Zord Almighty

(I’m a big Sentai fan (aka Power Rangers in English). I overhear this conversation at an anime convention I’m attending. NOTE: I am female while the attendees that are talking are male; also I am not from the same state that it’s being held at. We’re at a vendor booth who’s selling old toys—Power Rangers being one of them.)

Attendee #1: “Man, Power Rangers is classic!”

Attendee #2: “Have you watched any of the Japanese versions?”

Attendee #1: “F*** no! The Japanese ones are stupid as f***! America started the whole trend in the first place!”

Attendee #2: “Um… no they didn’t. ”

Attendee #1: “Whatever, f***ing otaku.”

Me: “He’s right.”

Attendee #1: “Like you would know!”

Me: “I would. Mighty Morphin’ is technically Zyuranger in Japan. The 16th series in the Super Sentai line.”

Attendee #1: “Oh yeah? Then where are the other 15 then, Miss Thang?!”

Me: “Never translated. But you can find most of them online.”

Attendee #1: “Bulls***! You’re a girl and know nothing about Power Rangers!”

Attendee #2: “More than you.” *to me* “Have you seen it in Japanese?”

Me: “Not all of it… but I can see why it almost killed the franchise in Japan though.”

Attendee #1: “HA! See! Japan sucks! They failed at translating it, so it sucked!”

Me: “You do realize you’re at an ANIME CONVENTION? You know, Japanese animation and other media.”

Attendee #1: “Some weebos came up with the term anime! It’s just awesome American cartoons that the f***ing Japanese stole from us!”

Attendee #2: “Okay, dude… you’re crazy.”

Me: “Yeah, you’re a moron.”

(Attendee #2 and I walk away and end up talking a lot about the Sentai series and wound up being pen pals. As we are heading to our rooms, we’re surprised to see Attendee #1 getting escorted out of the convention by staff and security yelling obscene things. I walk up to a staff member of the con.)

Me: “Um… can I ask what that was about?”

Staff: “He cursed and threw something at one of our guests.”

Attendee #2: “Who?”

Staff: “Robert Axelrod.”

Me: “The voice of Lord Zedd?!”

Staff: “Yeah, he mentioned how Zedd was an original character for the American version, and it set him off!”