[NGW]

Just thought I'd have a fun little topic here.

We're all Rider fans (I think), we all have our favorite series, favorite Rider, favorite figure..but are they all one and the same?

Certainly isn't completely unprecedented to have your favorite toy not be the same as your favorite character. Has happened to me numerous times, mainly with Transformers. Ditto for it not being from my favorite series, as while I love Beast Wars..the toys don't hold up to some of the amazing figures we get today.

So back on track here...

As of right now my favorite Rider series is kinda up for debate haha. Only series I've watched to completion as of this posting is Fourze, and I enjoyed it immensely. Great characters, great villains, it was just a lot of fun. Wizard is the series that got me actually into Kamen Rider though. I always enjoyed watching Figuarts reviews, and I even owned a Figuart myself even without really being into the series (this Figuart being Black RX, who I purchased to be my own Saban's Masked Rider figure), but it wasn't until Wizard that I actually got interested enough to sit down and watch the show. I'm really enjoying it so far, Wizard is pretty damn badass, villains are alright so far, but not quite as interesting as the Zodiarts were, they're far less developed. But the show hits a lot of notes just right with me. W would be another distinct possibility. I'm almost halfway through the series now and I can definitely see why it is so popular. The main cast is great both on the hero side and on the villain side (something that seems to hold true for all three of these for me, though I do feel Wizard has the weakest cast of villains). I really like the blend of dark and lighthearted elements, and the whole mystery/detective feel of it resonates quite well with me, as I've got a bit of a soft spot for film noir and that whole style, which W seems to have to an extent. Only other Rider series I've watched any of at this point is the first few episodes of Kiva, which I liked but I am not really familiar enough with it to have a real opinion on it. So yeah it's a bit of a toss up here, not sure I can pick a real favorite of the three (yay a cop-out answer).

Favorite Rider is a bit easier for me if we go strictly by aesthetics, that would be Dark Kiva. It is by far my all time favorite design of any Rider I have ever seen. I also am a huge fan of Wizard Flame Styles, though the lack of compound eyes does sadden me a little bit, as those have quickly become one of the things I most enjoy on a Rider's figure (strange that, eh?). W's design has grown on me as well, as outside of Fang Joker I really wasn't feeling the half and half look, though to be fair I still only really like how Fang Joker and Cyclone Joker look, some of the other color pairs are kinda..eh. Fourze has a bit of a goofy design, it's grown on me significantly, especially that rocket head of his, and I do like it, but definitely not my favorite. If we start looking into character it is a bit harder. Dark Kiva I know absolutely nothing about so he's kinda out of the running here. Haruto is kinda bland as a character aside from his thing for donuts. He's a bit of a badass, especially when he's suited up, he's got some great style, but he's just not had enough development yet, he needs some hobbies or something besides fighting Phantoms. Gentarou was a really really likeable character for me, I loved his spirit and enthusiasm, his mannerisms, I understand why he rubbed some fans the wrong way, but I really do like him. W is a bit of an interesting case as he, of course, has two personalities, two detectives are one Kamen Rider. Between Philip and Shoutarou, Philip is easily my favorite. I just find something very very interesting about his character. He's fun to watch. Shoutarou is kinda your typical wannabe detective, he's likeable enough, and he's definitely got his demons to face. All that said my favorite Rider is probably Wizard, runner up would be W, then Fourze.

As for my favorite Figuart? As of right now it is Cyclone Joker. Aesthetically the figure is beautiful. The almost metallic green and gold paired up with the purple and black just looks so damn good in person. He has a great compound eye effect, he poses wonderfully, I like that I finally have a Rider that has the classic scarf/ascot/muffler thing going for him. It's nifty that he has a removable driver. The legs on mine are a little tight, not sure if that is something I need to be worried about or not. Of the other figures I own (Black RX, Fourze Base States, and Scorpion Zodiart) he has the least..issues I guess you can say. I do dislike how his scarf attaches, and I do worry a good bit about him taking a fall and breaking his crest/antenna, but beyond that he's fantastic. My Fourze's right arm is a touch loose when raised up, which really sucks for the Rocket Module. And of course the astro switches falling out of the driver and being so easy to lose make it kinda scary to play around with and pose him, shame too as he is a great figure and I love the module gimmick. Black RX is a classic design, that's both a good thing and a bad thing. He's really simple, and it makes him a bit less interesting as a figure to me. Scorpion is pretty damn awesome, the paint work and detailing is phenomenal, I cannot praise her enough in that regard. I love that she comes with a zodiart switch and her cloak (even if it is a bit restrictive and cumbersome). Posing her has gotten a bit easier for me as well, and she is overall really really good. She was my favorite before I got W, but she just falls a touch short of him. That all said, Wizard likely will end up being my favorite once I do get him in a couple of months.