[TheTakoTank]

Kuuga fanclub unite! Spoilers, obv.

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Originally Posted by Switchblade

I think you were supposed to be uncertain if Yusuke lived or died in the final fight. I'm not sure if it really worked like that for contemporary audiences.

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Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

Actually, that's wrong. Very early on in the episode, characters are saying stuff like "I wish Godai didn't go on an adventure so soon. I wonder when we'll see him again." So they make it quite clear that Yusuke is alive, he just left quickly.

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Originally Posted by ryan

I also get what they were doing with the final episode, but again it doesn't really do much for me. I think I would have appreciated the last episode a lot, had they shown at the end that Godai died to defeat Daguva, but I understand why they didn't go that route.

I think it could be interpreted that Godai did die and Ichijou is lied to everyone that he's alive to protect their smiles. At the very least I think that would have been an interesting way to end it.

Also, Hibiki's pretty good. I'm almost done with it; I don't think the second half is as bad as people say, but there are problems with it. I'll be doing an overall review when I finish the show.

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Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

*snip*

All valid criticisms of the show.

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Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

The action was lacking, being very subdued. Some would say that's not a bad thing. And it's not. The first 20 times. The remaining 30 made fight scenes just dull and time consuming. The bike scenes were nice, but those don't save a series.

I think the action was fine, even by today's standards, but you just need to remember that it's an old show. One of the things I like is that the bike is actually used a lot. Many other shows don't feel like they put the "rider" in Kamen Rider. The sequence when he kills the grasshopper grongi is one of my favorite scenes in the show.

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And that climax. Oh, that climax. Punching each other on a snowy mountain. Then cut to Ichijou, then cut to them in their human forms, still just punching each other. Then they fall down. That was the most anti climactic fight I've seen and it was so angering that the only reason why I watched the final episode immediately afterwards was so I could just get it over with.

I actually really liked that fight, really helped show that maybe Godai has become the monster. Not because he wants to, but because he has too. But that final battle is way better than Agito's. (Spoiler alert: because Agito didn't even have one)

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I really wanted to like Kuuga, I really did. While I'm forgiving to a lot, it's attempts at trying something different led to such a boring experience that was only enjoyable because Ichijou was written well.

I think I like Kuuga because it's different, and I think it does it well, similarly to how Hibiki is also very different and very good.

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Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

Godai never felt like a growing character. The brief moments he did (Like his violent outburst against the porcupine Grongi) were removed by the next episode ("I don't want to be like that anymore, so I'mma smile." "Kay." and instantly resolved). He's not bad, and he's very likable, but he was just rather static.

I think most of Godai's character is implied rather than shown, although it is hinted at. It feels like he learns how destructive Kuuga can be, as well as the pain the Grongi are causing, and he needs to learn to live with this power and control it. Much better imo than, say, Agito.

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I've yet to see Agito, all of Faiz (15 episodes in. New record!), or Hibiki)

If you're going to watch Agito, I feel that only the episodes from 30-46 are really worth watching. Hibiki's good, but I think it is kind of a slow burn like Kuuga. Very different from your standard fare, that's for sure. I'm actually planning to watch Faiz after I finish Hibiki. (~4 episodes left)

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Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

That ending pissed me off so much that I can't even give the series as a whole an analysis.
Fuck that show.

See also: My opinion of Agito. (although not quite as harsh)