I feel like managing to grab Main Riders and fumbling their usage is more a disappointment than not getting anyone/only getting 1-2 side characters and making the most of of it. Personally, I don't think returning Riders necessarily have to transform to be a good Legend Rider appearance. (Hiiro's involvement in the Ex-Aid arc is one of my favorites because of how well he was used in that story, and I don't even like him or Ex-Aid!) But considering it was Faiz's 15th anniversary, they could've at least thrown a bigger bone than a few callbacks? Even if they only transformed to immediately get wiped by Another Fourze/Faiz, it wouldve been nice, yknow? It's easily Zi-O's second worst usage of Legend Riders.

All it took was everyone else being worse than him! Good point!

I'm enjoying -slash- starting to love these hapless teenagers, so this show still has that going for me. And I'm sort of the opposite on the topic of returning guest stars, where I was always intensely wary of the Legend components for this series? (Those Phase 2 movies were an unforgettable lesson in Be Careful What You Wish For.) So Takumi and Kusaka bumbling through this Zi-O story, clearly/predictably too caught up in their own drama to be of any real value to the teenagers of the story, that was all right on target for me. Them not Henshining, it's not something I ever gave too much thought to.

I didn't like the episode a whole lot, but it wasn't a total miss for me.

So this is the kind of melodrama that you draw the line in. And Sakuma is a MOTW anyway so... at best he got relatively more characterization than MOTWs that only existed to fight, though of course there are MOTW that talked like Bugsters. And I don't know about it not feeling like a real person's behavior... Sakuma (and Karin sort of) is of course, given power by the Time Jackers (Ora), so it can warp his senses. Not that this is executed really well or such, but this is the type of someone being driven to villainy because they care about their loved ones... but only them, not everyone else, thus everyone else is ok to be fodderized for their goal. It's like for other example, Roshuo in Gaim. And obviously Karin is a branch of the MOTW so yeah... for her content of dying, it's likely about the life support isn't worth of constant murdering that it can run off quite quickly otherwise, but likely should add more Frankenstein reference. It's what Woz refer too though for his keyword in shooting star, which means ryusei. And this is used by Ora to try to trap the heroes in a damned if you do/don't situation though.

This episode made out of Takumi as Kusaka's friend, at least one-sided in Takumi's case (for reasons I write below). But as already said, Takumi and Kusaka's relationship here is used as something parallel to Sougo and Geiz's. While Kusaka's one of the actually villainous secondary Riders (in the main series), hatred and enmity isn't necessarily dependent on morals. While Geiz is an anti-hero like most other secondary Riders.... (other than potential tsundere stuff) Geiz' hatred to Sougo is very real and raw, makes sense from what he had gone through and his temper in general (though most primary and secondary Riders have antagonistic relationship, something like Kenzaki with Tachibana-san! post-Isaka death and Hibiki with Ibuki are more of a rarity). Despite Geiz not being villainous, he can have similar hatred and prejudice here to someone else (Sougo) like someone such as Kusaka who is racist towards Orphnochs like Takumi. Regarding sacrifice, it's probably about what Karin, Kusaka (to Karin), and Takumi (to Kusaka) all did, helping a friend can have them risk their life which Sougo agrees upon.

Actually, Kusaka here is made as a better person. So yeah regarding Takkun and Kusaka being made relatively closer here, Kusaka had some difference compared to his original self for this to work. Here, Kusaka actually tried to accomplish something good and him pushing Karin off was done by her request. Still he's an extremist here but relatively more good natured compared to his original portrayal. The camera action here is done well too I agree for the parallel in both Faiz and Fourze stuff, though in general I'm also not a fan of the Ride Armors in this series. I like bulky stuff but these ones can be too bulky and making it boxy.

This explains the actual relation between Faiz and Fourze being pitted here though... it's not about the numbers. It's about the letters on Fourze's limbs, circle on elbow (Phi - Faiz), also X (Chi - Kaixa), and triangle (Delta) on legs. And about both series centered around school.... The Ryusei School. As well as how Ryusei School exists to search for the Orphnoch King, thus fits Zi-O's theme too about being King (and King is "Oh" in Japanese and Fourze's pronounciation had that too; Fo-OH-rze).

It's ok to not have something to expand, just asking to clarify and wondering if there can be more response. Actually here the response is meaty and does give me better insight on what the relationship are between them (at least regarding your assessment like the reluctant part... which at first sounds similar to how Geiz see Sougo). Outgoing isn't necessarily fine talking with strangers though.... for that part it'd be seen actually on later extra stuff.

Bad guy? Though Yuji does become a bad guy after Yuka's death, if the "bad guy" status (albeit with brackets) here only refers to his status as monster... it's actually about how Faiz is the first to feature a 'good monster' like him (where previously Ryuki featured first bad guy Rider)?

(Fish Sandwich also watched Kamen Rider Zi-O - EP06)


I really really loved this one at the time, and I suspect I still would on a rewatch. I can sort of see where your gripes are coming from, Die, but I don't know, I thought there were way too many legitimately clever things about how this two-parter was plotted to find myself getting hung up on that stuff.

I don't think it's that much of a stretch for Takumi, honestly? (Especially assuming "sacrifice" is about more than just literally dying for somebody.) The entire core of his character from the outset of Faiz is that he's scared of getting close to people because he thinks he'll hurt them. He has immense trouble seeing his own worth as a person, so he's resigned himself to wasting away his life being a surly loner who actively tries to avoid making connections entirely, because he honestly thinks that's the best he can do for the world. He's also legitimately a surly grump either way, sure, but if anything, Takkun's biggest issue is often that he cares too much. That speech from him you're mentioning, I don't think it's about either of those things. That was him finding the will to continue fighting, despite his own personal feelings about it, all because he decided other people have to come first. And you know, you say "most of a season", but he was officially fighting for other people's dreams before the episode count even hit the double digits.

I'm not sure how relevant any of this is to how much this Zi-O episode does or does not land its thematic connections for you, but, like, as a fellow Faiz fan, I felt the need to speak up on this. Of course, with how wonderfully complex and depthful the cast of Faiz is, I suppose there's always room for a wide range of equally valid interpretations of Inoue's masterfully written characters! :p

(Fish Sandwich also watched Kamen Rider Zi-O - EP07)

I remember utterly adoring the atmosphere of this one is pretty much exactly the same way I adore Wizard's. It's laid-back in a way that lets you really soak in each moment, and while in my post at the time, I said I didn't feel like much significant actually happened, skimming back through it, it feels like it's moving more pieces of the story along in a meaningful way than I remember? Of course, back then, I hadn't seen the second half of the two-parter...

Well, sort of; the problem isn't the kind of melodrama, but the success of the execution. Melodrama isn't necessarily good or bad, it's how well the story is told with it. The melodrama here was unconvincing and poorly-done. That's pretty much always going to be the line for me? With anything?

I would take everything that Takumi and Kusaka say in this short with a GIGANTIC grain of salt. The kids are coming in with some intense skepticism about any Faiz/Fourze connections, and the Faiz Riders are kind of going overboard with their rebuttal. There's some real stuff in there, but I think they get a little goofy as their "evidence" increases.

you know full well that i can't fight back when someone comes into the thread and makes a case for takumi being a better character than i gave him credit for

cheap shot, buddy

cheap shot

Honestly, though, you're not wrong. Takumi's a hero throughout Faiz, and his inability to see that or own other people's praise is a major thread for his character. I'm happy to live down to his view of himself?

Beyond that, I'm not still not finding much here. The idea that Sacrifice has any application to Takumi in this story is weird to me -- what's he sacrificing, a day off from the dry cleaner's? -- and the idea that it has anything to do with the cast of Zi-O in this story is laughable. It's still a super weird, tangential-at-best moral for an otherwise run of the mill episode.

Sheesh. I go to bed, get up, go to work, come back, and find not one, but two updates from you?

So I haven't even looked at Wizard covers yet, and I'd rather not post two of these at once, so I'm just going to drop Faiz today and put down the Wizard one next time, since two tributes aren't sharing the same story this time.

I also wanted to say that I came across as too harsh toward Remy last time. His covers stray far from the meaning of the originals, but that's the dilemna with translating music, isn't is? If you are too accurate, the words won't fix the song, and if they too, it's hard to come anywhere close to the original meaning.

Remy writes great lyrics that sound like they belong with the music and fit the theme of the show perfectly, as if they always belonged. They just aren't really translation. They are, however, good songs.

Anyhow, this person takes the opposite approach, so this version can be a bit awkward at times, but this is a pretty decent cover, I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmS8rwOdFUs&t=29s

Ha ha, sorry! Wednesday updates are always going to be super late, and Thursday updates are probably going to be earlier in the day. That's just how my weekly schedule works out. Friday updates are going to be in the evening, but probably not super late. Saturday updates could be any time.

It's the difference between Translation and Localization, isn't it? Translation is fairly straightforward; Google can do it. But localization is harder. You need to make it sound like someone in your language would say it. You need to adjust colloquialism and aphorisms and stuff like that. Turns of phrase.

Trying to get the cadence of the lyrics to match, while being constructed out of completely different syllables... that's tough! I can't imagine you can do it well without having there be some trade-offs.

Tomorrow...

https://i.imgur.com/mcZVUWI.gif

Today, I talk about two old men try to kill each other, with something about friendship and space or something, and cheap magicians going bad.

Again, I have no context on Faiz aside from some minor details and mentions, so I can't exactly compare him to his original. That said, it's kind of funny how you don't really need context for these two? Since Takumi's already lost his powers, this is basically a blank slate of the character, and yet some of the tidbits of him I know just slightly shine through. I get I'm probably absolutely wrong here, but my only experience with him was the Showa Vs. Heisei, so you know how good my image of him is...

But anyway, I liked the battle between Another Fourze and Faiz taking place in different times to add an extra gimmick to this arc. Yet as stated in the .5 episode, you have to absolutely grasp straws to find the connections, which while some were clever, aren't exactly valid. I did mention how Decade's Faiz was centered around a high school, but the only thing that even remotely counts as a "connection" being their names (Fourze=4, Faiz=5. Again, grasping at straws. Also, obligatory numbers theory meme), but that's it. In the end, we all know Decade sent Gentaro and Ryusei to BLEACH world (which is still funny how they acknowledge that).

The Wizard arc... Well, once again, not much to say right now, but I love Another Wizard's design, like the skeleton hand for the driver, or how the jewel motif looks less radiant, but this is one of my favorite Another Rider designs. But boy, does Toei like to tease us with the brief glimpses of Legacy Characters, only to not have them when the actual episode rolls around. Like, I get that most the actors aren't easy or willing to come back, and I honestly don't mind the teases, but Gentarou and Haruto's glimpses are some things I know I've seen a lot of Endgame Hawkeye memes for.

On another note, I always look forward to Woz's speeches.

I'm not gonna lie, this statement offends me a bit. :lol

https://media.giphy.com/media/UOSwsz...Yfnn/giphy.gif

Certain characters transcend context, like with Takumi and Kusaka here. A tiny man who seems vaguely irritated to even exist! Them Eyebrows! That's pretty much all you need to know.

Also, ha ha ha, Where Are Their Powers is the least relevant Faiz question anyone could ever ask, so Zi-O's the perfect environment for them to return. Takumi could've given his Faiz Gear to a villain, forgotten it at home, lost it to a thief, or even had it swindled off of him by an especially self-confident tortoise. The possibility that the Time Jackers have stolen Faiz and Kaixa's powers is so far down the list of suspects for me.

He's really great! I keep forgetting to talk about Woz (I'm mostly waiting for him to be less of a cameo appearance, which feels like it could be soon) but he's a lot of fun in this show. There's a very cute scene in Episode 7 where Woz is like How's The Overlording Going and Sougo's like Good I'm Making Friends and Woz is just exhausted. It's the most non-hyped he's been around Sougo to date, and I really loved it.

You translate, sure... but you also contextualize, scrutinize, theorize. There's a lot more to it!

Google could only do 75-90% of what you do!

(I kid, obviously. I'm sorry that Over-Time has gotten so good at localizing that there's no need for a Translation Cop! Maybe there'll be one last case in Reiwa or something...)

I recall liking this arc quite a bit, though I was still in the phase of Zi-O where none of the Arc's were really grabbing me. Like they existed and they weren't horrible, so I sort of went along with the flow.

While 5 and 6 did shake up the Formula, I didn't think much of it back then because well. It was mostly them using Faiz to supplement the fact that no one from Fourze could return. Which is why I didn't feel too much of a weird leap when it came from jumping from that to Wizard.

That being said I do love the scenes at the beginning of Team Zi-O just interacting and Sougo being excited to go to a show with his friends. Even if they aren't technically his friends... but hey, potato, potaato, right?

Also after a few misses for me in terms of Another Riders (They're all still great, but some are better than others), Another Wizard really made me whistle when it came to the suit department. I love everything about it.

Anyway onto our BGM Swap and because we're still in the middle of an arc, we've still got Wizard. Which is fine.

Zero's Legend Episode Previews Corner - EP 8 Preview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfsWBJM54B0

Woz really wants the kid to hurry up and, like, start comitting war crimes on a massive scale. Or at least pull the wings off a fly, something of any kind of evil.

And hey, Wizard arc! I'll save my thoughts for next time to talk about it as a complete bundl (which might be Monday since I'm busy this weekend, whoops), but I'll just add I love Another Wizard's design. All the Another Riders are pretty good, but very few of them are evil gem monsters.

"No one from Fourze"?! Well, I guess OHSUGI and THE TWO LEAST-POPULAR MOVIE MUTANTS are just no one now! And you call yourself a Kamen Rider fan. Heartbreaking.

My favorite part to the evolving... let's just say "relationship" of our leads is that it's like a Stockholm Syndrome (Sougo's very excited to have a date with his two potential executioners) that induces its own Stockholm Syndrome (Geiz and Tsukuyomi might have caught feelings for Kamen Rider Puppy Dog!), and that's the best.

Woz'z weekly Kamen Rider Zi-O recap thread was called When Are We Going To Get To The Genocide Factory.

I remember the Wizard episodes fairly well, but not a lot about them stand out to me aside from the fact that Minase Yashiro (The Machine Girl and W's Heat Dopant) is in them.

Oh, yeah! The theater owner! Good catch!

So you're practically rejecting yourself. Takkun and Kusaka are just doing what we all do here or what the fandom does and write in some other sources of KR. Talking about the series and theorizing about it, only that if it's done on the show, it's more official. Hypocrite. :cool:

Hayase actually shows a misfortune of someone being too good, and too famous/successful, that Nagayama wanted to shut down the stage anyway as he deserved bigger stage. It's another unknown stuff that Kaori (Heat Dopant) is already engaged too. So Hayase's about futility of his efforts due to some unknown information regarding what's surrounding his life.

Now here there's the usual primary and secondary Rider clash, and it shows that Geiz doesn't have the executioner approach only to Sougo, but to anyone that he deems as evil and a threat like Hayase, any Another Rider. This shows more about Geiz being an anti-hero like many other secondary Riders and him being similar to someone like Gou who also had prejudice towards the 'bad' species. This shows that the cutthroat approach Geiz holds also isn't entirely benefical, as he had a case of self-fulfilling prophecy here of actually kickstarting Hayase's villainy by provoking him. E̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶T̶e̶r̶u̶i̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶W̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶v̶o̶k̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶m̶a̶g̶i̶c̶i̶a̶n̶ ̶M̶O̶T̶W̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶L̶i̶l̶y̶.̶ Though this episode had a good balance on showing how Sougo's more empathetic approach to diplomatically deal with Hayase can slow down things when Hayase started harming people, though while it's partly Geiz' fault, it had happened. Geiz would've made the situation even worse with him attempting to create an infighting to Sougo before Tsukuyomi stopped them though.

I guess I mostly consider friendships/relationships with less conflict/tension between them as a closer one, (though obviously there's specific exceptions for banters that clearly showed they're friends like Sento and Banjou), and Tsukuyomi against Sougo here is that with them complementing their worldview as you said. Though Sougo does value Geiz as closely, Geiz' hostility against Sougo are actual hatred (even when there's likely some tsundere traits) for plausible reasons. For Sougo asking the executioner to talk, Geiz should've learned with the Hayase incident, but Geiz' quite self-righteous to have the mentality of destroying any evil if they aren't seen to do the 'right thing', so it'd be harder to get this through Geiz' head. Geiz is weirded out for him never feeling as in he's in the wrong, but that should be something for Geiz to learn (for both Sougo and Hayase). Though Geiz' trait here would later lead into another one of Sougo's capabilities.

Other than that, Woz also teases Sougo and Geiz' potential friends for Woz' agenda of him grooming up Sougo, and there's a set up of their history with Geiz never beating Woz. But Woz is also opposing Geiz and Tsukuyomi again as Sougo grows closer and his goal can be foiled. And Woz saved Geiz before from Schwartz, the main antagonist, and he actually shows how to use the time stop the proper way by actually almost killing Geiz. Schwartz is the one that's actually not fucking around.

FYI, I will not be posting an English cover of "Magic is Showtime." I could only find 3 of them. 1 was very not good, 1 was less not good, and the other one was Remy and I don't want to just take one because I have no choice. Besides, I'm not sold on his singing for this one, although as usually his lyric writing is very good.

EDIT: Have the next 2 covered though. Guess I need to figure out how I'm going to handle the movie.

Pretty much! I would take everything I say with an even bigger grain of salt than what Takumi and Kusaka are saying. Art is rarely, if ever, objective. We all process it differently.

Understood! Thanks for keeping us informed!

KAMEN RIDER ZI-O EPISODE 8 - “BEAUTY & BEAST 2012”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/zio/zio8a.png

Getting ensemble casts right is pretty tricky.

It’s about balance, and possibility. You need enough variables so you can tell any type of story you want. Alternately, you need enough variables so you can keep telling the same stories indefinitely. But you also need a core tone to your groupings; some sense that the show itself still has a specific viewpoint, even if the characters involved shift from week to week.

Kamen Rider Zi-O has a pretty solid cast. It started as a trio: Sour Geiz, Sweet Sougo, and Vanilla Tsukuyomi. (I like Tsukuyomi, but her presence post-Episode 1 has mostly been as the Voice of Reason -slash- Time Mom, and that’s a bit of a bummer. She’s still entertaining to watch, though.) The growing addition of Woz as a helpful fan has complicated things, but the core trio has been successful in telling some straight-forward Time Mission stories.

This week, we get a ton of addition by subtraction, though, as the knocked-out Tsukuyomi cedes the stage for more Woz, which was sort of predictable, and a stronger Sougo, which really wasn’t?

The entire tone of the show changes without Tsukuyomi around, starting immediately with Geiz blaming everything on Sougo’s weakness. He’s furious that Sougo’s lack of decisiveness – his tentativeness – has let Tsukuyomi get hurt and Hayase escape. Geiz vows to solve this Time Mission by doing what he does best: wandering around Tokyo until he runs into one of the three people that are related to these unfolding events.

(I do love it, how sort of blockheaded Geiz is when it comes to investigations. It starts as a kind of impatience, which makes sense, but then he just endlessly doubles down on sprinting through alleyways and spinning around at intersections, hoping he’s blundered into a monster or a Rider. It’s just the dumbest strategy, when you’re looking for a magic-powered time monster… but, it works? It always seems to work? Amazing.)

The lack of Tsukuyomi’s peacemaking tendencies should force Geiz and Sougo to collaborate, to put their differences aside and work together, but the show goes a different, stranger, smarter way. It’s not a story about Sougo’s sweetness overcoming Geiz’z sourness, or the two of them becoming the teammates Tsukuyomi hoped for.

It’s a story about the allure of power, and the ways we lose ourselves when we think we can do anything.

Sougo has a really strong outing, from one perspective. He harnesses the knowledge of Woz and the power of Geiz to bring hope to Hayase. Another Wizard is defeated, but Hayase is saved through Sougo’s bravery and empathy. Woz and Geiz are both surprised by Sougo’s inventiveness and knack for leadership. He's confident in his abilities, and willing to argue for his sense of right and wrong. It’s a solid win for our Good Despot.

Except… it’s a win for a Good Despot, not for Sougo. It’s a win where he marshaled forces, where he ran the show. His confidence rattled Geiz, and impressed Woz. It was all in the name of helping someone, but it was Sougo flexing his muscles and strategizing a plan of attack. This wasn’t another adventure for Tsukuyomi, Geiz and Sougo. This was a victory for Zi-O.

The idea that Sougo’s relentless optimism and cheerful empathy isn’t the detour from the road to Oma Zi-O – but the direct route to it – is a fun idea. Hayase was someone who took power to protect the people he cared about, until that turned into rage at being overlooked. He was fine working for others, to bring them hope, until he resented their ingratitude. The Sougo we know in Episode 7 could never become that type of character; could never lose his empathy.

The Sougo I met in Episode 8? Him, I’m not so sure about.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/zio/zio8b.png

—

KAMEN RIDER ZI-O COMPLEMENTATION PROJECT EPISODE 8.5 - “DREADFUL TIME PARADOX!”

I’m a Beast fan. I wasn’t super thrilled with the middle section of Wizard (too repetitive, even if it was on purpose), but Nitou helped a lot. I think his energy was a great compliment for Haruto’s laid-back charm/”charm”, and his arc of weird redemption and sacrifice was solidly entertaining.

He’s also just a really committed performer, finding ways to create loopy scenes with just about anyone. It was nice to see him show up for a little bit in Episode 8, but it was awesome to see him and Geiz get real weird about time travel rules in Episode 8.5.

Not a ton of substance in this one to talk about (there’s really nothing new here, information-wise), but it’s a really funny scene. Mostly thanks to Beast!

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/zio/ziocp8a.png

Okay this scheming for Sougo? I always liked it because it very much shows that Sougo is a capable planner who can figure out various ways to work through a plan once he has enough information. It really gives this side that while Sougo is this kind, weird, outgoing person, he's still clever and his kindness shouldn't be taken as naivete.

This was also an episode where I ended up really liking it after we got the second half since I felt it was really nice. I feel like the way they handled the Another Rider ended up working really well. Also hile Wizard Armor doesn't have the same stylish action choices as Faiz Armor does, it's probably my favorite of Geiz's Armors? There's just something about it that works really nicely.

Anyway, because of the content for the next tribute, we've got another 2 BGM Swaps for this episode preview. And I'm sure given our end stinger, it's very obvious as to why there's 2 BGM Swaps.

Zero's Legend Episode Previews Corner - EP 9 Preview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JisIp8xf2U

It's a little unnerving! This isn't a kid who just bumbles around like an excitable puppy; he's capable of thinking four-dimensionally to achieve his goals, and ready to tell people that he's in charge. Very interesting to see where this kid goes now.

The Wizard Armor's finish being a gigantic boot that gets deployed is pretty great. That's my favorite part. A Rider Kick that starts with the Rider leaping into the air... and then he just hangs there, while a gigantic foot telescopes out to detonate a monster? Good stuff!

One Episode 8 please, and hold the mayo!

-You know, my opinion of Sougo was leaning positively as at this point on my inital watch, but re-watching this episode....How can I put it? Still same old Sougo, but a slightly different side of him? I know I've called him dopey in the thread a while back, but I think this was the point where I realized where he's a bit smarter than I gave him credit for? It made me almost want to go back and rewatch the past episodes viewing him through that lens.

-Woz ending this episode with geniune praise for Sougo after being grumpy that he's seemingly veering off track....Isn't that terrifying? The fact that Woz saw anything,even if was an smidge, of a growing potenial that will eventually give birth to Oma-Zio-it immediately gets you worried, doesn't it?

-Whoever decided to pair Geiz and Nitou together for the 8.5 skit, thank you, this is amazing. Probably one of the more interesting Legend Riders to throw at Geiz, purely because how utterly silly pairing a stick in the mud like Geiz with someone so chill as Nitou can be.

-.......I didn't realize we would get to this next arc so soon. Looking forward to everyone's opinions about that.

The thing that's great about it is that it's sort of subverting the classic Kamen Rider checklist? It's taking a bumbling, dopey teenager and sculpting him into Kamen Rider Zi-O. It's making him more confident, more powerful, and surrounding him with people who believe in him (or are willing to follow his lead, at least).

It's just, all of that stuff might also be what turns a bumbling, dopey teenager into a genocidal warlord? He's inadvertently eliminating threats to his rule, while turning adversaries into accomplices. He's willing to look people in the eye and tell them to stop questioning him.

It's all done with -- perfect for a Wizard story -- some really impressive sleight of hand, leading you into a thrillingly sweet conclusion that twists into something bitter as Geiz goes Holy Shit Sougo's In Charge Now.

https://media.giphy.com/media/psIw9y...sJwj/giphy.gif

These threads move pretty fast! We're about, uh, a seventh done? With all of the Rider Time stuff? Crazy!

When I watched this one in 2018, I felt like Sougo was moving away from the Ohma Zi-O future. He intentionally gave up a chance at the Wizard watch/powers so he could help Hayase in the present. And Woz's outro at the end was about how Zi-O didn't get another new power. It all felt optimistic.

But thinking about it now? It fells VERY different. Sougo DID help someone, and he prioritized that over getting more power. But he also used both Geiz and Woz to make it happen, and they didn't even realize it. or at least I didn't realize it until now. Like you said, this is a victory for Zi-O.

It's interesting, though. As kind and friendly as Sougo is, he's still clearly on the World Domination route.

Okay first, I'm glad you found it unnerving! That is very much the point and that's what I really love about it!

Also second, yes. Wizard Armor's finish being a gigantic boot is great because the show creators decided that Wizard's best ring wasn't Kick Strike but Big.

Being a Good Despot was always a bad thing! ALWAYS! Very excited to see the show starting to unpack that concept a little more.

It's the most fun ring, probably. Connect is fine, but he rarely pulls out anything other than a weapon. (A couple times a donut, which: same.) Copy's useful, but not a lot of fun. A big hand or boot is a lot of fun.

This episode brought back the character I disliked most from Wizard, so I wasn't very keen on that. That aside though, it was overall just fine, I guess? Personally didn't really get anything major out of it.

Know what character from Wizard I am really keen on though?

https://i.imgur.com/CDRTKVV.gif

Shunpei Nara, or as I like to call him, the best Comic Relief in all of Kamen Rider!

Kamen Rider Wizard was a show that I started watching soon after the pandemic had hit and things started getting crazy at my job, and man, that show was ahead of its time. It was just the sort of thing I loved spending my off time on, and its wonderful cast of characters along its celebration of life were big reasons as to why.

And Shunpei? Lifted my spirits almost every time he was on screen. Gave me alot of laughs, and the hidden depths he displayed at various points in the show made it all the better. Helps that his actor had alot of natural charisma too. A fashion icon, a great friend, and a strong contributor to the team... what's not to love about this guy?

As such, I would like to announce the official Shunpei fan club, for this character who everyone in the fandom loves to bits! Our official hashtag will be #ShunpeiIsBae so let's spread the word!

Onward my friends! Rise up and spread the word of

( USER HAS BEEN BLOCKED FROM POSTING IN THIS THREAD FOR THIS POST. PLEASE CONTINUE AS NORMAL. )

I just want to shout out Satoshi Morota for the beautiful cinematography in this episode. The uses of the darker color grading in 2012 looks fantastic giving a cold vibe contrasting the warmer colors of 2018.
https://thelazy.media/wp-content/upl...6-1068x601.png
Making this shot between the two Hayase all the more engaging. Also the effects they used on Woz here from the running water in the hospital to the clocks going haywire at the clockshop just adds to the guys mystique y'know. Also that final sunset shot is just gorgeous.
https://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/20...80.jpg?caw=800
But enough about the direction the main highlight this episode was Sougo here. Just his plan and how he managed to complie all that he learned to effectivley play out the scenario how he wanted was downright chilling just seeing Sougo be so commanding without everyone noticing it.

I loved Sougo in this! The signs of his path towards Ohma ZI-O creeps ever closer, I have a little memory issue cuz I don't know if this was the episode where Woz remarks to Sougo how weirdly manipulative he actually was without him noticing.

Wizard armor is a pretty cool form, like I said before.

Oh hey, Beast is here! Truth be told, I never had the strongest feeling towards Nitoh, not even in his own season. So, when he showed up and not Haruto I had a pretty mild reaction. It was cool seeing the suit return, but what I would give to see the Wizard suit again... And also Haruto, yeah. Haruto for sure!

same

It's really great! It starts with that screencap I used in my post, this slow push in our normal trio, but configured weirdly: We can see the faces of the Time Orphans, but Sougo has his back to us. The episode's only starting, but he's already unknowable to us.

There's another shot near the end, with Geiz and Tsukuyomi, where the camera placement frames Geiz inside the negative space of the back of a chair. It makes Geiz look all boxed in as he tells Tsukuyomi that Sougo took control while she was out.

TONS of smart shots in this story.

Hey, we totally saw the back of Haruto's head! And I think one of his hands! It's just as good as a full appearance!

They silenced him, for they feared the truth......

Shunpei's not really a favorite of mine in any kind of way, but I appericate his presence in Wizard and his dynamic with Haruto. (That bit where they're out grocery shopping is something I remember very clearly from Wizard, not because it's important or anything, I just enjoy them chilling together lol)

I feel like he's similar to Akari/Onari from Ghost, as while there are valid reasons to dislike them due to being rough-around-the-edges sometimes, I feel like only focusing on that is a disservice to the good moments they have later on.

Haha! Good, you caught the thing that made me suddenly very interested in Sougo. Till this point, I thought he was a complete idiot, moron and just dumb, but this episode pulled the rug out from under me! Sougo is dangerously smart and even manipulative! Best part, on my rewatch I saw it from the getgo! Sougo was often the one who made the logical leaps or quickly understood something.

And I kinda love how you feel into the same trap as Geiz. For all his niceness, he never was dumb, but people took it that way and were shocked when they had fallen for it. Sougo is disarmingly nice and that makes his fantastic social intellect so damn dangerous!

This episode really made me excited where our King would eventually go!

Not much to say this time, other than Nitoh totally killed Geiz in the 8.5 (now who’s gonna lead the show?)

Next episode, we answer a question I made you ponder back when HeiGen Forever was announced for official release. For context, I listed everything that got its own tribute before the movie (Build, Ex-Aid, Fourze, Faiz, Wizard, Dan Kuroto, OOO and Gaim), and this was (roughly) your response.

Shunpei walked so that Mei could fly.

I think it's also... like, Sougo was put in a position to gain power, find confidence, and battle for his sense of justice. Those were all maybe bad things to do for a kid who might become a genocidal warlord! But the Time Orphans just assumed that creating an environment for Sougo to grow ethically was the solution to Oma Zi-O, instead of maybe the creation of Oma Zi-O?

Hysterically, it reminds me of my my all-time favorite Wizard story, the two-parter for Phoenix. It's a story where Rinko is convinced she's helping Phoenix reform and become a hero, but she's accidentally telling him to become an even more dangerous villain.

I'm actually pretty excited to see the show get weirder and more specific with its homages. Doing a Fourze show when you can't really get any main characters from Fourze is going to restrict your story options. So maybe it's better to do a Kuroto story, or a Rogue story, or an Accel story. (I'm just picking names at random; I don't know if either of those characters return.) Like, being less beholden to We Have To Do A Story For Every Heisei Show, which frees them up to do stories with actors they can actually get.

(Fish Sandwich also watched Kamen Rider Zi-O - EP08)

I'm kinda not even sure what to say about this episode, besides that it was a pretty major turning point for my opinion of Zi-O.... something that seems to be the case with a couple people in here already. Which, you know, the more the merrier, right? It made me really happy to see the twist at the end land for you, Die. I've mentioned in a couple of those old posts how the dynamic of being a viewer watching Zi-O kind of has some broad similarities to how Geiz, you know, watches Zi-O, and much like he realized Sougo is capable of far, far more than he was giving him credit for, this plot made me start to consider the potential of this show as more than just hypothetical.

The difference being, of course, that as a viewer, I got to just be excited about that revelation.

I'll also mention here, because it seems like a good spot, how much I love the Dopant model of Rider monster? It's just my taste in heroism, I guess, but I like seeing evildoers stopped, rather than outright destroyed, and as Zi-O's Another Riders have already demonstrated a few times, including here, it lets you do stories where the villain is also one of the people the hero is trying to save, which is an interesting dynamic, and just makes things feel so much more human and intimate. Wizard accomplishes something very similar even though the Phantom/Gate formula is obviously not quite the same, and I thought these episodes of Zi-O did a fantastic job capturing that same vibe, where it's all about a Kamen Rider giving everything he's got to protect something very small in scale. Again, very strong outing for Zi-O.

Plus! I feel like gushing about Sahashi's music again right now, so here's the track that plays during that climactic phone call across time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFGjW8OE5Nw

The visual split is cool enough already, but the BGM in Zi-O just adds so much to the series. Even the tracks for the quiet moments, like this one, often have this sort of ethereal vibe to them that makes things feel so grand. What also impresses me is that like, the whole aesthetic of Zi-O's music is often so different to Sahashi's other work, and it fascinates me how much he's kept evolving his style over the years. You would never immediately peg this as being from the same guy who did Kuuga.

This was a good episode, with lots of nice shots, Wizard's theme bleeding through, and the Wizard Armor, one of my favorites. I mean, look at that suit! It's got magic tassels, the ring should guards fit perfectly, and it just works perfectly for me. I do admit, I think it would look better on Zi-O, but Geiz certainly rocks the look well.

That .5 Episode is such a joy, and that image is just perfection. I do have a soft spot for Nittou, and did really enjoy him throughout Wizard, and I find it strangely hilarious how he transforms for the Beast Fans, and yet we never get to see Beast. Makes me wonder if Toei did this intentionally for any of the non-Beast fans.

Heck, Wizard is one of my favorite Riders, both show and suit. It was really enjoyable, and I look back on it fondly. Are there better seasons and characters? Sure. But did I have a good time? Absolutely!

Shunpei is a precious boy, who must be protected at all costs.

Seriously, his introduction to the show was legitimately one of my favorite arcs in Wizard, and you brought in both of my favorite Shunpei moments in this thread.