Mighty Morphin Power Rangers controversy
The "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" controversy revolves around concerns regarding the show's impact on children's behavior and safety. In October 1994, the program gained significant media attention after a tragic incident in Norway, where a five-year-old girl died after being imitated by boys engaging in Power Rangers-style karate kicks. This led to the suspension of the show's broadcasts by the Swedish television network TV-3. Educators in the United States also raised alarms, claiming that the series encouraged violent play among children, with some describing school playgrounds as becoming "war zones." In response to these concerns, various schools implemented measures to limit the influence of the show, including banning Power Rangers attire and toys during school hours. Additionally, in December 1995, the Malaysian government withdrew the show from airing, fearing that the term "Morphin" could be associated with drug use. Overall, this controversy highlights the broader societal anxieties about media influence on youth behavior and the responsibilities of children's programming.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers controversy
Type of work: Television series
First broadcast: 1993
Subject matter: High school students “morph” into “Power Rangers,” who use karate to fight improbable monsters and evil characters
Significance: This program has been heavily criticized for its violence, and a case of copycat violence led to its being taken off the air in Norway and Sweden
The children’s television program Mighty Morphin Power Rangers received front-page coverage on American newspapers in October, 1994, when it was implicated in the death of a five-year-old girl in Norway. Three young boys, who were apparently imitating the Power Rangers’ karate kicks, repeatedly kicked their young playmate to the point of unconsciousness on a playground, leaving her in the snow, where she froze to death. The Swedish satellite television network TV-3 then immediately suspended all broadcasts of Power Rangers.
American educators have also expressed concern over the impact of Power Rangers on children, charging that the show provokes violence by giving young children the message that kicking, shoving, and punching are acceptable behaviors because they are merely forms of play. Some educators have charged that Power Rangers has turned school playgrounds into “war zones” in which children transform all their free play time into “Power Ranger” games. To counter this tendency, many teachers have replaced free play with structured play at recess. Some schools have gone even further. For example, students at a Wilmington, Delaware, school were not allowed to wear clothes portraying Power Rangers characters or to bring any Power Rangers toys to school.
In December, 1995, Power Rangers was taken off the air in Malaysia—not because of its violence, but because the Malaysian government feared that children would associate the word “Morphin” with “morphine,” and parents would think that the program encouraged drug abuse.