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08-16-2019, 10:21 AM | #41 |
I have a problematic type
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08-16-2019, 09:58 PM | #42 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,080
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Quote:
KAMEN RIDER GHOST EPISODES 25 - 28 What is this show?! What a well-done string of episodes! The action's great, the drama is strong, the subplots are funny without feeling forced, there's a sense of stakes to everything... these are easily the best episodes I've seen of Ghost. I'm not entirely sure where this show was hiding all along. There's a thing I've noticed, the way Kamen Rider series are structured. You've got your first act, which introduces the hero, his supporting cast, and the season's gimmick. You get a bunch of monster-of-the-week episodes with varying levels of repetition. Then, the winter movie happens, and afterwards you get a secondary (or additional) Rider introduction. A few episodes later, once the second act has started, it's a transitional time for the show. It's too early to get into the final stages of the villain's plot, and you can't really keep doing monster-of-the-week episodes for another four months, so it's usually time to Find Out What The Deal Is With The New Rider. They've shown up, fought alongside the main cast for an episode or two, but what's their deal? Where'd they come from? What do they want? How do their goals overlap with or run in opposition to the main Rider? What's up with them? Ghost had that inexplicable First First Act and Second First Act structure, which means it's only now, at Episode 25, that we're really entering the Second Act. So it is that this string of episodes focus on Alain/Necrom while Takeru recedes a bit to the background, and JESUS is the show better for it. The Epic Grade melodrama of Alain's world and family is so much more compelling than Takeru's bland earnestness. The quest to rescue Makoto feels so much more vital than a nebulous Save Takeru Someday or Beat The Villains Someday motivation. Mostly, though, using Takeru to act as cheerleader/emotional idol for Alain makes them both come out better. Alain's arc has a recognizable endpoint, and Takeru's partially naive belief in Alain is proven valid. It's a really great use of both characters. Most astonishingly, these are excellent episodes for Akari and Onari. Really! I'm not 100% on them yet or anything, but Akari's anger at Igor and Onari's kindness towards Javert felt grounded and realistic, a million miles from the Wacky Antics that made me loathe the pair from the first first act. The whole ensemble really snaps into focus with the Riders absence, leaving me caring more about every single character. (I mean, not Yurusen. I'm not crazy.) Kudos to Ghost for righting the ship, at least for these four episodes.
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08-17-2019, 11:34 AM | #43 |
Bat Hero
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 296
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Oh yeah, Alain is easily one of the best characters in the show. Most people really only watch the show for him, if not just watch that arc only.
He's a very endearing character. |
08-17-2019, 12:24 PM | #44 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,080
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Yeah, I can see why he'd be the thing that kept people watching. It feels at times like the show has two writers working in isolation: a great writer who's crafted this dynamic story involving a refugee boy who became an alien soldier to protect his sister, and his best friend, a prince who pushes back futilely against a growing conscience and a newfound need to follow his heart; and a lackluster writer who's written a dopey "believe in yourself and everything will work out" adventure starring three characters I have a generally tough time investing in. I'm really enjoying the show when I feel like it's the former writer's episode.
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08-17-2019, 12:50 PM | #45 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Necrom might just be my favourite tertiary rider ever. Everything about his arc is the epitome of how a redemption arc should go in my eyes -- he slowly but surely learns about the worth in protecting the world and escaping his manipulation, while letting his inner humanity shine in moments like with Fumiba even if he doesn't quite get it across well and he doesn't quite understand his feelings yet himself. In my opinion he's the best Ghost has to offer -- which isn't an insult by any means; if he was a character in, say, Drive or W I'd say the same thing.
... part of why I dislike the last third or so of the show is that it drops the ball so hard with Alain. But I'll let you get there. |
08-17-2019, 01:08 PM | #46 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,080
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Oh no!
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08-17-2019, 01:17 PM | #47 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
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Wait. WAIT. NO. Oh, GODDAMN IT. How DARE you. Show is canceled, delete this thread, burn it all to the ground, salt the earth.
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08-17-2019, 01:23 PM | #48 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Easily one of the show's most memorable moments. One of the best examples I can think of of how and why to do a character death; and a great understanding of what makes it effective.
BUT YEAH IT'S SAD AND IT MAKES ME SO SAD |
08-17-2019, 01:28 PM | #49 |
Dai Shogun
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 7,510
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Huh. Like with many / all things Ghost, I completely forgot about this. But knowing this show the very next scene was that stupid monk screaming at the camera again so... I'm glad I don't really remember anything but distaste.
Oh wait; I do remember something about this! Alain seriously thought Takoyaki were Eyecons at first, didn’t he? |
08-17-2019, 01:32 PM | #50 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,080
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Quote:
Huh. Like with many / all things Ghost, I completely forgot about this. But knowing this show the very next scene was that stupid monk screaming at the camera again so... I'm glad I don't really remember anything but distaste.
Oh wait; I do remember something about this! Alain seriously thought Takoyaki were Eyecons at first, didn’t he? Alain totally thought the takoyaki were Eyecons, which was hilarious. Every takoyaki stand scene was like a goddamn episode highlight, and now they're gone, everything's bad, everything will be bad forever, leave me in my anguish.
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