[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: Let's start with Power Rangers, an international cultural touchstone that has completely eluded me for my entire life.

You know, between this and finding out everyone apparently watches Decade right away, I'm really getting into this running gag of Die constantly being told this singular toku backstory everybody who isn't him seems to have.

Anyway, I love these episodes of Decade. Back before I really knew Blade, I got really into the story on its own merits, finding that oddball friendship Kazuma and Tsukasa develop especially to be really endearing.

Going back to it with knowledge of its writer, I now think it also benefits from Yonemura's specific brand of intense nonsense. That opening sequence with the Riders needing to wait for approval to transform is super exaggerated, which makes it extremely effective at communicating the gimmick of Blade's world clearly right away. Plus, the strange corporate hierarchy of BOARD in general is quite memorable. (I kind of take it like promotions and demotions happen so constantly they basically mean nothing? Kazuma literally gets fired and is back the next day. Or, heck, was that the same day?) Tsukasa inserting himself into a system he actively displays contempt for and then immediately proving he's better at it than everyone else is also very, very Tendou, and as fun to watch as a lot of those plot threads in Kabuto were.

Going to back to it with knowledge of Blade, I also think it does it a fantastic job getting at the concepts it chooses from that show. Kazuma is a completely normal guy in much the same way Kenzaki was, and he's always been one of my favorite of Decade's versions of the old Riders. He's capable yet bumbling, and an all-around decent human being living a life that isn't as glamorous as you'd expect from a super hero, because he isn't a super hero – he's a guy working his job. Again, great fun to watch, whether he's being demoted for prioritizing human life over defeating a monster, or just breaking dishes in the kitchen like a total dork. What can I say? He really feels like Blade!

(The "cheese" thing is missing the point though; Kenzaki is supposed to mess up words because he talks so quickly, due to what an excitable person he is. Not just because he literally doesn't know how to say them.)

Also! These are Decade's first episodes directed by Ishida, and while there aren't a ton of big artsy moves in them, I think they still benefit all over the place in little ways from his usual touches. (And there's real fire when Decade blows up a monster as Ryuki, because of course there's real fire in an episode group by Ishida.)

Oh, and as a last note, while Kuuga's shiny red is something I barely register, you can tell in these episodes that the transparent bits on Blade and Garren's faces are starting to become discolored, making the silver underneath look wrong. (Or at least I think that's what happened? I've never been too clear on what exactly went down with those suits over the years or why it's never been fixed.) It's not literally gold yet, but it's on its way there!