Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vs Power Rangers

Script written by Joey Turner

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs. Power Rangers

There will be no tie! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and in this installment of Versus, we’re pitting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles against the Power Rangers to see who is the superior hero team: the heroes in a half-shell, or the teenagers with attitude.

Round 1: Story and Background

In one corner, we have the four baby turtles mutated into anthropomorphic teens trained in the art of ninjutsu by their rat sensei. Their mandate is to be the best that they can be by protecting New York and the Earth from countless threats. Originating in the pages of Mirage Studios’ comic book line, there are many reimagings, and different versions to these hero’s past, but their background remains fairly consistent. What often changes is the relationship between their Master, Splinter and their arch-nemesis The Shredder.

In the other corner, we have the Technicolor group with a rotating roster of teens chosen by a mentor figure to protect the earth. With each new incarnation of the Power Rangers, their theme changes, sometimes fairly drastically. Adapted from the Japanese Super Sentai series, the Rangers have made a morphenomenal impact on the media: with over 20 years of seasons, three movies, and more than a dozen video games. With all that content, there is a huge amount of lore to tap into, and the Power Ranger’s universe is ever expanding.

While both are titans of entertainment, the Turtles have edged out the Rangers with a much more accessible narrative throughout it's more consistent media outings.

Winner: Turtles 1 / Rangers 0

Round 2: Fighting Style Every hero needs to know how to kick butt, and the Turtles do it the way only a ninja can: through the art of ninjutsu. Using their personal weapons, and the shadows as their cover, the turtles are actually a lot less subtle than your average ninja. Of course, when you have to sneak around the streets of Ney York City with green skin and a giant shell on your back, disguise is a bit of an issue. What they lack in subtly however, they make up for in weapon variety, teamwork and raw martial arts talent.

With every new team of Power Rangers, you have a whole new way to fight evil. Some ranger teams rely mostly on weapons and gadgets while others rely on their fists and the use of different martial arts. A Ranger is ready to adapt to any battle, morphed or unmorphed. Sure it may look at little goofy, but these guys are serious martial artists, and many of the actors are trained fighters as well.

With the ability to adapt to any kind of fight, the Rangers literally kick butt in this round.

Winner: Turtles 1 / Rangers 1

Round 3: Gear
A ninja’s nothing without his gear, and the Turtles always hang on to each of their personal weapons. In the comics or video games where violence is more accepted, Leo’s katana’s really see a lot of action, while Michelangelo’s nunchucks are the fan favorite for most fans of the original cartoon. Even more impressive are the gadgets cooked up by the brainy turtle, Donatello. Donnie can create almost anything from things he finds around the sewer: from communicators, personal computers and of course, the iconic turtle van.

Of course, the Rangers aren’t without THEIR fancy toys as well. From weapons that can combine their power to the stylish and very functional battlizer armor, the Power Rangers are very well equipped. Their morphers, which come in all kinds of shapes and sizes give them their power, and these powerful little gadgets can be stoed away and carried around anywhere. And of course, their biggest and baddest toy ever: the Megazord!!
If you need a hero with the right gear, call on the Rangers because… come on! GIANT ROBOTS!!!

Winner: Turtles 1 / Rangers 2

Round 4: Cultural Impact

How could something as ridiculously named as the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” possibly get so popular? The Turtles made their start as an independent comic book series, in black and white no less, and these humble beginnings were the start of something amazing. They weren’t for kid either, but kids read them anyway. When the Turtles hit the TV and big screens, the whole world caught Turtle-Mania! Even Vanilla Ice gives it up for the heroes in green. Go Ninja go!

If we’re just looking at television runtime, the Power Rangers is a beast of a series. With 23 seasons and counting, there is more power rangers out there than fans know what to do with. The Power Rangers may not have as big a presence as the Turtles in comic books, video games or Saturday morning cartoon shows, but the 1995 feature film was a huge hit, and a 2017 proves that the series still has a lot of life still in it.

It’s a tough call, but the Turtles win round four for it's much wider and much more mass appeal that has captivated kids and adults alike throughout it's history.

Winner: Turtles 2 / Rangers 2

Round 5: Characters

Every Turtles fan knows of the four iconic butt-kicking reptiles: Leonardo the leader, Donatello the tech-genius, the sassy and rebellious Raphael, and party-dude Michelangelo. With the wisdom of Master Splinter and a little topside help from friends like April O’Neil and Casey Jones, the turtles are ready to take on anything that Shredder, any monstrous mutant, or any alien invader can throw at them! Their enemies are just as memorable too, as the Shredder is one of the most menacing and intimidating villains ever created.

Though the cast changes with every team, the formula remains largely the same: five to six teens with attitude, under the guidance of a wise mentor. While a lot of characters are played for comic relief, there are just as many admirable character’s as well. Of course fan-favorite Tommy probably tops a lot of people’s lists, but stand-outs like Kimberly, Zack, and Emily really round out their respective teams.

Both offer an all-star cast, but the individually memorable Turtles push this round in their favor.