I wonder if fans were cosplaying as Taiyaki Master Ultimate Form back in the day? I have to assume they were. Unlike an actual Rider suit, you can't make Taiyaki Master look too homemade, you know? Probably a half-dozen Ryou's running around the next year's Comiket.

It definitely feels churlish to complain that a two-episode fill-in is only telling a funny, thrilling story about non-show characters, rather than something that affects the main cast and makes for a perfect pair of episodes, but here we are. The Ryou story, there's really nothing I'd change. It is flawless in its lunacy. It's just, man, the entire cast of the show can forget about this story, and that sucks!

Poor Leangle, stuck in that form forever because his newly meaty paws can't close his belt.

I'm watching the movie on Friday, so, not that much of a break for me!

The gold works better for me on Blade because his palette, silver and very dark blue, comes off more neutral so the gold pops. The blue is so dark it's almost black which is a great contrast to the gold.

For Garren, it's that gold having to compete with a lot of red, and even some green. It's too many contrasting colors for me.

tfw I didn't get to this thread in time to make this joke tbf you could use it to summarize the entire second half of the series, I feel like this is the reason why so MANY People for the longest time were confused as to who Blade's secondary Rider really is the first half of the series/Shoji Imai written episodes put more emphasis on Garren, the second half/Sho Aikawa written episodes put more emphasis on Challice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH3qYYSOo4k (It feels like he also didn't really know what to do with Mustski other than be edgy/and well see for yourself)

what's he been up too lately(Honestly see him as Extremely hit and miss but yeah he's at his best for one off episodes like this where he's allowed to do whatever the hell he wants)

His most recent Rider stuff was the Kiva tribute in Zi-O; Rider Time: Ryuki; and the Ghost/Ichigou movie. Which, uh, the only other thing he did post-Decade was the OOO part of W/OOO, so I guess he's just not into Phase 2 Rider's style of doing things. I'm sure Die is mourning over never being able to get an Inoue-written Ex-Aid spinoff.

yeah him writing Gaim/Ex-Aid/Build might have been his "I'M BACK" Moment he's been longing for since Jetman but on the other hand he'd probably do his usually Inoue schpiel and it'd go about as well as Faiz so it really could have gone either way (IDK If I've made it clear but if I had to pick a worst show of the 2000's it'd be Faiz) Heck I kinda want to rewatch Jetman too see if it holds up or is the type of show you like when your young and haven't seen very much Toku because it's "Dark/Cool/not Power Rangers" but facepalm/cringe/groan/laugh your ass off/call bs on when you get older(A LOT of Inoue's stuff could be described this way tbfh)

Not able to chime in as much on these episodes as I’d hoped to. My town got hit by the derecho on Monday and I just got cell service back last night, waiting on electricity.

This was Blade’s answer to Ryuki’s Megumi arc and the second in a bi-annual trilogy of mid-show bizarre comedy stories. The last chapter will be in Kabuto and it is every bit as bonkers.

This was also the first/penultimate (I’m pretty sure) appearance of Garren’s Jack form. Episode 30 also serves as the farewell to another part of Blade that’s been around since the beginning. Not the writer, but the theme song. As of the next episode, Blade Brave will be replaced by a new song and an opening sequence that looks like it took effort.

on one hand prefer op 1 but think op 2 is good too

I don't know, I did get a Net Movie where Emu and Parado have to solve a bunch of word puzzles and then defeat a monster by saying Thank You, so it wasn't a total wash.

Sorry to hear about your storm damage! My house and work managed to escape unscathed, but I've got a few friends that are out of power until Saturday. Hang in there!

I don't know that I ever liked the opening credits (they pretty much gave me a headache), but I did warm to that theme song. It's got a real catch finish, you know? Either way, I'm excited to hear/see/experience the new one!

Just that thinking about some things you seemingly force others to be the same like Fourze's Magnet States vs Cosmic States, or uh... Jean. But in other times some differences are given free pass such as Jin's type of comedy! Now a bit confused on what to think and predict, and certainly dreading the former part (I fear this in any place I go), especially if it's regarding Inoue. No offense, just that all of these seems blind for Inoue for some reason to me, which made me inform that those that had problems acknowledge some of his good parts like slice of life or comedy, overall being better on leash, but his extreme edgelord and screwing up parts aspects aren't ignored.

Hmm yeah, what I'm dreaded for the next part of the episode, Kotaro just rolling with it and not thinking/remarking anything weird about Hajime being suddenly a goofball, and it happened. Probably the theme of previous episode was spot on, but also, probably all of the stuff in previous episodes was run on Rule of Funny, anything like logic be damned, before or after that part. Hajime getting amnesia also wasn't really explained, as long as it leads to those gags. I guess, the amnesia doesn't truly apply to Hajime switching to Ryou, the influence extends to the whole cast, that is why! Consistent treatment of every main cast, Hajime just got it first! :p Still, I wasn't expecting a reaction with the story being entirely Ryou's, what makes this downturn response compared to the previous episode where the gag given seems enough despite seemingly no focus on either? For Tachibana getting Jack Form, does it remind you of Kusaka giving Takumi the Axel? Also, in a non-Inoue episode, Kenzaki was also handed the Jack Form by Shima, on a similar way too for me. But the part of him actually turning into a swordsman, with that bayonet on his weapon though.

Cooking competition! Though there are other series that the cooking competition will come to mind first above this one. And as you know, Blade is one of the most memeable series (with Ondul language), but this part is not as prominent as others (read: underrated) like "TACHIBANA-SAN!", "SAYOKOOOO", etc, but also shows that memes don't need something hard on being ridiculous. The dilemma part of Ryou father being confused on 2 identical strangers are gold which his father just suddenly forgets his son's whole behavior (not Michi cuz she knows Hajime is not Ryou, but wants for him to be treated as one due to being more manly). But switched to original Ryou without any thought after him becoming a "Rider".

Which to me, unfortunately, it's a shame that the reaction afterwards won't be shown, with Kotaro just rolling with usual Hajime. Kenzaki not believing Ryou's proclamation is a nice idea that didn't get realized. I want to see how the team reacts when they got their usual Hajime back, or Hajime's reaction to the team talking about him as being friendly before, which he's anything but. Also I forgot to talk about this, as there's no place in previous episode, but the most gold joke between those 2 IMO is Ryou introducing himself to the group, which is begun by saying "Hajimemashite", a Japanese introduction word with Hajime's namesake on it as a stealth pun! (I've always thought for the word hajimemashite, when hearing the name Hajime, honestly).

I think there might be a language barrier, so rest assured, he really hasn't been forcing opinions onto anyone. It's all jokey, and done in a way that makes it obvious he's joking; he's never actually tried to force his opinions onto anyone and he's actually gone above and beyond to be as respectful as he can be. I mean, heck, he puts up with me saying I don't like Inoue every two seconds! ... for the moment...