Yeah, the sheer scale and weight of the Jaegars and Kaiju was definitely emphasized alot more in the first movie, though me personally I just took everything moving at a faster pace in the second one as just a result of the technology advancing. It felt kinda like comparing old school Gundam to modern Gundam in that sense.

I too enjoy the Star Wars prequels. They're not like, top tier cinema or anything, but I enjoyed them for that they were.

Yeah, the balancing of the tone could've definitely been handled better. I think what helped in my particular case is that, while I do feel a handful of the humor was ill-timed, I've seen way worse when it comes to that sort of thing? Heck, at the very least none of the jokes outright annoyed me in Uprising, like how the humor in, say, Far From Home did(hot take I know).

That's adorable! I can definitely see why people classify these movies under the Toku banner after having seen them! And I hope that The Black only leans more into that.

I hit a milestone today.

https://i.imgur.com/3NLt8QH.png

Episode 1: From The Shadows

If Pacific Rim as a franchise has set up any sort of pattern, it's that any and all characters who could prove to be interesting that aren't the main ones will be killed off, and brutally.

But more on that later. The short version of all of this is that I felt this made for a decent premiere.

The premise is that some time after the events of Uprising(or atleast so I assume), a ton of Breaches get opened, resulting in a massive horde of Kaiju stomping throughout Australia. Jaegar pilots from all over do their best to fight against the invasion, but eventually the government declares the entire content to be lost and orders everyone to get outta there.

In the midst of all the chaos are two particular pilots who fight tooth and nail to save a bus full of people which also has their kids on it. After fighting their way to a remote area where a Jaegar base used to be, the parents leave the children there, reasoning that as long as the kids lay low then no Kaiju will be able to find them, and that there'll be enough food and water to last them until the parents can find help.

Neither help nor the parents are seen for five years, and that's where the real story begins.

Our main duo are Taylor and Hayley, the children of the Jaegar pilots from earlier, and their dynamic is simple enough. Taylor is the vigilant if overly-cautious one while Hayley is the wild child. Taylor wants to keep everyone safe by continuing to lay low, especially since they've made a village for themselves over the past five years. Meanwhile Hayley, due to knowing no danger for that amount of time, wants to work towards a way of getting everyone out of Australia themselves. Needless to say they clash pretty often.

Ignoring how they managed to get new clothes that fit them during that time lapse aside, one day, Hayley discovers an abandoned training facility beneath the village, housing the Jaegar known as Atlas Destroyer. And for a mech with such an awesome name, it really is just a training dummy. And it's upon activating the training protocol that the Kaiju are alerted to the existence of the village, and disaster strikes.

This is what I was alluding to earlier. Everyone in the village other than Taylor and Hayley, and while I get it's done as a way of getting the ball rolling on the plot, it's also a shame in that had even just some of these character lived, there could've been some character development and other stories to come out of it. Who were their parents? What were there dreams and aspirations before getting dropped off at the village? Now we'll never know.

That all aside though, I really do dig the premise of the main mecha just being a training dummy. That's something I can't say I've ever seen before in a mecha show, or at the very least isn't something I can immediately remember in something else. Plus, the action was top notch all throughout the episode, making it very entertaining to watch.

I am definitely interested in seeing what future episodes have to offer.

Episode 2: Into the Black

Not gonna lie, I so expected the Kaiju Heart to be in that tank.

Anyway, the thing I dug most about both movies was the Drift sequences, so you'd better believe I totally loved how this episode opened!

Yeah, it's done in a much different style to the movies, but getting to look into Hayley's' psychosis and how she's not just getting over what happened last episode, ontop of the dream-like imagery? Absolutely loved it.

The premise of the episode proper is that Atlas Destroyer is running out of fuel, so our duo needs to go scavenging the ruins of a nearby city to try and find a power cell or two. What follows is essentially a survival horror movie but in the span of an episode.

And for the most part, I felt that it was well done. The atmosphere was solid, the chase sequences, while a bit predictable, were suspenseful, and the episode did a good job at introducing new elements into the Pacific Rim universe such as mini Kaiju and following up on Kaiju Jaegers ala Obsidian Fury from Uprising. Solid stuff.

And... that's about all I can say about this one? It was just a solid ride from start to finish, and I'm interested in seeing how the new kid adds to the cast dynamics, if at all.

Oh, also, good attention to detail on Experiment Kid not being able to move after getting freed, since like, yeah, no duh someone who hasn't properly used their limbs in five years is gonna go immediately limp. Good eye on the power cell not being fully charged, either.

I felt this one worked alright, though it definitely had issues.

The setup is that Taylor and Hayley discover a group of travelers passing by and decide to tail them, resulting in them being taken to a settlement known as Bogan.

First off, and I'm sure someone can correct me here, but I don't think that Kaiju ever laid eggs before now? It sure didn't seem that way from how the Kaiju gave birth in the first movie.

Second, I felt it out of character for Taylor to be the one to lose focus of everything going on so fast, given he's been the overly careful one all through the show so far. Losing track of the boy they saved, not being able to read the room when in Bogan; it all more felt like things Hayley would be prone to.

And last is that ending, wherein it turns out that Mob Boss somehow drifted with Taylor, which, if I'm getting the rules from the first movie right, means that not only are the two somehow drift compatible, but that somehow the two drifted while only wearing broken down helmets? I thought you needed an entire system for that, suit included?

I get that it's all to keep the plot moving, but alot of it felt a bit forced and that some minor tweeks would've made the entire scenario work out alot better.

Still, atleast there's some more characters to work off of and some bits of world building were dropped, so hopefully those will all get followed up in future episodes. Again, not horrible, but could've been better for sure.

So, haven't said much since you've started this series, but here's some stuff I have to say about this season.

First off, worth noting is that Atlas Destroyer has more of a Pacific Rim 1 vibe to his design. By that, since it's implied this takes place sometime after Uprising, the Jaegers are sleeker and more streamlined, similar to Striker Eureka (the only Mark 5 at the time, while Uprising's Jaegers could be considered Mark 6), there's more similarities to the original Gypsy Danger, but somewhere closer to a Mark 4 or prototype 5. Maybe I'm not making sense, but that's the general feel I get from it.

The Voices aren't bad (I've had bad experiences with dubs), so the characters weren't insufferable, which is something I worried the sister would have been, but thankfully she wasn't. But as you've mentioned, there are times the two's characters tend to get mixed with the other, though it's not as bad as it sounds, to be honest. Also, I'm glad that the Hayley avoided a problem I was dreading, when their village gets wiped out, she actually feels responsible for it, something I've noticed is usually dumped onto someone else when it happens, so I was pleasantly surprised they pulled it off, and did it rather well, even working for the overall plot and characters.

I believe I heard somewhere the Kaiji laying "eggs" was a mutation, or a means to colonize Earth, but I don't remember where I read that. Bossman using the Drifting tech to interrogate is brilliant concept, no better way to break someone than by emotional damage. For how he managed it given the restrictions set by the films, I believe it's implied he and his band modified a lot of the tech that surrounds his camp, which should become more obvious as the season progresses.

The show does a good job on handling it's source material and creating it's own identity in the process that I feel Uprising fell short on. I'll save my thoughts on the full season after we get there (as I still need to watch Season 2, which is the finale).

I think I see what you're getting at, and for sure, Atlas Destroyer does come off as a slightly more mobile version of Gypsy Danger rather than some offshoot of, say, Gypsy Avenger. It helps sell the idea that the mech is a training unit, for sure.

I've mainly had solid luck with dubs, but I can definitely feel you considering how dubbing on other projects, "Netflix Originals" especially have ended up. Looking at you, Netflix Ultraman.

Yeah, it was really nice that it wasn't something that the characters just immediately got over, and that character development resulted therein. I too have gone through many a story where the response some characters get is "It's okay, nothing super bad happened!" and it's like... dude, people are dead.

Gotcha. Guess I'll wait and see if this gets explored a bit more in future episodes. Really curious as to how in the heck Bossman and Taylor are Drift Compatible to say the least.

If there's one thing I can give this show, it's that it's managed to make every Kaiju encounter so far feel like a major event, and this episode is no exception, as its second half features the return of Copperhead, the Kaiju from the first episode who just absolutely refuses to stay down.

Atlas Destroyer is confirmed here to only be a Mark 3, meaning that it's way out of date by the time this series takes place, and that fact is very much emphasized by how its punches do basically nothing to Copperhead, whereas if this were, say, Uprising with its Mark 6s, there'd be much less of a struggle in a one-on-one fight.

This episode also serves in establishing a connection between Taylor and Mei, both literally and metaphorically, via the Neural Handshake. While I initially was confused at Taylor's' insistence on fighting the Kaiju given his characterization in the first two episodes, maybe after seeing Mei's' memories, he's subtly trying to tell her to stand up to Mob Boss? There have certainly been a handful of times where Mob Boss doesn't have much of a leg to stand on in terms of making demands and yet comes out on top anyway.

Outside of that, this episode didn't have too much else to offer? The mystery of Experiment Boy continues with his tendency to kill and eat wildlife, and there's some weird bit of humor at the very beginning of the episode inwhich Taylor drinks "Kaiju Milk." Otherwise... yeah, nothing too noteworthy.

Now granted, I did rather enjoy what was the central highlight of the episode, but I'm also not going to sit here and pretend that I found anything incredible "deep" within it.

And hey, ya know, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. The most important thing to get out of stories is a good time, I think.

-QUICK ASIDE POST-

Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!

I was browsing some old posts that I had made on social media, and wouldn't you know it, I was doing this stuff long before even joining TokuNation! Below is an old post I did years ago after a rewatch of the above titled show, and if you guys want the short version: It's really good! The post is quick and to the point, and maybe I'll do a more detailed analysis of the show one day in the (far) future, but for now, I think it sums up my overall feelings pretty well. I definitely recommend checking the show out! I give it a 5/6.


So I recently completed my rewatch of Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go! It was every bit as fun as I remember, and makes me sad that the show got cancelled before its big climax. Those last few episodes were some of the best in the series without a doubt. Now to sort the seasons from best to not best.

Season 2 - This is the season where the show started to grow its beard. More character focus, more connected plots, and even the comedic value started getting better. Not to mention the best season finale in the whole show. Who knew a show about Cyborg Monkeys could make me nearly tear up?

Season 3 - While season 2 had the best season closer, this one had the best season opener. Not only that, but a good chunk of the season focused on having fun. Not only increasing enjoyability, but also making the more serious episodes stand out all the more. And while the season finale was a tad weak, it was still good.

Season 4 - This season had the absolute worst episode in the whole show. "The Hills Have Five" was nothing but a waste of time and was the only episode that made me wanna bash my brain against a wall. But the season quickly makes up for it by having every episode afterward be fantastic.

Season 1 - Now don't get me wrong, the season is not bad by any means, and even has one of my favorite episodes(Secret of the Sixth Monkey), but during this time, you can tell the show was still trying to find its identity, and it wouldn't be found until season 2. Still a fun watch all around though.

Overall, SRMTFHG! is a great show that was sadly passed up during its time on Jetix so long ago. While alot of things in it are for the sake of parodying nerd culture, it showed a surprisingly good ability to tell mature stories. If you're a fan of western animation, I'd definitely say to check it out.

This episode is definitely my favorite so far. Things are really picking up!

I think what really helped here was that, with the overall plot of the episode being so simple, it made for alot more time spent on character development.

Mei especially gets alot of highlight here, which in turn made her my current favorite character in the show. She's definitely misguided in her dedication towards Mob Boss(even claiming he's a man of his word, which is laughable), but yet she still has her own code of honor, which helped me really get into her character.

The plot being nothing more than "fix Atlas Destroyer so we can get the hell out of here" also surprisingly helped in expanding on the lore of this universe and showcasing the continuity The Black has with previous films.

Ghost Piloting is now a thing, and while I could see some people calling foul on it due to how dangerous solo Drifting was shown to be in the first movie, I think it still works due to how it not only very obviously takes a toll on Taylor, but also how it was established in Uprising that the PDCC uses a brain in a jar as a training dummy for Drifts.

Really the only thing that I felt as out of place was Joel dying at the end which, I get is to highlight how messed up Mob Boss is, but like, we already had two full episodes showcasing that? Felt like such a waste of a character who could've added alot to the cast dynamics, I feel.

But yeah, overall a great episode. Let's hope the show keeps this momentum up.

For sure! These last few episodes are where the show really picked up for me.

As for the Solo-Pilot plot hole (if you even want to call it that), remember that Atlas Destroyer is a training Jaeger, meaning it's likely not as taxing as a full-fledged fighting unit like Gypsy Danger.

There's a lot of intrigue in this story, but not fully explored, leaving people to simply speculate how some of it works, unless it's all in Season 2 that I've yet to start. But hey! Looks like we'll be watching it together.

I just can't get over the fact that a training dummy gets a name as badass as Atlas Destroyer. It's almost like it's a law in universe that every Jaegar MUST have a name that's wicked as hell.

I look forward to that! I will say, with only a couple episodes left in season 1, I definitely get the impression that the show was originally going to be twice as long and that they just decided to split it in half.

The atmosphere was ON POINT with this episode!

The set-up is that Mei, still having so many conflicting feelings going through her head with all that's happened, splits from the group. No time to chase after her though, because Boy also runs off as a Breach ends up erupting in the area. The ensuing search ends up taking Hayley and Taylor into a graveyard full of the remains of both Kaiju and Jaegar alike.

First off, I really liked how this episode directly connected to the events of Uprising, and just like in that film, Newt's' actions resulted in long-lasting consequences for the Pacific Rim universe at large.

I also really love how this episode further established the dangers of reckless Drifting; It was already shown off a bit in the previous episode with Joel, but having Taylor get his memories confused with those of the dad from the first movie(atleast, I think that's who that was? Correct me if I'm wrong), makes for a great hook and brings forth an idea/theme about identity that I really hope the show follows up on in future episodes.

And of course there's the big highlight: The ever growing mystery of Boy and his connection to the Kaiju Jaegar from the second episode. That entire last stretch, from the Kaiju emerging from the Breach, to the Kaiju Jaegar intervening, to Atlas Destroyer getting its new arm, was all really well done in terms of atmosphere and I really gotta give it to whoever did the directing for this episode. I was genuinely hooked!

Something else I wanna praise this show for too is that, atleast so far, while it certainly has used mecha anime tropes that have been done before, it's also been doing its own unique spin on alot of them. Heck, pretty much all of the other "survival mecha" shows that I've seen(Gundam X, L-Gaim, Zoids) usually totally drop the survival element fairly quickly, but The Black seems to be continuing to go all in on it, which is something I really appreciate.

Really interested in seeing what the finale of season 1 has to offer!

Ya know, while I still stand by what I said about feeling like this show is one that got cut in half in order to artificially make "seasons" of it, had this episode been the series finale, I don't think I would've minded too much?

Sure, there'd be alot of things still left unresolved, and the last minute hook at the end would've likely annoyed me, but I think I still would've been overall satisfied with what was there, since, when it comes to what I consider the current most important things, there was closure.

Infact, closure, and more specifically the hunt for it, seems to be what this entire episode was about, and I really dug it. There's Taylor and Hayley discovering what happened to their parents, there's the mystery of Boy being mostly resolved(even if the answer to it was pretty obvious), there's Mei finding her old home, and of course, there's the final battle with Copperhead.

The episode had a good balance of pretty much everything. The comedy was surprisingly funny despite how simple the gags were, the atmosphere and pace flowed nicely, and the character interactions all felt genuine. Plus, for a "final battle" while not as bombastic as what some viewers might expect, given the standards of the movies, was nice to watch and had alot of emotional weight behind it.

I'm also really interested in seeing where the plot and these characters are gonna go after this. The Kaiju Worshipers gaining prominence is interesting, considering how they were very much just a background detail of the movies, and the premise of the Precursors sneaking onto Earth to live among us is a great hook. Plus, with the way that the show has followed up on the movies so far, I do gotta wonder what else from those films they could address, since there is still plenty to explore.

But yeah, is it the greatest season finale ever? No, but it was an overall very satisfying one, and I am glad I waited until the show was all wrapped up, since it means I get to keep going. I'm hooked, what can I say?

The finale of Season 1 is really good, and I 1000% agree that I would be fine if it ended here.

This series does a good job on staying (mostly) true to its source material, while also creating a unique branch-off of mecha and survival shows. Wandering through a monster infested, post-apocalyptic world with a robot you need to maintain, even replacing its lost limbs in the fight (something I love about this scenario), it sets up a hopeless situation, yet also leaves plenty of room for opportunities to turn it around, much like the first film, but in a completely different way.

The characters got good development, the humor wasn't constant or annoying, the tone felt right for what they were going for. Sure, there's a lot of inconsistencies, maybe a few plot holes, but it's an overall enjoyable series.

Yeah, this show is very much carried by its characters and atmosphere, which is something they really started pulling off alot better come episode 5. And again, I do really love how every Kaiju encounter feels like a major event, or a really big boss fight, to put it in videogame terms.

There's for sure some inconsistencies in characterization and finer plot details, especially early on, but I overall feel like they're minor.

Looking forward to season 2!

The scenario that gets the ball rolling on the plot is a little contrived, but I'm willing to let it slide thanks to all the great character interaction this episode offers.

Essentially, tensions are running high after the events of the season 1 finale, resulting alot of debate between Taylor, Hayley, and Mei over what exactly to do about Boy, the situation they're in, and their own moralities and insecurities clashing with one another.

That's all fine and good. The contrived part is that, despite having the raw strength to tear Kaiju Hounds apart, Boy apparently doesn't have the strength to crush a Kaiju Tick the size of his torso.

But again, minor, because the arguments between the main trio stretch all throughout the episode, and even when they come together to help Boy by searching for a Kaiju researcher that Mei used to know, nothing is just cleanly resolved right then and there.

And ya know what? I'm all for it.

Because the thing is, not only is the conflict true to all the characters at their core, but everyone involved actually has a point in what they're saying. And that is incredibly rare in terms of the stories I've experienced!

Taylor and Hayley both have their own forms of optimism and sense of doing the right thing, just aimed in different directions. Taylor of course is focusing on his sworn mission to protect Hayley and find their parents, and he does have a point in that there's no telling when Boy could go berserk again and kill them all.

Hayley, meanwhile, still firmly believes that their parents are long gone and points out that Kaiju or not, Boy DID protect her, both against Copperhead and against Apex(the Kaiju Jaegar); She's focusing on her found family rather than her biological one, and thus can't just leave Boy for dead.

And as for Mei, she's taking the "realist" approach to the whole thing: Ditch both the idea that Boy isn't a danger and that Taylor and Hayley's' parents are somehow still out there, because the Kaiju wasteland has claimed almost the entire population as it is. In her way, she's essentially telling the siblings to go and live a safer life on their own, rather than continue to struggle for all of this extra baggage that, frankly, alot of people wouldn't even find worth it.

It all made for some really engaging character drama, which more than made up for the fact that this episode was about 80% talking. Good stuff!

Well this episode was incredibly predictable.

And really, I'm not exactly sure what else to say other than that? The episode isn't really bad per se, but it's not anything super incredible either.

The set up is that the crew reaches the Never Never Valley where the Bunyip Man, someone who's supposedly learned how to tame Kaiju, lives. He says he can help cure Boy of the Kaiju Tick venom, but things go south fast.

And yeah, that right there should tell you basically everything you need to know. Like, the second Mei started talking about the "alternative option" with the Kaiju Sisters, I knew exactly where this episode was gonna go, to exactly where it was gonna end up.

It's very much a transitional episode to serve as a way to get our heroes to interact directly with the Kaiju Sisters, and to that end, yeah, sure, it works, but it's also not very engaging. There's no real character drama or unique interaction, there's no shock value to the death or destruction that occurs, and outside of one sequence(using the chain whip to surf around the valley), the action isn't much to speak of either.

Overall it's just a thoroughly meh episode. Hopefully a necessary one for episodes to come.

I have just started Season 2 today, three episodes in, and I'm glad it still stays consistent with Season 1 (I was worried it wouldn't be the same after all this time, but thankfully that's not the case).

We get Jumbo Gremlin- I mean *in Kratos' voice* "Boy," leading us into the next stage of the plot. And the moral is, "don't trust the creepy masked robe people," but it's great to see how no one is exactly wrong in how they react to this situation, and all three have their own view, where Taylor feels like his the middle-man in this scenario, looking at both sides, Haylee wanting to save the only constant companion they had on this trip and his only family member, whilst Mei picks the logical course to stay on track and not get involved with too many side stops.

Then we get one that's a little more simple in the terms that you can just sit there and think to yourself "this isn't going to end well." I definitely agree that this one was predictable, but I feel there are quite a few moments in this show that follow suit, though not in a bad way. It also makes clear the things I heard that the Kaiju have evolved into something that could literally take over the world, being able to reproduce, adapt, and even become herds of different species that can all serve different purposes. And here I was thinking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKeKuaJ4nlw

Anyway, I will say I'm ahead by one episode, so I won't spoil anything, but I am hoping the Kaiju Sisters plotline is done well, since I think that's probably the one that could fail very easily if done wrong. But other than that, this show has still been able to keep on it's feet well.

(Good gosh, I forgot about the Kaiju dogs, it really has been a while..."

Yeah, I agree that despite it having like, what, a year or two since season 1, season 2 feels like it hasn't really skipped a beat at all.

Probably the most surprising thing in episode 9 was Kaiju eating other Kaiju. I mean, I suppose it makes sense, considering there are only so many humans and fish to go around in The Black.

"None of us have slept in days; We're not thinking straight!"

That single line put alot of things into perspective, and made me overall okay with the episode despite how often I was thinking "No, you fools!"

So lo and behold, being smack dab in the middle of the territory owned by an evil death cult isn't so hot of a situation. The Kaiju Sisters want Boy, and the argument continues over how to handle everything.

Hayley wants to go the idealistic route of fighting their way out, Taylor wants to just give up and hope for the best, and Mei has the most pragmatic route; Use Boy as a bargaining chip for their own safety. Mei ends up being the one ultimately proven "correct" in the end.

Gotta say though, great twist and hook at the end, with Mob Boss being the one to save the day and the reveal on who one of the Kaiju Sisters are. But, with what should be the biggest aspect of the episode, it wasn't the main draw for me? Maybe not surprising given what I've said before but, again, the thing I was into most was the internal conflict our main trip was going through.

I think it's rather telling how much these characters have grown on me when I am legit interested in hearing what each side has to say, and the fact that them talking/arguing is the thing to keep my engaged. I also gotta give props to whoever writes the dialogue for these sorts of scenes, and it always feels very true to character and never forced. And while I personally wish that Taylor hadn't been the one to win everyone over, I am still interested in seeing where the story is gonna go from here.

Anyone is capable of great good or great evil.

When it came to Mob Boss offering to help save the mind of Taylor and Hayley's' mother, it'd be understandable for anyone to be incredibly skeptical of it.

However, if there has been one thing that's been consistent about Shane's' character, it's that he is a good judge of character. You sort of have to be in order to be an effective leader.

Yes, he's ruthless. Yes, he's manipulative. And yes, he's incredibly selfish and self-serving. But he also knows how important family is to alot of people, him included. What sealed it all off what him outright admitting to the duo's' mom that he wasn't doing anything for her, but himself and Mei.

So, does this episode redeem Shane? Make him instantly likeable? Justify all of his actions up to this point? Certainly not, and to the episode's' credit, I never once got the sense that it was trying to do any of that. Merely showing how love for others can drive us to do things no one else would expect of us, and to that I end, I felt it was effective.

Outside of that, there's also the subplot of the Kaiju Sisters getting ready to craft Boy into Kaiju Jesus, and from the moment I saw him on the altar I knew that Apex was going to be a giant player in all of this, given how it Drifted with Boy a few episodes back. Makes me wonder if Boy will get rescued in time, for if he'll end up turning into Aku, considering the cult is pretty much the Daughters of Aku from Samurai Jack.

Combine all of this with some really cool imagery during the dive into the hivemind of the Kaiju Sisters and you have an episode that, while I wouldn't say is perfect, is very interesting to watch.

So goes Shane the Main. Something I can gather from him here is his ability to be able to enter anyone's minds, likely because he's been in the harshest of conditions, understanding of his lackeys/comrades, probably using Mei as a sort of device to help him learn what it means to raise a "family" allowing him to explore just about anyone's thoughts, to understand them, which is how he used drifting tech to interrogate people and keep his group together in The Black. Maybe I'm completely wrong, but that's how I think they're getting at.

I do admit, restoring the kids' mom does in some ways feel a bit "deus ex machina" for lack of a better term, in the way it works, but at the same token, it's not a bad deus ex machina, supposing they pull something like that at the end or something. Something that can certainly be said about this series is how it utilizes the drifting element in a way unlike the films, making for some visually interesting scenes.

I assume the sisters are under the influence of the predecessors (I forgot their official name, the guys that made the Kaiju) as likely experiments for this invasion, given how I'm fairly certain they use some form of drifting technology to control people, much like Newton in Uprising, though the question remains, why women? Easier to break minds? Something, something, women pretty? I don't know, maybe I shouldn't worry about that, but sometimes you've got to question how aliens think.

Maybe it's just because it's been so long, but I don't feel too attached to the show at this point. It's not bad or anything, it's still consistent from what I remember, maybe it's this plotline that's bugging me, I'm not sure, I hope to have a clear image when we get to the end.

I feel like that checks out for the most part. I suppose having a modified drift deck(likely made by Spider and/or Joel) really helps out in that department.

Yeah, I definitely do appreciate how Drifting and the different ways it can be utilized is getting explored in this show. While the visual flare that it had in the movies is gone, this anime manages to replace it with a nice flavor of its own, and it's much appreciated.

I am very much convinced that they're being influenced by the Kaiju Hivemind like how Newt was. Though there is the possibility that their leader is "genuine" in their beliefs, given what little we see of them here. Maybe that's why it's a Sisterhood specifically? I guess it's just one of those things you kinda roll with.

That's a shame. I'm still engaged for the most part myself. I will definitely say though that despite every episode having a clear beginning, middle, and end, this definitely does seem like the kind of show that benefits alot from binging, like how I felt SSSS.Gridman did.

To quote Taylor from a previous episode, I guess I am not thinking straight since I was tired when I watched the last batch of episodes. Now it's not to say I'm not enjoying the show, I am, but maybe most of my original fire for it has dimmed, I guess I could say. Again, I don't think it's the show's fault, I'm thinking it's more of a me problem.

Also, I'm going to finish it later today. So, I'll be chiming in every now and then, since I am interested in seeing how it all ends.

This one was... okay.

The main crux of the episode is Hayley convincing everyone to go on a rescue mission to get Boy back, and it goes way smoother than I was expecting.

Like, after all the build up in regards to the Kaiju Sisters, the plan, despite some minor setbacks, goes overall really well? I get that they only have so much run time and need to keep the plot rolling, but this is a unique case in that the episode managed to have a twist by not having a twist.

There's some very obvious foreshadowing going on with Mei though, and my guess is that her past is connected to the Kaiju Sisters somehow. And with that I really, really hope that I don't end up having to eat my words when it came to Shane in the previous episode. If Spider is any indication, should the last two episodes turn around and go "Shane did nothing wrong?" Let's just say that'd sour alot of the mood for me.

On a totally unrelated note, I know that it's not exactly important in the grand scheme of things, Atlas Destroyer wasn't used at all in this episode, which made me think, wow, they aren't going any further with the mismatched limbs are they? Kinda surprising given the survival aspect of the show. I almost expected Atlas to have four totally different limbs by the show's' end.

But again, it's not like it's a big deal, and I have zero problem with the show instead focusing on its characters rather than its vehicle. Let's just hope these last two episodes do good on that front.

This episode hits hard right from the outset.

It starts with the perfect happy ending: Boy retaining his conscience, the group reaching Sydney, Taylor and Hayley's' father being alive, it's all too good to be true.

And that's because it is.

Like, way to emotionally pull me in right from the getgo. Ontop of that is the character drama with everyone else, including the detail that LOA was the first AI built with an emotion chip and a bit of her backstory, which makes me really curious as to how she ended up in Atlas Destroyer, and it makes me think that the Jaegar that she freaked out about in season 1 was the unit she originally belonged to.

But the main focus of this episode is Boy, and reawakening his former self as being converted by the Kaiju Sisters. While it is pretty predictable in how it's gone about, I still enjoyed watching it play out, and man, way to make me feel sad for Apex despite how little screen time it gets.

And that about does it, really. This episode was very straight-forward in all that it did, but that was in no way a bad thing.

The final episode is upon on us, and I think it's pretty clear at this point that they'll be gunning for a third season, which, if it happens, I'll definitely be checking out. But if not, then all I can hope for is that, similar to the season 1 finale, that all of the major aspects to the characters is wrapped up well enough.

If this really and truly is the final episode, then I have some rather mixed feelings.

Like, yes, there's definitely a feeling of finality here. Reaching Sydney, finishing off the Kaiju Sisters, Boy retaining his humanity, and Taylor and Hayley discovering what happened to their father.

But, at the same time, there's a handful of things left unresolved or unsaid. And unlike the first season's' finale wherein I felt that all of the major stuff was handled, now with season 2, alot more has happened, alot more has changed, and the things left out feel rather important(atleast to me).

The two main offenders being the backstories of Mei and LOA. While sure, you can make some solid headcanons out of what few context clues we're given, neither character arc gets any sort of definitive push or closure. Especially in the case of LOA who, by all accounts, can probably never get her arc resolved, even if a third season should emerge.

And maybe I'm just a sadistic jerk, but the ending almost felt too happy for me? Like, the scene of the crew reaching Sydney heavily mirrors the dream sequence from last episode, to the point that I was expecting it to suddenly cut to black and have it turn out that everyone actually died in the end. Now don't get me wrong, I'm overall happy that that isn't what happened, it the thought did cross my mind as I was watching.

The pacing also felt a bit rushed too, especially those final few minutes, but that's something I feel season 2 in general kinda has a problem with and I'll elaborate a bit more when it comes to the final thoughts post.

All that aside though, like I said, they definitely tried to insert an overall feeling of finality in all of the events that go down in this episode, and yeah, they succeeded for the most part. Atlas Destroyer getting a sendoff similar to Gypsy Danger and Gypsy Avenger, a Breacher being the final boss, Boy taking hold of his freedom, and Mei showing how she's changed as a person. That stuff was all handled pretty well, and in that regard, I really can't complain too badly. And in the end, I suppose that's what matters.

Final thoughts on the show as a whole coming in 12+ hours.

I started watching Android Kikaider: The Animation and it already looks very interesting so far. Currently at its second episode.

Hey, nice! I hope you enjoy it, because it's one of my favorites!

To be honest, I went into this show expecting to not like it very much.

Not only did I not have that big of a passion for the two movies that came before it, but me and "Netflix Originals" tend to not gel very well.

The Netflix Godzilla Trilogy, Netflix Ultraman, Legendary Defender... almost every Netflix Original I've ever watched has really rubbed me the wrong way, so my standards were set rather low when going into The Black.

Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised! While a bit rough around the edges, Pacific Rim: The Black ended up being a totally unique beast in and of itself. Not just in terms of the Netflix Originals that I've seen, but also in terms of the previous two movies and the mecha genre as a whole.

As I've said before, this one of the few Survival Mecha shows I've seen to never fully drop the Survival aspect of the show, and it also doesn't follow the trend set by the two movies: Following various tropes of the 70s and 80s to a T. There's so much subversion and surprisingly realistic outcomes to the scenarios presented in this anime that it almost verges on deconstruction.

Where the show really excels is in its character development and atmosphere. Sure, it's not the deepest or most intricate of this sort of thing, and the plot, for the most part, is very simple. But I'd be lying if I said that were a detriment. Alot of episodes really did draw me in just on the personal relationships and interactions between the cast alone. And a proper atmosphere helps out a ton in that regard.

Which is why it's such a shame that the anime as a whole kinda feels unfinished? It really feels like the creators were originally promised a third season, only for that promise to be taken back mid-production. Various character arcs and plot points are just outright dropped, and in season 2 especially the pacing feels rushed in places(especially the ending). There's other things too, like some early character inconsistencies, but really, I feel stuff like that is ultimately minor in comparison to the unfinished stories on some of our cast.

It really makes me hope that one day the anime will get a continuation or expansion of some form. But should that never happen, I suppose I can't complain about what we did get too much. I had an overall good time watching it, and I was always intrigued as to where it and its characters were headed next, and really, I can't ask for too much more out of a story than that, can I?

In the end, I give Pacific Rim: The Black a 4/6. It's by no means perfect, and I'm sure that anime and/or Pacific Rim hardcores could find alot of things to complain about in terms of its technicalities. But for me? I had a good time, and I recommend it to anyone who likes either of the movies or Survival shows in general.

Okay, so I've been finished with this for a while now but held back and waited for you to finish. I was really tempted to leave an ominous, misleading message at one point that was like, "So I finished the show... And I have some things to say..."

But have to say, this show can certainly set up a finale (albeit somewhat a bit rushed), and I'm happy to say, I really liked this series. It doesn't answer every question, nor does it give us everything we might have liked some context on, but overall, I'm satisfied, maybe even thinking this is the better than what I might have been expecting.

I do tend to always expect the unexpected, dreading the worst, the moment where everything goes wrong, the one bad apple that spoils the bunch. I had those concerns about every turn, maybe because I've been disappointed by things far more often than I'd like, or maybe this show's atmosphere and conflict kept me on my toes at almost every interval and maybe that's what made this ending, dare I say, great for me.

Yes, it's ending was most definitely trying to replicate Gypsy Danger's sendoff in the first film, but even that didn't feel like them trying to bank on nostalgia or rehash to drive their story, and that's something I can greatly appreciate, even making the ending bittersweet, where not everyone makes it to the happy ending. While I would have talked more about each episode individually, I feel like I might not have been able to convey my feelings on them without contradicting myself, or maybe it's because I'm just too tired lately, which is entirely possible.

This show is a good companion to Pacific Rim, but also remains good on its own. And interestingly enough, I must say how much I can relate to Taylor in so many ways. Always the middleman, taking in both sides trying to figure out the best for everyone, not taking risks if you can help it. I felt a lot of the weight of his struggles that it resonated with me, something I find rare in media. Yes, there were times I felt like yelling, "you fools!" (they should have dealt with the sisters before running off, being one such example), but it was all just nitpicks.

There were indeed many times I felt like there was probably going to be more while watching the final episode, but as mentioned, I was satisfied. Even now, looking back at some of the plot holes, thinking of what more could be used in this universe, I don't think I'll mind if Pacific Rim suddenly becomes forgotten. It's not perfect, but expecting perfection is an impossibility, but I enjoyed this show, and I'm glad I watched it. It wasn't trying to live up to the expectations of the films, nor was it trying to be the "the new MCU," it told a grounded story and played with the formula in interesting and unique ways, that I'm proud of.

Now I just need to get back to the other shows on my list...

Totally! Despite some flaws, this show really did feel like a story that the creators wanted to tell, rather than simply hashing something out for the sake of keeping the franchise going.

And hey, I'm glad you found some value in the show and its characters. Speaking for myself personally, finding characters who I can really jive with, especially if they're relatable, is a big plus.

https://scontent.fdet3-1.fna.fbcdn.n...5g&oe=62955E39

Been awhile since I've been able to post a trophy soon after getting through a show I've liked, so here we are with the Robot Spirits Atlas Destroyer!

The articulation is overall solid. Certainly limits of it were unavailable due to the mech's' overall design, but other things definitely could've afforded more range. Not that Jaegars are known for doing kung-fu poses or anything, but still.

The accessories, while there are few, are all ones that I'd deem absolutely necessary. And since this was original a somewhat lower rpiced figure, I'm willing to excuse it.

Really, I feel like the biggest weakness of it is the lack of paint detailing. The "metal" joints especially are just BEGGING for a wash to bring them to life.

Still, I'm happy to have it in the collection, and I do recommend it if youre a fan of the mecha or the show that it comes from, especially if you can buy it at a discount.

So with that out of the way, what's next for the thread? Well, Pride Month is upon us, so I already know the exact show that I wanna cover next.


And that's the Iczer series! It's a set of OVAs that combines Yuri, Horror, Mecha, and of course, Tokusatsu into a rather dark action series that I like alot. And like Detonator Orgun, is something that was done great justice in the Super Robot Wars series of games.

But like I said, I'll start posting about that when June hits, so stay tuned!

I'm sensing a trend here.

This all started with me watching Kamen Rider Wizard and Blassreiter at the same time, then it happened again with me seeing Kamen Rider Decade, Kamen Rider Ghost, and SSSS.Dynazenon all within the same time frame. The common link between these two groups of shows was that they contained stories that all had common themes and ideas between the group they were in, making it a really interesting thought exercise for me when comparing these shows against one another.

And now here we are again with me having just finished both Kamen Rider Zi-O as well as Hug! Pretty Cure! within the same week. And more than either of the other groups before this one, these two shows made for children share alot in common, perhaps purposefully so.

Both shows serve as anniversary seasons for their respective franchises(Kamen Rider for Zi-O; Pretty Cure for Hug), and both also close out the Heisei Era of Japan, which, of course, is a huge thing for the people of the country, and very obviously had alot of people talking about the future of the country as a whole. From how the ruler would turn out to how the people would evolve, these ideas and questions are heavily reflected in both works, and it seems very clear that Toei felt the need to talk to and prepare children and their parents for the start of a new era.

With all of that in mind, I felt that it'd make for a fun thought exercise(for me atleast) to compare and contrast these two shows handled by the same company, with very much alot of the same subject matter throughout them. Let's begin.

Action and Visual Flair

I could easily see people arguing that this isn't a really fair comparison to make. Afterall, one show is live-action whereas the other is animated, and as such, the animated show has the clear edge, right?

Well, yes and no. Me personally, I prefer to think of how both mediums go about their action sequences as different flavors, rather than one being inherently better than the other. Bad choreography can exist regardless, afterall.

For example, with Hug, while the show in general is very beautifully animated, and has many an action sequence that wouldn't be out of place in Dragon Ball Z, there were definitely a handful of episodes that were definitely working with a lower budget, with obvious signs such as obscured visuals or stills being used for action/attacks. Not to mention the use of stock footage for signature attacks(which is the norm for many a Magical Girl show).

Meanwhile with Zi-O, while the action is never out and out bad, and a good handful of sequences definitely stand out(especially in the movies), there's most certainly alot of fights that simply feel like the show is just going through the motions; Something I never felt that Hug was doing. The episodes which very blatantly forget/ignore the abilities of various super modes are especially guilty of this(looking at you, Zi-O II and Grand Zi-O).

But there's another aspect to visual flair outside of just fights and special effects when it comes to shows like these, and that's the transformation sequences.

Let's compare what I feel is the best of both shows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUHqPPCe1xI

What can I say? The Grand Zi-O Henshin is my favorite in the entire franchise. The use of all the various sounds from previous seasons, the effects, the resulting suit... It's got absolutely everything to make it great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWHmkvREU58

Yeah that's right. The very first transformation we see in Hug, Cure Yell's', is magnificent. Wonderful animation, great sound effects, and fully embraces its magical girl glory and heritage.

So which show did it better? Well, here's how I see it. The Grand Zi-O Henshin absolutely blows every Transformation sequence in Hug out of the water. However, the thing is, every single Transformation sequence in Hug is consistently just as good as Cure Yell's', which are all in turn far better than every other Henshin in Zi-O.

In which case, it all comes down to this: Would you rather have escalation; Wherein transformation sequences start basic(but still good), and culminate in the utter greatness of Grand Zi-O? Or would you rather have every sequence be consistently top tier, but just not as top tier as what Grand Zi-O is?

It's a toss up all across the board for both shows, but I think that, ultimately, I'm gonna give the point to Hug. Zi-O's' visual flair is nothing to outright dismiss, but Hug is just far more consistently good with theirs.

Music and Atmosphere

Right out the gate, both of these shows have absolutely banger soundtracks. Like, just listen to their openings for crying out loud!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPzwZwzK8gs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGcBSiGQVs4

And that's not even getting into all of the really good background tracks that both shows have. Both of these shows have soundtracks that I would happily buy! I really can't pick a winner here.

Atmosphere, though? That's another story. Both shows really do gun hard in trying to drawn you into the worlds that they're trying to build. From appropriate music tracks, to good acting, to some surprisingly really funny comedic beats, it was very clear that there was an effort on both sides.

The thing that ends up being the deciding factor though, is the context of those moments. I'll get more into it once the appropriate section is reached, but let's just say that while there was very few moments that took me out of a given episode in Hug, Zi-O is a very different story, where many a dramatic beat felt forced or unearned, and took me totally out of the story.

As such, point yet again goes to Hug.

Plot, Messages, and Themes

Both shows are very much designed to get kids and their parents to think about the future. Whether it being trials and tribulations they might face while growing up, or how society might come to change with the dawn of a new era, both stories have their own ideas on how to face an uncertain future and fight for a better tomorrow.

In Zi-O, the main emphasis appears to be the shift in rule of Japan, with Sogo serving as a stand-in for the new Emperor of Japan, and showcasing how the new rule could very much go either way, and how there will always be those who stand in opposition due to having their own ideas of what ideal rule looks like as shown in Geiz, Tsukuyomi, the Time Jackers and Woz.

There's of course some more personal stories sprinkled about, especially given how Zi-O took on the task of having tributes and tales dedicated to characters from past seasons, but Zi-O very much ends up focusing on its overarching plot more often than not.

And while that in and of itself is perfectly fine, the issue is that, well, with a plot that becomes as complex and confusing as it does, Zi-O also drops the ball alot of times in regards to its execution, such as the ever (in)famous Ryuki tributes:


On the flip side, with Hug, it kinda doesn't even really have a plot, per se? There's the ever looming threat of the bad guys, sure, but Hug is a much more episodic affair that focuses almost exclusively on character arcs and the connections built between the cast. And while that might seem rather basic or bare bones to some viewers, I found it actually worked out for the better more often than not.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the thing that alot of people seem to misunderstand about being simplistic is that, well, there's alot less to fumble on. Sure, Hug might not have much of a plot to speak of, but in turn, almost nothing in what plot is there feels like it comes out of left field or is otherwise executed poorly as was many times the case in Zi-O(for me, atleast).

But of course, this is also going off an assumption that everything Hug presents and talks about is basic or of non-substance.


When it comes to its stance on how to look towards the future, Hug, rather than looking at the change in leadership, instead focuses in on people in general, and how their lives change as time goes on. This in turn makes every story alot more personal for everyone involved. The show talks about things such as technology, gender roles, aging, depression, anxiety, divorce, and a bunch of other subjects that I was incredibly surprised to see a show of its kind tackle. Heck, I'd argue that makes it way more mature and complex than Zi-O by comparison.

That's not to say that Zi-O doesn't have various subject matters that it also talks about. One of my favorite things it brought up was the lesson that the hero of one story can be the villain of another. It's just that Hug, in my opinion, is alot more direct and alot smarter about how it handles its lessons than what Zi-O is.

So as you might've guessed, point once again goes to Hug.

Characters

And now for the biggest part of any story for me. How do the characters measure up? I've already touched upon the roles they serve in the grand scheme of each show in previous sections, so here, I'm just gonna focus on the casts and their arcs in and of themselves.

Let's start by saying that I do like the core cast of Zi-O. Yes, there are some major fumbles in regards to nearly every character's' arc, but I overall came out of the show with more positives for the core characters than not. From Sogo's' derpy personality to Geiz's' being on guard the point that he always wears a collar; The dynamics between the main handful of characters was almost always a delight to watch. Heck, most surprisingly, a few of my favorite characters ended up being total side characters in Rento and Uncle, who delivered some of my favorite moments in the show.


But... that's kinda where it stops. To give an example from a previous season of Kamen Rider, OOO was a season where I felt that the overall plot was really dumb, but almost every character was so strong that it didn't matter. This is not the case with Zi-O, where, yeah, I do like the core cast, but the other issues it has(especially in terms of plot) really do detract from the overall experience of being around these people. The villains were really weak in characterization, and heck, I basically remember almost none of the side characters at all.

Meanwhile, Hug? Not only did I feel that the fumbles were few and far between, but I remember a ton of the supporting cast and absolutely loved the villains. Hana's' parents, the kids at school who make a fan club for Cure Yell, Emiru's' brother, the Takoyaki seller, and almost the entirety of the villain cast... These are all characters who I grew to really like and even if I'm terrible with names, do remember their various quirks and stories. And then of course there was the biggest surprise in Henri the crossdresser.


Henri was a character with a subject matter that I was incredibly impressed by in how the anime handled him. He's a fully fledged character with an arc of his own who is handled incredibly respectfully, and to see a kid's' show handle him in such a way was a great breath of fresh air.

Zi-O has something similar with the arc of Heure in the Zi-O VS Decade special, which I did like! But on the other hand, it also has the absolute bungling of how Tezuka was handled in Rider Time Ryuki, which very much did not sit right with me.

And lastly, I wasn't entirely sure whether to put it in this section or put it under the previous one, as it has to do with both, so I'll just settle for cramming it in right now: Zi-O seemed much more focused on fighting against the bad future; Cutting off the head to provide for the many, so to speak. Meanwhile Hug instead focuses on getting to the root of people's' problems; Embracing them and showing them that they can always work to better themselves and their future. Every villain gets a solid look into their backstory and motivations, and ends up redeemed by the end. Not so much for Zi-O. There's certainly an argument to made about which is more appealing, to be sure, but for me, I generally dug Hug's' approach alot more.

With Zi-O I really only like the "important" characters, whereas with Hug, I love damn near every one of them, main character or not. Final point of course goes to Hug.

Final Thoughts

If it seemed as though all I did throughout this review was dunk on Zi-O, then I apologize, as that was very much not my intent. I do overall think the show is fine. It's one with very big highs and really steep lows, and based on other posts I've seen, I can kinda get why some might find that to be a more interesting experience. But for me, the two hands clash far too hard for me to consider the show one of the greats. As such, I score Kamen Rider Zi-O with a 3/6. It's not anywhere near as bad as what some might want you to believe, but it's nothing to absolutely rave over either.

Likewise, I am also not trying to say that Hug is in all ways perfect. The last episode especially has some serious fumbles in terms of narrative, and there are definitely some aspects here and there than don't pan out optimally. But the thing is, I find all of those fumbles to be incredibly minor in the grand scheme of things. So no, it's not perfect, but I had an incredible time with it, and I'd highly recommend it to just about anyone. I give Hug! Pretty Cure! a very solid 5/6. Absolutely wonderful show.

This is an interesting analogy. I happen to see this a lot in some shows, where I'm watching one thing, yet has similar themes to another at the same time. I know you've yet to see Kamen Rider Gaim, which is often compared to Madoka, both by Gen Urobutcher, but I'll leave that for another discussion.

Now, I don't have anything against your comparisons, and maybe this is just me, but I feel like comparing Anime and Tokusatsu/Live-action is a little unfair. Now, granted, these are both by Toei, Pretty Cure is basically considered Anime Kamen Rider, and both are at the end of the Heisei Era, and you make good points on both.

The thing is animation will more often than not, be superior to Live-Action, as there no limitations to animation. Now I don't like to talk about the Disney Remakes, but an example being The Lion King (the remake is still animated), where the characters in the original have so much personality to their designs, you can tell just by looking at them what kind of character they are, whereas in the remake, because they went with a photorealistic look, they lack that spark and don't reflect to the audience, because they're more in line with what real animals look like, and we can only make guesses based on an animal's expression, so it feels like looking at blank cardboard most of the time. Or how visually different the two are in every scene.

Now I agree, the thing about Tokusatsu is that the more visually interesting transformations are usually saved for big moments like a form debut or turning point in the story, and I don't doubt every transformation past the debut for Pretty Cure (The thing about Magical Girls is that they always know how to transform in style) is of the same quality, if not better, but being two different mediums like this (much like I did for comparing Gaim and Madoka, or Ryuki and Fate/stay night), I always look at their stories or whatever can be gleamed barring whether they're live-action or animated.

Again, not trying to say anything like "you're wrong, son," it's still an interesting comparison, and you make some great points on both, but I feel like judging visual flair on live-action to animation is usually going to fall to the latter, and it's something that I'm sure you'll explore again once you see Gaim and Madoka. Still, funny how we end up watching shows with such similarities at the same time.

Heard someone mention Precure, had to come running to jump into the thread for the first time! It's sometimes diffcult to think about Rider and Precure airing side by side basically, since I got into both at two different times and the difference in tone, that I didn't even think of comparing the two.

You know, oftentimes when I hear other fans try to recommend Precure, they'll show a clip of a nicely animated fight scene, or a stunning transformation sequence. And while that isn't necesarily a bad thing to get someone interested....I often feel like it's missing the core of the franchise?

Which is those simple yet strong character moments/dynamics and the handling/outlook on certain topics/themes. While I might rib on the show for its more questionable character moments (the themes of motherhood, Homare's arc, George in general), Hugtto does have some really strong emotional beats that land every time, some of which are definitely some of the franchise's best. Glad you enjoyed it! Geniunely didn't expect Precure to be in this thread, def has more toku DNA in its than your average magicial girl show but I rarely see ppl assoicate it with it.

(Iczer sounds interesting, I'll definitely come and see!)

I definitely see where you're coming from, and I wouldn't blame anyone else for thinking that's an unfair and/or Apples to Oranges comparison. But like, had Hug's' action scenes and or animation been bad, I would've had no problem giving the point to Zi-O, as Zi-O never really had any out and out bad action or effects work that I can recall, just not alot that was super stellar.

There's also direction to consider, but I'm really bad at eyeing and highlighting that sort of thing, so I didn't go much into it.

I do definitely agree that the writing is the most important aspect, but aesthetic is very much part of the appeal to these shows as well, so it wouldn't really feel right to me to leave it out.

Even if all I felt like focusing on was plot and characters though, I'd say that Hug still easily wins though. Loved its cast alot more.

Welcome! Just as you're new to this thread, I am very new to PreCure!

Yeah, comparisons between shows like Kamen Rider, Power Rangers, and Super Sentai are pretty common and easy to see, and understandably so, but with how PreCure is part of the Super Hero Time block, the very much similar bases that Hug and Zi-O work on, as well as the many debates I've read on if Magical Girl shows count as Toku/Sentai shows or not, I definitely felt that I needed to highlight atleast one Magic Girl show in this thread.

I'll admit, I really didn't know what to expect when I started watching this, given my admittedly very limited exposure to the Magical Girl genre as a whole, but "Dragon Ball Z but for girls" was about the last thing I expected, and the really well done character arcs and messages just made everything all the better. I definitely wanna check out more of the franchise now!

Thanks for coming along! I look forward to any insights you might have.

Have a few personal recommendations, then:

Futari wa Pretty Cure: The original! Has a sliiiightly different vibe than the rest of the series, but it usually still ranks high with folks for its solid action and fun duo protagonists. (Its direct sequel, Max Heart, is lesser regarded for certain reasons [especially concerning the character that makes this duo a trio], but i had fun with it.)

Fresh Precure- one of my personal favorites! I feel like a lot of ppl don't give this one its dues, as it really solidifed what would become iconic staples of the brand while saving the franchise from disappearing entirely? It features one of my favorite protags in the franchise with a really solid cast and fun storylines!

Go! Princess Precure- people will often tout this one as the pinnacle of the series, and like. Yeah, it probably is, its excellent on all fronts lol. There's a certain assumption that the modern magicial girl story has to turn its nose up/be ashamed of the classic elements of the genre or replace it with ""darker"" elements to become popular or appease modern audiences, but Go! Pri is always my go-to in showing that a show can be so unashamedly magical girl and still be an excellent experience even for those unfamiliar with the genre.

I don't doubt Hug has more legs to stand on than Zi-O, I haven't seen it, so I can only go off what I know of Zi-O (not trying to defend it or anything, since I'm certain there are aspects of Hug that definitely land more than Zi-O). For one thing, I'm convinced it has a better villain than Swartz, and maybe more cohesion and consistency unlike Zi-O, and I can see that based on your statements. Kamen Rider is almost always riding the line between great and not so great, which may or may not land for others.

Don't know if I'll start PreCure any time soon, since I'm hard pressed for time enough as it is already.