[Fish Sandwich]

WOW that is some impressive effort you put into that recap! Allow me to throw that mad respect right back your way; that was very fun to read.

Glad I watched the first few episodes of this show back when I was watching Kabuto so I don't feel like I'm spoiling myself here, too. I was trying to sort of recreate the full Super Hero Time experience, as I recall, but despite enjoying what I saw, I ended up dropping Boukenger to focus on Kabuto and never really getting back around to it. Just a personal anecdote that's not really important, buuuut, mentioning this show's sister series gives me a nice segue to share this screencap from one of the block's bumpers:



Consider it a gift, because judging by your outlook on Satoru, it kinda sounds like you could get some use out of it.

A couple other quick thoughts I have to contribute:

- I remember thinking the whole backstabbing routine with Bouken Black was super fresh and very weird, but not necessarily in a bad way. It fits the genre they're aiming for, and it definitely stuck in my memory even years later, so on that level I think it was a successful move for the show to make.

- I agree about the OP being great, but would like to encourage you not to sleep on the ED, either. Psychic Lover and Sentai just go together, and it shares a lot of the same qualities with that awesome opening, down to the great use of thematically relevant imagery in the lyrics. I hope it grows on you with time, because I consider it one of Sentai's best.

- About the phone changers, I think the problem was that people felt they were being overused for a while, and wanted either some more variation or just a return to wrist changers. Which is an attitude I get as someone who loves wrist changers, but what I've come to realize with time is that the overabundance of both bracelets and phones results from the same thing – Sentai trying to capture children's imaginations by making the changers based on popular real-world gadgets. Back in the 80's, digital wristwatches were the kind of trendy thing a kid would want, but in the 2000's, that was cell phones. Even Kamen Rider got in on that action around the same time with Faiz, and you'll note the flip phone trend eventually started dying out not too long after smart phones had really taken off.