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06-01-2020, 06:21 PM | #421 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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I don't know if it's because Lucky Clover isn't as dysfunctional as the 2 trios? Or it's because they don't impact the 2 trios that much other than being the occassional target as per Smart Brain rules? (which will reduce their internally generated sthick?) Them being solely focused on their mission (this one can be a good or bad thing depending on the person tbh IMO, including Team Faiz and Renegades' emphasis on daily life)? Wondering.
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Nice job breaking it, Yuka... for you to jump into the conclusions of her Mari-ing (pun intended) and interested in becoming a bride, something's wrong with you (not morally or sanity, but your perception).... If a girl is not interested, a much more extravagant level of flirting like that (jumping to marrying!) would be even worse.
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On the actual subject of the thread, though, I love Kaidou's dumb plan immensely too, and what's crazy is, I remember during my rewatch thinking the way Takkun and Kusaka undo their transformations before giving chase to two monsters was pushing it... and never once stopping to ask if Kaidou's plan itself crosses the line. It truly does fit his character so well I'd never question it. It is the absolute definition of "just stupid enough to work".
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Also, real talk? I think Murakami is a pretty fair boss all things considered. He makes big shady power plays, and is quick to throw out threats to anyone who crosses him, yeah, but he also gives his underlings a lot more space than most evil leaders in tokusatsu. The main bad guy in a Showa Era series would've executed Mr. J just for having the nerve to still be alive after his first failure, and then genetically re-engineered Chaco into some mindless killing machine to make up the difference. Murakami is just the best of the best trying to make sure humanity isn't the lowest of the low! Encouraging evolution is a noble goal, right?
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Second favorite theme song, Be The One. First favorite theme song, SURPRISE DRIVE. It has the best opening, that squealing guitar and propulsive drumming, the announcer saying "START -- YOUR ENGINES", the staccato rhythm right up until "Fire Up/Ignition", and then the guitar speeds up... it's so good! It's the best theme song for a Kamen Rider!
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06-01-2020, 06:22 PM | #422 |
Warrior of Delusions!
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Wait, you dont know either?
Posts: 5,825
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Brb, I'm gonna go write a Kamen Rider theme tier list and post it in a thread, seems like a valuable use of my time.
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Check out my occasional ramblings! https://akibamusings.blogspot.com/
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06-01-2020, 07:25 PM | #423 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,410
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It's good to see everyone appreciating how great Justifaiz is, but if we're talking catchy Rider theme songs, there's really no beating Be The One. The flow of the repeated "e" sounds in "nanika wo tasuke, sukutte dakishime, kokoro ni furete, to~doku yo, tsutaware" is unreal. This is only barely on-topic and I'm going to have to apologize to Die for getting the song stuck in his head again, but you know, I just feel these things are important to say. I really needed to send this message and let it ring out.
On the actual subject of the thread, though, I love Kaidou's dumb plan immensely too, and what's crazy is, I remember during my rewatch thinking the way Takkun and Kusaka undo their transformations before giving chase to two monsters was pushing it... and never once stopping to ask if Kaidou's plan itself crosses the line. It truly does fit his character so well I'd never question it. It is the absolute definition of "just stupid enough to work". Also, real talk? I think Murakami is a pretty fair boss all things considered. He makes big shady power plays, and is quick to throw out threats to anyone who crosses him, yeah, but he also gives his underlings a lot more space than most evil leaders in tokusatsu. The main bad guy in a Showa Era series would've executed Mr. J just for having the nerve to still be alive after his first failure, and then genetically re-engineered Chaco into some mindless killing machine to make up the difference. Murakami is just the best of the best trying to make sure humanity isn't the lowest of the low! Encouraging evolution is a noble goal, right? More minor translation cop business for episode 24: Kusaka telling Takumi his past is "with Mari" should definitely be more like "is the same as Mari's" for clarity's sake. I think TV-N felt a little unsure of how to handle it because the word issho can mean "together" in a lot of different ways, but this one actually is meant to be a cryptic hint to future plot revelations. Quote:
There is only one Kamen Rider theme song that‘s so catchy it randomly pops into my head at least once a week. https://youtu.be/trT3e7juaCs |
06-01-2020, 07:36 PM | #424 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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https://youtu.be/wYHDAf6xidA
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06-01-2020, 09:01 PM | #425 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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KAMEN RIDER 555 EPISODE 25
--1-- Kusaka has some of the best facial acting of anyone in a Kamen Rider, ever. I think maybe 60% of it is those eyebrows, the ridiculous intensity they add to everything he says or does. But he really does make a meal out of every expression, finding some little tic or flared nostril or slightly curled lip to really drive home how messed-up he is. It's an acting choice that probably wouldn't work on another show. There's not much that's small about Kusaka's choices, you know? The character is very broad, as portrayed here. But Faiz is such an overheated show, it's hard to say it doesn't work. It works great for me, anyway. --2-- Which is good, since there's a shit-ton of Kusaka in this episode. There're only two plots, and Takumi and Kusaka are really the only reps for Team Faiz's plotline. (Mari's in one set-up scene, and Keitaro gets so into his role as a cleaner that he vacuums dirt instead of saving Kusaka.) Normally, I'd think a story where Takumi and Kusaka would have to work together to escape from Smart Brain HQ would lead to a bunch of buddy comedy bits, insights into how they'd work together to survive, that sort of thing. Nope! It's all weird Ryusei Cram School ("Go Meteors!”) stuff, and it's... I mean, there ain't a lot here. It's shot well, I'll give it that. The transition from Smart Brain's clean surfaces and fluorescent bulbs to the Ryusei School's damp atmosphere and purple lighting takes us from a heist story to a horror story in one scene change. It's terribly effective at heightening the tension, making survival seem unlikely. It's very cool to watch. It's just, other than some cool fights, it's way more mysterious than it needs to be. My rule of thumb for mysteries is One Answer For Every Two Questions. A worse ratio than that, you've lost my interest. Here, it's all questions. Why is the Ryusei School in the basement of Smart Brain? Why is there a new belt? Why is it killing people? What does Orphan Daddy want? Why is he in the Ryusei School? Why is he screaming at Kusaka to FIGHT? Did he get Shiro's script from Ryuki by accident? Is Kusaka going to have to keep killing Orphnochs to save Mari from a coma? Does this make Takumi Shinji, or Kitaoka? SO MANY QUESTIONS. All of these questions will probably be relevant at the end of the series, but right here it was just too much, too fast. --3-- And that's a shame, since the Kaido plotline totally delivered for me. Kaido's someone that has maybe the broadest range of anyone in the cast. Last episode, it was pure comedy. Him swooning over all of Yuka's compliments, his ridiculous marriage proposal, the fact that the fake monster attack he does with Kouhai uses Thriller choreography... it's a whole episode of him being a giant cartoon. But then this one, it's pure sadness. He wanted to be rid of his humanity, but he can't do it. He doesn't see the value in the family he's made, but he can't throw them away. There's a sweet story about acceptance in this one, about Kaido concentrating on what he has rather than what he doesn't. It's amazing how well the actor sells it, making Kaido's return to the fold of Team Orphnoch feel both like the best of bad options, as well as something he's grown to love. --4-- Both stories get incredibly cool fight scenes to close out the episode. The Takumi/Kusaka vs Faiz/Kaixa fight does some fun tricks with lighting and shutter speed, making the fight appear quicker and more disorienting than normal. I liked how, despite the appearance of Orphan Daddy, the fight's won by Takumi using what's at hand (a killer belt) to get the belts back on our heroes. (Last episode's fight was all about undressing, while this one has undressing and dressing! Escalation!) It's a fun fight. The Horsepower vs Rabbitpunch fight, it's a decent brawl that has a great, emotional hook in the middle. The disappointment Kaido feels in Kouhai, the way he tells Kouhai that if he needs to hit someone, hit Kaido... so great. While the Rider fight is stylish and clever without having much weight behind it, the Orphnoch fight feels like it's about something, something that matters to the characters beyond their survival. --5-- Yeah, the Orphnoch stuff really landed for me, while the Faiz stuff was fun to watch but nothing I'd really dwell on. Except for Kusaka's facial expressions as he revisits the figurative and literal ghosts of his past, because those are glorious.
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06-01-2020, 10:39 PM | #426 |
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Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,290
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I think the thing that really ended up working for me with Lucky Clover is how we first see them hanging out, having a drink. It sets a unique tone for them as a group. I think I called them a "social club" before, rather than a villain group, and that's a very fun dynamic. Even groups that we see hanging out in other series like OOO or Kuuga or Drive, those scenes are largely about specific power structures and immediate goals. With Lucky Clover, it feels more like they're just enjoying some time at a bar, relaxing, and then they'll go do villain stuff later.
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Third favorite theme song, W-B-X.
Second favorite theme song, Be The One. First favorite theme song, SURPRISE DRIVE. It has the best opening, that squealing guitar and propulsive drumming, the announcer saying "START -- YOUR ENGINES", the staccato rhythm right up until "Fire Up/Ignition", and then the guitar speeds up... it's so good! It's the best theme song for a Kamen Rider! Hirogaru uchuu no naka can you feel Chiisa na hoshi no hanashi wo shiyou Tell me the truth shinjite ta mirai ga Kurure sarou to shiteru Kanashimi wo kurikaeshi Boku ra wa doko e yuku no darou (Chorus) Ima hitori hitori no mune no naka Me wo samase the time to go Tsuyoku aru tame ni Mata mamoru koto to tatakau koto Dilemma wa owaranai hashiri tsuzukete mo The end Justifaiz the means! Ashita no kono sora sae keep you real Eien ja nai kamo shire nai Over again messeeji wo okuru Byouyomi wa hajimatta Boku ra ni wa mada kiito Yaru beki koto ga aru no nara (Chorus) Also instrumental version of the song used in Climax Heroes (that got replaced by People With No Name following Fourze, a song that I don't get as invested as Justifaiz) [URL="
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06-01-2020, 10:43 PM | #427 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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I guess, for me, it's that we spend way more time with Team Faiz and Team Orphnoch. We've seen them change and grow. For Lucky Clover, there's not that much interiority to the characters, no sense of who they are when they aren't in Lucky Clover. You'd have to completely reorient the show to make them work as well as the other two groups, and I'm not sure it'd be worth it? Man, I don't know if that's right, but it looks pretty right to me! Excellent work!
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06-02-2020, 12:00 AM | #428 |
take me to space
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,406
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Orphan Daddy here making his appearance with that exact same Mirror World sound effect (or at least something really similar), and immediately telling Kusaka to 'Tatakae!' was very surreal. Just imagine that he handed Kaixa a Survive Card and it wouldn't be much more out of place...
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06-02-2020, 01:15 AM | #429 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,410
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Well if we're talking catchiest Showa openings the answer is obviously Amazon!
https://youtu.be/wYHDAf6xidA For today's casting trivia, Orphan Daddy is played by the late Koji Naka, who had formerly played mentor figure Master Kaku on Dairanger. He passed away in 2015, the same year as Yuuji's actor, Masayuki Izumi. |
06-02-2020, 05:26 AM | #430 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,546
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Look since we’re wasting threadspace talking about themes, I’ll just share my personal favourites here and move on to talking about the episode. https://mobile.twitter.com/4thdocact...63352606052352
Given what I’ve heard about Inoue not getting along with Yasuko Kobayashi, I can’t help but wonder if the Rabbit Orphnoch’s name (Yoshio Kobayashi) and horrific death are a coincidence or a take that. Also, we learn that the third rider gear is designated “Delta”. Expect him to show up soon. |
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