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* CutAndPasteTranslation: of the three different ''Metal Heroes'' shows. Which sometimes leads to contrived plots where Ryan gets conveniently separated from JB and Kaitlin to cover for the fact the StockFootage is from different stories and never the twain shall meet (outside of American footage).
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* DrillTank: Two- the VR Battlecruiser (piloted by both Ryan and JB) and the VR Combat Module (Ryan's exclusive season 2 vehicle) had these available.
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* KarmaHoudini: As mentioned further down the show never had a proper finale, thus Ziktor/Grimlord is never destroyed or punished for his crimes.
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* ThinlyVeiledDubCountryChange: This is also done, up to the point where a kanji sign was visible in one episode when a monster kidnaps a Japanese boy. The story justifies it due to the presence of a Japanese-American community in Coastal City.
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* ThinlyVeiledDubCountryChange: This is also done, up to the point where a kanji sign was visible in one episode when a monster kidnaps a Japanese boy. The story justifies it due to the presence of a Japanese-American community in Coastal Crossworld City.
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* ThinlyVeiledDubCountryChange: This is also done, up to the point where a kanji sign was visible in one episode when a monster kidnaps a Japanese boy. The story justifies it due to the presence of a Japanese-American community in Coastal City.
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* BrickJoke: A rare serious version. The mutant Dark Heart is only mentioned in the first episode until his true identity as [[spoiler: Ryan's father]] is revleaed.
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* BrickJoke: A rare serious version. The mutant Dark Heart is only mentioned in the first episode until his true identity as [[spoiler: Ryan's father]] is revleaed.revealed.
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* GagDub: Supposedly, when the cast got word that the series was being canceled, they went out, got drunk, came back, went into the recording booth and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8_HrVhnqNg redubbed various scenes]] to be more mature and... [[ToiletHumor vulgar.]]
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As of June 2011, the entire series (along with ''[[Series/{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix. It's also released on DVD in Europe in the 1990s and in North America in the mid 2000s. But due to mediocre sales, ShoutFactory has released a statement that they cannot release the last DVD that has the remaining episodes in the series.
to:
As of June 2011, the entire series (along with ''[[Series/{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix. It's also released on DVD in Europe in the 1990s and in North America in the mid 2000s. But due to mediocre sales, ShoutFactory has released a statement that they cannot release the last DVD that has the remaining episodes in the series.
series, though they later released it exclusively through their online store.
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* {{BFG}}: JB's Techno Bazooka.
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* {{BFG}}: JB's Techno Bazooka.VR Technobazooka, and Ryan's VR Shoulder Cannon; unmentioned in dialogue, but the Skybase and Ryan's unnamed airbase would transform into these.
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* HumongousMecha: In Season 2, Ryan gains one called the VR Troopertron.
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* HomeBase: Professor Hart's lab; to a lesser extent the Skybase, Ryan's rotating base thing from season 1, and in season 2, Ryan's unnamed Skybase equivalent also served these functions.
* HumongousMecha: In Season 2, Ryan gains one called the VRTroopertron.Troopertron, the alt form of the Skybase; his unnamed shuttlecraft was also one, but we're not sure if that was ever used in show, mainly due to Shaider's terrible-looking suit (a clip of its' transformation sequence was shown in the season 2 intro, however). Both the Skybase and Ryan's analogue shuttle also transformed into their respective BFGs, according to the footage at least, it wasn't mentioned in dialogue (the Japanese series had giant Trooper holograms firing these guns, the same thing might have been used in here as well).
* HumongousMecha: In Season 2, Ryan gains one called the VR
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* CompositeCharacter: Combining different ''Franchise/MetalHeroes'' series, it's had its share
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* CompositeCharacter: Combining different ''Franchise/MetalHeroes'' series, it's had its shareshare:
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* CompositeCharacter: Combining different ''Franchise/MetalHeroes'' series, it's had its share
** Dark Heart is directly based on Top Gunder of ''Series/ChoujinkiMetalder'', but his backstory [[spoiler:as Ryan Steele's father, Tyler,]] not only merges Dr. Koga from ''Metalder'', but Dr. Bio from ''Series/JikuuSenshiSpielban''.
** Grimlord, while directly based on God Neros from ''Metalder'', effectively supplants [[Series/JikuuSenshiSpielban Queen Pandora]] and [[Series/SpaceSheriffShaider Kubilai]] as the [[BigBad main villain]] of [[CutAndPasteTranslation the entire conglomerate]]. Slightly subverted in that counterparts for both villains did appear, but were DemotedToExtra, Kubilai (a.k.a. Oraclon) becoming Grimlord's monster-maker and Pandora (a.k.a. Desponda, [[TheDragon Despera's]] sister) becoming a one-shot guest villain.
** Ryan Steele, by virtue of his two armored forms, is a composite of ''Metalder'' and ''Shaider''.
** J.B. Reese and Kaitlin Starr were composites of [[Series/JikuuSenshiSpielban Spielban and Diana Lady]], as well as Metalder's two human friends, [[Series/ChoujinkiMetalder Hakko and Mai]] (despite the fact that Spielban was the hero of his own show, J.B. was more of a sidekick to Ryan like Hakko was to Ryusei, while Kaitlin was a reporter like Mai). When footage of Spielban's sister Helen Lady (who wore the same suit as Diana Lady) was adapted into ''VR Troopers'', she became a mirror image of Kaitlin who could be summoned in battle, essentially making Kaitlin a composite of three characters.
** Dark Heart is directly based on Top Gunder of ''Series/ChoujinkiMetalder'', but his backstory [[spoiler:as Ryan Steele's father, Tyler,]] not only merges Dr. Koga from ''Metalder'', but Dr. Bio from ''Series/JikuuSenshiSpielban''.
** Grimlord, while directly based on God Neros from ''Metalder'', effectively supplants [[Series/JikuuSenshiSpielban Queen Pandora]] and [[Series/SpaceSheriffShaider Kubilai]] as the [[BigBad main villain]] of [[CutAndPasteTranslation the entire conglomerate]]. Slightly subverted in that counterparts for both villains did appear, but were DemotedToExtra, Kubilai (a.k.a. Oraclon) becoming Grimlord's monster-maker and Pandora (a.k.a. Desponda, [[TheDragon Despera's]] sister) becoming a one-shot guest villain.
** Ryan Steele, by virtue of his two armored forms, is a composite of ''Metalder'' and ''Shaider''.
** J.B. Reese and Kaitlin Starr were composites of [[Series/JikuuSenshiSpielban Spielban and Diana Lady]], as well as Metalder's two human friends, [[Series/ChoujinkiMetalder Hakko and Mai]] (despite the fact that Spielban was the hero of his own show, J.B. was more of a sidekick to Ryan like Hakko was to Ryusei, while Kaitlin was a reporter like Mai). When footage of Spielban's sister Helen Lady (who wore the same suit as Diana Lady) was adapted into ''VR Troopers'', she became a mirror image of Kaitlin who could be summoned in battle, essentially making Kaitlin a composite of three characters.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: Obviously, some of the Virtual Reality concepts are dated, but one noticeable instance has Ryan commenting on how it would be great if the team could communicate while still far away. Professor Hart gives them Gameboy-looking communicators, but if the show was set in modern times, this could have easily been solved by a cell phone. Even though they had cell phones back then, the batteries were unreliable and reception was notoriously bad thanks to cell towers only just recently being built. On the other hand, one could argue that this predicted "face-chat" via cell phone, which can be easily done with Skype on an iPhone.
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* NoEnding: Due to running out of MetalHeroes footage the show never had a proper finale
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* FollowTheLeader: No, ''not Franchise/PowerRangers;'' {{Toku}} is a genre of its own. However, high schooler heroes use pendants to fully transform into robotic forms? Sounds suspiciously like the new-at-the-time MarvelComics character {{Darkhawk}}.
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* FollowTheLeader: No, ''not Franchise/PowerRangers;'' {{Toku}} is a genre of its own. However, high schooler heroes use pendants to fully transform into robotic forms? Sounds suspiciously like the new-at-the-time MarvelComics character {{Darkhawk}}.ComicBook/{{Darkhawk}}.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: Obviously, some of the Virtual Reality concepts are dated, but one noticeable instance has Ryan commenting on how it would be great if the team could communicate while still far away. Professor Hart gives them Gameboy-looking communicators, but if the show was set in modern times, this could have easily been solved by a cell phone. Even though they had cell phones back then, the batteries were unreliable and reception was notoriously bad thanks to cell towers only just recently being built.
to:
* TechnologyMarchesOn: Obviously, some of the Virtual Reality concepts are dated, but one noticeable instance has Ryan commenting on how it would be great if the team could communicate while still far away. Professor Hart gives them Gameboy-looking communicators, but if the show was set in modern times, this could have easily been solved by a cell phone. Even though they had cell phones back then, the batteries were unreliable and reception was notoriously bad thanks to cell towers only just recently being built. On the other hand, one could argue that this predicted "face-chat" via cell phone, which can be easily done with Skype on an iPhone.
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* ItsPersonal: Even though we don't see much of it after the Dark Heart story arc, it's implied that Ryan personally hated Decimator after he attempted to kill [[spoiler: his father, who was turned into the mutant Dark Heart]], usually Decimator mopped the floor with Ryan but in this instance Ryan delivered a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown which forced Decimator to retreat on his go-kart after a very brief "battle".
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* GenreBlind: The Troopers. Every episode, they see three people quietly walk up to them, without saying a word, and never realize that they're Skugs in disguise.
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* GenreBlind: GenreBlindness: The Troopers. Every episode, they see three people quietly walk up to them, without saying a word, and never realize that they're Skugs in disguise.
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* ItsPersonal: Even though we don't see much of it after the Dark Heart story arc, it's implied that Ryan personally hated Decimator after he attempted to kill [[spoiler: his father, who was turned into the mutant Dark Heart]], usually Decimator mopped the floor with Ryan but in this instance Ryan delivered a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown which forced Decimator to retreat on his go-kart after a very brief "battle".
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Moved from your mileage may vary
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* BrickJoke: A rare serious version. The mutant Dark Heart is only mentioned in the first episode until his true identity as [[spoiler: Ryan's father]] is revleaed.
* ItsPersonal: Even though we don't see much of it after the Dark Heart story arc, it's implied that Ryan personally hated Decimator after he attempted to kill [[spoiler: his father, who was turned into the mutant Dark Heart]], usually Decimator mopped the floor with Ryan but in this instance Ryan delivered a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown which forced Decimator to retreat on his go-kart after a very brief "battle".
* ItsPersonal: Even though we don't see much of it after the Dark Heart story arc, it's implied that Ryan personally hated Decimator after he attempted to kill [[spoiler: his father, who was turned into the mutant Dark Heart]], usually Decimator mopped the floor with Ryan but in this instance Ryan delivered a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown which forced Decimator to retreat on his go-kart after a very brief "battle".
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* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The original seven minute pilot depicted Tao being aware of the Trooper's identities.
** Also, the show would have original just been about a single hero, using the Metalder footage only and would have starred Jason David Frank of Power Rangers fame, with Jamie Kennedy as his sidekick.
** Also, the show would have original just been about a single hero, using the Metalder footage only and would have starred Jason David Frank of Power Rangers fame, with Jamie Kennedy as his sidekick.
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** Also, the show would have original just been about a single hero, using the Metalder footage only and would have starred Jason David Frank of Power Rangers fame, with Jamie Kennedy as his sidekick.
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* TooIncompetentToOperateABlanket: Percy. Granted, it's mostly due to an overconfidence in his own abilities, but given the sheer spectacle that comes from each of his failures...
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* EnemyMine: The penultimate episode had the troopers teaming up with Grimlord.
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As of June 2011, the entire series (along with ''[[Series/{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix.
to:
As of June 2011, the entire series (along with ''[[Series/{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix.
Netflix. It's also released on DVD in Europe in the 1990s and in North America in the mid 2000s. But due to mediocre sales, ShoutFactory has released a statement that they cannot release the last DVD that has the remaining episodes in the series.
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[[SpiritualSuccessor In the spirit of, on the heels of, and by the makers of]] ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', the MetalHeroes {{Toku}} series was adapted by Saban into a new show known as ''VR Troopers'' in 1994.
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[[SpiritualSuccessor In the spirit of, on the heels of, and by the makers of]] ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', the MetalHeroes ''Franchise/MetalHeroes'' {{Toku}} series was adapted by Saban into a new show known as ''VR Troopers'' in 1994.
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* CutAndPasteTranslation: of the three different MetalHeroes shows. Which sometimes leads to contrived plots where Ryan gets conveniently separated from JB and Kaitlin to cover for the fact the StockFootage is from different stories and never the twain shall meet (outside of American footage).
to:
* CutAndPasteTranslation: of the three different MetalHeroes ''Metal Heroes'' shows. Which sometimes leads to contrived plots where Ryan gets conveniently separated from JB and Kaitlin to cover for the fact the StockFootage is from different stories and never the twain shall meet (outside of American footage).
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* StockFootage: Both footage from its ''MetalHeroes'' forebears and internally-reused footage.
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* StockFootage: Both footage from its ''MetalHeroes'' ''Metal Heroes'' forebears and internally-reused footage.
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* CoversAlwaysLie: Three British [=DVDs=] were released by Jetix, all containing season 1 episodes. Volume 2 has the season 2 team on the box art (i.e. the wrong version of Ryan). Volume three features the {{Space|SheriffGavan}} {{S|paceSheriffSharivan}}heriffs instead of JB and Kaitlin.
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* CoversAlwaysLie: Three British [=DVDs=] were released by Jetix, all containing season 1 episodes. Volume 2 has the season 2 team on the box art (i.e. the wrong version of Ryan). Volume three features the {{Space|SheriffGavan}} {{S|paceSheriffSharivan}}heriffs Space Sheriffs [[Series/SpaceSheriffGavan Gavan]] and [[Series/SpaceSheriffSharivan Sharivan]] instead of JB and Kaitlin.
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Like ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', three MetalHeroes series were used as source materials to make one. Ryan's armor, Grimlord, and any villain ever seen ''in'' Grimlord's lair came from ''ChoujinkiMetalder''. Another show, ''JikuuSenshiSpielban'', provided armored Kaitlin and JB, General Icebot and Ivar, the Skugs, many of the team's vehicles, and most of the [[MonsterOfTheWeek villains of the week]] (such as Red Python and Desponda). The second season, in which Ryan's armor and Grimlord's tech are switched out, takes footage from still another show, ''SpaceSheriffShaider''.
to:
Like ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', three MetalHeroes ''Franchise/MetalHeroes'' series were used as source materials to make one. Ryan's armor, Grimlord, and any villain ever seen ''in'' Grimlord's lair came from ''ChoujinkiMetalder''. ''Series/ChoujinkiMetalder''. Another show, ''JikuuSenshiSpielban'', ''Series/JikuuSenshiSpielban'', provided armored Kaitlin and JB, General Icebot and Ivar, the Skugs, many of the team's vehicles, and most of the [[MonsterOfTheWeek villains of the week]] (such as Red Python and Desponda). The second season, in which Ryan's armor and Grimlord's tech are switched out, takes footage from still another show, ''SpaceSheriffShaider''.
''Series/SpaceSheriffShaider''.
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VRT's suits were a vast departure from those of Franchise/PowerRangers and the like: instead of [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman suiting up a human]], the Troopers were actually transformed into robot forms that were created from scratch in virtual reality. If damaged in Trooper form, they had to be repaired as machines before they could return to human form.
to:
VRT's suits were a vast departure from those of Franchise/PowerRangers ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' and the like: instead of [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman suiting up a human]], the Troopers were actually transformed into robot forms that were created from scratch in virtual reality. If damaged in Trooper form, they had to be repaired as machines before they could return to human form.
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Saban picked up the rights to a fourth ''Metal Hero'' series ''{{Juukou B-Fighter}}'', but rather than risk alienating the show's fan-base by changing the entire team's costumes and motifs like they did with ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', they decided to start fresh with a new Americanized version, ''Series/{{Beetleborgs}}'', resulting in the cancellation of ''VR Troopers''.
As of June 2011, the entire series (along with ''[[{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix.
As of June 2011, the entire series (along with ''[[{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix.
to:
Saban picked up the rights to a fourth ''Metal Hero'' series ''{{Juukou B-Fighter}}'', ''Series/JuukouBFighter'', but rather than risk alienating the show's fan-base by changing the entire team's costumes and motifs like they did with ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', they decided to start fresh with a new Americanized version, ''Series/{{Beetleborgs}}'', resulting in the cancellation of ''VR Troopers''.
As of June 2011, the entire series (along with''[[{{Beetleborgs}} ''[[Series/{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix.
As of June 2011, the entire series (along with
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* CutAndPasteTranslation: of the three different MetalHeroes shows. Which sometimes leads to contrived plots where Ryan gets conveniently separated from JB and Kaitlin to cover for the fact the StockFootage is from different stories and never the twain shall meet (outside of American footage).
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Rewording to make it more comprehensible, and under the new trope name.
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* CompositeCharacter: inverted somewhat Kaitlin Star's clone and red python were the same persion under the suit in Spealban Diana and Helenboth wore the same Lady armor. Saban just converted the atoner plot line in to an power up for Star.
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* DecompositeCharacter: Kaitlin's clone and Red Python were the same person in Spielban. Since Diana Lady and Helen Lady both wore the same armor, the atoner plotline was converted into a power-up for Kaitlin.
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if the page starts with a quote, the image is always right-aligned
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----
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----
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http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vrtxt8.jpg
->''Troopers three! (Go!) Virtual Reality...''
[[SpiritualSuccessor In the spirit of, on the heels of, and by the makers of]] ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', the MetalHeroes {{Toku}} series was adapted by Saban into a new show known as ''VR Troopers'' in 1994.
The premise is basically that via AppliedPhlebotinum created by Tyler Steele, Karl Ziktor, and Professor Horatio Hart, anything created in virtual reality actually ''exists'' in AnotherDimension, and can be brought forth into the real world. Tyler Steele goes missing, but left behind the means for his son and friends to defend the real world from Ziktor, now a CorruptCorporateExecutive with a virtual army ready to conquer the world. [[CityOfAdventure Crossworld City]] is a weak point between dimensions and as such, the front lines in the battle with Ziktor, aka Grimlord (Ziktor's super-powered virtual world avatar), and his forces. Professor Hart, his body mortally wounded by Grimlord, exists inside the base's computers and acts as TheObiWan.
The second season sees the complete overhaul of the villains' setup and one character's gear in a series where StatusQuoIsGod... or was.
Like ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', three MetalHeroes series were used as source materials to make one. Ryan's armor, Grimlord, and any villain ever seen ''in'' Grimlord's lair came from ''ChoujinkiMetalder''. Another show, ''JikuuSenshiSpielban'', provided armored Kaitlin and JB, General Icebot and Ivar, the Skugs, many of the team's vehicles, and most of the [[MonsterOfTheWeek villains of the week]] (such as Red Python and Desponda). The second season, in which Ryan's armor and Grimlord's tech are switched out, takes footage from still another show, ''SpaceSheriffShaider''.
Somehow, with that many sources of footage, costumes, and plots, the vast majority of second season episodes revolved around something dangerous being made in an underground lab that had eventually to be taken out with the same drill vehicle going through the same {{stock footage}}.
VRT's suits were a vast departure from those of Franchise/PowerRangers and the like: instead of [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman suiting up a human]], the Troopers were actually transformed into robot forms that were created from scratch in virtual reality. If damaged in Trooper form, they had to be repaired as machines before they could return to human form.
The show has a rather interesting production history, to say the least: originally a vehicle for [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Jason David Frank]], an unaired pilot was both shot and sold to several stations, who proceeded to buy it due to the popularity of Power Rangers , but at the last minute Saban decided to bring JDF back to PR, which meant that the starring role had to be recast with Brad Hawkins (who was originally set to play the White Ranger in the second season of ''Mighty Morphin''), although the show by that point was deemed highly unsalvageable and was filmed only for contractual obligations with the TV stations who had already bought the series. To the surprise of many, the first season was actually quite successful and a second season was soon green-lighted by Saban. However, during the second season all the ''Metalder'' action footage ran out and Saban was forced to use footage from a third and drastically different (and much older) show for the Ryan Steele segments. Eventually all the remaining ''Spielban'' footage, as well most of the ''Shaider'' footage, were used up too.
Saban picked up the rights to a fourth ''Metal Hero'' series ''{{Juukou B-Fighter}}'', but rather than risk alienating the show's fan-base by changing the entire team's costumes and motifs like they did with ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', they decided to start fresh with a new Americanized version, ''Series/{{Beetleborgs}}'', resulting in the cancellation of ''VR Troopers''.
As of June 2011, the entire series (along with ''[[{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix.
[[AC: Starring:]]
* '''Ryan Steele''', searching for his father Tyler Steele, who helped create the technology, is assumed to be second in command at Tao Dojo.
* '''Kaitlin Starr''', who works at a newspaper called the Underground Voice.
* '''J.B. Reese''', martial artist who works for the dojo where the Troopers train.
* '''Professor Hart''', friend of Tyler Steele, whose mind was placed inside the base's computers to save his life.
* '''Tao Chung''', martial arts teacher and mentor of the team (in a life lessons sorta way. He doesn't know they're the Troopers.)
* '''Woody''', the editor of the Underground Voice. Much more personable than J. Jonah Jameson. Frequently heard to say "[[{{Catchphrase}} What an ideeeeeee-a!]]"
* '''Jeb''', the dog [[IntellectualAnimal turned sentient and made speech-capable]] via some of the base's AppliedPhlebotinum.
* '''Percy''', mayor's nephew and would-be beau of Kaitlin. Highly obnoxious. Strictly comic relief. Occasionally, his aunt and uncle show up. They're even more comic relief.
* '''Karl Ziktor''', a Corrupt CEO who has a dual identity: in virtual reality, he's the BigBad, '''Grimlord''', with an army of VR cyborg creatures.
----
!!Troper Transform!
* AdultFear: From the "Defending Dark Heart" arc: [[spoiler: Being forced against your will to kill your only son.]]
* AliensSpeakingEnglish: The two alien kids from "New Kids on the Planet." Though, apparently, ''Dog'' is a lot easier to speak than English.
* AppliedPhlebotinum: In addition to the impossible array of one-shot gadgets seen in the lab, "virtual reality" is the king of all plot devices. In this series, it basically means "whip up anything you want on the screen and have it pop out in reality."
* BadBoss: When Grimlord gets new tech and uses it to make a new fortress and minions, he self-destructs his old base, killing all of his old minions except for the small handful he decided were useful enough. On one occasion he mentioned that he didn't care that they destroyed his monster of the week since it was just a distraction from the master plan.
* BarehandedBladeBlock: Kaitlin does this ''unmorphed'' against Doom Master once.
* BBCQuarry: The "virtual world," when we see it, is the same quarry frequently seen in ''Franchise/PowerRangers's SuperSentai'' footage. JB frequently teleports the entire battle back here so as to keep civilians from getting hurt.
* {{BFG}}: JB's Techno Bazooka.
* BigBad: Grimlord.
* BookEnds: Each episode begins with Ryan remembering something his dad taught him. The episode would then have AnAesop involving what Ryan talked about. The episode would then end with Ryan summing up the Aesop.
* BoundAndGagged: In one episode, Kaitlin was captured in a trap specifically meant of her then bound and gagged to lure the others into a DeathTrap.
** Due to the different footage sources meaning there's no Japanese footage of everyone against the same monster, capturing ''somebody'' is a common way of explaining someone's absence from the final round with the MonsterOfTheWeek.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Red Python, Dark Heart.
* ButtMonkey: Percy, courtesy of Jeb.
* ByThePowerOfGreyskull: "Trooper Transform! [[PunctuatedForEmphasis We! Are! V! R!]]" (Actually, the "We are VR!" is unnecessary.) The BigBad also had one: "Forces of darkness, empower me! Take me back to my virtual reality!"
* CallingYourAttacks: Every weapon or tool was activated by saying "[gadget name] command, now!" Even returning to human form was "Retro-form command, now!"
* {{Catchphrase}}: Woody: "What an ideeeeee-a!", Ryan and JB: "See Ya!"
* ChristmasEpisode: "Santa's Secret Trooper". And this is done without the ''Spielban'' or ''Shaider'' action footages too!
* CloningBlues: Kaitlin's evil clone actually does a HeelFaceTurn and is summoned to help out now and again.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Karl Ziktor. In some episodes, it's even shown that the mayor is afraid of him.
* CompositeCharacter: inverted somewhat Kaitlin Star's clone and red python were the same persion under the suit in Spealban Diana and Helenboth wore the same Lady armor. Saban just converted the atoner plot line in to an power up for Star.
* CoversAlwaysLie: Three British [=DVDs=] were released by Jetix, all containing season 1 episodes. Volume 2 has the season 2 team on the box art (i.e. the wrong version of Ryan). Volume three features the {{Space|SheriffGavan}} {{S|paceSheriffSharivan}}heriffs instead of JB and Kaitlin.
* CutShort: Our heroes never got to defeat Grimlord or learn that he was Karl Ziktor.
* {{Cyberspace}}: The virtual world.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Considered by fans to be much Darker and more serious than Franchise/PowerRangers, some of the Story Arcs the show had were quite dark, especially when we discover who the villain Dark Heart really is.
** Also the villains were allowed more gruesome deaths than there were on Franchise/PowerRangers, due to the series being syndicated - decapitations, splitting in half, and impalement were not uncommon (the last of these was, in fact, how JB usually dispatched the monsters he fought).
* DeathIsCheap: See MonsterOfTheWeek.
* TheDragon: Season 1 didn't have Dragons per se, but Grimlord had his go-to recurring monsters and his assistants as Ziktor, as well as sub-villains who handled the technical end of his plans or prepared the MonsterOfTheWeek, such as General Ivar, Colonel Icebot, and Decimator. Season 2 had warriors Doom Master and Despera, and the monster-maker Oraclon.
** Decimator beat the crap out of Ryan Steele almost every time they met, was explicitly said to be Grimlord's second in command, and usually either guarded Grimlord or acted as field commander. He's a full-on Dragon.
* EvilCounterpart: The Red Python.
* EvilDetectingDog: The veterinarian who was {{Brainwashed}} into becoming the Red Python was suddenly a lot less popular with her patients after her change.
* FadSuper
* FollowTheLeader: No, ''not Franchise/PowerRangers;'' {{Toku}} is a genre of its own. However, high schooler heroes use pendants to fully transform into robotic forms? Sounds suspiciously like the new-at-the-time MarvelComics character {{Darkhawk}}.
* GenreBlind: The Troopers. Every episode, they see three people quietly walk up to them, without saying a word, and never realize that they're Skugs in disguise.
* GratuitousJapanese: As with ''Franchise/PowerRangers,'' Japanese footage in the background is an occupational hazard of using StockFootage from Japan-original shows. It's most obvious in one episode where a monster kidnaps a little boy. There is a kanji sign in the hallway to his apartment. {{Justified|Trope}} on this occasion, as the boy was Japanese-American (in order to match up with the kidnapped boy from the Japanese footage), and the place might have been in a Japanese community within Crossworld City.
* HauntedHouse: The episode "Grimlord's House of Fear" features one. Turns out it's just Colonel Ice-Bot trying to break into the Real World.
* HealingHands: Only two episodes ("Error in the System", "My Dog's Girlfriend") have Kaitlin run to JB's rescue and, seeing that he is critically injured by Skuggs, she uses her healing technique/command called "Power Transfer" to restore JB's power. And the technique choreography in the former episode is amazingly longer than in the latter.
* HenpeckedHusband: The Mayor. Apparently, his wife requires him to discuss any decisions he makes with her.
* HeroStoleMyBike: Averted; JB checked with the owner before chasing after the monsters.
* HumongousMecha: In Season 2, Ryan gains one called the VR Troopertron.
* InsultBackfire: In the episode "Nightmares:"
--> '''J.B.:''' (''After a monster transforms.'') ''"You're still ugly!"''
--> '''Monster:'''' ''"Flattery will get you nowhere!"''
* {{Kiai}}: Ryan Steele. So much so, that he has three distinct battle cries.
--> ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j49Ci1DqBns#t=36 "KEY-YEAAAAAHHH!"]]''
--> ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL6NxNn7eVw#t=25 "AYE-YAUUUAAGHH!"]]''
--> ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL6NxNn7eVw#t=46 "WUSSAAAAAAAHHH!"]]''
* KryptoniteFactor: [[{{Mooks}} Skugs]] dissolved if they touched each other.
* LetsSplitUpGang: Since Ryan's Trooper form and Kate/JB's Trooper forms came from different shows, they always managed to find an excuse to split up.
* LukeIAmYourFather: When we finally got to meet the famous Tyler Steele, we didn't know it was him at first.
* [[MadeOfIron Made of Steele]]: ...and in that arc, he really earns his last name. ''Ouch.''
* MatterReplicator: Apparently the Virtual World works like this.
* MonsterOfTheWeek: In the first season, the goons seen in Grimlord's court were ''all'' monsters who'd eventually get to be the monster of an episode. Since stock footage was used for some villains' base scenes, previously defeated monsters were often right there to greet Grimlord as he arrived, just like last week... and some would do battle again, with or without their past demises {{Handwave}}d. Many monsters were seen multiple times, with his personal favorites kept into the second season. (Most egregious example: Air Striker. This helicopter-based monster was sent nearly every episode, destroyed nearly every episode, and always came back for more.) Of course, given the fact that they're computer-generated creations, he can simply recreate any monster he likes.
* {{Mooks}}: The Skugs. With the ability to shapeshift, they frequently approached in the form of civilians. Karl Ziktor's female assistants were Skugs, and so was his main underling, Strickland (who acted like a Skug while looking human if no one who wasn't already in the know was around. Creepy.) As Skugs are often destroyed, there have in fact been many assistants and Stricklands. In Season 1, they're upgraded to Ultra Skugs, and female Mooks called Vixens added.
** Skugs are destroyed by forcing two of them to collide. On at least one occasion, Grimlord managed to successfully steal an item by sending an ''odd number'' of Skugs. The last one standing after all the pairs were dealt with grabbed the item and ran.
* NeverSayDie
* OneWingedAngel: Oraclon's android body, and the way Ultra Skugs tended to look like normal Skugs initially and then transform midway through a fight.
* PeopleInRubberSuits
* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: One episode has Kaitlin and Percy make a bet over which football team will win in an upcoming game. Surprise to no one who's watched the show this far, Percy loses, and his punishment is having to repaint the Underground Voice's walls pink, despite him being allergic. We later see him having an allergic reaction due to the paint, but everyone just laughs it off.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: Sort of. Ryan had an extended battle with Grimlord's third-in-command, Zelton. Ryan ''just barely'' won the battle. Zelton told Ryan that his father was still alive... and promptly got remotely self-destructed by Decimator. His final act was pushing Ryan out of reach of the explosion. It's a "sort of" only in that, like all the monsters, he could be recloned. In fact, he was, and he could be seen in the pit with Grimlord's other monsters in every other episode.
* RichBitch: The Mayor's wife, who considers herself above everyone else. Fortunately for everyone (and unfortunately for her), karma strikes back in the form of Jeb.
* RightHandCat: Ziktor's iguana takes this role.
* SamusIsAGirl: In "Who's King of the Mountain," J.B. comes into real world contact with his South American email pal, Jose. [[spoiler: While the first Jose is revealed to be a Skug in disguise, the real one shows up near the end--- revealing herself as a girl named Josephina (Jose is her nickname).]]
* SecretPublicIdentity: Only the ''bad'' Trooper bothered with a codename.
* ShowWithinAShow: In one episode Jeb was watching ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'' on the base monitor.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Percy.
* SoLastSeason: Ryan's new armor and Grimlord's revamped forces. Oddly enough, ''Shaider'' (the show that was used for Ryan's second season suit) is a much older show than ''Metalder'' (the source of his original suit).
* StockFootage: Both footage from its ''MetalHeroes'' forebears and internally-reused footage.
* StrictlyFormula: This is usually how episodes go.
** Ryan talks about his dad
** The Troopers are having a normal day
** Jeb does something to Percy
** Grimlord hatches a plan
** The Troopers fight Skugs, and then go to deal with the MonsterOfTheWeek
** Ryan is separated from the others due to footage restraints
** Monster killed
** Grimlord declares vengeance and shakes his fist
** Jeb does something to Percy
** Ryan sums up the episode.
* StuntDouble: When the actors are oddly dressed in '80s clothing for certain scenes in an episode, anticipate the show using footage of the Japanese actors as this in the very next shot.
** Similarly, if part of the plot revolves around an Asian-American child, expect them to be kidnapped by a monster, in order to sync up with the kidnapped child in the Japanese footage.
* TechnologyMarchesOn: Obviously, some of the Virtual Reality concepts are dated, but one noticeable instance has Ryan commenting on how it would be great if the team could communicate while still far away. Professor Hart gives them Gameboy-looking communicators, but if the show was set in modern times, this could have easily been solved by a cell phone. Even though they had cell phones back then, the batteries were unreliable and reception was notoriously bad thanks to cell towers only just recently being built.
* TokenTrio: The three protagonists, duh.
* TransformationSequence
* TransformationTrinket: The Virtualizer pendants worn by the Troopers.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Ziktor. Good enough to keep people from suspecting he's Grimlord, at least. He's still disliked for his polluting ways.
* VirtualWorlds
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The original seven minute pilot depicted Tao being aware of the Trooper's identities.
* [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield Where the Hell Is Crossworld City?]]
* {{Zeerust}}: The show was made when Virtual Reality was the "Wave of the Future." Now, at least in the form it's seen in the show, it's more of an artifact that anything else.
----
->''Troopers three! (Go!) Virtual Reality...''
[[SpiritualSuccessor In the spirit of, on the heels of, and by the makers of]] ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', the MetalHeroes {{Toku}} series was adapted by Saban into a new show known as ''VR Troopers'' in 1994.
The premise is basically that via AppliedPhlebotinum created by Tyler Steele, Karl Ziktor, and Professor Horatio Hart, anything created in virtual reality actually ''exists'' in AnotherDimension, and can be brought forth into the real world. Tyler Steele goes missing, but left behind the means for his son and friends to defend the real world from Ziktor, now a CorruptCorporateExecutive with a virtual army ready to conquer the world. [[CityOfAdventure Crossworld City]] is a weak point between dimensions and as such, the front lines in the battle with Ziktor, aka Grimlord (Ziktor's super-powered virtual world avatar), and his forces. Professor Hart, his body mortally wounded by Grimlord, exists inside the base's computers and acts as TheObiWan.
The second season sees the complete overhaul of the villains' setup and one character's gear in a series where StatusQuoIsGod... or was.
Like ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', three MetalHeroes series were used as source materials to make one. Ryan's armor, Grimlord, and any villain ever seen ''in'' Grimlord's lair came from ''ChoujinkiMetalder''. Another show, ''JikuuSenshiSpielban'', provided armored Kaitlin and JB, General Icebot and Ivar, the Skugs, many of the team's vehicles, and most of the [[MonsterOfTheWeek villains of the week]] (such as Red Python and Desponda). The second season, in which Ryan's armor and Grimlord's tech are switched out, takes footage from still another show, ''SpaceSheriffShaider''.
Somehow, with that many sources of footage, costumes, and plots, the vast majority of second season episodes revolved around something dangerous being made in an underground lab that had eventually to be taken out with the same drill vehicle going through the same {{stock footage}}.
VRT's suits were a vast departure from those of Franchise/PowerRangers and the like: instead of [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman suiting up a human]], the Troopers were actually transformed into robot forms that were created from scratch in virtual reality. If damaged in Trooper form, they had to be repaired as machines before they could return to human form.
The show has a rather interesting production history, to say the least: originally a vehicle for [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Jason David Frank]], an unaired pilot was both shot and sold to several stations, who proceeded to buy it due to the popularity of Power Rangers , but at the last minute Saban decided to bring JDF back to PR, which meant that the starring role had to be recast with Brad Hawkins (who was originally set to play the White Ranger in the second season of ''Mighty Morphin''), although the show by that point was deemed highly unsalvageable and was filmed only for contractual obligations with the TV stations who had already bought the series. To the surprise of many, the first season was actually quite successful and a second season was soon green-lighted by Saban. However, during the second season all the ''Metalder'' action footage ran out and Saban was forced to use footage from a third and drastically different (and much older) show for the Ryan Steele segments. Eventually all the remaining ''Spielban'' footage, as well most of the ''Shaider'' footage, were used up too.
Saban picked up the rights to a fourth ''Metal Hero'' series ''{{Juukou B-Fighter}}'', but rather than risk alienating the show's fan-base by changing the entire team's costumes and motifs like they did with ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', they decided to start fresh with a new Americanized version, ''Series/{{Beetleborgs}}'', resulting in the cancellation of ''VR Troopers''.
As of June 2011, the entire series (along with ''[[{{Beetleborgs}} Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'') is available for streaming on Netflix.
[[AC: Starring:]]
* '''Ryan Steele''', searching for his father Tyler Steele, who helped create the technology, is assumed to be second in command at Tao Dojo.
* '''Kaitlin Starr''', who works at a newspaper called the Underground Voice.
* '''J.B. Reese''', martial artist who works for the dojo where the Troopers train.
* '''Professor Hart''', friend of Tyler Steele, whose mind was placed inside the base's computers to save his life.
* '''Tao Chung''', martial arts teacher and mentor of the team (in a life lessons sorta way. He doesn't know they're the Troopers.)
* '''Woody''', the editor of the Underground Voice. Much more personable than J. Jonah Jameson. Frequently heard to say "[[{{Catchphrase}} What an ideeeeeee-a!]]"
* '''Jeb''', the dog [[IntellectualAnimal turned sentient and made speech-capable]] via some of the base's AppliedPhlebotinum.
* '''Percy''', mayor's nephew and would-be beau of Kaitlin. Highly obnoxious. Strictly comic relief. Occasionally, his aunt and uncle show up. They're even more comic relief.
* '''Karl Ziktor''', a Corrupt CEO who has a dual identity: in virtual reality, he's the BigBad, '''Grimlord''', with an army of VR cyborg creatures.
----
!!Troper Transform!
* AdultFear: From the "Defending Dark Heart" arc: [[spoiler: Being forced against your will to kill your only son.]]
* AliensSpeakingEnglish: The two alien kids from "New Kids on the Planet." Though, apparently, ''Dog'' is a lot easier to speak than English.
* AppliedPhlebotinum: In addition to the impossible array of one-shot gadgets seen in the lab, "virtual reality" is the king of all plot devices. In this series, it basically means "whip up anything you want on the screen and have it pop out in reality."
* BadBoss: When Grimlord gets new tech and uses it to make a new fortress and minions, he self-destructs his old base, killing all of his old minions except for the small handful he decided were useful enough. On one occasion he mentioned that he didn't care that they destroyed his monster of the week since it was just a distraction from the master plan.
* BarehandedBladeBlock: Kaitlin does this ''unmorphed'' against Doom Master once.
* BBCQuarry: The "virtual world," when we see it, is the same quarry frequently seen in ''Franchise/PowerRangers's SuperSentai'' footage. JB frequently teleports the entire battle back here so as to keep civilians from getting hurt.
* {{BFG}}: JB's Techno Bazooka.
* BigBad: Grimlord.
* BookEnds: Each episode begins with Ryan remembering something his dad taught him. The episode would then have AnAesop involving what Ryan talked about. The episode would then end with Ryan summing up the Aesop.
* BoundAndGagged: In one episode, Kaitlin was captured in a trap specifically meant of her then bound and gagged to lure the others into a DeathTrap.
** Due to the different footage sources meaning there's no Japanese footage of everyone against the same monster, capturing ''somebody'' is a common way of explaining someone's absence from the final round with the MonsterOfTheWeek.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Red Python, Dark Heart.
* ButtMonkey: Percy, courtesy of Jeb.
* ByThePowerOfGreyskull: "Trooper Transform! [[PunctuatedForEmphasis We! Are! V! R!]]" (Actually, the "We are VR!" is unnecessary.) The BigBad also had one: "Forces of darkness, empower me! Take me back to my virtual reality!"
* CallingYourAttacks: Every weapon or tool was activated by saying "[gadget name] command, now!" Even returning to human form was "Retro-form command, now!"
* {{Catchphrase}}: Woody: "What an ideeeeee-a!", Ryan and JB: "See Ya!"
* ChristmasEpisode: "Santa's Secret Trooper". And this is done without the ''Spielban'' or ''Shaider'' action footages too!
* CloningBlues: Kaitlin's evil clone actually does a HeelFaceTurn and is summoned to help out now and again.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Karl Ziktor. In some episodes, it's even shown that the mayor is afraid of him.
* CompositeCharacter: inverted somewhat Kaitlin Star's clone and red python were the same persion under the suit in Spealban Diana and Helenboth wore the same Lady armor. Saban just converted the atoner plot line in to an power up for Star.
* CoversAlwaysLie: Three British [=DVDs=] were released by Jetix, all containing season 1 episodes. Volume 2 has the season 2 team on the box art (i.e. the wrong version of Ryan). Volume three features the {{Space|SheriffGavan}} {{S|paceSheriffSharivan}}heriffs instead of JB and Kaitlin.
* CutShort: Our heroes never got to defeat Grimlord or learn that he was Karl Ziktor.
* {{Cyberspace}}: The virtual world.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Considered by fans to be much Darker and more serious than Franchise/PowerRangers, some of the Story Arcs the show had were quite dark, especially when we discover who the villain Dark Heart really is.
** Also the villains were allowed more gruesome deaths than there were on Franchise/PowerRangers, due to the series being syndicated - decapitations, splitting in half, and impalement were not uncommon (the last of these was, in fact, how JB usually dispatched the monsters he fought).
* DeathIsCheap: See MonsterOfTheWeek.
* TheDragon: Season 1 didn't have Dragons per se, but Grimlord had his go-to recurring monsters and his assistants as Ziktor, as well as sub-villains who handled the technical end of his plans or prepared the MonsterOfTheWeek, such as General Ivar, Colonel Icebot, and Decimator. Season 2 had warriors Doom Master and Despera, and the monster-maker Oraclon.
** Decimator beat the crap out of Ryan Steele almost every time they met, was explicitly said to be Grimlord's second in command, and usually either guarded Grimlord or acted as field commander. He's a full-on Dragon.
* EvilCounterpart: The Red Python.
* EvilDetectingDog: The veterinarian who was {{Brainwashed}} into becoming the Red Python was suddenly a lot less popular with her patients after her change.
* FadSuper
* FollowTheLeader: No, ''not Franchise/PowerRangers;'' {{Toku}} is a genre of its own. However, high schooler heroes use pendants to fully transform into robotic forms? Sounds suspiciously like the new-at-the-time MarvelComics character {{Darkhawk}}.
* GenreBlind: The Troopers. Every episode, they see three people quietly walk up to them, without saying a word, and never realize that they're Skugs in disguise.
* GratuitousJapanese: As with ''Franchise/PowerRangers,'' Japanese footage in the background is an occupational hazard of using StockFootage from Japan-original shows. It's most obvious in one episode where a monster kidnaps a little boy. There is a kanji sign in the hallway to his apartment. {{Justified|Trope}} on this occasion, as the boy was Japanese-American (in order to match up with the kidnapped boy from the Japanese footage), and the place might have been in a Japanese community within Crossworld City.
* HauntedHouse: The episode "Grimlord's House of Fear" features one. Turns out it's just Colonel Ice-Bot trying to break into the Real World.
* HealingHands: Only two episodes ("Error in the System", "My Dog's Girlfriend") have Kaitlin run to JB's rescue and, seeing that he is critically injured by Skuggs, she uses her healing technique/command called "Power Transfer" to restore JB's power. And the technique choreography in the former episode is amazingly longer than in the latter.
* HenpeckedHusband: The Mayor. Apparently, his wife requires him to discuss any decisions he makes with her.
* HeroStoleMyBike: Averted; JB checked with the owner before chasing after the monsters.
* HumongousMecha: In Season 2, Ryan gains one called the VR Troopertron.
* InsultBackfire: In the episode "Nightmares:"
--> '''J.B.:''' (''After a monster transforms.'') ''"You're still ugly!"''
--> '''Monster:'''' ''"Flattery will get you nowhere!"''
* {{Kiai}}: Ryan Steele. So much so, that he has three distinct battle cries.
--> ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j49Ci1DqBns#t=36 "KEY-YEAAAAAHHH!"]]''
--> ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL6NxNn7eVw#t=25 "AYE-YAUUUAAGHH!"]]''
--> ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL6NxNn7eVw#t=46 "WUSSAAAAAAAHHH!"]]''
* KryptoniteFactor: [[{{Mooks}} Skugs]] dissolved if they touched each other.
* LetsSplitUpGang: Since Ryan's Trooper form and Kate/JB's Trooper forms came from different shows, they always managed to find an excuse to split up.
* LukeIAmYourFather: When we finally got to meet the famous Tyler Steele, we didn't know it was him at first.
* [[MadeOfIron Made of Steele]]: ...and in that arc, he really earns his last name. ''Ouch.''
* MatterReplicator: Apparently the Virtual World works like this.
* MonsterOfTheWeek: In the first season, the goons seen in Grimlord's court were ''all'' monsters who'd eventually get to be the monster of an episode. Since stock footage was used for some villains' base scenes, previously defeated monsters were often right there to greet Grimlord as he arrived, just like last week... and some would do battle again, with or without their past demises {{Handwave}}d. Many monsters were seen multiple times, with his personal favorites kept into the second season. (Most egregious example: Air Striker. This helicopter-based monster was sent nearly every episode, destroyed nearly every episode, and always came back for more.) Of course, given the fact that they're computer-generated creations, he can simply recreate any monster he likes.
* {{Mooks}}: The Skugs. With the ability to shapeshift, they frequently approached in the form of civilians. Karl Ziktor's female assistants were Skugs, and so was his main underling, Strickland (who acted like a Skug while looking human if no one who wasn't already in the know was around. Creepy.) As Skugs are often destroyed, there have in fact been many assistants and Stricklands. In Season 1, they're upgraded to Ultra Skugs, and female Mooks called Vixens added.
** Skugs are destroyed by forcing two of them to collide. On at least one occasion, Grimlord managed to successfully steal an item by sending an ''odd number'' of Skugs. The last one standing after all the pairs were dealt with grabbed the item and ran.
* NeverSayDie
* OneWingedAngel: Oraclon's android body, and the way Ultra Skugs tended to look like normal Skugs initially and then transform midway through a fight.
* PeopleInRubberSuits
* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: One episode has Kaitlin and Percy make a bet over which football team will win in an upcoming game. Surprise to no one who's watched the show this far, Percy loses, and his punishment is having to repaint the Underground Voice's walls pink, despite him being allergic. We later see him having an allergic reaction due to the paint, but everyone just laughs it off.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: Sort of. Ryan had an extended battle with Grimlord's third-in-command, Zelton. Ryan ''just barely'' won the battle. Zelton told Ryan that his father was still alive... and promptly got remotely self-destructed by Decimator. His final act was pushing Ryan out of reach of the explosion. It's a "sort of" only in that, like all the monsters, he could be recloned. In fact, he was, and he could be seen in the pit with Grimlord's other monsters in every other episode.
* RichBitch: The Mayor's wife, who considers herself above everyone else. Fortunately for everyone (and unfortunately for her), karma strikes back in the form of Jeb.
* RightHandCat: Ziktor's iguana takes this role.
* SamusIsAGirl: In "Who's King of the Mountain," J.B. comes into real world contact with his South American email pal, Jose. [[spoiler: While the first Jose is revealed to be a Skug in disguise, the real one shows up near the end--- revealing herself as a girl named Josephina (Jose is her nickname).]]
* SecretPublicIdentity: Only the ''bad'' Trooper bothered with a codename.
* ShowWithinAShow: In one episode Jeb was watching ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'' on the base monitor.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Percy.
* SoLastSeason: Ryan's new armor and Grimlord's revamped forces. Oddly enough, ''Shaider'' (the show that was used for Ryan's second season suit) is a much older show than ''Metalder'' (the source of his original suit).
* StockFootage: Both footage from its ''MetalHeroes'' forebears and internally-reused footage.
* StrictlyFormula: This is usually how episodes go.
** Ryan talks about his dad
** The Troopers are having a normal day
** Jeb does something to Percy
** Grimlord hatches a plan
** The Troopers fight Skugs, and then go to deal with the MonsterOfTheWeek
** Ryan is separated from the others due to footage restraints
** Monster killed
** Grimlord declares vengeance and shakes his fist
** Jeb does something to Percy
** Ryan sums up the episode.
* StuntDouble: When the actors are oddly dressed in '80s clothing for certain scenes in an episode, anticipate the show using footage of the Japanese actors as this in the very next shot.
** Similarly, if part of the plot revolves around an Asian-American child, expect them to be kidnapped by a monster, in order to sync up with the kidnapped child in the Japanese footage.
* TechnologyMarchesOn: Obviously, some of the Virtual Reality concepts are dated, but one noticeable instance has Ryan commenting on how it would be great if the team could communicate while still far away. Professor Hart gives them Gameboy-looking communicators, but if the show was set in modern times, this could have easily been solved by a cell phone. Even though they had cell phones back then, the batteries were unreliable and reception was notoriously bad thanks to cell towers only just recently being built.
* TokenTrio: The three protagonists, duh.
* TransformationSequence
* TransformationTrinket: The Virtualizer pendants worn by the Troopers.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Ziktor. Good enough to keep people from suspecting he's Grimlord, at least. He's still disliked for his polluting ways.
* VirtualWorlds
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The original seven minute pilot depicted Tao being aware of the Trooper's identities.
* [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield Where the Hell Is Crossworld City?]]
* {{Zeerust}}: The show was made when Virtual Reality was the "Wave of the Future." Now, at least in the form it's seen in the show, it's more of an artifact that anything else.
----
