We're already getting form upgrades, holy smokes! I'm totally just waiting for this show to go nuts, well, really just go more nuts.

As far as Lazer goes though, I think even though he was just lying to Emu the whole episode he won't really be as antagonizing as Brave and Snipe. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up opening up as the series went along.

I'm thinking the same way. He seems to show genuine concern in that flashback, for one. And that's from the VotW's own perspective, so it can be assumed to be "true". It seems more like he's just exceptionally aloof and weird, more than anything. Like if Tendou were the side character instead of the protagonist.

That being said, I would really start to appreciate Brave more if the show were to start highlighting how, despite his attitude, he's actually Emu's most reliable ally.

That being said, I want my Kamen Riders to actually ride something, dangit!

The narrated intro still gives me strong Gaim vibes.

I like Lazer, he's not like Snipe and I think he'll become more of an ally later on with Brave. Also, maybe I'm late noticing this, but Graphite was holding Genm's gun weapon, but the preview looks as if the human villain is Genm. Also, anyone get Gundam vibes from Ex-Aid new form in the preview?

Adding on to Genm kicking arse, that's actually making him a pretty intimidating villain. The colour palette is MUCH better and gives off a more sinister look, his theme is kickass and scream 'Oh shit he's here', he doesn't talk which gives the impression he's out for blood, and him beating the others to an inch of their life with ease is SCARY as it basically means "I can decide when I want you dead. I'm always going to be out there and if I want to, I WILL finish you off". Fantastic

It's the v-fin that does it. And everybody's eyes are already straight out of SD Gundam to begin with.

I guess. There's just something strangely quirky about him to me. For whatever reason I can just picture him going like "oh, s***, did I leave the oven on again?" every time he walks out on a fight. Like he's just trying to play it off like it's deliberate.

I'm probably just spoiled by that other black and purple (kind of) Rider from a couple years ago who was no less threatening but had clear motives by this point. Not that anyone can ever be as cool as Chase in general.

Obviously they're two totally different styles of characters, and I do dig Genm so far, but I'm really curious what his purpose is going to be.

Really? I think GENM's ambiguous motives make him more threatening. I could never really take Chaser seriously. He'd interfere with Drive on his way to stop the MOTW, get BTFO'd, and that would be it. Over and over again.

This time, GENM isn't just a roadblock. He's actively seeking out and engaging our heroes with the intention of beating them down for some unknown reason. That's FAR more scary and threatening to me.

The thing about Machine Chaser was, at the start, he was so tough running away was Shinnosuke's default response. Drive couldn't put up a decent fight until he got his first form change, which seems to be what's going to happen with Ex-Aid too. Even after that, anytime it looked like he was about to become a joke he would just get tougher, all without any fancy new merchandise. The repetition is part of his appeal to me. He was never actually stopped so much as fended off long enough to beat the MotW that episode.

His clear motivations also made it clear he was driven, too. The whole mystery man thing definitely has its own appeal, but I prefer the way Drive did it. Just a personal thing. I really don't mean to say "zOmg Genm wurst cHaracTer Evar!", because he isn't.

I guess I'll just have to see where he goes. I feel sort of bad picking on Ex-Aid when it's only four episodes in, because I have enjoyed it a lot already, but I'm not finding it engaging to the level other people already seem to be so far.

Which reminds me, most of the time that Chaser was still a real threat, Mach hadn't even been introduced. Almost always, Drive alone managed to hold his own, or at least just enough to make an escape. Every time we've seen GENM he's singlehandedly beaten multiple Riders into complete submission like it's nothing, just before letting them off with their lives only because he allows it.

I'm just saying, to me, GENM is much more threatening than Chase ever was.

I wasn't trying to say you're wrong for thinking that way, and I do understand understand that line of thinking, but to me, his blatant lack of interest in actually killing the Riders severely undercuts the fact that he easily could. I think my problem here is that I'm not just assuming he has a good reason to leave them alive.

Got to watch this episode today!! Am I the only person that noticed that the Bugster's head/helmet looked like the grunt/soldiers from Gokaiger/SMF?