The Power Trip: A Journey Through the Power Rangers Franchise

Episodes

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  Lightning Round #24: Maya Imamori Fired, Super Sentai Ends, & Metal Heroes Returns | Ft. Rizwan Merchant 28.01.2026 3h 3m

  Originally livestreamed November 20, 2025. Rizan Merchant from the Toku Secrets podcast joins Nathan for a round-up of all the crazy Sentai news that’s been swirling the last few weeks. How will this all affect Super Sentai, Power Rangers, and our show?
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  Lightning Round #23: INTERVIEW - James Santana, Writer of Nebulon: Knight of Justice #1 (NOW ON KICKSTARTER) 18.09.2025 1h 47m

  In this MASSIVE crossover with all of Nathan’s YouTube channels, he sits down to interview James Santana (again), but this time to discuss James’s first full-length tokusatsu-inspired comic book, Nebulon: Knight of Justice #1.
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  Lightning Round #22: INTERVIEW - Shawn Pryor, Author of Kaiju Unleashed, The Gamer and Power Rangers Comics 03.07.2025 2h 26m

  Nathan sits down with a fellow another fellow author! This time it’s the writer of the new book Kaiju Unleashed, Shawn Pryor. Not only did he write this crash course in all things tokusatsu, he’s also created his own toku-inspired comic book, written for Boom Studios’ Power Rangers comics, and written children’s books. We have a lot to talk about!
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  Lightning Round #21: INTERVIEW - Nathan Marchand, Creator of ‘Origins: Rito Bandora’ 06.01.2025 57m

  In this dual-upload with The Power Trip’s spiritual successor, Henshin Power V3, the tables have turned—Nathan is interviewed on his own podcast! Why? Because he “Mel Gibson’d” (wrote, directed, edited, produced, and starred in) a one-shot origin episode for Scyther Podcasts’ Power Rangers: The Audiodrama titled “Origins: Rito Bandora.” Nathan explains how he got the role of Rito Bandora (or Rito Revolto, depending on who you talk to) and how this special episode came about. Also, the Snarky Bonehead himself hijacks the show for a few minutes—and he’s so powerful, it actually messes up the recording slightly!
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  ANNOUNCEMENT: Subscribe to Henshin Power V3 on Its Own Podcast Feed! 17.09.2024 2m

  Nathan clears up some confusion regarding the new podcast, Henshin Power V3, which picks up where The Power Trip and Henshin Men left off. This podcast is on its own feed. Below are links to the most prominent places you can hear it, but subscribe to it wherever you get your podcasts!
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  BONUS - Henshin Power V3, Episode 1: “The Henshin-itiation” (Introduction) 10.07.2024 1h 26m

  Listeners! Lend us your…henshin power! Nathan Marchand (aka “The TsuBro”) returns to tokusatsu TV podcasting in this fused sequel to Henshin Men and The Power Trip. He’s joined by his friends Christopher Riner (aka “Sentai Guy”) and Jake Hambrick (aka “The Metal Don”) for this journey. In this episode, they introduce themselves, how they got into tokusatsu, and why they wanted to podcast about it. Then they outline the show’s format and reveal what three series they’ll cover first—after Kamen Rider V3, naturally.
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  NEW PODCAST - Henshin Power V3 (promo trailer) 03.07.2024 2m

  Henshin Power V3: Where three friends have three minutes to talk about tokusatsu! Nathan (aka “The TsuBro”) has finished both Henshin Men and The Power Trip, but his friends Chris (aka “Sentai Guy”) and Jake (aka “The Metal Don”) won’t let him stop discussing henshin heroes just yet! A new tokusatsu journey begins July 10, 2024 (Ultraman Day)!
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  Lightning Round #20: “The Final Henshin” (Henshin Men and Power Trip Postmortem) | Ft. Christopher Riner and Jake Hambrick 01.05.2024 1h 34m

  All good things must come to an end, and today that is Henshin Men (and to a lesser extent, The Power Trip). Nathan’s friends/fans/past guests Christopher Riner and Jake Hambrick return to discuss their favorite episodes and moments from both podcasts—for three minutes! Why’s that? Well, the end is not the end, Heroes of the Internet and Listeners with Attitude! This is all being done because both podcasts will do a fusion dance to merge into a new show—Henshin Power V3! Time to get the Hype Train Zord rolling! Listen for more details!
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  Lightning Round #19: An Interview with James Santana, Founder of TokUSA Studios, on The World of Nebulon (abridged) 22.04.2024 1h 53m

  In this excerpt from a Patreon-exclusive livestream for his other podcast, The Monster Island Film Vault, Nathan interviews James Santana, a comic nerd and tokusatsu fan who combined his passions by starting his own comic book label, TokUSA Studios. His goal is to bridge the gap between tokusatsu/manga fans and comic readers by offering them books inspired by the likes of Super Sentai and Ultraman, among others. He’s currently spearheading a Kickstarter for The World of Nebulon, a preview book showcasing several of the characters and titles in the works at the studio.
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  The World of Nebulon - A Tokusatsu-Inspired Comic Now on Kickstarter! 12.04.2024

  This Preview Book will allow you to take a look into, ”The Nebuverse,” a world of Tokusatsu heroes & villains. Behind the scenes, Hunter van Lierop & James Santana have been working with their amazing team of Gaspar Flores & CJ Billotto to create a universe inspired by some of their favorite franchises and genres.
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  Episode 41: “What a Long, Strange (Power) Trip It’s Been” | Franchise Overview & 30 Best Power Ranger Characters 20.02.2024 3h 4m

  All good things must come to an end…including The Power Trip. After recording nearly one week of audio over almost 60 uploads, Michael and Nathan complete their journey through the Power Ranger franchise in this finale livestream recorded before the members of the show’s official Facebook group, Power Ranger Legacy. They reflect on the franchise, what the podcast has meant to them, their 30 favorite PR characters, and what the future of the podcast (and their related endeavors) will look like. They also read some listener feedback and get some visits from strange “friends”…including Nathan’s roommate. May the Power protect you…always.
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  Episode 40: Power Rangers: Cosmic Fury (2023) 31.10.2023 3h 35m

  Well, we’ve made it, Listeners with Attitude. The 30th season of Power Rangers has come and gone, but did it go out with a bang or end with a whimper? Michael and Nathan discuss the 10-episode season and try to determine if Power Rangers: Cosmic Fury is a fitting end to the franchise’s epic 30-year run, or if it will be remembered more for its unrealized potential. Prepare yourself for a lively discussion full of laughs and an abundance of Dragon Daggers … sooo many Dragon Daggers! ----------------------------------------------- EMAIL FEEDBACK TO THE SHOW: [email protected] ----------------------------------------------- FOLLOW THE SHOW: Follow The Power Trips on Twitter: @ThePowerTripPod. Join the podcast’s official Facebook group: Power Rangers Legacy. ----------------------------------------------- OTHER PODCASTS WITH ATTITUDE: Kaiju Weekly Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kaiju-weekly/id1330448313 The Henshin Men Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/henshin-men/id1575547087 The Monster Island Film Vault: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-monster-island-film-vault/id1472692780 The Kaiju Groupie Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kaiju-groupie-podcast/id1519596361 -----------------------------------------------   The music, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury | Full Theme Epic Metal Version (Instrumental), for this episode was provided by Ruki X Music The podcast logo was designed by Rebecca Hudgens. Follow her on Instagram @super_r_illustrations. Our theme song was created by J.P. Gant (follow him on Twitter: @HomebrewedSD). We also use tracks from Super Sentai Complete Works 30th Anniversary album. We also used “Kuro No Kikoushi” by Hirokazu Umeda (as x10). All film and audio clips belong to their respective copyright holders, and no infringement is intended or implied.  The Power Trip has no association with Toei Company, Ltd., Saban Entertainment, or Hasbro. Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and/or Podchaser to spread the word about the show.
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  Episode 39: “Monkey Man and Bastard Must Get Along!” | Denji Sentai Megaranger | Ft. Kaiju Kim 29.09.2023 3h 10m

  The Queen of the Fabulous Empire, YouTuber extraordinaire, Kaiju Kim, returns to help the boys discuss the Sentai that became her favorite Power Rangers season: Denji Sentai Megaranger. What’s ironic is this Sentai feels more like a classic PR season while its counterpart, Power Rangers in Space, feels more like a Sentai. But is it fair to compare these shows when PRIS has the advantages of legacy and finality while Mgearanger is just another Sentai? Can the #BlueWigsAndBlackLeather finally break Sentai’s streak in the “Who did it better?” debate for Nathan? All this plus a thematic discussion of priorities and a “Toku Topic” on why the Japanese love technology in the latest Power Trip!
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  Episode 38: “Let’s Send That Dinobot Packing!” | Himitsu Sentai Gorenger Manga by Shotaro Ishinomori | Seven Seas Entertainment 27.09.2023 56m

  Today’s episode is a weird one. It’s The Power Trip’s first solo episode, with Nathan doing more comic book coverage…except it’s a manga…about the first Super Sentai…so it’s only peripherally related to Power Rangers. Anyway, thanks to Seven Seas Entertainment (who also translated and published the original Kamen Rider manga), Americans can now experience Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, which was created in 1975 by the Jack Kirby of manga, Shotaro Ishinomori. But if you read this graphic novel, be prepared for it to feel more like James Bond than Power Rangers. All the tropes aren’t quite there, but it definitely feels like the prototype for both the Sentai and Ranger legacies. Plus, there’s a giant robot brontosaurus and a cameo by Robbie the Robot. ‘Nuff said!
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  Episode 37 – “You Aren’t Allowed to Like Turbo Without My Permission!” | Gekisou Sentai Carranger | Ft. Drew Dodgen of The Cel Cast 16.09.2023 4h 7m

  Save the “Earsh”! Michael and Nathan risk their friendship returning to a controversial subject—Power Rangers Turbo—which is why they brought on Drew Dodgen of The Cel Cast to moderate. Today they discuss Turbo’s source material, Gekisou Sentai Carranger, a parody Sentai that lovingly mocks the franchise. To say most of the humor was lost in translation would be an understatement. Not that American kids would understand most of it, anyway, because it’s weird. But that’s the charm…even if it borders on late-night cable levels of raunchiness. While Michael remains a simp for a certain “toxic prima donna,” Nathan may have found a new waifu to rival Astronema in this Sentai’s main villainess. In other words, if you’re the rare breed who likes Turbo, steel thyself for four hours of praise for Carranger at its expense!
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  Lightning Round #18: Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers (IDW/Boom Studios) 06.09.2023 2h 48m

  Happy (belated) Power Ranger Day, Listeners with Attitude! To celebrate, Nathan held a colossal crossover of content creators for an equally colossal comic crossover: IDW/BOOM Studios’ Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers! He’s joined by Daniel DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project), Rob Buck (The Power Chamber podcast), Ryan “The Omni Viewer” Collins (and his sidekick, Snazzy Chapeau), Elijah Thomas of Kaiju Conversation (who finally completes his “Infinity Gauntlet” of Nathan and Michael’s podcasts), and our “Sixth Ranger,” Jack “GMan” Hudgens, who appears later on. They unpack everything in this comic despite Nathan’s inability to use Streamyard. The meat of the conversation comes when they discuss the ending, which Nathan felt could’ve been better, but Omni Viewer argues it’s a metaphor. Prepare for a celebration of tokusatsu nostalgia!
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  Episode 36: “The Peanut Butter and Chocolate of Badness” | Power Rangers Turbo vs. Beetleborgs Metallix (Acclaim Comics) 24.07.2023 1h 18m

  In this episode, Michael and Nate discuss arguably one of the weirdest entries in Ranger history—a crossover of Divatoxic proportions—Power Rangers Turbo vs. Beetleborgs Metallix, a comic published in 1997 by Acclaim (now Valiant) Comics. It was one of three Turbo stories published in the short-lived Saban Powerhouse magazine. After Nathan gives Michael a crash course in the history of Big Bad Beetleborgs and Valiant Comics, your hosts do talk about Turbo—and are frequently interrupted by Beetleborg villain Nukus! Oh, and the chat. (This was a livestream, after all).
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  Episode 35 - ”Mechanical Kissing Cousins” (Chouriki Sentai Ohranger) 20.06.2023 4h 30m

  We’re back, baby! After a brief hiatus thanks to Once & Always,Michael and Nathan resume their Super Sentai coverage with Chouriki Sentai Ohranger. This was the basis for Power Rangers Zeo, but it’s quite different. It even has shades of Ultraman with its military team battling evil robots. Speaking of which, the “Machine Empire” in this is like watching Game of Thrones except it’s tokusatsu. It’s just too bad the show ends up being bipolar tonally thanks to real-life tragedies. What were those? Listen and find out!
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  Tokusatsu 101 (JAFAX 2023 Panel) 14.06.2023 1h 4m

  Nathan Marchand gives you a crash course on the tokusatsu medium! This was recorded at JAFAX (Japanese Animation, Film, and Art Expo) June 9-11, 2023. This is also premiering on The Monster Island Film Vault YouTube channel, and the audio will be shared on the MIFV podcast feed.
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  Episode 34 - Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Once & Always (2023) 28.04.2023 3h 39m

  And there came a day unlike any other…oops, wrong superhero franchise. Anyway, it’s finally here! Power Rangers celebrates its 30th anniversary with its best anniversary special (although, that bar isn’t set too high). Michael and Nathan dive deep (3 ½ hours on a one-hour special?!) into this MMPR reunion. Is this the mature take on the franchise we’ve been wanting? They sure think so! That’s especially true with its theme of grief, because—holy Zordon!—a Ranger dies! And it finally sticks! And it’s Trini?! Plus, Billy is now the Elon Musk of the PR universe and Robo-Rita is your new nightmare fuel. All this and more in the return of the OG Power Trip! Strap in, Listeners with Attitude!