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01-13-2021, 07:23 PM | #11 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,418
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I liked this one. It really benefited from focusing primarily on Touma and Yuri instead of trying to juggle multiple different plotlines. I'm also impressed that we're not done with the editor's story; I assumed that this was going to be a standard Kamen Rider two-parter. I'm sure that this isn't the end of the show's pacing problems, but it was still a refreshing change.
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01-14-2021, 04:31 PM | #12 |
Fangirl-Type Humagear
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 703
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Wow, so not even Yuri is solidly on Touma's side? It's a bit surprising that a show which leaned so hard into the friendship and teamwork themes in the first arc is now so ruthlessly stripping the hero of all his allies (except Mei). I kinda like it, the focus on the bond between swordsmen makes it hurt more when that's broken, and how hard it is for Touma alone emphasizes how important his friends were in the first place.
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01-14-2021, 05:50 PM | #13 |
Suprise Gamma Future
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,852
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You can bet by the end of the show they'll all be friends!
I would say one of the major themes of the show is keeping promises, and as such, that aspect will trump everything, including friendships and teamwork. When Touma is proven right and he follows through on his promises, then he will have truly gained the trust and friendship of his colleagues; rather than just being a good fighter or "the chosen one".
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01-14-2021, 06:02 PM | #14 |
Yodonna oshi
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 748
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Don't worry about it! I'm sure the next episode will swing wildly in the other direction, and everything that happens here will get contradicted later so don't stress in the moment.
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01-14-2021, 07:07 PM | #15 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Nothing absolutely outstanding, but a perfectly satisfying follow-up all the same! First off, they followed up on last episode's falling out just about perfectly! No deep insights from Daishinji or Ogami yet, but it's great to see Ren be the only one actually dedicated to taking Touma down as he digs deeper and deeper into his simplistic mindset; while Rintarou's trying to calm down and see things a bit more rationally after his natural outburst last episode. All the while Reika's giving sullen commands in their aggressively moodily lit Southern Base (really fun outer design by the by), as her lines and acting hint at a bit more complexity to her. It's almost enough to distract from the disappointment that it's a single scene in the entire episode and they don't run into Touma or the Megid at all! Still... I get it. New toy to sell alongside a new character to truly introduce, and it looks like we're getting to all the juicy stuff next episode anyhow. Definitely the biggest disappointment and criticism of the episode for me, but there's enough here to tide me over and we're right back into it next week it seems. Saikou naturally ends up being the star of the show here with quite a few surprises! I totally expected him to be taking up the wise old mentor role; being not just an ancient mysterious entity but literally being the Sword of Light... but no, his character goes in a completely different direction and one that shows a lot of interesting nuances to it right off the bat! Instantly I get a read that he's someone who's got all the information on him, who knows all the rules, but he's pretty much fresh-faced to the world and has little in the way of moral complexity. He's a lot like Ren's simplicity but in a completely different direction and that's such a fun idea! Not to mention, Saikou Shadow... is so so SO much cooler than I thought it'd be! From all the pictures it just looked like a solid black bodysuit, but it uses an awesome combination of live-action suits and CGI to really get across the idea of a non-corporeal shadow. It does mean we have some beyond dodgy CGI at some moments, but for the most part it works out into something truly special and unique. Finally, the megid are doing something a lot more interesting that I always love to see -- the monsters are basically other humans trapped inside! I'm always more than a little bothered when the riders are going around blowing up monsters when they're clearly sentient beings which has been the case with the Megid up till now. It gets into some bothersome territory where they're mercilessly killing with no commentary on that, and it's a big part of what keeps me from liking Drive. So when the monsters are humans going ragemode and there's moral complexities introduced and the Riders have to go the extra mile to try and save them? That's what I'm talking about, baby! Already it's adding a lot more layers to the show; I would have been happy enough with the conflict between Touma and the Sword of Logos, but suddenly Saber is not holding back on deeper conflicts and complexities. Just so suddenly in these past two episodes, Saber has shot ahead and become something I'm really really enjoying. Love it! also I continue to wonder how in god's name the next Saber upgrade is supposed to top something as amazing as Dragonic Knight like wow
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01-14-2021, 07:18 PM | #16 |
Reiei
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 3,691
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The thing about the Yeti-type Megid made me realize what was so "empty" and admittedly "Sentai-like" in Q1.
The MOTWs didn't have the "human" part of them. They were just monsters to be beaten up by SOL's new toys every week. Traditionally, the kaijins have some form of human element into them, like the Humagears and Raiders being people, the Another Riders being people being manipulated and the Smash being people experimented on. The Q1 Megids were sentient but still faceless monsters to be beaten up. By having this human part in them, quite literally, there is more weight in the actions that the riders take into defeating them. Also, something I'd look forward to and hopefully EP 18 alludes to it, would be solo duel between Rintarou and Touma. The two are basically the only remaining Swordriver riders and it would be a cool way for them settle each other's conflicts with one another. On that note, though, does Touma still have Ikazuchi in possession? Last edited by TheRaizin; 01-14-2021 at 07:21 PM.. |
01-14-2021, 07:31 PM | #17 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Quote:
The thing about the Yeti-type Megid made me realize what was so "empty" and admittedly "Sentai-like" in Q1.
The MOTWs didn't have the "human" part of them. They were just monsters to be beaten up by SOL's new toys every week. Traditionally, the kaijins have some form of human element into them, like the Humagears and Raiders being people, the Another Riders being people being manipulated and the Smash being people experimented on. The Q1 Megids were sentient but still faceless monsters to be beaten up. By having this human part in them, quite literally, there is more weight in the actions that the riders take into defeating them. Also, something I'd look forward to and hopefully EP 18 alludes to it, would be solo duel between Rintarou and Touma. The two are basically the only remaining Swordriver riders and it would be a cool way for them settle each other's conflicts with one another. On that note, though, does Touma still have Ikazuchi in possession? And yeah, exactly! A big part of Kamen Rider from the beginning is monsters who became human; it's a core part of the franchise and something that makes the drama so good. So when it's just beating up faceless creatures... it loses that a little. Not that there's no way to do it right or that Rider shouldn't do this - Ryuki and Hibiki for instance, are great positive examples - but I certainly don't feel it was helping here. Excited to see where they go from this point!
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01-14-2021, 11:14 PM | #18 |
Fangirl-Type Humagear
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 703
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I just hope they don't do what Zero-One did with the Raiders, where it turned out the Riders could just destroy them the normal way and the human inside would be fine. If they're going to make "save the human trapped inside the Megid" a goal, Touma should have to actually work for it, not just worry about it for an episode and then cut down the Megid the same way he has been.
There is one scenario in which I'd be fine with saving the human to just require destroying the Megid. That's if Yuri already knew that was how it worked (which is why he didn't hesitate to cut down the Yeti), and if the reason he already knew was that he'd fought human-turned-Megid before, and if that led to the reveal that all the Megid the swordsmen had fought so far were also transformed from humans who weren't saved in time. That scenario still wouldn't be quite as interesting as having to save each victim, but it would make a good shock to Touma and hammer home the consequences of failing to save someone.
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The mask you wear by choice shows more about you than the face you were given by chance. |
01-14-2021, 11:50 PM | #19 |
Reiei
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 3,691
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Heh, that part where Thouser was about to use a finisher on the Buffalo Raider and Aruto saying "Yamerooo!!" killed a bit of interest in me in Q2. Imagine if the guy actually died or Aruto actually managed to push Gai off of the Raider, but the finisher still hit so the guy was severely injured instead.
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01-15-2021, 12:26 AM | #20 |
Suprise Gamma Future
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,852
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I am totally on board for a rider series where the main villain isn't a human.
I thought with Saber being so heavily fantasy based, we were going to see more monsters and fantastical creatures. I was also hoping for some fantasy tropes like dungeon crawling or castle sieging. I still like the show. I don't have a problem with the Megid. It seems there is lots of other things to worry about too.
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