For those that have experienced other versions of Power Rangers, this is very much more of the same. Mix some highly stylized martial arts combat by characters in brightly colored outfits, throw in some bad guys in outrageous costumes, sprinkle in a bit of 'B'-grade acting and a script only a 7 year old can appreciate, and you have the recipe for the show. Younger children will be enamored by the explosive special effects and high flying acrobatics, but some credibility is lost when swords are drawn and they bend like thin rubber. The plot is simple enough for pre-kindergarteners to grasp, and while there are some dealings with moral and ethical issues, they done on the lighter side of serious, so as to not weigh down the storyline.
The difference between this iteration of Power Rangers from the predecessors comes in the form of the jungle spirits. Each character has a fighting style that features a jungle animal (although I've not seen many sharks or wolves in a jungle, but maybe that's just me.) They use these animals in the form of spirit attack moves and also when combining with one another for more devestating collaborative combat. The overall effect is somewhat interesting and should feed the imagination those budding Power Rangers watching the show. The computer graphics on the show, while not Hollywood movie quality, are passible and do not detract from the experience.
The first six episodes focus on the team learning who they are, why they have been chosen and what is expected of them. They discover more about their abilities and a little history behind the Dai Shi. Guided by RJ, they move into their training loft, work at the pizza palour and continue to train and fight the forces aligned with Dai Shi.
While the storyline of the episodes is contiguous, there are only six of the thirty-two episodes from the season on the DVD. I'm a bit perplexed by the release and wonder if, at some point in the future, a set with the entire season will be released. Without any bonus features to speak of, I would recommend to anyone thinking of purchasing this DVD to wait a while and watch for a release that includes the season in its entirity, which, in all probability, will likely include more features as well.
