[Switchblade]

Wow, that is like the exact opposite of my reaction.

I liked season one of Amazons but couldn't stand season 2 and a large part of that was because of the focus on what I called "Chihiro and the Real Girl."

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

Wow, that is like the exact opposite of my reaction.

I liked season one of Amazons but couldn't stand season 2 and a large part of that was because of the focus on what I called "Chihiro and the Real Girl."

Something tells me you'd appreciate how the last few episodes of the season go then.

[Mesnick]

I remember the second season of Amazon as a boring and useless power-up of Haruka.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

I remember the second season of Amazon as a boring and useless power-up of Haruka.

Not useless, no.

Awful looking? Yes.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

The score is way better for starters; what with it having music that not only sets the mood almost perfectly every time, but is nice to listen to all on its own. By extension, the atmosphere is handled way better too, with this big feeling of unease dominating every episode without ever feeling overbearing.

Personally, I prefer Armour Zone to Die Set Down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

But most importantly of all, this show finally gave me some characters I actually gave half a crap about! Hiroki, Chihiro, and especially Iyu were all characters who I grew to rather like as the show went on, with all of their arcs not only being handled rather well, but the way they intertwine with the season's' overarcing theme of what exactly being a person and living life means was done rather well for the most part.

I guess the premise involving totally different focus characters would work favorably for you as you weren't even invested in the originals. For me, it did take a while to get over that premise, especially when the first season already had to work hard to gain my emotional investment. There was potential in the development of Chihiro and Iyu, but by the end, the plot is like, "it's wrong for these two people to live" and even by Amazons standards, I thought that was too cynical.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

Shoot, the season even managed to get to like some of the returning characters better. I was not expecting to ever get anything out of any of the old squad, but I genuinely felt for Fukuda and what he has to go through. Sure, I still hate Jin, and this season made me dislike Haruka even more, but as an overall the character work was a major step up here. Almost nothing here felt like it was just misery for the sake of it. Like, yeah, aspects of the plot are certainly still dumb, but even then, still way better than how season 1 went about things.

I'm curious since you didn't explain before, what's your problem with Haruka? Anyway, I was honestly expecting Kazuya to become Riderman after losing his arm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

While I'm not about to claim that the entire show is saved or that season 2 of Amazonz is anything spectacular, I felt way better about watching it than I did the first season, and that's really all I can ask for.

Are you going to watch Final Judgment as well?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

I remember the second season of Amazon as a boring and useless power-up of Haruka.

Yeah, I liked the heroic green and yellow suit of Amazon Omega until it got smothered in gunmetal and even traded the Condoler-like Driver for a generic Heisei one. Good thing it was only temporary.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Personally, I prefer Armour Zone to Die Set Down.

As do I.

Quote:

but by the end, the plot is like, "it's wrong for these two people to live" and even by Amazons standards, I thought that was too cynical.

Personally, I read the entire sequence alot differently. To me it was clear that Chihiro and Iyu's' ultimate fate was portrayed moreso as tragic rather than anything just, especially given how Hiroki carries on with them in his heart. Double so given the two who ultimately decide how the two lovebirds end up.

Quote:

I'm curious since you didn't explain before, what's your problem with Haruka?

Pretty much the same reason I dislike Jin: He's a major hypocrite, which season 2 only made even worse. Both have different finer details to their philosophies, sure, but the end result is the same: "We kill whoever we feel like." The only difference being that Haruka tries to doll his reasoning up while Jin most certainly does not.

Quote:

Are you going to watch Final Judgment as well?

I plan to later today.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

Personally, I read the entire sequence alot differently. To me it was clear that Chihiro and Iyu's' ultimate fate was portrayed moreso as tragic rather than anything just, especially given how Hiroki carries on with them in his heart. Double so given the two who ultimately decide how the two lovebirds end up.

In Haruka's defense though, Chihiro doesn't dispute being a danger to others. In fact, he admits it. And without Iyu as his conscience, there's nothing holding him back from his evil instincts. Of course, Jin wouldn't have cared about his answer regardless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

Pretty much the same reason I dislike Jin: He's a major hypocrite, which season 2 only made even worse. Both have different finer details to their philosophies, sure, but the end result is the same: "We kill whoever we feel like." The only difference being that Haruka tries to doll his reasoning up while Jin most certainly does not.

I'd say Jin is worse though, as he once prevented Haruka from killing an irredeemably evil human in the first season, but has no problem killing all the Amazons for the only reason that he sees them as his mess to clean up. In addition, he's a terrible father.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

I plan to later today.

Cool. I hope you enjoy it. You might not, but hey, maybe you will.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

In Haruka's defense though, Chihiro doesn't dispute being a danger to others. In fact, he admits it.

It's still majorly hypocritical on the part of Haruka though, who out and out decided to embrace everything being an Amazon meant, including eating humans, during the last bits of season 1. And for the guy with the stance of "being an Amazon isn't bad" he sure does seem to have a big problem with more of them being born, even if it's inadvertently, with the case of the very few people Chihiro directly infected.

Plus too, the added irony of Haruka himself having to struggle with keeping from eating and harming humans, yet won't grant the same grace to Chihiro, who's been actively holding back his urges all season.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

It's still majorly hypocritical on the part of Haruka though, who out and out decided to embrace everything being an Amazon meant, including eating humans, during the last bits of season 1. And for the guy with the stance of "being an Amazon isn't bad" he sure does seem to have a big problem with more of them being born, even if it's inadvertently, with the case of the very few people Chihiro directly infected.

Plus too, the added irony of Haruka himself having to struggle with keeping from eating and harming humans, yet won't grant the same grace to Chihiro, who's been actively holding back his urges all season.

Well, the Lysogenic Amazons aren't being born, they're being turned. Chihiro is a walking biohazard while Haruka is, like, a panda, basically. The definition of an Amazon was simple until Lysogenics made it complicated and forced Haruka to become their Jin. And yeah, there's some hypocrisy to that for sure, but it came from a dilemma where I can see how he reached that conclusion out of desperation to protect people, rather than Jin's hopeless obsession with ending the human blood on his hands by staining them further with Amazon blood.

It's tragic that Iyu's death was an unnecessary outcome, as she could've lived peacefully if only she wasn't denied access to the fuel needed to sustain her. Chihiro probably could've become close to being a hero like Haruka, until that option was taken away from him, not by Haruka or even Jin, but by the apathy of evil humans who destroyed his hope. So even though there was a way to save them both, that sadly wasn't something in Haruka's control.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Well, the Lysogenic Amazons aren't being born, they're being turned.

If by that you mean that humans are being turned into Amazonz, then from what I understand that held true for the original Amazonz of season 1 as well. With the only known exception being Haruka.

--------

And I've just finished watching Last Judgment!

So, here's the thing. If you're someone who was super in love with season 1, then sure, I can see why you might not care for this film.

But for someone like me? The movie overall was just very "whatever." Like, I got the overall idea and message of it, but as a viewing experience, I didn't hate it, but I didn't really super like it either.

Kind of an anti-climactic way to end my time with Amazonz, but it is what it is. Hopefully Kamen Rider X will be alot more fun, since I have the Discotek blu-ray for that now.