W 14.

This wasn't a particularly good episode, but three strong moments really made the episode memorable all the same.

Firstly, in the "watered down" era of Neo-Heisei, I wasn't surprised when Wakana backed out of killing Nexus Chick. But then for Nazca to appear a second later, and (at least it hinted at) murder her for Wakana...like holy shit, shit's getting real!

Secondly, I loved that W caught the Manager as he fell. I know it was a completely throwaway moment but it kinda defines what sets these guys apart. And it also suggests the story isn't over, as soon as the monster is defeated, kinda like how Black'd end every episode with about fifty dangling plotthreads but oh well the monster is dead time to roll credits.

Finally, I love how the Sonozaki family are actual characters. First and foremost, they are humans, with personalities, goals and personal motivations. They aren't just rubber suits to knock down.

There are Kamen Rider shows where you could cut out the suit fighting, because it's so disconnected from the show, it may as well be another show entirely but then there are shows like W, where the strength of the non suited stuff is so good, it could perfectly stand on its own without the action and the toys. W is a solid drama, a solid story, the action is just an extra treat. Or it will be, when they tone down the atrocious CG.

W 15. MMM EXACTORY!

Why couldn't one of the Sonozaki's get the Arms memory? He was so cool. The only real problem is, did W have a lower budget than other series? Was it because of Decade?

I ask, because usually, although inherently rubbery, I usually find tokusatsu suits are so detailed you can largely forget they are suits. But so far all of the Dopants have looked EXTREMELY cheap, to the point where interesting designs can't hide flappy cloth, rubbery creases and cheap thin plastic. The suits look like, well, suits.

Oh well, the action was still solid, although fifteen episodes in and I'm still asking what the Joker memory actually does. Also that Fuymui, what a babe.

I do believe W had a reduced budget because of Decade. Decade had to bring a LOT of suits back, and actors when it could.

Also, the Joker memory is fighting skill. It increases his strength and agility in hand-to-hand combat. So when combined with Philip's memories he gains elemental attacks, and when combined with Fang it's the ultimate brawler. That's why CycloneJoker is default, as it's the best balance of speed, force, and maneuverability.

There's also lots of symbolic meaning to the actual wordplay on "Joker" as the show goes on.

I really wish W would play more to its budget. The action is really solid, when it isn't doing those CGI sequences. I get that it wants to show off the toys, and be epic and stuff, but it looks bad man. I much prefer the subtle effects like when W wielded the Sonic Shaft, or Heat Trigger's Maximum Drive.

Ah okay, that explains Joker then, and I was just about to ask why it was called that but I guess I'll find out as I watch!

I believe the A to Z movie is where it gets spelled out most directly.

Personally, I'm trying to start Black RX again. There's a guy who's subbing it on Nyaa and he's putting out about an episode every other day. Hopefully this will finally be the time that the show actually gets finished. There are a couple minor grammar things here and there, but it's a good sub overall and the video quality is great.

Heh.

W 16.

This show is getting so good! My only real complaint at the minute is I wish the mini arcs were longer, like this Arms arc could have easily been four episodes. Would have loved to have longer sequences like when Sho and Akiko accept their fate, or when Sho visits Phillip's consciousness.

Man this episode was intense, our heroes were really on the ropes in a very brutal (and literal) way but not in a shamelessly juvenile way like Kuuga. W is a very mature show, when it counts, I just hope it has a lasting effect. Especially for Akiko who SUCKS.

Did I just space out when I watched Begins Night? Where is all this stuff coming from with Phillip freaking out about Fang? I swear in the movie he seems almost excited to show it off, and seems to perfectly understand what it does. Oh well it's so nice to watch tokusatsu shows that make a big deal out of the henshin hero segments, it's amazing how rare that actually is.

At least it unleashed an AWESOME fight sequence as well, Fang Joker is just so awesome. Although I think Shoulder Fang is a more impressive attack than Fang Strider. Plus I just love fights in front of crowds like it is actually the real world.

Also, some of the transformation sequences in this episode were just awesome. The henshins in Kamen Rider really are movie magic. There are a lot of transformations where they don't quite line up the actors properly, but there was one transformation where Akiko falls over in the background and there is no visible cuts at all, so it really does look like he must be transforming, that must have been painful to actually shoot and edit. Same as when W transforms on the bike, and drives past a crowd of people as he does, dunno how they managed to get the whole crowd in the same place as they swapped the suits but it looked awesome.

Philip never used Fang before Begins Night, so he didn't know how savage it made him before he used it. That's why he's so chill: he literally thought it just switched him to W.

But Fang increases Philip's aggression and strength to make up for his weaker body. Too much.

And yes, the maturity and tense nature of W continues in it's dramatic moments all the way to the end. The Fang arc is deffinitely a sign of things to come later on.

Also yeah, W has one of my favourite Henshins because of how well done it usually is. The only times there's slip up is usually a result of W's suit actor, the same actor for every non-Kuuga/Hibiki Heisei rider, is slightly taller than Shotaro and Philip, so full-body henshins usually need clever camera work.

So he knew what it'd do, but not what it'd do to him? And why didn't they have the scene of him freaking out in the movie? It was all framed as Phillip telling Sho the story, so it seems a weird thing to leave out.

I really love Kamen Rider transformations in general. Like you may say Haruto's henshin was boring because he just stood there with his arm out, but from an actual technical stand point I just found it fascinating.

Pobably because Fang was just a "teaser." It's common for "movie wars" to tease something without actually mentioning it's involvement in the story. Like Birth being Gotou in OOO's crossover before Birth even showed up. Even though "Begins Night" is a way more solid summer crossover, it's entirely possible Fang's story significance was not yet decided apon.

To be fair, it still seems the show is working stuff out, even at the point I'm currently at in the show. It never quite feels like it's pulling stuff out of its ass - thankfully, but there are quite a few raised plot points which don't quite have that satisfying click of realisation, which suggests it wasn't necessarily something planned from the start.

So I watched the first 4 episodes of Black and now I want his figuart.
Also watched episode 1 of RX and well I like Black better:lol
And finally watched 2 episodes of V3 it's cool.

W 17.

Wow that Bird Dopant looked like shit. At least I can appreciate Fang's Maximum Drive more now, after they changed it from the last episode...for some reason. Oh well, this one is better, keep this one.

The show continues to make Kirihiko very sympathetic, and I actually really like that. It's especially awesome, and also kinda sad, to know he and Sho, in another life, could have been friends. It was certainly their most impressive fight yet, nice to see Nazca developing as a threat, as he learns the powers of the Memory.

Always great to see more people watching Showa stuff. :thumb:

W 18. The Bio-Connector point would make a really cool tattoo and I've been looking for a design to get on my calf...

WELL FUCK. TIME TO GO THROW SOME FUCKING TABLES OVER. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK.

He isn't really dead, right? I mean sure he turned to ash, BUT COME ON YOU CAN'T DO THAT. Everyone goes on about Hase's death, but the way they've built Kirihiko over this first half of the series into a skewed anti-hero, to then...do that. I, I can't... And the way they mirrored his exit with Accel's entrance just..... jasnfjsdncjs

Yeah, Kirihiko is dead. Everyone was saddened by that years ago when W originally aired.

I think this is the first time a death in toku has actually effected me, so obviously it's time for the Figuart. It wasn't some cheap device, and they don't go back on it either? Brilliant. But also deeply saddening.

He shows up again in some of the web videos where he hosts a talk show and gets increasingly beaten up by the other Dopant actors. But no, in canon he's dead as a doornail.

I really wish I hadn't watched this right before going to bed, I like to end my day on a high note, but now I am full of sads.

Well just between us Showa>Heishi imo:lol

Kirihiko's death was really well done. And yes, his death has follow-up later, though he is very much dead. The music was also excellent. That song is called "truth" and plays during a lot of sad moments.

Also, it is really clever how the show pulls a contrast between a man who loves the city dying, and one who hates the city coming in. Accel started out my least favourite secondary rider ever, but buy the end he was easily one of my favourites.

Kirihiko's final words are a compliment to the winds of Fuuto, and Accel's first are a criticism. I'm like really sad right now, but also really really impressed.

It's a shame that Nazca himself was never quite as good as Kirihiko. I grew to love the design, but he never really got one truly great fight. Not a complete one any way. I wish he would have at least put in more of a fight against Taboo, but it's very much his character to just sorta take it like he did.

But oh well, it's a minor criticism to the best toku death I've ever seen and probably my new favourite secondary Rider. And before someone tells me he wasn't a Rider. He and W basically function exactly the same, he even had a Driver.

I agree. Constantly bringing up that someone will die will kind of lessen the death since it turns an otherwise dramatic scene into the viewer waiting for it to happen.

Words, they have been taken from my mouth.

Sorry if I spoiled any one. Figured I could speak freely because the show is five years old. Obviously if I knew someone else in thread was watching it, I'd hide my spoilers from them, as I'd hope you'd do with me.

You weren't spoiling anyone actually. Matrix and NGW were talking to
XW1n5t0nX

Oh my b!

I haven't watched W yet so I just avoid the posts, which I figure anyone does who is on this thread who hasn't watched a show. Also, I leave out the big spoilery stuff in the shows I watch too.

Agito 43-Well the Man of Darkness is finally getting his hands dirty took him long enough, man is he powerful. Poor poor Kino, but I'm glad he is working well with the others. Great to see Shining Agito, Exceed Gills and Another Agito take down that Unknown together which was awesome. Ozawa and Ryou's conversation was really great and I think Ozawa's words will definitely hold true. Great to get a glimpse more into Mana's father's murder care too. More answers I can't wait to get.

Oh man you need to watch W!

W 19.

Man after the heartbreak of the last episode, this is just what I needed. The stuff in the billiards room, when Accel drew his ridiculous sword, Phillip in his costume and the transformation sequence when Phillip was distracted. HILARIOUS.

It was a really interesting episode as well, like why a police detective would be allowed to work in bright red biking leathers, and who or what exactly is Shroud.

Accel is...interesting. He's undeniably badass - with so many cool lines but the atrocious CGI of his bike henshin slightly undermined the coolness of the moment.

Plus, I dunno, why a fire motorbike motif? It seems a really weird choice for this badass detective. His suit is weirdly bulky as well, I kinda wish, with a name like 'Accel' that it'd be more streamlined - or at least cut down on all the external stuff jutting out and flapping around.

It's so weird how nonchalant Sho is about being a Kamen Rider. He openly transforms in front of everyone - as do the Sonozaki's for some reason - and rides around on Ws bike even when not transformed, then acts surprised when people already know! He may as well wear a sign.

Yeah I never got that as well. Why use your bike in the open when you don't want people to know? In fact it seems like after a while he doesn't care anymore. He just goes from wanting to be all Batman like with his identity to just doing it no matter who is around. Kinda odd.

I find it even weirder for the Sonozaki's, since they bother to be a legitimate family but then seem to have no problem transforming in front of everyone at a moments notice.

I know right? I mean in their house in front of the help makes some sense I guess. But doing it out in public is just strange. Why would they do that, an act which would pretty much taint their name and give them a negative view in the public eye? Wouldn't they want to come off as normal as possible?

I mean there was that one scene where Kirihiko tried to clean up Wakana's mess but then they killed him (;-;) so I guess it's a PR nightmare for them now.

Your wish will be granted with Accel Trial.

W 20. Gotta love all these obvious plot twists!

I kinda find myself wanting to like Accel, more than I actually do like Accel. It seems I, more so than others, can't really enjoy a series if the henshin hero aspect of a series flags and that is the case here.

Ryu, as a character, is really cool. He's antagonistic, but in a series where Sho's hard-boiledness is often played for laughs, it's nice for a genuinely hard-boiled detective to wander into the series and be played completely straight. Coupling that with a generic, but nonetheless engaging backstory and introducing some new aspects to the mythos, he's a great character so far. But then...then he transforms.

I actually think the Accel suit is kinda cool, but it's just the execution. The cheap plastic, the flappy bits, the way stuff just randomly sticks out, the bulkiness, the lack of symmetry. BLAH.

If it had a bigger budget it'd be epic, but in its cheapness it just looks a total mess while also neither really fitting what Ryu is about, and being so crappy it also undermines him a bit as well, especially when he turns into a bike. That is one concept that is just as awful as it looks.

It's annoying as well, because when he's paired with W in all his streamlined beauty, it just sticks out even more. W is simple, but it's all in the details rather than in the extravagance and that just works so much better than cardboard scuba diving motorcycle Accel.

I can't wait for Trial's debut.

I remember being a similar mind set back in the day. I thought the bike was dumb as first but a gradually warmed up to it, especially during the Liar Dopant arc. I will say this though, there is a battle towards the end of the series that completely vindicated the bike mode in my eyes, because Terui was at the apex of his badassery.