There's no Holy Stone either, only a Dark Stone. It's kind of interesting how Satria has its own concept of elemental magic, with electromagnetism being considered above water.

Yep, it's Gackt, who Decade fans (and critics) will remember as AU Yuki Joji. But his character as Noir/Bima Legend is a lot more memorable to me. I was totally surprised when I first saw his appearance in this episode and even more that he can actually speak a lot of languages, including Japanese, English and Indonesian. Bima Legend is also a good way of repurposing the original Bima suit for future use, since Ray's inevitably going to upgrade to Bima-X in the sequel. But yeah, I think maybe if more people were aware that Gackt of all people was in this show, it wouldn't be so obscure.

Seiko? I'd wish that actually treating non-family or other beloved ones as garbage is more acknowledged as something terrible, rather than being glorified as you can get free pass to be biased on family only, others be damned. Series like Ryuki has the big bad willing to murder anyone for the sake of family (who doesn't even want it). Some of the common criminal cases happen due to this though, those who doesn't know the context or the direct victim will want worst outcomes to the culprit (not right but still...).

But even then, it's also unfair to talk down civilians for not being able to pull their own weight in battles (and, often got dismissed as useless and irrelevant, even though being superheroic is about protecting people). Their demise also can be just dismissed as numbers and statistics. Not everyone is made for fighting or can fight, it's not a cavemen era. Society works because people are split into different works. Leave the dangerous work to capable people, others can support in their own different way.

While they shouldn't give up if they can help it, folding 'em is still something good to think for a while and ensure that they're at their best. Because recklessness is not bravery. But it seems that the lesson to be given for someone idolizing and putting hope on someone is that the idols aren't perfect and they have to tamper their expectations...

Yeah, the upgrade for Bima is finally here, the weapon now turning into full suit, giving both offensive and defensive capabilities.

On the flipside, more people being aware of it would totally ruin the surprise!

Apologies for me not wording things more clearly. When I talk of battle and other such similar phrases, in this context it simply means overcoming adversity, whether it be physical or mental. Dion gaining the courage to go through with the surgery is still him fighting for the chance to continue living, even if he's not throwing punches. Meanwhile, if he let his fears win out and he does nothing, then he's dead for sure. That's both what I and the episode is getting at.

Gackt is every bit as confusing as he is cool.

Like, I get the general idea(I think). As a former Satria, he appears to impart wisdom onto Ray to help make Ray a better Satria.

The problem is that he doesn't exactly tell Ray anything that Ray doesn't already know(which funnily enough is noted by Ray himself). So was the whole idea for Gackt to just show up and bully Bima?

The coolness factor does help with me turning my brain off during the whole thing atleast. And there's also the nice character stuff with Randy still being the bravest of the family and Rena making friends with the runaway girl from Vudo. So it's not as if this two-parter was entirely shallow.

That said, one thing I was hoping this episode would elaborate on, given Gackt's' status as the former Bima, was answering the question of where exactly the Bima suit even comes from, given that we've seen many times before that the Power Stones can be used without any sort of armor manifestation thanks to the monsters.

Does it ultimately matter? No, but it was still a plot detail that I felt could've been cool, and I even thought it might happen given Gackt's' whole speech on how Bima is the summation of many things. But alas, it was not to be.

If you're not a fan of Gackt, I really can't see you getting much out of these two episodes. But if you are, then there's alot of fun to be had with this very unexpected cameo, and sometimes that's all that's needed.

(We also got to see the Grand Gator and I swear they used the Godzilla Roar for it but that's for another time I guess.)

That's true. I'm glad you were able to enjoy the surprise like I did.

Oh yeah, the origin of Satria is something hasn't really been brought up until now, so it's intriguing how Noir hints that there's a whole culture and lore surrounding them that we don't know about yet, which Ray and Mikhail have now become part of. While we've seen that Topeng Besi and Shadow Crisis are capable of using the Power Stones, it seems that only the Satria can master them, something that Rasputin might've known when he abducted Mikhail.

Or maybe Rasputin just got a kick out of seeing the two brothers kill eachother.

Or both. Could very much be both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN7bCme0G2E

The most emotionally powerful episode so far, which is only fitting given who's involved.

It's a clash between brothers, and not just Ray and Mikhail, but Ray and Randy too. Randy's' lesson being that even if brothers fight, they can still come together in the end.

Faith restored, Ray is more determined than ever to get Mikhail to remember his past as Reza. And what a fight to remember, as it's one of the most emotionally driven and best choreographed bouts in the show.

I'm an absolute sucker for when battles between arch-rivals devolve into just throwing hands while weakened(s-CRY-ed, Kamen Rider Kuuga), so seeing BIMA pull it off here was a great treat. And that ending, with Ray protecting Reza... so good.

But man, what a friggen cliffhanger at the end! It seriously tempts me to just jump right into the next episode, which is a good sign, really. Those poor kids in 2013, having to wait a whole week before getting proper closure to this whole thing, haha.

Very excited for tomorrow's' episode. This was a blast from start to finish.

As great as 23 was, 24 is even better, and I think is an easy pick for my favorite.

An episode focused entirely on Mikhail and Uncle is something I didn't even realize this show needed until it happened, and I'm so happy it did.

Everything just came together so perfectly. The character development of both characters involved, the well directed action scenes, and the absolutely on point musical score really brought the emotional core to the forefront.

I'm not even really sure what I can say outside of that, given what a great ride the episode is from start to finish. I guess the only thing I can really say that's a bit of a shame is that Azazel didn't get the Yellow Power Stone to obtain God Taranis, but whatever, it's not a big deal.

The family is all back together now, and unless the final two episodes end up being Faiz tier for me, I get the feeling I'll come out of BIMA looking at the whole thing rather fondly, even with the rough transition between writers. This show really does make for an oddly fitting double feature with Revice. Don't expect a VS Review or anything, as both shows give me more to celebrate than complain about.

It's the big climactic final battle between Bima and Azazel to herald the start of the final arc! Bima using his power to summon that magic barrier to protect Reza was such an emotional moment and I love how it flipped their dynamic, with Ray being the one giving his former mentor advice and acting like a real big brother. He's so much more confident now.

Successfully tempted, it would seem....

Their interaction was a nice respite between action, allowing Mikhail to gather his thoughts and determine what he should do next. Always good to see Uncle playing an important role as well by helping out his nephew, even if he's not actually aware of his identity, which probably makes it even better that he'd do that for a stranger.

I can see why you would think that, since Taranis is half thunder elemental and Power Stone Kuning should be able to amplify that. But nope, looks like Azazel is only compatible with Hitam. Azazel God Taranis is a missed opportunity for sure.

Nevertheless, Azazel was awesome here, with how he dramatically destroyed his VUDO belt and did his new roll call as Satria Garuda Azazel, before finishing the last member of Shadow Crisis!

It's not only a change for Azazel, but for Mikhail as well. Since he's not a celebrity like Levi Weston, he doesn't actually have any reason to keep using that name. So now he goes back to calling himself Reza Bramasakti.

For me, I have way more to complain than celebrate about Revice, so I could totally declare Bima the victor of that fight.

His name would be Bima Legend. I'd think actually regarding how there's Maya, the runaway girl in Parallel World, there seems to be lacking of how that world is established, about how the people there can live if it drives VUDO to invade Earth's resources, if it's completely uninhabitable or actually not, CMIIW.

And here, Gackt speaks in both Japanese and English. Maya is also played by Haruka Nakagawa, a member of AKB48.

Hey now! There was a few hours difference! I have a minimal amount of self-control, thank you! :p

Oh absolutely. Him continuing to throw stuff at Bat-Man even after the flashbang was not only funny, but showed just how great of a dude Uncle actually is.

Speaking of that Stone, I have no idea how Metal as an element correlates to being able to create zombies. Like, it's cool and all, but... what?

Maybe it was a music reference or something I dunno.

Few things are more badass than impaling yourself just to prove a point.

The impression I got was that Parallel World is on its last legs, thus making the theft of Earth's' resources a perceived necessity. It's definitely the sort of moral dilemma I could see many having Words about, to say the least.

I'd feel that Mikhail/Reza as Azazel is just isn't himself, because he's never the dubious type in all his previous scenes as both Reza and Mikhail, with Mikhail only knowing that he vows to crush Bima as Azazel. He regains control back on himself after Bima's apparent death, not that he realizes he was bad all this time.

Though still, Azazel retains his dark motif after turning to the heroes' side, showing that light or darkness, or power type, doesn't matter as in, it's the person wielding it. And here the previous MOTWs are nothing compared to Azazel who just beat them all in a boss rush, though as usual, more lesser characters than main ones don't get upgrades like Azazel. Velifer is stated in the story as the strongest Shadow Crisis, despite his more cowardly tactics, facing both of the Satrias at once.

It's the beginning of the end.

Reza is back, and the newest member of the family, but unfortunately, Rasputin's' master plan is almost complete.

Turns out the Emperor of Vudo isn't all talk either, as he uses his magic to quickly steal the Power Stones from Bima and Azazel, and as such, his ultimate weapon, the Grand Gator, is activated and let loose on the populace of Earth.

Depowered or not, the Iskandar family isn't one to back down, and all four sibling steel their resolve to save whoever they can, while also trying to think of a plan to take the Grand Gator down. Their last ray of hope comes in the form of God Helios, and together, they ride into battle to face their destinies...

And what a final bout it is! This finale is packed full of fighting, fighting, and more fighting! Infiltrating and managing to take down Grand Gator from the inside and Bima and Azazel's' final fight with Rasputin take up the majority of the episode's' run time, and even features a surprise appearance from the biological parents of Ray and Reza.

It's a very Ultraman-esque finale, with the people of Indonesia all offering their prayers to the Garuda Knights in their last stand. And of course, the world is saved from the Vudo Empire, with the Satria returning home to celebrate their victory. While many a plot thread is left hanging, this final episode leaves off in a very emotionally satisfying way, with every major character arc resolved in a bombastic final battle.

...Is what I would say if not for the very last minute.

Turns out, Iron Mask is alive! And he serves a new leader now who goes by Black Priest. Iron Mask is the one to ultimately kill Rasputin and the metaphorical hand of Black Priest reaches out towards the Earth.

I've said before in my various write-ups on shows that I am generally not a fan of sequel hook endings. And while I get that BIMA-X was likely put into production before this episode was filmed, I'm still not really a fan of it. I much more prefer my endings to be definitive. But hey, maybe whenever I get around to seeing the sequel I'll consider it all worth it, just as I do now with the writer change happening during the second half of BIMA. For now though, it's such a cliffhanger that it doesn't quite sit right with me.

Overall, I do like the finale, I just wish the very last minute were handled a bit differently. Final thoughts post will come tomorrow.

I do think that Rasputin's fight scene is a treat to watch here, one of what I liked more in this series, but unfortunately this leads for me to (coming in ep. 26 talk later). Grand Gator's power is also showcased to be on different level. Though as usual regarding my question for VUDO's goal, I don't think that Grand Gator destroying Jakarta (Indonesia's capital city, though it's planned to be changed in 2024) relates to taking the Earth's natural sources, making VUDO overall just taking over the world type.

It was a fittingly heroic and awesome finale for sure! I enjoyed seeing all four siblings of the Bramasakti-Iskandar family finally working together, with Rena and Randy protecting civilians while Ray and Reza get back their Power Stones from Grand Gator, concluding with Bima's and Azazel's synchronized Berubah and final battle against Rasputin!

Maybe this scene could've been the penultimate one instead of the last. I think it's pretty exciting though, as Topeng Besi is such an intriguing villain and he'll get more focus in the sequel. Humorous how he actually lives up to Rasputin's namesake better than Rasputin himself.

Looking forward to it! I have a lot of thoughts about that show as well. Just remember to watch The Beginning before Episode 1, as that movie shows how Ray becomes Bima-X. Also, expect even more new writers.

More specifically, the same crew of staff writers as Gokaiger and Wizard.

I mean, everyone being dead would make him taking all the planet's' natural resources alot easier, I'd think.

Yeah, Iron Mask coming back for sure took me by surprise. Made me think he'd promoted himself to new big bad at first. Very interested in seeing what BIMA-X does with his character.

Now that's something to get excited about!

Well I'm mostly going to save the details for that thread, but yeah, Komura Junko worked as a secondary writer on Gokaiger, Akibaranger and Wizard.

I'd like to point out though that Bima-X is actually her first time as head writer, followed by Zyuohger, LupinPatren and Zenkaiger (the other show with scientist parents going missing after discovering parallel worlds).

Zyuohger is my favorite 10s Sentai and Zenkaiger my favorite Reiwa Sentai, so I have high praise for her work.

I'm waiting for her to become the main writer of Rider.

Alright so we've reached the end I did plan on covering my brief thoughts on the remaining episodes.

Episode 20: A really nice episode, I'm always a sucker for hero visits the sick kid in the hospital stories. And this one delivered a really nice story and lesson, with both the kid and Bima learning from each other and taking their own steps forward. God Helios is a pretty cool power-up, though I will admit I laughed at mysterious voice taking the form of a PNG of Bima God Helios. Overall, a really fun episode and I wasn't expecting it to be a one-off either, which was a pleasant surprise.

Episode 21-22: Admittedly I don't have much to talk about the main plot here, but it is cool to see a bit more fleshing out of Vudo as a civilization in how Rasputin seems to be the main guy dictating the whole invasion. Our third member of Shadow Crisis doesn't make too big of an impression in these episodes. The main attraction and thing even I didn't know about was Gackt appearing as Bima Legend. I was a bit confused at who I was staring at when the episode first started, as if I knew him from somewhere, then the credits drop and 'Special Guest: Gackt' assaulted my senses and I went crazy. Dude's an absolute treat to watch here, even if he is the personification of 'Bullies Bima, Refuses to Elaborate, Leaves'. It's a mostly solid two-parter though I had a lot of fun purely thanks to Gackt's presence.

Episode 23: The big final battle between Bima and Azazel, its brother vs. brother and it definitely resonates with me a lot more than their constant battles in Episode 17. It's an emotionally powerful episode, with both combatants giving it their all, getting so tired they basically just start slugging each other, with Vudo basically betraying Azazel in the end. The result is Ray protecting Reza as best he can, even at the cost of his own life. This was such an effectively powerful cliffhanger that I basically said screw it and watched the next episode immediately instead of waiting a day like I did prior.

Episode 24: This episode gave me big, SSSS.Gridman Episode 11 Vibes in terms of how the status quo is handled. Because for most of the run time, we've got Reza as Azazel contemplating what to do now that he remembers what happened and is free from Vudo's grip. We also get a major focus on Uncle as well, the two sharing a nice quiet scene together after Uncle hilariously distracts the last member of Shadow Crisis which gives Reza enough time to give them cover to escape. It all caps off with Ray returning as Bima just in time for the two brothers to team up and beat the last member of Shadow Crisis. It's overall a solid episode with both this and 23 taking its spot as my favorite episodes of the show. Also at this point I decided I'd watch the final two episodes since I already was this far in. So I finished up Bima quite a few days ago before the thread.

Episode 25: It's the penultimate episode, and man, this episode along with last made me realize something. We hadn't actually seen everyone ride bikes in a while. That note aside, we get a fun opening battle with Bima and Azazel fighting against a horde of Combatmen set to Seperti Bintang, Rasputin ends up showing up to face them down himself and manages to actually quickly defeat them, before activating Grand Gator. We're very much in the first half of a finale, as despite the destruction going on, Ray, Reza, Randy, and Rena all stand together as a family against Grand Gator. It also helps that God Helios shows up too in the nick of time to get them close to the giant mechanical beast.

Episode 26: What a great finale overall, it's a very action packed one as we see our heroes and their family work together to stop Grand Gator. It all culminates in what I always love, the faith of people powering up the heroes to help them break through and win the day. In which we get a very satisfying beatdown of Rasputin by Bima and Azazel, the two going all out in one of my favorite sequences in the show. The day is saved, the family is all together, and while there are a few lingering questions, it wrapped up fairly alright. Well aside from the cliffhanger which I felt was odd, but not unwelcome. It was mostly surprising in that I assumed they'd close things off as a single series, though I guess they had already gotten to go ahead for X or were just confident they'd get another series. I did not expect Iron Mask to return under the banner of a new evil leader so I'm curious to see how that?ll go over in Bima X.

With all that said, did I enjoy my time with Bima? Yes I'd say I did. It's not the most amazing Tokusatsu I've ever seen but it is very enjoyable to watch, with refreshing locales, really cool suits, and a lot of moments filled with heart. I'm definitely happy I checked Bima out in the end, and I look forward to watching Bima X whenever that eventually happens.

Same here. Satria is very similar to Rider, so we can get a good idea of how that would be like from Bima-X.

I'm enjoying Rasputin's performance in last episode is why I personally got disappointed for the Bima finale regarding him. Like, it's not about Bima and Azazel's determination, but about dunno why Rasputin just seems to not fight back anymore against their barrages, not that he feels overwhelmed or something, or that he's too weakened to stand up or such, he just like stands there and watches.

Though it's also nice touch that in these part, the prayers are done with various different religions people here have, Islam, Christian, Catholic, Buddha, and Hindu all being featured to give their prayers, likely at least to show tolerance for the varying religions Indonesia have. Otherwise, the Grand Gator's insides is also quite bizzare to have ceramics like rooms in building, though I also felt that they don't decide enough to turn Rena into a fighter or not with her taking out a Kombatan here, but for the following later afterwards...

Black Priest revived Topeng Besi, and so yeah, your hope for getting to know more regarding Topeng Besi will be answered. Reino Barack actually stated that the sequel being made depends on the show's reception, and fortunately Bima is well-received enough there to have the sequel being made, though you don't like these kind of endings. And Bima-X is closer to full-sized toku that it has 50 episodes.

thanks for spoiling my final thoughts on the show jeez

That was really cool of the showrunners to do, yeah.

I got a giggle out of the very obviously dolled up hallway for sure.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON BIMA: THE GARUDA KNIGHT

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

BIMA isn't the great tokusatsu show ever made by any stretch.

The sound design is pretty bad, alot of the two-parters could've easily been one-off episodes, and there are a handful of arcs that just go nowhere.

But at the same time, it genuinely improves in every aspect as it goes on, the stuff it excels at remain highly enjoyable, and most importantly, it's got alot of heart to it that makes it hard to think everyone involved wasn't giving an honest effort.

As I continued to go through this relatively unknown toku show made in Indonesia, I more and more continued to think of it as a friend. Not just because the past month has been a bit rocky for me personally, but in the genuine warmth and growth I got to experience when watching it.

It's the sort of thing not many shows in general have to them. The sort of experience one has with a friend they know is by no means perfect, but continue to witness and cheer them on as as they continue to move forward in their life. And even if there are bumps in the road, at the end of the day, when you think of that person, you can't help but give atleast a little smile.

For me it's easy to say that BIMA's' biggest strength is its atmosphere, no matter which half of the show you're talking about. I've read people comparing the show to Kamen Rider Black, and while I can see some vague similarities, I'd be quicker to compare the show to Kuuga, which also has an atmosphere that I cite as its biggest strength. It takes the basics of the Showa Era and inserts the atmosphere and drama of early Heisei.

Is the overarching plot or the characters involved super deep and complex? No, but that's not at all required. While simple, the storytelling is handled with some surprisingly mature subject matter. And although none of the characters go through any super big changes, they're all played by actors who insert some wonderful charisma into their performances, and do their best with what they're given. Big highlights in the show such as the reuniting of the family would not work even half as well without everyone in the cast being so likable.

Even if it's not the best at any one particular aspect of itself, everything ends up coming together really well, and I'd highly recommend it to any Toku fan who thinks that any one of the Big Three are getting stale for them. Good action, good music, good characterization, and an especially good atmosphere make for an overall good time. I guess the short of it is that BIMA's' big heart is also its biggest asset, just like that one friend you know who isn't especially smart, or funny, or perhaps not even all that capable, but you know is always there to make you feel good, and really, what else could you ask for?

Overall, I rate BIMA: Satira Garuda a 4/6. Not the most incredible work ever, but a very fun and fulfilling one.

This felt like a wonderful return home.

"The Beginning" serves as the transition between the original BIMA and BIMA-X, and I was very impressed by it all around.

There's alot of reasons why, but the main one is just how natural the whole thing felt. It made me wonder just how long this sequel had been in the planning stages, because this really did feel like such a perfect follow up.

Sure, I could see some people calling it a retcon that Rasputin was only a small piece of the Vudo Empire, but not only am I used to other shows having similar hooks(Voltron, for example), but given the sequel hook at the end of the first show I really didn't feel like it at all came out of nowhere.

And that's not even getting into how all of the original cast is back, and quickly remind me of how endearing they all were. And while Ray is of course the main character, I felt like Reza had the best showing here, as the film shows how he's starting to feel inferior to his brother, and how that mentality is starting to drive his actions. It's such a great character hook and I hope to see more of it.

The movie shows a great bit of growth on a part of not just Reza, but the production staff too. The team behind BIMA has really started to hone their craft, as while it's not perfect, the film itself is rather well put together in terms of technicals. The CGI stages and green screening look great even when compared to more modern tokusatsu(like Geats), with scenes like Ray in Hell actually impressing me with how they were pulled off.

The action and stunt work is as fluid as it's ever been, and the music is great at carrying the mood of any given scene. I especially like the track that plays during the fight at the movie's' climax, and don't even get me started on how great the credits theme("Let Tomorrow Be" by Flumpool) is. Combine all this with all of the actors really nailing their characters by this point and the overall mood and tone of the film never once misses a beat. I really was surprised at just hooked I was by all of this.

If I had to give one notable gripe, and it's not even a major one, I'm sad to say that it's the Bima-X suit itself. Now, it and of itself, it's not a bad suit. But when compared to what came before it? It doesn't even hold a candle. And I get it, it's really tough competition, because the Bima and Azazel suits are basically perfect suits all around, but even so, this is a direct sequel, and as such the comparison must be made. And as such, it falls short. Thankfully though it's made up for by having a way better transformation sequence. Wings of fire might be considered a cliche at this point, but it's one I'll never not love.

But at the end of the day? Yeah, I had a great time watching this thing, and it makes me very excited to see what BIMA-X has in store going forward.

We're back!

Man, it feels great to be back with these guys. It was fun seeing the Iskandar/Bramasakti family again... and also it's only now I realize their names all start with R... Anyway, the gap between watching Bima and Bima-X definitely made me miss them and we've still got that classic Bima feel to it despite the upgrade in production quality.

It very much is a transitional special, but it ends up working tbh. The new stuff we get about Vudo mainly just expands the worldbuilding a lot more and also Black Lord has one of the most insane mask designs I've seen a villain general have.

Aside from one other gripe, I think my only minor gripe is that the audio feels a tad off. Mostly in that while listening with headphones it feels like the voices and music are coming from two separate sides instead of both at the same time. Other than that the effects are improving, and we still get some really fun fight scenes.

Speaking of the fights though, I'm digging our new Vudo Soldiers this time around and I can't wait to see what MOTW we'll be seeing this time around...

Okay I have to get to it too don't I?

Put me in the camp that prefers original Bima to Bima-X. Not that Bima-X is a bad suit, in fact I enjoyed what little we saw of it. But Bima's one of those lightning in a bottle designs that work instantly. So of course the new suit's going to have tough competition. That said I do like how we've gotten more Toyetic. While I'm fine with more static transformation devices, there's something that satisfies me about seeing people insert little trinkets or mess with their changer to transform.

This is a bit all over the place, but I really enjoyed this return to an unexpected favorite of mine. Also holy shit I was not expecting them to grab Flumpool for the ED.

Interesting. As I don't watch with headphones most of the time I didn't notice that. Will have to check if the show proper keeps that or not. I uh, I hope not.

It helps to make the gauntlet more dynamic without making it too unwieldy too. Like, I can only imagine what a pain it'd be to have during stunt work if all they did was like, make it bigger or something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh7qNQkML_A

Surprise! We're doing two episodes a post now!

Yeah, I didn't know if BIMA-X was going to have two-parters like how BIMA did, let alone them being structured the same. Turns out it does.

Because see, when it came to the original show, the ways its two-parters were laid out often left me kinda struggling with thinking about what exactly to talk about. So I decided that if BIMA-X played out the same, I'd just do two episodes a day.

And I feel as though it was the right decision to make, because when it comes to these two episodes, the first is pretty much nothing but an extended fight scene that introduces the very bare bones of how the show's' format works.

The second part meanwhile, while still heavy on the action, does lay some ground work for an ongoing plot, and even features the roles for Ray, Reza, and a new character who seems oddly interested in the Power Stones, while also working for a mysterious benefactor. There's little bits of comedy in both episodes, but it's mostly action all around.

What little bits of comedy there are aren't bad though. I got a giggle out of the crab monster doing the crab walk, and the other lighthearted moments, while not laugh out loud funny, did give me a smirk. It was also cool to see how Ray and Reza worked as a team throughout this thing. With Ray handling the monster of the week while Reza handled the Gladion mooks and later searching for the cause of the volcano.

On that note though, I am sad to see Reza go off on his own come the end of the second episode. I hope it doesn't mean we're going to go a large chunk of the show without him, as again I've grown to rather like this cast, and thus his presence will be missed. But hey, atleast the little bits where the cast talk to the audience at the start of the episode is back. No, seriously, it actually did put a smile on my face to see that aspect be retained from the original BIMA, and I hope we get some really insane ones like what the old show had.

Last but not least, I'm also glad they brought Ungu back for the opening song. But just like when comparing the Bima-X suit to Bima, while the new song is nice... man, it just doesn't compare to Seperti Bintang. Again, it's really tough competition, almost unfairly so, but still, it must be said.

All in all, a decent way to kick us off on a new adventure.

So first off, I really enjoy both OP and ED, the new OP isn't going to hit the highs of Seperti Bintang but I'm just glad we've got another good OP. I also like that are ED highlights fan-art too, that's really cool.

That said, yeah there really isn't much to talk about in these two episodes other than there being a lot of action. We've got some minor plot threads going, and I'm honestly sad to see that Reza is seemingly going to hardly be in the show. If only because that means less Azazel. I felt like we've had some good Double Riders energy going on with him and Ray so it's a shame he seems to be going on a collectible hunt for the foreseeable future.

What a gorgeous shot!
https://i.ibb.co/hHXnJSt/Bima-X.png

I think this shows how Bima was so amazingly popular and successful that Bima-X's action is comparable to Toei's works. Of course, with this being a movie, it makes even more sense that they would raise the bar for this one. Ray going to Hell and resurrecting as Bima-X is an awesome climax for sure!

I like the Bima-X suit a lot and think it does a good job looking more distinct to Azazel and Bima Legend. Similar to the whole red/blue thing with Helios, the reason for this distinction is probably something that will make more sense to you later.

I'm actually okay with that. Since I last watched this show 10 years ago and due to it being approximately twice the length of its predecessor, I doubt my memory to recall the specifics of each episode, but I can probably talk more generally about the events of the 2-parters easily enough.

You're watching a Komura show now, so you can totally expect more of the comedy you know and love from Wizard. It was good to see how Bima-X and Azazel work together to deal with a relatively simple MOTW plot, before Reza's quest heralds the new status quo.

Yeah, I like the new silver-rimmed version of the Power Stones. They're gimmick items now, but still small enough to not feel obstructive. Easier to roleplay than pulling a ball of light out of your chest anyway.

Seperti Bintang is iconic for sure, but yeah, I also think the new OP is pretty good and the fact that Bima-X has an ED as well is something I'm sure we can appreciate.

I assure you guys, there's some high quality Azazel content to look forward to!

Oh yeah, it's always great when fanart makes it into a toku. In any form, really. Shout out to the kid who colored Revi and Geats as Cyclone and Joker!

Oh yeah, the crew behind these shows have really leveled up over time.

The mere fact that BIMA was able to gain an audience outside of its native country shows just how much the hard work of everyone involved paid off. And I'm glad it did!

I mean, if that means that BIMA-X is gonna end up with its own version of Shunpei, that'd be a surefire way to win my heart.

okay but like imagine if someone was able to actually do that though

This makes me happy to know, thanks!

Riku Sanjo jumpscare.

Yeah, color me surprised when the head writer of Kamen Riders W and Drive popped up to write this two-parter about Honor and Pride.

Color me double surprised when it turned out that just because he has an objective different than Ray, that Reza isn't out of the show at all. In any other Toku, Reza would've immediately disappeared for entire episodes at a time.

The base premise is simple: The Blue Power Stone has been located after Ray sent it away in "The Beginning" and thus begins a made dash of both sides to claim it for themselves. And while any tokusatsu fan could come to some conclusions based on the titles, I feel like these episodes shook things up.

Firstly, someone obtaining the Stone doesn't take both episodes. And it's also not the de-facto way that Bima-X claims victory in the end either. Rather, the Blue Stone is Ray's' reward not just for beating the Bee Monster, but also for sticking true to his virtues. While I feel the execution of the moral is a little messy, it overall worked for me, since I got the core of what they were getting at.

Speaking of Ray though, I feel as though he's become a little unhinged after all the battles he's gone through. Part 1 features him getting pelted with arrows in order to unlock Ultra Instinct, and the climax has him demand that the safety tips be taken off. And yet this absolute madman manages to pull it off. And that's without any sort of transformation, either. Like, are the wind powers any sort of upgrade at that point?

On that note, the Blue Power Stone. I do like that now when Ray modifies the stones to match his new Red one, the design on the silver trim is unique to each stone. And while I do love me some form changes, I feel like the way it's pulled off here isn't ideal in terms of my aesthetic tastes. I wish that the undersuit also changed color at the very least. And that's not even getting into how much I liked/preferred how the stones would grant different weapons and augments in the original BIMA.

The last things that I can think of bring up are kinda scattershot: First, how much I'm liking BIMA-X's' OST. Episode 4 actually had a really nice score all around, and the tracks here are standing out alot more to me than what they did in the original show. Next, I find it both cool and interesting that this show is keeping the puffs of smoke used for impact effects that's been around since the old days rather than using the usual Sentai Sparks. And last, man, I was not expecting Lady Mossa to be Rouge the Bat from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. This all certainly adds a layer of fun to everything, to say the least!

But yeah, the show appears to be picking up momentum now that the straight forward introductory episodes are over, and I'm interested in seeing where this new potential format goes.

Bima-X Storm's interesting because it's adding a lot more onto an already fairly complex suit. I don't think I mind it too much but it'll be a form that probably grows on me as time goes on.

The monster suits continue to be really cool though, Azellot's definitely my favorite of the new monter suits so far.

That said yeah, Ray is insane when it comes to his training methods this season. Like yeah, just have Randy shoot you with arrows while you're blindfolded Ray! That'll surely help! I mean it does in the end... but it's still unhinged!

It's the Zodiarts robe he wears, isn't it?

Surprisingly, no. Since that's a thing they all wear. I just think he's pretty cool for a bee monster really.

The bad boys are back in town. Whatcha gonna do?

Sure, there's what is technically the A plot about a little boy reconciling with his older brother, but we all know what we're actually here for, right?

And I gotta tell you, it made me so happy to see Iron Mask and half the crew of Shadow Crisis come back. It really showed how much I enjoyed the cast of the original show that I don't even care about a proper explanation and I just loved seeing them in action again. Heck, I even liked seeing the two Combatmen mooks show up on screen for all of four seconds before mysteriously disappearing!

What also helps is that the fight with these characters are really good too. Especially in regards to the fight that ends off the first part and kicks off the next. Some really great choreography there!

The overall moodiness of the Ghost Ship/Building set made for a great location too; Helping to fill the episode with a sense of dreariness that's very befitting of the characters who return for this one. For those who don't remember, Karax(Crow) was Ice, and Zacros(Goat) was Illusion.

Ricca(the camera lady) also shows that she's got alot more intel than anyone should have: Having a map of the building connected to the Ghost Ship. And Ray's' line makes me wonder: Did she ever tell Ray her name? Because I don't think she did. Well whatever, it lead to a nice save from Randy and Rena, and it's always nice to have the family be involved in these things. Now we just gotta wait for Uncle to be the hero at some point.

But yeah, this was a fun return of the villain characters that I really liked from the original BIMA, and I'm interested to see how these multiple factions are all gonna play off eachother going forward.

I do like that even though he got a new form, Ray still wants to train to use it properly. I also like that since Helios is sentient, it basically gets to be his training partner. It's also interesting to see we're not getting everything about a form right away, given we just now got a new weapon and finisher a couple of episodes after its debut.

That said oh man, Shadow Crisis is back and Iron Mask didn't actually die? I was honestly surprised to see them get rid of him in The Beginning, so it's nice to see him return. Granted it seems like Black Lord and Rexor were expecting this. So I'm curious to see what exactly these two are planning. Because it's clear after these past couple of episodes that Rexor's definitely higher on the totem pole to the Black Lord than he seems.

I think my only little miff is that I think Iron Mask's new arm cannon is a tad dinky looking for how much power it packs.

Also Karax and Zacros were some of my faves of the original Shadow Crisis so it's great to see them back too.

Reminds me of that Super Mega Force episode where Noah trained with swinging blades. I guess Ray can get more psyched up if he knows that the training is just as deadly as it would be in a real fight, but yeah, there's no way he would've done something so reckless in the previous season.

While I was also a little confused about the minimalistic form changes at first, I eventually started to like them. Ray has the strongest synchronization with Power Stone Merah, so I think it kind of makes sense that most of the suit stays the same. This design concept may have been ahead of its time, since a year later we got a Rider whose form changes were just wearing different jackets. I think Bima-X does it better than Agito anyway, since Bima-X at least changes the head.

Like that short instrumental track that plays when Bima-X assumes Storm Mode. Each form has its own variation and I love how it sets the mood for the new form.

Topeng Besi is just too angry to stay dead! :lol Cool to see Shadow Crisis back as well, Zacros is always entertaining to watch and since Karax only got one episode before, it's fair that he gets a comeback here.

Another sign of the franchise's improvement in Tokusatsu quality, as this ghost ship setting feels climactic, like something you'd typically expect to see much later. The staff are seriously showing off and it's awesome! Totally a strong first impression from Kihara Daisuke, the writer for this 2-parter and also the next one.

Like Stella Cornelia who portrays Rena, Ricca's actress Thalia is also a member of the idol group JKT48. So yeah, you can expect her to be important, which is good since the sudden absence of Belinda left a vacancy for a second female character.

Yeah, it's cool when a new form doesn't reveal its full hand from the gecko, as this increases the form's longevity for future appearances. For Showa Riders, this was basically essential due to lack of form changes, like V3 with his 53 secrets.