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07-23-2020, 04:27 AM | #241 |
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Something I think makes Kenzaki's lack of focus in this stretch of the show a lot more bearable is that, even then, Blade passes the "Why is this multi-Rider show named after this one guy?" test with flying colors. The development he got in those first couple episodes was all about him learning to really step up and do his job as a Rider no matter what, and at this point in the series, he's literally the only Rider who even remotely gives a s*** about doing actual heroic things. Tachibana has been way too wrapped up in "saving" himself, and Hajime barely registers people not named Amane as more than a blip, while also having motives shrouded in mystery.
Blade doesn't have a ton going on at the moment, but I never forget why it's his show. He's essentially holding down the fort right now so the interesting drama with Garren and Chalice can happen. Kenzaki just loves to help out, you know?
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07-23-2020, 08:32 AM | #242 |
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And, man, I do like Jin and Hajime’s schtick. (Sorry, AkibaSilver.) Jin is incredibly broad, but since Hajime is almost cartoonishly closed off, it sort-of works? Jin’s maybe no one’s idea of a great person, but since Hajime despises all of humanity (except for Amane and Haruka), why not confide in Jin? It’s like telling your darkest secrets to a dog. The dog can’t possibly understand what you’re talking about. It’s a lower life form. Go ahead and unburden yourself, you know?
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Hajime’s story is nicely sad right now. He’s never cared about anything, so he’s never felt the loss of losing something you care about. These ideas were academic to him before, the failings and quirks of a ruined species. Now he’s seeing the strength of rage, and the weakness of loss, and every other weird emotion that humanity has to contend with while not falling apart. (Thank you, Kotaro, I see it now.)
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07-23-2020, 10:10 AM | #243 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
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And also, that Kotaro and his family consider Hajime as one of them, did he also know previously that Hajime was a Rider (what I catch is that Kenzaki didn't tell about Hajime's Undead stuff, something that Kotaro nearly spilled on to Kurihara family, the one that finally made Kotaro forgive Kenzaki that he was put in his shoes and is the same as him)?
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Something I think makes Kenzaki's lack of focus in this stretch of the show a lot more bearable is that, even then, Blade passes the "Why is this multi-Rider show named after this one guy?" test with flying colors. The development he got in those first couple episodes was all about him learning to really step up and do his job as a Rider no matter what, and at this point in the series, he's literally the only Rider who even remotely gives a s*** about doing actual heroic things. Tachibana has been way too wrapped up in "saving" himself, and Hajime barely registers people not named Amane as more than a blip, while also having motives shrouded in mystery.
Blade doesn't have a ton going on at the moment, but I never forget why it's his show. He's essentially holding down the fort right now so the interesting drama with Garren and Chalice can happen. Kenzaki just loves to help out, you know? I'm just a little surprised (not concerned or angry or disappointed or anything) that Blade's less prominent in the plotting this early in the series. It's usually not until the teens where we see the Primary Rider take a step back to fill in the other Riders. Here, it's like the introductory stories are all about the backstory and emotional growth of the secondary Riders. It's an interesting choice! Quote:
Jin's bit never quite worked for me, although I did enjoy Amane just absolutely passive-aggressively (straight-up aggressively?) being absolutely terrible at him while he wasn't doing anything particularly egregious. I do find Jin-as-stand-in-for-humanity to be appropriate in this part of Hajime's arc; that his name is also a homophone for a word that means person or humanity kind of underscores that idea.
To be entirely fair, I like where Hajime's story is going with Jin! I just wasn't crazy about the journey. But you give me new appreciation for the parts that I was less happy with, so
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07-23-2020, 10:23 AM | #244 |
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Sorry to... disappoint? Is that what's happening now? I'm like Hajime right now: I don't understand these emotions!
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07-23-2020, 06:56 PM | #245 |
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These early episodes remind me why I was annoyed of this period of the show during my first watch many years ago. The Tachibana arc makes Kenzaki a bystander despite his titular hero status so even if he has his moments to shine it distracts the viewer because so far this show is Kamen Rider Garren pretty much for now. But hey, still love the show.
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07-23-2020, 07:34 PM | #246 |
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These early episodes remind me why I was annoyed of this period of the show during my first watch many years ago. The Tachibana arc makes Kenzaki a bystander despite his titular hero status so even if he has his moments to shine it distracts the viewer because so far this show is Kamen Rider Garren pretty much for now. But hey, still love the show.
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07-23-2020, 09:23 PM | #247 |
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KAMEN RIDER BLADE EPISODE 11
This time on Kamen Rider Blade: Tachibana is 100% in the pocket of Big Trenchcoat! Hajime and Jin face monsters both literal and paternal! And Blade is trying to get everyone on the same page! Also, hello special guest star Kenzaki From Kuuga! I thought he looked familiar as someone's dad, and I thought he was the dad from Agito, but, nope. He was a father-figure to Godai on Kuuga. One of my favorite characters from that show, and it's cool to see him back on a Kamen Rider. He still has that weird energy, half-judgmental and half-supportive, but it twists up his I Only Want The Best For You vibe into something more stifling. Or maybe Jin is just lashing out? Tough to say. There's some neat levels to the story with Jin and his dad, something that doesn't feel that open-and-shut. It's a fun story, too, the Hajime and Jin one. It's nice to see Jin more in his element. It's also nice to see Hajime being incrementally won over by humanity, their capacity for expression and their dreams for the future. I'm not sure how much of that he was seeing in a basement apartment beneath a barely-frequented restaurant (it feels like it's a million miles from any traffic), so this friendship with Jin is a real positive. It's just a sweet story, you know? There's a monster fight, but it feels perfunctory, more a reminder that Chalice is still very into killing Undead than anything that pushes this plot forward. This one's just about Jin having a dream, and Hajime slowly getting into the idea of supporting him. Hajime... he's a bit like Kenzaki, isn't he? Kenzaki falls into friendships too easy, and so does Hajime. He maybe wouldn't think of it like that, but when he's grown to care for the only three people he's spent any time with, it's hard to deny. He, I'm sure, wouldn't want to be someone so invested in humanity, but him and Kenzaki just can't fight their natures. Speaking of, pretty good episode for Kenzaki! All it took was moving Tachibana more firmly into the Antagonist column. Now that Tachibana is working directly for Trenchcoat Mastermind, the show doesn't view him with as much sympathy. He's dangerous, and, while his friends always view him as redeemable, that danger is kept in mind constantly. That means that Blade is allowed the solo Hero role, and he gets to be more present in the storyline. It's no longer Garren Is Doing One Thing And Blade Is Doing Another Thing, it's Garren Is Doing One Thing And Blade Needs To Stop Him. Blade is an active participant in Garren's story now. Or, honestly, maybe Garren is an active participant in Blade's story now? There's way more time spent with Team Blade (and Dr Ladyfriend) than with Garren. It's a story that's all about how Team Blade is going to deal with the new threat of Garren teamed-up with Trenchcoat. I'm really into that! Kenzaki doesn't... he doesn't really have much in the way of plans or clues, but he's got determination and a Rider Kick. Heroes have gotten by with less than that. Sort-of a light episode for discussion? I liked it, but there didn't feel like a lot to draw out of this one. The Hajime/Jin stuff was very good, but still sort-of setting up what it's about. The Blade/Garren stuff was also good, but still pretty nascent. It's a real Part 1 episode, I guess. I mean, I'm excited to see Part 2, so I guess that's okay! Next time on Kamen Rider Blade: Garren and Blade vs an Ace! Dr Ladyfriend in danger again! Boat explosions! Just a billion Undead everywhere, and all three Kamen Riders in action!
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07-24-2020, 12:32 AM | #248 |
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Boy, we are at a point in the show where there’s just not much for Kenzaki to do, aren’t we? I mean, he’s helping out, and he’s interacting with the rest of the cast, but he’s not really doing anything right now, which feels incredibly strange.
It’s not like this episode lacks incident, though. There’s obviously a ton of movement on Tachibana’s storyline, as well as some cute moments with Hajime, Jin, Amane, and Haruka. But, like, the character in the title is a sidekick in every story, except when he’s imperiled. And, sort-of been this way for a few episodes now? There isn’t a lot of momentum to Team Blade, if I’m being honest. I love seeing them all hang out, and I love the way the decision-making feels more democratic than Whatever The Hero Says Goes, but that somewhat lackadaisical approach to monster-fighting means that any plotline that’s more emotional, like Chalice or Garren, is naturally going to pull the spotlight. I assume this is just a minor turn in the story, letting it ebb towards our supporting cast so it can be more powerful when it flows back towards Blade. It’s just weird how fully Blade has receded to the background, and how early it’s happened in the series. I want to spend more time with Kenzaki! I was just getting to know that kid! Quote:
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I am rooting for the Riders! Maybe Garren finds the strength within himself to triumph, briefly, over a more powerful opponent. Maybe he holds his own long enough for Blade to help out. Maybe the Hayabusa satellite drops from the sky, crushing Trenchcoat Mastermind, and Yuji from Fourze jumps out to give her principal a pep talk. I want to see the heroes find a way to win!
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07-24-2020, 12:47 AM | #249 |
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For me, it's levels. If everyone in a scene is at the same level, intense emotions and extreme reactions are fine. (Like, Kotaro and Kenzaki arguing about Kenzaki withholding the truth about Hajime.) If one person in the scene has a higher energy level than everyone else, it can come off stagey, overdone, cartoonish. Think Tachibana's tantrum when Dr Ladyfriend said his tests were negative. It... acting is reacting, you know? Two people playing off of each other's performance, it's got a naturalism no matter what the content or tone. One actor just Acting So Hard, it's going to make for a funnier scene than was probably intended. Quote:
Yeah, it should've the Riders triumph (and this not being the case of Faiz is likely the reason the ending is considered bad by many), and have them struggle and find a way to win. I too rooting, but... it doesn't mean that suddenly turning the fight around because of plot is a plausible outcome. It's one of people's main complaint of protagonist side, the one famously called "plot armor" (though it can be used as buzzword now), where for almost no logical reason, someone made to win against others, just because of plot. Riders have many forms, and no one had that yet, and here, they're fighting basically the final boss level of an enemy. And for me, rooting aside, I also want the story to play it out consistently, someone had to win/lose based on their established power, not alignment (good shouldn't beat evil because of them being good and uplifting despite the good being weaker unless they gained something to even out, also vice-versa, evil shouldn't beat good just because evil gets you more ahead or something despite the evil being much weaker).
It's totally fine that the show didn't do that this time. They've got a plan for Garren, and it's not what I'd expected. But I want their wins to be clever and unexpected, not a foregone conclusion.
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07-24-2020, 03:28 AM | #250 |
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This episode is the first of the series not to be written (or co-written) by Shoji Imai. Instead, it’s written by Jun’ichi Miyashita, who was previously the co-showrunner on Kamen Rider Black, the secondary writer on Kamen Rider Black RX and the co-writer for Shin: Kamen Rider Prologue. Outside of Kamen Rider, he was the head writer for 5 consecutive Metal Heroes shows (Tokusou Exceedraft, Janperson, Blue SWAT, Jukkou Bee Fighter and Bee Fighter Kabuto) and one Super Sentai series (Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger). He’s also the rare Tokusatsu screenwriter to also be a songwriter (list enclosed within).
Let’s Go Rider Kick https://youtu.be/C02iy00hdNw (Shotaro Ishinimori) People Game https://youtu.be/QK836Ke9fck (Yuya Takahashi) Kuroi Juujika Black Beet https://youtu.be/r5yUSatfIpM (Jun’ichi Miyashita) Go Go DenziTiger https://youtu.be/euhAc5OQKuI (Shouzou Uehara) Karrakishi https://youtu.be/X5OKhzV6dq8 (Kento Shimoyama) Sing! Swing!! Smoky!!! https://youtu.be/9lqYQLOdDSo (Michiko Yokote) Aoi Akuma no Hohoemi https://youtu.be/O9uq40shGzk (Naruhisa Arakawa) Honoo no Condor https://youtu.be/nlJAbngVXeg (Toshiki Inoue) Yorokobi no Uta https://youtu.be/PvnQx5HsE1c (Riku Sanjo) Legends https://youtu.be/ITfqVoj3rhI (Shō Aikawa) Flash! Goggle V https://youtu.be/Eczf8PByx90 (Hirohosa Soda) Pop Up Night https://youtu.be/Zza1nvtSLuY (Noboru Sugiyama) PSYMA ~Hakai no Rakuin~ https://youtu.be/WdNVeOcnEqQ (Yasuko Kobayashi) Mahou no JUMON https://youtu.be/xL9VXKzIfZw (Atsushi Maekawa) Akuma no Shocker https://youtu.be/VaPOQ6XqSUQ (Masaru Igami) And now, the Undead Information Kiosk (yes, that’s the name I decided on). Change Spider. A Category Ace Undead who belongs to the Club-class Undead. Category Aces are smarter than Category 2-10 Undead, but lack the human forms and speech capabilities of the Royal Class Undead. While unsealed, this one can release golden spiders from itself. Sealed Aces allow for transformation with the Rider system, but improperly sealed Aces could be dangerous. * Suit: Club * Category: Ace * Effect Name: CHANGE * Card Name: Change Spider (アブソーブ・カプリコーン Chenji Supaidā) * Consumption Points: +3 (your guess as to what that means is as good as mine) https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20200603052236 Mach Jaguar. A high speed Undead who mauls his victims to death. * Suit: Spade * Category: 9 * Effect Name: MACH * Card Name: Mach Jaguar (マッハ・ジャガー Mahha Jagā) * Consumption Points: FP 1600 https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20121110111426 Drill Shell. An Undead with incredible spinning abilities. * Suit: Heart * Category: 5 * Effect Name: DRILL * Card Name: Drill Shell (ドリル・シェル Doriru Sheru) * Consumption Points: FP 1200 Last edited by Androzani84; 07-24-2020 at 03:33 AM.. |
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