Bandai America And Saban Brands Celebrate The 20th Anniversary Of Power Rangers With An All New Toy Line Inspired By Power Rangers Megaforce TV Series

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Feb 06, 2013, 08:00 ET

CYPRESS, Calif., Feb. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Saban Brands and Bandai America Incorporated are pulling out all the stops for the epic 20^th season of Power Rangers. The all-new Power Rangers Megaforce TV series will captivate kids as well as long-time fans and drive an inspired toy line that delivers on the series' action and excitement. Additionally, the toy line integrates key elements from the TV series with mobile innovation that allows for a deeper play experience, all while celebrating 20 years of Power Rangers.

Since its inception in 1993 with the iconic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, the brand has been recognized throughout the world for its exciting and humorous adventures that feature ordinary teenagers who "morph" into superheroes and call upon their robotic Zords and Megazords in the fight against evil. With Power Rangers now in its 20th season, Bandai America is once again bringing authenticity from the series to the shelf, by delivering unique show elements into the various play patterns of the toy line. In Power Rangers Megaforce, the Rangers use Power Cards in their fight against evil. Bandai has ensured that every toy in the line comes with at least one Power Card with multiple ways to play.

"These Power Cards provide a great feature to connect with the history of this iconic series," said Brehan Maul, Senior Director Brand Management of Bandai America Incorporated. "Every Ranger from the past will be represented in the hundreds of Power Cards we are making available through our toy line, Acton Card Game and promotional partnerships."

The Power Cards can be used with multiple role-play items to unlock show accurate sound effects. Kids can collect Power Cards of their favorite Rangers from the past to play the Power Rangers Action Card Game, the first-ever Power Ranger trading card game featuring all the Rangers from the Power Rangers universe. Additionally, kids can bring their Power Cards to life with the Power Rangers Card Scanner App available for download on smartphones and tablets. This free app allows the consumer to scan their Power Cards to unlock videos of that character in action.

For fans of the classic Mighty Morphin Power Ranger series, Bandai will be bringing back some legendary items with a new twist. This year, fans will see the release of an updated version of the original Mighty Morphin Morpher and the Mighty Morphin Megazord, both with die-cast parts. Additionally, classic Ranger chase figures will be seeded throughout the line in almost every scale and style.

Highlights in the Power Rangers Megaforce toy line by Bandai are:

-- Deluxe Gosei Morpher (SRP $29.99)
Harness the power of the Gosei Morpher and unlock the secrets of the Power Cards. Featuring lights and sounds, this Morpher opens up to allow the placement of a Power Card that unlocks unique sounds and phrases – just like in the TV series. It comes with 10 Power Cards, 5 of which feature legendary Rangers from the past 19 seasons. Collect additional Power Cards to unlock even more sounds and phrases – over 180! Download the Power Rangers Card Scanner App on your smartphone or tablet for a deeper second screen experience!

-- Zord Builder™ System (Deluxe Megazord (SRP $34.99), Deluxe Zord Vehicle with Figure (SRP $24.99), Zord Vehicle with Figure (SRP $14.99), Zord Cycle with Figure (SRP $12.99)) (each sold separately)
Historically, one of the most unique and compelling features of the Power Rangers line has been and continues to be our ZordBuilder collection which includes Megazords, Zord Vehicles, and Zord Cycles. The presence of the universal connection point characteristic to this system throughout the line makes it easy for kids to pick up, play and create! For the 20^th anniversary of Power Rangers, Bandai has created one extra connection point to each of these new Zord Builder toys for added play value that lets kids build even bigger Zord combinations.

-- Figures
6.5" Ultra Morphin Ranger Figure (SRP $12.99)
The development of these new Ultra Morphin Ranger Figures was inspired by the original head-morphin feature, which was present in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers toy line in 1993. For the 20^th Anniversary, Bandai has adopted a new take on this fun feature – kids can now power up their Ranger by pushing a button. This allows the chest armor to open up and morph into Ultra mode.

Armored Might Figure (SRP $16.99)
When the battle rages take the action to the next level by attaching the armor and multiple weapons to your Armored Might Figure! The figure comes with a ton of battle gear for an even more extensive play pattern and value. Each figure also features over 20 points of articulation to create the most realistic and amazing battle poses. As a celebration of the 20^th Anniversary, these figures come in Megaforce and Mighty Morphin styles.

-- BattleFire Ultra Gosei Great Megazord (SRP $44.99)
Battle evil wherever it may lurk with the ultra-powerful BattleFire Ultra Gosei Great Megazord! When the battle gets big, the Rangers summon all of their Zords together to morph into this powerful weapon. Command and control the action by using your voice! Fire up to 15 Zord missiles utilizing the innovative voice recognition technology or the included manual trigger. Lights and sounds. Target your enemies to save the day!

About Saban's Power Rangers Megaforce

Power Rangers Megaforce is the all-new season of the No.1 live-action kids action series on television. The new series, which airs Saturdays at 1p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon, delivers mega action, humor, excitement and entertainment, in addition to the core themes of friendship, teamwork, fitness, and helping others. Power Rangers Megaforce premieres as Saban Brands celebrates the 20^th Anniversary of the Power Rangers franchise, which is helmed by Haim Saban, who created and produced the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series in 1993. Following its introduction, Power Rangers quickly became the most-watched children's television program in the United States. The series followed the adventures of a group of ordinary young people who "morphed" into superheroes. It was seen in more than 60 countries, translated into numerous languages, and was a mainstay in the most prominent international children's programming blocks. SCG Power Rangers LLC, which licenses and merchandises the Power Rangers brand, is an affiliate of Saban Brands. For more information, visit www.powerrangers.com.

About Bandai America Incorporated

A leader in developing engaging, quality toys that capture children's imaginative spirit and provide endless "Fun For The Future," Bandai America Incorporated is the manufacturer and master toy licensee of some of the most popular brands in children's toys and interactive entertainment today. The Bandai America brand family includes Power Rangers^®, Ben 10™ and Little Battlers eXperience™, among other boys, girls, preschool and hobby product lines. Bandai America Incorporated is a subsidiary of NAMCO BANDAI Holdings (USA) Inc., an entity that resulted from the integration of Namco Ltd. and Bandai Co. Ltd. of Japan. Global interests encompass three strategic business units: Toys and Hobby, Amusement Facility and Contents. The company is headquartered in Cypress, California. Find out more about our expertise in connecting with kids in fun and fresh ways at www.Bandai.com.

About Saban Brands

Formed in 2010 as an affiliate of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world-class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company's experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands through content, media and marketing. SB applies a strategic transmedia management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages. The company provides full-service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct-to-consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions. SB is led by a superior management team with decades of experience in media, content creation, branding, licensing, marketing and finance. For more information, visit www.sabanbrands.com.

SOURCE Bandai America Incorporated