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10-07-2023, 09:53 PM | #21 |
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Join Date: Sep 2019
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Power Rangers Cosmic Fury Gonna keep this post short. I got together with Name, Enchilada645, and Androzani84 to discuss the entirety of what could possibly be the final season of Power Rangers. I feel as though the recording itself says everything I could think to type up and more, and that overall it was a really good discussion between people who have a genuine love for this franchise. So please, do give it a listen. It's a little bit over an hour and a half long. You can download/listen to our discussion HERE.
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12-11-2023, 01:39 PM | #22 |
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Shin Ultraman Listen to the Tokucast HERE. This movie being one of my first real exposures to a more traditional Ultra Series entry has grown very interesting over time. It's a film that, when I first saw it, I was somewhat iffy on, but as I grow more in tune with the Ultra Series as a whole, and also with repeat viewings, it's a movie that I grow to like and appreciate more and more. At the time of this writing, I still haven't seen the original Ultraman, but even so, there's alot going on here in terms of showcasing just what the heart of the franchise is, as well as doing things to stand on its own feet as a superhero movie. Sure, the pacing can take some getting used to, especially if you aren't expecting what is essentially a chaptered movie minus the chapter markers, but really, I feel like that's part of the fun, especially with how every section of the movie manages to tie itself together as the film goes on. The superb dubbing for the English helps alot too. The effects are great, the action is fun, and many of the characters, Mefilas especially, are very likable even if they are basic. And in the end, the movie is just an all around fun ride. And that's what's most important, I think.
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12-16-2023, 08:41 PM | #23 |
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Location: Michigan
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Kamen Rider Decade Episode 28: Amazon, Friend Listen to me talk about one of the more disliked arcs of Decade HERE! Hi, I'm DreamSword, and if you didn't already know, Kamen Rider Decade is a show that I absolutely could not stand watching. Merry Christmas! But you know, at the time of this writing, I recently finished watching Kamen Rider Amazon for the first time, and wouldn't you know it, I rather liked that show. I also liked this two-parter of Decade the first time I saw it. Surprising, right? It's one of the few bits of Decade that I felt worked well enough on its own merits, and now having seen Amazon, while I wouldn't call the tribute aspects perfect, I feel as though they're alot better handled than in most of the other "tributes" that Decade tended to go with. Most of which felt like they were written by people who actively hated the source material. Many point at AR Amazon's' actor and call his acting terrible at best and a betrayal of the original Amazon's' at worst, but me? I think it overall checks out. And I feel as though the directing on him was absolutely intentional. Because here's the thing, anyone who's under the impression that the actor for Showa's' Amazon was 1000% different from the delivery brought upon by his AR version? Well, I feel as though they should actually like, watch the original Amazon. The early episodes especially. Because his delivery, especially on the iconic "AM-A-ZON!" line, was equally flat. And while it did get better as the show went on, it never reached any sort of super passionate heights. And in context of Decade's' story in and of itself, it makes total sense why Amazon acts the way that he does. He's a stranger in a land where he has had no friends, no real human interaction, and is fighting for the lives of the people who actively hate him every day. Emotionally, he's battered and drained. And his general demeanor reflects that. But despite those difficulties, he continues on the path he feels is right, and tries his best to be a light in the darkness. That embodies not just Amazon, but Showa Kamen Rider in general. A big aspect to Amazon's' story was communication and camaraderie, which this two-parter decides to showcase by showing what happens when those aspects of human society are corrupted and abused by those in power. And it's easy to see as an even more deliberate decision by acknowledging that Mole Beastman doesn't exist in this world, and the Alternate Reality version of Masahiko being Amazon's' enemy rather than his best friend. It's the sort of what-if scenario that I feel anyone who's familiar with the original Amazon would atleast find some sort of appreciation in. But therein lies the rub, doesn't it? One of my biggest critiques of Decade as a whole is that it is not at all written with newcomers in mind, and it also does not make it at all clear that the worlds its presenting are corruptions(in more ways than one) of the shows that it's paying "tribute" to up until the very end of the show's' run. This arc isn't any different in those regards, but at the very least this one works well enough within its own context, as well as the greater context of Decade's' "plot" as a whole, unlike most other arcs within. Atleast, if you ask me, anyway. Like, yeah, it's by no means perfect, but I was more satisfied with what it did than what it didn't. Takes Tsukasa for example. Now, it's no secret that he's a character of whom I absolutely cannot stand, but I liked the way he was utilized here: His more abrasive aspects being used to the advantage of the team for once rather than to their active detriment, as well as him taking a backseat for once and letting Amazon take the lead. That's the sort of story that Decade as a whole wants the viewer to believe it is, but this was the first(and only) arc wherein those ideas were actually followed through on(unless one counts the Kamen Rider Wizard two-parter years alter). For once, Tsukasa is infact as fellow Rider who is "just passing through" rather than taking center stage and making the story be all about him. Is this arc perfect? No. But it's a noticeable step up from the average, and was alot more in line with my own personal tastes as well as delivering upon what the show tried to(falsely) advertise from the start. And in those regards, I still enjoy it for what it is, even after having seen the original work it's attempting to pay tribute to. Never say I never gave Decade any sort of compliment. Merry Christmas.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 12-16-2023 at 08:46 PM.. |
03-11-2024, 06:45 PM | #24 |
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Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,432
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Dogengers Nice Buddy Episode 10: I Found the First Bystander! Original post is HERE. Podcast episode is HERE. This episode was surprisingly real. Probably one of the last things I expected to be depicted in Dogengers is the very real consequences of improper medication handling. It makes sense though. Ohgaman, and by extension, Ohga Pharmacy's' entire mission statement is about helping families to take better care of themselves and taking their medication properly. So, showcasing some of the very real side effects of improper medical care ontop of a diabetic condition hits very hard and makes for a very real lesson for kids. If you don't take proper care of yourself, then be prepared to face some very scary consequences. It's not a fun time! Ontop of that is the reveal of Great-Z's' backstory, and how the things we go through during our childhood has an impact that lasts our entire lives. It's a very sadly relatable tale that hits close for alot of people, myself included. But it also shows that despite what suffering we might go through, finding a light at the end isn't impossible. And I think that's what makes this such a special episode, overall. It's not afraid to talk to its audience straight, but yet makes the journey and struggle worth it reach that warm light at the end. Of course you can still love heroes, love to draw, and keep your hobbies throughout your whole life, and anyone who tries to say otherwise is likely just trying to pass on their own misery. Stand tall, stand proud, and surround yourself with those who understand. It's an emotional swing of an episode, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
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03-12-2024, 07:18 PM | #25 |
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Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,432
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Kamen Rider W Episodes 39 & 40: The Likelihood of G Listen to me, Name, and En-chan talk about these two episodes HERE. This is my favorite two-parter in W. It has alot going for(alot of which En-chan beat me to mentioning), but the crux of it is this: It's just a ton of fun from start to finish. The scenario, the character humor, the action, all of it is incredibly on point and so full of energy that it makes the less savory parts really not even matter, let alone at all stick in my brain. It's also a prime example of what I personally love about the show. Because yes, for all the critiques I've been giving throughout the thread, I do legit like this show and feel that its positives far outweigh its negatives. And that in turn, surprisingly, mainly comes from Akiko. Does W always handle its characters the best? As seen with Wakana, obviously not, but when the shows nails something, oh man does it ever. Here we have Akiko, a character that I used to hate, not only being incredibly likable all throughout both episodes, but delivering what might be my favorite scene in the entire show? Her speech telling both Kawai and Wakana to get over themselves was fantastic. Such a shame Wakana doesn't take it at all to heart. I would've even forgiven the sudden turn to the dark side if she had. And then there's Terui, who is the one responsible for why I would never ever forget these episodes. And that's him running away fro the kissing scene, getting tied to a tree later, and then laying one on Shotaro later. The primary reason that Akiko and Terui getting together later never sat right with me was that, in my mind, Terui was very much an ace-coded character all throughout the show. If anyone wants to claim I'm projecting, sure, fair enough, but it honestly seemed to me like the dude never had any sort of interest in romance or sex, let alone seeing Akiko in that light. And the kiss jokes in this one really only further cemented that in my eyes. The episodes are just a fun ride from start to finish, and it's the sort of thing that I always think back on when I think of Kamen Rider W.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 03-12-2024 at 07:21 PM.. |
04-01-2024, 08:10 PM | #26 |
Some guy. I'm alright.
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,432
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Hirogaru Sky! Pretty Cure Episodes 22 & 23 Podcast watch is HERE. This show's' range and use of tone is pretty great. And that is showcased fantastically in the one and only two parter across the entire season. This is the mid season finale, and it hits like a ton of bricks. After a season of relatively happy go lucky adventures, our heroes are faced with an incredibly dire and dramatic situation that takes an extreme emotional toll on our lead. It's part of why these episodes stand out and work so well. They're immediately set apart from everything that came before, and does alot of things not seen before. A human infected by Underg Energy, a serious threat of death, and a new, somber ending song that doesn't ruin the tone at all. There's also a wonderful amount of character work done with Sora in this, as everything she held true to in terms of her heroism is put to the ultimate test. Can she truly call herself a hero if she's unable to make the tough decisions? Does being a hero mean that you have to sacrifice those you love? And just far should one go when fighting for what they believe in? Given that the show is aimed at young girls, the show of course opts for the most optimistic of messages in terms of everything these episodes do, but still, by that same token, it raises some rather deep questions for the target demographic. Such as how much suffering is worth pursuing your dreams, and what do you do when your dreams turn out to not quite be what you were hoping for? Wonderful character drama combined with everything else that makes the show great makes for a wonderful set of episodes, and I couldn't be happier with them.
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05-05-2024, 07:15 AM | #27 |
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Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,432
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Blue Beetle Listen to me, Androzani, GrandComplete, and En-chan watch and discuss the film HERE. Look at that screenshot. This movie is totally a tokusatsu film! Sure, the fandom joke that Blue Beetle is a toku in disguise is partly what inspired this episode, but at the same time, this movie is just all around great. There's so much to love about it right from the outset: The cinematography is very clear and nice to look at, the action scenes, while relatively simple, are choreographed well, and the Blue Beetle suit is an actual suit and not CGI! And speaking on a somewhat more personal note, the Mexican representation all throughout the movie is top notch. Featuring a wonderful soundtrack, relatable scenarios, and a stellar cast who all bring such wonderful life and energy to their performances. Yes, even George Lopez. But most important of all is the characters. Sure, it's a superhero movie so there's the usual fantastical science going about, but everyone in the cast feels like a real person you could actually run into; with all of them also having incredibly likable personalities to match. One of the villains even manages to capture a great deal of sympathy despite their backstory only coming in at the end. The emotional core of the film is present and on point all throughout, with the tone never once wavering, feeling forced, or being condescending towards the audience. I always get fully invested from minute one, and stay all the way through. And that's even with the romance that I felt fell a bit flat and is the only real deterrent. But hey, that's a very minor footnote in what I overall found to be a very fun experience. Blue Beetle is the best superhero film I've seen in years, and I really hope to see this rendition of Jaime Reyes again someday.
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