Yeah, the first couple of minutes also felt a little unessicary. All they needed to do was have Kaito wake up in Soccer World and have him try to figure out what's going on.

I think the people making the show feel like they have to include at least one action sequence with Gaim in every episode, no matter how irrelevant it is to the story.

This. This is why whenever you see a Rider loses his Powers, he's going to gain them back at the end of an episode. Because the Main Rider has to fight in every episode.

Well Faiz got away with this a couple of times, just because of the nature of the gear. It let the "main rider" (technically) fight, without it actually having to be Takumi. For atleast a whole episode; maybe two, I can't remember. On multiple occasions at least.

Wouldn't you? I mean come on if somebody pulls out the equivalent of a SHOTGUN, what are you gonna do? SIMPLE, YOU BACK THE FAIZ UP!!!

Also, I don't hate this episode, I just hate it's placement in the series. The tie-in eps have been fun, but they've all (at least personally) suffered from bad placement. ToQger VS. Gaim was placed mid appearance of Deemushu, the Kikaider ep was RIGHT as Deemushu jumped into "our" world, & now this one comes right as we wonder whether Takatora lives or dies.

Y'know, I never really much thought about that, until you guys mentioned it. Gaim isn't really Gaim's story, it's a LOT of characters story but whenever the show shifts the focus to different characters they still try to keep it firmly from Kouta's perspective and they try and ram him into any spare scene they can. Maybe the whole reason the "too many Riders" thing is such a problem for me, is because Gaim is trying to tell a multi Rider story as if it only had one.

It's not Kouta's story at all. It's all about Mai. How? Let's review:

Baron - Learning how strength of character can be it's own reward. From Mai. Plus she's become his little confidant.

Kouta - He quit dancing to get a job at the beginning of the series. Why? Pretty sure it was to make a living for him and Mai in some purpose.

Micchy - Total psycho for Mai.

Everyone in the series has gathered around her, or for her. And the dance team's name is Gaim which SHE obviously came up with. It's not about too many riders. It's too much Mai. When she's not getting her princess dress up on, she's too busy dancing in the wide open while there's planty monsters roaming about stealing everyone else to hook them up to the sucky sucky machine.

Didn't Kouta get a job to help support his sister, not Mai?

Indeed. Hadn't Kouta even broken ties with the Beat Riders in order to facilitate his employment?

Pfft, they already threw the sister under the fruit bus. I always assumed it was so he could be more grown up for Mai, not his sister. :lolol
(PS: I know you're both right, I'm just having fun)