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I thought this one was just the ~slighest~ bit thinner of terms of having a plot that felt like it was trying to say something, but as an episode overall, it was very entertaining and still had a solid thematic core about teamwork.
And, yeah, Bulk and Skull. That's pretty much the perfect way to sum these guys up, and that's awesome. Like, you could seriously dub that music over all their scenes and it would fit perfectly. :lol |
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Also, in the comics Bulk and Skull really do become rangers. The board game (which is terribly hard, but also quite good) includes them in an expansion. Behold the glory! https://boardgamegeek.com/image/4889...-character-pac |
Episode 8 "Music Battle"
The episode starts with Liu Bei and Gongsan Zan lamenting about their grocery situation when they hear music being played. And see a bunch of people including Mi Zhu mindlessly rocking out to Li Jue and Gou Si music. During the ensuing battle the two use their music to beat our heroes. Commenting on this Liu Bei and Gongsan Zan vowed to beat them. Back to the Fly Bros it’s revealed that the mysterious purple haired person(who I’m totally betting is Hua Tuo) put some sort of little chip on their instruments that excludes a dark aura that powers them up. https://i.redd.it/i3y4taajezf61.jpg https://i.redd.it/s74d53nrezf61.jpg https://i.redd.it/nhowwkvxezf61.jpg Liu Bei and Gongsan Sun try to sync up by relating back to their music choices and styles, but it doesn't really work out. Their plan now is to use headphones to block out the noise and Zhao Yun realises about the chips informing the two to destroy them. Mi Zhu tries to woo Gongsun again but the two rush out to fight the Fly Brothers again. But Mi Zhu receives the radio ad back in a CD due to the previous episode deciding to -play it all around the park to get people interested. During the initial fights the headphones work but by amping up their instruments. Just when all hope seems lost, the heroes hear the ad and this motivates them to fight on, eventually overpowering the two and destroying the instruments. The Fly Bros make a retreat and the episodes ends with the 3 going back to the dojo. * This episode is fairly light on a plot and more along continuing the idea that Liu Bei and Gongsan Zan need to work together. And that’s totally fine. It's still early on in the show, and it’s better get this out of the way early on. There are still new elements such as the dark chips and seemingly the Fly Bros are going to be recurring antagonists, and I’m excited to see where it all leads up to.* |
Yeah, just like the last one, I kinda think this episode was pretty light on substance. It's not doing anything particularly meaty in terms of plot or themes, but, as you said, that's not a huge deal-breaker this early in a series.
In a way, I guess it even sort of fits that the episodes introducing the shallow rockers are a lot of fun flash without too much deeper meaning? |
Isn’t it weird how both of our watch threads came to fairly dull episodes on about the same day?
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Probably prejudiced a bit because I love Flyquito. |
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I actually found this episode alot of fun, even moreso than the previous one, as it has a nice handful of good character moments in it. Bulk and Skull reaffirming that they're good friends and punching themselves in the face to Henshin, the personalities of Guan Yu, Zheng Fei, and Zhao Yun all playing off eachother when forming a battle plan, Liu Bei's' always dorky personality, and the biggest one for me, Mi Zhu running Liu Bei's' ad all around town. Sure, it was for a bit of a selfish reason, but it was still really nice for him to do, and it leading to a nice flashback scene ontop of being what gives our heroes the opportunity to save the day really just tied it all together for me.
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Hey y'all just want to update you that the next couple of episode are coming in one big batch. Just to let you know I'm still here. As a preview I really am digging the show direction and coming off the last two these episode are welcome addition.
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Hey man, go at whatever pace works best for you. I know I'll be having fun going alongside it regardless!
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Episode 9 "The Ambition of The Bear Family"
The episode begins with a cool mock fight between Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan. And with Mi Zhu catching them as well as confirming that he doesn't remember being a Legend Hero. The show quickly takes a swerve as there is a bank robbery being done by men in bear masks. https://i.redd.it/kkk6cifh33q61.jpg The cops quickly chase after when we’re introduced to a new character Tae-O watching the chase on binoculars telling his fellow officers that they're after their wrong people. https://i.redd.it/s8hjknbs33q61.jpg We soon see he’s correct and in the Bear Family true hideout with their leader Dong Zhuo and his Hero Piece Hua Xiong! https://i.redd.it/kj20w5x643q61.jpg https://i.redd.it/badhjvuf43q61.jpg Dong Zhou escapes and afterward, Tae-O is berated for going after the man alone. The situation deescalates as we meet another new character Wang Yun, a senior officer. https://i.redd.it/abwlsu3r43q61.jpg This allows us to learn Tae-O's backstory of being kidnapped and held for ransom and being saved by Wang Yun, which forges his sense of wanting to bring justice. After some shenanigans with Mi Zhu fooling around with one of the bear masks and being caught Tae-O notices Liu Bei Hero Pieces and questions him. While Liu Bei denies any connection with the Dong Zhou, fortunately, a report comes in from tracking him down and the two chase after him leading to a fight between the two Legend Heroes. Liu Bei uses Zhang Fei's turtle shield to block Hua Xiong's bullets and eventually runs out of Hero Power and forces him to go back into Guan Yu and try to take a shot but failing with Tae-O help at aiming Hua XIion goes down. https://i.redd.it/zzz82jn263q61.jpg However, before Tae-O can arrest him Hua Xiong initiates a FInal Battle slowing downtime and the two summon their Legend Machines. Using what they’ve learned about combining multiple Legend Machines they become Legend King Dual Dragon! https://i.redd.it/b8xhutt753q61.jpg https://i.redd.it/tot0n1cp53q61.jpg Thanks to their combined powers Liu Bei wins however Dong Zhou gets away. The episode ends with Liu Bei being impressed by Tae-O skills and saying they should team up however he is displeased with the guy and decided to plant a bug onto Li Bei's jacket ending the episode. https://i.redd.it/52gfhbzi63q61.jpg So this episode is escalating the stakes of the show. A new mainstay character in Tae-O, and a brand-new antagonist on a level we haven’t seen in the show yet. And overall it feels very much like the beginning of the end of the first quarter of the show. I can’t wait to see how the Bear Family storyline is resolved. And after the relatively light two-parter last time this hits where it needs to IMO. The current theory is that Tae-O was a Legend Hero too before losing his powers but not all of his memories. We see at the beginning that Mi Zhu doesn’t recognize what Legend Heroes are but Tae-O knows about them but not specifics. Episode 10 "Lu Bu The Strongest" Tae-O tries to spy on Liu-Bei but hears nothing but silly antics from them Meanwhile Dong Zhou meets with the purple hair man from before. Who after playing around with Dong Zhou goons by controlling them offers him the same device that he gave to the Fly Bros and upgrading his rifle. He introduces himself as Zhang Jue and he’s an angel as well. https://i.redd.it/uzdofg2a73q61.jpg There is a scam contest in which people hit an item to measure their strength and if someone can get it up to 8,000 they win a diamond ring. However if not the person gets a consolation prize. But it turns out is just a way to lure people so that Dong Zhou can steal their energy to fuel himself. Liu Bei enters and wins surprising everybody as they all thought he was weak! Dong Zhou then comes out and sees the commotion and recognizes Liu Bei, Gongsun Zan, and Dong Zhou begin to fight but Hua Xiong soon gains an upper hand and absorbs both of their powers, Tae-O arrives and tries to fight as well. All hope seems lost until a new Legend Hero stronger than the other shows up and makes the quick work of Hua Xiong even when absorbing his power it becomes too much and forces him to retreat. https://i.redd.it/wtw8tn5m73q61.jpg Tae-O claims Liu Bei is weak even with his powers and that in his hands would be better used. (Hmm foreshadowing perhaps?) We cut to the police station where Wang Yun is berating Tae-O for his reckless action and bugging people. Liu Bei tries to find the new Legend Hero whose name I’ll just tell you right now is Lu Bu. And eventually, he comes to him and they battle with Liu Bei wanting him to train him and Lu Bu asking for what reason does he fight and finding him to be quite naive, to be honest. Final Battle is initiated and we Legend King Nightmare in action. https://i.redd.it/azcrn80v73q61.jpg The battle ended with Liu Bei knocked out and taken. As he wakes up to see a little girl with Lu Bu Hero Piece. Downstairs it’s revealed that the girl is Wang Yu's father and that he is the new Legend Hero. https://i.redd.it/p61566o483q61.jpg Honestly, this arc has been hitting it twice in a row. We have Dong Zhou getting a power-up from Zhang Jue. Liu Bei's confidence goes up as we see him trying and succeeding in the strength contest And we see the difference between Liu Bei and Tae-O. As well as a new Legend Hero one whose motivation continues escalations as he wants to kill a gangster. The color grading and choreography were also fantastic this episode, especially this shot. Episode 11 "The Bear Family Strikes Back (Cool empire reference) The little girl’s name is Diaochan and Wang Yun tells Liu Bei that he is already quite strong, it is his mental fortitude that needs work. The two decided to work together to bring down Dong Zhou. Tae-O arrives and comes in and gives a doll to Daiochan. Liu Bei and Tae-O discuss Wang Yun his legacy and one of his trophies. Tae-O finds out that Wang Yun is the new Legend Hero seeing Lu Bu Hero Piece with Daiochan and overhears their plans to attack. The next day Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan arrive and are waiting for Wang Yun when Tae-O showed up it seems like he isn’t coming but before anything else happens Dong Zhou shows up and a fight ensues. Using team-work the two overwhelmed Hua Xiong however Lu bu shows up beats them all! It turns out Diaochan has been kidnaped and his forced to work for him. During the battle TAe-O gets his energy drained but much like what happened in episode 10 it’s too much and the powers backfire. Even the red angel takes note of this incident. Before leaving Wan Yun gives a hint of where their hideout is. During the fight, Hua Xiong drains all of the energy of his crew despite his right-hand man’s instance of being a family. Later on, while storming their base Tae-O received a call of where Diaochan is. And after an extensive fight scene finds her along with the right-hand man. https://i.redd.it/2wwynixw63q61.jpg The other is engaged in battle with Wang Yun when they learn of her safety ending the episode with Lu Bu taking on Dong Zhou, Once again we see just how different Dong Zhou is from the other villains so far. With The whole hostage situation of Diaochan. This entire arc hits harder than others before due to continuing escalation of threats. Also, Diaochan is such a sweetheart. And hints of Wang Yun’s backstory are being dropped with there being no mother/wife. I can’t wait to see how this arc revolves and hope these two stays as main characters. Episode 12 "The Birth of the Red Hero" After swiftly beating Hua Xiong, Wang Yun orders Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan to leave in fear of the cops getting suspicious of the two. When Dong Zhou reveals a bomb vest and accidentally activates it. While trying to save his life Tae-O argues they shouldn’t since he’s a criminal to which Wang Yun states he’s human and their cops. Wang Yun successfully takes the vest off a throws it away before exploding. But Dong Zhou manages to steal Tae-O’s gun and kills Wang Yun taking his Hero Piece and running but was caught by other cops who then drop the piece. In his dying words Wang Yun wanted to apologize they couldn’t fight together, how much Tae-O has grown, and to give Liu Bei his trophy sword. Afterward time-skipping ahead Tae-O quits, and Liu Bei trains so much his hand bleed devastated by Wang Yun’s death. Tae-O then visits Daiochan reassuring her it’s going to be alright and meets with Liu Bei who insists they should fight together but he refuses. Afterward in his lair? https://i.redd.it/hq4vbh2e83q61.jpg Tae-O integrates the Hua Xiong Hero Piece to learn how to become a Legend Hero and upon deciding on the Phoneix as his animal changes his name to Cao Cao and summoning the Red Angel to become a new Legend Hero. After breaking Dong Zhou out they fight under heavy rain and Cao Cao becomes Legend Hero Xiaohun Dun. https://i.redd.it/pqfrpy1p83q61.jpg Whose powers even get Guan Yu and Zhang Fe’s attention waking Liu Bei up. In the battle, he reveals he has another Hero Piece becoming Legend Hero Xiaohun Yuan! https://i.redd.it/zbeyj6lw83q61.jpg They engaged in a Final Battle and revealing his Legend machine Phoenix Chopper who swiftly defeats Hua Xiong. https://i.redd.it/zvfioaa393q61.jpg As he’s groping on the ledge Liu Bei comes claiming he has a score to settle with him And Cao Cao telling him it won’t be necessary and shoot his hand making him fall into the river. The episode ending with the Cao Cao walking away and Liu Bei staring in disbelief in the rain https://i.redd.it/r89qr80b93q61.jpg The final episode of this arc cemented it’s currently my favorite part of the show. Continuous escalation of two great characters. Coming off the last two-parter was refreshing. Tae-O now Cao Cao is going to stay for the long run and I can’t wait to see the rivalry they’ve been setting up with Liu Bei. Also, Lu Bu isn’t gone they made it appoint where Dong Zhou loses him and we never saw him turn into stone fully. |
Holy cow did this show take a turn!
I legit loved all of these episodes. From the action, to the music, to the acting, to the story itself, and ESPECIALLY the atmosphere, everything was on point! I outright called it when it came to Lu Bu's' identity, though I was legit surprised at the twist they gave him from the real life Lu Bu. Tae-O becoming Cao Cao, while also obvious, was handled REALLY well. While I still say episode 6 is my favorite episode, episode 12 is easily a very close second, and it definitely feels like a lead in to a "season finale" of sorts for Legend Heroes. Cannot wait to see how this is all going to get resolved(if at all) next episode. Man this is such a nice treat to return to after Blassreiter! |
What excites me the most is that were essenitally were done with the first quarter there still so many characters arcs and story continuing. Legend Heroes has done a good job balancinf story and more traditional weekly stories to tell.
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Finally found the time to sit down and get caught up. There's a surprising upside I'm finding to the irregular schedule of this thread, which is that every time I come back to watch an episode after a long break, it's like being reminded all over again how utterly awesome this show is.
All four of these episodes are killer, and in retrospect, it definitely makes sense why they wanted to do a set of episodes beforehand that was mostly goofy fluff. It's like a moment to breathe in before they launch into this epic four-part crime drama saga dealing with violent feelings of vengeance and the uncertainty of the line between justice and self-satisfaction. I loved every bit of it, naturally. Like, I am a sucker for this kind of genre and these sorts of stories, so to see Legend Heroes just kinda bring that all in out of nowhere, and do it so smoothly to boot, was a real pleasant surprise. Every one of these four episodes kept escalating the stakes further than I expected, and the result was always to the story's benefit. Despite the inherent awkwardness of them evidently not building their singular robot fight set to have a "night" mode, that climax of 12 especially is something else entirely for this show. While I poke fun at the cheap robot battles (not that I don't love those scenes, mind you), having a moody showdown in the dark rain really felt like new territory for the series' production. Like a lot of cool moments in the show, you can see the legitimate talent shining through the occasionally amateurish feel, and this particular instance really sold a scene that needed an appropriate amount of weight behind it. It'll be super interesting to see where Ta, uh, Cao Cao goes from here. Dude is basically all the absolute worst impulses of pre-character development Ryuu Terui and Shintarou Gotou combined, with none of the positive influences around him to mitigate that, and I find that idea fascinating. |
Episode 13 "Dream Battle of Hope"
Kicking it off with Cao Cao investigating a new Legend Hero with a bat motif proclaiming that he’s a bad guy. Going back to the dojo, we see that according to Xu Shu angels have to take exams(which I totally get her stress btw) and aren’t supposed to be part of the battle. And Xu Shu fixation on Liu Bei is him being the first warlord she came into contact with. After eating away the food rations Gongsun Zan demands Liu Bei get a part time job to help out. After some hilarious interaction between Liu Bei and Mi Zhu they spot a pickpocket stealing a woman's purse. Liu Bei chases after and sees a Bat themed Legend Hero with it. https://i.redd.it/nzxfpjy48ar61.jpg Assuming he’s the one who stole the two fights but eventually the misconception was cleared up. The man then goes back to his various part-time jobs. Eventually, the two start talking and are introduced to him as Tao Qian. https://i.redd.it/vpv5p3hh8ar61.jpg After comparing their poor living conditions and the fact that his Hero Piece Zhang Kai sleeps through the day Liu Bei takes him back and is now teaching him his skills in exchange for food. https://i.redd.it/pdvi1l7s8ar61.jpg Later that night Cao Cao confronts him and reveals they know each other.(in a real cool night fight) He manages to escape. The next day while taking a break Liu Bei asks why he’s working so hard. And it's simple, he wants money for his mom's sake. Cao Cao confronts Tao Qian once again, not believing he’s changed. During the fight Zhang Kai is weakened by daytime(which is an amazing idea for a bat themed hero) and during the Final Battle loses quickly. https://i.redd.it/t1v69q729ar61.jpg Liu Bei shows up and defends Tao Qian where he’s revealed to have been a safecracker after learning that Tao Qian flees. Deciding to take his anger out on Liu Bei, the two clash for the first time. https://i.redd.it/obehx5sc9ar61.jpg https://i.redd.it/qfa3h33k9ar61.jpg This episode hits all the right notes. Continuing off the rivalry between Liu Bei and Cao Cao. Demonstrating Cao Cao stubbornness and how that negativity impacts his perception of people for their pasts. And Tao Qian is a sweet guy with a terrible past and as noted is the first one to not fight Li Bei bringing in further complexities within who becomes a Legend Hero, from full blown villains, to rogue anti-heroes and general do-gooders. |
Man, I cannot get over the total slasher vibes they're channeling with Cao Cao!
I'm always down for a story where the lesson is that people can redeem themselves, and seeing Liu Bei's' desire for kinship was certainly interesting too. Makes me wonder how everything is gonna come to a head next episode. |
Yeah, I really like the idea of a plot hinging on the clash between Cao Cao's moral absolutism and Liu Bei's less high-minded sense of justice. It's a strong way for the show to feel out their dynamic while still keeping the focus on an interesting new character in the process.
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Aw man, it's nice seeing this thread active again.
I really loved these episodes and can't wait to relive the magic of this show. I'll probably watch along with you, TBH. There's a video on this show I'll try to keep in the back of my mind for the final episode. |
Thanks with sticking with me. And a video!? Looking forward with that.
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Episode 14 "The Bat's Decision"
Episode 14 has a brand new title card and music! Wow really going all out to make this 2nd quarter different. https://i.redd.it/mdcj0z5t5os61.jpg The Battle between Cao Cao and Liu Bei with Cao Cao stating that Tiao Qian doesn’t deserve his powers that only the righteous do. Does Liu Bei instantly counter that he should? Cao Cao leaves claiming to show him if he is a good guy after all. Late at night, Zhang Kai goads Tiao Qian to rob where he works for his mother's medical exam. The next day Tiao Qian doesn’t show up for work and Liu Bei takes over for him. Going back to the dojo to eat in silence. Mi Zhu takes notice and after a talk about brothers being there for one another motivates Lu Bei. He finally encounters Tiao Qian and after trusting him he no longer wants to rob anyone. But a mysterious man emerges claiming that if he wants money he can help with that desire. https://i.redd.it/3bjn6x776os61.jpg That night Legend Hero Zhang Kai is robbing the house and is confronted by both Liu Bei and Cao Cao escaping and justifying Cao Cao’s hatred of evil. The next day Cao Cao visit Tiao Qian’s house to stake out where his mother noticed him asking if his son is doing it Abakan. To which Cao Cao lies and tells her no and gets a report of a robbery during the battle Tian Qian proclaims that he will defeat everybody in the Dream Battle and obtain the Royal Seal. Cao Cao reveals to Liu Bei that he actually let Tian Qian go once but he broke the law and his mother’s trust before. In the end, Tian Qian is defeated and as his dream is broken he says to Liu Bei that he never wanted this to happen to which he believes. As Zhang Kai is dying he said that Tian Qian wouldn’t have done this and that a feather was involved before a strange object is ejected out of Tian Qian’s neck ending the episode. Honestly well handled the show does such a good job of never dragging anything down and continues the plot. My only real complaint is that Gongsan Zan is completely sidelined in this two-parter. But otherwise, this episode gives us Tian Qian and how he changed, introduced a new antagonist, and further delves into Cao Cao’s beliefs and how they were formed by letting Tian Qian go in the past only for him to continue crime but also Wang Yun death. |
That final shot pretty much saved the entire episode for me. If it had turned out that Diao Qian completely regressed of his own choice despite everything that happened... yeah, I would not have been happy.
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Yeah, I actually really liked how the show kinda got to have its cake and eat it too with how the plot ends up playing out? There are these brief moments of temptation that help in making Cao Cao's point of view seem more credible, but he's still in the wrong at the end of the day, despite winning out on the surface. Really neat narrative this one had; Liu Bei getting kicked around for being an optimist here is as Ryuki as he's ever gotten, and I was way into that.
Although I think my favorite thing in the whole episode was just Mi Zhu remembering that second ice cream cone this time around. :lol |
Episode 15 "Zhang Lu The Hypnotist of Feathers Part One
Picking up from the last episode Liu Bei is distracted by what happened to Tiao Qian. And while Xu Shu is visiting accidentally poured soy sauce into her drink. Which prompts her to ask what’s wrong. After explaining about the previous episode and showing the deather Xu SHu puts into her and nothing wrong. She believes it from heaven and that it belongs to a Legend Hero. Xu Shu leaves and Liu Bei notices Mi Zhu going crazy for Gongsan Zan instantly linking this to the previous incident. After Mi Zhu tells off his two friends Liu Bei goes after them and sees the old man from before who has turned those two against each other. https://i.redd.it/i06maf24jdu61.jpg His name is Zhang Lu(though it was not said in this episode) Zhang Lu pulls out his Hero Piece and becomes Legend Hero Yu Ji! https://i.redd.it/rymn8vs0kdu61.jpg It turns out he’s blind and relies on sound like a bat. Though Zhang Lu and Yu Ji don’t get along despite his Hero Piece tries to help him in battle. Liu Bei hesitates near the end due to finding out his blindness, which in turn he’s called a hypocrite by Zhang Lu and escapes. Liu Bei then tries to get Cao Cao into it by presenting the feather and explaining what’s going on, insisting on working together to stop him, which he refuses. Afterward, Liu Bei and Gongsan try everything to break Mi Zhu’s control. In the end, a compliment from her broke it. The two interrogate.Mi Zhu over what he remembers about meeting a fortune teller yesterday. The two then rush to meet Zhang Lu who calls them the ones that are blind. https://i.redd.it/z62wlqxgkdu61.jpg After initiating a final battle it seems one-sided for Liu Bei until the two realize that he is susceptible to loud noises which Gongsan Zan causes by shooting near him so that Liu Bei can finish him off. Afterward, Liu Bei tries to talk him down claiming his desire for his sight back isn’t a reason to do this. To which Zhang Lu scoffs claiming he doesn’t want his eyesight back but rather a world where everyone is true to themselves. He manages to hit Gongsan ending the episode. So another new antagonist has been introduced. Despite being blind Zhang Lu claims that everyone else is “blind” being fake around each other. It seems he doesn’t care for the Hero Battle instead wanting to use his power to reveal a person’s true nature. It’s honestly brilliant having Gongzan’s “true nature” be revealed. As she’s always seen Liu Bei be weaker in some regard from her outburst back in Episode 5 to her assurance to winning the contest and surprise when Liu Bei did in Episode 10. I think this is going to be a great character growth for her. Episode 16 "Zhang Lu The Hypnotist of Feathers Part Two Jumping forward a bit Liu Bei has been kicked out of Do-wan-Kwan by Gongsan Sun. Elsewhere Yu Ji once again tries to help Zhang Lu but he believes that he is only doing this to survive and that he doesn’t trust him. Cutting back Cao Cao jogging he then sees a bunch of people arguing and fighting one another spotting Zhang Lu realizing Liu Bei was right he engages in battle. Quickly realizing how powerful Cao Cao is Zhang Lu retreats. Lieu Bei contemplates if this is really how Gongsan Zan feels however upon seeing Tian QIan and his mother passing by and reminded how he was forced to become evil again he makes up his mind. https://i.redd.it/axx0mbmzmdu61.jpg And Liu Bei once again confronts Zhang Lu and demands that he turn them back which he scoffs due to believing everyone truly is like this. Liu Bei responds that he’ll prove him wrong and that is not his right to force these things out. As Zhang Lu struggles to find his cane he heads Yu Ji's words. https://i.redd.it/lbg4s6tlmdu61.jpg Mi Zhu also gets kicked out and as Liu Bei consoles him the two from before arriving and they start hounding Mi Zhu but he stands up from himself and reminds them of their bond which breaks the feather's control. FInally Cao Cao and Liu Bei team up despite their identical differences to take Zhang Lu down. Gongzan arrives and beats Liu Bei and using this opportunity and feather was shot into him. Revealing that Liu Bei wants the real Gongsan back, admits to his flaws, and just wants to see the good in people. https://i.redd.it/yn2gbt14odu61.jpg Which does break the spell on her as Zhang Lu lies defeated. He is shocked that he was wrong and feels regret for abusing Yu Ji asking Liu Bei to take him in. Cao Cao can’t understand why both he and WAng Yun before trust Liu Bei so easily. However in the end Yu Ji doesn’t want to betray Zhang Lu and chooses to stay and die. https://i.redd.it/b89etydqodu61.jpg Liu Bei goes home sad however Mi Zhu provides the monthly meal and they all eat happily. The episode ends with Zhang Lu accepting the aid of kids to help up a stairway as Cao Cao swears that Liu Bei will be proven wrong. Zhang Lu is a cynic. Disappointed in the world and is lashing back at everyone. Liu Bei’s true face even under his influence manages to be his usual sincere self. That what ultimately wins his goodness. Furthering on Cao Cao’s story even when fighting alongside Liu Bei he tries to solo everything. He now sees things with Liu Bei as personal because of their ideologies opposing one another. |
Oh man, I adored these ones. I have a thing for deeply embittered antagonists trying to force their truth on the world, and this two-parter used that idea pretty smartly to build on the overall arc with Cao Cao, while still being an interesting individual story. I thought Zhang Lu's characterization was really well-handled, and Liu Bei winning the day by being too stupidly optimistic to be corrupted was obvious yet highly satisfying.
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This is gonna sound weird coming from me, but...
I actually didn't like how this one ended. Like, yeah, I get what they were overall going for; Proving that not everyone is lying about their feelings. But on the other hand, having Liu Bei be the only one who remains unchanged kinda proves Zhang Lu's point; That the populace at large was lying to the people they supposedly loved. It also unfortunately proves that Diao Qian was a thieving douche. Personally, I feel it would've been alot more poignant had all the people who'd been corrupted eventually come around after getting everything off their chest. Heck, I felt like that's where it was leading, considering both Gongsun Zan and Mi Zhu came around after being told that their fears of being unappreciated were unfounded. Still, I did like this two-parter overall. Just felt the ending could've been a bit better. |
Hmm I interpreted the ending diffrently tbh. I thought that Zhang Lu didn't need to be reminded that the large populace. Just that the he was so absoulite about how the world works. And when faced with someone else truth he breaks down realizing how bitter he's become.
As for his powers and in relation to Diao Qian I felt it was amplifying and disregarding who he actually was. In a sense stripping free will. Liu Bei stamement of people choosing is inportant here. |
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Your interpretation is totally valid though. I just felt things could've been done a bit better. |
Episode 17"Sun Ce The Tiger of Gangdong" & Episode 18"Diamond cut diamond. Dowon-kwan VS. Gangdong-kwan
So I'm trying something new here. I feel like my style of doing this thread was too restrictive. Too much recapping and not enough of my own thoughts. So I’m now trying this out with less emphasis on recaps and photos and more on my analysis. And feel free to criticize this as I’m learning and growing with this. So these two episodes actually remind me of episodes 7-8 but better. In comes down to being thematically relevant thanks to this episode being focused on martial arts. Which I feel in the last couple of arcs have taken a back seat. Speaking of episode 7-8 the two Fly Bros make their reapprence. And overally effective episodic antagonist even showing some level of more critical thinking then just attacking head on. We learn Zhang Jue is a glitch in the Mother Computer system and something called the Rainbow event will occur sooner now. Another brand new toku staple has made a return this time mooks. https://i.ibb.co/9s2LxHt/Screenshot-20210512-232705.jpg And they kinda have a Kurokage vibe from them being very simplistic black generic Legend Hero suits. I dig them. But enough about that, let's talk about the main star of these episodes, Sun Ce. https://i.ibb.co/pKn51SC/Screenshot-20210512-232615.jpg Very much a parallel to Liu Bei, honest, hotheaded and honorable he’s also currently the strongest Legend Hero due to his experience in martial arts and having 3 Hero Pieces. And I like his base design pale blue with white is always a fantastic color combo to me. https://i.ibb.co/mNVd0jn/Screenshot-20210512-232639.jpg The show also sets up future storyline with a boy named Quan and their estranged relationship. Sun Ce being a regular member is also great introducing a new element to the show large cast. I am a little worried the show might be juggling to many character however the show so far hasn’t disappointed and the pace where going allows there to be a status quo to be enjoyed but not stagnating,I also find it funny that his sister has a rivalry with Gongsan but she doesn't remember her at all feels like a fun jab of the trope of a new character showing up but the show acting like they’ve been there from the start. Another thing the choreography in this was great in thanks to the emphasis on martial arts here. Getting to see more out of suit fighting is always cool. By the way the next review won’t be long I promise. So the question I have to ask is what do you think of these foot soldiers? Do you think the show needed them? In general how do you feel about mooks in a toku show? |
Mooks are always nice to have.
Anyway, I wasn't too big a fan of this two-parter to be honest. It felt like a step back in a handful of ways. I think the biggest issue I had was Sun Ce. He feels really shilled ontop of coming off as very condescending, hypocritical, and pretty annoying alot of times. Also, he really reminds me of someone but I just can't place it. Like, a guy who does bad things, yet in the end is praised as if he's wise and cool, constantly talks to down to nearly everyone around him, is for no real reason way stronger than the rest of the cast up to this point, and has no trouble getting in the way of everyone else for his own selfishness? Ugh, I just can't place it. Regardless, not a fan. Not a fan. |
To me Sun Ce is kinda like a more extreme version Liu Bei. He increadibly earnest and it helps that he actually called out with his whole street fighting thing. And the ending of him in the dojo suggest to me at least he kind of cool off. Hope he become a better character to you as the shoe goes on.
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To answer your question about mooks in toku, I think it very much depends on what the show is using them for.
In shows with large numbers of heroes who reliably work together, I figure you kind of need mooks just so that the whole team has someone to fight without spending the whole battle just ganging up on the main monster. I mean, multiple heroes fighting the same monster is a good very literal representation of the power of friendship/teamwork/trust/etc., and you can justify it by saying the monster is that much more powerful that the heroes need to team up to have a chance of defeating it, and no one said heroes have to always fight fair anyway, but there's still only so far you can stretch 5-on-1 fights before they just look boringly one-sided. In shows with small numbers of heroes, or where the heroes aren't always even on the same side let alone working as a team, it gets more complicated. Having a lone warrior cutting down a whole horde of weak enemies is a great way to show off how cool the hero is, but it can easily devolve into just padding out the fight scenes. Personally, I like it best when the mooks have some relevance to the plot besides just being there, like if instead of accompanying every monster they only show up for major villains or evil organizations. That way, even if the mooks are still no threat themselves, their presence raises the stakes because it indicates a greater evil has gotten involved. |
That a totally fare respone so on that note how do you think Legend Hero handles mooks?
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Episode 19 "Bodyguard Rukus" & Episode 20 Butterfly's Dream"
What started as a very standard episode in 19 ramps up to be one of the most action-packed and emotionally charging episodes yet. Let’s get the big one out of the way Gongsan elimination the scene itself is well handled allowing both actors to shine, and while her tenure wasn’t as inclusive as I would’ve liked her presence will be missed. I’m especially excited about how her character and interaction are going to be moving onwards. It’s a similar situation to He Jin but Gongsan is the main character whereas he was the first boss so to speak. Cao Cao showing up was expected as this was a crime and one that was publically known. Honestly, I think handled the twist well because on one hand, they did lean very hard towards the manager but’s it honestly convey to me that yeah it was her. Lina was a total tool from beginning to end and I think the show has done a nice job giving us a balance of sympathetic and unsympathetic villains. https://i.ibb.co/Mf1QV9g/Screenshot-20210514-114752.jpg https://i.ibb.co/mbHK4Lc/Screenshot-20210514-114813.jpg Lu Bu coming back is great I knew the way we never fully got a confirmation of the Piece dying was going to pay off. How this will affect Cao Cao in the future remains to be seen. Also always love it when a character their friend’s powers especially if a said character died (ok Gongsan isn’t dead but it is pretty much treated to such an extent.) Also Zhang Jue and the Dark Pentagram the plot thickens there. https://i.ibb.co/bJvwsF5/Screenshot-20210514-114837.jpg |
This was really great. I saw the twist coming due to seeing similar ones in other shows, but the way it was executed was still done well. I'm also really sad that Gongsun Zan isn't going to stay as our "Secondary Rider" as I felt her being one helped to make the show really unique. But, Cao Cao's' character arc has been really well handled so far so I suppose having him as our Secondary isn't so bad. I also wonder if he'll be getting a third Hero Piece at some point, considering that now both Liu Bei and Sun Ce have three.
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Yeah it does sucks to lose her however the show isn't keeping things complacent and parts are always moving in this show. And I do truly believes this isn't the end.
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Episode 21 "Rainbow Event"
Much like He Jin before Gongsan Zan leaves the show but she promises to return one day and I can’t wait for that for her presence will be sorely missed. Liu Bei gets sorely depressed from this but our lovable angel Xu Shu comes in a surprisingly whips up a fanciful dish after exploding the kitchen lol. This cheers up Liu Bei and with that, the Rainbow Event has begun. This allows Legend Heroes with 2 or more Hero Pieces to enter a test to gain the assistance of an angel. Naturally, Liu Bei chooses Xu Shu. https://i.ibb.co/MRQG48N/Screenshot-20210514-230322.jpg We finally get to see the Mother Computer who learn that every 300 years a Dream Battle takes place so that the Royal Seal which protects Heaven and Earth regains its energy. Which is the strongest human dream in exchange to gain the user’s wish. As well as being introduced to the final main angel Zhuge Liang. https://i.ibb.co/Yh9Zfrg/Screenshot-20210514-230355.jpg Who’s apathetic towards the Dream Battle seeing that the angels are nothing more than tools to be discarded once the battle is over. Zhang Liang manages to put down Xu Shu into quitting but also pretends that she doesn’t want to break her promise to Liu Bei. So she disguises Zhang Liang as a warlord and tells Liu Bei to just go. However, before Liu Bei goes he gives that cookie recipe Xu Shu loves to Zhang Liang as a sign of their bond and to make Xu Shu happy which warms my heart. Zhang Jue arrives into heaven and decides this event can happen with his plans and summons an army of Tao Troopers to attack everybody. Liu Bei defends Xu Shu and he comments on how he’s become stronger, confined, and even has a friend with the Hero Pieces and it’s all thanks to her Liu Bei doesn’t care about power or abilities but Xu Shu herself. In the end, we see Sima Yi partnered with Cao Cao, Zhou Yu with Sun Ce, and of course Liu Bei and Xu Shu. (I honestly wished Cao Cao and Sun Ce were in this episode more as we only see them at the end of the episode kinda makes this whole event feel a little empty) And Zhang Liang all by himself contemplating Xu Shu joining the “meaningless battle” Xu Shu has now been bumped up to the main girl status that Gongsun Zan is gone. The episode reveals a lot about the show’s lore, introducing a new element to the Dream battle of the angels actively fighting on behalf of their new warlords and in general, finally give Xu Shu some much-needed focus. Being left out of the spotlight outside of the first episode and for exposition. Focusing on her relationship with Liu Bei how they both lift each other in trying times. And the void left behind by Gongsan Zan’s temporary leave I’ll happily take Xu Shu and her new status as Liu Bei angel from now on. |
I felt so many emotions during this episode. While it's only shown for a few minutes, let's just say that Liu Bei's' bout of depression over his friend leaving is something I could definitely connect with. Ontop of that, the opening scene with the Mother Computer does a great job with its atmosphere, being appropriately mysterious. Not to mention the great comedic moments like Xu Shu blowing up the kitchen, and you have a recipe for an episode that I enjoyed a whole lot.
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Fell behind for a bit there, but I'm all caught up to thread again at the moment. I guess it's probably not even worth mentioning that I greatly enjoyed these five episodes with this show's track record, but well, there you go. The big thought I kept coming back to all throughout 17-20 was just how nice it was to see the heavy emphasis on Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan as a duo, because I really like those two together. They have this perfect dynamic where his kindness balances out her aggression while her intelligence balances out his foolishness, and I would watch a million plots about them scrambling to scrape together the cash to keep the lights on.
They're a pair that's endlessly fun to watch, so, uh, of course, when I got far enough into 20, it kinda quickly became apparent why the show was shining such a spotlight on all this! I'm sort of mixed on that plotting decision, but I can definitely see the merit in it, since removing THE major source of support for Liu Bei, even temporarily, is naturally going to make room for him to grow as a hero and all that, something nicely touched upon in 21 when we see him talking about how far he's already come from way back in the very beginning. Having Liu Bei take up her powers is the kind of plot point I am way into, as well, so all of the things I have misgivings with at the moment are more a matter of needing to see where the show is going with everything. Sun Ce in particular is a bit of a question mark for me right now; he's got a fun enough boisterous personality going on, but he's also a thin enough character that it's currently hard to see him being a third pillar for the show alongside Liu Bei and Cao Cao, even with his own set of supporting characters clearly set up for future drama with him. |
Episode 22 "We Need an Angel"
The first opponents the new duo fights is none other than the Flyquitos and can I just say how brilliant this move was. Like no seriously these two were introduced as a means for Liu Bei and Gongzan Sun to iron out their teamwork. They symbolize duos in this show so for the new duoof Liu Bei and Xu Shu to be their first opponents is just a stroke of genius on the writers part. And to continue the Liu Bei being best character on the show he preps for the upcoming celebration of Xu Shu being permanently part of the team, through some fun sheingans that show Xu SHu nativity she gets captured by the Flyquitos who tell bold faced lies in order to get her to trust them and “become their angels” that doesn't really work and after a while Liu Bei does find them a fight ensues and Liu Bei wins however it turns out during the FInal battle the angels go inside the machines and become part of it! https://i.postimg.cc/CLmBv7zJ/Screen...526-215131.jpg This episode much like 7-8 is all about teamwork and seeing the further mechanics of how Angels and Legend Heroes interact. A simple episode that is light on plot but that's ok as the show has gotten heavy and the show has struck a balance of story episodes as well as some simple episodic pens that still do have appointments in regard to character development and relationship. To me this is like a better version of episodre7-8 not that they were bad just really dragged on. This bring one episode was a delightful breather that entirely focus on pre-establish characters that were already invested in. |
Man, real missed opportunity by not calling this one "Send Us An Angel."
Anyway, this was another really fun one, and actually got us some nice development for both Flyquito and Xu Shu. It did make me realize though that we actually haven't gotten to know Flyquito's' Hero Pieces at all yet. Kinda weird, considering every other Hero Piece in the show so far has been shown off. Hopefully that'll change in a future episode. |
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