[barnstenchfartface]

Finally got around to starting this thing. Not super impressed.

So first things first, characters...

I guess I might be imagining this because I certainly haven't seen anyone else say so, but I feel like Hammy's actress is kind of really not good at her job. Basically every line out of her mouth felt forced and ungenuine. I thought the same when I saw that one video of her and Lucky doing the transformation demo thing but hoped it was just from the awkwardness of having to do the more blatant commercial, but...really didn't enjoy her performance this episode either. Find it kind of funny though, since last year Tusk definitely had the weakest acting out of the Zyuohgers. Something about these greenhorns...But eh, we've got a year. Hopefully she improves.

On the flipside, I enjoy how Raptor's voice is basically just Luluco. something something space something something patrol... Actually the suit only characters as a whole had better performances than the humans, I feel...but I guess it's only to be expected since they're veterans and the face actors are not.

Also enjoyed Champ.

Eagerly await Garu's evolution into MirageGaogamon.

Spada sure was there.

And the elephant in the room--the very, very loud elephant in the room...Lucky. I actually don't think I hate him and his YOSSHA RAAKKI as much as a lot of people seem to, but I'm still really not a fan. There has to be some sort of middle ground between a level headed guy like Yamato and...whatever this is. It's not that I dislike it, it's just extremely unentertaining to me. I can't really blame the actor for the script and character he's given to work with, but he really didn't sell himself as a protagonist to me.

Anyway, episode as a whole, definitely crammed with too much, moved way too fast, was just...one thing after another. Pretty meh on the whole thing. Definitely felt Garu should have been held off for another episode or (more likely since they "need" to have the full robot by episode 1) have him as part of the team to start with, and go into his backstory later. It just felt like a lot of pretty nothing.

But eh, first episodes aren't much to judge by. Still got some others to catch up on...

Really dig both the opening and ending themes, though, so that's something...