[Sh Ranger]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: True! But this story is really about Tsukasa, and Natsumi, and what it feels like when the world is telling your friend they don't matter.
It's a fun flip of Natsumi's original arc, where she was more suspicious of Tsukasa's destiny. Here, she's sort of sick of everyone saying that Tsukasa doesn't help.

CATWHOWALKS: This is what I was saying about this really being a Decade story. The Jii stuff ties in pretty well, but otherwise they are a vehicle for questioning the nature and purpose of Riders. If this world can do without Riders and be better off without them, where does that leave Tsukasa? Frankly I felt like pointing out to them at one point that it still has heroes, just a different kind, but there's still some sort of point to be made.

KAMEN RIDER DIE: Yeah, it's a story that uses the absence of Riders to attack Tsukasa's sense of self-worth. Tsukasa is the one going through different worlds to help Riders achieve their potential, and then here's this world with no Riders and someone else stepped up. A lot of Tsukasa's identity is wrapped up in being Kamen Rider Decade, so he's uniquely vulnerable to an attack on his Rider personality. I thought this story had a very Kobayashi way of grounding Tsukasa's character a little more in the people around him, rather than his mission. The bonds of friendship are... not exactly something this show has really foregrounded, and it's nice (if unexpected) to have an arc about what Natsumi feels for Tsukasa, and how Tsukasa's heroism is about more than his powers.

I really the love the development that Tsukasa/Natsumikan gets in this arc and just to see Natsumi get some focus in general. Even if everybody else is saying Tsukasa is a devil who only brings ruin, Natsumi cares about him and thinks he deserves to have a place where he can belong. She believes that he's a good person. That's enough. As long as they're travelling together, that place can be the Hikari Studio, since that's where everybody will always give him a warm welcome and cookies (Eijirou is an artist!) to show how much they appreciate him. It's sweet that she wants him to feel at home with them.

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Originally Posted by Rei

I think the Shinkenger is just a fun episode, not really much for me to think of much. Funny though that in my first viewing of it, seeing the Shinkengers I was going: "Oh hey, it's the Power Rangers Samurai guys!" and then being confused when they weren't the Samurai guys. They did get me to check out Shinkenger back in the day, though.

Huh, but being confused about that would mean the order that you started watching these shows would be Power Rangers -> Kamen Rider -> Super Sentai?

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Originally Posted by Rei

Also, wouldn't Chinomanako Diend be the first Another Rider?

No, I'd give that honor to Another Agito.

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Originally Posted by Sunred

Funny enough Chiaki/Shinken Green and Kotoha/Shinken Yellow are the only teenagers with attitude during the show.

For some reason, I thought Takeru and Mako were also teenagers, but I checked the wiki (assuming that's correct) and it turns out you're right.

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Originally Posted by Sunred

Fans of Okamoto will love Genta cause the man behind Black, Ohja, Kintaros, and Ixa did the suit acting for Shinken Gold.

Okamoto is a talented and buff suit actor for sure, in contrast to the very slender Sohma. However, I just don't like Genta as a character, since his behavior annoys me and he doesn't have much of a backstory. I do love Antonio though, who by association would also be portrayed by Okamoto in suit as Shinken Gold/Gold Samurai Ranger.

This is a world without Riders, so I guess I'll mention my 00s Sentai Ranking instead (conveniently the only decade I've completed). Shinkenger is 9/10. Keep in mind that a lot of my favorites are from the 00s so the competition is strong. I like it at least more than Magiranger though. The traditional Japanese elements only grew on me after I started watching Jidaigeki, as I wasn't very familiar with samurai culture at the time. Catwhowalks clearly knows a lot of intriguing stuff about this subject. I actually think the show could have done more with this like the rivalry between Takeru and Chiaki. What if Chiaki did what Masumi did in Boukenger and became a ronin? I think that would have been a cool subplot. My favorite character from this show is definitely Kaoru (who doesn't appear until much later) and I love when she appears in future crossovers.

Unpopular opinion here, but I think Jonathan Tzachor did a great job at faithfully adapting it as Power Rangers Samurai, while giving it a western twist and focusing more on the friendship between the Rangers and the amazing rivalry between Jayden and Deker. It's those little changes that make a big difference.