[Fish Sandwich]

So after some recent discussion I rewatched the first episode on Ninninger and maaaaaaaaaaaybe I'll go through the whole show again. If it plays out that way. Certainly a couple more episodes. Big maybe though.

It hasn't actually been that long since it aired but I'm curious if I'll hit the same rut I did weekly going at my own pace. And also I wanted something to actually post about in the Sentai threads since I have little to say about episodes of Zyuohger every week beyond "it was good yeah!". I figure my perspective on Ninninger is rare enough to be mildly interesting, so without further ado:

Ninninger 1.

Seeing the premiere again reminded me exactly why Ninninger got me hooked so early on. This is a really strong first episode that gives you a great feel for the show. I love how the literal first thing that happens is Takaharu getting into a fight as Akaninger. It's a great way to send a message about the show's style. Big action! Lots of it! And it's always such nice action. I remember one of the interviews before the series aired said they were trying to focus on more unassisted acrobatics than wire-work and the like and it really shows throughout a lot of the show. There's the usual CGI-heavy special attacks but in general the Ninningers are always flipping around in a way that's a lot more energetic than your usual Sentai. The show has a lot of flash in a good way. Their role call is also a personal favorite of mine.

And those mecha scenes! One of my personal pet peeves in Sentai I've had ever since watching Power Rangers as a kid is when teams never use the mecha individually and because they built beautiful practical props for all of them I guess they felt more inclined to show them all off. Obviously Shinobimaru (and later Rodeomaru) have the advantage of being dudes in suits but you get to see a lot of action from the rest of them too. Even the dump truck is made to feel like a cool and important part of the arsenal. Love the touch of having the Rangers ride on top of them too. The scattered motifs of Shurikenjin presented a great opportunity for varied action and it didn't go to waste.

Unfortunately when Gekiatsu Dai-Oh shows up its parts are both crappy CG and only exist to combine. This was genuinely a huge reason I lost interest in the show because the mecha went a long way towards making me love it so much in the first place. One of the big reasons I want to rewatch the whole series is to see if I'll come off more positive on that part of the show going in not expecting anything else.

...well that'll do for now. I could talk about characters and plot and stuff but I'll let that come as it does. I want to try and keep these as brief as I can (by my standards I mean).