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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurona

And that’s sort of the tone of the show’s storytelling, too -- if I had one word for it, it would be that it's very raw storytelling. It’s quite compact, mind; very tight storytelling that doesn’t dally too much on a single element and packs a lot into its introduction. It also is not subtle in the slightest about anything and wears its symbolism and themes on its sleeves -- Takeshi Hongou’s heroism isn’t portrayed primarily through his actions or with little hints and puzzle pieces; but through his grand declaration quite out of nowhere that he will always fight for peace and justice immediately after escaping. His fears and insecurities of being seen as a monster are almost portrayed in a strictly visual sense through his newfound super strength preventing him from helping the man in his care; before he goes on a lengthy monologue about how others won’t see him as human. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t a criticism; something the show really had to figure out... but I’d also be lying if I said there wasn’t an inherent appeal in Ishinomori’s strict dedication to ideals and to portraying heroism against fascism here; and how it’s completely thrown in your face as an abject statement of intent. There’s really quite something to all conventional storytelling methods being abandoned for “Fascism sucks, Takeshi Hongou feels he’s not human but will fight for humanity anyway, here’s him beating up a spider guy”.

It’s very panto-like and that’s something I’ve found in the limited amount of Showa I’ve watched; grand declarations and leaving absolutely nothing to imagination or subtext to the degree there’s no doubt in the viewer’s mind about what you’re saying or much room for interpretation. It’s a play that knows what it’s about, wants you to know just as much, and does so in large sweeping strokes. It’s a fascinating start to this franchise and I’m excited to get into more of it!

Watching the first part of the series is really interesting. The show's tone and visual style changes a lot after Ichimonji takes over as the lead. It's not a bad change, just a really noticeable one.