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02-14-2022, 09:09 PM | #9181 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Jetman 12-14:
12 marks Inoue's return to the show, and just as you can tell when he left, you can tell just as much here that he's back. This is an episode that's barely concerned with the formula. Ryuu, Gai, and Ako don't even show up until way late in the episode, and they only transform to fly their jets for the robot fight at the end. Honestly, I'm surprised the episode even cared enough to make room for that. Instead of the same old same old, this is very firmly a closed room murder mystery story on a bus, and while Raita and Kaori act as the anchors for the viewers, Inoue is far more interested in developing humans here than he is in proper superheroics. Sure, the whole thing is a Vyram plot, but that's mostly a pretense for Inoue to introduce us to all kinds of colorful guest characters, such as a bus driver with a secret past, an aging cop just about to retire, and even a suicidal woman who eventually learns from this whole ordeal to try and appreciate her life more, especially after White Swan saves her. On that note, in addition to being a nice showcase for how bold Inoue's priorities could be with this show, it's also just a pretty cool episode for Kaori? I haven't explicitly said this yet, but she's more or less my favorite right now, and I dig how this one makes a point that she handles this stressful scenario way more gracefully than Raita does. There's also a moment where she gets grabbed by the giant monster and dropped from a great height, as though that's dangerous to a Jetman, and right as I was being like "you're literally a bird person; just fly" she does exactly that, and I was honestly a little impressed. Go Kaori! Oh, and speaking of showcases for what Inoue was bringing to Jetman, Gai gets in a line early on in 13 that basically sums up the whole show. "We're humans before we're warriors." This is, naturally, said in response to Ryuu's attempts to brush off difficult questions about his feelings towards the insane love... love... uh, whatever shape the complicated network of unrequited passions he's caught up in is. I still can't be bothered to crack the math on that, especially when Raita is now throwing his hat into the ring when it comes to pining after Kaori. This episode is wall-to-wall romantic drama, and as such, it's a rather definitive episode for the series. There's plenty of great development going on here for everyone, and I especially appreciated the show using flashbacks to retroactively add some weight to Ryuu's relationship with Rie. Since, you know, we only got to see that for like half an episode before, well... At any rate, it's neat to now know stuff like that Rie was really good at playing the piano... just like Maria is shown to be while running the latest Vyram scheme in this one. A complete coincidence, I'm sure. Putting that to one side for now, I did enjoy this one a fair bit. The soap opera antics of Jetman aren't ~exactly~ my style, but I find myself, at least at the moment, really respecting just how committed the show is to taking such an unorthodox approach. A cliffhanger ending leads directly into 14, as the team grapples with the dilemma of Kaori becoming the latest addition to Maria's photo album, courtest of Camera Dimension. Gai takes this particularly poorly, of course. It's the most vulnerable Gai has been in the whole series up to this point, and it works to make his romantic pursuit of Kaori feel a bit more earnest than just a chronic flirt's latest fling. It's not just like, macho anger towards the Vyram for taking his woman. He's blaming himself hard, and is so desperate to see her safe again that he'll get and down on his knees and outright beg Maria to give Kaori back. It's a softer side to Gai that he'd probably be embarrassed to openly show, and he's certainly not feeling great about his image when the anxious rush he's in turns out to be zero help in saving the day, which ultimately ends up happening mostly as a result of Ryuu's hard work. Kaori even properly confesses her feelings towards him when all is said and done, as if Gai wasn't having a terrible enough day. (In other romantic news, robot bad guy Grey is now attracted to Maria after hearing her play the piano, because this show man I swear.) Definitely no less heavy on the romance than last time, but I think this conclusion outdoes the first part in how it blends all this with normal heroic Sentai action. You can totally watch this one as just a really cool episode that does a fantastic job ramping up the tension as the team gradually dwindles in size until only Red Hawk is left to launch an all-or-nothing plan to save his friends with a sweet new weapon. It completely works on that level alone, and it even works great. It's a pretty uplifting ending in that sense, even, with the evil plan being foiled and all, but when Gai is walking off all grumpy because his primary motivation for being a Jetman (chasing after Kaori) isn't working out, it's also hard to ignore all the complex *drama* surrounding that... wait, hang on, this isn't the first time I've said this. Boy, Jetman sure does love its melodrama! But hey, when it results in episodes this solid, I don't see a reason to complain.
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02-15-2022, 08:46 AM | #9182 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,085
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Fun Fact: That suicidal woman was portrayed by Yoshida Mayumi, the actress of Lou/Pink Flash!
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02-15-2022, 07:06 PM | #9183 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Jetman 15-16:
So, first of all, happy birthday to Jetman. It's not exactly that nice round 30, but since this happened to line up, I figure I might as well acknowledge that Jetman's 31st anniversary is today. Or, I mean, with how time zones work, I guess I probably could've gotten away with celebrating this yesterday, when I watched an extra-sized block of episodes all written by Inoue that also featured Ryuu's literal birthday, which is where that screenshot up above is from. But instead, I'll just have to make due with another quick round of off-flavor episodes by guest writers. Oh well! (I did have some hot milk today out of respect for Red Hawk's adorably wholesome taste in drinks, though, so hopefully that makes up the difference.) I poke fun at the lack of Inoue's unique style, but it's not as if an episode like 15 is a bad time or anything. Indeed, Mami Watanabe's script is an extremely serviceable day in the spotlight for Ako, who hasn't really gotten much attention up until now. She hasn't exactly shown herself to be the type who would get wrapped up in the overarching melodrama of the series, and sure enough, the plot this episode gives her puts its focus strictly on her high school life, as far away from the usual soap opera stuff as possible. You've got everything you'd probably expect from a teen superhero story, with Ako's secret identity causing trouble when it comes to her social life, creating particular friction with her best friend, only for the secret to eventually be revealed, allowing the two to reach an understanding and stay buddies. Real simple, real sweet little story. There's no amazingly fresh or clever twist here, and once again, it doesn't really feel like Inoue's episodes do, but at the same time, Jetman probably needs some episodes like this every now and then to break things up? I keep stressing the clear difference in attitude the other writers and this show have, but I don't want to make it sound like that's inherently a problem or anything. And 16 isn't too bad either. Probably my favorite between the two of these episodes. Kenichi Araki is back, but unlike last time, there's more to the story than just how wild the monster's powers are. Don't get me wrong, Paper Dimension is a great monster, and the premise of things from pictures being brought to life and going on a rampage is a very strong, easy to grasp setup, but there's a proper dramatic layer beyond the mere threat of the villain this time around. There's a whole bittersweet story in here about a father who lost his daughter ultimately finding some sense of closure because of this incident, and I thought it played out nicely. It's one of the most atmospheric episodes of Jetman so far, for sure, due in large part to the very wistful nature of what it's about. While it still doesn't feel like the particular sort of drama Inoue writes for this show, it's got its own brand of emotional storytelling that's effective in its own way. Neat!
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02-15-2022, 08:19 PM | #9184 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 2,448
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Want to bet Hasbro will adapt Zen for series 30 of Power Rangers? They would maybe do it for the aniversary. Zen is the 45th.
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Currently watching Galaxy Man - Aba and To Quger - Don Bros. on DVD. |
02-15-2022, 09:17 PM | #9185 |
Suprise Gamma Future
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,852
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If they did that, it would be strange for them to summon a team that was never adapted.
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02-16-2022, 11:55 AM | #9186 |
Member
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Posts: 977
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02-16-2022, 08:24 PM | #9187 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Jetman 17-18:
17 lets you know Inoue is writing again with all the subtlety of Gai's attempts to win over Kaori... namely because it's an episode that opens up with Gai's latest attempt to win over Kaori. Or heck, never mind that, the dude is so desperate at this point, he's explicitly saying he'd rather have her say she hates his guts, as long as it means he gets a clear answer one way or the other. Gai could really stand to dial it back a few notches! But you know, then we wouldn't have a show, and this was another one that impressed me with just how unusual a scenario it creates. It's not often (ever? probably ever) that you get a Sentai team where two of them are stuck in an elevator together, and the other three are stuck in a different elevator, debating the likelihood that something unsavory is happening in the other elevator. (Raita's deeply concerned about Kaori being alone with Gai, Ryuu has an almost undue level of faith in Gai's manners, and Ako would probably just be eating popcorn the whole time, if she had some handy.) It's all probably a bit much for some viewers, I'm sure, but I'm still way too busy being impressed by Jetman's commitment to be too bothered myself. Like, this is pretty much the entire first act! You've got the exciting debut for a huge new villain in Empress Juuza, and her arrival is mostly used as an excuse to have the power go out to justify the whole elevator scenario. You can tell Inoue is writing the fantasy to service the soap opera, and not the other way around. Still, it's hardly lacking in interesting fantasy stuff. Juuza causes some waves among the Vyram, threatening Radiguet's leadership and ultimately banishing him to live as a lowly human after a botched betrayal attempt, and she also leaves quite the impression by going around making people writhe in horrible pain as huge crystals start jutting out of their skin, which is pretty serious body horror! It's not like the effects are super detailed and believable or anything, but it was enough to make me yearn for the days of wacky noodle monsters. Naturally, these two plotlines collide by the end, with Gai taking a hit from Juuza in order to protect Kaori. And since this is yet another more longform story from Inoue, 18 is free to take all that ramped up tension and run with it as far as it can possibly go. I had heard there was an episode with Radiguet becoming an amnesic human and falling in love with some woman, but man, did I have no way of imagining how much else would also going on here. The continued drama with Gai is pretty solid, once again showing him in an extremely vulnerable state. Not only is he in deep physical suffering for most of the episode's length, but his attempts to play it off with the usual cool guy loner attitude eventually come crumbling down around him, as he admits to Kaori how much the thought of dying terrifies him. I couldn't help but think back to how much this lines up with episode 11's take on everyone's hidden personalities, even though that wasn't an Inoue episode. It implied there that Gai spends so much time pushing people away because he's really so desperate to keep them close, it makes him extremely anxious, and you can honestly get that vibe from him in episodes like this. As though he's a jerk more because he's awkward than anything, pretending to be strong because he resents his own weakness. Or you know, he might just also be a huge jerk! It's easy to feel for him when he's got it rough (and Kaori sure does), but that's only some of the time. At any rate, he ends up feeling a lot better after an epic enemy-of-my-enemy team-up against Juuza between the Jetmen and the restored Radiguet, fresh off of his own melodramatic romantic arc. It's a plotline I can imagine people finding overly "cheap" or whatever, in how hard it's trying to get an emotional response from the viewer, but come on, you know this plot rules. I keep talking about how fresh and weird and different Inoue's plots for Jetman are, and this is such an oddball way to develop the main antagonist of a Sentai show. I loved every second of it. Really gripping stuff, and it gets back to status quo in a way that somehow doesn't feel to me like it was all without purpose. I'd heard the ending of this plot described in very literal terms, but the way it's directed, there's an implication the final scene between this doomed couple is actually happening in Radiguet's mind, which I thought was way more interesting. It's like he's trying to personally strike down the last traces of his *disgusting humanity* to reassert his Vyram superiority, but the idea that he has to give it any thought at all makes room for the viewer to believe it might not be that simple. It's an episode with loads of drama that also leaves you with stuff to think about afterwards. Hard to go wrong with that.
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02-16-2022, 08:44 PM | #9188 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 2,448
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Super Mega Force actually did it twice with the series White Tiger Ranger was adapted from and the Zords.
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Currently watching Galaxy Man - Aba and To Quger - Don Bros. on DVD. |
02-17-2022, 09:12 PM | #9189 |
Precure enthusiast
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Amongst the Cosmos
Posts: 304
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With Zenkaiger, my very first Sentai, coming to a close soon, I thought it's a better time than ever to watch get into a new Sentai! I've already watched Kiramager in-between the weeks waiting for Zenkaiger (lovely show! liked it a lot!), so why not trying a season that's *slightly* older?
Anyway! First episode of Ressha Sentai ToQger! What an incredible start?! I'm instantly endeared by literally everything about this show. Right and friends are a very fun bunch, with introductions that instantly let me know all I need about their personalities and their dynamic as old friends. I've heard the suits aren't too well-liked, but I think they're really good, especially in motion! (I wonder, did they really make all those different-colored suits, or is it some post-production magic going on, lol?) I come to Sentai when I wanna have a fun time, and Toqger is definitely delivering on that! So excited to continue this show! |
02-17-2022, 10:10 PM | #9190 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Jetman 19-21:
Arakawa kicks off another batch of non-Inoue episodes with 19, in which Kaori suffers great amounts of emotional distress that are, remarkably, not related to her co-workers for once. (I kid, I kid. ...Mostly, anyway.) There's nothing particularly deep to this one, but as you'd expect from this writer, it's an all around solid episode. You've got a first half that piles on the stress for Kaori as she becomes the target of the latest Vyram plot, convinced by a series of ominous predictions from a fraudulent fortune teller that she'll end up dying the next time she fights as White Swan. Obviously watching the villain systematically manipulate Kaori until she completely breaks down isn't exactly a delightful viewing experience, but that only serves to up the catharsis of the back half, where she inevitably finds the courage to stand back up and save the rest of the team right as things seem bleakest. There's a tiny bit of room to focus on Kaori's past and how her butler looks out for her, which is also nice, as is the simple act of Kaori asserting to the monster at the end she'll decide her own future. It's a nice note to land the plot on, and Arakawa must've thought so too, because she immediately gets a chance to repeat herself when Ako brings up a fortune (which I'm going to assume she made up on the spot, based on my "popcorn" theory from the last episodes) about how Kaori's future romantic partner apparently looks great in black. So yeah, I mean, I still really like Kaori, and this is a nice episode for her, written by Arakawa, that even gently pokes fun at the show's overbearing soap opera *drama* at the end. I had a good time with this one. Kenichi Araki shows some serious gusto in 20 by being the first guest writer bold enough to center a plot around Gai, a character who was very clearly made for Inoue, by Inoue. But hey, this is an Araki episode, which means a standout concept for a monster, and when you've got a vacuum cleaner that eats love (?!) going around ruining weddings, who better to resolve the matter than that paragon of proper romantic conduct... Gai. Well, a ton of people, in all probability, but Black Condor is who we've got. This episode is basically exactly how I'd imagine someone besides Inoue would handle this character, in that he's presented in a way that's... well, basically, that actually feels like it's taking the target demographic into account. I mean, it's literally a story about Gai getting roped into helping out a small child, after she comes to him with a ridiculous story about her big sister's wedding being ruined by a vacuum. The episode makes a couple subtle attempts to touch on the ongoing tension between Gai and Kaori, but it's mostly a big goofy episode with an endearingly silly premise. I think my favorite moment in it is probably when Gai only starts taking the girl's story seriously after a woman is unaffected by his innate charm, which could obviously only point to this being a Vyram scheme. It's a nicely balanced outing for Gai, who comes off looking rather foolish, yet also cooler than ever when he gets to single-handedly take down the monster in the name of love, all set to his own theme song. (The lyrics of which were partially written by Inoue, so his presence is still felt in that sense, I guess.) 21 is also from Araki, and good thing, too, because at this point, there's nobody writing this show I'd trust more with the obligatory "good monster" episode of the series. I'm a complete sucker for these episodes to begin with, and with this writer, the monster itself ends up being delightfully quirky. The whole premise is that Ako threw away a stuffed bear from her childhood which then becomes Trash Dimension, who just wants to get along and be friends, only for obstacle after obstacle to get in the way of that. There's quite a bit packed in here, too. I'm already having fun watching the guy going around trying to be nice and fix everyone's broken things, only to be shunned for being a hideous abomination that also smells bad, and I kinda figure between that, Maria trying to execute the poor thing for being a "failure", and Ako's reluctance to be its mommy like she used to, we'd have more than enough conflict to keep the episode going for 20 minutes. But no, we've also got some light social commentary on how wasteful people can be, and Trash Dimension being tempted back to the side of evil after being confronted with the cruelty of humanity, raising the question of whether or not the Vyram have some valid points. It's a way more complex plot than I expected! And I'm not complaining, either. This one was really interesting. Always great to see someone getting into ToQger! That was the first Sentai I really made a point to follow when it was airing, and for that reason (and plenty of others, really), it holds a special place in my heart. It's also a show I feel gets better and better as it goes along, too, so I think you're in for a great ride if it's already clicking with you from the outset.
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