[Blade Raider]

So far I'm on board with this show if only because I like both Sento and Ryuga. Solid leads with solid actors with solid world building. This show has a good foundation. Hope they can build something great on it.


Random thought:
-The opening almost works. Like Ghost's theme, Be the One has a super long build up, but unlike Ghost's theme, Be the One has a good chorus. The problem is the visuals are suddenly to slow when the chorus kicks in. A lot of the issues can be fixed as they replace some of it with forms and Claws. All that said, the best put of the opening is shaking the bottles to the beat.

-I enjoyed the life story gag. It was just dumb enough to make me laugh.

-In general, I'm seeing a lot of Agito between Pandora's Box, Sento being an amnesiac, Sento living with a father and daughter household, and said daughter has mysterious powers (and the dad to, unlike Agito). Ryuga...I'll get to him.

-Loved the Guardians being dumb robots. Sento's cell phone trick should've never worked.

-We've already seen Ryuuga's actor act with his hands in Amazons, now we get foot acting!

-The more they call him "Bat Man" the more I want him to wear a cape.

-Hey, it's an Amazons set.

-MATH VISION!...wonder if they're make toys of that...

-If this show has a negative, there's a lack of punch in the action. Build smashing the robots and fading into a new scene is the best example of this, but a lot of the action seems this way. I still like the action, it just could use more polish.

-Small detail that I liked: Ryuga steals Build's sword. It's on his bike after he knocked out Sento. They never address it either, but it does show that Ryuga was thinking a weapon was a good thing to have right now.

-I didn't think the first use of Dust Bunny form would be in a mercy killing.

-So far Ryuga's life is pain. Ryuga is the new Kamen Rider Gills (And he's going to become Claws. Huh). He's an athlete who loses everything. His career, his freedom, his love. Someone get this man a puppy!...and don't kill it in a the novel sequel (Still mad about that).

-I want to talk more about Sento. He's the kind of protagonist I like. Somewhat easy going, but he's serious when needed. He gets rough with Ryuga when Ryuga gave up. I feel this early in the show, most Riders would take to laugh it off or just drag him out of there with no words. Instead Sento asks a very important question that kicks Ryuga out of his moment of despair.

-Sento's hair gimmick doesn't happen in this episode. Odd for the 2nd episode, but seeing how forced character gimmicks have been recently, I'm glad they're already using it when suitable rather then forcing it.


This was a strong episode even if a it feels a bit rushed in places. I don't mean that in necessarily a bad way either. This felt like the first episode of a Showa series where they get to the tragedy pretty quickly so you understand what drives the characters to be superheroes.

PS Dammit, I just noticed I used build puns in this post. That wasn't intentional. This is going to be ToQger all over again.