[Switchblade]

Okay, so I did not go into this with very high hopes or expectations. It always looked like a blatant re-skin of Kyoryuger, a show that I very rapidly grew to hate back when it first aired. Honestly, I almost just skipped this entirely because I didn't think I'd enjoy it all that much. So, with all that factored in, the fact that I fucking loved this episode really surprised me.

Almost everything about this episode just clicked with me. I like the basic concept of the lost tribe camped out in the remains of Evolt's tower. I liked the brief use of the mentor characters, even if killing off all three at once seemed a little hackneyed. the Ryusoulgers themselves are working for me so far, even if Melto and Asuna didn't get much focus in this episode. Koh works for me, though. He's a little shouty, but he doesn't come off as especially obnoxious to me. I'm certainly not wondering what mental institution he escaped from, like some other recent Reds I can think of.

I really like the aesthetic of the Druidons and the Minusaur (which looks like it was something Toei borrowed from Tsubaraya). I was really caught off-guard by how much I like the mech, though; not only did it just look really good in execution, but the freedom of movement that suit offers the actor is incredible. I'm so used to Sentai mechs being big, clunky suits that can barely move, but this thing is surprisingly agile. I really hope that we get to see that being utilized throughout the show's run.

So far, there are only two things that really didn't work for me. The first is the comic relief character: I hate it when Sentai or Kamen Rider resort to cheap slapstick. That said, the hammer joke completely broke me, so I'm willing to give the show's sense of humor a chance. The other thing I don't like is the return of the ending credits with an accompanying lame dance number. I can just choose not to watch that part, though, so it's not really an issue for me.

So yeah, against all my expectations I am definitely in on this season.