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12-26-2019, 07:19 PM | #21 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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It's still a Tokusatsu show that aired in the 2010s.
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12-26-2019, 10:21 PM | #22 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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Sorry in advance for this list! It's only Kamen Rider, since that's all I watch, and I haven't done Zi-O or Zero-One yet.
10. AMAZONS: As a full series, I thought it was pretty bad. The first season was enjoyable, largely down to the cheerful, charismatic face Jin put to genocide, but the second season confused shock value for compelling stories, and the movie was a total waste of time. At the end, it felt like a series that mistook gore for profundity. 9. GHOST: I talk a lot about it here. (Maybe too much!) I thought it wasn't as bad as some folks say, and not as great as other folks say. It made a ton of mistakes for me in the first rush of episodes, but righted the ship as the series progressed. Thematically, it picked something incredibly difficult to dramatize (emotional connections, spiritual wellness, empathy at all costs) but stuck to those themes so thoroughly that good stories grew from it. A deeply flawed series that rallied enough to keep me watching. 8. WIZARD: I didn't enjoy much of the experience of watching it, but I'm really glad I finished it. Over-reliant on two-episode monster-of-the-week plots to the detriment of incremental enjoyment, but a terrific series-long plot with a breathtaking final run of episodes. Too bad the middle section is soul-crushing in its averageness. The villain spotlights are an If You Only Watch One Thing From This Show delight, and the Net Movies kill. I never cared much for Haruto as a Rider, but there's some solid storytelling going on under the hood. 7. GAIM: A weird one, for me. One of the things I like in Kamen Rider shows is how it subverts Western superhero concepts, how it's for an audience with different cultural expectations. Like, most Kamen Rider heroes have a "with great responsibility comes great power" origin, where their innate heroism and selflessness sees them become the recipient of special powers. Kouta isn't that at all? He gets powers by accident, uses them for his own benefit, and eventually learns to use them for the good of others. It's a very Spider-Man origin, which I wonder if that's maybe why some Western fans really dial into Gaim as a series. It was kind-of the opposite for me, where it seemed too familiar. Still, the overall plot was well-done, with a steady progression to the finale. Some of the Woman of the Beginning stuff felt badly conceived, and Peko just sucks hilariously bad, but Baron's one of the greatest secondary Riders of all time, and the ending battle is epic. A really fun series that maybe didn't work for me as well as I was expecting it to. 6. FOURZE: Best opening string of episodes in any Kamen Rider series I've seen yet. Best ensemble of any Kamen Rider series I've seen yet. I would maybe die for Miu. Grafting the sci-fi monster fighting of a Kamen Rider show to a high school dramedy is probably one of the smartest decisions this franchise ever made. The plots generate from every angle, the stakes feel personal and also universal (no pun intended), the mixture of action and empathy never feels out of balance... it's a smart, funny, fast-paced show. I don't love the suits, and there's a point in the last dozen episodes where the producers realize they are a few stars short of a constellation and just start burning through developments, but that beginning is perfect and the ending nails its themes. "The Breakfast Club, but they fight space monsters" is a Hall Of Fame idea, and this show proved it. 5. W: I'm not sure there'll ever be as strong a Rider team as Philip and Shotaro. The booksmart/streetsmart thing, it's a timeless concept, but this show makes it seem fresh. The mysteries are fun, the theme song is fantastic, and the suit designs are gorgeous. I never really loved Accel, Akiko is occasionally too broad to tolerate, and the stuff with Wakana in the ending makes my blood boil when I think about it even now (I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT CHARACTER CHOICE AT ALL), but all of the main Double stuff makes those complaints feel minor. A terrific show that nails the fundamental week-to-week storytelling. 4. BUILD: I talk a lot about it here. (Definitely too much!) Okay, there is a stronger Rider team, it's Banjou and Sento. That relationship, the friction-giving-way-to-respect-giving-way-to-friendship-giving-way-to-brotherhood, it's worth a hundred other shows. Add in Evol(t), Grease, Rogue, Misora, Sawa, the Hokuto War arc, this goddamn scene... ...it's a superlative series, blessed with outstanding performers. So why isn't it #1? Well, the war framework gets a little repetitive (it definitely needed a break between the Hokuto arc and the Seito arc), and there's a weird amount of retconning/expositing for the pre-show developments. Also, Buildad is just not a good idea. Overall, it's a show I love, and I couldn't blame anyone for calling it the best Kamen Rider of the decade. 3. DRIVE: THIS THEME SONG! (Okay, also how great the main actor is, how sympathetic the "monsters" become, the Chase/Go love story, all of the great suits, the exciting season-long story, the always entertaining week-to-week plots, it's a nearly perfect show. My few quibbles are that the stuff with Shinnosuke's dad in the middle of the season doesn't work that great, and that Kiriko is distractingly beautiful. It's a brilliant show!) 2. OOO: I frequently describe OOO as a show that isn't the best at anything, but it's good at everything. There are shows with better suits, better villains, better relationships, better plots and reveals and songs and conclusions and all of it. There's not one thing I'd point to OOO for and say they did it best. But they screwed up nothing. They dropped the ball never. It's literally a flawless show. It's my favorite Kamen Rider show, without question. 1. EX-AID: But I have to put Ex-Aid at the top of this list. (Or, uh, bottom of this list.) Ex-Aid was my first ever Kamen Rider show. If it wasn't for the suit aesthetics of Ex-Aid that I saw on TokuNation figure reviews, I'd've never started watching the show. If it wasn't for how addictively fun and surprisingly emotional Ex-Aid was, I'd've never watched other Kamen Rider shows. Emu, Poppy, and the alpha male assholes of the Cyber Rescue team, it's like I can't ever be mad at them for anything. It would be churlish to nitpick a show that ignited an obsession in me. If it wasn't your first show, I can't imagine why you'd call it the best Kamen Rider of the decade. But it was mine, so it's always going to be number one. Thank you, Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.
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Currently working on: Go-Busters is next! Archive of previous shows on KamenRiderDie.com! |
12-26-2019, 10:48 PM | #23 |
Stronger Than You
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: nyet
Posts: 25,326
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I personally would add Wizard but that’s still only 3/10, 7 entire shows were either good at worst or great at best, that's a very satisfying statistic.
Having only seen shows past and including Ninnnger, yes. "Ouch" indeed. Ninninger sucked royally, Kyuranger was offensively bad, LuPat is wasted potential incarnate and Ryusoulger is so blatantly decent it’s sad. Zyuohger was the only one I’ve seen I would call "good", I agree. That said, I felt it had some noteworthy moments, though the subplot with the main girl was a total waste. I think Phoenix, Medusa, and Beast really kept the show from dropping beneath "Stale" for me. I think the combination of a weak lead and a nonsensical plot that would make Kabuto proud keeps it from me personally calling it good, but others apparently enjoyed it. Sentai, though...Good god. Shinkenger was boring, though inoffensive. Goseiger was just...Well...Brajira and Gosei Knight were cool Gokaiger was rather one note with no substance, but just like eating a mouthful of whipped cream, still enjoyable. GoBus did nothing for me, and I just couldn't find the drive to care. Kyoryu was the culmination of Red worship dialed up to 11, and featured one of the most insufferable reds to go with it. ToQ wasn't awful, but I felt it was far, far too basic and uninteresting. I think I'd be willing to pair it with Gokai and Shinken in "Not godawful." Ninnin and Kyu were so goddamn annoying that I just couldn't stand them. LuPat is basically the poster child for wasted potential, and Ryusoulger is just so very bland, it just feels like a constant "Been there, done that" with an unhealthy dosage of red focus once more. I do really need to get to Amazons and Akibaranger, though. They seem to be universally praised, I just need to find the drive.
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08-03-2020, 08:48 PM | #24 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 2,448
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2010 picks
01 Toqger 02 Kyuranger 03 Ryusoulger 04 Kyoryuger 05 Ninninger 06 Go Busters Even after I start Lupin Pat this may not change much. Currently watching To Quger - Ryusoul in order on DVD. Last edited by wentwood; 08-04-2020 at 11:10 AM.. |
08-04-2020, 07:23 AM | #25 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Oh damn, I forgot about this thread! I guess as long as it's active for 5 more seconds... I ended up watching some Ultras!
1. Geed 2. X 3. Saga 4. Orb 5. Ginga S 6. Ginga 7. Zero movies 8. Orb Origin 9. ULTRAMAN (Netflix anime) Yet to give my thoughts on it like most others on this list, but Geed kinda came out of nowhere and utterly had me fall in love with it. I'll be surprised if any Ultra tops it for me (though Tiga and Nexus look very promising) and even though it's only been a few weeks it remains incredibly memorable to me. Following it up is X being a superb series in every way with so many single episode highlights that had me like the characters so much more than I thought; Saga being a beautiful movie about the extents humanity will go for each other; and Orb being a lovely if odd little season that ultimately has quite a bit to say about it being okay to move past your trauma. Ultra's given me a lot to love so far! Heck, while I'm here, why not update the lists I already gave? Quote:
Ghost, meanwhile... I think it's mostly me realising I liked its strengths more than Wizard's. Also, my girlfriend and some others doing a fair bit to win me over on it. Kinda wanna rewatch it at some point, see what I think a second time around! Sentai though is hugely different from what I posted before. Still stand by my bottom tiers and that Ninninger is the only show here I straight up dislike, but I had to be honest with myself at some point and say that Zyuohger and Gokaiger are just the two series that resonated most with me and that I keep going back to my head. Both are just very nice seasons with casts that I always keep coming back to and finding more to love -- and I've got very similar praises for Shinkenger and Toqger! Go-Busters... fell a lot, which is really down to me realising I don't actually remember much about the cast. Like, I still love a lot about it! I love the integration of the mech fights; I love how it's structured; I love Enter; I could go on and on... but ultimately what makes a series for me is the main characters, and so I'm realising I just don't love Go-Busters as much as I thought I did. Oh, right, and Ryusoulger ended up being awesome! I daresay one of the best Toku shows in the past few years (though, I mean, Build and Ultraman are really REALLY good at fighting for that title) and one that only got better as time went on. As for currently airing series... Kiramager is a lot of fun though I have troubles keeping up with it for some reason; Zero-One seems very intent on crushing any good will I had for it; and Z is. A whole goddamn heap of awesome. Right now I think it might just be behind Geed as my second favourite Ultraman and I don't think many would contest me on its quality! Tsupro chose an EXTREMELY good entry to start simulcasting on!
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08-04-2020, 10:52 AM | #26 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,089
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Super Sentai
13) ToQGer: The only good thing was Wagon and the soundtrack. Everything else either sucked or was mediocre. 12) Kyoryuger: It's been said many times but I have to agree that King insisting "We're a team!" sounds pretentious cause he's always carrying them. However, it's not his fault that he's too strong. The worst character is Amy whose entire love triangle with King and Yayoi happened out of spite. Kenjin Torin isn't as wise as his surname implies. Ian is probably the most relatable character and has an emotional arc. There's a lot of good moments in this show but I can't ignore its mistakes. 11) Gokaiger: Other than the tributes, it's kind of an average season and a little overrated. I don't have much bad to say about it but it didn't do a lot to impress me, except the final showdown between Marvelous and Basco. 10) Ninninjer: Ninjas are awesome! Not the best ninja season but it's worth watching for Starninjer alone. 9) Kyuranger: Despite a bumpy start and obnoxious characters like Lucky and especially Raptor, the premise is very similar to Assassin's Creed (in space) and Balance and Naga are a very likable duo with an emotional arc. 8) Gobusters: A darker more serious Sentai but not short of comedy, especially once J shows up which is when the story picks up the pace as well. 7) Kyoryuger Brave: A major improvement over Kyoryuger with Juyong being a leader who actually leads instead of a 1-man army. Dohee is 1000000x better than Amy. Juyong and Juhyeok have an emotional arc. Pretty good for only 12 half-length episodes. 6) Akibaranger S2: Just as humorous and enjoyable as its predecessor but the story isn't as good and the ending is pretty bad. 5) Akibaranger S1: One of the most humorous Sentai in history. It's unofficial but a great tribute to the franchise and there's a lot of fun in trying to spot all the references. 4) Lupinranger VS Patranger: A very original idea with a moral that not everything is black and white and sometimes people feel they have no choice but to do the wrong thing. Kairi is a cool and stylish red with a heavy conscience who secretly idolizes Keiichirou, the hot-blooded cop who prioritizes peace and happiness for all. There are some interesting dynamics between the two Sentai. 3) Ryusoulger: Kou is one of my favorite reds in recent years. He's a master of epic speeches, determined, brave and likes to have fun. There's a lot of themes about chivalry of knights and even the samurai honor code of Bushido with the whole "our souls are one" line referencing how samurai souls would live on in their swords. 2) Goseiger: Written by Yokote who previously wrote Gekiranger, this show had to be great and the rangers have a lot of cool Dynamics (haha, get it?). Similar to Long, Brajira is also a very interesting and mysterious villain who wouldn't seem out of place in a Kamen Rider show. 1) Zyuohger: After years of mediocrity, this show tries to be something more. People praise Yamato for not being a "screaming red" but I think he's pretty average. What I love about this show is the Zyumen and Misao and the surprisingly dark backstory about Zyuland that Bud reveals, as well as the implications of a human becoming a Zyuohger which results in a lot of guilt for the two humans. Power Rangers 7) Beast Morphers S1: Pretty decent and original story and some cool characters but it has a few subplots I'm not invested in and I don't like Zoey. 6) Super Ninja Steel: Ninjas are awesome! Dimensions In Danger was an awesome crossover but the rest of the show doesn't match the quality of its predecessor. 5) Ninja Steel: Ninjas are awesome! If you liked Juyong's and Juhyeok's arc then Brody and Levi have basically the same arc only a few months later but it's just as emotional and has more mystery. 4) Super Mega Force: Legendary Battle Extended Edition with the rangers using all their powers to defeat Mavro was awesome. Orion had a tragic backstory. 3) Mega Force: "Take a good look. Do you see any tears?" Bad*ss! Robo Knight is a great source of comedy. Other than the big crossover, most of the stuff I love about Mega Force happens in this first season. 2) Samurai: Similar to Wild Force, it stays faithful to its source show Shinkenger but improves on some parts such as the rivalry between Jayden and Deker and how Antonio is actually a likable character, unlike Genta. Although you're welcome to disagree. 1) Super Samurai: And the final battle against Xandred with Jayden even using Shogun Mode outside the cockpit! Lauren also shows up here in the final arc as his sister which I think was a more interesting dynamic than what happened in Shinkenger. I already have a ranking for every main Heisei Rider show except Blade so I'll just take Heisei Phase 2 and add Amazons S1 and S2. Kamen Rider 12) Gaim: Every Rider is either a villain, antivillain or antihero except Knuckle. The first 9 episodes were slow as hell. The final episode sucked since Haganeya wrote it. The episodes written by Urobutchi were better but that's a low bar and it was too dark and edgy, like the Agito movie. There was no Drive cameo. 11) Amazons S2: The first episode was slow as hell. Chihiro isn't a very relatable or likable protagonist for the first half of this season but all the amazing gore and violence is still there. 10) Amazons S1: The first episode was slow as hell. The rivalry between Haruka and Jin is exciting and the best thing about Amazons in general is the amazing gore and violence, a quality you won't find in any other Kamen Rider content except maybe The Next. 9) EX-Aid: Pretty decent but there's no transition between the Genm X arc and the Kamen Rider Chronicle arc which makes them feel disconnected like watching two different seasons. I think the quality peaks in the first half. 8) Zi-O: It gets confusing and has so many time travel plot holes. However, there are a lot of really cool episodes such as the OOO arc, the Day of Oma arc and the Kiva arc. The movie is amazing with Barlckxs being a mysterious and cool villain Rider similar to Eternal, although their goals are different. 7) OOO: It's very average, but in a good way. A typical Kamen Rider show and a good start for newcomers to the franchise. 6) Wizard: Some of the best CGI, especially in the Underworld. The characters are good, yeah even Shunpei, although you're welcome to disagree. There are a lot of surprising plot twists. 5) Drive: All the same intriguing mystery of Double with a complex protagonist and sympathetic villains. It's technically the first show where the Primary and Secondary Riders are brothers, although not by blood. 4) Double: An intriguing detective show with a 2 in 1 Kamen Rider. Their dynamic is very memorable and leads to a very emotional final arc. The movie gives us Eternal, one of the coolest villain Riders ever. 3) Ghost: For all of its problem, it does so many things right. I think Takeru is the most heroic protagonist in the history of the franchise and the show has a wealth of inspiring morals thanks to the legendary heroes and more importantly from Takeru himself, as well as Alain who has his own very emotional arc. The stakes are high since people die and Takeru is literally racing against a clock to revive himself. 2) Fourze: The characters make this show. The members of Kamen Rider Club are all so unique and likable and they never cared about each other at the start which really shows the power of friendship through the way they clash and develop around Gentarou as he brings them together. 1) Build: Sento and Ryuuga are a Best Match. This show is second only to Faiz on my Heisei ranking with a genuinely smart and intimidating villain and a duo who are virtually polar opposites and still have a lot of chemistry. Similar to Faiz, this show manages to perfectly balance comedy and drama. Satria 2) BIMA: Indonesia's debut Tokusatsu in collaboration with Ishinomori Production. The characters are likable and the story gets really good after Ray obtains Power Stone Biru from Topeng Besi. His God Helios form is impressive. Gackt, the AR Riderman and singer of Journey Through The Decade, has a guest appearance as BIMA Legend speaking in fluent Indonesian. 1) BIMA-X: Black RX + Kuuga = BIMA-X. I haven't watch either of the Blacks but the protagonist of those shows has a guest appearance speaking in fluent Indonesian. This show is the same length as an average Kamen Rider and has the same quality as the second half of its predecessor. Ultimate Dark Mode is awesome!
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08-04-2020, 06:56 PM | #27 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Which is like, totally selfish on my part, but man, it's times like this I'm just so happy loving things is not a zero-sum game to me, which is why you're unlikely to ever see me actually make a top whatever list like this. The closest I can do is having the occasional breakaway favorite. Oh, and speaking of which, just to load this post with as much glaring personal bias as possible, your girlfriend sounds awesome.
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08-04-2020, 07:02 PM | #28 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Congratulations, Kurona, I think you just found the single saddest sentence I've heard in my life. You have no idea how much I wish I had the free time right now to act on my sudden urge to make a "Fish Sandwich rewatches Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters" thread entirely out of... concern, I guess?
Which is like, totally selfish on my part, but man, it's times like this I'm just so happy loving things is not a zero-sum game to me, which is why you're unlikely to ever see me actually make a top whatever list like this. The closest I can do is having the occasional breakaway favorite. Oh, and speaking of which, just to load this post with as much glaring personal bias as possible, your girlfriend sounds awesome. And you totally shouldn't do a Go-Busters thread, because you've done ones for like... Kuuga and Ghost at this point, right? And that's a lot of commitment, and I can see how much care and work went into each one! You really, really shouldn't do all that over again for Go-Busters. Even though it'd be very fun. And probably make you like Go-Busters even more. And get interesting discussion from other people. And show yet others why you love it so much. And perhaps turn some people around. And reminds others like me why they liked it so much. And you'd get to see your favourite Sentai all over again. Plus the movies, right? Those are so much fun too! My point is, definitely, DEFINITELY don't do this!
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08-04-2020, 07:30 PM | #29 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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There's like a million shows I'd love to give that same treatment as Kuuga, in fact, but, honestly, even ignoring the time commitment, it takes a lot to work up the self-confidence to do something that huge. If you want to really motivate me to (not) do it, you could always try making your own Go-Busters thread first where you open by dunking on old-school Doctor Who. It worked for Die!
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08-04-2020, 07:45 PM | #30 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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It wasn't written my Moffat yet!
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