[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

RIDER TIME: SHINOBI EPISODE 3 - ?LAST NINPOW!!! VOLUME: THE CLOSE CALL IN A DEAD-END"

I pretty much disliked this series. There?s not much here but the gags, and a TON of the gags in this episode (a full third of the series!) are built around some really uncomfortable storylines. It?s tacky, and it?s not for me.

It's a shame you didn't enjoy this so much, Die. Rider Time Shinobi is revered by a lot of people for its unusual form of comedy and character drama. However, I've noticed that Kaneko's works can be pretty divisive, as she's also written some interesting episodes of Lupinranger VS Patranger and Kiramager.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And it?s a shame, because despite Iroha being knocked out for the bulk of this episode and used as a prize for multiple men to fight over (was not expecting a Gaim tribute in this Shinobi series), there?s some neat stuff added to Iroha?s character here? Her use of science sets her apart from the more straightforward ninja spellcasting, giving her a perspective that?s pertinent to the themes and struggles of Shinobi?s world. Her use of opposing elements to achieve a new effect is used by Shinobi to escape from a trap, but it?s also relevant to Shinobi and Hattari teaming up to save her. It?s a great use of her character.

I'd say this would be more of a Kiva tribute, since Rentarou and Icchy teaming up to save Iroha who they both care about is similar to that time Yuri and Maya teamed up to save Otoya from Castle Doran. Furthermore, they're fighting to protect her from Nijinohebi who wants her all to himself, so they do have some honorable motivations other than their personal obsessions with her. The fight scene was cool as well, with Shinobi and Hattari combining their elemental ninpou to escape the trap.

Real life ninjas rely a lot on science to create their special effects like stage magic, so Iroha experimenting with science is a good way to master the basics of ninpou. Of course, the "straightforward ninja spellcasting" depicted here is an exaggeration of ninjas' abilities, since they're not actually able to use literal magic IRL, contrary to common belief at the time when they weren't understood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Buuuuut then some old man says that he wants to kill Shinobi so he can abduct a teenage girl and force her into marriage, and Rentarou?s like You Only Kidnapped Her So You Can Go, and Icchy shows up later to perv on Iroha, and I?ve completely forgotten my positive feelings for this series.

If a sequel does happen, I think they'd need to have a new main villain, since nobody can really take Nijinohebi seriously anymore.