VR Troopers
VR Troopers is a syndicated live-action superhero television series created from 1994 to 1996 by Saban Entertainment. The show attempted to capitalize on the early 1990s infatuation with virtual reality and the success of Power Rangers. The show combined early CGI and video effects with Japanese stock material from three Metal Hero Series: Superhuman Machine Metalder, Dimensional Warrior Spielban, and Space Sheriff Shaider. This type of adaptation technique - combining numerous episodes into one — was initially utilized in anime series such as Robotech and Voltron, but this was one of the first times it was done for a tokusatsu adaptation. On May 7, 2010, BVS International transferred the copyright for VR Troopers to SCG Power Rangers. Saban's VR Troopers was the first official "sister series" to the then-most popular "action fighting kid show," Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. This was an Americanized version of a Japanese tokusatsu children's program produced by Toei Company LTD. However, the series was not as popular as the Power Rangers franchise. Due to extreme circumstances in which many tokusatsu scenes were combined into a single episode, the series quickly ran out of Japanese footage, necessitating the repeated usage of stock video throughout the series. Similarly, Big Bad Beetleborgs, another Saban program, would do well but ultimately be canceled due to a lack of stock footage. The source material for both programs was the Japanese Metal Heroes series. The television series inspired a line of toys and a video game for the Sega Genesis and Sega Game Gear.
Released: 1994-09-03
Genre:
Action & Adventure