[DreamSword]

I've finished up Kamen Rider Gaim, with only the stage shows and the Gridon & Bravo specials left to watch.

And overall, my final thoughts on the show are just that it is very okay.

While I understand the how and why of what made the show so popular and influential, it just never managed to connect with me emotionally. It's certainly structured well, it's just never a show that hit as strongly as many of the other seasons I love.

And I think a big reason for that is also a big reason as to why I could never be fully invested in Ghost: I spent alot more time analyzing the show rather than watching it due to just how (in)famous the season is in the eyes of the fandom.

The key difference being that with Ghost I felt that those who really hated it and those who really loved it both had valid points, with Gaim? I feel like both sides of the extreme really don't have any sort of point at all. Most complaints I've read I feel are nonsense, and most gushing about the show feels hypocritical when compared to many other seasons.

For example, one critique I've read is "Sagara only helps Kota." And while sure, Sagara's' claims that he's neutral is total crap, he actually pushes alot more people forward than just Kota. He outright perpetuates the Beat Riders competition, he informs Ryoma about the Golden Fruit, and he directly traps Mai into her role as the Lady of the Beginnings. While he's full of it in claiming he's only a watcher, Kota isn't the "only" one he influences.

Meanwhile, on the complimentary side of things, many people praise Gaim for being "the darkest story in Rider/toku." Which, as someone who's now seen most of Rider and plenty of other toku, is a laughable claim. Most Phase 1 stuff is way darker than Gaim alone, let alone outside series like GARO.

In terms of characters, I felt the cast overall was fairly likable by the end. Even Micchy who, while is far and away not at all a good person, does have a satisfactory character arc that I felt no huge complaints with. Mai still remains my favorite even if she does end up shafted. But in terms of Riders I do gotta give it to Kaito. Even if his views can be seen as contradictory at times, he's always entertaining to watch, and the idea of the Secondary Rider becoming the final boss by the end is in itself really cool.

And that's about all I got, I think. Overall Gaim to me is just a decently fun watch, and there's nothing really wrong with that. I give it a solid 3/6, and the song I now associate with it is "Way Down We Go" by Mandrazo.

Next time I feel like Rider, well, this one's not up to me. The friend I usually watch these shows with really wants to revisit Drive, so that's next. From what I understand it's apparently the worst Rider show ever until it hits the halfway mark, or something. Sounds interesting.