Let's be honest, none of the side characters are particularly interesting.

Rinko is basically completely useless, despite clearly being a powerful and intelligent woman to have the career that she does have.

Shunpei is kind and childlike but he still basically achieves nothing, except when it's crucial to the plot that he does.

And Koyomi seems to exist only to give the anoraks something to shout kawaii at their screens for.

on OOO episode 30, ok so i dont wanna know yet but please tell me Maki will quit stalkin and thinkin Chiyoko is his dead sister? soon!

But that doesn't mean they can't be interesting.

Rinko is a detective. That alone grants her so much possibility if they utilized her more, like during the Phoenix arc.

Shunpei...

Koyumi isn't a human. There's so much they could do with her beyond waiting until the last 5 episodes for some kind of "Shocking" twist.

But even in the Phoenix arc Rinko was useless, I know he is a super powered monster but Rinko would have had some combat, fitness and negotiation training. Instead she bumbled herself into getting captured, was extremely gullible making incredibly stupid decisions and showed absolutely no thought before she spoke. It was nonsense, if someone this incompetent is a detective then I'm surprised that whole city isn't burning around them.

And Koyomi's backstory was really interesting, but she was a massive arsehole so I didn't care. However once they softened her, it made her completely irrelevant as she now just stands in the background pulling constipated facial expressions and gushing over Haruto while she touches his crotch as the belt screams, "Please! Please!"

Anything that gets the side characters off their asses and doing more than shining Haruto's shoes.

I'd rather they just cut them out entirely so we could focus on our Riders, their battles and the villains they face.

I wouldn't.
Haruto can't sense Phantoms. Only Koyumi.
Rinko has the connections that sometimes proves vital.
Shunpei helps keep the gates from going full retard.

Adding that Nitou has no connection to the Gates (Haruto doesn't want anyone to despair, giving him a slight connection. Nitou just wants to eat and isn't willing to let others die, but he more often than not just stumble around), and you can't just focus on the two guys who fight just because they're the ones who fight.

Give Haruto that ability then, take Koyomi out if you aren't going to build anything around her one novelty.

Now they have that Agent Zero guy on their side, Rinko's original benefits are basically no longer needed.

Shunpei...

And yeah, I think Beast is the clumsiness of the show at its finest, he has an interesting backstory and cool powers but he just kinda...appears, feels like he has come from another show entirely and although the stakes are high for him the show downplays it to such a degree that it feels almost pointless.

I'd rather focus on the fighting than side characters who are meaningless and waste my time.

I'm getting pretty close to catching up on Wizard now so can I get some suggestions as to what series I should pick up next?

Basically I'd love another series like Wizard, just with less filler and pointless side characters. I also despise the goofball toku comedies, so if there is a proportionate amount of that don't bother suggesting it :lol

Also for the record I've seen W, Kiva, Wizard and Dragon Knight.

Try Kamen Rider OOO.

Okay! I'll check out the first episode now.

He said not to suggest a show with a lot of comedy.

Oh is it a big goofball comedy?

It's light-hearted, but I wouldn't call it "goofball."

But if you want something… darker… there is Kamen Rider 555.

From what I've heard. I haven't actually seen OOO...

I've never even heard 555 mentioned before, gonna look into that!

555 is also more commonly known as Faiz. It's like the W/Double conundrum.

Well, I have. Kamen Rider 555 is definitely darker (heck, three episodes in and I realized Kamen Rider W was darker), but Kamen Rider OOO does progressively get tenser and... even a bit creepy. It's a strong series, but it's one that builds up.

That is why I've never heard of it!

Is it one of those, 'it gets good, I promise, it just takes 30 episodes to get there' things again?

More like 10 episodes (and the first 10 aren't that bad to begin with). After 20 it kicks into high gear. Episodes 27-28 are filler celebrating the fact that Kamen Rider reached 999-1,000 episodes, respectively, but 30 onwards and the story notches up (though my memory is a bit hazy).

You see, I've never understood that attitude, I don't have time to waste to push through quarter of a show just to get to the good part.

So I guess another thing to add to recommendation request is also a series that is good from the start, no faffing, the story starts in the first episode and the villains are present from the beginning.

You might want to read the final version of my previous post.

But, if you insist, I think you'll like Kamen Rider 555.

555/Faiz it is then!

oh it gets better towards the end, im on 36 of it now, and im glad that certain plot points are startin to be used :lol

Finished episode 12 of Kiva. Um...hey guys...? Is the Spider Fangire ever going to die? Is he immortal? Is he going to torment the main cast and the audience with his stupid ass hell puppets forever?

Looks like I missed the OOO discussion.

It's not a comedy, but it's light hearted. There are moments where it takes itself seriously, don't get me wrong, but the overall tone of the series is essentially "Happiness."

It's also not a "It gets better later" thing. It actually gets worse later, I feel. The first 20 episodes are quite strong, then it just...Meanders for 15 episodes until the villains endgame plans actually start going into motion.

More likely, Locke, you'll hate it. There's a possibility you'd enjoy it, but just judging from your statements on other series, it's probably not a show for you.

Faiz is serious in tone and, for the most part, handles itself seriously.
But from what I heard, there seems to be quite the issue of characters just...Talking to each other.

I'll keep that in mind, thank you!

Just talking to each other though? What does that mean?

Characters don't tell other characters about problems that would make the plot less frustrating.

Yes. No. Just for about half the show and an episode of Decade.

I haven't watched much of Faiz, but the most common complaint I've heard is that characters communicate with each other very poorly, which leads to conflicts that could apparently have never happened if they just spoke up.

Okay, I'll keep that in mind when watching. I was given three other recommendations by friends so I'm gonna check out the opening episodes of all four and see which one lights my fire the most.

I try to watch the first 3 episodes of any given series when trying them out since pilots have to spend half the episode introducing everyone, then have the required fight scene shoehorned in, and etc etc.

But I do hope you can find another Rider series to enjoy!

Oh hells yeah. It's worse because it's really obvious that the communications problems are all really contrived by the writers. The show's melodrama also goes crazy over-the-top at times, especially when Yuka's involved.

Me too usually but since I have four recommendations I trimmed it down.

So I watched the opening episode of Faiz and wow...that was dark, huh? I really enjoyed it overall, the action and effects were impressive considering how old it was, if anything the suits are better here than they are in Wizard.

Just a shame it teased me with a female Rider and never provided and that the acting was kinda crappy. Wasn't huge on Fiaz's design either but man that driver has a sexy voice :lol

That's just fantastic....

Eh, I don't think I'm feelin Kiva. Only the 1985 bits are keeping me around. I might finish it ar some point, though. So...anyone have any reccomendations? I like Den-O a lot and I'll probably watch Final Countdown soon, but as for other series...hmm, I dunno yet. A lot to choose from.

Try Hibiki. It's different, but if it clicks for you you'll probably love it.

Hibiki's the one with the music theme, right? I'll check it out.

So I just checked out my second recommendation, Kabuto. I think I liked this better.

Although Faiz set up some impressive atmosphere for a TV show, it's a Toku show and so in my mind the super powers and action should be the primary focus. Kabuto got to the action much quicker, and much more impressive action, and presented a much more interesting world. Tendou is really cool as well.

Wasn't really huge on the Rider suit design though and I got really confused by the two belts and the belt swapping in the subway and gaaah.

If you didn't like the belt swapping in one episode I don't think you can make it through the whole series. :lol