[Kiwami]

Watched the first three episodes of Kamen Rider Black and I enjoyed it. It’s absolutely not a story-driven experience, after the first two episodes which explained how Kotaro became Black and that Golgom is evil and stuff we’re already hard on the MOTU-formula with episode three.

But I kinda like it. For one the effect work is simply stunning. Yes you have your crappy computer effects when the Golgom sages (I just call them that, you know who I mean) float around or when something completely crazy happens. But I’m still surprised how well they can pull some stuff off with just clever camera angles and of course really well made special effects. The monsters look really creepy and sometimes it’s more like watching a horror movie than a superhero show and I dig that.

Second, the fights are well done. It’s not high-end martial arts but it looks good. And they incorporate the monsters abilities into it rather well.

But what I probably like most is the dark and sometimes scary mood this show has. I always enjoyed the Cyborg-angle of the Kamen Riders, that they are tragic figures altered against their will, but keep pushing forward. I would like a modern show to really get into this, because with Black it’s just the first two episodes, Kotaro being unable to control his strength and breaking a glass and after that he’s completely in control and I doubt they ever revisits that setup aside from the speech at the end of every episode.

So like I was told, it’s not something where the story grabs you or you want to see the characters unfold, Kamen Rider Black is more your weekly “Meet a scary new monster and see Black beat the shit out of it”-kinda deal. I won’t be bale to watch more than one episode or two before I get bored and watch something else, but I do enjoy watching those episodes. I think watching an episode of Kamen Rider Black every other evening could be really fun. And hey: There is something to look forward to, Shadow Moon. And the other evil guy on a motorcycle, I heard he’s kinda cool as wlel.

So I definitely keep watching this time, I do want to see the whole show now.