[Locke]

Blade Scrub 2.

I wish these opening episodes weren't so strong, because it's getting me all excited, and unless I've changed dramatically in the last eight or nine months I'm going to be very disappointed all over again.

Chalice is like my favourite Rider design ever but honestly the second time around I really appreciate Blade as well with all his subtle details. Not really a big fan of Garren though, he just looks like a less interesting Blade with an uglier colour scheme.

Minus editing and cinematography that borders on incoherent the action is pretty great, I love seeing them attack with their transformations to get around the criticism of 'why would the monster just stand there and let them transform'. The only real problem is the special moves lack a sense of impact, and fights often seem to end limply.

But it's the little touches I find most impressive, like when Chalice runs along a wall, as his bow materialises in his hand before dropping to the ground and unleashing a violent assault as he uses it like a savage melee weapon. Chalice's animalistic fighting style was about the only aspect of the action I enjoyed when it starts to slump after the first couple of epispdes.

And I'm so glad they dropped that stupid Undead Gibberish stuff after this episode.