[Androzani84]

While what in particular I don’t remember, this mini taught me a lot about Justin Tomomori, who plays Shun (though his distinctively non Japanese name should’ve been a tip off).

Anyway, the answers to the Ichigou quiz were B, B and A (though in the case of question 3, option B was something Toei instituted with Kamen Rider (1979) after the lead actor crashed the bike into a wall, while option C was something Tsuburaya instated with the Ultra Series after Ultraman Dyna cast a man with not athletic prowess as a baseball prodigy). Now then, time for the Nigou quiz.

Takeshi Sasaki, who played Hayato Ichimonji, shares his name with a voice actor for a Heisei Rider’s equipment voice. But which Rider?
A) Ryuki
B) Den-O
C) Blade

Which Christian holiday was episode 39 of Kamen Rider (1971) the first episode to celebrate?
A) Easter
B) Christmas
C) Halloween

Which of these Shocker Executives is the odd one out?
A) Kolonel Zol
B) Dr. Shinigami
C) Ambassador Darkness?

[Kamen Rider Die]

Takeshi Sasaki, who played Hayato Ichimonji, shares his name with a voice actor for a Heisei Rider?s equipment voice. But which Rider?
A) Ryuki
B) Den-O
C) Blade

Which Christian holiday was episode 39 of Kamen Rider (1971) the first episode to celebrate?
A) Easter
B) Christmas
C) Halloween

Which of these Shocker Executives is the odd one out?
A) Kolonel Zol
B) Dr. Shinigami
C) Ambassador Darkness?
D) Thomas Toei, CEO of Toei

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuardianAngel87

^At least she will be in the next pair of episodes. Tomoko is easily my favorite among the KRC and she was great even before that.

Agreed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

Anyway, the answers to the Ichigou quiz were B, B and A (though in the case of question 3, option B was something Toei instituted with Kamen Rider (1979) after the lead actor crashed the bike into a wall, while option C was something Tsuburaya instated with the Ultra Series after Ultraman Dyna cast a man with not athletic prowess as a baseball prodigy).

Hell yeah, I'm 3/3 so far for a show I haven't even watched!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

Now then, time for the Nigou quiz.

Takeshi Sasaki, who played Hayato Ichimonji, shares his name with a voice actor for a Heisei Rider?s equipment voice. But which Rider?
A) Ryuki
B) Den-O
C) Blade

Which Christian holiday was episode 39 of Kamen Rider (1971) the first episode to celebrate?
A) Easter
B) Christmas
C) Halloween

Which of these Shocker Executives is the odd one out?
A) Kolonel Zol
B) Dr. Shinigami
C) Ambassador Darkness?

My logic for the second question is the holiday most likely to align with the 39th episode of a show starting in April. Definitely not Easter!

[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

These kids losing their minds at Nigou exploding a plane at the end is terrific

I'll always remember this question in particular a little better than most of the other ones now, because not too long after going back through these quizzes, I ended up watching a chunk of the original show which happened to include that episode, and just decided to straight up use it in the review I wrote to pay tribute:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

That part was also *extra* fun for me, because I realized partway in that it was a scene I'd recently witnessed rewatching Fourze's DVD/Blu-ray quiz segments. So in the spirit of those amazing bonus features, instead of simply saying what happens, I'm going to ask *you*, the reader, what you think the miracle attack Kamen Rider pulls off is. Does he ride the Cyclone atop the plane? Does he use a Rider Jump to charge into the plane, blowing it up in the process? Or does he suddenly pull out a rifle and shoot the plane down? Your hint is that the answer is every bit as amazing to watch even when you know what's coming.

Since then, I've forgotten enough to no longer be 100% sure myself what the answer is, and I kinda love the mystery almost as much as I love that scene of Rider #2 doing... whatever it is he does in that scene. See, the beauty of these quizzes is that all of the answers generally sound equally plausible, and once you realize that anything goes, you start to realize the beauty of Showa-era Rider.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

See, the beauty of these quizzes is that all of the answers generally sound equally plausible, and once you realize that anything goes, you start to realize the beauty of Showa-era Rider.

I have not realized that, and refuse to do so!!!

[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 09 - “BIRTH OF A WITCH”



If there’s a flaw to this series, it’s that it generally treats Making Friends like catching Pokemon or something: you do it, it’s done, you’ve added one more, you can't lose them, time to move on. Shun joins the group last episode, and here he’s just one more helper, orbiting Fourze, shaking his head at the boorishness he’s completely evolved out of in a couple of days off-screen. JK is a full-on sidekick, friendly and brave. Miu, who continues to be the best – I loved her railing against Masami by pointing out that she’s always been distracted by boys, so it’s hypocritical of her to punish one random dude for breaking up with her when her failure as a cheerleader was down to her own behavior, but then JK being like Correct, But Not The Time – is as folded into the group as anyone, with any non-KRC parts of her character reduced to affectations. There’s no real friction after Gentarou, like, finishes their side-quest.

Which sort of affected this episode for me, as we close out our initial batch of spotlight stories for the KRC recruits. Gentarou does his I Gotta Make Friends With You thing at Tomoko before the opening credits, and we’re off on our way, like a roller coaster lurching out of the loading platform. With how little space any episode has (ironic, I know) to both tell a new monster-mystery and try to give each of its recurring cast members something to do, I get that we need the KRC more or less acting in harmony – the less is Kengo, who we’ll get to – but the result, in total, makes the befriended KRC members come off not quite as compelling as when they were in the spotlight, and a little more deferential to the group instead of maintaining their uniqueness and identity. They all have an attitude that’s individual, but their goals are uniform, if that makes any sense. This was the episode where it all felt like it happened too fast, them all aligned in their teamwork.

Except for Kengo, of course. (I told you we’d get there!) It’s a little thing, but I really appreciated how Kengo steadfastly refused to indulge in the possibility of Magic or Witches – let’s all try and keep that viewpoint in mind when we hit the summer movie, and its special debut – in favor of the hard, verifiable science of cosmically-powered Switches, horoscope-themed masterminds, and constellation-themed high school monsters that clearly enjoyed the classic 1996 American film “The Craft”. (And just one episode after our “Breakfast Club” homage!) It’s a stock Science Vs Magic argument, and Kengo’s absolutely correct in a very quick way which is kind of dull, but I still liked that Kengo is a total dismissive jerk about his personal beliefs, and just grumpily pursues his theory while rolling his eyes at Gen specifically, and the rest of the club generally. That little bit of friction in the group is so valuable!

Like, even the new Fire States form happens too easily, with too little tension? Elec States resolved itself in a slightly confusing way for me, but at least the super form was allowed a little bit of a storyline to give it more gravitas than the half-dozen new switches that Fourze pulls out in an episode in order to show off in the most Q1 toyline way possible. Here, we’re told that the Fire Switch is powerful, and then Gen just… uses it. The end. It’s a neat new suit, but there’s nothing extra he needs to do to unlock it or control it. He just activates the Switch, and Kengo walks him through the various applications of its power. It’s cute, but it doesn’t… there’s no story to it. Perfunctory.

And that was this episode for me? I think the performances are still solid across the board, and Tomoko is delightful as a moody, lonely girl that longs for celestial consequence and human connection in equal measure, but the way that every prickly interaction and dangerous discovery before this one has now become easy and routine background radiation for this series in only eight episodes, it sort of had me less engaged. I am looking forward to the cast being complete, so that maybe we can get back to the cast being unruly teens to each other again!

[Fish Sandwich]

There's been talk of Fourze's many guest stars with prior Rider credits so far, but it's worth noting that this episode actually features the debut of a guest star that would go on to have one of the more illustrious careers of a random Toei prop -- the Shield Module! Saber, Geats, Gavv... where doesn't this thing show up, at this point! Honestly surprised ZEZTZ Barrier isn't just rocking a green version of it.

Also, there is at least a little story to the Fire Switch here? In that Tomoko takes particular notice of it, and Kengo takes notice of that, so it's looped in as something that helps progress the characters in the larger narrative, even if in a small way, which is at least more of an argument than I think I could make with Shield.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

There's been talk of Fourze's many guest stars with prior Rider credits so far, but it's worth noting that this episode actually features the debut of a guest star that would go on to have one of the more illustrious careers of a random Toei prop -- the Shield Module! Saber, Geats, Gavv... where doesn't this thing show up, at this point! Honestly surprised ZEZTZ Barrier isn't just rocking a green version of it.

I'm still hoping SHIELD PROP 15TH ANNIVERSARY: RE-ENTRY gets the greenlight from Toei this October as part of the Movie Project series!