DVD Review - Power Rangers: Ninja Storm: The Complete Series

TV-Y7; 750 minutes; $22.97; Amazon; Shout! Factory

Now available on DVD from Shout! Factory is Power Rangers: Ninja Storm: The Complete Series. The five-disc set features all 33-episodes from eleventh season of the popular franchise. This marks the first time a season was filmed in New Zealand, and the second season to be in the hands of Disney (BVS).

Using costumes, props, monsters, zords and footage from the Japanese Super Sentai series Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger, Power Rangers Ninja Storm centers on three teenagers, Tori (played by Sally Martin), Shane (played by Pua Magasiva) and Dustin (played by Glenn McMillan), who all live in Blue Bay Harbor. While at first glance they just look like your average teenagers, but they are actually students at the secret ninja school called the Wind Ninja Academy.

After the academy is the attacked by an evil banished ninja master, Lothor (played by Grant McFarland), he captures most of the students and turns their master, Sensei Kanoi Watanabe. into a guinea pig. The only survivors besides Sensei (voiced by Grant McFarland) and his son, Cam, are Tori, Shane and Dustin. The latter three are given morphers that gives them powers to transform into Wind Rangers. Along with the ability to summon zords, the Rangers battle Lothor's monsters throughout the series.

Later, the Wind Rangers join forces with the Thunder Rangers (played by Adam Tuominen and Jorgito Vargas, Jr.), and Cam (played by Jason Chan) becomes the Green Samurai Ranger.

Final Thoughts: The "Ninja Storm" season was released awhile back in one of the Power Rangers DVD sets, but this is the first time the 11th season has been released individually. The 5-disc set contains all 38 episodes from the 2002-2003 series. There are no special features or bonus extras.

Overall, I have enjoyed watching the Power Rangers: Ninja Storm: The Complete Series. Yes, turning the Sensei into a guinea pig is a bit silly, but the chemistry between the cast and lots of fun action scenes makes up for it.