[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER OOO HYPER BATTLE VIDEO - “QUIZ, DANCE, AND TAKAGAROOBA”



It’s so weird to talk about this era of HBVs, where the idea of Interactive DVDs became the structure within which all storytelling needed to work. There’s a cute story here – Hina helping Ankh and Eiji become a more formidable team so they can defeat two rampaging Yummies – but it’s really more about how that story can properly leverage the expected tools of the pack-ins.

INTERACTIVE QUIZ:
I don’t at all understand how Eiji not being able to catch Medals thrown by Ankh would be improved by knowing how fast a cheetah can run, or what an octopus looks like? The quiz here is kind of haphazardly instituted. The questions are fine, nothing ever feels unfair in its execution, but it feels like we’re just getting a quiz for the sake of it. Like, maybe we could’ve had a moment in the first fight where the heroes mistake one Medal for another and get beat up because of it?

DANCE/WORKOUT:
I think an HBV sneaking in some light calisthenics under the guise of team-building dance moves is perfect. Den-O did it, as I recall, and I’ve got fond memories of the eventual Wizard version. Plus, it actually makes sense in the context of the problem the heroes are facing!

EXCLUSIVE MERCH:
Hey kids, which do you think will be more useful in helping OOO defeat his enemies: some random Medal you may or may not own, or the COOL NEW KANGAROO MEDAL that came packed with this issue of TV-Kun? Truly, the least difficult choice to make in this interactive battle section. I like that there’re two potential correct solutions in this answer matrix, but it’s incredibly funny and lazy that the correct solutions are just The New Medal, period, the end. Very important to teach children that The New Toy is always and forever the best option to use in a battle against evil, something that’ll serve them well as Kamen Rider fans going forward.

Under the very specific restrictions of these types of HBVs, I thought this one was okay enough. I wish the quiz was better motivated, but the rest of it slotted in nicely with a story of teamwork and coordination. All that, and Ankh got robbed at the end of the only reason he was participating in this ridiculousness – the best ending possible!