ANIME REVIEW: POWER RANGERS DINO CHARGE VOLUME 5 HERO

Power Rangers Dino Charge Volume 5 Hero 
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: PG
Running Time: 105 Mins
Audio: Japanese with English subs
Due Out: 13/11/2017
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes 

Albert Smith is an intrepid explorer who through the items he has proves he has led a life of fun and adventure and when the Power Rangers team find him purely by accident, they want to know more about him and his adventure, but there is something about him they don't get.

Being world famous in New Zealand isn't good enough for some, and Albert seems a bit unusual for the team as his stories sound like they are more fake than fact. And in true Terminator 2 style, the team want him to look at a photo of a space craft. Albert might seem like a fake at first, though it is only when  he shows them similar photos he has taken of the same craft that they start to take him seriously. Plus the locations he gives for finding the real important stuff make sense and are helpful. 

This time the evil Sledge is trying to locate the purple energem and they have to find it before he does as his intention is to use it for evil. When one of Sledge's goons try to steal the purple energem and involve Albert, the other Power Rangers stand and fight to protect him. 

It would be easy to describe this series as corny, badly acted and lacking in decent believable dialogue, but for those who have watched series like Cutie Honey, this Western version has done well in interpreting its nuances. The slapstick fights, rubber monsters and one-liners are for children to enjoy, not adults, yet we as adults get a lot of enjoyment out of watching it and feeling what it's like to be young again. One of the bonuses of watching this series is finding out who the owner of the purple energem is and that the adage you are never to old to kick-ass is so apt for this character. 

The plot for Hero is simple, Sledge is in search of the energems to complete his collection, and if he does the world will know what doom is like. As the keeper loaned the energems to the original Power Rangers, the new team have to search for them and still prevent Sledge from getting them. They battle Sledges alien allies and also use their power to create the Dino Charge combining all their energem powers. Scientist Kendall helped the Power Rangers reach their potential in the base under the dinosaur museum, but now they are moving around the world in search of the lost energems. 

To be honest, as this premiered on TV in 2016, Dino Charge isn't as bad as everyone made it out to be as it is comedy for kids who want to watch a series that isn't about real-life and its hang-ups. 


Contains episodes 18-21 (+ Christmas Special) on 1 x DVD disc.

Episode List:
• World Famous! (In New Zealand)
• Deep Down Under
• Wishing For a Hero
• One More Energem

Extras:  Bonus Christmas Special: Race to Rescue Christmas.

Summary: For fun, action, cool dialogue and a plot that promises some good reaveals, Power Rangers Dino Charge Volume 5 Hero is the one to watch out for!