Wednesday 20 July 2022

Top 5: Most Wanted Power Rangers Lightning Collection Figures


Since it first debuted back in 2019, Hasbro's Lightning Collection toy line has been an excellent way for Power Rangers and Super Sentai fans alike to collect their favourite characters from across the franchises. And although Super Sentai S.H. Figuarts may have made a return this year, there's no way that line will ever be quite as all-encompassing as this. We have rangers, we have villains, we have monsters of the week…we even have oddities like Boom! Studios comic characters including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossovers. But with a franchise quickly approaching its 30th birthday, there's still plenty of ground left to cover. So here are the five things I want to see Hasbro cover most in the Lightning Collection, and this time we're going big. Not just single characters this time around, but teams, villain factions…Hasbro have the resources, so let's see these things happen.

5. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
I know what you're probably thinking – the last thing this line needs is more MMPR and to some extent I agree, but hear me out. The Lightning Collection is a Power Rangers line so it should make special effort to celebrate the things that are uniquely Power Rangers, and things don't get much more uniquely Power Rangers than Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. Part of me wants to actually put this on the list much higher, because honestly if Hasbro made these figures and then suddenly canned the line I wouldn't be that sad about it. If Hasbro went all in on the detail for these (hell make them deluxe releases if you have to) they would be phenomenal – not just in terms of sculpt and paint, but just think of all the unique accessories that could be included with them as well. There may have been the Bandai figures not that long ago, but those were quite difficult to obtain outside of the US (I didn't see them anywhere here in the UK). Hasbro wouldn't just do a better job of them design-wise, they'd also probably make them far more accessible too.

4. Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
There are still quite a lot of teams that don't have any representation in the Lightning Collection, and as someone who wants a bit of everything (some series I'm all-in on the whole team, others I'll be happy with just the Red and Sixth) it can be hard to decide which ones I want the most. But Lightspeed Rescue is a pretty solid set – great designs (with really unique looking helmets – would love to get versions without the visor as an additional third head option) with a lot of offer the line. Not to mention the fact it's another series with something uniquely Power Rangers in the form of the Titanium Ranger – the franchise's first American-created ranger. The Titanium Ranger alone should be near the top of Hasbro's priority list, and once he comes the rest of the team will be sure to follow.

3. Rito Revolto (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
Rito Revolto
More MMPR unfortunately, but this is another crucial one I think. One of the biggest strengths the Lightning Collection has is that it's more than happy to do villain figures, and as that's the case then Rito Revolto is pretty much a must. Rito's arrival marked a big turning point for the show as it moved into season three, and the character was popular enough to become a mainstay among Zedd and Rita's crew right up until the end. The most ideal situation would be a two-pack of both Rito and Master Vile, but this is another area where that deluxe price tag could be put to good use.

2. The Machine Empire (Power Rangers Zeo)
The Machine Empire
If you've been following this site for some time, you probably know that I'm a huge Power Rangers Zeo fan. And as such the court of the Machine Empire is something I'd love to see the line tackle. There's just so many great designs here that can be released at a variety of price points, and they'd go very nicely with the existing Cog figures. Even if we just got a nice big King Mondo that would be brilliant, but to get the lot of them the same way we're (slowly) getting Rita's crew would be fantastic. But why just stop at the main court? If we can get MoTW figures like Pirantishead and Pumpkin Rapper, then guys like Louis Kaboom wouldn't go amiss either.

1. Power Rangers Mystic Force
Power Rangers Mystic Force
This one is definitely my Super Sentai bias coming through, but Mahou Sentai Magiranger is one of my all-time favourite Super Sentai shows and the only one of my three favourites (the others being Dekaranger and Gokaiger) to not have S.H. Figuarts releases. It seems like a pretty safe bet that Magiranger isn't at the top of Bandai Tamashii Nations' list, but I'll quite happily take Lightning Collection versions instead. Not only are they superb designs that will definitely stand out amongst the figures released so far, but then you've got the Mystic Legend armour which will make equally fantastic figures. Whether you're a Mystic Force fan or not, I think we can all agree that the Disney era needs a lot more representation in this line. 

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What characters would you like to see join the Power Rangers Lightning Collection? Let me know, as well as any ideas you have for future top five pieces like this, in the comment section below!

1 comment:

Oar said...

It's predictable but my pick is also for Lightspeed Rescue, epsecially the Titanium Ranger who would really stand out as something special for the brand.

And Hasbro has gotta know that there's a lot of Gokaiger fans who will eat up any Super Megaforce figures they put out!