[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Starting the series with the title character already a Rider, it’s maybe not my favorite framework for a show.

Personally I think starting with the title character as a Rider would make some different takes than those that only got pulled in to the Rider world where they know nothing at the beginning. There's of course, a pulling scenario when the character at first didn't know and slowly learns something, but when a professional does it, it may be different. But it's probably not that the character already being a Rider part that is the culprit, but the execution of it, if you said there, multiple Riders got it right; Wizard, Agito, Build...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Jumping into a series with Kenzaki as Blade and Tachibana as Garren, it’s disorienting. Within a few minutes, though, you get all of the key info: they’re Riders, they work for BOARD, they’re hunting Undead. Tachibana has been at this a little longer than Kenzaki. Tachibana is not in great shape, and Kenzaki maybe doesn’t take this all as seriously as he should. Also, cards.

It’s all… I don’t know, it’s just information, and comes at us so so fast.

So it's not that I'm dimwitted to process all of those, as said here some others also have this kind of issue.... it's actually just hard to gain from the Blade's beginning, as it pours as many information (particularly, about the toku setting like Riders and BOARD) about the setting and the characters in 1 episode. Other than that there's Kenzaki's presumed naivety in Tachibana's eyes. And it seems that the Undead are defeated by absorbed into the cards, which reminds me of Build with the absorbing monsters thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Which, man, that was where this episode kind-of lost me. I barely have a handle on what’s going on or why, and then Tachibana takes out BOARD. It’s a betrayal by a character I don’t know, which emotionally wounds a character I’m not that invested in. I don’t… why would you do this at the end of the first episode? Why assume that it’s going to mean anything to the audience? You’re blowing up a premise that you just set up, and even then it’s not nearly the most interesting premise in the show! Why make that the end of your first episode?

Lol....Tachibana, dunno if you've known this simply from fandom discussions, but he's one of the most memetic character in the whole franchise. Though obviously, I won't give the list of his memes yet (not the "Ondul language" explained). And because of those memes, personally I'd find it hard to believe if Tachibana actually betrayed them especially Kenzaki, that they are known to have so much attachment towards each other. It sounds like a facade to me. What I find hilarious, cross-media wise, is that there's a character that has the exact same name as him, but different gender; Sakuya Tachibana from God Eater (try searching simply "Sakuya Tachibana", without any addition).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And, yeah, man, not nearly the most interesting thing in this show so far! That goes to Kotaro, who is the bright spot for me in the first episode.

I've predicted the one that you're invested in episode 1 will be him, and somehow I was right. In-universe, he seems real annoying, as a pest that won't leave you alone, really gets on Kenzaki's nerves (and I can feel it within him, if I have to deal with someone like that). Though it's unknown the reason Kenzaki wants to keep it secret from the others, it's not said yet if BOARD forces Riders to keep the supernatural stuff secret to public, or it's merely annoyance in his part (he has the same drive as usual KR protagonists, but he's more ill tempered compared to others at first), probably the latter as he made a deal with Kotaro while staying in his house.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Which, god, so many characters in this thing!

Yeah, it's already said above this episode is overstuffed, but it's also said that Blade is merely rough on the start but definitely not as an overall series. Hirose so far gives me Sasayama vibe in Kuuga. Amane is the stock bratty kid. Also Kotaro's family introduction is needed because they aren't one-shot characters, for better or worse.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And, look. I like Kenzaki! He’s got some fun comedic timing. I like his underdog take on being a masked hero. I like that he’s not got it all together. I like how he gives jokey, bullshit, self-deprecating answers because he’s haunted by loss and rage. (That dream sequence! Yes!) I like his time with Kotaro especially, and if that’d been the premiere, I’d’ve been so much happier. But this thing’s nearly all plot, all premise. There’s so little space for spark, and no space for themes. I don’t know what I’m supposed to care about, what I’m supposed to want to happen. I want to care about these people, and this show seems to want me to care about their world. Just… not what I want out of a first episode.

As I said above this first episode is overstuffed with various characters. Probably it could still explain about the world and plot while like you said, the premiere being about Kenzaki and Kotaro's time? The main plot from what I catch kickstarted by Kenzaki being kicked out from his dorm and cursing on his Landlady, but Kotaro tries to give him a new place to live in exchange for upcoming information about Riders. But there's gotta Kamen Rider stuff; Kenzaki works at BOARD, fought some monsters at the beginning and the end, and Tachibana's supposed "betrayal".

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

I'll have loads of other things I want to say besides this, but before I do anything else, especially since this is the first not-Die post in the thread, I need to make an announcement. I'm retiring from translation policing to pursue a career in education. So pull up a seat for the first of what may become many installments of...

Learning Ondul the Easy WEEEEEEI! (#1)

There's absolutely no getting around the onslaught of memes when talking about Blade, so any aspiring Kamen Rider fan needs to be prepared with the knowledge of how this one particular series became such a source of humor for the fandom at large. Let's get right to the point and familiarize ourselves with the basics.

What the heck is an "Ondul"?

Blade quickly became infamous among Japanese viewers when it was airing, especially early on in the series, for the consistent trouble the actors had delivering their lines clearly. Words being slurred together, mispronounced syllables, and questionable emphasis turned into easy fodder for jokes, and one line in particular from the first episode reigned supreme above all others as the symbol of the entire quirky bit of fandom culture.

Finally I get to know the big source of the Blade memes, but I don't know why it feels distressing reading this....