Episode 12: The Machine That Dreams

No gif for this one either unless requested.

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Okay, I should probably just get this out of the way here. Despite how much I love this show, this is the one, singular episode that I come really, Really close to disliking. And there's a couple things someone could gripe about with it, but for me it mostly boils down to one major factor that we'll get to later on.

First off though I do wanna point out; What is the title even referring to? Like, with no context you'd assume Jiro, or heck, based on the opening scene, maybe even Saburo, but there's really not much evidence to support either, unless something just went way over my head. Feel free to fill me in if there is.

What is our opening scene? Well, it's actually rather interesting.

https://i.imgur.com/ZyMOTse.png

We open to Hakaider getting operated on; Having what appears to a blood transfusion between him and Kohmyoji. More than likely it's keep both the Doctor's' body and brain functioning.

What I like most about this scene and the scene that follows though is that all throughout them, Saburo has a look of utter disdain. He looks, to put it in OOO terms, unsatisfied with his life as a whole. He even ends up telling Gill to shove it when the Professor tries to remind him that he's a robot and thus, should just do everything Gill says down to the latter.

This of course means that what little trust Gill had in Hakaider has now run out.

https://i.imgur.com/lDeQXGT.png

Looks like we'll finally get to see what the deal is with that Gamera Robot we've been seeing throughout the show?

https://i.imgur.com/QM0M3r0.png

Back with the main group, it's established that they've constructed a secret hideout underground, and everyone begins to prepare for the raid on the DARK Hideout. This is in turn followed up with a great scene of Jiro actually rejecting getting his Gemini Circuit fixed; Fearing that fixing it would in turn erase who he's grown to be. He instead wants to celebrate all that he's learned, feel every emotion, and grow into his own person in his own way.

...

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And this is immediately ruined by what I consider the absolute worst scene in the entire show. Let's just get right into it:

https://i.imgur.com/N1opECe.png

...Yeah, they have sex. There's so many things wrong with this I just... UGH.

Okay firstly, did Kohmyoji seriously build Jiro with a functioning robo-dick? Because that's the implication. This further implies that ALL of his humanoid creations have this, which is all kinds of gross that I don't even wanna think about. And furthermore, where the heck does it go when they transform? All the other physical features can be attributed to synthetic skin, but this??

Next, Mitsuko is for all intents and purposes Jiro's' sister. Yes, I get that their relationship growing into something more than platonic was foreshadowed, and blood-related or not, they're still both Kohmyoji's' children. Heck, Masaru even calls Jiro his brother, so just....

Lastly, the story so did not need this. Ignoring everything else, having this cap off Jiro's' speech about wanting a fulfilling life full of love for those he cares for implies that no life nor love is truly fulfilled without sex. And that. Is. Garbage! Platonic love is a thing! Hell, it's arguably far more important than lust is!

This entire sequence comes across as incredibly shallow(and gross). Which hurts twice as much considering this has been a story all about introspection and deeper meaning concepts.

Is it just me? Is there something I'm missing? MOVING ON.

https://i.imgur.com/uK1RcWI.png

We get to the climactic showdown between the two brothers, and it certainly pays off. The fight itself is cool, and we're back to the overall message of being mentally fulfilled, with Jiro calling Saburo out on how, despite how Saburo claims to be, he's only been lying to himself this entire time.

Again I love the contrast between these two. Hakaider solves all of his problems with violence. Destroying the Gamera-Bot, threatening to kill Mitsuko, and when things aren't going his way, attempting to shoot himself the same way Mitsuko's' mother did.

Meanwhile, Kikaider, sure, he defends himself, but in the end what ends up putting Hakaider down isn't an Electro End to the face or anything like that, but words. Words that he knows he can't deny and so he lashes out instead. I really loved the entire way this last bit played out.

And that's that. Despite my issue with the midpoint, that in no way killed my love of the show, and there was still alot to like about this episode. But, lemme know what you all thought. And if you think I'm overreacting, don't be afraid to let me know. Cause trust me, I can take it.

Dude, if you're telling me there's an episode of like your favorite show ever you have problems with, I am absolutely going to come in here and tell you I think you're overreacting.

First of all, the title is definitely referring to Jiro. It's not about literal dreams you have while sleeping, in case I even need to point that out. The episode emphasizes at several points that Jiro moves of his own volition, be that through rejecting the idea of having his Gemini fixed, or asking Saburou if he's satisfied with being a puppet. Jirou has things he wishes to protect. A life he believes is worth living. A future he desires. He is the machine that dreams. It's really that simple.

Second, and this is the big one: Mitsuko really was just fixing his arm! Honest! I know there's the very suspicious facial expressions and drops of sweat on Mitsuko's face staring at shirtless Jirou, but the whole point of the scene is clearly to evoke that kind of imagery, with the symbolism that this is a very intimate night for them, without actually outright having them love each other that way. The whole scene is very very specific about what it actually shows so that you can interpret it however you want. An easy example of this is how the only articles of clothing we explicitly see removed from Jirou are his jacket and shirt, the sleeves of which would obviously be in the way of the operation, which we also know happened, because the thing that ends the scene is Jirou examining his left hand. Heck, even in that screenshot you used, the fact that it's in silhouette makes it ambiguous exactly where Mitsuko is in that room and what exactly she's doing. The scene threw me for a loop at first, too, but thinking on it, I thought it was pretty clever and a remarkably tasteful alternative to something more explicit.

I thought the whole episode was fantastic myself. The central conflict between Kikaider and Hakaider was great, and having Jirou resolve the situation by essentially just deciding to be the bigger man and walk away, I thought that was perfect. Like, of course the way to beat Hakaider is to refuse to destroy him. Genius stuff.

Mitsuko casually throwing out that she taught herself robotics also totally cemented for me what a great character she is, alongside everything you've been saying about her active decision-making, and healthy emotional introspection that lets her actually work on her flaws as a person. I feel stupid asking this, but is most of this stuff pulled right out of the manga too? I'd legitimately be dumbfounded to find out that's the case, because if it is, either the women's liberation movement was getting s*** done in the early 70's, or Ishinomori was WAY ahead of the curve. It would've so, so easy to write a version of this story where the female lead is mostly there to pine after the hunky robot man, but this show makes their relationship so mutual and genuine. It's a really great love story! I can understand why you'd be so upset about anything you feel undercuts its execution.

Thank you very much for that response. No, really!

Thinking on it, I definitely took the word "dreams" way too literally here. In retrospect, the scene of Jiro talking about wanting to stay who he is does lay it all out.

You explaining the Repair scene also does help soften the blow a bit, but I still do feel it was imagery that really should not have been used in the first place, you know? Heck, just a few stills of Mitsuko on-screen fixing his arm with Jiro looking on with appreciation would've been enough. Including the sex imagery just raises all kinds of red flags. For me atleast.

I also took a quick skim through the manga again to make sure I wasn't misremembering anything(and man, I really should read it in full again, it's been like ten years), and I gotta say...

Very minor spoilers ahead.

And I'm sorry, but the Mitsuko of the manga and the Mitsuko of the anime are two almost entirely different characters. There are a few details that are the same, but I think the trio of writers that handled the anime realized that keeping her as the mostly damsel in distress that she is in the manga wouldn't've boded well with an at the time modern audience. And it most certainly wouldn't've gone over well to anyone watching nowadays, I assume.

Heck, without getting too into it, Mitsuko isn't even the one who repairs Jiro in the original manga. And as such there's no "sex scene" either. Infact, unless I'm just not remembering it, there's basically no romance at all to speak of in the manga, and that's something I really would've preferred, to be honest.

To go on a small side-tangent, one aspect of alot of stories that I dislike, which I even still see today, is the idea that, because they're a man and a woman, the main hero and heroine must become romantically involved. Speaking solely for myself here, I very rarely see just a man and a woman be friends in stories, and I give major props to the few I've seen that do(Folklore, to give a video game example).

But yeah, thanks for the awesome reply Fish! It legit helped!

Ah. I kinda had a feeling that would be the case. That does kind of prove how much thought went into this series, on the bright side!

Oh, definitely. To be perfectly honest, I could even do without the sex imagery myself, but this show has earned enough credit with me to give it the benefit of the doubt here, especially in light of hearing the romantic angle was apparently the show's own idea in the first place. It wasn't needed, but I can't exactly say it didn't fit the kind of story they were telling, either.

Episode 13: The End of the Dream

This is not the end. I can't tell you what I mean just yet, but trust me when I say this story isn't over.

https://i.imgur.com/sbKmCPt.png

We open to what appears to be Hakaider having for all intents and purposes killed Jiro. He even talks in Saburo's' voice. He takes Kikaider's' still body to the DARK headquarters.

Haha, just kidding. Kohmyoji is now in full control of Hakaider's' body. Even if it's not in the ideal way, Mitsuko has been reunited with her father!

https://i.imgur.com/ZUcs44k.png

It's here the plan is fully laid out. Kohmyoji will sneak Kikaider in and disable the security. Mitsuko and Hattori will then come in to save the Doctor's' body. I like that both Mistuko and Hattori both refuse to leave everything to the two robots. They have stakes in this too, and refuse to stand by and let the the people they care about do this alone.

https://i.imgur.com/UDdJw7M.png

Once inside, Kohmyoji has a talk with his son. I love this scene. The Doctor apologizes to Jiro, saying that giving Jiro a conscience has only brought him suffering. Jiro counters the idea, saying that even if the Gemini did bring him sorrow, it's also what allowed him to truly feel alive. He thanks his father for giving him the life he has, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Regardless, Kohmyoji has his own plans.

Wanting to make amends for aiding Professor Gill, he resides in trying to finish this himself, with every intent of dying as penance. I love his brief showdown with Gill too. The line "You and I will die here together!" Sent chills down my spine the first time I heard it, and it's a great line today.

https://i.imgur.com/WZ0gi2U.png

Uunnnfortunately, Gill is called a Professor for a reason. Robots can be backed up, and made into armies. And this includes Hakaider. What ensues is an absolute slaughter; first Kohmyoji, then Hakaider.

And then Kikaider gets mad. Remember what happens when Kikaider gets mad?

https://i.imgur.com/uMOu8Zf.png

Damn.

We don't see the ensuing battle itself, but Kikaider standing amongst a giant pile of his own brothers, with not even a scratch on him? Speaks volumes.

It's afterward that Jiro confronts the man himself. In classic Hero vs Big Bad fashion, the two talk ideologies before getting directly confrontational with eachother. In another great moment, Gill attempts to disable Kikaider with his flute, only for Kikaider to deliver another great line: "I've grown up Gill. See? I can learn and mature just like people!" And really, isn't that what a big part of this story is all about?

That said, Kikaider isn't the only one who hears Gill's' flute.

https://i.imgur.com/lfRJqbc.png

I like that the only thing keeping Kikaider from outright killing Gill is his memories. It shows he gained one of the very things he wanted; Life experience. And not only that, but it shows that yes, he does infact, have a conscience. In every sense of the word.

It's here that we get what is, to me, one of the best and most shocking moments in the whole show. We learned who exactly heard and responded to Gill's' flute.

https://i.imgur.com/YS8UFEq.png

And this robot has no such qualms about killing Gill.

While it's made clear that this is Saburo and not Kohmyoji, I like that it's left open to interpretation on why exactly he goes after and finishes Gill off. Revenge? Regret? A simple malfunction due to the flute? You decide!

In the end it's a pyrrhic victory. Gill and Hakaider are both gone, but in the end, Gill does seem to right about one thing; Kikaider will never become human, and as long as he goes on, he will continue to suffer and be rejected by society at large. Gill knows how to cut deep.

During the aftermath, Jiro has disappeared, but Mitsuko is faithful that he'll return one day. And our final shot is of Jiro walking into the distance, a look of regret and despair plain across his face.

...

But this won't be the last we see of him! Android Kikaider has a sequel OVA called "Kikaider-01" which actually serves as a direct sequel and adapts even more parts of the manga, rather than being based off of the Kikaider-01 Toku that aired in the 60s. Infact, the OVA works so well as a continuation of the TV anime that when it came to the US broadcast, the four episodes of Kikaider-01 are treated as episodes 14, 15, 16, and 17, rather than its own separate thing. And really, I wouldn't have it any other way. So stay tuned for that!

Now, since it was kinda brought up earlier, and I never found a super good time to bring it up, I wanna briefly talk about the trio of writers that handled The Animation: Akemi Omode, Shinsuke Onishi, and Masashi Sogo.

Having now analyzed each episode and the styles they bring, I think I get why each one handled the episodes they did. What episodes are they? Here's a list:

Omode: 1, 5, 9, 12, and 13.

That's "Lonely Puppet," "City of Rain," "Friends," "The Machine That Dreams," and "The End of the Dream."

In other words, the episodes that have a very defined three-act structure, and also the ones that have to do with the bonds between people. Or atleast moreso than the other episodes.

Onishi: 2, 4, 7, and 11.

That's "Mad Machine," "Mirror," "Afterglow of Regret," and "The Destroyer."

These are the episodes that are the most action packed, as well as ones that have the most to do with Jiro reflecting on himself and his true nature.

Speaking of which? The final count on the "Mad Machine" line? Technically, 7 times across 4 episodes.. But only if you include both the recap episode and flashbacks. If you don't count the recap episode(which you shouldn't) it goes down to 6, and if you don't include flashbacks, it reduces down to twice across two episodes. That is hardly "every single episode." So SUCK IT, people who probably don't even remember this show anymore!

Lastly, Sogo: 3, 6, and 10.

"Stray Sheep," "Negative Fragments," and "Frozen Bonds."

These are the episodes that rely on dialogue the most, and even though Sogo had the least amount of episodes, I think it's safe to say he was every bit as important.

Tune in tomorrow for Episode 14!

This was something I loved seeing too. Gave me lots of really good old-school Kamen Rider vibes, like the end of Skyrider's premiere where he straight up thanks the scientist who turned him into a cyborg for giving him the power to stop evil. That's one of those recurring things in franchises by Ishinomori that's always really resonated with me. Tragic heroes who have these deep feelings of sorrow, but those feelings are never petty. They tend not to waste a lot of time being hung up on assigning blame, and even in the end here, after all he's been put through, Jirou can't bring himself to take revenge on Gill, because that just isn't what Mitsuko wants for him, or what he wants for himself.

A lot to think about in this episode!

That breakdown of who wrote what episodes is super interesting, by the way. Having watched the show, it's immediately clear in retrospect which ones are by who, because the styles are quite distinct. I have to wonder how conscious a decision that was or not.

What makes it even cooler is that without knowing it was a trio, you'd swear it was one guy writing the entire thing. Granted, a good chunk of that probably has to do with having the manga as a baseline, but still, the three played off eachother wonderfully.

Episode 14: Jiro Meets Ichiro

With a title as direct as that, you know we're in for something interesting.

There is a LOT to unpack this episode, and not in the typical way either. Expect alot of screenshots.

https://i.imgur.com/J4AqvGb.png

We open to a giant claydoll laying waste to an unknown city. I always knew Kamen Rider W was a giant ripoff of Kikaider. I mean, just look at HeatTrigger! CLEARLY a giant ripoff!

The mecha doll however goes haywire and explodes, with a shadowy figure proclaiming they need to capture a boy named Akira.

Don't let the slower-paced and somewhat artsy opening fool you though, because we're thrown directly into a scene that's ACTION-PACKED!

https://i.imgur.com/MVJ70qj.png

First off, that's not Mitsuko and Masaru. That's Rieko and Akira. This episode taking place some time after the previous one, Jiro seems to have met and begun protecting the both of them.

As you might also tell from the above screenshot, Jiro seems to have made some upgrades to the Side Machine. This includes that giant blade which makes no sense but is awesome, a smokescreen that disable robots, and the ability to have it remote follow Jiro wherever he goes with a tap of his belt.

This whole sequence is friggen awesome. Being an OVA, you can tell that they really wanted to flex the bigger budget they got. The animation is smooth, choreography is great, and you know what just assume I say that about every action scene in these next few episodes going forward.

During one of the few times this episode lets its characters rest, Rieko drops a rather big bombshell; Gill had a son, and that son is Akira. All the reason for the new and mysterious SHADOW organization to wanna kidnap him.

It's then that they're attacked by a horde of giant enemy crabs, and Kikaider proceeds to attack their weakpoints for massive damage.

https://i.imgur.com/UJ4PdZX.png

Were you craving a Rider Kick? Because this is the closest you're gonna get.

Afterward, Jiro's' senses something in a nearby temple(literally, his internal sensors go off about something specific), so he decides to check it out. Inside is a big statue.

https://i.imgur.com/Vy238IS.png

And inside that statue is...

https://i.imgur.com/zfjyVTi.png

Another Kikaider?

This is Kikaider-01(zero-one... why does that sound familiar?), AKA Ichiro. He's voiced by Derek Stephen Prince, who is no stranger to voicing cocky guys are in way over their heads. Most notably for me is Impmon from Digimon Tamers, another of my favorite anime.

It's quickly revealed that Kikaider-01 is a prototype of Kikaider, designed to protect Jiro should he ever awaken. He has a programmed personality(which is all too apparent), but no true Gemini Circuit to speak of. I find it interesting(and really funny) that Kohmyoji designed a battle-hungry and uppity teenage robot and then proceeded to name it after his first son.

In terms of design, one quick looks tells you that Ichiro is in every way a prototype. More bits of glass cover his framework, the "01" on his belt, and most prominently, his red and blue are inverted from Kikaider. He even has guns! I'M ONTO YOU W!

Once the action starts again, it's also made very clear about a big difference between Jiro and Ichiro.

https://i.imgur.com/lOYLahs.png

Just like with Saburo, I love how Ichiro serves as a foil to Jiro. Whereas Jiro has learned to value lives and strives to be the best he can be as a person. Ichiro? His only concern is himself and his younger brother. It's a great twist; Having the younger brother be the one with more life experience, and that will only get highlighted more in the coming episodes.

Oh and before I forget, here's Ichiro's' transformation sequence.

https://i.imgur.com/iKPxcjz.gifv

I also really had to screencap Kikaider-01 getting punched in the head, because it made me laugh out loud.

https://i.imgur.com/h7SFu84.png

The last bombshell of the episode comes in the form of...

https://i.imgur.com/RGaMpvO.png

Hakaider. Who is somehow not only still alive, but has a Red, Blue, and Silver Hakaider teaming along with him! The group proves to be too much for the Kikaider Brothers, causing them to flee.

WHEW that was alot. This episode really kicks things into turbo speed with the action, pacing, and plot twists. Buckle up guys, because from here on we're in for a wild ride.

Episode 15: Beautiful Enemy

https://i.imgur.com/jZNFvs0.png

We open to what is presumably the leader of SHADOW asking for intel on the two Kikaiders. The main thing to take away here is that while Hakaider is back, SHADOW seemingly has nothing to do with it, and it's implied that Hakaider has been getting in the way of their plans as well.

Later on, we learn that Ichiro is solar powered, which makes sense considering his status as a prototype. And further cementing his lack of life experience and also his personality opposite of Jiro, we have a scene I rather like. Jiro points out how he's learned to appreciate the beauty of nature over time, while Ichiro dismisses it all as things that simply are and nothing to really think too deeply about. Rieko also points out that while the sun might bring beauty for some, for her and Akira it's done nothing but bring them dread, due to them being on the run for what seems to be a long time.

Also showing their opposing stances on things, Ichiro makes it clear he prefers to not think to much, and even seems to see the Gemini Circuit as more a burden than anything. Reinforcing what he's learned to far, Jiro disagrees, and tells Ichiro that he needs to be less selfish and more considerate towards the well being of others and their feelings.

After Ichiro splits from the group for some alone time, a strange woman appears.

https://i.imgur.com/XKzOx3N.png

She's been spying on the group for awhile now(as briefly seen in the previous episode), and decides that now would be the best time to transform and roll out.

https://i.imgur.com/CAaMStP.png

I wonder if whoever built her had a thing for hearts?

This is Bijinder("Bijin" meaning Beauty or Beautful), and the only thing I'll say about her in terms of her design is that I do like how she still incorporates the red and blue of the Kikaiders, just a bit more of a subtle way. And before you ask, yes, she has chest lazers.

Bijinder is voiced by Wendee Lee, who like Steven Blum, has been in ALOT over the years. Most will likely know her as Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop, but I'll always first and foremost think of her as Twilight Suzuka from Outlaw Star, another of my all-time favorites.

The ensuing fight scene shows that she's more than capable of taking on our heroes, and I think this is the first time I'd ever seen butterflies used in the form of spying, attacking, and capturing, all at the same time. Salvation only coming in the form of Rieko, who seems to have a sort of mysterious connection with Bijinder. Weird!

https://i.imgur.com/XhFdSdS.png

When night falls, we get a great scene of Jiro having a private talk with Rieko. Rieko hoping that one day Akira can grow to have a fulfilling life, and Jiro using himself as an example to try and reassure her. Afterall, he's grown to have a good many memories himself, and he cherishes every one of them too.

We also learn that Ichiro plays the trumpet!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72_rARFWyh4

It makes me wonder if either Kohmyoji or his son had a thing for instruments or even just music in general, considering both of his robot sons were made with instruments strapped to their backs. (Side Note: The trumpet is actually my favorite instrument, so Ichrio wins this round, sorry Jiro.)

Unfortunately, as a good a tune as Ichiro plays, it's also what leads enemies right to where the group is hiding.

https://i.imgur.com/LAN7v1V.png

The Hakaider Squad is back, and we learn what the deal is. Gill is alive, somehow managing to transplant his own brain into a Hakaider body. The implication being that he was saved by one or perhaps even all three of his most trusted subordinates, who went on to turn themselves into Red, Blue, and Silver.

A well animated fight scene later, Kikaider still proves to be too dangerous to the Squad, and so they come together to form Voltron--I mean, uh, wait, what was it called? Gattaider? Dakkader? Gikkaider? I seriously could not make out what they were saying when they combined together... They become this!

https://i.imgur.com/feP2B9F.png

And in the interest of fairness, it too has lazer nipples!

This makes me think though. I suppose, given the color symmetry, that the yellow highlights on Hakaider are actually meant to be gold. Which I mean hey, works for me, I totally love black and gold as a color scheme. Look no further than the Armored Black Ranger and Amazing Mighty Kuuga for great examples of that.

It's here that we get to see what Kikaider-01's' finisher is, the Sunrise Beam!

Which makes me think, I guess that'd technically make Jiro "Kikaider-02" and Saburo "Kikaider-03" right?

Gill manages to get away, but on the upside of things, Ichiro seems to be coming around to Jiro's' way of thinking, and Rieko and Akira are safe for another day. Ichiro does raise one good point though; The group is gonna need some more help, because the way things are going, they won't last much longer.

Overall, this episode gave more time to breathe than the previous one, and I felt it found a good balance between action and character building. Very cool.

One thing that's massively jumping out at me about the OVA halfway through is the music. It's by Kaoru Wada, rather than bringing back Akira Mitake from the series proper, and there is a pronounced difference in style.

The unique moody vibe is largely gone in favor of something much more traditionally theatrical, and while I'm finding the old phrase "absence makes the heart grow fonder" to have a lot of truth behind it, I also don't think the change is a bad thing. It matches the more even tone of the overall story, which places so much emphasis on the growth Jirou has had, and the semblance of inner peace he's managed to find in his identity.

Oh, and 01's Japanese VA is one Shoutarou Morikubo, who was also the voice actor for Mega Man X at the time. You know, that other sequel to a series about a super fighting robot created by a good scientist to oppose the maniacal ambitions of an evil scientist and his army of evil robots? There's no way any of this was an accident, was there?

And on a really minor note, I can't hear anyone say 01's name without immediately having Kamen Rider Zero-One's BGM pop into my head, and it's driving me crazy... that we still don't have a soundtrack for that show!

I'm glad you noted that actually. It's something that I definitely wanted to weigh in on but couldn't think of a good way to bring it in. And while I personally love Mitake's' score more, Wada still does an excellent job with a number of tracks. Especially one that I will definitely point out later on.

By god...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XargtseX6cE

It's all connected!!

The action packed openers continue, as this time Ichiro works to hold off an oncoming horde of robots while Jiro tries to escape with Rieko and Akira. Things start to go badly for Ichiro, when suddenly he's saved by a unknown party. The same person then goes on to rescue Jiro from even more robots that were giving chase. Who is he?

https://i.imgur.com/raD2mx1.png

This is Rei, and his name literally translates to "Zero." Given what we now know about the naming conventions of Kohmyoji's' sons(thanks Fish!), shouldn't his name be Reiro? Ah well. Regardless, he's actually Jiro's' little brother despite technically being older, as he was an unfinished model who was only completed recently by Futen.

The aspect of his design I like most is that he primarily wears yellow. Not only does it help differentiate him from Jiro's' primarily blue and Ichiro's' primarily red, but it also serves to highlight the third color of Kikaider. It's not as pronounced as the red and blue, but the yellow Is there, and only serves to compliment the Kikaiders even more.

And look, introducing a new main character this late into the story? I'm sorry but you're gonna have to do quite alot if you expect me to like this guy--

https://i.imgur.com/JMrcXvh.gifv

Dear Tamashii Nations, please make a figuart of Kikaider-00 for me and only me, thanks. Love, DreamSword.

So as you might've guessed, Rei is also a Kikaider, designated 00(Double Zero), and true to form, he's the one who looks the least complete out of all three brothers(and has very pronounced nipples). He also serves as a foil to both Jiro AND Ichiro, being cold to emotion, and not even having an instrument to play!

His wonderful voice is provided by Crispin Freeman, and while he's done alot, none of that matters because he voiced one of the best characters EVER. That being Cougar from s-CRY-ed. All of his other roles are as nothing compared to that and I will not hear otherwise.

Oh and he can also do this:

https://i.imgur.com/tiyt4ZN.png

Yeah, yeah I like this guy.

After the battle, Rei is cautious of Rieko and Akira just as Ichiro was, but it's not like there's much else they can really do in this situation. But hey, on the bright side, they manage to find a copy of Jiro's' favorite book!

https://i.imgur.com/2lb1fhU.png

Rieko continues to be hopeful that Akira will get to grow up to make a life of his own and create many wonderful memories, instead of only being able to remember the horrible experiments that Gill would subject him to. And thanks to her own memories, she realizes a place that the group might be able to hide out in. Nice!

Turns out this wasn't the best idea though.

https://i.imgur.com/UlUYuKH.png

After leading the group into a trap, Gill arrives and reveals the truth about who Rieko is. She's an android created by him with fake memories. This served two purposes. First to ensure she'd keep Akira safe, and second to make fooling people like Jiro all the easier. And while it's not directly said, it's made clear that she could also be considered the twin sister to Bijinder, all the more emphasized when you look up what Bijinder's' other name is: Mieko.

Unfortunately, despite fighting as hard as they can, and even with help from Bijinder, Rieko's' life comes to an end.

https://i.imgur.com/EV4A6Cs.png

Like with many of the important deaths in this show, Rieko's' execution is rather brutal, and further emphasizes that, robots or not, all life is important, and it's just a tragic when a robot dies as when a human does.

Gill now has everything he needs to complete his plan for world domination. The final battle lies just ahead.

One thing I really dig about this episode is how it misleads the viewer. The title would make you think the episode is about Gill(and to an extent it is), and the opening scene would have you believe it's all about Rei. But in the end, all eyes are focused on Rieko, and I think that's just wonderful.

The final episode is upon us. Prepare yourselves guys.

Stop.

If by some chance you've been reading these posts before watching the episodes yourself, do NOT do it with this one.

Seriously. Go watch the episode first, and go into it with as few details and outside bias as you possibly can. The ending has proven to be rather divisive amongst those who see the show through to the end(yes, all six of us).

As such, I want everyone who's even remotely interested in this anime to see the ending with their own eyes, on their own terms. Once you've seen it for yourself, feel free to come back, read this post, and discuss things afterward. Are you ready? If so, let's begin...

Episode 17: The Fate of Pinocchio

https://i.imgur.com/faa0Xyh.png

Gill has everything he needs to fully awaken the Armageddon Lord. His army is immense, Akira has been sealed within the machine, and SHADOW has become the newly resurrected DARK. Our heroes don't have much time before Gill begins his siege on the world. And unlike before, there is no help from someone on the inside. No Saburo, no Akira, no one.

As they prepare to make their move, Bijinder has a talk with Rei. Further enforcing the schism between machines with hearts and those that don't, Mieko expresses sadness over the loss of her sister, whereas Rei tells her, rather coldly, that it's merely a system malfunction and that she should simply accept whatever happens. His only function is to fight alongside his brothers, and that's all his mind need be concerned with.

https://i.imgur.com/HbWovPX.png

In the end there isn't much in the way of a plan, however, as the Armageddon Lord makes its move on a nearby city, and its destructive power is immense. There's no time for a stealth mission here; The party's' only option is a direct attack on the giant mecha. During which they can only hope to find a way inside to rescue Akira, who's locked in the literal heart of the machine. It's also here that Rei demonstrates another aspect of him being an early model; A supercharged, yet very unrefined version of Electro End.

The siege is largely a failure, however. The Armageddon Lord's' armor proves too strong for the group, and everyone but Jiro finds themselves captured and eaten. It's here that Gill orders the troops to let Kikaider inside. Jiro acknowledges that this is most likely a trap, but he doesn't have any other choice. His number one priority is to save Akira and disable the Ultimate Weapon. He reaches Akira, but it's here that Gill-Hakaider reveals another step in his Grand Scheme. That Jiro was a pawn all along, and everything he did merely helped Gill get to where he is now. And he's not the only pawn anymore either.

https://i.imgur.com/t5FhOCu.png

Gill has taken control of Kikaider-00 and 01, and unlike Jiro, there's no chance of them breaking free. They literally can't put up a fight. They don't have the Gemini, and Jiro's' words won't reach them where they are now. Even Akira, who did begin to grow more of a heart thanks to Jiro? The feelings he's grown to learn have been twisted by Gill. Those very same feelings now fuel the machine that will cause mass destruction. Everyone and everything that Jiro worked so hard for has turned its back on him. Twisted and corrupted by a malevolent, outside force who seems to barely have empathy for anyone, and thinks only of themselves. The man who's barely even recognizable as human anymore, Gill.

https://i.imgur.com/fijLj2k.png

Jiro can't bring himself to fight back against his brothers, nor risk hurting Akira, and as such he is easily captured. Bijinder, too, has been made a slave to Gill, and Gill reveals the final step of his plan. While Kikaider was disabled, Gill installed a Submission Circuit into Jiro's' brain. It's also what he implanted into Jiro's' comrades in order to make them subservient. Gill claims that because the Gemini is so integral to Kikaider's' internal makeup, he couldn't risk removing it, but seeing as the Gemini was incomplete anyway, the Submission Circuit should work all the same. Once more, Jiro's' descision to try and make a good life for himself and those he cares for is turned on him, twisted into something nasty, and Gill enjoys every second of it. He leaves Bijinder to guard Kikaider.

Not all is lost, however. While Akira's' fears and anxieties are what power the Armageddon Lord, they're also the source of Akira's' will to fight back. His bond with Jiro is proven real, when through his own power and his desire of not wanting to see Jiro get hurt, he causes the Doomsday Weapon to malfunction and the system to begin to meltdown. Gill shows that in his own twisted way, he does care for his son, as he orders Akira be removed from the heart, and calls for Bijinder to be his new guard for awhile. Even later on, when the leader of SHADOW threatens to shoot Akira, Gill destroys the robot himself, not wanting his son to be killed. Calling Bijinder came with a price, however, as seeing Akira awakened within her the thing that Ichiro and Rei lacked, her own developing heart. She guards Akira with her very life.

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

Before she left, Jiro also managed to convince Mieko to let him free by doing something he's never done before: Lying. He proceeds to lay waste to the innards of the Armageddon Lord, and when he fails to find Akira, makes his way directly to Gill, and it's here that Gill begins to realize his deadly mistake. The Submission Circuit was the exact piece of the Gemini that Jiro was missing. Now, he has no true limits. When Gill calls upon the Kikaider Brothers to destroy Jiro, their deaths are swift and unceremonious. This time, there is no Mitsuko, no memories, nothing holding back the full power and fury of a broken Kikaider. Unlike their encounter at the DARK base, Gill can't even bring himself to say anything in response to his oncoming demise, knowing full well that everything that's about to happen is entirely centered on him. And it's during his final moments that he sees what his interfering with Jiro's' life has brought him.

https://i.imgur.com/QUJXxqT.png

It is Jiro, not Kikaider, who is finishing everything this time. He knows what has to be done in order to end all of this, and he reveals that with his now completed heart and this final act, he can finally become human. He IS the chaos between good and evil now, just as every human is. He kills Gill, taking the Armageddon Lord down with him. Akira, Hattori, and countless other lives are now saved, but the price that comes with it is something that will cling to and stab at Jiro's' heart for the rest of his life. I too felt it, as the two, final, major lines of this show are ones that have stuck with me ever since I first heard them:

"And so now, with this act, I shall at last become fully human... but the price that I must pay for it is eternal torment... as the good and the evil inside of me struggle in my heart... FOREVER."

"And Pinocchio became a real boy; and together, he and Geppetto lived happily ever after. And yet I wonder... In becoming human, did Pinocchio truly find happiness?"

It's not often that I find endings to stories I'm fully satisfied with, and it's even less often that I could outright call them perfect. But Android Kikaider is one of those shows. Everything comes to a satisfying, poetic, thematic, and heart-wrenching conclusion with this episode. I mentioned that the "Friends" episode made me get misty-eyed with its ending? Well, the very first time I saw these final scenes, I out and out wept for Jiro. Infact, Jiro's' entire journey of self-discovery and dealing with a world that wanted nothing to do with him is one that I personally empathize and relate with alot. Maybe you need to have grown up a complete and total reject like I did in order to understand, but Jiro IS the heart and soul of this story, as any main character should be. His story, and this anime as a whole, came at a point in my life that I really needed it, and taught me alot about morality, introspection, and the good and evil that can exist within any given person, no matter who they are. It's a tale that is extremely important, and I hope anyone who watches it can even remotely understand.

Android Kikaider: The Animation is one of the few shows that has absolutely everything. Good animation, great voice acting, fantastic writing, intricate characters, an enveloping atmosphere, and an all around beautiful soundtrack. All this ontop of being the perfect example of what an adaptation should be: Not only great in its own rights, but but being able to identify the strengths of the work you're using and bringing them to the forefront. I am in no way trying to discredit Ishinomori by saying that this anime not only did a fantastic job of adapting both his original manga and the Toku that came of it, but out and out surpassed both of them. Even Kikaider Reboot, which tried to find a middle-ground between all the versions of Kikaider that had come before, came nowhere even close. If you EVER want to give the series a try, but are resigned to trying one and only one version of the story, make it this one. Even if you end up hating it, you'll be given absolutely everything that the franchise has to offer. In the end, I give this show a perfect rating of 6/6. I love damn near every aspect of it, and what few flaws it has are so minor I don't even count them.

If I didn't make it clear enough to you all by now, Android Kikaider is one of my all time favorites. Every time I watch it I find something new to appreciate about it(which I even made apparent in earlier posts), and just like my other favorite shows, I make it a point to rewatch it every few years to remind myself as to why exactly I love it so much. As for how my rating system works, it's as follows: 0="Absolute trash, don't even bother." 1="Maybe has like one good thing going for it, but is still terrible." 2="Mediocre. Not terrible, but not really worth your time unless it's a subject matter you're super into." 3="Flat average." 4="Good! Not great, but enjoyable." 5="Excellent. A few flaws here and there, but a great time." 6="Damn near perfect. PLEASE give it a watch!" But, the most important aspect of any thread like this is the discussion. What did you all think of not just this episode, but the series as a whole? I've heard alot of conflicting opinions over the years from what few people have seen the show through to the end, so I am definitely curious as to what you all think. Even if you ended up absolutely hating this show, feel free to voice it. The important part is that you gave it a chance.

Well I regret not watching this with you all now.

My thoughts are extraordinarily scattered on this right now, so hopefully I can make myself write something that at least makes sense. After finally sitting down to watch the last episode of the 01 OVA, it left me with a lot of very complex, conflicting feelings I wasn't sure how to articulate.

In an attempt to get a little extra clarity, I went back and read Igadevil's old Ishinomori Week articles on both Kikaider and Kikaider 01, which are mainly about the live-action shows, but do a ton of comparing and contrasting between them, the manga, and the animated version, which is obviously the subject here. And, to go on a brief tangent, for anyone who's never heard of those articles, I highly recommend giving them a look if you've any interest in classic tokusatsu, and maybe even more so if you don't. They're in a bit of a state of disrepair, with all the pictures missing, unfortunately, but even with text alone, Igadevil is a fan among fans, who describes the material with an infectious enthusiasm and a very informed perspective. For a lot of the series covered, those are probably the most in-depth English-language writing ever done about them, even. A++ work. Everything I know about talking about tokusatsu, I learned from this guy.

But getting back to the subject at hand, the whole point in doing that was in part to get a refresher on how many liberties the animated version was taking, and in part just to see if Igadevil's reading of it would maybe help me work out my own perspective. It, uh, didn't exactly do that last thing. "It's kind of hard to say exactly how I feel about it" is basically where I was already at. It might also really be the ultimate answer here, though. I supremely respect the story being told, and both the commitment and thought put into its execution, but overall, Kikaider 01 The Animation left me pretty cold. Unlike the main series, the body of it is a lot less melodramatic introspection, and a lot more jam-packed action, while the ending is something I appreciate on an almost strictly analytical level. I thought everything being said, all the points being made, they all made sense, and they fit, but it wasn't something I felt the same way as the slightly more understated resolution of the first stretch of the story.

But there is one last piece of this series. The real finale that DreamSword kinda can't talk about because it was never dubbed, or even released in the west at all. An entire, full-length extra episode included on the DVD release of the Kikaider 01 OVA, adapting a chapter of another Ishinomori manga, Inazuman, which guest-starred Jirou, and was used to give his story further closure.

"The Boy Who Carried a Guitar" is, in my opinion, the best possible conclusion to the Kikaider story. Kikaider The Animation has three different endings, that all work in their own way, but this is definitely the one for me. It brings things a lot more full circle, reusing music from both composers (also meaning you get to hear Jirou's guitar again), and indirectly following up on the mention from episode 13 of the Koumyouji family heading overseas for the doctor's rehabilitation. Hattori is back, searching for Jirou, but the reunion is cut short when it becomes apparent Jirou considers himself too tainted by his Submission Circuit and the acts he's committed to return to the only family he has left.

He's also being controlled even now, as an unknown force compels him to try and kill Inazuman, a high school student with mutant powers whose own battle against evil has gotten wrapped up with Jirou's. During the fight, Inazuman eventually manages to break through to Jirou through a combination of his own psychic abilities allowing Jirou to essentially look inside his own psyche, and simply having some sharply chosen words for him. The most poignant actually come after Jirou has already managed to break free of what's controlling him, when Inazuman lays out his mission statement to Jirou, which may as well be the mission statement of most Ishinomori heroes, including Kikaider himself, which is probably why it hits so hard. Inazuman explains he's fighting against a group of mutants attempting to destroy mankind, despite being a mutant himself, because he trusted the feelings in his heart and resolved to protect the people he cares about. The bit about the heart in particular seems to reawaken something in Jirou, and the two leave on good terms, even shaking hands in classic hero team-up style.

Jirou still isn't ready to head home at the end. The last we see of him, the very last scene of the series, is him sitting all alone, imagining himself playing his restored guitar alongside Mitsuko and Masaru. The illusion fades, and the reality that he's still alone hits him. He looks forlorn. But then he does something. He smiles.

https://i.imgur.com/wQxLiDY.png

It's a wistful smile. A faint expression of joy from someone who has a lot to be sad about. But it's clear Jirou has renewed faith in something. He's alone and suffering, yes. But maybe the day will come where he won't be anymore.

It's an ending that takes a much more optimistic stance without really undercutting the ambiguity or removing the consequences of the original conclusion, and it works wonderfully for people like me who weren't totally satisfied with the 01 OVA's rather disheartening final scenes.

Even if it did all end there, though, I definitely wouldn't have regretted taking the time to finally sit down with some version or another of Kikaider. It's a property that leaves you rather spoiled for choice when it comes to ways to get into it, which is maybe why it's taken me this long, but I definitely feel like I picked a good one. Thank you, DreamSword, for making this thread and finally giving me that extra push. You said upfront you wanted to get people to give these shows a shot, so take heart in knowing you've definitely made at least one new fan of Kikaider The Animation.

No worries! Should you ever watch the show for yourself, feel free to come back and give your overall thoughts on it!

That goes for anyone else who comes by this thread and watches any of the shows covered here as well. I added a clarification to the opening post that there's no time limit on discussing any of the shows covered in this thread or any of their various aspects. So if at any time someone wants to debate the three endings of Animated Kikaider, go for it! Speaking of which...

Yeah it most certainly has that effect, haha. And don't worry, I totally got where you were coming from with the rest of what you said(or atleast I hope I did!)

I skimmed them both and yeah, that guy definitely has a passion. Will definitely read them in full once my work week is over!

I see what you're getting at. It's part of the reason I prefer to think as the 01 OVA as a direct continuation or extension to the original show, like how the dub treated it, rather than as a sequel. And while yeah, 01 is certainly more action-y, there were still plenty of moments I felt where the team behind it most certainly tried to keep some of the various thematic aspects of the original.

That sort of thing is most definitely not going to work for everyone though. Outside of the ending, I think the thing I most enjoyed about the 01 section overall was Jiro trying to pass on what he'd learned over time onto others, for better and for worse. I do think that perhaps 1 more episode would've helped things out a bit more though. SPEAKING OF WHICH....

Yeah, I actually was debating on whether I should cover it or not all things considered. But you did a great job breaking it down, so consider it an official guest post, haha. And before I get into details, those who don't really jive with 01's' ending definitely end up rather liking the crossover's' take on concluding things. I however, have to disagree.

Mmmostly. Personally I prefer to think of the crossover as an epilogue, rather than an outright ending. If you're down for a much more optimistic take on things, yeah, I can totally see why someone would prefer this as an ending, but for me, I felt as though the tragic ending of 01 just fit things much more as a whole. And I most certainly didn't like how it straight up went "Nah Jiro is still a robot." Like, okay yeah, installing something into a robot that turns them into an actual, biological, human doesn't make any logical sense, but in terms of pure thematics? Oh yeah, I dug that. Especially given how the story sort of frames itself as a deconstruction of Pinocchio. But even then, 01 leaves that aspect rather ambiguous.

I've heard alot of debates about the pros and cons of the three endings the show has. Funnily enough the one with the least amount of votes tends to be the TV show's' ending, atleast in my experience. Most debates came down to 01 vs Guitar. And I made it clear which side I stand on.

Maybe it'd help if I knew anything at all about Inazuman? Although the episode itself really does tell you everything you need to know. I guess in the end what it mainly comes down to is if you prefer stories like this to end on either a Tragic or an Optimistic note. Me personally, I tend to flipflop. Like, I love this ending, but I absolutely did not like Faiz's' ending, to give an example everyone might understand. But I suppose that's a whole 'nother discussion I'm veering into.

No no, thank YOU so much for being willing to give this show a shot. Like I said, for any of the shows I end up covering in this thread, if I can get atleast one new person aware that they even exist, let alone watch them themselves, that is a huge victory in my book.

Which reminds me, does anyone have any suggestions on what I should cover next? It'll be a minute, since I wanna finish up my current watch of Fourze(and maybe finally watch Ultraman Nexus like I've been meaning to), but I'm definitely open to suggestions! Or, heck, if someone wants to take temp-control of the thread and cover a toku-anime they really love, by all means, go for it! I'll be sure to follow along and add it to the Index(which is now on the opening post).

I think my single favorite moment from the entire OVA is from the second episode, where Jirou is just chilling in that cabin with Rieko and Akira, and he mentions how he used to be so envious of humans for having so many memories and experiences to think back to, whether they're good or bad, and realizes he's got those too now. It's especially weighty because the envying memories thing is a specific conversation he actually had with Mitsuko it's building off of, rather than just something made up in that moment. I definitely don't want to make it sound like the 01 episodes didn't have any good drama in them. There's some really great stuff in there!

But it's also scenes like that, emphasizing how much Jirou has grown, even learning to find value in the very fact that he feels sorrow, that make me a lot more fond of the nice bow the Inazuman crossover puts on everything. Ultimately, though, if all three endings are so hotly debated, I think it's because despite the differences in tone, they're all saying fairly similar things at the end of the day. The 01 ending definitely has a ton of merit, and I get the feeling it's one I'll start appreciating more and more over time, but the Inazuman ending got a much more immediate visceral reaction out of me.

Yeah that is a fantastic moment. They could've easily just had it be a repeat of any given moment he'd already had with Mitsuko, but they honored the continuity and Jiro's' character growth and had him be the one imparting a piece of himself(literally, even!) onto others. I do like the action that the bigger budget afforded, but the best moments are the ones where the characters just kinda sit down and... talk, haha.

Speaking of the characters, I forgot to note this in my breakdowns, but it seems like Rei was meant to more be an opposite of Bijinder, atleast initially? Their designs certainly share certain... elements, and the conversation they have in the final episode definitely hints at something more. Makes me think it'd get more focus had there been another episode.

I totally do get the appeal of the Crossover Ending, it's just that the 01 ending left much more of an impact on me, ontop of feeling like it brought alot of things together. For example, Gill actually succeeded where Saburo failed; Creating a totally unbound Kikaider. It just didn't quite go the way Gill had planned it.

I've also been brainstorming what to cover next! Main thing I'm wondering right now though is, do I continue with Ishinomori stuff(he has a few anime adaptations of his works, actually), or shift gears for a bit?

If anyone has a preference, or a suggestion of their own, by all means, go for it. But like I said before, it'll be a little bit. On break for other shows.

Back to Fourze for me. Tomoko is the best and yain't changing my mind.

Thanks for the thread and congrats for the completion! I haven't read the episodic write-ups in detail, but I'll be sure to do so once I watch this (which I'd do immediately after I'm done with my Wizard and Ryuki viewing).

Yeah, more Ishinomori's stuff would be great, the guy's a legend after all. If you have the time, it'd be great to see a list of recommended titles/suggested topics (both of his works and others) pinned or something in the first post, though hopefully doing that won't eventually lead to inane debate about what's toku and what's not :p

Nice! Be sure to let know your thoughts when you get around to it!

Well for now here's the anime based off of Ishinomori's' works, or atleast the ones I'm aware of(if there are any more, lemme know!):

Cyborg 009(not even close to Toku, but if you guys wanted me to cover it I'd do the 2001 version, since that's my personal favorite of them)

The Skull Man(basically an "Ultimate Universe" of his various works. Only seen it once, but I feel I'd appreciate it alot more nowadays)

009-1(Never actually seen this one, so no idea if it's at all connected to Cyborg 009 or not. Also had a live-action version so... technically toku?)

Age of the Great Dinosaurs(Wanna talk obscure? I've never even been able find this thing. Not at all toku though)

Gilgamesh(what many call his darkest work. I've never seen it myself, so I can't comment, but hey, color me curious. Doesn't seem at all toku-like though)

Rainbow Sentai Robin(anime from like, the late 60s/early 70s. Has some toku elements, but pretty loose from what I can recall)

Sarutobi Ecchan(his only magical girl work, as far as I know. I've heard so many debates about if Magical Girls belongs in the same category as Sentai or not)

So yeah, there's maybe like... 3 of those that I could get away with covering in this thread, haha.

I tried to recreate the impossible pose Kikaider has on the DVD boxart and...

https://scontent.fdet3-1.fna.fbcdn.n...0b&oe=5F40CEAA

Yeah it ain't happening, haha. Although this does make me wanna ask, do you guys want me to upload the DVD bonuses? The rights are long gone so I don't think I'd get in trouble for it, and no one else has uploaded them so. That said they aren't much. Just a couple trailers and an image gallery.

Oh and I also took a pic of my favorite Toku heroes. Maybe an Ultraman will be added in someday.

https://scontent.fdet3-1.fna.fbcdn.n...a7&oe=5F401180

Will you be watching the Kikaider vs Inazuman special?

I mean, I could do a post on it, but Fish actually did a great breakdown of it a page or two back. But if you all want me to do a super short cover of it with me giving my two cents(although I kinda already did in my response to Fish's' post, haha), I will.

Now I know literally no one asked for it, but I find stuff like this interesting, so ya'll can just deal with it. First off, here's all of the trailers that can be found on the Android Kikaider DVD Boxset:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nB6jPY44bM

I edited the order of them a bit, but they are infact, all there(including one trailer which they used twice). If the only one you care about is the Kikaider one it's at the very start. But keep watching and it's also got trailers for shows like s-CRY-ed and .hack//SIGN(two more of my favorite anime ever)!

The only other bonus feature the Set has is concept art and character profiles, of which I'll do you all a favor and have them as links instead of images so that way this page doesn't take 600 years to load.

Jiro
Jiro 2
Mitsuko
Mitsuko 2
Kikaider
Kikaider 2
Kikaider 3
Gray Rhino
Gray Rhino 2
Green Mantis
Orange Ant (Human)
Orange Ant (Robot)
Carmine Spider
Masaru
Hattori
Etsuko
Miyuki
Yellow Jaguar
Toru
Golden Bat
Saburo
Kuya, Kaito, & Riku
Silver Bear
Chigusa
White Scorpion
Old Kohmyoji Residence
Old Kohmyoji Residence Trap Room
Golden Bat's Monitor Room
Hakaider
Young Professor Gill
Gill's Monitor Room
Gill's Monitor Room(Side)
Professor Gill
Dr. Kohmyoji
Dr. Kohmyoji's Lab
The Side Machine

There are images for Kikaider 01 as well, but they're all just screenshots from the episodes themselves. One I will highlight though is this one.

https://i.imgur.com/bObYjHv.png

That's what they were saying! Gattaider! Mystery solved.

A video popped up in my recommends today, and uh, holy crap what a coincidence, because it actually has to do with the show(s) I was considering covering next. That video is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ExePeYkGwA

And yes, the Golden Bat in Kikaider is a very small allusion to the Golden Bat talked about in that video.

Now, I wasn't planning on watching/covering Golden Bat itself(atleast not yet), but I'm definitely choosing to take it as a sign, because the two shows I was debating both actually have references to and were atleast somewhat inspired by Golden Bat. Those shows are:

1. The Skull Man: While the manga predates the anime by a good many years, The Skull Man is essentially an "Ultimate Universe" for Shotaro Ishinomori's' works as a whole; Containing a ton of references to nearly every one of his stories and you could even go so far as to say ties them all into a single, shared universe. It's even based on Shinomori's' original concept for Kamen Rider! I've only ever sen this show once before, back when it came out in the early 2000s, and while I remember liking it fine, I feel as though I'd have a much bigger appreciation for it nowadays, even if I'm by no means an Ishinomori expert.

2. Garo The Animation: I actually planned to use this as my entryway into the Garo franchise back when the show aired in 2014, but unfortunately a bunch of other shows and games I was interested in were coming out at the time and thus, Garo kept getting pushed deeper and deeper into my backlog. So yeah, never seen this one, and know damn near nothing about it, but it looked really interesting and I have friends who have vouched for it. And hey, I doubt it'd leave as sour a taste in my mouth as what Netflix Ultraman did! Which reminds me, season 2 of that comes out soon...

Honestly I'm having a really hard time deciding between the two, so if any of you wanna weigh in and cast your vote over which you think would be the more interesting show to watch/discuss, then by all means, lemme know! Either way, again, it's gonna be a bit because I'm still watching Kamen Rider Fourze(10 episodes left to go!) and I might also finally watch my first proper Ultraman show in Nexus, but after that it's back to doing daily updates to this thread again.

Or if there's no clear consensus maybe I'll just flip a coin. That works too.

I finally started the Kikaider anime, and I liked these first two episodes!

Right off the bat, it really reminded me of Astro Boy (well Ishinomori was an assistant to Tezuka after all), and Jiro himself felt a lot like a teen version of Atom. Which is fine and dandy, I love Astro Boy, and Kikaider so far felt like a more toku-fied version of it with a super distinct transformation sequence and signature vehicle. Very much looking forward to the eventual elucidation on the red-and-blue duality, as well as that random ass guitar on his back.

The atmosphere was indeed very GRIMDARK, almost to the point of overdoing it with all the rain, cloudy sky, and nighttime battles. It makes for a pretty amusing contrast to the cartoonish-looking character design, but somehow it worked out pretty well overall and there were already some moments that I think wouldn't work as effectively in live action form.

My favorite moment so far was the scene of Jiro helping the kids with their kite. Jiro's solution to the problem was both hilarious and sad, and it very effectively underlines his character, the show's thematic crux, and Ishinomori's general philosophy (superhero power being a blessing and a curse, but really, it's a curse 99% of the time :v). Such a good 'show, don't tell' example of a scene.

I agree that the character work has been really clean and strong so far. The interaction between Jiro and Mitsuko was on point with appropriate amount of tension, and I totally got the logic behind each character's perspective (hopefully they don't drag it out for too long and make it too much of a melodrama though...).

Skull Man sounded interesting and more Ishinomori stuff is always good, but I'll throw a vote for Garo because I've seen it, it's pretty damn good, and the Spanish Inquisition backdrop makes for a pretty unique toku/toku-inspired show. Also, seeing it again through others' perspective may motivate me to finally see the live action version, which I've been delaying to do for far too long~

Yeah, that scene does a great job at making you laugh for a moment, and then immediately making you feel bad for Jiro the next. It also really highlights how straightforward and somewhat simple-minded Jiro is at the time; Having just been born and all.

I'll definitely keep that mind! I'm actually leaning a bit more towards Garo at the moment, mainly due to a friend of mine who really loves the franchise as a whole, and also used the anime to get into it.

Neat!

I've now seen Episode 3-4 of the Kikaider anime. Love the addition of the detective character and his assistant to the cast, they provide great additional perspective and I can't help but be amused at how their way more caricature-ish design (they look like they literally came from Fujiko Fujio manga!) can coexist with Jiro, Mitsuko, and the show's generally gloomy visual tone.

Solid character work as always with more hilarious/sad moments from Jiro (love that scene with the busker), and Episode 4 has my favorite battle scene so far with the character from DreamSword's sig (based on the pic alone, I had thought he's actually a higher-up antagonist rather than a Villain of The Week :v Still a pretty memorable character!). It got quite melodramatic at the end, but it's the kind of melodrama I can get behind; I watched more than hundreds episodes of Astro Boy, after all, give me all the robotic existential crisis! The "mad machine" line is totally meme-worthy for how fond the show is at repeating that flashback scene (particularly during certain hilariously redundant sequence in Episode 3), but setting that aside, I actually like the progression of Mitsuko's character and thought process.

Also, this thread REALLY got me into the mood to check out more toku anime, so I started watching SSSS Gridman on a whim once I noticed it's on Netflix. It's based on the cyber superhero show Denkou Chojin Gridman (which I recognize through its American adaptation, Super Samuray Syber Squad), and the first episode was very solid with some distinct visual flair and direction. Really looking forward to watch more of that as well.

It's definitely an aspect of the show that I feel will make or break alot of people. Personally, I absolutely love the combination, and to me it only serves to further highlight the toku aspects. Let's not forget that Gaim is about breakdancing fruit samurai.

SSSS.Gridman is an absolutely fantastic show. Even coming from someone who's only seen Syber-Squad, they did a great job having alot of callbacks while still doing their own thing. Definitely a show I wanna cover in the future.

Be prepared, the show's gonna get pretty real.

I just wanna give a quick congrats to Die for recently finishing his watch of Kamen Rider Blade. It ended up being a fun thread overall, so if you've seen Blade or wanna watch alongside his posts, by all means, I recommend that you do! I know I certainly had a good time there.

As for me, I was originally going to watch Ultraman Nexus next, but the official subs don't drop onto TokuShoutsu until November. Then, I decided I should watch Kamen Rider Super-1, but I'm told the subs are terrible and I should wait until Bereke Scrubs finishes their version, so I am. As such, I believe it's time to start my next Toku anime. That anime being...


And this is actually a show that I've never seen before. I knew of its existence, thanks to a friend of mine who used the show as his intro into the Garo franchise, but I never got around to it. Back when the show aired, there was a bunch of other stuff keeping me busy in terms of media, and as such, Garo kept getting pushed further and further down on my list.

Thus, this time around I'm kinda relying on anyone else who's seen the show to fill me in on trivia and such, since I'm basically just going to be reacting to each episode as I see it. Yet again I'll be watching the dubbed version, this one being done by FUNimation.

That said, like I've stated before and even added to the opening post, if at any point in the future anyone has anything to say about Kikaider, then by all means, say it! I'm always down to talk about one of my favorite anime ever. Heck, Magnugiga is currently making his way through the show right now! Right on, dude!

With all that said, here we go...

Episode I: Hellfire

https://i.imgur.com/G44IPvM.png

Oh, sorry, I seem to have clicked on the Netflix Castlevania Anime by mistake, one sec.

...

No, no, this is the right show. But man if they don't open similar. They even have a rather similar atmosphere about them too, but hey, I like the Castlevania Anime, so I'm down.

One thing I'll point out right away too is that I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the Makai Knights being rendered in all CG against a world that seems fully drawn? Like, I think I get why they did it but I dunno, maybe it's just the 90s anime fan in me, but I think it'd've been alot better and looked way cooler had they been drawn instead.

That aside, if the opening being an active Witch-burning hadn't been enough, this show makes it clear pretty fast that it's not afraid to go certain places.

https://i.imgur.com/y8rCCqX.png

Yeah, I won't lie that I winced more than once during the sequence where a bunch of Witches and Warlocks get brutally murdered.

I'll also give major props that, atleast in terms of this first episode, they knew how to keep the mood going. Even during the one comedic segment halfway through the episode(which I did laugh at), it's simply to lighten things up a small bit in order to get the viewer ready for its action climax, all the while not totally dropping its darker atmosphere. Not Kikaider levels of moody and dark mind you, but dark.

Speaking of action, the climax itself was really cool. You could tell everything that was going on, and the animation itself worked out pretty well. I especially liked the Transformation Sequence for Leon, which reminded me alot of the Morphing Sequence for Solaris Knight from Power Rangers Mystic Force, to be honest.

Also is it me or does Alfonso look like Guy from Tales of the Abyss?

https://i.imgur.com/hOkvafV.png
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca88...c5AXuxP2-AKHjY

But yeah, overall, good first episode. I dug it.

Episode II: Divine Flame

https://i.imgur.com/x4EK1pm.png

Real quick before I get into the episode itself, I just wanna make a note here, since I forgot to bring it up in my post about Episode I. I really dig the OP. not just the song, but the animation style they went with for it. I'm a sucker for artsy opening animations like this one. The 3rd OP from Blood+ being a prime example. So glad they went this direction with the Garo anime.

Onto the episode itself, there's really not much to talk about in terms of its plot; It's very straight-forward and simple. And that's not a bad thing. It's about a Horror who's disguised as a Priest that likes to torture women to death and how the Knights need to take him down. That's about it.

Again, not a bad thing though, because this episode seems alot more focused on establishing the character arcs for, well, our characters. Just like how the first episode is meant to set up everything in terms of the setting and plot backdrop.

Which reminds me, I gotta ask, are we sure this show is based off of a Toku show called Garo and not an abandoned script for a JRPG? Because no joke, so far this show really feels like someone wanted to make a JRPG, but then couldn't so he just kinda added Garo stuff to it and called it an anime, haha. Again, not a bad thing, because I'm digging it so far!

So, with that out of the way, let's spend the rest of this post talking about the characters as they've been presented so far, shall we? Starting with our main character, Leon:

https://i.imgur.com/8bnly6i.png

I like how despite this show taking place in like the 1600s or whatever, Leon looks like a modern Scene Kid, haha. He also has psychotic triggers, brought about by memories of his mother being burned at the stake. How he can remember something that happened as he was just being born is beyond me. Magic, I guess. He's focused on fulfilling his family honor, and getting revenge for his mother's' death. Serious, determined, yet still very much a Makai Knight in training.

I also rather like the dynamic he has with his "father." Because while his dad's' antics are definitely entertaining to watch from a viewer standpoint, they would certainly be annoying to deal with on a constant basis in real life, like how Leon has to, making his annoyance towards his dad understandable, without being overblown.

Speaking of his dad, considering his arc seems to be about finding an heir, I'm calling it here and now, Alfonso is going to become the next Silver Knight. Either via reveal that he's literally Herman's' son, or via some magic stuff with the pendant, natch.

On that note, I do dig how the Makai Armor seems to be a magical bloodline thing, and having the characters talk about and look at murals/artifacts related to the Makai really does help to sell the Armor as being something that has been around and will be around for all time, as long as the bloodline keeps going. I like the generational aspect in that.

The last character I wanna talk about right now is the one we're introduced to in this episode, Emma:

https://i.imgur.com/7ISlqNG.png

This lady absolutely oozes coolness, making me like her instantly. They paid special attention in making her job as alchemist more than just a mere title too. I like that at various points you can actually see her setting up her various alchemy traps despite being chair-bound, like when she's carving the circle into the floor with her heel. Good attention to detail. But yeah, props to her actress for making her personality really shine.

Aaand that's about all I can think to talk about. It's an interesting set-up episode, and I'm curious to see how everything will pay off in the end. Thinking about it, this show seems like a Rated-T version of Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog, which is a 90s Toku show I really like, and also a show I really wish would get released on DVD at some point.

But yeah, good set up, liking the show so far. Yeah.

Episode III: Zaruba

https://i.imgur.com/Uxi2AwH.png

Oh hey, a new Knight joins the cast? Purple is my second favorite color, so that's cool. Although you'd figure if there were a third Makai Knight they'd be Bronze, given the other two.

In this episode, Herman gets a magic letter from an old alchemist friend of his, which says that he's almost finished repairing an artifact known as the "Mado Ring" which should help Leon with his psychotic triggers and keep his soul from getting swallowed by flames.

I had to think for a sec about why the letters could only be read if you burnt them with a magic lamp, but I suppose it does make sense if you want your letter to be untraceable, ontop of making sure only specific people can even read it in the first place. The letter also catches the attention of Emma, since she's also a skilled alchemist.

And despite it seeming like the show is somewhat trying to portray Leon's' attitude as a problem, I again kinda have to side with the guy here. He's not only got good reasons for the way that he is, but yet again, dealing with the demeaning behaviors of both Herman and Emma would get on almost anyone's' nerves to a point. I feel for the dude.

Anyway, it's explained that within the Mado Ring lies a demon named Zaruba. whom Leon has to make a pact with if he wants instant mastery over his Gold Armor, and it's all but outright stated that this is just kind of a normal thing for Makai Knights to do. Unfortunately, Zaruba seems to have other plans, considering he's been tempting the Alchemist's' Apprentice(of whom I instantly forgot the name of, rip):

https://i.imgur.com/dEJZEgc.png

The plot of the episode from here on is pretty predictable, almost in a disappointing to be frank. I was actually hoping that Apprentice Boy was actually going to use the Ring to become the Purple Knight we see in the intro, and that the rest of Leon's' arc would deal with him needing to find a way to deal with his issues in his own way. Buuutt it seems like that's not the type of show Garo is, and instead, Apprentice Boy becomes a Horror, and Leon in the end does make a pact with Zaruba.

https://i.imgur.com/B4rrUoW.png

I question the merit in making a pact with a demon of which has literally no problem with making Horrors for the heck of it, but I suppose to be fair, Leon didn't actually know that Zaruba did anything. ON THE OTHER HAND, you know who did know? Herman, and yet he does nothing to stop the pact from happening. Necessary Evil, maybe? Still, it doesn't quite sit right with me.

In the end, it's Alfonso who ends up meeting the Purple Knight, and man, I hope we get an episode totally focusing on Alfonso soon. I'm really interested in his story, actually, but so far it's been mostly an afterthought. Well, it is still early on in the show, so maybe that'll turn around, who knows.

I can't really think of much else to add than that, so uh, if there's anything that stood out to you about this episode that I missed, be sure to lemme know!

Oh hey, someone is watching Garo's first anime, very nice. While I don't really think I can articulate anything meaningful and bring anything too new to the table, I'll pop in and comment every now and again.

So yeah, I don't think whatever was tempting the Apprentice Knight was actually Zaruba, just a Horror that managed to catch the attention of the Knight's inner darkness. Zaruba's a chill dude, even if he can be a bit sassy from time to time.

Also yes, reddish-violet Knight, I say that because in some scenes he feels more red than purple. At least I feel like red is a more predominant color sometimes, granted I could be partially color-blind but I feel like red is definitely in there.

I will admit that the story is fairly serviceable in the first half, but it's the end of the first half and whole of the second half where I think the story really shines. So I can't wait to see your thoughts as you continue to go further.

Glad to finally see someone talk about the garo anime considering how I never see anyone talk about them (even when they were still airing there were hardly and discussions)
And to top it all off you're talking about the best one of the 3 garo anime!
Seal of flames is still to this day one of my top 3 garo series and I'm happy to hear you're finally getting around to watching it
though if I were you I would temper my expectations for guren no tsuki though, and vanishing line is just a really fun series to watch

Glad you decided to tune in! I definitely look forward to whatever you have to say in the future.

While I can totally believe it wasn't Zaruba and just some random Horror that was tempting the Apprentice, Herman's' dialogue to said Appentice heavily suggested it was Zaruba. Maybe it was a mistake in the dub script? The tempting voice was coming from a lantern and not the ring, afterall.

And yeah, the new Knight definitely has a somewhat reddish hue to him. So uh, I guess we should be calling him the Magenta Knight, then.

I'm liking the show so far, so I'm excited to see what it has to offer!

Hi! Happy to have you here! I have literally no basis for anything GARO related, so I guess I'll see how I feel whenever I eventually get to season 2 and 3. Whether I watch them directly after season 1 or not, I dunno yet!

Episode IV: Bloodville

I... I ended up really liking this episode, actually.

https://i.imgur.com/yyAMsxu.png

Starting things off, we have a decent little switch around where Alfonso's' bit is at the start of the episode, rather than the end. That's cool.

And it's a good thing they decided on that too, because putting it at the end like normal would've taken away a bit from the prime meat that is the rest of this episode. It's great.

The premise is that Herman has heard rumors of a curse befalling a forgotten village, so he puts his and Leon's' main quest on hold in order to investigate. As one can expect, forgotten villages are often forgotten for a reason, and it becomes really clear really quickly that the Knights were right to investigate.

https://i.imgur.com/3KHqcJ6.png

All of the character interactions are top notch in this episode. From Leon's' very understandable reactions to everything happening during the episode, to Herman toning his usual antics down a bit once it's clear they have a job to do, and of course, the characterizations of the little boy, Alloise, and his mother, of whom the villagers accuse of being a witch.

https://i.imgur.com/ufJRkEq.png

Not to mention the appropriately spooky atmosphere and air of mystery this episode brings. While the answer to said mystery is pretty obvious, the real joy came from having the characters breaking down their thought process, doing investigative work, and the development of Leon that came therein. While I personally would've preferred the "curse" be due to an outside force, I won't complain about a Horror being the culprit in a Toku show; It just kinda comes with the territory.

Probably the main takeaway of the episode, and the aspect of it I liked the most, was Leon having to face down against someone who bore one of the same personal demons he does; Wanting revenge for the loss of a parent, and feeling of anger and sadness that come with it. You can tell that Leon himself isn't entirely sure what to say to Alloise when it comes down to it, and that the events of the night are making him seriously second guess himself.

I also really loved what Herman had to say at the end of it all: "The more you learn of the darkness of man, the harder they become to protect." Very true words, and ones that emphasize the need to see the good in others, ontop of doing your best not to let grudges or feelings of vengeance consume you, something many people(myself included) need to be reminded of all too often. Considering my experience with many Toku that often have their bad guys being some outside force, it's rather refreshing to see one that emphasizes that people are capable of just as much evil, if not moreso. Which is another aspect I really loved about Kikaider.

This episode was great. Top notch.

Episode V: Gaia

https://i.imgur.com/wNPykey.png

For today's' episode, I have special guest writer with me, my good buddy Joe! Say hi Joe!

Joe: "Hi Joe."

GOOD JOB! So what'd you think of the episode?

Joe: "I feel like I missed alot of context. But the Armor and fights were cool. And the heck is Flynn Scifo doing here?"

I dunno! What I do know is that this is an episode I was really looking forward to. One almost totally centered on the story of Alfonso and the new Magenta Knight, Raphael! This episode also does alot of world building, and elaborates on what exactly Alfonso's' connection to the Makai Knights is.

https://i.imgur.com/VRIp0Ir.png

Meanwhile Zaruba is being eating Leon, so he's totally out for most of the episode. No problem here!

Joe: "So who's the main character then?"

They both are. Leon's just gotten alot more attention so far, so it's really nice that Alfonso finally gets his time to shine.

Joe: "Raphael is way cooler though. Like, he's got that sword, bro"

https://i.imgur.com/WjGtXlt.png

Yeah that's true. Overall though I dug this episode. I like that Alfonso's' plot is starting to gain more traction, as well as seeing him deal with that fact that at the end of the day, he is a normal ass human. A really skilled one sure, but still nothing on the level of being able to take down Horrors.

Joe: "The Ceiling Soldier was really funny too."

That he was! But yeah, not to much else to say about this one other than I'm glad Alfonso is finally getting some proper spotlight. And some more world building is rather nice too.

Episode VI: Black Knight

https://i.imgur.com/uvz6Tmo.png

This episode gets personal, but not for our heroes.

This one is all about how a blacksmith's' son enlisted to become a knight, but ended up dying in a Trial by Combat, and how that's affected the family since.

The episode did a great job at developing the family; From Julio's' upbringing as a street rat, to how the Father has changed due to the influence of the Horror, I actually got really interesting in seeing how it'd all play out.

https://i.imgur.com/MuGl1zD.png

The character humor was on point in this one too! The scene with Leon being tempted by two hookers was a highlight, and it featured the return of Emma! The bickering between Leon and Herman was nice too, especially the beginning bit: "Good luck with that, I'm the one with the money." I loved it.

https://i.imgur.com/ff97evE.png

On the action side of things, it was nice seeing Herman finally throw down, and I do like that they showed he had a personal stake in this particular instance, ontop of how cleanly he dealt with things, thus hammering in that he's got over 17 years of experience doing this sort of thing. His talk about how people are frail at the end was a nice touch too.

Overall, the only real downside to this episode was that, despite being in the "last time on" segment, Alfonso was nowhere to be seen. I guess he really is the B-plot in this show, but it's a shame. Would love it if both Leon and Alfonso got to share screentime as co-leads. I love it when shows do stuff like that. But hey, maybe he'll get another focus episode soon. But yeah, another good episode, and I'm glad I'm digging this show more and more as it goes on. It's a good sign.

Ah no need to worry about Alfonso, he will get his chance to shine, oh he will get his chance to shine indeed. For now though, slow buildup via B-Plot.