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The two-in-one Kamen Rider returns! Now in anime form!

I have to say, as an anime fan all my life and who got into Kamen Rider around middle school and watched Kamen Rider W when it was airing concurrently at that time...it's so amazing for me to finally see one of my most favorite shows in anime form and depicted so faithfully and effectively. Like, they adapt Begin's Night! Anime Sokichi! Saeko/Taboo Dopant! Masquerade Dopants! And best of all, traditionally animated Kamen Rider action! I really expected to see them go CG, but the fact that it's all traditionally animated and fluid fighting goodness with W cracking heads is the best part.

(Even the episode title convention is the same as the original show)

Welcome back to the windy city of Fuuto, where our hard-boi...I mean, half-boiled protagonist Shotaro is waxing lyrical about his city like we never left. And taking selfies to show how cool he is.

It's weird hearing some of my favorite anime VA's voicing characters I associate so much with their live-action actors, but having already had experience with the Memory of HeroeZ game, the cast in this do a great job of embodying the characters and making them act and sound like themselves.

Ah yes, nothing is more Shotaro than finding a beautiful woman to go ga ga over who might also be more dangerous than she looks...and while this woman looks thirsty for something, Shotaro is feeling the "heat," which is to say her massive boobs.

So not only is our witch girl mysterious, she's also a thief who uses her powers to steal stuff. Can't have W without some crime and investigating going on! Although the client is more keen on seeing her again because he's head over heels than arresting her, although his insistence on getting his bag back seems suspicious.

I love how Philip opens up getting interested in this case and knowing Shotaro can't resist a Femme Fatale.

The Hardboilder in action! Also, Kamen Riders actually riding their bikes, as it should be.

Santa-chan! Watcherman! Too bad about Watcherman's phone though, he'll probably use the money Shotaro gave him for a new phone

Tokime is mysterious, graceful, and surprisingly agile. It seems like she's warping reality somehow. Is that her Gaia Memory's power?

Jin and Macky! Jin's back-scratcher! And they're still having to pick up Shotaro when he gets in trouble. Although the more pertinent information is that Tokime isn't just a thief, but possibly a murderer.

I don't trust that Katsuyuki Konishi character. He looks too seedy and villainous to not become a Dopant at some point.

Lily and her grandfather! Lily doesn't look like Nao Nagasawa anymore, but she looks cute as an anime character and as a redhead.

Kamen Rider isn't just for kids and moms anymore as we see Tokime taking a bath in a fountain and getting dressed. At least the men were gentleman about it (not that she seemed to care if they took a peek).

So where is Tokime's Gaia Memory? In her panties, because this is an anime now.

Dang, leaving off at the best part as they're about to transform! Guess we'll save W for next week.

The Opening is a very jazzy, low-key, noir beat by Mitsuru Matsuoka (who has a long history with this franchise and Kamen Rider). I'm still waiting for them to inevitably play the original Opening at some point.

Ah, so the next episode previews are the cutesy, chibi, Kamen Rider animes we've come to expect! Awesome.