[Locke]

I actually love Kyoryujin, the cockpit kinda sucks and some of the forms are missteps but ultimately I'm just so grateful for any advancements in the giant stuff, which feels like it's barely changed in the entire history of the show.

The disconnect of quality between the decades of advancement in the henshin hero and general production and the mech stuff has just grown wider and wider and the sturdy mech suits of Kyoryuger made it feel like that gap had grown just a little bit smaller.

[Kamen Rider Lucha]

Watching this episode, I got the sense that this series is going to be something special. Between this and Gaim, it seems like Toei is making a declaration of excellence this year.

In the same way that Gaim has everything I want from a Kamen Rider show (complex plotting, shady conspiracy, moral ambiguity, heroes that are forced to make tough choices, awesome one-on-one fights, intense melodrama), ToQger is poised to everything I want from a Sentai show (a straightforward clash between good and evil, intense relationships between characters, a measured balance of silliness and drama, stand alone episodes that focus on a different character each week, large scale action, baroque & Machiavellian villains, emphasis on family and teamwork, heavy/scary topics addressed with humor and levity).

2014 is shaping up to be a banner year for Super Hero Time.

(Of course it's still really early and things could go off the rails super quickly, but I'm feeling optimistic today. )



Now for some stray thoughts and speculation:

- I assume part of the series' narrative will be the ToQgers gradually assembling the missing pieces of their memories. I'm already interested in how they fill in the blanks because I have so many questions. Did the kids grow apart over the years? Did some of them stick together? Why are they all different ages if they're clearly shown as children together? There's lots of room for interesting stories if regaining memories is part of the show's structure.

- If they're all dead, I want the show to build to a point where, by the end of the series, we see flashbacks to the day each of them died. Could be incredibly poignant.

- I think it'd be interesting if they all died at different points in their lives, accounting for their age apparent discrepancies. Like, Kagura died as a teenager, Tokatti after graduating college, etc...

- ToQ 1 fighting on top of the train with the Shadow Line monster was one of the coolest action sequences in Sentai history.

- The dog-fighting trains more than make up for any lackluster Daikaiju fight sequences.

- Hikari is perhaps the dreamiest sentai dude in history. /swoon

- Kagura is the kind of character that could easily tip into annoying territory, but her imagination gimmick is so charming, and she's so cute, that I can't help but love her.

- "They treat line switching like a toy gimmick." -- Hilarious 4th wall breaking.

- Brilliant Exchange, on so many levels (and another beautiful translation by Over-Time):
Hikari: "He's older, but he hasn't changed at all. Right ends up dragging us along as usual."
Mio: "You haven't changed either, Hikari. Right tends to float off like a balloon, and we get pulled right along. But you keep us a little bit anchored."
Hikari: "Well, to be honest with you, I'm kind of afraid of heights, anyway. So flying too high doesn't suit me."

[Sentai]

I still miss Kyoryuger.

That being said I'm loving this and voted excellent again. I also like how each episode we're getting closer to knowing wtf happened to their memories and how they became ToQ's. Also loving these monster designs, especially the Shadow Line commanders and those Crows. Those Crows are just farking amazing.
And my love affair of ToQ Yellow continues! Wagon though does nothing for me
My only real problem is with ToQ-Oh and how skinny that thing looks. It's all straight, it has no definition. Know what I mean? Especially after the girth that was Kyoryuzin and Bragi-Oh.

[Locke]

So sad the Kuros is just a footsoldier, and not actually a character and a major villain. It's weird because most of the time the footsoldiers just look like dudes in pajamas and masks, and then you get the stuff like the Kuros and the Buglers and it just feels like a waste of a cool design.

[Den-O]

The Buglars were damn awesome. But they were essentially perfect for the mass produced bad guys, even though I could have seen that costume used as a one off monster. The Zorima from Kyoryuger were kind of a joke though. The last couple great troops have been:

Kuros (ToQger)
Buglars (Go-Buster)
Dragonoid Jaryuu (Boukenger)

[Locke]

I like how the Paramonsters had so little effort put in, they even fought with bikeseats. I dunno something about the Bugler design just had presence, I could totally see him as like an elite assassin or advisor to the big bad.

Man I might watch the first episode of Boukenger later.

[Kamen Rider Lucha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

So sad the Kuros is just a footsoldier, and not actually a character and a major villain. It's weird because most of the time the footsoldiers just look like dudes in pajamas and masks, and then you get the stuff like the Kuros and the Buglers and it just feels like a waste of a cool design.

But since the Crows are foot soldiers, that means we see dozens of them in every episode. Feels like a blessing to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Den-O

The Zorima from Kyoryuger were kind of a joke though.

The Zorima were also weirdly racist. With their dreadlocks and brown faces in a series that was heavily influenced by Brazilian culture. They were... kinda icky.

[xSkullheartx]

"But which side is "behind"?" Nuff said.

[ShockerCon]

Am I the only one who kinda loves this soundtrack(hurhur)? Especially during the gattai.

[Paladin]

Look at the shirt that the Kid of the Week is wearing. IT could be major foreshadowing about the ToQGer's status/fate:



Its a directory for a children's hospital.