Speculation - Kamen Rider Gaim ends in the 30s?
 

The great folks at TokusatsuNetwork.com did a great compilation of all the information we have on Kamen Rider Gaim and the speculation that the series will be the 2nd shortest series behind Kamen Rider Decade. Here's a link to their compilation:

http://tokusatsunetwork.com/2014/04/...a-shorter-run/

So what do you guys think? Are we looking at Kamen Rider Gaim ending some 20 episodes before Wizard did? Will Bandai let their most successful Kamen Rider series in terms of merchandise sales fall short? Or is all this just silly speculation and the series will continue on as normal?

Damn you World Cup! :)

Sound off! (not front paging this news but it's still worth discussing)

The World Cup is big in Japan, Soccer is a lot more popular there than here. So it might very well end up being true. Despite toy sales. They couldn't control that the World Cup happens this year.

Considering how much they've thrown at us already in regards to story, it kind of makes since but then again a 40 episode run doesn't sound bad either.

I sincerely hope not.

Well it's sad to see Gaim go after such a short time it might end up being for the better. After all Urobutchie's last masterpiece Madoka Magica was only 12 episodes and I think it's clear by now how well that show was received. :lol

Also keep in mind that we'd still be getting a full series in terms of story. One of the reasons that the series runs for Kamen Rider needed to be so long in the first place was because every story was a two-parter, and they stopped doing that this year. Probably because they knew this was coming, but still.

I really hope it won't end early but we are running low on toys left for Bandai to sell. I'm sure the story will still be good even if it's a shorter show, I just want more.

Plus there is little to no filler for this series so that's another thing.

I can see where this makes sense. It would explain the quick introduction of new forms and powers.

I would be pissed-freaking-off if this was true.

But not at all surprised. The total lack of filler, Wizard far overstaying it's welcome, the final form not far off, and the shear amount of toys and suits so early in, point to a short series.

HOPEFULLY it's not true, and we get at least 45 episodes, but I dunno guys.

I doubt it. I imagine Gaim would go on hiatus rather then ending there. Having Gaim get Kiwami and ending the show there seems a bit odd. Although it makes a lot of sense that the movie got moved up so Toei could still be selling product during the hiatus. Plus, Wizard delayed the production a month for product reasons so I imagine another month wouldn't be a big deal if they have a movie out.

Say it ain't so!

I guess I better starting buying the toys before they go out of print. People on Ebay are going to sell the AC figures at $100 in a few months from now.

Well this would explain ALOT. First seeing all the riders quickly, getting Kachidoki this early, just when is the World Cup and how long is it? Just to know when to spend a lot of money on Gaim.

Of course my first KR series I watch as it airs is the shortest. :(

I might not be a short as Decade. Or Amazon.

They're already doing that lol.

I wouldn't really mind, Gaim has had a great run and the pacing means that we have already gotten more story from it than some 50 episode shows.

And being only 30 episodes long would make it an even better introductory show to the franchise.

I am kind of disappointed, but that means I hope the next series is pretty good, so I can backlog the toys like I have been doing Kyoryuger :lol

If this is true I hope Urobuchi & the crew learned about it early enough.

A rushed & unsatisfied ending due to shortened length (looking at YOU, Decade!) might be the one thing to ruin Gaim.

I'm kind of upset that it may have an early end, but not That mad. I mean aren't the usual fifty episode runs partially due to having a bunch of filler anyway? As long as it tells a complete story, I'm good.

I do hope it at least get's forty=something episodes though.

I honestly don't understand why they would let a sporting event cut short a show.

Every single western show takes some sort of season break, especially during high activity in the realm of sports. What would be the difference here? I don't see the harm at all.

I don't care how big it is there - just go on a short break. It wouldn't be that long of one anyways.

So if the World Cup is the reason, I'll be pretty pissed at them. And even if it's not... I'll still be disappointed.

The only positive thing from this possible news is that my wallet feels a little better.

It says that. But secretly it's filing a restraining order from all the times you molested it to buy a plastic man who dresses like an Orange and one that dresses like a Banana.

Hum, I'd say we will at least get to episode 40- as the article says, no series has been shortenedd due to the world cup before (and from what I know, even here in Germany, where soccer is the shit, nothing like that has ever happened, so why in Japan, where baseball is the number one sport?), so I doubt that will be true. But I do guess that they could shortened it a bit because of Wizard running for so long. I really do hope we won't just get 30 episodes though. It just doesn't feel right.

I think mostly it's because they stopped doing two-parters, and there's no filler. So there's no reason for it to be 50+.

If it means the story's pacing ends up good, and the ending is satisfying...I don't mind. Though Gaim being in the 40s or 50s would be ideal.

I think Gaim ending in the 40s sounds right to me.

Yeah, actually I remember hearing that Gen Urobochi saying that in his head, he split Gaim up into 4 13 episode seasons.

Sure there is... simply a better, longer story that doesn't feel rushed near the end.

As long as the story ends well I don't care how long it is. I mean I want it to go longer obviously but if it ends in the 30's or if it ends in the 40's makes no difference to me.

I how it goes for 40 because I would more episodes for Zack/Knuckle and more development of some of the characters.

I honestly wouldn't mind if it ended early. Gaim has for the most part played a good chunk of it's cards since episode 1, so carrying it on for 50 or more could possibly end up in some lackluster stuff. I think ending it near the 40 45 mark would be a really smart idea.

The show has been excellent up to now and I'd really prefer it to end on a solid note than be drug out. If it ends early it ends early. Either way this World Cup will preempt Super Hero Time for an entire month this summer :(

... So no ToQ either.

Screw Soccer.

This sucks either way.

It would make sense, and I know a lot of people don't agree with me, but personally I find a LOT of toku way too long anyway. I'd rather what a thirty episode show that is focused for its entire run, than a show which is twenty episodes longer but runs itself into the ground half way through until it has to wrap itself up at the end.

Now if this means Gaim ends early I will be a little upset that I have to get the toys faster now bit I'm not going to cry over it.

Now if this says anything it should be that more rider shows should be about 30 episodes long, let Gaimu be the begginging of a new way of writing.

I don't know. The idea of Gaim unexpectedly ending 15-ish episodes early sounds kind of suspect, but at the same time it's not entirely unthinkable.

The show has been really fast-paced to this point and I know I've been wondering how in the hell so much has happened before the traditional halfway mark; a lot of what's happened would make more sense if we'd actually passed that mark awhile back without realizing it. Urobuchi's a pretty high profile writer, too, Toei may not have been able to lock him down for a full year but didn't want to mess with his story by sticking in random filler (last week notwithstanding).

At the same time, though, some of the stuff in this report is kinda fishy. Superhero Time has never been pre-empted for the World Cup before. Sure, the occasional marathon or golf tournament has bumped one or both shows for a week before, but that's only once or twice a year. I know ratings are down, but I can't see Rider and Sentai going away for an entire month. Plus, while I don't know how Gaim's actual ratings are doing, the toy sales are through the roof. Bandai has a lot of pull as far as Kamen Rider is concerned and I can't imagine they'd want to shut this money train down early.

Assuming we don't get any confirmation on this one way or the other, what I'm going to be looking for is rumors about the next series. Usually those don't start floating around until late May. If we start hearing anything about the next series by the end of this month, then and only then am I going to start writing the eulogy for Gaim.

It's an error to say that EVERY western show has a break. Aside from Dr. Who last year (and look how that turned out) its only been since January that a few American imports like the Big Bang Theory say that have been forced onto a break. Of course because of the offset between here and the US we got like only two episodes in before the hiatus.... Not great planning there.

Frankly, while I could see the world cup knocking Super Hero Time aside for a little while, the real answer to this is to look at time zones. If you assume that a match kicks off at x time on x day then would Japan have to air it in a 7:30 slot in order to play it live?

If no matches encroach on the time slot then there's no pressing reason barring a ridiculously long warm up that they'd really want to cancel a money spinner like Gaim. Remember Kamen Rider is pretty big in their culture too, and far older than the soccer craze dare I say.

Now that aside, I could totally believe them ending Gaim early, just not because of sports. I've had a strong inkling about this from the start. Gen came at us with so much story, so many characters, just so quickly that I have literally no idea how he'd sustain the thing until the 50 episode mark without falling back on filler and ruining it.

Of course, this is a show that has been wildly different in tone and plot from the beginning to now. Who says the Butcher won't shake it up again? He's a more than capable writer so...


NOTE: If he pulls off 52 episodes at the current pace, I'm studying the hell out of Gaim and applying that shit to my own writing.

I feel this series can last into at least 40 episodes, especially since they like to drag the final form for many episodes. However, I won't mind a shorter show, in fact, I may actually prefer it. As long as the story is good, anything goes for length.