[Kamen Rider Lucha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

You misunderstand.
Jetman doesn't have 7 praise worthy episodes. I'm just saying that most of Jetman's universal acclaim comes from Gai and Ryu's being at odds (When I was considering watching it, that's all anyone mentioned). After viewing it, they were never really at opposite ends unless the episode specifically called for it. Gai was aloof a lot, but unless the episode needed Gai to be a pissy bitch or Ryu to be a pushy ass, they were never really shown to be at ends.
So when people try to recommend Jetman based on "Gai and Ryu," they're really only talking about 7 odd episodes where it actually comes up (There are probably more, but I'm trying my hardest to avoid ones that center on Kaori being a vapid, misleading bitch)

When I first watched Jetman, I don't recall anyone mentioning Radiguet or Tran, the other Jetmen (Namely Raita), or any other storylines.

Gotcha. That's not how your post read to me, but I see what you're getting at.

This brings up a good point. I find that a lot of toku fans are notoriously terrible at communicating why they actually like a thing.

*JETMAN SPOILERS FROM HERE ON*

Sure, a big part of what makes Jetman great is the relationship between Ryu and Gai. Gai starts as a scoundrel, Ryu a boy scout. And over the course of the series, Ryu's influence allows Gai to realize that he doesn't have to be a callous loner all the time-- that he can be a good person and care about other people without sacrificing his "cool guy" image. Meanwhile, Gai challenges Ryu's strict and rigid moral code. Gai's growth as a hero teaches Ryu that he can embrace his own inner rogue without abandoning his sense of right & wrong, allowing Ryu to stop feeling so guilty and repressed about his perceived duty. By the end, these two heroes are able to understand each other in ways they absolutely couldn't at the start, and I don't know that I've ever seen a relationship as strong as theirs in Sentai.

But Jetman's greatness is so much more than that. It's found in the intense interpersonal drama (our guys are put through the ringer), the moral shades of gray, the storytelling structure, the absurd comedy, the cliffhangers (oh, the cliffhangers!), and the lovable side characters (Raita, Ako, and Commander Aya primary among them). It's found in the way the bad guys and good guys trade the upper-hand every few episodes, giving the distinct feeling that the groups make each other stronger the more they fight each other (seriously, the heroes and villains feel like equals in a way I've never seen in another Sentai). It's found in the tragic arcs of Maria, Grey, and Gai. It's found in Radiguet's heartbreaking acts of villainy. It's found in the performances and the cast's chemistry and the music and the action and in so many other elements I can't hope to list them all.

If it wasn't clear, I hold Jetman very close to my heart. I had such a strong emotional reaction to this series that it hurts to see all the cynical backlash directed at it (here and elsewhere). These days, it seems like "the cool thing" to dislike Jetman after people revered it for so long. Whether it's true or not, it feels like the newer toku fans are rebelling against the older ones by saying they don't like Jetman, and adhering to that opinion as a point of pride. I think that attitude does a disservice to what the show actually is and to what it represents to the franchise and its fans.

Maybe I was unfairly applying the sentiment I've been noticing more and more to your post, Matrix. If so, sorry!