[Locke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeoRangerV

I've always thought there was a stark difference in tone between the two seasons. The first is more of a dingy macabre horror affair while the second plays up the fantasy elements a lot more.

Actually yeah, that actually makes it pretty clear. Although there were still horror aspects, it played out more like something like...Hellboy, as opposed to the first season which centred around much more hardcore horror and put less emphasis on the action.

Makai Senki 2. I'm bloody enjoying this show!

Since when could Kouga piece together crime scenes like some kind of supernatural CSI? Hell, I don't remember him ever even having to investigate before, he'd just sort of arrived where the Horror was somehow and kill it. I'm not opposed to this though, I actually kinda like this new direction.

Still, the best progression here is the action. This came out like what, six years after the original show? It's so nice to see a tokusatsu series evolve. Rider's progression was noticeable when you started to move into shows like Den-O, but it's really slowed down by this point and sentai has basically ground to a halt, so it's just so enjoyable to see how far GARO's action sequences have come - the stylised flashiness of the action doesn't seem nearly as limited by primitive CGI this time around, and they seem to be using a lot more practical shots of the GARO suit - when they have six more years of technological advancement to play with.

Probably the weakest progression for me, is the horror. Rather than more classic, atmospheric horror, we've moved to more modern grime, torture and gore horror. The show is still as twisted as ever, but I personally preferred the first seasons take on horror than the second, I liked the slow burn of setting a twisted scene, and that it didn't always have to end in some huge fight sequence. The Hell Mermaid episode proved just how fantastic GARO could be as a genuine horror show. This season seems to be playing more for shallow shocks, than true terror like in the first season.

Also, that Leo guy is totally guilty.

Makai Senki 3.

So nice to see Kouga drive and not just keep trying to run everywhere. Still, it was probably the weakest episode so far, feeling noticeably like filler, even the stunts weren't that enjoyable as they just blacked out the clear front helmet for every stunt just to advertise to the world it's a double. Why use a helmet like that in the first place if you plan to use a double? Although it is so nice just how much the CGI has improved.

It was fun seeing more of the Makai Priest magic though, after Red Requiem and now this, I think the Priests are way more interesting and I'm grateful they've become a much bigger and more integral aspect to the show. Just a shame this show totally just makes it up as it goes.

Oh well, Zero's appearance at the end seems to have put us back on track.

Makai Senki 4.

Dunno how to feel about this episode. On the one hand, I love the episodes of this show that really change the pace, and play around with a concept but man, when the whole mystery card game business came together, it ended up just being kinda stupid. Dramatic slow motion poker, with a ridiculously convoluted reason for being in the show!

Still, the low point of the episode was the Kaoru part. Firstly, why would Kouga put her directly in harms way so unnecessarily? I understand the whole gambling bent, but I thought Kouga's overconfident days are over, this just seemed out of character to me. Especially as now, a whole bunch of Horrors know what to target, to get to him, if they didn't know already. Spider-Man right now would be:

The Horrors main form was hella goofy as well - although it was a really high quality suit, luckily the final battle was still awesome.

Makai Senki 5.

Not a lot to say on this episode, it wasn't that it was bad, it was actually very enjoyable but it was just doing more of what I enjoyed so much in the first two episodes, again and I don't want to be a broken record.

It really does just feel like they've improved every problem I had with the original, like a true sequel should. It even brought back the superior horror from the first season, for this episode was well, if I didn't have enough praise already.

Is that the girl who played Shion playing our Horror of the week?