[Zolda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Spanner's feelings for Rinne are probably the same reason why Deepmariner Malgam got so thoroughly beaten by Valvarad. I've compared Spanner to several Secondary Riders already, but yeah, the way he acts two-faced in his interactions with Houtarou and Rinne is a lot like Kusaka. While we don't see much of him in this episode, he definitely seems like a show-off who wants others to think he's bad*ss. Maybe "Kurogane Spanner" is a name he gave himself to stand out more.

Kurogane is a common surname, but Spanner? Yeah, ain't buying that. The writers might as well make his fate ends like Kusaka's, who became a Rider out of hubris to test his physical limit, and ended up dying because it turned out each transformation brought him closer to death.

My gut tells me that Houtarou-Rinne-Spanner's dynamic will probably be similar to Takumi-Mari-Kusaka's one, while Renge-Sabimaru's dynamic will be similar to Keitarou-Kaido's typical manzai one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Personally, I like VenoMariner and I wouldn't mind seeing the green and pink combo used more often. Regarding the 50 forms, some of those are presumably using Ride Chemy Cards outside the group of 101, since it's currently unknown how Gotchard can use Level 10s for the standard 8 categories. I will agree with you about Build, but for me, that's due to his asymmetrical design generally not appealing to me, unlike RabbitRabbit. The number of forms was also a problem though, as so many never got used and poor ScorpionGold didn't even make it to canon.

At first, I thought many of the RCC's only function as power ups/weapons/armor modifiers, like the majority of Drive's Shift Cars or Fourze's Astroswitches. But I was wrong. The existence of the Blank RCC means that the level 10 cards can be used in tandem with the Blank RCC to access a new form, very probably a super form of each category, like Build's Rabbit Tank Sparkle form. Level 10 RCC + Blank/level 0 RCC = 10. It still adheres to the original rule of 10. So, it's actually even worse now, because if level 10 RCC's do work that way, and if there are other RCC's beside the original 101 ones, which I'm 90% sure, then it means that there will be more than 50 forms. Gulp!

So far, I predict there will be:
= (9 ordinary RCC's per category x 10 categories) + (1 level 10 RCC's per category x 10 categories)
= (90 ordinary RCC pairs that grant ordinary forms) + (10 level 10 RCC pairs that grant super forms when each card is fused with the Blank RCC)
= 45 forms + 10 forms
= 55 forms!

If there is one final form for Gotchard, then Gotchard will end up with 56 forms. And that still doesn't include Spanner's Rider forms or the third Rider's (most likely Minato) forms, who'll transform with different driver(s).

Why can't we have small number of base forms with great, thematic, unified designs, like any KR shows before Build? Ghost's 15 base forms look paltry if compared with Build's Best Match forms. Gotchard (and Build) are what happens when Bandai goes completely out of control.

The sheer number of forms a Rider uses also negatively affects his characterization. To me, the more forms a Rider has, up to a point, the less competent he is in my eyes. I'd rather have a clumsy Shinji Kido that can fight and win in just one form for 33 episodes than a genius nerd that changes forms 3 times in just one episode.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Neutral Good FTW. While those types may not be recognized as "lawful", they still follow their own internal laws as guided by a matured moral compass, rather than the external law created by authority to maintain order. They're willing to do unpleasant things for the sake of good that lawful types are reluctant to do, but they won't do it brazenly like chaotic types either. I think it's the most direct and reliable course towards good that is often seen in Kamen Rider.

I concur. So far, Fuga hasn't shown malicious tendencies. He very likely broke the rules not out of malice, but out of moral duty (and probably desperation as well). I think he was faced with the common moral dilemma of choosing between obeying rules (and or saving small number of people) or disobeying rules (and or saving greater number of people).