[Kamen Rider Lucha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suzu

But, honestly, I think you actually did miss some important stuff. Imho, the finale relies heavily on seeing/feeling the bond between the characters, which is mostly established in the middle part of the show. I mean, the action and stuff is nice without that, but to really grasp the emotional side, I think the filler does matter quite a lot.
It really depends on what you're watching it for, I guess.

Well, there's no doubt that the "bond" is deepened during those episodes. And I've since revised my recommendation to Matrix to skip ahead after ShinkenGold is introduced.

Still, I didn't have any trouble grasping the emotional side when I watched Shinkenger finale arc for the first time. I was actually pretty overwhelmed by it, as a matter of fact, and even then thought it was a Sentai franchise highlight. Since Matrix has no interest in watching the whole show, I think this is his best shot at deriving enjoyment from Shinkenger.

Having since revisited the episodes I skipped, while some of them are pretty great, I think there's an argument to be made (mind you, it's one I don't necessarily subscribe to) that watching the same character beats hit over and over again in episodes 2-38 could actually detract from the emotional impact of the finale. Cause by the end we've seen so many "Ryunosuke is so in bro-love with Takeru" episodes (just for example) that one's reaction might be like, "UGH, we get it already, these characters are annoying, I don't care about what they do in the finale." Again, not sure how much I support this argument, but it's interesting to think about.

In general, I think all Sentai series could drop about 15-20 episodes and be way better. These days I'm too much of an OCD completionist to skip anything, but I always wish the shows were tighter paced. (Although there is probably also a case to be made that fighting your way through the bad episodes gives you a sort of Stockholm Syndrome-esque attachment to the show and its characters. )

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

I watched the first 20 or so during my initial viewing.

Then you're perfectly primed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

Well, it boils down to what you're wanting to get out of Sentai. For me, I don't mind the simpler designs or the gimmick oriented weapons, but it's the simplification of the characters that kills my joy. While characters can grow over the course of the series, initial impressions during early episodes makes everyone seem so flat and one dimensional that I really don't grow attached to anyone and drop things quickly out of disinterest.

I totally agree.