After giving up the LWW of Magiranger, I find myself with free time and a desire to watch a more modern Sentai. So I decided to pick up Go-Busters starting after the retool. I'd previously gotten just beyond the introduction of Beet and Stag Buster before losing interest. It just became too repetitive.

But holy shit, does this show turn itself around or what? Episodes 28-35 (minus the Gavan crossover, which I skipped cause he was so shit in Gokaiger) are solid gold. It's like the show suddenly becomes a modern take on an 80s Sentai team while still managing to preserve the grounded and "realistic" tone that was always part of its mission statement.

After the events surrounding the Messiah shut down, the characters have gone from naive rookies to hardened professionals -- like the militarized Sentai of yore. The action is more exciting, the giant sized battles are actually integral to the plot, Enter is as awesome as ever, and the tone is straightforward and serious without coming off as grimdark. The show also appears to have found a new sense of adventure. Gone are the endless tower defense battles -- in their place we have some battles with more scope and variety.

In summation: Mane Li-Oh and his theme song... These are glorious things.

I had always enjoyed Go-Busters up till that point. But when the change up started happening, I started to get hyped each week to see a new episode. The new energy was great.

The retool is always talked about in reference to Go-Buster's failure, but it seriously rejuvenated the show in a way I didn't expect. I kind of thought it was going to become a slapstick kiddie show, but it definitely maintains its mission to keep things grounded and "real." Still no posedowns, still no elaborate role calls. It just adds a new sense of adventure.

Hopefully it keeps up the pace.

I'm only just on the Gavan crossover myself, but I can agree that the show seriously sagged after J and Jin were introduced. It was like after they entered the show the show stopped trying. The action was as good as ever, but all of the solid character focus and consistent world building were replaced by the goofball tone of my most hated sentai.

I'm really hoping what you say rings true of my opinion as well - and hey, you lasted on Magiranger longer than me! Didn't you give up during the 'good' part?

Well, I just watched episode 37 of Go-Bus, and it used one of my most hated stock sentai plots -- the "Let's fake a wedding to lure the wedding-themed MOW to us" episode. Ugh. Sure, they did it in a deconstructionist way that comments on how ineffective and stupid that plot is -- but I'm not sure how much that helps.

It's pretty funny how this stock-as-hell episode comes immediately on the heels of my praise for the success of the retool. I still think the retool is successful, but this kind of episode is exactly what I feared we'd be getting more and more of. If it weren't a bit tongue-in-cheek, I'd be more discouraged. Right now, I'm viewing it as an inevitable speed bump.

But even with that stock plot, this episode had some of the most badass mecha action I've ever seen in a non-finale sentai episode. Mane Li-Oh... You are the alpha and the omega. :lol

As far as I'm concerned, there is no "good" part of Magiranger. :lol

Eh, I guess it's a case of different strokes for different blokes. Because once Hikaru and Memmy join the cast the show starts becoming an epic showdown between heaven and hell.

I don't mean to come off as dismissive. There are good things about Magiranger. I just don't like the show's vibe.

After weeks of hearing that the show gets better when Meemy and MagiShine show up, I was disappointed when neither of their introductions really did anything for me.

If I don't care for Meemy and MagiShine, is it safe to say the show isn't for me?

Oh, I wasn't harping on your decision to drop LWW. If it's not doing anything for you you don't have to keep watching.

You must have stopped before the episode where Houka was dressed up as a sexy cavewoman. :p

Mind you, it was a Makito episode so I kinda ended up fastforwarding through most of it, but still... mmm, midriff. :D

Wow, I'm flying through this show. Thanks in large part to the sick days I've taken both today and yesterday.

Finished Go-Bus Mission 41, the one with Pink Buster. Man, that's a fun episode. Things have been pretty great over these past 4 episodes, fun with a hint of sadness always lurking around the edges.

I don't really have the energy to go into depth, but yeah, I'm kinda loving this show now. Kobayashi is executing like a mofo under extreme pressure -- she's such an ice cold pro. It's kind of a bummer that we won't see anything with this tone for a while, what with Sentai's current fixation with all-things-kiddie, but seeing how Kobayashi handles Go-Busters makes me really curious as to how she'll ultimately handle ToQger -- a show with a wildly different mission statement and tone.

I'm sure Kobayashi has a fun little twist waiting in the wings. She always does.

Gobus 33. It was pretty bad.

All the Busters achieved, then, was killing their parents? Fucking Christ, I didn't know Toshiki Inoue wrote this. I dunno, I get - at least sort of - why they did it, but after watching that wonderful "wrap up" to the show, then stomaching that horrible Gavan two parter, I'd have preferred not to go flying face first into this middle finger.

It's weird as well, because the Busters themselves are obviously so preoccupied with the battle at hand, they never realise this themselves - and since they've got toys to sell, I'm not sure they ever will. So not only do we get a giant middle finger, but the show acts like it's no big deal while it's doing it.

About the only thing I hope to take away from this is hopefully Enter will actually start DOING SOMETHING and not just spending every episode stood in the background saying random French phrases. Everyone goes on about how great a villain he is, but he's really done very little so far, achieved even less and although he got serious that one time for great effect he ended up getting his ass kicked in one of the most ridiculous looking robots I've ever seen. What do we need for a badass mech? GIANT KNEEEEEEEEES!

Then again, it may just be that a scenario like this is simply too complex for sentai. Considering the genre rests on a style of storytelling where no matter what goal you wish to achieve, killing the monster of the week is the only answer. I mean they're hit with a genuine, mature, dilemma and that just may be too much.

In terms of the new toy, I'm impressed in some ways and others not so much. Carnival was a very similar concept to Powered Custom and visually I liked that way more, but what let it down was that it was basically a shameless mecha line toy ad - Power Rangers more toy focused? HAH and the fact only Daigo got it.

Both of those problems are fixed here (well this came first) but visually it just really isn't very impressive. But then I guess that's sorta fitting for a team, who when transforming, transform into suits that look like more basic versions of their base uniforms...

In terms of actual implementation though, that is really where Powered Custom shines. The civilian powers really were well implemented anyway, and this just only further adds to that. I especially loved how they visually captured Hiromu's Powered Custom speed. Even if the finisher is kinda lame.

You'll see why Enter is a great villian soon enough :).

Gobus 34. I hate this goofball shit.

Jin and J seem to play victim to the worst aspects of the 'sixth ranger' trope and the show seems to be playing it on the nose, in an attempt at self aware humour, but that doesn't make it okay, it makes it worse. Especially so in a show that attempts to really stand out and break free from some of the most tired sentai trappings. I have heard people say things like "Jin and J saved the show!" but this is like Beast all over again, how can you honestly say these tacked on extra heroes are better than the core cast? I just don't see it.

Typically the episode had solid action. Hiromu was always pretty badass, and has been a solid red throughout although somewhere along the way his characterisation started to vanish and he seemed to primarily become a weapon. This is problematic, but honestly seeing just HOW badass he's become in the last twenty or so episodes almost makes it hard to care he isn't that much of a character.

It's kinda odd, but the more I think about it, the more I realise how much of a problem that is for the show. The chemistry between the cast is solid, and for the most part the world is solidly built even if it isn't perhaps as deep as you could want but I just remember how strong characters Yoko, Ryuuji and Hiromu were for the first ten or fifteen episodes, and although it isn't quite Kyoryuger levels, what happened? You'd think given what transpired before the Gavan two parter this'd be the perfect time for some great character moments but if anything I feel like the characters have only become blander.

These Messiah Metaroid's really are very underwhelming though, firstly was the ground one who was goofy and that to me is automatically shit. But then they hyped up the Megazord situation so much, but in the end two Megazord's appearing at the same time wasn't actually that big a deal at all.

After the fight between Hiromu and Jin was done the episode just sorta fizzled out, despite having just under ten minutes left where it just kept going, and going.... yawn.

The goofiness, I thought, was used to emphasize how hopeless Jin's situation is -- his over-the-top exuberance masks deep pain. There's a lot of sadness in Jin and his story, and I thought it was really nicely handled in this episode. Hiromu and Jin's last fight left a bit of an impact.

I get that we're told this, but Jin also remarks himself on how poorly integrated into the show he is, and pointing this out doesn't make it any less true. It lacks proper build up, it doesn't feel directly entwined in the narrative and honestly despite some sweet battles, it hasn't really felt like Gobus really knows what it plans to do for at least the last fifteen episodes. This is a shame as it was such a tight, focused and enjoyable series for the first ten or fifteen or so episodes. But then that seems to be the case with a lot of sentai.

Indeed, he just wants to hide his desperation.

I found that Jin and J made a great duo, because even if they followed the classic comedic duo routine they played with it, Jin was the one who was always trying to make things funnier yet he was the smart one, his jokes simply a way to hide his troubles, on the other hand J is always serious, everything he says he means it in a perfectly straight way, it's just that he is well dumb, and everything he says ends up being a riot.

So yeah, they may be embracing the usual sentai goofiness but even so they are playing with expectations, and isn't that the whole point of Go-Busters? It's not about rejecting previous sentai standards, it's about reinventing them.

It does give that impression, but the show does know where it's headed even if it desn't show inmediately.

Gekiranger 13, 14, and 15

Rio continues his training under Master Hawk, now learning to master his hatred over what happened in his past and using that to become stronger. Hawk and Mele still seem to hate each other, most likely due to Hawk thinking Mele's feelings for Rio would disrupt his training.

We've also got a new master, this time a teacher for Retsu, Bat Li. He's nowhere near as eccentric as Elehan, but that may be a good thing, sine his graceful style seemed to teach Retsu a thing or two.

Now we've also got Geki Bat Touja. I've always liked Geki Touja. Due to it not being a robot and thus allowed to do more things it's had some of the more entertaining zord fights I've seen. And I really like both the elephant and bat add-ons.

Now 15...I'd been putting off for a bit. So I just watched it recently and uh...yeah. This was a weird one. Important stuff definitely happened and in any regular Sentai/Power Rangers series, this'd probably be filler. But Mele had a search for another Kenma to challenge Hawk's teachings. And she finds one in Master Jellyfish!

As for the Gekiranger's plot...it was weird. I had to rewind the scene with the cgi baby Retsu to make sure I was seeing this right. Though, it was cool when Ran killed the bird guy with a move literally out of Hokuto Shinken. Gotta love that Fist of the North Star reference.

Yeah, GekiTouja is great because it's not suppose to be a robot.

Gobus 35.

The first half of this episode was pretty fucking shit, but as soon as Mane revealed his true form it picked up A LOT. Even though it was just sort like the 'back up' action to pad the episode, I actually much preferred seeing Yoko and J take on Enter, than I did anything about some poorly realised Lion and it's ugly bitch of an owner.

They almost ruined it at the end, bringing back that stupid giant robot with huge knees thing but then Mane turned into a fucking giant three wheeler for Ace and I realised that it's probably the coolest sentai robo ever created.

Tategami Lioh is once of the best Sentai mechs ever IMO.

Yep, basically how I felt. Li-Oh turned that episode from dumb to badass on a dime.

Gobus 36. So the Buddyroids are useless AND selfish?

When the episode wasn't focusing on them, it was proving that this new mech may well be the most overpowered thing in the sentai universe. I mean even the steering wheel that turns into an atache case can do more than the whole team combined....AND turn into a laser cannon. The saving grace was that it looked pretty damn sweet when combined with Buster 2 and 3.

Another great thing at Li-Oh is that doesn't have the typical "ZOMG NEW MECHA TOY LATE IN THE GAME WE CAN ONLY USE IT FROM NOW ON!" stigma. Go-Busters just keeps doing its usual using the Mechs to suit the situation rather than flog the new brand new toy to death.

That is good to know. And also vaguely ironic given how overpowered it is.

Go-Busters could've turned into a static shot of Li-Oh chillin' in his hangar, and it would have been enough to redeem the show for me. :lol

Gobus 37.

Tiararoid? Seriously? LAME. I don't even get what this one is trying to achieve. I mean all of these Messiah Metaroids have sucked so far, but at least the others had a clearly defined plan that made sense. This one is...ruining weddings? For what purpose? To research love? How are they doing that? Why has once main villain been reduced to a total joke? These Metaroids are an insult to our Majesty, Messiah. While we're at it, when does Enter actually do something? Still waiting for this "best sentai villain ever thing." Then again I never enjoyed Brajira even though I LOVED Goseiger.

On the flipside Escape was AWESOME in this episode. I know everyone just writes her off as fanservice - glorious fanservice - but I have also found her really fun. Yeah her weapons kinda suck, but the fights with her are usually well done and push the Busters to exciting limits - to this episode, the scene where Ryuuji forced himself to go berserk to fight her is favourite scene in the entire show.

Episodes like this really express why she is such an entertaining villain. From her wonderfully silly Bride in Black entrance that had her shooting a wedding to tatters. To a badass transformation, that has her spinning machine guns through the air while making sex noises as the camera captures a close up of her robo boobies. Although I feel much more sour on this show than I did for the first ten or fifteen or so episodes, I will always carry fond memories of Escape.

It was a pretty mixed back for the heroes as well. The episode was so focused on Yoko's appearance for huge chunks of it and I personally find her positively repulsive. Easily one of the least attractive sentai girls, right up there with old man in drag Kagura. But at least Kagura is actually a good character...

On the flipside though was Ryuuji and the Chief's comedy routine. It feels like a call back to when Gobus had good character focus. Those were the days. Why is it that sentai never seems to have a satisfying middle, ever?

Yeah, episode 37 really sucks. Another fake wedding episode of a sentai. Yawn.

But regarding my thoughts on Enter...

If you don't think he's awesome by, like, episode 5... I wonder if you're ever going to. It's not so much that he's done anything major yet, as it is that he's calmer, more calculating, more cynical, and way smarter than the average sentai villain general. His presence is just so different from the others that it's hard for him not to stand out in the crowd. In fact, he's so different that he actually wins sometimes! (And even when he fails, it's rarely his fault -- it usually has to do with Messiah or Escape interfering with his plans.)

For me, it's also cool to see a villain who's more interested in learning about the real world and assimilating information than he is in destroying (or taking over) things. In that way, he's a lot like Brainiac or Agent Smith. I get the feeling that he's more fascinated by the Go-Busters than he is contemptuous of them, and that's interesting to me. If Enter is contemptuous of anyone it's Messiah -- who was kind of the bane of Enter's existence. I don't know that I've seen a dynamic like Enter and Messiah's in sentai -- where the general openly thinks his master is a cock.

Whether or not I think he's the best sentai villain ever, I certainly think Enter is certainly the most interesting character on this show.

Also, he's played by a super compelling actor.

I guess it's just because people say things like "Enter is one of the best sentai villains ever!" or "He was the reason I watched Go-Busters!", it puts a certain expectation in your mind.

But minus that one admittedly cool fight with Hiromu where he got serious, I haven't really enjoyed him. He's just stood in the background and said random French phrases, I just don't find that particularly compelling.

Especially as a female version appears, one whom many fans have completely written off, and she immediately achieves in one episode more than Enter has done in the whole series. Escape is one of the best sentai villains ever in my mind, and easily my favourite character in the show.

I get that. I think that when Go-Bus was running into production trouble, Enter was the element fans gripped to for dear life -- cause he was the only consistent part of this very turbulent show.

Whether fairly or unfairly, the character was unusually deified.

This seems to be a consistent thing with unpopular shows, just look at Brajira in Goseiger.

Fandom is so weird.

Innit.

While we're here fandom, where next? Probably not going to jump straight into Gokaiger although I'm hungry for it. So instead Goaranger, Gekiranger or Maskman?

Why not dive into Gokaiger?

I'll probably give it a second chance at some point, but I hated the first 8ish episodes of Gekiranger. I know I'm in the minority there.

I dig Maskman so far (up to the mid-20s), but it's not an easy watch.

Gaoranger is one of those series that no one ever talks about. I'm interested to know what people think. It looks and sounds so much like Kyoryuger.

Because I've barely seen any sentai, and a lot of the sentai I have seen I haven't particularly enjoyed. So I feel like I'll get the most out of Gokaiger to have some knowledge and attachment to the franchise under my belt first, even if it is largely catered for noobs, as as of right now I'd only really be interested in the Liveman and Goseiger tribute morph/episodes/cameos/or whatever.

@Lucha, Maybe I'll make Gaoranger my next show then!

Den-O loves it, most other people agree that it is perfectly average.

If you do, I'll be really interested to read what you think. I have literally zero idea what to expect from that show.

No clue what a fan-consensus "average" sentai would look like. This fandom is so polarized, I had no idea a "middle" existed. :lol

Once I hit the Gobus 40s, I'll give the first episode a ride and see what's what.

It does exist, surprisingly enough. :lol