[MarsHottentot]

Episode 3/16. GAH! This is such an odd show; it's "adult" but only in the same manner any horror movie is - not really. Amazonz' writing isn't any smarter than, say, Gaim or Ex-Aid - it's simple pulp, it's just drenched in gore, both of the digital and practical variety.

It's exactly what teenage Mars dreamt of in those gore heavy B-Movie days of the 1980s - superheros gone supermonsters.

As an adult, I suppose I wanted something a bit more sophisticated but, when I take it for what it is: horror designed with a teenage viewership in mind (let's get real, here), it's pretty awesome.

This episode reintroduces some old characters and, hey! the actor who portrayed Hojo in Agito and the weird Centipede Orphenoch in Faiz is here as Iyu's cannibalistic papa!

Amazon Alpha makes his season debut here and, in a turn you wouldn't expect for Kamen Rider, absolutely wipes the floor with Amazon Neo. Actually, Neo gets his head kicked in pretty regularly so far - hey, Ryuki, you ain't alone, bro!

The story takes some interesting turns concerning Iyu and Haruka and Chihiro's got an unfortunate "wrong place / wrong time" moment.

While I maintain the Amazons still look goofy, this episode is filmed a bit more moody; the elephant Amazon was particularly creepy (hope to see more of him)

Hyped for next episode with the return on Mamoru, who appears to have become a badass! Amazing what a bit of humanburger will do for an 'Zon!