I've never had a huge level of attachment to those episodes (I think watching them right after the proper finale with no break was a bad chance for a good first impression), but over time I've started to come around to the idea they're ~maybe~ loaded with some of the most poignant meta commentary the franchise has ever done? And it's just in these two random episodes that only exist because Gaim couldn't get its production moving along quick enough even with Wizard already being one of the longer Heisei shows? A really curious footnote in Rider history all around, these ones!

The Imagin don't even form the sword so much as they sit around on the train for Liner Form (and then of course there's Final Countdown), which makes the idea of anyone but Ryoutarou using it THAT much more silly. :lol

Actually, that might've been what they were going for, given the first thing Decade says when he shows up is "So this is Wizard's world, huh?" Nice catch!

Oh definitely, the plot itself is basically a giant backseat for the episodes to take a brief look back at the elements that make Kamen Rider what it is, and I definitely did appreciate those moments.

Man, between all the trivia I've gotten lately, ontop of the impressions Blassreiter has been giving me about Urobochi, Gaim is definitely gonna be an interesting watch whenever I finally get around to it.

Honestly, I liked Wizard, as I may have mentioned. As someone who's had a lot of bouts with depression, it was a really nice show to watch. And that's something I look for in a show, enjoyability. Yeah, there are some, or perhaps many flaws, but I don't think it's a terrible series.

And while we're here, I'm just going to say, I actually really enjoyed the Wizard Movie. I don't know why, but it was a visual treat for me, as a sucker for wizard cities and such, sure, it has it's flaws, but it wasn't bad.

For the Decade crossover episodes, I did really enjoy those. I always thought Tsukasa and Haruto were pretty similar in personality, and seeing them together was pretty fun. And the portrayal of Kamen Riders was nicely done, so I appreciate that.

Now, I know Ghost isn't well liked, but I might plan to see it at some point in the future. But first, I have other shows to watch, and if I do watch any more Rider series, I might try finishing Amazon 1974, or watch one of the other Showa or early Heisei shows.

Man! That crossover was always fun to watch. nothing too deep, but fun. And it really introduced me to the Cross of Fire.

But most importantly, its definition of what Kamen Rider are always stuck with me the most. People who come running when someone calls for help. It even seeped into my writing :D

In actuality, Liner Form isn’t that different to turn into. You just plug a phone onto the belt before scanning the pass. The fact the DX toys put the henshin sound in the sword is just an anti-spoiler thing.

So I just got finished watching the 6 Legend Rider specials for Ghost (as in the ones before the anniversary movie and the DVD heisei eyecon special), and... for the most part there's not much to them; obviously like any of these sorts of legend rider specials they're just put out there as an extra bit of mindless harmless fun with a basic mystery to keep you hooked. It's a platform to sell some Premium Bandai toys and an excuse to get out some sick suits (W Damashii and Wizard Damashii are probably some of the best Legend Rider suits ever made).

... but then there's this.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...14/unknown.png

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...32/unknown.png


This? This is fascinating to me. It's a happy coincidence, sure, but this specific line with its specific focus kinda shook me because it shows what a perfect villain someone like Wiseman could be for Ghost! It bounces off Takeru's personal philosophy in such an interesting and twisted way, and in a completely unique dimension that no other Ghost villain really has. The way that it completely recontextualises and refocuses Takeru's philosophy to re-inforce that it's not just the lives right next to him that he is personally connected to that matters, but all life everywhere; and that is what sets him apart from this villain.

It's not something I'm going to say was missing from Ghost or anything - I again think it handles its themes very well - and it's unfortunately not fleshed out here because, again, mindless 5-minute specials put out to promote some Legend Rider toys; but it's a moment I love a lot and it makes me appreciate that this was the last Legend Rider eyecon Takeru needed to get and that Wiseman was the last one he took down. It's so interesting and I would easily have bought someone like Wiseman being a mid-season villain or something for Ghost.

Specter and Dr. Maki facing off due to their respective, varying sister issues is also a rather amusing coincidence.

Also hearing Takeru saying "Tomari-San" when asked to use Drive Powers is just heartwarming. It happend with Emu using Ghost during his little webisodes.

It was pretty cute; just a little nod to their relationship in Movie Wars Genesis -- which while not a movie I overall liked, that was the best part of it, so that works out for me!

I have a massive soft-spot for these things. They were written by Nobuhiro Mouri, rather than being handed off to some random up-and-comer or something, and I think that really comes across in how, despite the short length, each one manages to just... like, totally *cram* a full first-arc episode of Ghost in there. The whole formula of the early episodes, with all the dramatic speeches and thematic connection the Hero of the week, but smooshed down into five minutes a pop, to the point it's basically wall-to-wall debates and moralizing while everyone punches each other. They are adorable in how blunt they are, but just like you with that White Wizard line (Wise-who? Doesn't sound related to me:p), I really appreciate those little glimpses of proper substantial storytelling that managed to poke through. These things are going way above what's required of them, and I love them for that.