Was only really Amazons, and like I said; I think she'd just been working on Masked Hero stuff for so long that she wanted to do something different. I love Toku and I think I'd probably be a bit sick of writing within the same constraints for over a decade!

Well, I fully expect you to disagree with me here based on your own preferences, but I'd argue that ToQGer and Amazons Season 2 specifically have a lot of similarities regarding the story and characters and I think maybe she was using Gobusters as a way to experiment with some of those themes that she was developing. Kind of like how Shimoyama is praised for writing Gobusters Returns but also criticized for writing Ninninjer and Zi-O. I think there might be some kind of reason behind the scenes to explain why some writers experience such dramatic changes in their style.

Anyway, I've been thinking about Revice's dinosaur motif, does anybody else think Toei is trying to ride the hype for the upcoming release of Horizon Forbidden West?

I think they mean outside of just work for Toku and even Toei. The last few years she has worked on what could be seen as "older audience" projects, or simply more violent ones.

-Amazons
-Garo Divine Flame
-Jojo's bizarre adventure
-Attack on titan

However I don't know if this is actually a real trend or just a false assumption of a trend, I think she works more as a freelance writer now and it's possible studios are offering her writing positions on these shows rather than the other way around. She also does have a background with tonally darker shows on top of her skills woth more lighthearted series. So she may simply feel like branching out after years of mostly relatively lighthearted content

It's hard to say for sure what's bringing her to the shows she's working on these days without a lot of insider knowledge, but it seems like she's just working on stuff she'd enjoy doing, so I'm glad for her, if.she ever wanted to come back to rider or sentai I'd be very excited, but she's earned a lot of respect in the tv screen writing world on Japan it seems, and she earned it, so she can work on whatever she wants to really.

Just popping in to really say, I forgot that Kobayashi worked on The Carved Seal of Flames and Divine Flame.

Got to say though, real good work on both series and movie. Both being in my Top 6 of Garo Media which also includes 2 other Series and 2 other Movies oddly enough. :lol

Kobayashi has had a "dark and edgy" style since Gingaman (see: the Bull Black arc).

Timeranger is, arguably, the darkest and edgiest Sentai series.

I'd say she's always had a darker streak and that her light series -- Den-O, OOOs, and ToQger -- are the aberrations.

I still need to watch that show sometime so I can finish the 90s.

The setup is great. Heck I would not be surprised if the writers of Goseiger and Ryusoulger declared that they took notes from Gingaman. Lost Galaxy borrowed from Gingaman as well for their setup somewhat too when dealing with the Red Ranger's personal quest.

I wouldn't say it's one of my favorite series, especially from the 90s -- Sentai had just added 5min to each episode's runtime with Megaranger, and I don't think the writers figured out how to pace the extra time consistently until Hurricanger -- but it does have it's moments. And it's not extremely dark at all, it's really just the Bull Black story that has a decent amount of grit.

But back to the topic at hand, I doubt that Kobayashi will ever spearhead another Toei toku series. I think her time in the head writer's chair, along with Inoue's (and perhaps Arakawa's -- IMO, Kiramager has some swansong vibes) has passed. They may come back for miniseries and movies and a couple episode here and there, but I'm hardpressed to believe we'll see any of them helm a mainline Rider or Sentai again.

You know exactly what I want to hear! I guess I'll just move Gingaman forward in my queue.

I hope we get some more official intel on Revice soon, like in the July scans or something.