Exactly! I love Ore Journal as a whole and I hope they stay in business forever.

In other news, I just finished episode 26 of Fourze, and while I'm still having a mostly good time, the latest two-parter really highlighted what I feel is the biggest issue I take with this show. That being that there's really only three characters I actually care about.

Like, when the whole drama about Miu and Shun leaving popped up, I wasn't like "Oh no a part of the gang is leaving." I was just more like "Alright then."

The show likes to act as though everyone in the KRC has had a gigantic amount of development and are BFFs for life but, there's really not much in the way of supporting that. Heck, even in the flashback, all we see are clips of their debut episodes and nothing else, because there's really not much else to go on.

The biggest highlight to me was actually how it was made clear that Ryusei was starting to warm up to everyone, because like Tomoko, he's actually been doing so in a more organic and believable way, ontop of already being an entertaining character to watch.

Also I gotta ask, why does Fourze get called out for specifically being a W ripoff? I mean yeah, they share alot of similarities, but you know what other shows Fourze has alot in common with?

Damn near every other Kamen Rider show ever.

No, really. It seems to me like Fourze is instead taking a ton of aspects across the series history and putting them in a blender to see what sticks. Which makes sense, being the 40th Anniversary season and all. Like, yeah, it probably the takes the most from W and OOO, but I feel like calling it solely W-2 isn't exactly fair, ya know?

I spent the last couple days reading the manga version of Kamen Rider Black, and I dug it! You know that awesome tone and atmosphere Black had for its first six episodes? Yeah, the manga keeps that for the majority of it. That's not to say it's perfect(the last few chapters are all kinds of what), but I do prefer it over the toku version for the most part. That said, I feel like the ideal version of Black is some sort of inbetween of the two versions. Maybe one day we'll get an anime or a movie reboot that'll do just that. I'd totally watch it.

Rider Time Ryuki: Hold my beer.

Though, it's in line with reality, ORE Journal was an online publication that relied on tips sent in by its readers. When Zi-O revisits the series, it's revealed that the ORE Journal had gone out of business because of the rise of social media, since the people who used to send in tips could now just post them to their accounts.

Doing an Ex-Aid rewatch, Kiriya's "death" always gets me....

INFINITY. INFINITY. INFINITY. INFINITY. INFINITY. SOMETHING SOMETHING BUBBLE WATER SOMETHING.

Good work, Wizard belt. You'd been mostly tolerable after that insanely obnoxious first impression, but this moment reminded me again of how much I (love to) hate you.

But yeah, I want to talk about Wizard! Episode 31-32 in particular is obviously an important point in the show, a pivotal moment for Haruto's character and how I perceive him in particular. A main character temporarily losing power isn't a new ground as far as toku or basically any superhero-adjacent show goes, but this one worked well for me. Haruto has always radiated confidence and poise since the very first episode, and the way he keeps showcasing/getting new power practically every other episode, it's easy to label him as a Gary Stu; which makes this display of vulnerability effective to me. It's not like he's got a hero complex or strive for the power in the first place, but it's so revealing to see how much he derives his self-worth from being a Wizard, how shook he got when he lost that.

Haruto's penchant for plain sugar donut has always been interesting to me beyond its function as mildly amusing recurring gag. It signifies his preference for a sense of order and status quo, of being in a comfort zone and not giving a damn to those people yelling at you to try out new things or learn to spread your wing. I can actually vibe with that. Sure, you need to get out of the comfort zone if it's actively harming others or stunting your growth, but what if you had worked hard to get into that zone in the first place? It's not a bad thing, just like how it's not a bad thing Haruto keeps eating the same type of donut. On the other hand, this arc also reflects how you don't just define yourself by that one thing you're doing/having, since you can also lose it at any time. Be comfortable doing the same thing you like, but also be mentally prepared of dealing with change when it comes to be. Something like that.

Good battle/confrontation with a pretty unnerving Phantom, too. Koyomi's role is as predictable as ever, but at least they give her something to do after basically being a background decor for twenty episodes for so. Haruto regaining his power through a teardrop does feel like a cheesy deus-ex-machina solution, but okay, I'm willing to let that one slide. The belt noise, and that super bubbly insert song during the battle, tho? Yeah, they're a really bad fit to what is supposedly a tense and emotionally charged scene. I dunno, maybe it's just me taking this thing too damn serious :v

Apart from that, I found the Phantoms' group to be the most interesting element of the show, definitely moreso than the good guys' group; whether it's Phoenix' fatalistic path of destruction, Gremlin's apparent hidden agenda and curious insistence on referring to everyone with their human names, or Medusa's cunning pragmatism and the link with her host's twin sister. Speaking of Mayu, I guess she'll come back as a tertiary Rider and hopefully makes the protagonists' group dynamics more interesting; on the other hand, the White Wizard is obviously shady as hell, and there's a trend with female Riders going in a quest for vengeance that tends to end up badly (see Miho in Ryuki, Shuki/Akira in Hibiki). We'll see, but this is a development I'm looking forward to see how it goes.

Generally, my viewing impression of Wizard follows a similar trajectory to Blade's: lukewarm beginning but gradually gets more interesting, mixed bag of intriguing characters and people who are just there without doing much, and a main Rider who felt really bland in the beginning but slowly grew on me as the show progressed. Oh, and while not exactly my cup of aesthetic, it's undeniably pretty to look at.

Haven't seen Rider Time yet, and it already broke my heart.

Whoa, what a coincidence, I just bought used hard copies of the manga couple of weeks ago (it's localized and published in my country in the 1990s). I remember reading a volume of it as a kid, and not liking it because it's very different to the show, but now I'm very eager to revisit it. Was planning to post about it in the manga thread at some point.

I just finished episode 36 of Fourze, and I gotta say, the latest two-parter?

Probably the absolute worst I've gotten from this show so far. Just like... wow, I barely even know where to begin.

First there's the fact that it's centered on JK, the worst character. Second, it has a really terrible moral(Never think about the future, only the present). And third, the story sucked in general and raised a ton of questions about episodes prior.

Maybe it's just TVN's' subs(which have been shaking in terms of quality with the later episodes), but I feel like all the problems I've been having with Fourze really came to a head with these episodes, and this is after a long stride of episodes I mostly liked(9-34).

So far I think the biggest problem I have with the show though is that, for a story that's meant to have Friendship at its front and center theme, it has a very... narrow(I guess that's the word?) view of the concept. Like, I typically don't like harping on something for what it isn't and prefer to focus on what it actually is, but there's so many great angles they could've taken.

Like examining the quality of the people you keep around you, the consequences that toxic friendships can have on people, and how sometimes despite your best intentions, some people just can't be reasoned with(just to name a few). Instead the show(and Gentaro) seems more focused on simply going "Be friends with everyone, even if they're terrible because hey, they'll come around eventually! Add another to the checklist!"

Heck, the focus on quantity over quality has really stunted alot of our core characters in terms of their development too. Another two-parter to flesh out JK some more would've been fine, but instead it just made him even worse in my eyes. I feel the show would've been way better had it been more focused on developing the core cast it had and showing everyone growing together. Literally just be Kamen Rider Breakfast Club. But sadly no, almost willing to bet even after this "improvement" JK will go back to being in the background being useless and almost everyone else in the KRC will remain one-note.

It's not like I outright hate the show or anything, but man, unless things take a serious upward swing in the last act, Fourze is definitely the bronze medal of the Foundation X Trilogy.

Nice! Very lucky you have official translations. I look forward to reading what you think of the manga as a whole.

Fourze and Wizard were a bit of a bland time in general for toku in my book, like Go-Busters and especially Kyoryuger weren't among my favourites. I actually tended to prefer the ''additional'' toku shows in 2012+2013! 2010 still probably had the least choice for me though.

That's too bad! I actually distinctly remember not only really liking that arc, but it being the only time I ever felt strongly (in a positive sense, anyway) towards JK. I really got into and felt the conflict of him wanting to make use of the Zodiart's power to rise to stardom, but in the end realising that he wouldn't be happy if it came from a lie. Capricorn himself is basically an afterthought to me compared to all that, but I thought the pathos in this two-parter was actually one of the more genuine ones in Fourze.

The entire plotline of it makes no sense and only further compounds that JK is not only a horrible person, but a terrible friend in general and makes you wonder why they even keep him around. His double-crossing ways aren't just petty, but life-threatening. Hell, atleast Ryusei was attempting to save the life of someone he clearly loved. JK has no such excuse and did everything for his own self-satisfaction. And he doesn't even have drugs(a Switch) as an excuse. But by the end the entire group is just like "Oh you~" It infuriates me. It's also a step backwards in his character too, considering he'd already learned betrayal bites you in the end in his first two-parter.

Well since we’re going with (arguably) hot takes, I’ll give mine for Hibiki after 11 episodes.

I really don’t think the show has much substance to it. The plot feels too straightforward and a lot of stuff that could be interesting (where did these monsters come from? How are the same two people helping them? How did the TAKESHI group discover the existence of ONI and the stuff needed to help them?) and the plot of Asami trying to find his way in life feels very predictable and straightforward. That’s not a good thing.

In terms of visuals, I feel like I’m watching Kuuga again. And anyone who’s followed my posts know that’s not a compliment.

What drives you to rewatch it again?

The Makamou are at least somewhat naturally recurring monsters. They are the children of the Douji and Hime, the more humanoid couple that you see accompanying them. Those are not the same people each time, but a different set of similar-looking characters. There is some kind of power structure behind the scenes, but a) you haven't gotten to those episode yet, and b) it didn't get fully explained before the show was cancelled.

As for the Takeshi Group, it's an organization that's been training and supporting Oni in their fights against the Makamou for centuries. We do get some glimpses into how the order works (including a peak at some of the disk animals' ancestors), but the show never stops to do a long exposition dump on the origin of the Oni. It's a lot like Garo in the sense that this show isn't the complete story of the fight against the Makamou - it's been going on for a long time and will likely continue long after the show's events end (probably - I've never seen any concrete information on how the show was meant to end).

But the show's not really about the Oni and their fight, after all. It's primarily the story of Asumu and his journey towards becoming more mature and self-confident (and less stalker-y) by his exposure to Hibiki and the others. That's part of why the show doesn't give out all of the history, because we as the audience are positioned alongside Asumu as outsiders who suddenly find themselves in the middle of this crazy ancient order of monster hunters.

And personally, I think the show is very beautiful and stylish in its cinematography. Dodgy 2005 CGI is gonna dodgy 2005 CGI, though.

I've actually been rewatching Kuuga (never saw it with the Grongi subtitles before, so it seemed like a good time to revisit it since it got an official release). I tend to think that Kuuga and Hibiki are both shows I find more interesting than something that inspires rabid fanaticism in me. I respect them and enjoy aspects of them, but neither entirely clicked with me for a multitude of reasons. I think mostly my tastes veer more towards the flamboyant side of things, if that makes sense, and the more grounded approaches of these shows doesn't appeal as much. I also find the protagonists in both a bit too idealized. I would love to see a future Rider show handle its extended cast as well as Kuuga does though, even non-Rider characters get complete and cohesives arcs and Ichijo is like the gold standard for how to handle a major non-Rider character.

As a controversial opinion though, I would TOTALLY have a person who had never seen Kuuga before watch with the Grongi subtitles. I think understanding what they are saying actually makes the mystery more intriguing by giving you a bit more info to go on, and you get a better grasp on the relationships between the individual Grongi. Even back when the show first aired I'm sure fans translated it as the episodes aired and discussed it, so its hardly something that I think needs to be some massive secret!

Saw the Fourze movie. Overall, I felt that it was pretty stupid plot-wise. But man, those action scenes were absolutely stellar.

I watched the movie originally purely for Groundyne and Skydyne. Everything else was filler.

Inga Blink (Mikie Hara) tho...

I fell behind on Zero-One when classes started getting a bit intense. Which was way back in October, last episode I saw was episode six. Finally getting around to getting caught up now that it's nearly over. Watched episodes seven through eleven tonight. It's a really good show, I regret falling so far behind. The character stuff is all super strong, and the plot about AI achieving singularity pretty interesting. I learned a bit about than concept in an ethics class from a grrat professor a few years ago, though all I remember now is the general idea as explained in Zero-One. One thing I really love about this show compared to other Rider stuff I've seen is the flashyness of the effects, how awesome the finishers look. It's visually a very fun show to watch. I used to take screenshots of it as 8 watched back in the fall, but found the constant pausing and fast-forwarding/rewinding to get the perfect picture made a 24 minute show take about an hour to watch, so in the interest of time I've abandond that idea. I know a lot of spoilers about the next 30 or so episodes, but it's a good enough show I'm happy to watch the rest of it despite knowing most of what's going to happen

I've been watching Kuuga on shoutfactory and finished episode 24 been enjoying the series so far though i do find myself having a hard time trying to binge it compared to Zero One. I think its just because of the slower pace which isn't a bad thing in my opinon.

I've also been catching up on Zero One since i just started watching it a few weeks ago. Up to episode 31 now though. Love the show so far even if some Aurto's bad jokes makes me cringe a little XD. Fights have been amazing too.

I finished Fourze.

And I'm sorry to say, the final stretch did nothing for me. I overall don't hate the show by any stretch, but it's definitely on the lower end of Rider shows for me.

I think the biggest issue I have with the show is its insistence on quantity over quality. This in terms of its pacing, its characters, and most importantly, the star of show himself, Gentaro.

It puts a major focus on two-parters, but the writing isn't nearly impactful or fulfilling enough to actually justify alot of them without resorting to using contrivances to keep the plots from being solved. It has you meeting a bunch of new characters almost every episode, but almost none of them are very memorable.

And then there's Gentaro where... I'm not saying he's a bad person by any means, but it's clear he cares alot more about exactly how many friends he can have and making his dead parents happy, rather than creating any deep and meaningful connections with the ones he does manage to have. Don't believe me? Here's my evidence:

Claims early on to have 1000 friends, yet we never hear about any of them. He never mentions any of them in passing, never brings up any past experiences or memories he's had with them, and when it comes to the various friends he makes at Ama High, if they aren't in the KRC, he never even keeps up with or makes a point to check in on them. Gentaro is very much a "just friends" kind of guy.

Which brings me to something else: The KRC members are incredibly underdeveloped for what is supposed to be our core cast. I feel like I would've cared alot more had the show been much more focused about having all of them as the focal point. Like having all the new Zodiarts fought every two-parter being tied directly to one of them in some way, or even just offering a moral of the day for one of them to grow off of.

And that gets me thinking about something else. There's almost never a concerted effort to try and reason with any of the Zodiarts. Even when a Zodiart hasn't even done anything(like when they first met Capricorn), they're quick to attack them. While I suppose this might have to do with Japan being incredibly Anti-Drugs, it's definitely jarring when just two years prior we had W, which had the message of "use drugs responsibly" due to its own allegory with the Gaia Memories.

And on the other end of the scale, they're also way too quick to forgive alot of the Zodiarts who HAVE done incredibly wrong. Like the guy who tried to murder a bus full of women because he got turned down by them. He's just forgiven and forgotten about when everything is said and done. I understand that Fourze is aimed at young children, but by the same merit, when Ryusei kills Gentaro, everyone in the KRC is rightfully upset and has every intent to cut ties with him. Ryusei has to earn everyone's' respect again. The Zodiarts, however? Even the one who kills Kengo? Free pass. You can't have it both ways, guys.

Speaking of young kids, I find it rather funny that people are quick to deride Power Rangers as "childish" when Fourze is really, really childish alot of times. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I feel like there's a clear double standard here in terms of the community, you know? Heck, going back to the "easily forgiven" bit real quick, atleast Tommy was under mind control and did nothing of his own volition(and the Rangers knew this), making the groups willingness to forgive him alot more understandable. People like the Big Bad of Fourze, who's completely willing to wipe out an entire country for his own selfish desires, mind controls people, outright sacrifices his own "friends", and all of his own volition? Yeah, no. I don't care if Kengo said not to hate him. Not hating him and out and out forgiving and honoring him are entirely different.

Overall I feel like Fourze would've been alot better had it swung more one way or the other; Either being alot more focused on a character driven narrative, or just out and out being a comedy season. Because I rather liked the arcs that Kengo and Ryusei had, and the two-parters focused on Tomoko and Yuki were rather well done. Plus, most of the comedy this season was actually really on point. I laughed alot!

I give Fourze a rating of 3/6. It's just okay. Not terrible, but it could've been so much more, and it's definitely the Bronze Medal of the Foundation X Trilogy.

Just started rewatch my favorite KR after watching it during its original release : KR Ex-aid.
I wanted to let time pass to see if my judgment was altered during the current run or anything.
And after watching Ep1 and 2. there's something I can say : Where are you people who found Aruto was unbearable because of his goofy jokes and face at the start of Zero-One ? (and I'm kinda including myself as well even if I never hated Aruto for that).

For people who thought that way and loved Ex-aid. Just watch the first half of Ex-Aid Ep1. If aruto faces are too much, what about Emu stumbling 10 times, him making 'eeeeeeeeh" faces as well, and the wide angle face shot ? (the whole scene with the cart. oh my god...)
I feel kinda stupid for pointing at this particular trait of Aruto when the 1st trailer appeared. I didn't remember Ex-Aid was so goofy.

Well, I’ve recently watched Hibiki 24. And yeah, I think it’s the best episode so far. It’s making up for all my issues with the previous episodes by giving me some really good choreo and incredibly distinct looking Kaijin.

That said, I’m wondering if Hibiki Kurenai was another Amazing Mighty situation, or whether there was some toy released that I’m unaware of.

https://i.imgur.com/4BSQQlO.png


Two episodes in and that's enough to determine that this is a pretty fun show!

I'm already a little tired of Reiwa, so I decided I wanted to step back into kinda-technically-sorta-not-really-Heisei. Like, it was a year prior and the sequel show that Kotaro's still the Main Rider of is within the Heisei period so, shut it, Heisei show!

Don't know why I'm arguing that point so much though when it's made clear from the get-go how extremely unapologetically Showa this is! From the cyborg surgery to the hooded figures to the narrator determined to turn this into tell-don't-show, it turns out 15 or so years doesn't exactly change a whole lot -- and I love it! This is like the exact mix of goofiness and genuinely darker storytelling I just adore, and I'm finding it reminds me a lot of ZO - especially when the Kaijin step in. No-one, uh, no-one really prepared me for how horrifying these things are! They led with these horrible looking spider bastards with some serious budget behind them and... lord, okay, getting ahead of myself.


The first episode is wonderfully split up into three distinct acts -- Kotaro running away across the city; Kotaro returning home; and Kotaro running into his dad for some answers. The first one is an excellent opening to the whole show. It's practically shot like a horror movie, and between intimidating lady, discount Dr. Doom and the makeup on the short dude here I'm not having a hard time feeling the atmosphere! It's not long before they chuck in a flashback to ensure you Golgom is basically Shocker in their methods of accidentally making their greatest enemy, and that flashback soon turns to reality when we get Kotaro transforming for the first time. I love this transformation sequence. I knew about Batta Man (thanks wiki), but I wasn't aware of just how little he's shown and referenced. It's wonderful, like a little peak at the monstrosity Kotaro's been engineered into right before his overwhelming human spirit converts it into a tool of justice. It's a very confused first henshin for Kotaro, too; he's still very much on the run and has no idea what's happening -- sure he summons his fun bike which he refuses to get off with Kuuga-esque tenacity and he's got a lot of great choreography, but I love just how not in the right state of mind he is. I'm not even sure if he had a belt in this scene? I didn't see it on 'Black Sun', and if I'm right, it's a great choice!

After beating up those losers he returns home, where after not much of note happens other than the subs not translating the intent of Kyoko making clear she's Kotaro's sister; our main hero heads to the conveniently fight-scene-friendly abandoned warehouse... for probably the best scene in the whole episode. Throughout my little Toku Journey I've seen a lot of ways to try and balance out a main character's love and disdain for their shitty dads but I think this is one of the best ones -- Kotaro's dad is acting out of desperation here and it couldn't be more clear. Golgom in his eyes is a conglomerate too ancient and too powerful to be stopped, and will conquer the world. So when they came to him with a bunch of money and a promise to keep his sons safe? Damn right he's gonna take it! ... but also, as Kotaro so wonderfully puts it; all he's done is sold their souls to the devil and twist their bodies in terrible agonising ways. It's understandable why Father Minami did what he did and Kotaro still clearly holds love for him, but he's never so much as attempted to be framed as in the right or of holding any rationality. He sold that away the day he signed up for Golgom.


Kamen Rider Black's first henshin is very wonderfully underpinned with Kotaro's proclamation of the full title, his standing in front of a passed loved one and a great daytime-lit shot to show our hero in his full glory. Despite that I like how he's hardly shown to be invincible; those nightmarish spider suits are really pulling their weight by pulling their silk left and right... and I think this was a great choice of a first monster. There being a ton of them makes sense for their being spiders and it lets Black show off all his cool attacks and feel like an absolute powerhouse just tearing through all of them.


With a lovely final shot of Black fading back into Kotaro... I think I'm gonna like this show, at least for a bit. I've heard from this very thread that it gets a big ol tonal shift later down the line, but for now I'm enjoying the mix of showa-isms and more heisei-ish direct drama and horrible implications about Kotaro's backstory.

I think it's been a little over half a year since I watched BLACK, and I'm frankly still just floored by how tight that first episode is. It's got atmosphere for days in the opening, smoothly establishes the characters in the middle, and brings it all together for an epic heroic fight by the end. It's no wonder you enjoyed it! Hopefully the rest of the show proves as much fun for you. But I mean, I'm sure Battle Hopper alone will make the experience worth it. :p

Something I forgot to comment on about atmosphere? How Daddy Minami’s speech about Golgom is underpinned by a montage of a bunch of Kaijin bursting out of the ground and flying through the sky. It’s a great scene to establish their great power and long dominance and is just so dynamically shot!

Black has, for my money, probably the best first episode of any Rider show.

I think Black is my favourite out of the Kamen Rider shows I've finished, the 80s are starting to take over my toku rankings a bit the more I finish(even though I was born in 92 lol)!

I had some misgivings about Black when I rewatched it couple of years ago, but it's undeniable that the first episode's aces. Also, my favorite ED song ever from a KR show (*not that there are many competitors for that), so incredibly nostalgic and hit different when you've finished with the show.

Finally got to continue my Ryuki rewatch and I gotta say, the period from episode 31 to 40 was my least favorite portion of the show. Megumi's fine in her introduction filler episode, but not really a fan of her being integrated into the recurring cast. It kinda threw off the previously established rock solid chemistry of the ORE Journal crew, most notably by dragging Shimada from the subtly hilarious character tics into full-blown loud slapstick territory that's not really my cup of tea. The Asakura/little girl sub-plot didn't really land for me, as did the Tiger/Alternatives (at least initially). But mostly it's the Yui/Shiro mystery, which at this point has become too one-note and depressing for how much it's just Yui being in distress.

(also it just dawned on me since I'm watching both shows simultaneously, but Koyomi's role in Wizard is pretty much just a rehash of Yui's, isn't it? Very similar premise in "an older male figure can't let go of female family member, set up convoluted machinations that cause unnecessary pain and suffering to everyone else", which doesn't work well at all over the course of 50-odd episodes when that female character spend all her time just awaiting impending doom while being kept in the dark the whole time)

There are enough high points in this stretch to make up for them, tho. Tiger's design is a complete beaut, one of the most effective and badass Rider design ever, especially with the claws out. I didn't really get Toujou until after Imperer's entrance, but I ended up liking him as a character. Most of all, the Shinji/Ren stuff during this period just worked really well for me.

It's kinda funny, there were times when I used to dislike both of them, although not simultaneously. In my first watch when I favored Ren, I thought Shinji was an annoying pushover dork; in my second watch when I favored Shinji, I thought Ren was a cringey edgelord; this time, I really do love both of them. Their character arcs just beautifully dovetailed with each other, and the debut scene of Ryuki Survive encapsulated how important these two's symbiosis is to the show as a whole.

While I'm sure this has been discussed to death already elsewhere, I still feel the need to beg to differ :lol Personally, it's really not about the what of they're talking about, it's the fact that I didn't know what they're really talking about that really made the scenes. I kinda liken it to the experience of watching horror movies; the less idea of the what's and why's, the more of a threat the monster/ghost/whatever feels.

So yeah, not understanding the convo invoked a specific kind of atmosphere the way the showrunners intended to, and made the scenes worked really well for me the first time I watched Kuuga. Regardless, I'm not going to tell people either that the ideal experience of watching Kuuga is by not having that Grongi sub, different preference and all. It may not work out as well in this era too, when information about that is readily available in the Net.

You've deduced correctly, for Black is indeed a really fun show! It and Black RX make up the majority of my experience with Showa, but I think I feel confident in saying that between those two shows, I've experienced all the essential parts of classic Rider and tokusatsu boiled down to it's purest form?

I hope you too grow to love Battle Hopper. Is the first secondary of modern rider G3, Gills or Ichijou? No, it is Black's trusty bug-shaped motorcycle!

https://i.imgur.com/WMzR01r.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/fHli5oC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/dFN3WJN.png

https://i.imgur.com/mv93a6N.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5lFMnOU.jpg


Promise I'm not gonna do an episode-by-episode play-by-play - mostly because especially for longer series and ones I've never seen before, I have difficulty really talking about individual episodes - but. Man. This is the sort of shit I love.

It's not a shot Black lingers on for long or a concept that the episode really stays with much, but it does what it needs to. Kamen Rider Black's just saved a bunch of people, they all look up at him in admiration, and he wordlessly rides off into the night.

OOO reaching out to the man in the Cat Yummy. Build doing all he can for a victimised former prison guard's family. Everything in Kuuga. What I prize in Superhero media above most other aspects, and what I've found so much in Tokusatsu; is the willingness to just help normal people without question. To dive in there and do anything you can to save lives, because you have that power to do so and life is that precious.

Something I particularly love about how Black does it for the first big time here, in Episode 3? Even though like I said, it doesn't spend much time on it; what is there is irreplacably important. Because they're scenes that wouldn't have been out of place if you'd replaced Kamen Rider Black with a Firefighter. He doesn't just leave after he's dispatched the Silkworm Mutant, he goes right back in there and throws off cage doors, tears people out of their silk confines... it's a wonderful scene, and one scarce of dialogue aside from his little assurances like "Hang on!". It's Kamen Rider down to its bare bone essentials. You're not a hero because you beat up the bad guy; you're a hero because you're there for other people when it counts.


Kamen Rider Black so far is very content on being a fairly simple series, but one that's also effective at making me recall why I fell in love with this franchise to begin with. Good episode.

No, no, you're doing this all wrong! You were supposed to be talking about how great BLACK is, but all you've done is put me in one of my trademark "Why is OOO not my favorite?" moods by reminding me of one of its best scenes.

https://i.imgur.com/k9NsVyi.png
https://i.imgur.com/3OS3koD.png
https://i.imgur.com/DRT1IUy.png
https://i.imgur.com/10Gt8AX.png
https://i.imgur.com/ZlQTdzE.png

This was probably like one of the first dozen episodes of Kamen Rider I ever saw! Do you have any idea how much this has stuck with me over the years?! How did I get this lucky?!!!

I'm going to be like this for at least a week now, so thank you.

Well I'm SORRY, but it's only the greatest thesis on the archetypal Kamen Rider spirit, why I like it so much, why OOO is my favourite and why it's applicable here! You expect me to talk about a Kamen Rider going out of their way to help normal people they don't know WITHOUT bringing up that scene? Honestly!

I spent the day watching alot of the extras for W, OOO, and Fourze. Mainly the HBVs and the Net Movies, and for the most part, I had a really good time!

First up is W. While I think its extras are probably the weakest of the three, they are by no means bad. I really liked how the continuity in W is so strong that even its bonus bits have continuity between them. Like how the Gaia Memory Encyclopedia is a direct sequel to the HBV. I also liked how Kirihiko got some more spotlight, even if his bits are basically just meta gags. I seem to be one of the few who legitimately liked his character, based on other sects of the fanbase I've talked to.

Next is OOO, which were all great; I laughed alot! I think my favorite ones are the Net Movies where the scenario is that a past Rider comes in to try and help Ankh and Eiji get along. The one with W specifically was my favorite. The entire result was so outlandish I basically died right there. The HBV was also alot of fun, and I gotta ask, is this the first HBV that's interactive? It and Fourze are the only ones I've seen where they actively let the viewer choose options, anyway. These things make me really nostalgic for early DVD sets. Remember how they used to come with a ton of bonuses and even sometimes minigames? I do. Good times.

Last is Fourze, and I feel like, despite me thinking it was the weakest of the three shows, it has the best bonuses overall. The HBV is simple, but fun, and I absolutely loved almost every Net Movie. My favorites were actually the ones concerning the Scorpion Lady, as they were really good scenes that helped develop her character, and the moments between her and Yuki were really well done! Unfortunately it only helps compound my view that I really wish Fourze was alot more character driven, but even so, I had a great time with these.

Faiz still holds the award for "Best HBV" but so far, I'm giving it to Fourze for "Best Net Movies." We'll see if I change my mind whenever I get around to seeing Wizard.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...cib0o2_500.png

Some day I WILL watch the net movies for OOO Wonderful, but the ones for OOO Den-O were wonderful on their own. Who's YOUR recommended marriage partner?

Haha. I ended up getting OOO Tatoba as my Rider(Nice!). Which apparently means my BFF is Kaixa(gross), my most hated enemy is ZaBee(I guess?), my lover is G4(WHY??), and I should marry X(could be worse, I guess).

https://i.imgur.com/DRjuatB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lOHowfv.jpg


It is so difficult to not appreciate how amazingly, beautifully stupid Showa Toku can be sometimes. Random Bat Kaijin (which there's like billions of, by the way! Using the bat motif monster has the mook... neat) fails to kill Black on the motorway, very next scene after the title card is discount Dr. Doom telling him he's worthless and that he must feel shame, and then there's no other punishment as said bat kaijin just disappears upwards and the evil generals proceed to be extremely respectful about Black's name change while vowing to kill him.


https://i.imgur.com/ZxPlCFr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/eQtdAzt.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/pRL0HxC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wfvossi.jpg


I don't know why I love this scene so much, it's just so... wonderfully inconsequential and pointless. I haven't even gotten past two minutes yet because I desperately needed to comment on this so for all I know it might have some bearing on this episode yet, but right now it just looks like Kamen Rider Black took out the first two minutes of the episode to establish nothing. I LOVE this.

Nope, wasn't important or relevant at all! Poor bat guy just gets told he sucks for no reason!

Black and Black RX were shows that I ended up having alot of mixed feelings about. Without spoiling anything I will say this; If you end up not jiving with the tonal shift that happens after around the episode 6 mark, be sure to check out the manga. It keeps the dark and mysterious atmosphere of those early episodes all throughout its run.

https://i.imgur.com/knnp4aQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OddHVpd.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BERvN08.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NXlHOQX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5eUUdAV.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/6g49rSN.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/1FaRp8C.jpg


So, here's the thing, right? Y'all are trying to tell me that after Episode 6 there's a big tonal shift where it becomes goofy or like every other Showa Rider or something, and that before that Black was much more unique and dark and mysterious in tone. And I don't doubt that for a second! I'm sure I'm going to notice some big drastic change at KRB No. 7, and that I'm going to miss these days where Black took itself much more seriously.

But I just watched an episode where Golgom thinks that hypnotising one (1) rural Japanese village into being assholes will spark international war.

I... I think I LOVE these antagonists. Like you'll notice that at some point here my screenshots changed from being about loving the spirit of Kamen Rider to just being this same exact place with the same three exact people, because every scene with them is a joy. They're just a perfect three-man band! Old Wrinkly to the left proclaims every two seconds why Golgom is so cool and better and super-duper awesome and why their plans are definitely going to work on that stupid stinky humanity this time; Discount Dr. Doom growls and calls everything worthless, and then Girl General Shadow either hangs back and says nothing out of being so tired of them or lightly-not-so-lightly reminds them, hey, we kind of have a plot, Black Sun our intended leader is still out there trying to stop us we should do something about that.

Like no offence to the main cast, they're... sweet enough! Serviceable, general Showa Rider stuff. Kotaro acts like every single I-will-defend-humanity-remember-to-eat-your-veggies-kids Showa Rider ever but he's got that sweet backstory and implied turmoil going on with him. But the three stooges of Golgom are on a whole other level and I'm going to be excited for every scene they're in!

The "problem" with Kamen Rider Black’s shift in tone stems less from the plots becoming sillier and goofier, but from the fact that children become the central protagonists of the episode and Kotaro devolves to a secondary character that comes in later to save the day.

Not every episode mind you, it isn’t as bad as Super-1’s second half, but it is noticeably different. And I put "problem" in exclamation marks on purpose because Black is super fun all around. Some little kids jumping around isn’t really changing that, plus, Black is still allowed to have focused episodes of his own. He isn’t permanently degraded to a secondary role. Like poor Super-1 was. God, I’m still not over that.

I have legitimately never head a darn thing about BLACK having any sort of shift in tone up until it got brought up a few days ago in this thread. I watched that entire series this year, and I have no clue what any of you are talking about right now.