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03-17-2019, 08:12 PM | #11 |
Tokusatsu Hero
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 6,589
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I mean, it's nice little festive music. But the Rangers themselves are not dancing. If anything is dancing it's the gimmicks.
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03-18-2019, 01:56 AM | #12 |
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 345
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Pacing issues aside, this was a great first episode. The cast is very likeable so far, even the supporting cast, and the world-building seems to have potential this season (so I hope they don't just gloss over it). The Master's were cool for the brief screentime they got, though I think they were killed off far too soon. That being said, their death will ultimately become pivotal for the young Ryusoulger's motivation to defeat the Druidon so it makes sense for it to happen at the start. Limiting the intro focus to only three members seemed like the right thing to do given the pacing, and we know Black and Green have their own motives so I am excited to see how they'll play into the overall plot.
So, it ticks all the boxes for a Sentai premiere, and though it felt rushed, it also felt kind of fresh. I think most of it has to do with the editing and visuals. The direction and cinematography is dynamic and creative and the action is high-energy. The choreography is fantastic but the usage of visual effects and interesting camera angles enhances the action incredibly. Even the repetitiveness of closing the mouth on the RyuSoul-ken that had me worried during last week's early debut was remedied by the how the camerawork and editing presents it. And of course, that mech fight. Holy crap this was the best mech fight in YEARS! Even last year's awesome LupinKaiser debut can't hold a candle. That was very much an obvious one-off due to the usage of high quality CG, but this instead brings me hope that KishiryuOh's action scenes will remain dynamic year round. That thing can move! It's been a while since we saw a mecha that could run and jump, let alone KICK. And not only that - the exploding setpiece, the exciting camera work and limited use of CGI really made this a stand-out mecha fight and proves that practical effects can not only look great, but can feel way more authentic than CG, even by modern standards. And it had like three or more configurations too, with more to come! This is an actual Sentai mech that I would feel compelled to buy - it looks great, moves great, and so I can only image it plays great. So much to like during this sequence, from the gorgeous mountain and temple miniatures to the impressive pyrotechnics. The shot of KishiryuOh walking with the explosion behind it is just so badass. The only thing that I'm not sold on is that it seems only red needs to be there to pilot it, but I guess there could be more to it. It was also obviously cut up for time, so I hope they release a director's cut of this episode, not only to remedy the pacing issues, but to get an uncut version of this phenomenal mech fight. And this is before talking about the opening theme. The song is triumphant and the visuals are equally majestic. I think it's flat-out one of Sentai's best openings. The ending theme is good fun too. This is probably the fastest that I've gone from impartial to a series to absolutely ecstatic for it. Though my initial reactions were of disappointment and worry of it being a Kyoryuger clone and Toei playing it way too safe, the actual episode has completely caught me by surprise. It's so strange that something so familiar can seem so fresh, but this series is doing things for me that even Lupin vs Pat couldn't in their debut. Everything in the show seems to fly in the face of the "safe" merchandising - the awesome celtic-inspired soundtrack against the samba SFX, the dramatic and serious tone clashing with the dancing Ryusoul's - and it's beautiful to see. The new Sentai era is off to a great start. |
03-18-2019, 02:26 AM | #13 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,530
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This is the most excited I’ve been about a Sentai premiere in years. Maybe since Go-Busters. The episode is like if the Gingaman premiere had the urgency and narrative propulsion of the Ohranger premiere. In general, the episode had stakes and a tone reminiscent of 90s-era Sentai. That’s my favorite era of the franchise, so if this show continues to be influenced by those shows, I will be a very happy boy.
I usually hate when they introduce the mechs in the first episode (even though I get that they need to shill the toys these days), but this was one of the few times I’ve seen it work. It felt important to the story because the stakes of the action rise so fast. Because I guess we’re fighting kaiju this season? Love it. And kinda can’t believe it took 43 iterations to get around to “Sentai vs. Godzillas.” I also very much love the neon mirror-room cockpits. I suspect those mirrors are going to allow for some cool manifestations of inner drama down the line. The henshin is next level bonkers, and its silliness is so weird next to the more dramatic tone of a lot of the episode. I love weirdness like that, Sentai does it better than any other franchise around. Overall, very impressive. You can tell Toei brought on a seasoned drama writer who knows what he’s doing. Good lord, I hope it can keep up the momentum. Last edited by Kamen Rider Lucha; 03-18-2019 at 02:30 AM.. |
03-18-2019, 03:04 AM | #14 |
Stronger Than You
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: nyet
Posts: 25,326
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I enjoyed it, but it was paced too quickly. I think the masters' deaths could've been held for a few episodes, to both let them develop as characters as well as give a sudden urgency to finding black and green due to the drop in the team from 6 to 3.
Granted, I do like the raised stakes from the get go. Gives things a lot of impact, so I'm fine overall. I liked seeing the rangers fighting along their superiors, though. We've had plenty of seasons where powers are passed down (Dai, Kaku, and Shinken immediately come to mind), but only Ninninger really made use of it, so it's nice to see it here, too, however brief. Characters are fine, in a little underdeveloped, but considering how much they had to jam into one episode, and the fact that there's a whole 45-ish episodes to go, I won't complain too much. I do like that the humor was a little more fast paced (Pink shoving Red, and we cut to him suddenly in a cloud of smoke in the hill, rather than a prolonged sequence where we see red go flying, for example).
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03-18-2019, 03:45 AM | #15 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Brisbane,Australia
Posts: 349
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This was a really good start to the new Sentai. While it was paced a bit quick and we don't get a lot from the characters or villains, it was a really good episode. Initial set up for the premise is good. We get a good faint idea of the heroes and villain's goals for now and set up of this world. I didn't expect the Masters to be in their RyuSoulger suits as well. Usually with a passing of the torch/mantle, we get the predecessors fighting non-transformed most of the time. So it was a nice surprise. I do agree they got killed off too early but I see it'll be used as a strong motivation for their 3 RyuSoulger successors.
The highlight of this episode is definitely the mech fight. My god was that great. I absolutely loved it. So for now, RyuSoulger has a pretty good debut. Can't wait to see more. |
03-18-2019, 05:31 AM | #16 |
Cold As Ice
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Cavite, Philippines
Posts: 462
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The episode gave me a lot of Gingaman vibes. From the power being handed down to them, to their secret village getting destroyed and now they have to live outside of their village.
Didn't expect the masters to die that quickly but I guess it gives them more motivation. I wonder if green and black will get the shaft story-wise since they didn't go trough that experience. Might be like Hurricanegers were the Gouraigers were part of the team but clearly separate from the main trio. And yeah the mech fight was pretty good. I hope they can keep it up.
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03-18-2019, 05:33 AM | #17 |
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,301
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It make sense to kill 3 off to save budget and not let them stay side line since they can fight and command, so less danger like geki. No dancing henshin is what I meant. The stereotypical side supporting character seems annoying especially she's 23 and not a young boy. The trailer/opening seems to hint the serious looking old guy might have a different alter ego/persona. I could see a special that focus on lives of early kishiryu ryusoul masters. It's a lego mecha and the rest are tiny accessories that attack all over Reid's body.
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03-18-2019, 06:43 AM | #18 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 613
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Characters are a bit undeveloped, but it's the first episode so I'll give it a pass.
The mech battle was incredible! A combined mech that can actually run and not lightly jogging and flailing his arms around! |
03-18-2019, 09:30 AM | #19 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,301
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Gobuster ace even if mostly cgi and the individual red zord in the past. Feel like ultraman monsters invaded
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03-18-2019, 10:07 AM | #20 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,422
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Okay, so I did not go into this with very high hopes or expectations. It always looked like a blatant re-skin of Kyoryuger, a show that I very rapidly grew to hate back when it first aired. Honestly, I almost just skipped this entirely because I didn't think I'd enjoy it all that much. So, with all that factored in, the fact that I fucking loved this episode really surprised me.
Almost everything about this episode just clicked with me. I like the basic concept of the lost tribe camped out in the remains of Evolt's tower. I liked the brief use of the mentor characters, even if killing off all three at once seemed a little hackneyed. the Ryusoulgers themselves are working for me so far, even if Melto and Asuna didn't get much focus in this episode. Koh works for me, though. He's a little shouty, but he doesn't come off as especially obnoxious to me. I'm certainly not wondering what mental institution he escaped from, like some other recent Reds I can think of. I really like the aesthetic of the Druidons and the Minusaur (which looks like it was something Toei borrowed from Tsubaraya). I was really caught off-guard by how much I like the mech, though; not only did it just look really good in execution, but the freedom of movement that suit offers the actor is incredible. I'm so used to Sentai mechs being big, clunky suits that can barely move, but this thing is surprisingly agile. I really hope that we get to see that being utilized throughout the show's run. So far, there are only two things that really didn't work for me. The first is the comic relief character: I hate it when Sentai or Kamen Rider resort to cheap slapstick. That said, the hammer joke completely broke me, so I'm willing to give the show's sense of humor a chance. The other thing I don't like is the return of the ending credits with an accompanying lame dance number. I can just choose not to watch that part, though, so it's not really an issue for me. So yeah, against all my expectations I am definitely in on this season. |
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