[FreshToku]

I remember having a decent amount of fun making one of these and reading them last year, so here's hoping another will prove the same!

Best New Show of 2019 - I'm sure this is going to be the common answer but it's Kamen Rider Zero-One. The show has just completed it's first major arc and I've been totally hooked from the beginning and very cautiously optimistic for it to continue being great. The cautious part comes from me thinking it'd be very easy for it to go off the rails in a way I wouldn't like.

Best Movie of 2019 - The only toku movies I recall watching this year was Build New World: Kamen Rider Grease (which was a straightforward and fun action movie which featured a cast I still really like) and much longer ago Heisei Generations Forever? The latter was more bombastic for sure but I don't think I will count it as a 'this year' film, so my answer by default goes to the Grease movie.

Best Male Lead Character - Kairi and Keichiro are my two favourite reds ever, in part due to their individual characters and also their up-and-down rivalry and friendship, even if the show itself never dug as deep into them as they could have. Might as well add for Best Female Lead, uh... It's going to be Tsukasa of the Patrangers by default. I like her more than Umika, and other shows female leads are either just okay to me (Asuna) or haven't done enough to leave an impression on me (Yaiba).

Best Male and Female Supporting Characters - Izu for the latter, who I only hope has something interesting developments as Zero One goes on! I literally can't think of anyone for male. I was tempted to say Woz but he's just barely too major for me to consider him a supporting character.

Best Villain - It could have been Oma Zi-O if the show didn't totally drop the ball on that front. I guess for now I'll go with Horobi and Jin as a unit, who have been equal parts menacing and fun to watch. Yes, metsubojinrai.net in 16 episodes wins out over anyone else to me. Special mention goes to Kreon for usually getting a laugh out of me though.

Best Returning Past Character - This is clearly just for the cameos in Zi-O, right? I think it'd be cheating to say Decade since after a point, he was basically a recurring character, so I'm going to say Shouichi's appearance in that show was the best.

Best Actor and Actress - I feel bad for not remembering their names, but I really think Kairi's actor from Lupin vs Pat gave the strongest performances I can remember throughout the year. Actress I'd give to... Another Kiva and her manhole obsession. If I'd have to give it to an actual important character, I guess Umika's actress by default.

Best Writer and Director - I don't usually follow that kind of information enough to make a decision, but I suppose the only answer that would make sense from me at this time would be Yuya Takahashi because of Zero One so far, even though I know he hasn't done every single episode.

Best Suit Design - Zi-O II. Honourable mention to MaxRyusoulRed.

Best Weapon/Vehicle/Mecha - Weapon, I'd give to the Zi-O II's Saikyo Grade which combines with his first blade to make that giant broadsword. Mecha I'd give to Mosa Rex who had one of the best debut fight in Sentai ever.

Best Fight Scene - I was going to say something from Lupin Vs Pat or Ryusoulger for sure since those shows are both really great and consistent in terms of action. In fact I want to give honourable mention to Ryusoulger's recent Christmas episode and the untransformed fighting going on there!

But for a fight that really got me excited, well... I'm going to be predictable and say the parallel fight scenes in episode 2 of Zero One, starting from bike action then moving to Zero One and Vulcan finishing their fights in style.

EDIT: I completely forgot to give honourable mention to Yamato taking on three other rangers in Saikyo Battle.

Best Dramatic Scene - Geiz's death in Zi-O last episode. I knew it obviously wasn't going to stick, but it still got to me hard! He said Sougo's name!!!

Best Comedic Scene - Most of Ryusoulger's christmas episode, or maybe the hammer from the first episode.

Biggest "WTF did I just watch?" Moment - Episode 43 of Zi-O when Schartz (I don't remember or care how to spell his name) laid out the entirety of his 'backstory' and 'motivations' within the span of five minutes, and I put quotations on both of those because there's no way either of those were planned from the beginning.

Best Song - Next New World from Zi-O is really good... I'm also a big fan of RyusoulGold's thanks to it's triumphant association with Mosa Rex's debut. Has that song been released anywhere yet!?

Best Piece of Merchandise - I would objectively say one of the figuarts, but as far as the regular toyline stuff goes, I wanna say the Authorise Buster is both a really nice heavy-duty firearm and a heft battleaxe.

Biggest Surprise of 2019 - I'm stumped. It was a pretty surprising year all around, I think.

Biggest Disappointment of 2019 - Everything in the final arc of Zi-O, but especially the ending! And yes, 'disappointment' is apt because I actually came to be really invested in the show.

The Onari Memorial Award for Single Worst Thing in 2019 Tokusatsu - I guess I can't just say Zi-O's ending a second time, but there really isn't anything else that has really spurred that much negative emotion in me, not Nada's death or anything.