The Unsettling Origins: Unraveling the Tragic Tale of Anime's Dark Power Rangers

Go! Go! Loser Ranger! is a groundbreaking departure from the traditional Super Sentai series, such as the Power Rangers, as it cleverly deconstructs the established tropes of the genre. While other series commonly feature disposable foot soldiers who mindlessly serve as cannon fodder, the hit Kodansha series introduces a refreshing twist to this formula.

In Haruba Negi's Go! Go! Loser Ranger! (also known as Ranger Reject), the obedient yet outmatched putty soldiers, who mindlessly rush into battle despite their inevitable defeat and the complete disregard of their corrupt leaders, are turned on their heads. While most putties, or the Dusters as they are called in the series, remain mindless drones, there are a select few, like Foot Soldier D, who grow weary of their leaders' incompetence and the relentless attacks from the so-called heroic Rangers. These disillusioned foot soldiers soon discover that the media's portrayal of the Rangers as virtuous and compassionate is far from the truth.

Go! Go! Loser Ranger! Puts a Dark Twist on Power Rangers' Putties

In the face of relentless weekly defeats, the resilient Dusters refused to be defeated permanently. Instead, they discovered a way to come back stronger after each defeat. Determined to turn the tables on the Rangers, D took matters into his own hands. Using his extraordinary shape-shifting abilities, he disguised himself as a Ranger recruit and infiltrated their ranks. His plan was to gradually corrupt and undermine the organization from within. Armed with his extensive knowledge of the Rangers and the best strategies employed by the Dusters, D believed that rising through the ranks would ultimately give him the opportunity to achieve what his predecessors had failed to do - defeat the Rangers and achieve world domination.

The putty patrollers gained fame through the cult-classic television series Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Created by Finster, the henchman and head scientist of Rita Repulsa, they were intended to serve as the forefront soldiers in her battle against the Power Rangers and other adversaries. Unlike other evil forces, the strength of the putty patrollers came from their sheer numbers rather than their individual abilities. Rita's mistreatment of the putties reinforced the perception that they were mere pawns, lacking skill, and were only meant to serve as warm-up challenges before the Rangers faced tougher opponents.

The story presents a fresh twist on the traditional Super Sentai tradition, which is evident from its playful English title, "Go! Go! Loser Ranger!" It seems that Kodansha is lightheartedly poking fun at the Power Rangers franchise. This title suggests that the series embraces a humorous and light-hearted approach. However, what makes "Go! Go! Loser Ranger!" truly refreshing is its different perspective on Power Rangers, something that should have been explored much earlier. You can now purchase "Go! Go! Loser Ranger!" (also known as "Ranger Reject") from Kodansha.