[Sh Ranger]

Rewatch KITAAAA!

Yeah, I'm rewatching along this time, as it's my third favorite Heisei Rider.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 01 - “TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL LIFE”

It?s also just so much fun to watch? The big setting of a high school makes all of the action pop more for me ? this isn?t typical Kamen Rider Geography where a fight at the stadium rolls into the river rolls into the quarry, you know? We?re at a place, and the fights feel like they both affect the place (damage and explosions) and are affected by the place (locker rooms). Amanogawa High School is as much a character on the show as any of the kids or teachers (arguably more than some of the teachers; Sonoda isn?t much to talk about this time, and Chuuta is Wacky) and you really get a sense of it through this episode. Beyond a quick moon-based prelude, and a tiny detour to collect the Fourze Driver later in the episode, we?re just at school for a day, and that?s exactly what I wanted. Keeping the action to the school feels distinct to this series, and I love it.

As someone who had a typically frustrating high school experience, it's refreshing to me how despite Amanogawa (which means Milky Way, fitting the space theme) having all the cliche tropes that would make it a place of torment, Gentarou manages to make it his own through his unyielding will and mission of friendship. He's like the ideal high school student protagonist that I imagine many viewers wish they could've been! I'm intrigued by the cultural difference in depiction between the idealized Japanese high school and the painful western high school. Even though the work is harder and more abundant and bullying still exists and apparently worse in some cases, there seems to be a friendlier spirit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

This will all be stuff I've definitely mentioned a million times even just in these threads, but I got into Rider during OOO, which meant Fourze was the first show I was around for from the earliest rumors. I still recall seeing some leaked picture of the dude's spaceship/onigiri looking head and everyone freaking out about how strange and/or lame he looked, because this is back in those pre-Ex-Aid days where it was still possible for lead Rider designs to affect people that way.

Oh man, that takes me back a little. Even though I got in to Rider with Decade, I recall it was around the time of Putotyra that I started following leaks and rumors. After a year of unmoving identical circular plastics, I was immediately drawn to the concept of collectibles that vary wildly in shapes and functions. Four different types of Switch, where even those of the same type activate in a different way. I'd never seen that kind of amazing practical freedom in a Rider System before and while there are similar ones, I don't think I've seen it to that extent since! Honestly, the Fourze Driver is my favorite! I even like the robotic way it speaks, specifically with the deep voice and range in pronunication, unlike the squeaky high monotonous IXA Knuckle which had the opposite effect on me.

Moving on to Fourze himself, it's an awesome suit! The accents of orange, blue, yellow and black work great on the clean white suit. Sure, it's not exactly the most intimidating, especially since the lack of teardrops are a distinction, but then Gentarou isn't that kind of lonely suffering Rider anyway. Kengo would've been that, if he didn't live in the infirmary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The Zodiart fight in this episode reminded me a ton of the first episode for Gavv, which has maybe my favorite opening fight in Reiwa.

Personally, my favorite Reiwa premiere fight is Geats. Starting with a DGP season finale against a giant CGI monster was an awesome introduction to the setting!