[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

Whenever I go back to watching Rider, the next planned show to tackle is Stronger. I could use something more simple and fun to watch right now, I think.

I wasn't lying! I have infact been watching Stronger!

Just got done watching episode 13, which marks the end of the first "arc" if you could even call it that.

And this show is uh... interesting. I kinda called it in that it sure as heck is simplistic, but also fun! Probably most uniquely for basically every toku show I've seen so far is that Stronger kinda doesn't have a plot.

I don't just mean an overarching plot either. I mean you're lucky if even individual episodes have stories outside of "watch Stronger clown on some Black Satan fools utilizing the lowest budget that Rider has ever had." The closest we get is Shigeru's' backstory, which is hilariously info-dumped in like three sentences.

Speaking of Shigeru, this dude has to be the template for the a-hole Riders we'd see in the future, right? He has so many moments of just being a total showboat-y jerk, but his actor is so charismatic that it comes across more comical than it does malicious. Though I could easily see modern viewers having a problem with the way he treats Yuriko half the time.

As for Yuriko, I do respect that she's (arguably) the first female hero/Rider in the franchise, but man, I feel so bad for her. Her track record is terrible -- so far having only two definitive wins in terms of fights, and alot of times serves as the jobber of the cast. And like I said, Shigeru treats her pretty poorly, like the time Tackle fell off a cliff and he didn't even care! He just left her there! I like the duo as characters but jeez man!

But speaking of characters, I gotta know, is it a standard for pre-Super-1 Showa Rider shows to get rid of their extremely cool second-in-command villain to be replaced by a way lamer one? First it happened with General Monster in Skyrider, and now here with Mister Titan. Mister Titan is so cool! His design is simplistic but effective, he has cool powers, and the actor they got for him was charismatic as heck! Dude also had some legit smart plans, to the point that he almost won in his final bout with Stronger.

Sure, the show is very bare bones and basic(and the shoestring budget really shows), but I am having fun with it so far. My biggest question being: What's with the rose motif on Shigeru? Seems kinda weird given Stronger is electricity based, but whatever, it's cool I guess.