse into the world of PR, as it exists in its most basic form. From Jesse Herndon's private collection, purchased from Paul Schrier himself, it's the original script to Turn of the Wretched Wrench. We should have the other four Turbo scripts Jesse owns up on the site before too long. (hosted by PRAwiO)

• Our own Walter Jones will soon be starring in a new direct to video motion picture. Entitled Backyard Dogs, it focuses on the underground wrestling movement, and will hit the streets on November 20th. And, should any of you have an itch to see the Zackman topless, the official website features a really nice shot of the former MMPR. Still no word on the official release date to fellow Black Ranger Johnny Yong Bosch's Wicked Game, also featuring veteran PR directors Koichi Sakamoto and Makoto Yokoyama; staff writer Carlton Holder; and the immortal Jason Narvy. Though the last I'd heard on WG, they had found a distributor, and screened the film to generally positive reactions at Cannes.

• Megavoyager has scrounged up THQ's official site for their multi-platform PRTF game. Among the most interesting things is that these games do not appear to suck, a fact which cannot be as easily said about their Lightspeed Rescue license. Though perhaps the play mechanics will yet prove me wrong. I am the man who believes there has not been a good PR game released since the MMPR Megazord Battle cart. The PC permutation, if nothing else, looks fascinating. A PR puzzle game? With something of a Bomberman aesthetic? A Movie Madness level? Circuit in the lower right hand corner of every shot?

• A Transformers convention, RM Transcon, based out of Texas, will be holding a convention on November 16th and 17th. Of particular relevance to those of us in PR fandom is the scheduled attendance of Neil Kaplan, aka Diabolico, as a panelist. Pertinent information is available here. Half the proceeds go to Toys for Tots, so if ever you needed a better excuse to meet one of PR's voice actors...

• Courtesy of the good people at the Digimon Encyclopedia, an interview with Lex Lang, better known to us as the voices of Rygog, Lerigot, and Ecliptor. Not particularly PR focused, but of general interest. I'd had no idea AJJ was the one who brought him into the fold, nor that he'd voiced Louie Kaboom back in Zeo.

• Before we get under way for this week, Chris Funaro would like to apologize to Selma McCrory for being a big poopyhead. My phrase. You caught me at a bad time. Chris would additionally like to note that, while this site had not previously been used as a sounding board towards those I have wronged, it certainly serves the function well enough. And I've certainly wronged enough people.

• This Saturday's episode has been changed from the anticipated PRTF #35 to #39, Nadira's Dream Date. Beats me as to the "why" behind this, though I suppose the four episodes contained a high level of unsuitable- given the current political climate- sequences. I do hope, however, that "Dream Date" spoils little to nothing in the way of just how the Frax/Ransik struggle for dominance plays out. I'd hate to see a mindless automaton Frax once again working for Ransik, and toiling away on the Neo-Crisis, and then have to retroactively find out how we got to this point.

• The following has circulated through PR fandom for the last week. I'm not quite sure why it hasn't appeared on the site before now. No, wait, I do, it's because I'm lazy and procrastinate. From Yahoo News, an associated press article on reactions from the toy industry in light of the September 11th disaster. What fascinates me most is Ms. Brown's reaction towards toys which "glorify violence." No, not the statement itself... The fact that she considers GI Joe to be positive reinforcement. Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but the newly relaunched Real American Hero line does include Cobra... And the entire point of Cobra was that they were terrorists... (Yes, I actually found the part relevant to Power Rangers that uninteresting. It's words, folks. Lip service. PR has so few villain toys released that, as it is, we're talking about a hero-driven line. "Teamwork Action Wild Force Rangers" are not going to be next year's armored line.)

• In the interests of broadening your horizons, we at the Funaroverse are proud to present you with, to the best of my knowledge, the world's only translated PR fanfic archive. The language, in this case, being Spanish. The site is run by a gal named Lucy, a medical student in El Salvador. Why not drop her a line, and thank her for all the hard work of translating it for people? (Submitted by Eva Beckwith, with clarification by Dagmar Buse)

• Did any of you notice something... Funny, about Alison's appearance on the PRTF/PRLR crossover? No, not how high up her skirt we could see in the "Doctor Dana" sequence; the fact that she only physically appears in three scenes? Jesse did, and promptly shot off these snaps to Sean which we're mercilessly linking you to ourselves. First, the meeting- note the hair length- and then the morph sequence.
• T-Dini, who thrilled me with his carrier pigeon trick during the last Circus of the Stars, has smuggled the following information from the BET offices. It seems Deborah Phillips, our own Katie Walker (Texas Ranger), has a brief appearance in Nelly's new video, #1, off the soundtrack to the film Training Day. She can be spotted as the one wearing a fur coat. Thanks, T-Dawg!
  Derik notes: BET is currently running an "Access Granted" (their version of Making the Video) which is a half hour program that shows them making the video.

• Usual warning applies. Some of these episodes on our schedule might not run, due to Fox Kids being a bunch of nervous nellies. We'll let you know when the programming line-up gets back to being its normal chaotic self, and not this strange new permutation.

• Snoops sends us the following, horrifying link. Courtesy of the official Kids World website, it's Blake Foster's character (humorously named Ryan Mitchell-- a fact which we somehow forgot to put on this site, months ago), rapping. You guys are on your own, if you choose to cross that threshold, and click "download." Listening to Justin rap falls somewhere on my to-do list somewhere after reciting chapter and verse from the Necronomicon.

• Ron Rogge will be appearing on the third episode of the television series "Thieves," which had been slated to run on the 12th. Though one might want to check out the episode airing on the 5th, just in case... In light of the events of last month, and all. Ron appears roughly halfway through the episode, as a police officer. This all comes courtesy of Lydia Hunter, and we really appreciate it.

• You know, normally we encourage people to buy the latest software pertaining to the franchise themselves. It shows fan solidarity, and also helps put a little extra change in Saban Entertainment's pocket. Which, you know, piracy does not. If we were talking about something like MMPR Megazord Fightin', then yeah, I'd probably suggest you either scour a local Funcoland, or just download a ROM and emulator. But since this link got dropped in our box, I guess we'll run it. Courtesy of "Steven!" (yes, he included an exclamation point in his name) it's the PRTF Gameboy Advance game.
  Derik notes: Oddly, we didn't find linking to the file morally acceptable, but linking to the article that says where it is is okay. Funny how stuff works out sometimes...

• Paladin gives us a succinct, if unfavorable, review of the Virtual Cyclobot Battle game. "It's simplistic...the game is very simple reminds me of those tiger lcd games.
  It is kinda fun punching and kicking cyclobots but the variety is almost non existent the cyclobots come out in 4 different sections of the screen and you have to use either your left hand right hand or kick to knock them back you do have a "special" attack that you do by hitting punch and kick together this attack will fire an arrow at the cyclobot if its firing at you. Novel and cute but not really worth the $25 price tag."

  Granted, we finally got the review about two months after we asked, but still! People responded! That's better than we expected when making the plea!

• Chris Peterson informs us that today, Tuesday the 25th, is Kate Sheldon's birthday. We're not quite sure what birthday it would be for the PRTF actress, and a lady never tells, but we certainly wish our own Nadira a very happy... Whatever!

• In other news- Hikaru has managed to ferret out the surprise ending of Time for Lightspeed! After what we presume was many weeks of in-depth investigation, Hikaru finally had a break in the case when he... asked someone who knew. The surprise in the Lightspeed Teamup has been known to most of fandom who wanted to know since... Juneish, largely confined to e-mails and private chat conversations.
  He boldly broke the story, posting a summary of the surprise ending to a newsgroup discussing next week's episode for the enjoyment of all the PR fans who'd spent the last 4 months carefully avoiding spoilers for the teamup so they could enjoy the little rush of surprise and pleasure when it aired. Way to go Hikaru! (info courtesy of Hikaru)

• Paladin brings us this amusing e-bay auction he found. Everything seems kosher enough on the surface; you might even notice that the poster is decently knowledgable in the sorts of toys they're selling, enough that nothing is mislabeled... And then you see it. Out of the corner of your eye, at the bottom left of the uppermost picture. Yes, it's a bootleg. Ladies and germs, I give you the Green Mighty Morphin' Alien Ranger. This has no relevance to anything at all, I just thought it was really neat. Thanks, Jimmy!

• Sir Dan alerts us that the Force From the Future and Clash For Control videos are now commercially available in Australia. This, amusingly enough, before the series has actually premiered on national television. We'd include the possibly unique covers he graciously provided us, but K-Mart Australia's 'list titles' feature is farting out on our end, so we can't tell if they have different art.

• Power Rangers Central, which has intermittently experienced outages these past few weeks, is apparently back up now. I'm not sure if our web server is just producing some sort of ghost site, or if Ray has actually decided to restore it. In either case, I'd hold off using his graphics, for the foreseeable future.

• We've updated the schedule, though I should note that all episodes are subject to change at a moment's notice. A fine example being last week's unannounced airing of Beware the Knight, so keep your eyes peeled to the WOFK. We have a bunch of stuff that needs adding to the site, but nothing too pressing. Your humble news muppet is feeling somewhat less than motivated this week.

• Just as we were about to go to press tonight, Jesse brought us urgent news. It seems Undercover Rangers is airing TODAY, in place of A Parting of Ways. While this is just plain reasonable, given how few outlets actually got the episode on Saturday, it also nicely obviates the problem of running "APoW," which has a b-plot centering on a hijacking.

• Zac William in alt.toys.transformers brings us the follow comments from an unnamed Fox Kids "network executive." While we normally avoid mining other fandoms for this sort of thing, I found it especially relevant to PRTF, as well as RiD.
  "In light of the WTC attack, we've been instructed to pull any episodes that may be in the least bit objectionable until further notice. This includes, but is not limited to, any episodes with buildings collapsing, bombs, references toterrorism, hostage situations, etc."
  Episode 6 [of Transformers] has been pulled because in the opening of the show Megatron destroys a building and there is a line where a reporter says, "This recent rash of robot-terrorism is unlike anything we've seen since the mid 1980's."
  Now remember that the eps WILL air, and when we reschedule them I will let you guys know. But understand that with all of the other networks running the WTC footage, we felt that kids didn't need to turn the channel and see similar stuff in their shows."

• Will Maberry, as a service to the fandom, presents the widely preempted Undercover Rangers, courtesy of his own Erin Cahill Online. GASP as you hear Wes openly discuss his feelings in front of Lucas and Circuit! MARVEL at Jen in knee socks, looking for all the world like some sort of depraved "little girl" fantasy- minus the oversized lolly and penchant for calling men "Daddy!" THRILL as we begin the episode with a pitch for Ivan's Ooze! Be... Mildly impressed, when you see how well Saban actually edited the Strata Cycle deployment sequence. It's all here,in 2 RM's for your downloading convienience, 12 megabytes and 8 megabytes.

• As you can see from our schedule, Legend of the Clock Tower is finally airing in its correct production sequence. And, from all accounts we've received, it is airing that way abroad, as well. Naturally, nothing in terms of continuity placement comes easily. We're still not completely sure what's going to be on the air this weekend, kids. While we assume the freaks (and we use that term mostly affectionately) at Megchan's board scored the correct titles again, and ExciteTV has confirmed that Time For Lightspeed will be this Saturday's episode (ha, TOLD YOU it wasn't actually called Vypra's Revenge!); these things are extremely subject to change, particularly given the current climate at Fox. Stay tuned to the WOFK for accurate developments... More accurate than we are, anyway.
  Derik notes: Wow, you are SUCH a geek Chris...

• Jesse alerts us to a humorous reference on the cinema marquee in the "next time" scenes for Undercover Rangers. The motion picture playing is Frankie Chang vs. The Ant-People. While this in and of itself is fabulous continuity.... Wouldn't Frankie Chang in: Star-Crossed Lovers have been even MORE hilarious? Or is it just me?
  Derik notes: What, add ANOTHER remake of the film between PRiS and PRLG? (assuming that PRLG is 2003, which we should find out this weekend...)
  For those who aren't anal-retentive about the minutia of the Power Rangers Universe, Frankie Chang is a fictional version of Jackie Chan featured in PRTF's Movie Madness and Star-Crossed Lovers is an oft-remade movie, Kendrix played a stunt double in the 2003 edition.

• Justin Lam brings us a link to Toei's official PRLG home page. Lost Galaxy is currently airing on CS Super Channel, Sundays. This, despite the fact that PRiS has yet to complete its run as an exclusive video series. I sure hope they get those last two video releases out before they hit the crossover!
  Justin also brings us the amended Japanese episode titles list for PRiS and PRLG, now including FooN and Shell Shocked. Of particular note, to me, is that Silence is Golden was left untouched by Toei. Is that an idiom which the average Japanese child is even going to understand?

• We're told that the last wave of PRTF toys is out in stores, including the Q-Rex and the PRTF command center. We're especially intrigued by a report that the artwork on the PRTF Command Center box features the original MORBIS visual. Anyoen who'd like to scan the artwork (and review the toy for that matter, we're pretty curious about it as well) we'd appreciate it greatly...

• Minor updates on the Thuy Trang news story transcript and vidcaps from KTTV, corresting a misquote and adding 3 more pictures from the first part of the story. (SirSTACK)

• I suppose this should be expected. In response to Tuesday's tragedy, Fox Kids US has extensively reedited "Ransik Lives," putting in place of his threat to level the city to the ground the instrumental theme to PRTF. Even though it looks odder than hell. It remains to be seen if these edits are permanent, or only in light of the current heightened state of awareness in America towards terrorist activities. I suppose we should all be grateful that this weekend's episode is the comedic Undercover Rangers, and not Vypra's Revenge. That won't go under the knife the way a massive city fight in Silver Hills would... (SirSTACK)
  Derik notes: It's Chris's theory that Fox is jumpy (having pulled several movie airings, releases, and video releases even vaguely related to the WTC or terrorism) because the pilot to the 'Lone Gunmen' series they aired 8 months ago featured terrorists trying to crash a 747 into the World Trade Center...

• Jesse brings us these snaps of Monica Louwerens' appearance on "The Chronicle" last Saturday; and Vernon Wells' new PRTF toy ad, featuring some sort of comical Chibi Ransik sidekick. Perhaps the offspring of Morbis, as Nadira is Ransik's child? The kid DOES have the right forehead to be related to Morbis...
  Derik notes: The forehead-ridges, oddly, were part of the original Morbis makeup. Lacking any other indicator, I'd call this character Morbis.

• Jason, of the UK PR fanclub, again comes through in a pinch, delivering us a zip file containing... Something... Pertaining to the Jen/Wes "porno"-themed ad. I assume something good, like an RM or an audio capture, but ironically, I can't get this to load, either. With luck, it's just AOL currently being obstinate. You kids let me know if you have any luck...
  UPDATE: It's a movie file, of some sort, a kind soul e-mailed me to say. I wouldn't know since it's STILL not working for me. *kicks AOL*

• Out of everything that's happened in the last several days, I think this befuddles me most of all. Cinescape, a national publication and semi-prestigious entertainment news agency, plagiarized our website's coverage of Thuy's death. I don't know what to make of that. Sure, everything we do on this site is intended for public distribution. We encourage people to take our stuff. But... This 'Aaron Smith' (no relation, it should be noted, to our own Derik Smith) took our entire newsbyte, and bracketed it with quotes. The only thing he contributed was a byline to August Ragone, of all people. Folks- if you're going to rip us off, at least try another SENTENCE STRUCTURE while doing it. Aaron even used Derik's grammatical lapse- "twenty-seven years old," in place of the correct "twenty-seven year old." On the other hand... We were just referred to by a legitimate news agency. Check it out for yourself here.

• You know, I've spent the last week trying to think of a point at which it would be appropriate to again post a link whose sole significance is "look at Cerina's boobs." I'm still not sure if it's appropriate or not, but here it is, for those of you who were curious... And who couldn't see them the last time, because Geo got the previous location axed. http://www.movie-list.com/n/notanotherteenmovie.shtml contains a- at last check- working Quicktime trailer. Standard Adult Swim warning applies. All kids out of the pool. (courtesy of Sir Dan)

• As little as I ever wanted to report the death of a cast member, I never wanted to have to report something like this. Thuy's death was utterly preventable. The woman in the car who hit her walked away without a scratch, because she wore her seat belt. Thuy did not. And she paid the highest price for it. People... If ever there was a more apparent reason to buckle your safety belt, this is it. We've been torn about whether or not to include this on the site since learning it yesterday. Barbara Oliver herself chose to make a statment publicly because, dammit, PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN. A young woman, her whole life laid out ahead of her, is gone because she didn't take five seconds to put a seat belt on

  . There was never a "Power Promise" PSA reminding kids to buckle up. There should have been. If nothing else, it might have served as a reminder to Thuy. (submitted by Scott Page-Pagter and Barbara Oliver)

  ‚Jesse Herndon brings us the following transcription and vidcaps from KTTV, Los Angeles, and their report on Thuy's funeral.
  An additional thank you goes out to Scott Pagter, in attendance at the ceremony, for promptly confirming all of this, earlier today; and Kathy Tutt, who alerted us to KTTV's coverage of the story last night. Much appreciated.

  I'm sitting here, weary, looking over a bunch of e-mails of piddling importance. Mostly relating to some newsbyte or another I need to be adding. But right now... I honestly don't find a corrected URL for Cerina's trailer all that particularly important. Nor for the porno-themed UK Jen/Wes ad, or the new US PRTF ads featuring Ransik's mini-me.
  Thuy Trang is dead, the TV is filled with Retro-70's, and Air Force One has a fighter escort in American airspace. There's a blinking sign planted on a bridge leading into Manhatten reading 'New Youk City CLOSED.' Episode 3 of RiD was pre-empted (Jesse caught the pre-feed, it was by all reports quite good...) The Emmys have been indefinetely postponed. The EMMYS. I live next to an airport, and hear silence. MTV and VH1 have been running CBS newsfeed for at least 12 hours. Congress has vowed to re-convene tomorrow, and there exists real possibility that they will be asked to declare a state of war. Be well tonight. Be hard tomorrow.

• The site is back up following some difficulties with Yahoo's FTP. Sorry for the interuption of service.

• Chi-Hung has been kind enough to post information about Thuy Trang's memorial service, it is beign held on:
  Monday September 10, 2001 @ 10:00am
  Peek Family Funeral Home
  7801 Bolsa Ave.
  Westminster, CA 92683
  714-893-3525
  (fax) 714-897-2388

  And because it seems appropriate, some TT-related places online.
  The Yahoo Club | Its associated web-site | The Homage Studio | The Original Goldsea Profile | The Sacred Temple

  Excuse me while I steal a leaf from the folio of Dagmar Buse.
  I hope there is a next world, because I need a lifetime to understand the workings of this one.
  We are all, you and I, travelers. And if those we love must leave home in the summer of their lives we will meet again in the winter of our own, old friendships renewed after too-long absent
  Circle of Life, 'forever' is a long time coming. Blink your eyes from child to adult. Hold your breath, and time comes round again. We endure, every day a treasure. Forever's coming round again...
  -Derik Smith

• Sad news today. Thuy Trang, the original Yellow Ranger was killed earlier this week in a car accident on Interstate 5 between San Francisco and LA. The twenty-seven years old joined the original Ranger cast for the second pilot, replacing Audrey Dubois, where she starred for the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Our condolences to her entire family (sadly reported by Scott 'you didn't hear it from me' Page-Pagter.)

• Regarding the demented schedule we were sporting for the last 24 hours- Derik tried his hand at HTML while on cold medication again. You have my sincere apologies.
  Derik apologizes for nothing! It was the elves I tell you! Something on the wing... *mumble* Kingdoms of Wonder... ohh... pretty colors...

• Last time I ever try to protect the honor of a Power Ranger, I tell you that much. Marie Jordan brings us this Quicktime trailer for Not Another Teen Comedy, featuring a very topless Cerina Vincent. Warning: nudity and adult (or at least sophomoric) content. No kids under 18 allowed.

  You know, I used to think we could hold Power Rangers up to a slightly higher standard than the normal supporting cast of their series. Yeah, sure, Hilary and Carol did nudity, but they're grown women. Now Catherine and Cerina are doing it... I dunno, am I so naive to think that when you're a role model to children, you take on certain obligations? That the most they should be objectified is the playfulness of Melody's Malcolm appearance? Am I just being weird?
  Derik notes: And if it were Valarie Vernon Chris...?
  Chris neglects to mention the funny cross-cultural parallels, wherein for a period of time it was traditional for Sentai actresses to do a porno after the series wrapped...

• Fox Kids UK continue to have cooler ads than the rest of us. Debuting some time in the last couple days was an awesome PRTF ad, featuring various Jen/Wes scenes over the course of the series, set to porn-style music. Folks, this is not a drill. That is the sort of ad El Funaroverse exists to chronicle for future generations. So again I make a call to our loyal British friends. Help us. I want a RM of this. A good audio recording. Possibly both. I wanna experience something like that for myself.
  Derik notes: A RM encoded at LAN quality or better with music-quality audio shouldn't be more than about a meg with recent versions of realproducer...

• On a related note to the prior newsbyte, and as a testament to our unprofessionalism, I only realized last night that we had not added the corrected URL to Jason's FK UK Club. So, lets square things away right now, and make amends, because Jason's a great guy. The correct URL is http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/powerrangersclubforukfans - and thanks to Michael Hardy, among others, for correcting us, now don't do it again.

• Ann M. Murphy-Schafer, better known as the webmistress of Paladar's World of Fanfic, has recently returned after a ten month hiatus from the net-scene. Ann, who had for the most part dropped out of the fandom after her recent marriage, revealed in a message to her guest book that she has been hospitalized for the last several months, and is only now getting back on her metaphorical feet. We wish Ann all the best, and hope for a speedy recovery.

• Just when you thought most of the former (well, former male) PR actors were reduced to washing dishes in the back of a Denny's to earn their keep. Christopher Khayman Lee put in an appearance last week on the NBC Saturday morning series "All About Us." Khayman was apparently sporting glasses, which I must admit, intrigues me. Standing order applies- if anyone has snaps of this, let us know, and we'll link you here.
  Derik notes: Mmmm... Khayman. :-)~~

• Also making a surprise appearance this week is Walter E. Jones, guesting on an episode of "Spyder Games" I happened to glance on MTV this past week. While I'm unsure as to whether this was a rerun or not; nor could I stomach to watch the scenes following his appearance, it is nice to see the Zack-man again. Anyone have any idea as to the capacity of his role? How much he appeared?

• And before we forget, congratulations to Paul Schrier for continuing his uninterrupted streak of appearing in every incarnation of Power Rangers since the original pilot. Infinitor, Severax... Any chance you might get to be a *principle* villain in the future, Paulie? I mean, the voice of the PRWF Silver Ranger is always available, when he debuts in his evil wolf-form. And, as I recall, it was your dream to be a Ranger AND play a real evil character...
  Mordant notes: How could I forget, I never knew!

  As of September 22nd, Jake Speed will be folding his much acclaimed Sentai Scans website, due to space limitations imposed by the new owners of his ISP, Earthlink. While we're not the sort to suggest you take arms against the financial tyranny that comes following a deflated, vastly devalued marketplace (such as the Internet today), where "unlimited use" becomes very limited indeed... We would ask that you please contact Jake, while you still have time, and let him know how much we appreciate his hard work. He has an awesome site, and amazing scans.

• This isn't something we normally do, but I feel obligated to get a plug in for a friend. Eva Beckwith has just produced a new chapter of current magnum opus, One Entity of Good, available at Der Maerchenerzaehler, and we highly recommend that you go read it. Because PR fanfics basically suck, nowadays, and our good authors have dwindled down to roughly ten. And Wolf's site, right here, has four good ones, in a row. Eva, Daggy, Selma, and Lydia. Encourage your fanfic writers while you have them, folks. There might come a day when your fandom has next to none.
  (and yes- this remains a NEWS SITE. If you're submitting a newsbyte to us which consists of an update to your "Mighty Xenon Hentai Rangers" self insertion fan-wank series, we will respectfully decline putting it on our site.)

• The Mystery of the Malevolent MPEGs continues! During a visit to BJ's to procure a copy of the PR DVD boxed set him/herself, AngelsAshes was advised by a sage-like employee of the discount warehouse chain to not waste their money on the collection. While this is very possibly true- I have to admit, my years of deep cynicism regarding these sorts of things in PR fandom has made me a bit skeptical. Nice how someone popped up to explain why the boxed set was undesirable, thus obviating any need on AA's behalf to actually show some evidence these things ever existed. Oh, and PRDude says that Walmart will be getting exclusive PR DVD's themselves, and while I have heard rumblings to that effect for September/October-ish... By now, I'm doubtful. Someone, somewhere, would have gotten these things to review. You can't hiccup in the DVD community without somebody getting a scoop about it on a reputable site. There's no way these things are so secretive that NOBODY has heard of them.

• Everyone go read Transfandom.com's exclusive interviews with Neil Kaplan and Wally Wingert, the voices of Diabolico and Psycho Blue, respectively. While Wally's in particular deals far more with his work on the forthcoming Robots in Disguise, Neil does get some nice mentions in about PRLR, and the whole Saban VO gang. Cripes, if these guys go to Botcon next year, I am SO not asking them anything pertaining to TF:RiD...

• For reasons which currently escape me, I BOUGHT the Cerina picture. I honestly don't know why. I've never particularly liked Maya- she and Trini basically come in last, on my list of favorite Yellow Rangers. I guess because I saw how juvenile all these guys on the message boards became at the slightest hint of cleavage, and decided no Power Ranger deserved to be treated like that. Also look for Cerina in the forthcoming T&A film parody Not Another Teen Movie- the trailer of which has been removed from the internet by Sony Pictures, because it broke the MPAA's ruling about not releasing R-Rated trailers online. Anyone who happened to see it know how much she appeared, if at all? I'm not sure it bodes well that she's the Shannon Elizabeth parody.

• Proof that reality is stranger than fiction. Ellen Ten Damme has released a new ACOUSTICAL version of the song "Turbo Time" on her latest album. The first emotion I want to express to this, just off the top of my head... Probably "thank you for not denying that you did, in fact, do a single for a Power Rangers theatrical release." Followed thereafter by "thank you for releasing it again." We've been promised a copy of this single for the last couple days, but you know how our friends are.

• Ask and ye shall receive. Jason, owner of Yahoo Clubs' Power Rangers Clubs For UK fans-- has supplied us with caps and zips of the Butlins/FK cross promotion. Surprisingly, the best sequence of them all is not the bowling clip, as one might expect... But is, rather, the Red Lightspeed Ranger holding up a Time Force Badge. Now THIS is the sort of surprise I wish Vypra's Revenge had. Carter tagging around with the PRTF for most of the episode, and generally making a nuisance of himself.
  Carter: "So does this mean I'm a JUNIOR Time Force Officer?"
  Alex: "Sure, you stupid primitive."
  The rest of the pics...
  -Carter pays a visit to the Lightspeed Aquabase's bowling alley - how else do you explain the hot neon colors? I bet this is why everybody was so upset when Pod Four blew up. It was the recreation facility.
  -I suspect this is what he did to psyche himself up for the first battery of tests on the Red Mobile Armored Vehicle. He Got Game.
  -Carter Grayson, taking time out of his busy schedule to test Ms. Fairweather's experimental Chromaline Turbo Go-Karts. Not shown: Manny the Maniac Mechanic, with Clark Fairweather's lucky wrench. Vroom!

  Jason also notes, of particular interest to the first snap- No Time Force merchandise have been released in the UK or Europe - they must have gotten the badge imported especially for the ad.

  All of you should go and join Jason's club, even if you don't live in the UK... Because, you know, he promptly and helpfully responded to a request we made. A rare enough event in and of itself. And also because he has pictures of the Red Turbo Ranger shopping, another awesome FK ad we didn't get. Thanks, Jase!

• Life's funny. A sequence of events converging in random, unforeseen, often hilarious patterns. The discovery of Nutrasweet; a perfectly timed pratfall; this website... But none can be so perfect as this. Upon indexing my favorite places folder (I am the sort of person who will let his links file grow to roughly two megabytes before purging), I came across a picture of Cerina Vincent as a Miss Teen USA contestant, at the tender age of 17. Lacking any particular reason to use said picture for a newsbyte, and having more than enough to update anyway, it was left unused last Thursday. And then, like precious mana from above, this fell into my lap.
  -Gawk on, lads, it's our precious Cerina, whoring it up in the present day- and modeling her new line of 'Mayawear.' Slogan? "It's a jungle in there!"
  -Meanwhile, back in a more innocent age, the young miss Vincent represents her home state of Nevada in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This picture was either taken before puberty fully set in for Cerina, or before she crossed paths with a cosmetic surgeon with a gentle hand. (See also: 'Son of the Beach')

• Love, international style. They sang about love, to Saint Luicia, on the day the saint was born... Erm, I mean, fascinating international FK news. In a dramatic turnaround from our previous report of PRTF's new episodes moving to the 8:30 slot on the first, we now learn a DIGITHON is scheduled that day, to coincide with the season premiere. Thus, PRTF will not be getting cut back to its lone slot until the eighth.
  Meanwhile, Time Force will be premiering simultaneously on Fox Kids UK and Fox Kids Brazil on the 3rd. While those on the other side of that magical skippin' pond known as the Atlantic Ocean will likely have to suffer through excessive edits until ITV picks up the series for a run; all Brazil is likely to have altered is a Portuguese dialogue track. (Cripes, I just quoted an _Everything_ song in a newsbyte. I am desperate)

• We were going to mention that Kate Sheldon and Vernon Wells will be appearing in New Jersey's 'Chiller Theater' this Halloween, but then it occurred to me that I really had little-to-no idea what that actually was, or what it entailed. All implications seem to be that it's an SF convention, but I can't quote you a location, specific time, or price yet. Lemme go dig out the CyberBlue signal...

• In random news, we never did get around to RM'ing the third and final PRTF toy ad. This only occurred to me today, of all times. Oops. (And speaking of- why DIDN'T Q-Rex and the Time Force Control Center get advertisements of their own? These high price point items strike me as the sort of thing you'd want to push, as hard as possible. They can't be waiting until Christmas, can they? The first wave PRWF stuff will be out then...)
  Derik notes: yes we did, I just never uploaded it...

• Aaron Thall brings us more pictures from the Time Blaster event. I'd add amusing little witticisms to each of these, but I'm too damn tired. And if any of you had a particular desire to see the giant inflatable Eric, pic #5 is your chance. Thanks Aaron!
  Pic 4, Pic 5, Pic 6, Pic 7, Pic 8

• Justin Lam, who we are contractually obligated to tell you is one of the coolest people we know, has given us a special nonsexual treat. First, the covers to the video releases of PRiS in Japan, editions 3-8-- which, contrary to our prior claims, does not air on Japanese television, but is rather released in installments on tape. (#5 is my personal favorite- it reminds me of the JP video covers to season two. Random Zyuranger stock photographs, intermixed with pictures of Kiba Ranger.)
  Video 3, Video 4, Video 5, Video 6, Video 7, Video 8

  And now- the Japanese titles from When Push Comes to Shove through Rangers Gone Psycho. Just click HERE, folks, and be whisked away.

• An addendum to our previous announcement of the new FK schedule. New episodes of PRTF move to 8:30am E on September 1st. And the show moves to weekdays for its long-awaited stripped run on the 10th, at 4pm- between TF:RiD and Digimon, which are coincidentally the same programs which will be sandwiching it on weekends, as well.

• Butlins, a chain of holiday resorts, has become the newest sponsor of Power Rangers on Fox Kids UK. While this normally wouldn't be of much interest, the company went to the trouble- and expense- of hiring a guy in a Red PRLR costume to bowl for an advertisement, helmet and all. He hit a perfect strike, of course (the magic of editing). Apparently bowling is not just America's good-time game, but most of Europe's as well. Dagmar Buse, who generously donated this information, wonders how the guy could even get his fingers inside of the holes, given the thickness of his gloves? (and can any of our friends in the UK *get us some snaps of this*?!)
  Didn't we always kind of suspect Carter was a square? Doesn't this prove it? What's next, inviting Kelsey to the ice cream social with him? Doing the jitterbug? Didn't he look much too comfortable in that accountant disguise, in Great Egg Caper?

• Like a one-two punch of coolness, Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai has arrived. Jill's summary is waiting for you- and let me just say, going off text and a handful of snaps alone, it looks like its already lived up to my every expectation. Remember the Fiveman/Jetman/Zyuranger/Dairanger/Kakuranger crossover mini-movie? Remember how it had, up until now, the most preposterous Megazord fight sequence ever? Prepare to have it be blown out of the water, baby. George Rodd couldn't have scripted a more perfect finish.

• PR available on DVD? Not a complete impossibility, according to one. AngelsAshes, a poster to Cynthia's Dark Realm Message Board, claims a limited edition boxed set, containing MMPR through PRLG is currently available, for a short time, at a warehouse store called BJ's (sort of like a Sam's Club, from all accounts), on the East Coast. Each incarnation is represented by a two-disc set of random episodes. Understandably, a ten-disc boxed set does not come cheap, although (s)he doesn't mention a specific price. We here at the Funaroverse remain cautiously optimistic about the validity of this claim- the reference to a specific store seems to discourage it being an outright hoax, and yet... "Light Force?" If any of our readers out there who live near a BJ's would like to assist us in gathering more information about this collection, we'd very much appreciate it.

• Rocco brings us an exciting scan from Disney Adventures magazine, circa late 1993. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's CYBERTRON, the series that later became VR Troopers, back when it was just a simple Metalder hack, with no Spielban in sight. Jason David Frank, prior to his triumphant return to the folds of our little spandex show, stars as 'Adam Steele.' Why do I get the feeling this would have been a world where Tyler Steele adopted Tommy, and not the Oliver family?

• An interesting tidbit comes our way courtesy of SnoopsWarner. In the UK, all video releases of MMPR change the title bar to read 'Mighty Morph'n Power Rangers.' () While the specifics of this seem unclear- although the similarities between Morphin' and Morphine have been floated- it is almost as amusing as those VCD covers featuring an MMPR logo filled with Japanese text, over a Jetman picture. (Why'd ENGLAND get Friend in Need on video?)
  Derik notes: But not as amusing as the PRiS 'Millinium Edition' VCD's with a Star Destroyer on them...

• Joe Rovang continues on his downward spiral, obsessively researching sentai to kill time and thus injure eternity- but conversation with him does yield some fun tid-bits from Timerenjaa. This is the G-Zord, Gien (Frax)'s first mecha from Timerenjaa. Note that like the Q-rex, this was apparently lost in time during an experiment, and recovered by Gien. (I assume he did do some customzing around the heal-al area.) The G-zord was featured in a big battle about 2/3 of the way through the series (think 'Doomsday' in season 1) and blowed up real good. But undeterred, Gien comes back for the finale with a new mecha incorporating what he learned from Timeforce's zord technology. The Neo-Crisis. (and, pic 2). Gien makes a number of robot-monsters as Timerenjaa rolls on, but these are the biggies...
  Oh, and lest I forget- Joe also sent me the 2 custom sentai icons he made to supplement the sentai icon site... help yourself. GaoSilver|BullBlack

• It's the dawn of a new fall season (and, you know, of destiny), and with it comes a revamped schedule for Fox Kids, beginning the week of September 8th. PRTF retains its 8:30 slot on Saturdays; now solely for new episodes, and goes Monday-Friday for repeats in the 4:00 slot. It surprises me that Los Luchadores has been put on hiatus, considering it pulled down respectable ratings- many had predicted it would be going to weekdays, not RiD. But hey- Life With Louie is back! Can Bobby's World and Eek be far behind? (too much to hope for Tazmania, possibly my favorite show in FK history...)

• The PRTF Command Center Playset is now available nationally. This is noteworthy, if only because it comes bundled with the exclusive Ransik figure, which looks uncannily like Vernon Wells. Seriously, this might be the best human figure I've ever seen Bandai America churn out. Whether a Ransik figure is worth $40 is in the eye of the beholder...

• The titles for the final four episodes of Time Force have been announced. In the interest of spoiler protecting the fans who wish to remain in the dark, we've decided to hide the following titles. Simply highlight the space between this newsbyte and the next to see them. And remember, kids- consideration for those who don't want to know. Mad props to Chris P. for breaking it.
  Nadira's Dream Date The End of Time, pts. 1-3
  (so, how long do you figure it'll be before PRDude makes a post consisting solely of "The final episodes of PRTF are titled 'The End of Time,' so I assume it will involve time ending in some fashion?" I've got my money down at under a day.)
  
• Apple-bottomed Black Ranger Johnny Yong Bosch, already a voice in the US dub of the series Trigun, continues his work in the anime industry, providing the voice of Kaneda in Pioneer's brand new dub of the classic motion picture Akira. With him are Wendee "Alpha/Scorpina/Young TK" Lee, and Joshua "Tai" Seth, as the voices of Kei and Tetsuo, respectively. This is really something we should have posted weeks ago...

• Jesse Herndon makes note that the mutant from Timeranger vs. GoGoV is visible for a half second as Steelix is being loaded into cryo-containment, in "Time Force Traitor." While this is, in itself, interesting- I hadn't thought Saban would have gotten the miniature prop- it makes me wonder what monster is going to be used in the actual PRLR/PRTF crossover. It seems the TR vs GGV route is more limited, now. That, or they plan to use the Jinxer/Mutant hybrid monster for the crossover, and dismiss his first form as a different, similarly themed creature. (Something PR has done in int he past with monsters with multiple forms. Dischordia comes to mind, but there are many other examples...)

• The 3D Virtual Cyclobot Battle game set is now available, with confirmed sightings at a few Big K-Mart's across the land. Retailing for $24.95, the set comes with a VR helmet and interactive gloves. While we've yet to see the trinket for ourselves, we're assuming it works on similar principles as Nintendo's failed Virtua Boy game system. Anybody care to drop some cash, and let us know if the thing is worth buying?

• Some dope at a message board has begun claiming that the forthcoming PRLR crossover is in fact titled Vypra's Revenge. This is amusing to me, as we have at no time claimed this is the actual title of the ep. We just lacked anything better to call the thing.

• Sean brings us this amusing picture from a recent episode of WWF Raw is War, featuring exceptionally large PRTF underroos on wrestler Lance Storm. Probably not the most flattering connotation we could have hoped for, but still. It's exposure... In more than one sense of the term.

• Aaron Thall brings us these three pictures of the Quantum Ranger stunt actor from the PRTF Time Blaster event. Apparently, this gentleman used to be a Putty on the show! Thanks much Aaron, having not had the chance to see him in action myself, I'm quite impressed. They really did more than the usual "schmuck in suit" routine we've come to expect from most children's promotions.

  - Pic 1 - ("You sure you don't need protecting? Sir? Sir? The Silver Guardians do have an installment plan available...")
  - Pic 2 - (Why did they get Totally Kids Magazine issues? We didn't get any stinking magazines...)
  - Pic 3 - (Eric Myers, taking time out of his busy schedule to mingle with the future cast of the '09 season. Now who's the one with the friends in high places, Wes? Get 'em while they're young. True for cigarette companies, true for out-of-work Rangers.)

• This reminds me of something else I'd forgotten. Jason Takach brings us fascinating news regarding the storyline of the Time Blaster ride. Apparently, before the ride began in Cleveland, there was a brief episode, featuring the cast of the series, and setting up the premise to the ride itself. Ransik had begun work in a secret lab (helpfully marked "Ransik's Secret Lab") on a mutant brain, using elements of the most evil world leaders in history. That would certainly explain why "Ransik's mutant brain" would be considered a danger by Logan (not to mention stored in a vault, in Atlantis), although the confusing grammar and Time Force's generally corrupt nature did make it easy to assume the entire thing was an orchestrated assassination attempt. This, of course, begs the question of when Ransik gained cloning technology... Did he out-source this to Dr. Mindbender, or something? (and hey, can you people in Connecticut and New Jersey possibly try and get me some era specific dates in the ride itself? I'm especially curious about the precise dates of the Arabian Nights and Atlantis segments)

• We are all fragile human beings, working our way through life and pursuing happiness day by day. The road is hard, and the destination elusive, but still we strive. Power Rangers attracts more than its fair share of broken people mending. Victims of child abuse, neglect, emotional malformation, rape. They come from broken homes, shattered by the experience, doubt their own identity, are unable to interact.
  And these people (and they constitute, to one degree or another, a greater majority than you¼d think) come, drawn to Power Rangers. This strange, surreal world of Angel Grove filled with perfect, happy people, living perfect happy lives and ever afters.
  And somehow being a fan among many fills these gaps for people. It's been this way ever since media fandom began in the 1960's, a peer group for hurting souls. The experience is much the same online as it is in person, hanging out in clubs or conventions. To explore, and share, and learn, and discuss... aye, and forge friendships, hell, and to make enemies.
  You are not your job, you are not your age, you are not the car you drive, or the grades you get, or what you look like. You are what you choose to contribute, and the perception you create in the minds of others. Here, you can be glorious if you excel, and nothing else matters.
  The pursuit of peer approval and acknowledgment takes the shape of websites, and fanfic, and postings, and essays, and contributions to general thought, and friendship and friendliness. And in this, is the whole greater than the sum of its parts, this spontaneous act of mutual creation, weaving together community, and sharing, everyone adding their part from the lowly fan-poster, the website administrator, the fanfic author, the actors who give love to their fans in their brief passing. We acknowledge in this, in this creation, in this fulfillment... there is intrinsic value.
  I am very disappointed in you.
  -Derik Smith 8/6/01

• Turnabout is fair play, as our own Derik Smith learned, after encoding the various Robots in Disguise promos for distribution around Transformers fandom, and using Fuñaroverse spare webspace to host them. The Fuñaroverse now find itself linked to by Bigbot.com, the site which we shamelessly ri-- Errr, "liberated" our format from... Major props going out to the kind folks at bigbot. And hey, if any of you wanna see Saban's forthcoming contribution to the Transformer mythos (Mommy, why does Optimus Prime sound like Diabolico?) we have it available here.

• Chris Peterson officially confirmed news we've known for a bit- PRTF will fall short of its intended 50-some ep run, clocking in at a mere 42. Well, we say mere, but that's still more than PRLR got, with an original video release; and one short of Space. This is made all the more disheartening by the fact that series producer Jonathan Tzachor had intended for the series to clock in at a whopping 58 episodes, but was refused by higher authorities at the company and network. We have, in the past, occasionally come down a bit hard on old Johnny T. We just want the guy to know that we like him for trying.

• Cyro presents us with this fascinating link to a Brazilian article on PRTF. The series should begin airing in Brazil in the coming months. But here's the real treat, of it all- a subpage which confirms the tentative last names for Jen, Katie, and Trip. Folks- they got Lucas' last name in line with the series. I think these may be considered semi-official now.

• Zounds! It's the Sentai Icon Repository! A place which we probably should have linked to a long time ago, had we known it existed. Not only is this site a good way to give yourself a quick education in the various Super Sentai programs over the years- at least in terms of names and general likenesses- but the icons themselves are very kawaii. And hey, in case you're wondering where GaoSilver is, Joe Rovang has produced a very authentic replica, in the style of the site, to add to your collection. Just hassle him for it. As for Bullblack... as far as we know, those of you looking for a Magna Defender icon are just screwed.

• This really doesn't have a lot of relevance beyond looking darn peculiar, but I liked it. From the official Fox-@-Home's Power Rangers site, we bring you Ryan Mitchell, Galaxy Ranger! Okay, so it's not particularly interesting, but... They did put the Titanium Ranger in with the PRLG. But, ya know, Karone did come back from the dead herself... And no *ordinary* human can safely use the unified Titanium Coins...

• Michael Peyton directs our attention to Endless Rumble, an online 'zine specializing in forthcoming Japanese figures- and their coverage of Gao God. Just scroll down a bit, they clearly add newsbytes at a steadier clip than we do. Folks, this is the damn coolest Megazord that ever there was. Debuting in the forthcoming Gaoranger movie- Not to be confused with Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai, or the inevitable Gaoranger vs. Timeranger- this little beaut is limited to two hundred and fifty pieces. Bask in her loveliness. Even better... She's going to be used. That means there's a suit. Which means that, in all likelihood, Saban is going to acquire said suit. Even if PRWF never _uses_ the Gaoranger movie for source footage... We have an extra Megazord. One ideal for a Lifeforce Megazord-style rampage in the final arc...

• There are moments in this fandom which I would not trade for anything in the world. Instants which are crystallized; and forever become momentous firsts. And now, here... I'm able to present you with another of these precious moments. The first soulless speculator jacking up the prices well beyond what any reasonable person would pay. Savor it, folks. This sort of thing has become routine in Transformers fandom, where a Predaking in such generally poor condition it looks like it was used for a colonoscopy can fetch enough money to put your children through college. It's the Astral Borgs, some of the rarest toys produced by Bandai America this side of the Thunder Claw. This in and of itself would not be such a huge deal for me. These are pretty rare toys. If they were going for any kind of a reasonable price, I'd probably bid. They are not going for any kind of a reasonable price. This guy is charging FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS, for a lot consisting of LOOSE FIGURES!

  
  ...

  I'm sorry. Maybe I'm taking this too personally. I just... This borders on evil. Four hundred dollars. Does he seriously think people will bid on these? Nobody has, yet. Who has that kind of disposable income to blow on LOOSE FIGURES? That's... That's robbery! That's unapologetically trying to make a buck to such an extent... It's the worst sort of price jacking. Like making kids pay through the nose for series-one Spawn toys at comic conventions, when you know that they'll be re-released soon. If a price war had broken out over these things, and bidding went up to four hundred dollars, I could accept it, nerds at war for things can be rabid. But to put that down as the price to MEET, for an opening bid, on something you paid, total... Twenty bucks, tops... For? This reminds me of a conversation I'd had last week, about when the speculators would come, and start to ruin PR fandom for us. Well, wait no longer.

• A mysterious benefactor has provided us with these pictures of Melody Perkins' four-second cameo appearance in Planet of the Apes. While we at the Funaroverse discourage flash photography in movie theaters, since it's kind of- you know, wrong... We appreciate the hard work which must have gone into acquiring these pics, and the subsequent beatings its photographer must have endured from fellow General Cinema patrons. Bravo, mystery man! (and, you know, bravo General Cinema patrons, on principal.)

• In another thrilling installment of "Tales of the Shows CLF Forgot About Completely," callipygous former MMPR alum Amy Jo Johnson appeared on Fox's new Twilight Zone one-off "Night Visions" tonight, playing a stuck up rich girl. This is a role which I am sure tested the very limits of her acting range. Along for the ride, both literally and figuratively, was Jerry O'Connell, who of course butchered her before it was all over. Oh how the mighty have fallen, eh Q-Ball?

• Hey! It's Gao Falcon, the latest addition to the ever-expanding Gaoranger arsenal! Isn't he awesome?

• It has been rare, in the history of this website, that I've gotten the opportunity to present you good folks with something monumental. A revelation pertaining to PR that will forever change people's perceptions of the series, and its characters. For instance, I remain absolutely committed to preserving the surprise ending of Vypra's Revenge.
  But now, courtesy of my pal and yours, Derik Smith, I can bring you something world-shattering. Ladies and gentlemen, courtesy of the official Power Rangers Turbo Annual... The true identity of the Phantom Ranger.

  The Roughly-Complete History of PR.
  PRT Character Bios.

  I'll give you all a moment to digest the implications of this. Just scroll down below the next couple of newsbytes to get my comments on the whole thing.

• It's official; Melody Perkins does have a small cameo appearance at the very beginning of Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" remake. Blink and you'll miss her, folks, she appears only at the tail end of the communique Marky Mark receives from back on Earth, clad in a bikini. She flashes an engagement ring, and appears to knock out the station's power with only her breasts. I'm not sure if she's supposed to be a friend, or his sister, or what. Total screen time, four seconds.

• Rise and shine, campers! And don't forget your booties, because it's cold out there today! And you know where else it's cold? Wisconsin, home of Genoa City, the new residence of PRLR alum and thrash metal princess "Ali Mac," better known as Alison MacInnis. Beginning August 6th, Alison arrives in the land of cheese and Mike Nelson for a stint of unknown length on "The Young and the Restless." Man, first Russell Lawrence, then Shell Danielson, now Alison... (and I promise to never mine Harold Ramis films for newsbyte comments ever again.)

• So, where were we? Ah yes, the Phantom Ranger. He's the combined memories and essences of every Power Ranger that has ever existed. He's Primal Prime, from Transformers, in a PR form. A bit of 'Serpentor' if you don't mind mixing 80's toy archetypes. Does this not suddenly make Phanty so much cooler? Or his response, when asked who he was, so much more understandable?
  "Who are you?"
  "A... Friend."
  He apparently has no alternate form, no name of his own, no single identity. And there were specs on him inside of the Turbozords. What the hell was Zordon doing circa Turbo? How does this all pertain to the Master Plan? And the Robot Rangers? How long had all of this stuff been in development? The mind boggles. And, excusing the fact that this article shamelessly ignores Nemesis' existence, it's still a lot of good, canon information.

• Rov brings to us these fascinating pictures of a Gingaman/Goranger live show from Japan. While the exact plot escapes me, wouldn't it make for fabulous fodder for a fic? Who better than the Gorangers to portray the "Ancient, Original Power Rangers?" Plus- Swabbies. I freaking loved Swabbies. Arrrrrrr! It's a choose-your-own Lost Galaxy Saga.

• Stunt coordinator Makoto Yakoyama has apparently left the series. Akihiro Noguchi is, as of Movie Madness pt. 2, the co-action choreographer, under Koichi. Makoto has been with the series since season three, and in fact worked on the first part of MM. I wonder if the fresh infusion of new blood is what made MM pt. 2's stunts so MMPR-esque? Akihiro WAS a Putty and Tenga stunt man...

• We at El Funaroverse would like to take full responsibility for the fact that we have not updated in roughly a week and a half, locking the site into what has come to be known as "Perpetual Wednesday." This has shamed us, and shamed the spirits of our ancestors. We blame the fact that WFTC's transmitter exploded, preventing Derik and myself from witnessing Movie Madness this past weekend. And also, Gundam is just so frickin' compelling. (and yes, this does mean that, until we do see the episode in question, we refuse to up the "episodes without sucking" total)

• I sure hope you kids got good copies of "Full Exposure" two weeks ago, because Fox Kids is putting that baby out to pasture far earlier than normal. Friday we get a reprise of "Movie Madness, pt. 1," followed the next morning by an encore presentation of that classic tribute to running a series against production order, "Legend of the Clock Tower." I wonder how much trouble I could start if I began to argue for its continuity placement HERE, this late in the series? Smack dab in the middle of a two-parter?

• From the "news that has yet to be verified/confirmed/fully explained" folder... Well, I'm sure you've all heard by now that Fox Family Channel has been sold to the all-powerful mouse (no, not Mark Oxman). More peripheral to this deal, and thus, less of a sticking point for the news agencies covering the story, is whether or not anything else happened to be sold to Disney in the process. Specifically, the Saban Entertainment library, currently held by Fox Kids International, or possibly Saban the company itself. This is, understandably, quite relevant for those of us who are in PR fandom. My views on the whole deal? If Disney did get Saban- "good." I will be backing up this statement in a forthcoming editorial, but knowing my rate of output on those things, don't hold your breath on it being any time soon.

• Because this site is all about educating the masses, as well as tying together two seemingly unrelated newsbytes because the schmuck writing these things gets it in his head to flaunt some newly acquired knowledge, we bring you this observation about production-versus-airing order. The first Mickey Mouse cartoon produced was not, in fact, "Steamboat Willie," but rather "Plane Crazy." Willie just got released earlier. So rest assured that in Disney's capable, four-fingered, gloved hands, PR will continue to air in whatever sequence it damn well pleases.

• I saw Edward Albert on an episode of The Sentinel following SFC's Robocop miniseries last week. Titled "Vanishing Act," in case anyone should happen to go looking for it. This ep was made all the more humorous for a sequence in which Mr. Collins is chewed out by Dr. David Hayward, of the soap opera All My Children. Man, never those twain shall- or should, actually- meet, eh?

• Remember, the NEW episode of PR airs in the rerun timeslot next Saturday, due to a preemption by the Mon-Colle Knights premiere.

• Jubilation abounds! Justin Lam debuts his brand-spankin' new website, and with it comes complete scans of the entire "Super Sentai vs. Power Rangers" article that has whetted my appetite for the last month or so. Folks, if a Japanese magazine treats PR this well, why can't a US publication? And hey, check out the fifth pic. It's the Power Claw, just as I always said it looked. "A shark version of Magno." IN YOUR FACE, SPACE COYOTES!

• Chris Peterson has modified his existing PRTF motion picture petition into a new central hub for the "Don't Stop the Clock" campaign. This takes some of the slack off of our backs, so we thank Chris for doing it. It's all still available at www.timeforcemovie.com - which is one of the links in our left column, but we usually don't bother updating those. Have you ever seen how out of date our PRTF page is, I don't know why we bother...

• It's a double dose of everyone's favorite charismatic mutant rights spokesman, as Vernon Wells is providing commentary tracks for the forthcoming Circuitry Man DVD, as well as appearing in a short film entitled The Stranger With No Eyes on Sci-Fi Channel's program Exposure. (And, while I'm here, can I continue a discussion Derik and I had earlier tonight, about how much ass SFC kicks? They're finally reairing the Fox Doctor Who movie, "The Enemy Within." It's been five years since it last ran.)
  Derik notes: The production contract dictates it needs to reair (IIRC) at least 2 more times before they can release it on video...

• I realize this is, at best, related to PR at a tangent, but here is the casting information for Men in Black 2. Notice anything? Like, the name of the character appearing above Rip Torn? Rita and Zed. Okay, if 'Rita' turns out to be Zed's wife, I officially have a seizure.

• In one of the coolest moves made yet by the Quesada Regime, Marvel Comics presents the