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07-21-2019, 01:37 AM | #15481 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,427
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Fourze 11-12
In which Kengo learns to stop being such an asshole and Gentaro beats up an incel. So I guess this was actually the final team gathering episode, in a way. Kengo's been there from the start, but this is the point where he finally accepts Gentaro and the others as friends and partners in the battle against evil. It's a nice change of pace, even if I thought Kengo got a little too melodramatic at a couple points. The Zodiart for this arc worked pretty well. With a high school setting it makes sense to have a put-upon loser use his powers to get revenge. Stuff that's been going on in the news in the last few years made this one a little creepier, though, what with his plan centering around kidnapping and murdering all the girls who rejected him. The guy was definitely a creepy asshole and I'm glad we're still in the days before the villains got friendship handshakes because this fucker did not deserve one. Episode 12 brought in the first hint that Sonoda is working with the bad guys, although I don't think there have been many active hints that she's Scorpio (there was a bit a few episodes where she sneezed when the Scorpio horoscope was mentioned, but that's about all I've noticed). Looks like Libra/Hayami/Garren arrives next episode, so she should be out of the closet soon enough. I'm glad that we're going to be losing her soon, if only to make Ohsugi less of a pathetic creeper. This was another good arc. There was some good drama and tension and good fight scenes. I liked how the main Zodiart clearly couldn't fight, which led to the final showdown with Gentaro being amusingly one-sided. Has Yuki gone crazy yet? No. She tried to get an immediate moon landing launched, but it came from a place of emotional desperation and not something silly. She's very much still the grounded heart of the KRC at this point. |
07-21-2019, 02:00 AM | #15482 |
take me to space
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,406
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Is this not the series all about giving the villains friendship handshakes? Even in a show all about friendship, I like that they have villains who you probably shouldn't be trying to make friends with regardless.
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07-21-2019, 12:21 PM | #15483 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,427
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Eventually, but during these early episodes most of the handshakes went to the newest KRC member instead. I suspect I’ll start seeing it go to the switcher more now that we’ve got all the supporting characters out of the way.
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07-23-2019, 12:56 AM | #15484 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,427
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Fourze 13-14
This arc did something you don't see a lot of in Kamen Rider, especially in the really formulaic era this show was made in. We got the return of a previous monster as the focus of this story. Miura, the guy who was the show's very first Zodiart, gets some follow-up. It's a pretty cool story, too: he's avoiding going back to school because he's afraid that he'll try to find a switch again. We actually get a story dedicated to a previous monster dealing with the withdrawal symptoms of losing his powers. It's a neat twist and really makes use of the fact that all the characters go to school together and are technically still around even after their arc ends (I forget if it's the summer movie or the finale, but I know there's a moment when a whole bunch of these characters come back to help Gentaro out). We get the full reveal that Sonoda is Scorpio here and she goes full Makamou on Fourze. She loses, but she isn't written out yet. I know she's not going to be around much longer, though, especially with the principal showing up as the next major villain. No backstory yet, but it's already weird seeing her drop her kind and cheerful facade. Has Yuki gone crazy yet? Nope. Her plan to inspire Miura to go back to school with a cheesy play is dumb, but it's also super on-brand for something Gentaro would do. This arc really helped define one of Gentaro's core traits. He may not be the smartest guy or the best fighter, but he has so much heart and determination to make up for it. Coming up next, a small pause in programming as we reach Fourze's first film appearance: Movie Wars Megamax. I'm really looking forward to seeing that one again. |
07-23-2019, 05:40 AM | #15485 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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I remember that 2-parter and it's absolutely wonderful. The way I took it it's an incredible metaphor and demonstration of how difficult it is to resist addiction and old habits; and that even when consciously you do everything you can to stop yourself from doing what you know is wrong, sometimes the people and things that lure you in make that a very, very difficult time for you.
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07-23-2019, 03:40 PM | #15486 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,427
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Movie Wars Megamax (Mega Max? MegaMax?)
I'm going to focus on just discussing the Fourze elements, since that's the part of this that's most relevant to my current viewing. If you want my full thoughts, you can still read them here. My original opinion is largely unchanged: movie good; Super TaToBa bad. Anyway, the Fourze section. It's the old, old story. Boy meets girl. Girl turns into chameleon. Chameleon turns into blob. Boy gets blob back again. Blob gets turned into switch. Switch gets turned into monster. Boy defeats monster. Blob turns into starlight. Boy loses blob, chameleon, and girl; switch doesn't show up again until near the end of the series. How many times have we seen that story? So yeah, I think I liked this part more now that I'm watching it in its proper place in the show. Gentaro is at peak Gentaro, but I'm still not sure how well Nadeshiko works. I'm just going to ignore the sailor fuku-inspired costume, the overabundance of twinkling sound effects, and the camera zooming in on the suit actor's butt. It's a Koichi Sakamoto film, you have to expect some of that shit (also, so many women doing kicks while wearing a skirt; so, so many). As a character, I'm not sure how well she works. She kinda gets a personality by the end, but she's very much an intentional blank slate. I have to credit the actress for really doing her best with just body language but there's not a lot there to work with. I'm going to be interested to see her return in the next Movie War, because I honestly don't remember what she does all that well (because twinkling an obnoxious amount). All of the scenes with Gentaro and other Riders are still fantastic, especially the all-too-brief moments of him interacting/shouting with Shotaro. The "It's space time!" "What the hell, man!?" moment is still fucking gold. Has Yuki gone crazy yet? Negatory. As per usual, this was filmed well in advance of the episodes I've been watching. Yuki's still sane in the show so naturally she's fine here, too. Oh, hi Ryusei. |
07-28-2019, 05:41 PM | #15487 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,554
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I just watched both of the 90’s movies on Kissasian and I’ve got to say, J is a lot more badass than he gets to show off in reunions. He takes on 4 monsters, 3 of which are very unconventional from a Toku design standpoint and suffers little problems that aren’t caused by human error. It’s just a shame the little girl didn’t offer much, but that’s what fan fiction is for.
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07-28-2019, 08:40 PM | #15488 |
Stronger Than You
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: nyet
Posts: 25,327
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J is awesome. Unfortunately, as a character that can grow to gigantic proportions, he would just cause too many problems in the reunions. So he either has to basically become a background character, or get taken out early on.
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07-29-2019, 12:34 AM | #15489 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,427
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Quote:
Anyway... Fourze 15-16 This was a really good arc. We got the full debut of Libra, the series debut of Meteor, another deep cut Rider alumnus cameo, and the brief moment in the spotlight for the really stupid Pen Switch. The whole storyline with Motoyama/Perseus was really good. You really got to feel for the Zodiart in a way that we haven't really up until this point and the moment where he recognized the error of his ways and got the handshake with Gentaro was well realized. The fact that they pulled off most of the second episode with just the Perseus suit in no way detracted from the human drama. We also got some nice scenes with the choir kid, who used to play the obnoxious little brother way back in Agito. Meteor's first fight on the series is fantastic. You don't see a ton of him, but all of the Bruce Lee-isms are already there in full force. I absolutely love Meteor and it's so nice to have him finally arrive. It's one of the best suits on the show, he has some great fight choreography, and Ryusei himself is a great character (or will be, at least, once he shows up in the next episode). Has Yuki gone crazy yet? We're getting there. Pretty much any time Hayabusa comes up you know you're in store for some batshit Yuki moments. She's still pretty restrained, though, with her weirdest moment being the bit where she sings to the Rocket and Drill Switches. The Hayabusa costume makes a comeback, but she's wearing it to entertain a bunch of little children, so it doesn't seem that out of place this time. No puppet yet, but I know that's only a matter of time. |
07-29-2019, 06:50 AM | #15490 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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I mean, technically; a character that's a literal space god should cause problems too... but in all those teamups the riders are essentially just reduced to another guy punching in a suit.
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