Let's Watch Wednesdays Week 1 Kamen Rider Blade 1-3
 

These three episodes were a great way for the show to kick off and I like how there is a risk to using the Rider System. It adds suspense to the show. Also, why did only the pictures burn? I guess we won't find out till later.

Oh crap, I knew I forgot to do something :lol
*Runs off to download Blade*

The show definitely just throws everything plus the kitchen sink at you right off the bat. Seeing BOARD destroyed almost completely within the first episode is jarring but it adds a real dimension of terror. The good guys are on the ropes from episode 1 and it's an uphill struggle from there.

Of course the designs are strikingly solid for the riders. Chalice especially. The Undead however are fairly bland looking, almost like knockoffs of Grongi and Mirror Monsters shoved together. That's not to say the designs don't improve as the series progresses, but they aren't particularly interesting right now.

Of course Kenzaki is a bit annoying, he's in the Shinji Kido vein of riders (though I loved Shinji) but he seems pretty earnest. Tachibana is as cold and dickish as I could have hoped for and it's good to see him in his original element before Fourze :lol

All in all a strong first showing of episodes. I have to ask though as I'm really not sure, are the aspect ratios for episodes 7 and up goofed up for anyone else? My video is crunched down and stretched pretty wide.

My video looked normal for episodes 1-3. never went further so i don't know what the others look like. I did watch it on GoodDrama though.

I'll be sitting this one out since I've already seen the show twice, but I'll follow the conversation and maybe toss in some of my own thoughts here and there. Have fun, guys, Blade is a great show. :thumb:

To all the people watching this for the first time, then congrats, Blade is a great ride from start to end. :thumb:

Seeing BOARD destroyed in the first episode was completely unexpected, and the pace of the first few eps is simply hectic but in a good way.

I had always heard this show throws you into the deep end from the word go, and these episodes certainly lived up to the reputation. The battle has been going on already, BOARD gets near end of season trashing in episode 1, Tachibana seems to be up shady stuff, and Chalice is a huge enigma who can speak Undead-ese. It's certainly a very unique narrative choice. Anyway a few bullet points on these episodes.

-With just these three episodes alone can say that Kenzaki was definitely out of character when he appeared in Decade.

-I had heard the Bel in DokiDoki Precure was voiced by Karasuma's actor, but actually seeing the actor was neat.

-A series where they don't kill the MOTW but seal it away is different.

-So, I'm guessing the Blade Riders are the pioneers of the henshin bitch slap? Unless someone else did that kind of thing before them that I'm not aware of.

That's what I did for Ryuki. Though I actually joined in for 13 Riders and Episode Final because I hadn't seen those before

That's not you, that's TVN's crappy encodes from 2004. It'll stop after a few more episodes.

I'm brand new to Blade. I started watching the first episode a while ago, but didn't finish it, so this is a great opportunity for me to get back into it

One thing I like is that we actually see the riders in costme before we see them as people. It's neat. Sadly they're all so generic in appearance and personalities, at least in the first episode, that it makes it difficult to follow. Also, screaming like a madman in an unconcious person's face is of course the best way to get information out of them.

Blade is a pretty cool rider when I cna see him, though his hand poses before transforming are weird. Plus it's cool to see a rider already aclimated to beign a rider.

I already made my observation, but so I can be in the giveaway:
So yeah. I hope I like this.

Yeah, I think it's cool that it goes gung-ho into the action, but it's doing a lot very quickly. Have we even seen a clear look at Tachibana out of the suit?

I've never seen Blade but got the ending spoiled for me so I'll watch anyways.

First 3 episodes:

BOARD gets fragmented

Tachibana might be a traitor

We have a third rider show up

Does all of this epic stuff in the FIRST 3 episodes while establishing character. The fabled "Best Rider series" is heating up.

I liked these episodes. The Undead look okay, but its gonna be hard remembering that the Riders only have limited powers as of now. I kept expecting Blade to pull out his Thunder card in episode 3 when that was the episode he got it.

The same happened to me but even so it was worth it.

Blade was the last Rider with a legit old school hand-wavey henshin motion.

I love me some Blade, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe it as THE best Rider series. Mostly it gets a lot of flack for the slow beginning, but lots of love for the epic finale.

Side question based on personal/group experience: how many of you can't tell the male characters apart yet?

I am loving Blade. Especially the Undead. They remind me so much of the Grongi, I absolutely love it. Simple designs work best. .. I'm looking at you W. And OOO, and Fourze, and Wizard.

Wait, simple monster designs or simple Rider designs? 'Cause W was a VERY simplisticly designed Rider.

He specifically mentioned the Undead, so monster designs.

Ah.

I am LOVING Round Zero~BLADE BRAVE.

Utopia < all.

Though I'm pretty sure you meant the "of the week" monsters. Utopia is one of the coolest badguy designs in Kamen Rider.

*Raises Hand* I'm sorry but the most important characters are 20 something Japanese males with short straight dark hair and ovalish faces. They all look the same.

Tachibana I recognized because his actor was in Fourze, and he isn't hanging around other people right now. Kenzaki, Hajime, and the reporter dude did have me a bit confused untill episode three. I had them sorted out by then.

The only guy that stands out is the one that's always drinking milk :lol

Kotaro!
He's awesome I love the guy.

Damn. Even I somehow got confused, I had everything straight but was convinced Kenzaki was drinking the milk :lol

Nope. :p
Kotaro and Kenzaki are very similar both in looks and personality so it's understandable.

You guys will learn to differentiate them soon enough, and then they'll never go away from your mind.

Kinda figured. One of most people's complaints about early Blade is how similar the guys look, especially Kenzaki and Kotaro. It took me about three or four episodes to get them straight, too. :lol

Oh yay, I've actually done this! Gotta remember to keep up for in the upcoming weeks...

Yeah, not being able to recognize anyone is my big takeaway from the first few episodes. I just keep getting confused about who has what relationship to whom.

The poor quality of the videos isn't helping, but nothing we can do about that.

This is my first time watching Blade. I kinda avoid watching it. After the first 3 episodes, I really enjoy it. I like everyone's personality and I think Garren is actually a good person, though the way he handles things is similar to Batman!

*Raises Hand* I'm in that same club. Freaking 90's Japanese guys haircuts. Its like every barber in Japan all had the same training. It's impossible to figure out even up to Episode 4 who is who. They all are the same height, same coloring hair, same moody attitude. Even Kenzaki who started out all "I'm the new kid" in episode 1 is now this yelling moody thing with Rider powers. I do like that in a way they switched Kenzaki's and Tachibana's respective roles to Kenzaki and Kotaro.

Aside from that, this is my first time watching Blade, and I'm glad I am because I was wondering what to pick up watching after I had completed Decade a while back. I thought about going straight to Kiva, but this is pretty good so far. The style of filming is also incredibly different over the production quality we have gone to in the last 5 years. It has a very reality drama quality to it. But that's 2004 tech for you.

One other question since this is my first go into the Lets Watch Wednesday thing, how many episodes per week are we watching/commenting on? Because I'm really itching to go above episode 6 at this point. I'm finally starting to figure out where each character stands, and it's getting good.

Is it me or does the camera work look weird? Because it feels different from when i seen Kabuto. is it the type of camera they're using?

We watch 3 a week, but I'm sure skipping ahead a few will be fine as long as you keep the discussion of those episodes for their respected weeks =]

The first 3 episodes of Blade are crazy, and just full of mystery. It's a refreshing way to start a series (especially since I watched it after Faiz) and it certainly pays off in the long run =]

Also, how come Garren/Tachibana/Libra's actor has seemingly never aged I swear he looks just as old/young in Fourze as he does here despite the what, 5/6 year gap?

We always watch 3 episodes of the show. You're welcome to watch more but the discussion threads are specifically meant for that weeks set of episodes so please don't discuss any additional watching you do as it could spoil it other viewers. Just wait until the appropriate week to discuss the episodes you've seen. Thanks!
Dude I know! Hironari Amano (or after the name change Kousei Amano) is like the Rob Lowe of japan. Dude never ages. There's an 8 years gap between Blade (2004) and Fourze (2012). He looks fantastic!

Wow 8 years, he really does look good then!

I once read that Japanese women don't age until they hit 50.
I guess that applies to men, too? :p

Seriously, home boy hasn't aged.

I liked the random I.D. checkpoints throughout board headquarters. Point your phone at the plant, hit the column with your palm. Final eyecheck at the virgin Mary. Shame it all had to go away. I wonder if having access to different parts of the base required hitting specific checkpoints thought the building.

The mystery of Hajime/chalice's origin and purpose is something to look forward to. You gotta admit, Chalice's design downright nifty.

Yeah, the different check points were a nice touch. Gives you a sense of how big BOARD was and heirachy among the employees.

And while I'm posting I'll bring up two points I forgot to. Kamen Rider using their bikes felt refreshing. Now, I'm not one of those people who hyperbolize that the modern Riders never use their bikes, but the Blade Riders have different had theirs on screen than say Kiva or Wizard. Secondly, Blade Brave is an awesome song.

Agreed in both points, bikes and song. The last series in watched was Agito (gotta finish that up, twelve episodes to go), all sorts of bike riding in that one. Nice to see Chalice's henshin Also transform the bike as well. I've always enjoyed when that happens.

So, Blade episodes 1 and 2. Very hectic, very chaotic, and the main characters all look the same. The suits and fights look good. But Chalice... he beats all others...

I'm going to like this show.