[Daikaijuman54]

Well, here goes...

Favorite New Show of 2022: DonBrothers. I think it's no surprise, though I was tempted to throw Geats or Decker on here, but I also want to maybe finish Decker before making final judgement, so expect me to return at some point if that does happen.

But DonBrothers has just been so good! Sentai has been winning me over these past few seasons.

Favorite New-to-You Show of 2022: Tokusatsu GaGaGa. This was one I postponed for too long, and it was absolutely amazing. Really enjoyed it.

Favorite Movie, Miniseries, or Special of 2022: I didn't watch any, nor did I start The Destined Crossroads (though I'm planning to)... But... I DID watch Shin Ultraman! And I loved it. If it somehow miraculously plays near me, I'll definitely watch it again.

Also, honorable mention to the Godzilla vs Gigan special from the Godzilla-Con along with Godzilla vs Giganrex.

Favorite Rewatch of 2022: Interestingly enough, I DID rewatch something this year! And that was the original Ultraman. This show truly does make me happy and despite its age, it's still a wonderful watch.

Favorite Male Lead Character: I don't think I can give this to anyone other than Asumi Kanata. Decker shows improvement from Trigger, which is good enough for me. It ain't perfect, but I just enjoy him and his chemistry with Hanejiro. Plus, I think we're all still remembering him with the gun in the first episode moment.

Favorite Female Lead Character: Yeah, no competition here, it's Kito Haruka/OniSister. It's an odd start to a wonderful Sentai season, and quite enjoyable, and for me, very relatable as an aspiring Mangaka.

Favorite Male Supporting Character: Hanejiro. Enough said. But shout out to the Chadguards, John and Ben, who I absolutely enjoy seeing whenever they appear.

Favorite Female Supporting Character: Vice-Captain Kaizaki. That one episode was just too well done, that as much as I'd almost rather say Miho, I think Kaizaki has one over her, since we're still unsure about that twist we're waiting to happen.

Favorite Villain: As much as I'd like to count Olteca, who was an absolutely great villain, he didn't do anything for 2022, soooo... Vail. Ultimately, I think Vail, who was underutilized for his part, was probably Revice's next best Villain. I'd count Sonoi, but I consider him more of a rival, though that doesn't mean I don't absolutely love his character.

Favorite Returning Past Character: I can't believe I'm saying this... But it's Manaka Kengo. I strangely felt happy seeing him again, and I think, while still Trigger Quality for his part, it was nice to see how they made this crossover work as opposed to "somehow this guy just showed up and there's someone after him" that is typically common in crossovers, so Decker and Trigger being in the same universe felt nice.

Favorite Actor: Kohei Higuchi/Momoi Tarou. That man brought something to Don Momotaro that just makes him great to watch for what would have been an otherwise boring character. Now sure, it's mostly thanks to the writing, but I just enjoy seeing him onscreen and his boisterous laugh.

Favorite Actress: Yui Asakura. Surprisingly, I look back on Revice, and realize how well she transitioned Aguilera from villain to redeemer. Maybe it's because her schtick about wanting to be Gif's wife only lasted for a short while, unlike Sakura's Muteki, I still find myself being impressed by her performance despite some feelings I have for Revice.

Favorite Writer: People are either going to love me or absolutely hate me, but Toshiki Inoue. He brought something to DonBrothers that broke the Sentai formula in an entertaining way, so for that, he wins this one.

Favorite Director: I'll be honest, I don't pay too much attention to directors and staff (nothing against them or anything) because I don't have the best memory nor the time to actively go look for them, which makes me a failure as a Tokusatsu Fan.

But there's one I can nominate. And that's Shinji Higuchi. I've heard people say he's not a good director at all but seeing Shin Ultraman made me appreciate what he can accomplish, even if it would be mostly owed to Hideaki Anno.

Of course, I could also say Decker's director, but I also have to say Masayoshi Takasue has done a good job with Decker, but again, I'd like to finish Decker before making final judgements, especially since Decker has only a few episodes left.

Favorite Suit Design: Spheresaurus. I don't think there's more I can say. I could say Hakaizer and HakaijuOh, but I did that last year, so...

Favorite Weapon/Vehicle/Mecha: The Desire Driver, Don Onitaijin, or Boost Bike from Geats are the ones that stand out the most to me.

Favorite Fight Scene: Ultraman Decker vs Terraphaser from Episode 22 had some incredible shots, that I just have to say it's a win for me, as much as I loved Destream vs Vail.

Favorite Dramatic Scene: Oh, so I can put it here? Well then... Destream vs Vail! Definitely more dramatic than it is a fight, especially with that song playing in the background.

(Edit I somehow forgot about the legendary duel between Tarou and Sonoi, but honestly? I can't decide whether to put it as a fight or a dramatic scene, but it's definitely good! Both versions, so take either of what I say.

Favorite Comedic Scene: Hanejiro's Kanata impression. Comedy gold.

Biggest "WTF did I just watch?" Moment: DonBrothers episode 39.

Favorite Song: M87

Biggest Surprise of 2022: Gamera is finally coming back!!!

Biggest Disappointment of 2022: Daiji Igarashi? Yeah sure. But... Revice has issues I can't list completely, so, yeah, let's stick with Daiji's "arc."

The Onari Memorial Award for Single Worst Thing in Tokusatsu, 2022 Edition: Live and Evil's new V-Cinema forms. Not only are the colors just wonky, but the suits just feel like downgrades.