That's all fair! I can't speak to Saber (will revisit this post in late-2022/early-2023), but there have been any number of Kamen Rider series where I feel like the pacing is inadequate, or the plot doesn't have enough material to justify itself, or any number of other problems that were the result of Episode 26 only being concerned with resolving Episode 25 and setting up Episode 27. Sure. Absolutely, no argument.

But, like, Wizard is a series that I think has the tightest series arc (the reveals and resolution of the last few episodes made me adore that season) and some of the most repetitive individual episodes of any Kamen Rider I can think of. It felt like a show that was committed to a story that the actors couldn't quite connect with, or that the theory was losing out to the reality. I'd've traded a cohesive and brilliant conclusion for a few less episodes that were purposefully hitting the same notes.

I mean, I don't know how all of these shows are produced. The ones I might deride as overly schematic might've been written the night before shooting, and the ones that feel fresh and responsive might've been locked before the actors waved on stage at the first press junket. I don't know. But my feeling is that I'd prefer the spontaneity of We Are Building The Bridge As We Go Off The Cliff to having everything set before the rest of the team gets to contribute.

I get this, and I totally see the appeal, and trust me if anyone was ever foolish enough to allow me to be involved in the creation process of something like this, I would revel in this chaotic energy, lol—but as a member of the audience, I think a lot of my frustration comes from a sense of feeling that there interesting ideas that aren't given time to be developed because of this approach, or that ideas are being developed outside of the core series, and then being drafted in because someone is like, "What a great idea!"

I haven't seen Wizard, if I'm honest. In fact the only thing I've heard about it is that it had to be extended because of complications with the following series? I will get to it eventually though! Maybe in 2022/2023, when you have seen Saber and I have seen Wizard we can reconvene, lol.

I know a lot of this is me being a grumpy mare though, and I appreciate every single person on this board who humours me and gestures for the nurse to come and take me back to my room.

Believe me, I understand (and empathize with!) your concerns and misgivings. It's definitely not the sort of struggle, Planning Vs Improvisation, that I think has a clear answer. It's more of a spectrum, for artists and audience alike. It's totally fine to value different parts of the process, or to look for different things in the results. You don't have to be sorry!

You're too kind. I worry that I am oft out of step with general consensus, and I don't want to give the impression of being one of those people who only watches something because they dislike it because... that makes no sense to me at all, lol.

Having complained about all this, if the shows were absolutely perfect in my eyes, there would be no room for me to write fanfic, so in a way, maybe I should be grateful, haha.

Speaking for myself, my opinion on Saber has little to do with the action sequences (although I will not complain about the reduction in stock footage). What's turned me around on the show is that, after an insanely rushed first quarter, the show has started focusing more on the core characters and their relationships as the tools to drive the plot forward. Splitting the cast into smaller groups really helped better develop most of them and it allowed the show to use their different bonds as it went into the third quarter. I also get so much mileage out of the show willing to do unexpectedly smart things like having Kento actually explain his motivations instead of saying "Someone like you would never understand me" followed by the inevitable punching.

I'll admit that my bar is really low for a Takuro Fukuda joint, but I've really enjoyed the last several months of the show on a narrative level.

Except for Ren. Fuck Ren.

I want to like Ren... I just feel that, like Sophia, who I also want to like, there are large stretches where I forget he is a character in the show. I don't want to pooh-pooh Saber, I am just frustrated by the characters spinning wheels for ages, repeating the same sentiments over and over again until the lead literally turns to another character and says, "Oh, you're still going on about this?"

I don't know. Perhaps I'm just grumpy because I'm clearly a fan of "old man" Oogami and he's not been in it as much. :p

I’ll just say that I’ve known about this hectic method for months and move on.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=XyNoQihfoKs

According to new information, Kamen Rider Solomon will wield the Omniexcalibur (a repaint of Kingexcalibur) and use the Maken Godriver to transform with the Omni-Force Wonder Ridebook (repainted from the X-Sword Man Wonder Ride Book). And if you don’t know what “Maken” means despite how common a term it is in Tokusatsu (it was once part of an episode title, then I can’t help you.

This video you posted pretty much said all the things I've been thinking but with far more grace!

Something low key I like about Touma is that he’s achieved his dream. He spent much of his life wanting to be a writer and now he is, and that’s great! It sets a good example for kids that dreams are possible to reach.

Something I should have noticed earlier:

-Only the Northern SOL riders (excluding the Caliburs, but including Yuri) name their finishers
-Rintarou and Tetsuo make english names for their finishers (Snack On the Chopper and Hydro Stream)
-Touma and Ogami name their finishers in japanese (Bakuen Gurenzan and Dai DanDan)
-Kento (as Espada) names his finisher in Spanish
-Ren also names finishers in japanese, but names them in the format of techniques (Shippuu Kenbu: Niren)
-Yuri names his finishers both in english and japanese, depending on his form (Hikari are and X-Sword Break)

The rest, Falchion, Durandal, Sabela, and Caliburs don't name their own finishers.