I started learning it out of personal interest cause I got fed up with waiting for walkthroughs of games and subs for J-dramas, anime, etc. since the late 90's

Surprise Drive OP Clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMjb2LZMCh4

Mitsuru Matsuoka really delivered with that song. He is proofing again why he is on eof my all time favorite japanese singers.

Gosh, that multi-recoiling rider kick is AWESOME.

I think that my favorite part of the episode is the fact that JUICY KID IS BACK!!!!

YES. Though I wonder why grape. I was thinking they would do strawberry to match Drive's Red armor.

It shoud have been:
Strawberry flavor - Type Speed
Orange flavor - Max Flare
Grape flavor - Midnight Shadow
Durian flavor - Funky Spike

Second year in a row Toei's basically given me a new Kamen Rider series for my birthday.

nice :D

Hot damn that was a great first episode. I caught the live earlier and have only just now had time to type up my thoughts. Loved the entire gimmick of the suit and his henshin. Seriously those shift cars seemed like the most useless thing ever until today. The effects and uses of them were excellently handled. And oh my god the belt is fantastic. Love that when the executive producer for Drive said it would be like Knight Rider, he meant it literally! The opening was fantastic and I'm usually not one to dig Matsuoka's music. The villains had great designs for grunts, the support characters who got spotlights felt interesting and purposeful. And dat finisher.

I really really enjoyed this first episode. I know it's heresy to some to say this but I feel that was a much stronger first episode than at least the last few years of new rider shows, including Gaim.

I think what helps this episode stand out compared to others in recent years is its done in one nature. Sure we leave on a cliffhanger but the case the show started with got resolved in the episode.

Cool theme song , sentient hot wheel cars , smiling belt , bad ass Rider Kick , neat looking bad guys!

I am happy with it.