Introduction

The Toys That Made Us is an American documentary web television series created by Brian Volk-Weiss.

• 

• 

Outline

Following the success of Kamen Rider, Toei Company and Bandai created the Super Sentai series in the mid-1970’s, later incorporating the giant robot element from their Spider-Man series. Finding a western audience for Super Sentai, however, proved to be difficult when Stan Lee and Margaret Loesch failed to get networks to buy Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan. In 1984, Haim Saban bought the international distribution rights of Choudenshi Bioman from Toei, but his pilot episode was rejected by the networks. Eight years later, Saban partnered with Loesch to adapt Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger for North America. Upon its debut in 1993, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was a smash hit for Saban, Bandai America, and Fox Kids, with over US$1 billion in toy sales that year. The franchise was purchased by The Walt Disney Company in 2001 before being sold back to Saban in 2010, then to Hasbro in 2018, effectively ending Bandai’s involvement after 25 years.

Special Guests: David Yost and Walter Emanuel Jones.

The Toys That Made Us Series

You can find a full index and overview of The Toys That Made Us here.

Production & Filming Details

• Creator(s): Brian Volk-Weiss.
• Narrator(s): Donald Ian Black.
• Director(s): Brian Volk-Weiss and Tom Stern.
• Producer(s): Brian Vol-Weiss, Tom Stern, Cisco Henson, Anne Carkeet, and Edwin Zane.
• Writer(s): Nicholas Ferrell and Benjamin J. Frost.
  Music:
• Cinematography: Samuel Brownfield.
• Editor(s): Benjamin J. Frost, James Anderson, Dan Cerny, Nick Ferrell, Dan Cotter, and Doug Nolan
• Production: The Nacelle Company.
• Distributor(s): Netflix.
• Release Date: 15 November 2019.
• Running Time: 43-51 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link