REVIEW: 'Armorsaurs' Triumphantly Revives A Neglected Era In The Superhero Zeitgeist
- Moriba Forde
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Disney XD's Armorsaurs armors up to fill a void left by Power Rangers, reviving an age where teenage color-coded heroes must save the world with the aid of mechanized beasts. The new series checks off boxes for those craving a mainstream henshin, toku-inspired series, but goes the extra mile to forge its own identity and plant the seeds for a new fan base to grow.
Armorsaurs is a hybrid live-action 3D animated series produced by MGA Entertainment and Daewon Media, based on the Korean tokusatsu series Armored Saurus, about five teens who are recruited to become pilots of living, mechanically enhanced dinosaurs to combat an alien threat. Their genes allow each of them to bond with a dinosaur telepathically, so what they may lack in experience, they make up for in their blood.
Armorsaurs star Jailen Bates as Liam, Avianna Mynhier as Paloma, Jakob Makabi as TJ, Derrick Kwak as Joon, Sade Louise as Prisca, Julien Kang as Switchblade, Yvonne Chapman as Lieutenant Colonel Hemsworth, Andrew Russell as Doctor Chandler, and Carson Allen as Kex.
Not Power Rangers But They Get The Job Done
The fresh actors playing the Armorsaur pilots can convince anyone of their ability to bond with dinosaurs with their organic chemistry with each other, and how they adapt to their roles to subvert audience expectations.
In a typical Breakfast Club fashion, these teens have absolutely nothing in common except one factor that ties them together, uniting them with a common goal. Their personalities cannot be any farther apart. Liam is a socially awkward nerd, Paloma is a party girl, and her sister Priya is the exact opposite. Then we have TJ, the fun-loving jock, and Joon, a talented young man who takes himself too seriously, always feeling like he has something to prove. While they follow this trope seen in every other teen show, they do not play by the same rules. Our heroes defy their stereotypical roles with nuance, adding flavor to the narrative.
Anyone watching the average Power Rangers series would recognize the confident alpha male as the leader, the Red Ranger, the nerd as the Blue Ranger, and the popular girl as the Pink Ranger. However, that's not the case with Armorsaurs. It is not easy to predict which Armorsaur each rookie will pilot. Folks are especially going to lose their minds when they meet the red and blue pilots for the Armorsaurs known as Ajax and Cobalt, respectively.
The villains in the Armorsaurs world are a mystery. They are aliens intent on resurrecting their prehistoric army for the sole purpose of world domination, of course. Beyond that, not much is revealed other than Julien Kang's Switchblade being the muscle and right-hand man to the boss himself. Speaking of Switchblade, he has all the best qualities of a '90s Saturday morning cartoon villain: stoic, intimidating, but also, unintentionally hilarious.
An Imperfect World Worth Exploring
Armorsaurs establishes a colorful world with an alternate history where humans and dinosaurs coexist to fight against alien invaders, with technological marvels at their fingertips. The concept of dinosaurs fitted in cybernetic armor while telepathic teens pilot them to fight otherworldly threats is honestly insane. Still, the series makes it work through clever writing and a bold blend of live-action and animated footage that makes this world inviting.
Similar to how Power Rangers has been utilizing footage from its Japanese source material, Super Sentai, Armorsaurs combines footage from its Korean progenitor, Armored Saurus, with original footage to create a new experience. Unlike the early seasons of Power Rangers, there is no overreliance on stock footage. A significant portion of the footage in Armorsaurs is original 3D animation, created to adapt to the live-action elements and the groundwork laid by Armored Saurus. This cocktail works for the most part, but some flaws stick out like a sore thumb, especially when it comes to the armor the pilots wear. The suits may be the Achilles heel of the original footage. While their designs look great, subtly merging prehistoric and futuristic aesthetics akin to the Armorsaurs, the CGI makes them appear flat, especially in the second episode, when our heroes armor up for their first mission. The way the CGI engulfs their bodies undercuts what should have been an epic transformation sequence. Fortunately, the series quickly earns redemption through its action sequences and the way the writing plays with the lore it establishes.
Here Come The Armorsaurs
Heroes tend to fight crime, embody the best of humanity, or bury themselves deep in humanity's cynical nature. Some come back from extinction to save the world from monsters. Armorsaurs falls in that category. It is a love letter to an era of superhero culture, distinct from anything at Marvel and DC, that's been largely abandoned for years.
This series is unapologetically cheesy. Despite its emphasis on CGI over practical effects, it homes in on everything that makes Tokusatsu charming. Anyone who grew up with fond memories of not only Power Rangers, but also Beetleborgs, VR Troopers, and Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, will most likely create new fond memories watching Armorsaurs.
Armorsaurs premieres on October 13, 2025, at 8 pm EST, with new episodes every Monday night.
Rating: ★★★★☆
About Armorsaurs
Premiere Date:Â October 13, 2025
Episode Count:Â 13
Executive Producer/Showrunner: David Feiss
Writers: Chuck Austen, Paul McEvoy, Konnie Kwak
Director: David Feiss
Producers: Benson NG, Kevin Yi
Production:Â MGA Entertainment, Daewon Media
Distribution:Â Disney Branded Television, Cake Entertainment
Cast:Â Jailen Bates, Derrick Kwak, Sade Louise, Jacob Makabi, Avianna Mynhier, Yvonne Chapman, Andrew Russell, Carson Allen, Julien Kang
Synopsis: Dinosaurs are back, and five teens are the only ones who can bond with them. It’s up to these heroes to armor up and pilot their dinos to fight evil and save the world.