In what universe?

He hasn't changed at all. He hasn't developed at all. I find it a stretch to call him a character at all. Shame because his actor is quite good, but there's literally nothing to Souichi outside of he is nice. He just goes through the motions without any thought. It's like he's from a completely different show almost.

I'm not saying it has to be a comedy, just have some kind of heart to it.

Agito deffinately takes itself too seriously. It's like, there's little relief from all the stern looks and dead silence, and when it is it comes off as out of place because of how rare it is.

And again, when you're so straight-faced shit like bug-suits and motorcycles turning into giant spoons.

It's just a tedious show to watch. So much is silence and conversations and the monster attacks are always the same dance. That annoying music comes on, somebody gets stalked before they get killed.

W balances really well the serious and lighthearted. Overall I would say it is a more serious show than OOO or Fourze, but it's nothing compared to Kuuga or Ryuki.

W to me is the ideal balance. Though obviously I can accept leaning to either side since I like Den-O and liked OOO.

Liked? Did something happen to make stop liking it or something?

Oh no, I still like it. :lol I just finished it so I refer to it, and W, in past tense even though I do still like both and am into both toylines.

... just checking.

I'm referring to W's themes being serious. However, you are right, Ryuki is far more serious and I forgot to throw that one in my list.

I think my top 5 series would include Black, W, Ryuki, Blade, and Kiva.

If we're talking about serious series' then Kuuga has to be in here somewhere.

and Agito.

I don't know whether to place Blade as "Serious" or "Takes itself too seriously."

Agito is what started this whole serious discussion.

I think Agito is my next series after Kuuga. If nothing else, I have to see Gills.

BTW, Den-O 7: I think that was my least favourite episode. Roaming Gnome is way too pitiful, and his voice is really starting to grate. Also that fight made no sense. Den-O's sword already has crazy range! I mean, the blade freaking detaches and hits an enemy from a distance! Why is he just swinging it around like a doofus?

But God I love the turtle and the fights he and red guy get into. But if he's a turtle, what is red guy?

Peach, he's a peach

That's what I call gingers with hairy butts.

Maybe he really is the red guy?

He's based on an oni and a peach. Hence the peach halves that are the visor of the Den-O Sword Form helmet. And when he goes into Climax Form the halves 'peel' back to reveal a brighter colored visor underneath. He's also kinda referencing the Japanese folk lore hero Momotaro who was born from a peach to fight oni.

That is weird and confusing.

Kinda makes me not like the Den-O helmet as much anymore. (BTW Rod form is dumb looking and the weiner jokes get old pretty fast)

EDIT: And since I just finished episode ten, I'll say that I like this new Imagidude. Axe form is cool but weird, though, as it's basically just sword form with the armour backwards.

Seeing as how the two comedy episodes of the series felt really forced (the Hajime twin), it is just serious.

I'm putting it in the "takes itself too seriously" category. Some of the things that should have been more light (the relationship between Hajime and Amane, Tachibana and Sayoko's friendship, that one stupid motorcycle episode and the taiyaki rubbish) all had a very serious and rather stale feeling to them. It was hard to associate with some of the characters simply because of how stone cold they were.

Yeah. Den-O's armor stays the same, just rearranges itself per form.

I guess that's a fair enough assessment.
Still, it was rather enjoyable, it's just humorless, unfortunately.

See, and I don't mind it being humorless. If I did, I would not like Gundam. The thing about something like Kamen Rider (and Sentai) is when I want serious, I can watch one side of shows. When I want comedy, I can watch another side. When I want character development, again, I have another side to watch. If I want just action, that also has its own side.

While I loved Blade, I can understand that it's super serious tone might end up being off putting to some.

Episode 8 of Kiva.

Never thought that a castle could kick so much ass. Also, I find it a little off putting that the preview for the next episode showed Ixa. Seems a little too early for a secondary rider to me.

Not really. Kiva wasn't just a two-Rider show like the ones we have now. It does take a long time for Saga to show up, though.

Oh, okay thanks!

.. I'm enjoying Kuuga. But part of me wants to watch Agito now. .. Decisions Decisions..

Keep in mind that Agito is a loose sequel to Kuuga. You can just roll straight from the latter into the former.

Yeah, finishing Kuuga first makes Agito a bit better.

Hmm, what have I been watching Rider wise?

-Watched the 13 Riders Ryuki TV Special while I was in Perth last weekend. Man, that was awful. It would've worked if I hadn't had watched Ryuki before it because everything in it is complete garbage when compared to the show. The only cool things about it were Verde and the ending where Shinji destroys Mirror World and, as a result, has a mental breakdown on a sidewalk. Other than that it was really forgettable.

-Watched Let's Go Kamen Riders yesterday. ...Well, 90% of it. The copy I had downloaded cut out 9 minutes before the end, so once I've redownloaded it I'll actually be able to see the end. :lol Pretty good movie that really picks up when All the Riders show up when OOO, New Den-O and Ankh w/ Momotaros attached as an arm, are about to get executed. Really awesome seeing the crowd yell the names of the Showa Riders as they jump in.

EDIT:

Finished redownloading just now, so I was able to watch the end. The final attack with all the Riders crashing into the big bad was pretty awesome. And the Naoki reveal was well done. Overall, a really solid movie.

-Up to episode 17 of Kuuga. Really good show that's only weighed down by the horrible v1 subs that Midnight Crew did. Hoping they're eventually able to finish the v3s this year, so I can get rid of the v1s.

-Up to episode 5 of Den-O. Really fun show that's sadly only been subbed by TV-N. Kinda hoping it gets scubbed sometime this year by someone who actually translates "Ore Sanjou". :lol

-Up to episode 10 of Kabuto. Amazing show that I should really get back to. Tendou is the man.

Was also watching Fourze and OOO, but I'm gonna give them a restart w/ O-T subs since I was originally watching them w/ TV-N subs.

Then I'll finish off Kuuga first. I just really wanna see Gills xD

The only truly awesome thing about 13 riders is when Ren dies and passes his deck to Shinji, who becomes the new Knight. That was an awesome reversal on the plot of the TV series. Otherwise I'll agree that it was awful. People always lose it over Verde but it seems like a kinda lame design to me.

Let's Go kamen Riders is a movie we all should watch. That and Shikenger v Goseiger.

I wish I could find Let's go Kamen Riders subbed.

BTW, who's the girl in Den-O who follows Road-to-nowhere again? She's pretty kickass in a realistic way. Also God damn the Imagin are funny. What is the word that makes Kintaros take over? I'm watching TV-Nihon subs so of course it's untranslated and I have the Goddammiest what it means.

TV-N has Let's Go subbed, but that only really matters if you torrent.

And he's saying "Nakeru de!" Meaning "You'll cry!"
TV-Nihon does translate it in his debut episode. Granted, it's in a blink and you'll miss it translation note across the top of the screen :lol

We just watched episodes 11-20 of Black and something just dawned on me, this show has not grunts. Is this the only KR series from the Showa era to not have grunts? I cannot believe I never thought of that before.

Anyway, once again it is really great seeing this subbed. There hasn't been too much in what I could not follow watching them raw several times, but there is such great joy in understanding everything. Birugenia remains freaking badass and I look forward to watching more.

Oh no, I know his thing about crying. It's the word that sets him off and gets him on the "my strength will make you cry" business. "Naki" I think?

Oh, "Naku" and "Nakeru."
Sometimes you have to be quick to catch it though, because he'll go off on sound a-likes, too.

OH!

Jee, thanks for fucking explaining that, TV-Nihon. It literally just came across like he out-of-nowhere got a big up his ass.

Welcome to TV-Nihon, where you're better off learning Japanese.

Overtime and Kit Subs have got it subbed:

Let's Go Kamen Riders

http://krdl.info/display/show/oooot/

Anyways, started my first Showa series yesterday: Amazon. Up to episode 5 and man is it bloody and sad. Who knew Showa could pull that off? :lol