[Locke]

Agito 01. Ah so this was why I never watched more than a single episode. Here we go... *inhales*

To give credit where credit is due, I did like how well this episode constructed atmosphere. There is a constant uneasiness surrounding this episode and like the characters it's so troubling because you can't really put your finger on why. Sadly though, when it all starts to come together, at least for the immediate game, it's just not very good.

Yes the imagery and MO of something so twisted as stuffing people into trees is disturbing but it's also unnecessary too. The brutality achieves nothing more for the narrative, as it's literally a Jaguar Man, in a camp red scarf, murdering people like he forget he was a VERY cheap looking looking rubber suit from a Japanese Kids TV show and found himself in the middle of an Eli Roth production.

I know a lot of people think classic Rider is "mature" because of the content, and sure it's mature in an 18 rated sense but brutality isn't the same thing as intelligence or depth. Porn is exclusively for adults, but that doesn't make it a better storytelling medium than Power Rangers which is made for children. Violence loses impact when every kill is so disgustingly gratuitous.

Honestly though I may not like gratuitous horror in my toku, it is still largely well realised which makes it a crying shame that nothing else really is. The G3 suit is gorgeous and although they've done tech riders many a time, there's never been one that felt quite so artificial and robotic like that one - and I mean that in the best possible way, it actually feels like power armour, a mech suit...Iron Man and I can totally forget it's just a costume. But then it doesn't even get one fight where it's effective, literally G3's introductory fight involves him getting creamed, what kind of creative decision is that? We spend the whole episode following a Rider who immediately gets his ass beat.

Maybe it's to make Agito seem more awesome, but not only is that stupid the Agito suit isn't even that nice. It looks unfinished and rushed through the production line, it's simple in the worst possible way and lacks a sense of polish. Although his Rider kick is kinda cool, in that downplayed and pretty dated sort of way.

*exhales*