Axem Rangers

"Axem Red: We fight for evil! Axem Black: We live for disorder! Axem Green: We like what we do! Axem Pink: We struggle for chaos! Axem Yellow: We are... All:...the AXEM RANGERS!!"

- Axem Rangers

The Axem Rangers are teenage members of the Smithy Gang and appear in the game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. There are five Axem Rangers, each with their own distinct traits and abilities. However, all five Axem Rangers wield a small axe in battle. Additionally, the Axem Rangers have their own battleship, the aptly named Blade. Axem Red is the leader of the group.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
During the events of the game, Mario and his allies enter the Barrel Volcano to locate the sixth Star Piece. Unbeknownst to the heroes, Smithy has ordered the Axem Rangers to recover the Star Piece as well. After Mario and company defeated the Czar Dragon, they discover the sixth Star Piece. However, before the heroes can claim it, Axem Red appears and swipes the Star Piece away from Mario. Then, the Axem Rangers escape to their battleship Blade. Mario follows closely behind and jumps onto the deck of the massive ship. Thus, Mario and his allies engage the five Axem Rangers. Eventually, each ranger falls, one-by-one. However, the fight is not over yet. The Axem Rangers combine their power with the Blade's Breaker Beam, and begin firing devastating blasts at Mario's party. However, even this was not enough. Ultimately, the Axem Rangers and Blade are defeated by Mario and his allies. Blade explodes and Mario recovers the sixth Star Piece. However, this is not the last Mario and company will see of the Axem Rangers. They return in the Factory, as gray, mass-produced copies of the original Axem Rangers. As it turns out, the original five Axem Rangers were merely the prototypes for an army of mass-produced Axem Rangers.

The Axem Rangers were first mentioned by another of Smithy's minions, Yaridovich. Apparently, the Axem Rangers were supposed to pick up Yaridovich after he recovered the fifth Star Piece. However, the rangers were running late, causing Yaridovich to be defeated by Mario and his new ally, Jonathan Jones.

Trivia

 * The Axem Rangers are a parody of the Super Sentai series in Japan, which was the basis for the Power Rangers series in the United States.
 * As five colorcoded warriors with their own abilities, they also resemble the Ginyu Force from Dragonball Z, who are also a parody of Sentai and even Sailor Moon.
 * The Axem Rangers are the only main Smithy Gang members (aside from Exor) who did not appear in the ending parade. However, their damaged battleship Blade was present despite their absence.