I think Fourze was a little bit weaker overall. Wizard at least has always felt like it had an overarching plot. Both are still stronger than Decade and Kiva, though.

My dislike for the doll has nothing to do with symbolism, it's all about what a stupid Achilles Heel it was. I can't take the master villain of the show seriously when he spazzes out every time his little dolly falls over. I don't know why it never occurred to anyone to just shoot the doll and let Maki twitch around on the ground until he bites his own tongue off and bleeds to death. Problem fucking solved.

This is a legitimate complaint. I think it would've been cool if overtime he reacted less and less to the doll, perhaps showing a growing disconnect between what he was doing and his personal feelings, creating a driven madman who's motivation had moved from his own desires, and one that he believed was all of mankind's.

I didn't think it crippled the character, but it could've been done better. Frankly there's more fundamental problems with OOO besides the doll.

The doll was quite an Achilles Heel, yes, but...Yeah. I don't know why they didn't solve the obvious problem.
For dramatic tension during the finale when he Gave the doll to Chiaki to signify that he was ready to die? *Shrugs*
Yeah...I dunno.

Agreed. OOO is a mess in its first half. THey clearly did not know what they wanted to do with the show, and the fact that it came after W did not help matters either.