[GoldenXtreme]

I finished up Saber! As a certified Ghost Disliker I didn't exactly have high hopes going in, but it was an very solid show!


The Good

• I think stylistically the show almost feels like a last hurrah for the "late Heisei style Kamen Rider", from the ratio of episodic and overaching plots to the tendency towards funny background events. I tend to quite like this era, so no complaints. Honestly, Geats and Revice almost never add in characters just... hanging out casually or doing something out of that isn't for the sake of plot.
• The cast tends to just be very charming overall. Not everyone shares the same amount of focus of course, but its hard not to enjoy things like Ryo interacting with his son, Yuri checking out the modern world, or Rintaro just being amusingly awkward.
• The stretch of episodes near the middle where Touma falls under suspicion from the other Swordsmen is great! Very satisfying to see the protagonist slowly work towards regaining the trust of the others (especially considering how often he just protagonist ex machainas his way out of bad situations at other times), and the push and pull of the various conflicting interests and beliefs of the cast during this stretch is SUPER interesting.
• Generally speaking this show has some very stylish choreography and cinematography. Fights are clean and with distinct fighting styles and cool moves and shots.
• The bit at the end with all the clips of the real-life viewers talking about their favorite stories just made me happy.

The Bad

• There are definitely parts of the plot that feel very contrived or random, like things just happen a certain way because... that's what will make the plot go in the desired direction. Everyone turns on Touma because of a bunch of suspicious comments taken at face value and the universe conspiring to make him seem extra suspicious. Kento is back because he didn't die he just went to the Realm of Shadows (what) but now he's evil because he really believes in his fortune telling sword. Stuff like this happens in tokusatsu, but it happens a LOT in Saber.
• Why are the Shindai siblings even hereeeee? They're so one-note and the cast is too big!
• The antagonists in this show are just... completely forgettable to me. I think it says a lot with how the best bit of the show is focused on the discord among the protagonists, and once Master Logos really reveals himself as an antagonist things get much less interesting. I spent large amounts of the show forgetting the Megid existed.
• Aaagh, the CGI.

The Neutral

• The story is very JRPG-esque. This means the plot can be very predictable at times, but it does have unique moments and the JRPG vibe is fun if you can go along with it.
• I don't *love* Touma, but I think he's miles better than Takeru and fits the aforementioned JRPG vibe as "the chosen one". I think it helps that Touma's actor has what I consider better acting abilities and the fact that I feel like Touma has to suffer a bit more before his super special boy powers are allowed to kick in.
• I don't say this lightly. I think this show might have the most "guys crawling around on the ground going UWAAAGH" energy of any Kamen Rider show. Entire episodes felt like nothing BUT this at times.

Solid B tier I think! A fun time was had.