Five Reasons Why I Prefer Dekaranger Over Power Rangers SPD

Some people prefer Power Rangers SPD over Dekaranger for personal reasons. It can't be denied that Power Rangers SPD got dubbed in Japan by the Dekaranger cast. Maybe some think that SPD is a one-shot wonder by Bruce Kalish. Allow me to share my personal opinion on why I prefer Dekaranger over SPD. After writing about why I prefer Abaranger over Dino Thunder I decided to write this post.


Better main cast of characters

SPD has good acting but the use of Hannah Montana acting on Syd (I'm glad Miley Cyrus didn't land on that part!) is something. What I don't like about SPD is the main cast. Some of these characters are like Jack (and I prefer the hothead idiot Ban over him), Sky (especially with how he tends to think too highly of himself early on) and Syd doesn't even look like she could last there. I thought that SPD could have worked it out like if Sky were less arrogant (while him admitting his own arrogance in some flashbacks before he became part of B-Squad) or if Syd's ditzy behavior were on flashbacks rather than something in the present scenario. I would take the Ban/Hoji rivalry any day over the Jack/Sky rivalry. My favorite example is how Hoji isn't acting high and mighty even if he tend to berate Ban's recklessness.


Better plot pacing

One of my constant nitpicks against Power Rangers is the pacing. I think rush-pacing is a huge problem for Power Rangers. The 32-40 episode format can ruin any potential. I think the 38-episode format of SPD rushed everyone's development like Sky's transformation from a stuck-up guy to a more easy-going guy was too fast compared to how Hoji became more accepting of Ban.


A little bit more police-style writing

Power Rangers SPD had its recurring villain Emperor Grumm (and later revealed the true leader of Troobian, Omni) in the similar format of Hell Saturn's status in Sun Vulcan who was ruled over by a disembodied brain who calls itself the Omnipotent God of Black Magma (which wasn't omnipotent at all). I thought Dekaranger kept the police spirit a bit more by not having a central organization. Agent Abrella exists more as an overarching villain while other episodes have nothing to do with him. It was nice to have a not-so-typical Super Sentai every now and then.


I find the humor in Dekaranger better

This is pretty much subjective. I guess it's all because I think Super Sentai humor is better than Power Rangers humor. I thought the humor in SPD just doesn't appeal to me. I think it's more of a cultural thing than anything else. I prefer the humor between Ban and Hoji over Jack and Sky. Maybe it's because Ban's humor is based on his die-hard desire to get justice prevail than slacking off or that Hoji has a closer relationship with almost everyone.


Better unmorphed action scenes

SPD still gets the job done in the unmorphed fight scenes department no questions asked but I still think Dekaranger did it better. Maybe one good example is where I like how Hoji dared to fight a steroid-powered alien named Jilvan with his bare hands. That scene may not be all that great but it certainly proved Hoji to be a badass kicker. SPD still gets the job done but I think the whole TV-Y7-FV standard tends to force the action scenes to be toned down.