[Sh Ranger]

This episode was portended to reveal what's going on with Nem, but it leaves more questions than answers. So, based on the shrine, looks like she's either dead or comatose, which would explain why she's always in the dream world if she has nowhere else to live. But the fact that she continues to exist in various marketing is confusing, as she'd have to be alive and awake to do those things, especially the sneaker ad in the first episode that shows her running. What does it all mean?!

The prison symbol looks similar to the one in Nox's book with the four circles of the universe or whatever. I wonder what significance that will have. It's clearly not a byproduct of the dreamer's subconscious, feels more deliberate like the moonscoop, like a detail that's being put there rather than being dreamed up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

I don't think there was ever going to be a way where an old man being entranced by a little girl wasn't going to come off as creepy, but this definitely did not come close to it.

Yeah. Dude got a little too excited.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frontier

I love how even when forced into wearing a prison uniform, Nem still looks cute and chic.

The blue and pink is a good look on her for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frontier

So...I'm getting the vibe that Fujimi has had some relationship problems in the past that he projects on situations of people involved in the case...

Whatever his reasons, he was right about the dreamer having family trauma at least, unlike his conclusion last week. Fujimi's intuition about Baku led him to discover CODE, so when it works, it works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frontier

Even Nem has problems she hides behind her cheerful facade and the persona she plays in dreams. Also Baku maybe you shouldn't have jumped to yelling so quickly.

Feels like Baku broke character there, acting in an emotional way unlike the suave charismatic Seven.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

First is that -- at the risk of rehashing debates Power Rangers fans were having 20 years ago -- I don't think I actually like how Baku uses them when not transformed? On one hand, it's nice that they're committing to that gimmick, and it's always great to give the collection items all the utility they can. On the other hand, though, it sort of seems like it's an excuse to have him doing superhero things in the scenes where he should probably be doing cool spy things instead?

That's a perfectly valid complaint and I agree. Baku slinging everybody through the death traps was reckless and only worked due to his ability to control the dream. I would've expected an agent to solve this problem in a more technical way. At least, it's a better use of a Capsem than when he used it to handle one guy with a knife, but the overall execution does contrast with the whole agent theme if he can just superpower his way through any problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

The other thing that bugs me way more is the whole Gashapon machine setup, and, more broadly, how it currently feels like Capsems are a total afterthought narratively, which will actually be a serious issue if that stays true in the long run. I don't know why Baku hasn't just already sat at one of those things to pop out all his powerups ahead of time? There aren't any defined rules to how and why Capsems exist that affect the stories in any meaningful way. It's not something that makes the episodes less interesting, but if they're making a huge international push to get new people interested in this franchise, it's nothing short of a massive missed opportunity if they don't demonstrate how the merchandise-driven nature of these shows can actually result in their drama being more interesting because of how the creators can choose to work with that instead of against it.

I liked Mesnick's suggestion from the previous thread, about having the Capsem dispensers appear in dreams instead. It's common in the agent genre to have collectible intel that may prove useful to the mission, so maybe put them in the same place as the dream doors as a reward for good investigation. Alternatively, just have Zero provide new ones as required like he did with the Zeztz Gear. The classic "here are your gadgets" scene never gets old.

EDIT: Ninja-ed by Mesnick.

[Mesnick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

This episode was portended to reveal what's going on with Nem, but it leaves more questions than answers. So, based on the shrine, looks like she's either dead or comatose, which would explain why she's always in the dream world if she has nowhere else to live. But the fact that she continues to exist in various marketing is confusing, as she'd have to be alive and awake to do those things, especially the sneaker ad in the first episode that shows her running. What does it all mean?!

I have a theory that the agency is using recordings of Nemu made before the incident. Or even resorting to AI (especially relevant in the context of the controversy surrounding the show's promotion). Her high popularity stems from the fact that, thanks to her abilities, she appears in people's dreams, as Nasuka mentioned earlier.

[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

I've been enjoying the visual flair that comes with the Capsems too. Not just in terms of the Kamen Rider himself(the claw sword was a fun idea), but how Baku has been using them out of suit no different to how a super spy would use, say, a lazer pen to bypass a steel door or something.

When you put it like that, it starts to make a lot more sense, but it's still... maybe I just feel it's sort of an aesthetic mismatch? It's probably especially pronounced with Impact because its whole shtick is to be Superman, basically. Even the way Stream is used here makes Baku come off like a bit more of a wizard than a spy? The whole vibe of it isn't quite gelling with me, but, to be fair, this is probably one of those things I'll just get over eventually.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

I already wrote that it would be better if the Gashapons weren't stationed at Zeztz's base, but instead were found in Baku's dream world and disappeared after one or two capsems. This way, it would be possible to create additional tension if Zeztz had to search for the Gashapon during the battle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Alternatively, just have Zero provide new ones as required like he did with the Zeztz Gear. The classic "here are your gadgets" scene never gets old.

Both solid ideas! For the record, the spin on it that pops into my head (that probably suggests I'm secretly just subconsciously upset Gavv is over) is that the Capsems could've been disposable, so Baku has to try his luck at the start of each mission and then figure out how to make the best use of whatever set of tools he has that week, which I think would help make the actual vending machine part relevant, whether it was genuinely random or just a quirky way of Zero supplying specially selected gear.

I will however take extra care to note this time, since I always regret pitching my fan-fiction version of these kinds of things, that my actual issue is less about not seeing what I imagine, and almost entirely about wanting to see at least that much clarity of intent or purpose in whatever the creators chose. A lot of times I find getting too caught up in "why didn't they do ___" isn't helpful, because the much better question is always "why did they do ___", which is the answer I'm really interested in. For all I know the deliberate goal was to not have the Capsems be anything that takes up any real space in a script, for example, and if that were the case, I guess I'd say fair enough, as long as that space goes to something interesting.

Also! Just to take a break from dogging on this show for a second, I neglected to mention my other favorite bit from the episode, which was Fujimi apparently having decided he's already on a first name, no honorific basis with a very surprised Baku. Great little comedic beat that nicely reflects the overall charm of that character. Like, he's not considerate enough to ask before moving all his junk into this guy's closet, (or to close that window!) but I get the sense he's probably quite grateful Baku "let" them set up shop there.

[ThirstMcGurst]

After seeing the preview for the next episode, I assumed that the accident from four years ago was what put Nem into a coma. Bijogi, who was already weirdly obsessed with her, seems to have become even more unhinged, which eventually led to his divorce from Reiko.

Nem being in a coma could explain her ability to appear in other people’s dreams. Maybe through astral projection? I’m not entirely sure, but it’s clear that Nem and Nox have crossed paths before.

I love how Nem seems aware that she’s in someone else’s dream and takes on whatever role is given to her. It makes me wonder if it connects to the flashback scene of her playing with the other kids at the orphanage. There’s something about that moment that feels like it’s hinting at more than just Bijogi's obsession.

[FairyKing]

I prefer when a rider's collectables have plot relevance, but I normally wouldn't mind the Capsems being just power-ups, since plenty of riders have done that before. Gotchard and Gavv both gave their collectables more relevance that average (by making them living beings), so on the one hand Zeztz feels like a bit of a step backwards by comparison, but on the other hand it's a bit of a welcome break.

But what's bothering me about the Capsems is how unexplained they are. All the info we've gotten is that they have the power to make dreams come true, but where do they come from? How did CODE obtain them? And why the heck are they dispensed from a gashapon machine!?
I know the real-life reason is because their name and appearance resemble gashapon capsules, but it makes no in-story sense for a secret agent's equipment to be randomized like that, especially since there's apparently nothing stopping Baku from just turning the crank until he collects them all. It's also odd to have so many machines when there don't seem to be that many different Capsems and no use for duplicates.

The show is clearly leaning into the mystery aspect with a lot of things, so I'm content to wait and watch for now, cautiously optimistic that the eventual payoff will be worth it. But I really hope this and other questions (like how the real CODE and Zero have the same names as in Baku's dreams) will get satisfying answers somewhere down the road.

[Sunred]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairyKing

And why the heck are they dispensed from a gashapon machine!?

Textbook example of product placement, I suppose. Kinda like how they inserted Tekken in episode 1 of Shinkenger or a 30 Minutes Missions model kit in Donbrothers during a flashback scene since Bandai owns all of them. Plus, Capsems resembling gashapon toys and all.

[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairyKing

Gotchard and Gavv both gave their collectables more relevance that average (by making them living beings), so on the one hand Zeztz feels like a bit of a step backwards by comparison, but on the other hand it's a bit of a welcome break.

I don't necessarily disagree about Gotchard and Gavv, but I feel like whatever that average for collectible relevance is, Zeztz is definitely well below it right now?

In Geats, who could get their hands on what Buckles made a huge impact on several early plots (there's the whole twist right away where Ace doesn't immediately have Magnum after the premiere, for example), and that emphasis on grabbing loot helped establish the video game style of the show's world, even if the Buckles themselves were just trinkets.

In Revice, the existence of Vistamps is the impetus for the entire story happening, much like in Saber how all Wonder Ride Books are small pieces of the larger book that basically IS reality in that show, so in both those cases, the lore surrounding the collectibles drives a lot of the overall narrative. That sort of importance is fairly common too, with Zi-O and Build and Ex-Aid and so on all working in similar ways.

I guess Zero-One is the most recent show that I'd say was close to what Zeztz is doing? The Progrise Keys are, from the start, only one facet of that world, and most of the early form introductions weren't any more complex than Zea making a new one to counter that week's monster. The difference is that, unlike Capsems right now, the how and why of their existence was much more clearly defined, so it never bothered me there. And you know, I do agree it's entirely possible that's not an oversight on this show's part, and there might be some (possibly shocking) development later that puts everything in its proper context, especially since that tracks with the general style of the main writer. There were a lot of things back in Ex-Aid I complained about in the moment that made perfect sense to me just a couple of months later.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunred

Kinda like how they inserted Tekken in episode 1 of Shinkenger

Tekken 6 was played professionally by M and Nico in EX-Aid and Tekken 7 was played professionally by Tame in Kiramager. I recall 7 also appeared in the background in the Eternal arc of Zi-O, which behind the scenes was a game between Inoue Masahiro and Okuno Sou, which Inoue won. I wonder when 8 will show up in Tokusatsu.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

In Geats, who could get their hands on what Buckles made a huge impact on several early plots (there's the whole twist right away where Ace doesn't immediately have Magnum after the premiere, for example), and that emphasis on grabbing loot helped establish the video game style of the show's world, even if the Buckles themselves were just trinkets.

I like how it made Boost feel like a big deal whenever (or if, since Punkjack is unlucky) somebody got it, while also being my favorite bike gimmick of the Reiwa Era so far. Even though it's just a base form item by normal Rider standards, in DGP where players are intentionally limited by game balance, it's actually strong as hell!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

I guess Zero-One is the most recent show that I'd say was close to what Zeztz is doing? The Progrise Keys are, from the start, only one facet of that world, and most of the early form introductions weren't any more complex than Zea making a new one to counter that week's monster. The difference is that, unlike Capsems right now, the how and why of their existence was much more clearly defined, so it never bothered me there. And you know, I do agree it's entirely possible that's not an oversight on this show's part, and there might be some (possibly shocking) development later that puts everything in its proper context, especially since that tracks with the general style of the main writer. There were a lot of things back in Ex-Aid I complained about in the moment that made perfect sense to me just a couple of months later.

Even Progrise Keys have more presence than Capsems, with how Aruto affectionately calls them [insert animal here]-chan and got seriously ticked off when Jin stole Falcon. They seem to have basic animal level AI, exhibiting a reflex to painful stimuli when used in the Forceriser. Of course, they're also essential for Isamu to pry open in a bad*ss way.

Now that you make these comparisons though, man, I agree there's definitely something lacking with Capsems. Honestly, I actually enjoy the Drive-like way they're used in the Zeztz Driver to change forms and subforms. But what they are and how casually Seven uses them does seem like kind of an afterthought right now.

[Enchilada645]

inb4 the explanation's the same as in the Transformation Classroom and they just haven't felt like it was important enough to mention yet.