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#31 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
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The initial bout with Cat Sidhe opens up with a good showing of his agile and wild fighting style as he takes on Wizard in Flame Style, but the real fun comes when Haruto turns the tables by busting out Water Style once more, this time debuting the Liquid Ring, effortlessly confounding Cat Sidhe as he nonchalantly lets attacks flow right through him and reshapes his body around the Phantom in all sorts of different holds, like the world's weirdest pro wrestling match.
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I also have to call out how fond I am of the way this scene is blocked. Takagi sits facing away from the others, as if trying to ignore them, and Haruto faces off to the side, sitting up on the table rather than the benches, which I think just nicely highlights his general cool factor.
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And speaking of people who are very surly right now, Koyomi came all the way out to help! By which I mean to help Haruto, of course. The distinction is pretty important there. She probably took it a little personally earlier when Shunpei mentioned Rinko's excellent support skills during the earlier fight while trying desperately to make casual conversation. Koyomi seems pretty desperate to prove how useful she is to Haruto (being able to see through Phantoms' human guises), and just as importantly, to prove that Rinko and Shunpei *aren't* useful, an attitude best exemplified by the almost performative smile Koyomi flashes while telling Haruto she came because she thought Haruto would have too much trouble on his own -- i.e. "on his own" with Rinko, who's standing right there as Koyomi says this.
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Episode 5 -- "The Final Match of the Contest"
In the aftermath, Takagi is quick to belittle Haruto for losing the fight, but Haruto is equally quick to see through Takagi when the subject of why he even ran off in the first place comes up. Takagi is so desperate to avoid losing at that contest that he wanted the excuse being attacked by a monster would give him to not play at all, rather than having to face up to whatever happens tomorrow. Haruto strikes a nerve by questioning why a genius-level pianist would be so okay ceding his fate to anyone but himself like that, causing Takagi to call him a loser again, which itself strikes a nerve with Koyomi. Quote:
And then from *there*, you might start thinking about Haruto's perspective, and realize that he was also, in that same moment, dealing with his own uncertain future, himself no longer an ordinary human, and you might start thinking about everything *that* means. About how lonely both of these people must've felt. About how that solitude, in true Kamen Rider fashion, is itself a theme throughout the show. About how important it was for the both of them to be able to be lonely together, and the profound connection that created. Maybe you'll think of Morota's love of water contributing so much visually to this end, as Haruto makes the choice to sit down with Koyomi rather than staying dry on the shore -- the choice to share what she's going through alongside her.
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After all, it's the reactions of the characters to all this that actually move the narrative along. For Takagi, it's as simple as him not having a snide remark to respond with, for once, which tells you all you need to know. For Rinko and Shunpei, it's an opportunity to finally forge a meaningful connection with Koyomi, as three people who have all found hope in meeting Haruto. Rinko makes it clear that they're also ready to accept her for who she is, and even though she tries to play it cool, Koyomi realizes, as they all hold hands, that it might not be so bad to have this warmth in her life.
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1) Hurricane 2) Flame 3) Water 4) Land Quote:
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I rank Koyomi, Hiyori and Hirose as 4th, 5th and 6th of Heisei respectively. For me, I disliked the reckless way Gaim subverted the formula, so I was glad to see Drive do something familiar and closer to what I expect thematically in Rider. However, I think some shows subvert it in a satisfying way, like Build.
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#32 |
Ex-Weather Three leader
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Hurricane Style is also great when doing the laundry.
![]() But real talk, the triangular gem shape for the helmet is nice and I like the hue of green they used for the suit.
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#33 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,953
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Guess turns out Wizard is the one that has the more mundane hanging spot compared to most of the more modern show similar to the Phase 1 Heisei stuffs, where modern shows have clear fantastical/ultra technological hanging spots, like the hidden spot on Build's Nascita, or Drive's police HQ.
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Though you think loving Wizard and Ghost is an unpopular take, maybe it has a pattern that you're the type who prefers lighthearted and wholesome stuff. Usually, the ones who like lighthearted stuff and/or really like Showa and really expects no betrayal to "Kamen Rider spirit" stuff (e.g. hating on darker shows that they feel don't abide to it) do usually like shows like Wizard, Ghost, and Saber too.
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![]() See, this is another reason it's good to have other people chiming in. I didn't even think to make a joke out of that somewhere in there. Total missed opportunity. But surely being impractical is like half of what makes most cool things cool to begin with! If Haruto were being practical, Hurricane Style would still hold the sword the correct way! Quote:
![]() the downside of not talking about the side projects right now is that I don't know when I'll get to talk about this
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#34 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,454
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I do wonder how those people'd react if they got to learn about for example, your Hiyori analysis on Die's Kabuto thread. Other than learning about these I want to spread more about these details to more people of the fanbase too, either coming from me or someone else (dunno if they'd mind though) so these aspects get more credit for their merits, but I don't really know the proper way to successfully do it (e.g. have it be noticed, not rub them the wrong way). I also may feel I'm not giving some other show a credit they deserve that I don't recognize the merits in, if I praise an aspect in a show. Quote:
Episode 3 -- "Transform! Live Broadcast"
It becomes less about assigning blame and more about empathy, with Haruto realizing that, since he became a wizard without ever wanting to be one, he might not have been considering how what he said earlier must come off to a person who always wanted to be a wizard but never could be. Quote:
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The next day, Shunpei is at the television studio, and his big live broadcast starts, catching Rinko's attention, who then gives Haruto a call, flipping on the television at Omokagedo with Wajima and Koyomi to confirm what's happening before quickly running out to do something about Hellhound's plan, now that's he figured out where this is all heading.
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Haruto arrives, making good use of the Sleep Ring from way back at the start of episode 2 to slip by a guard, tying up that little thread, and, on the subject of little things, I'm going to note Hellhound calls him "Wizard" in English when he enters the room. I'm going to try and bring it up every time this happens, specifically because I'm confident I won't be bringing it up much longer at all.
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My low standards would be Asuna, Tsukuyomi and worst of all Sakura. I'll also mention that Mai, Kiriko, Izu and Neon had good potential, but due to plot reasons, they didn't live up to expectations.
I rank Koyomi, Hiyori and Hirose as 4th, 5th and 6th of Heisei respectively.
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#35 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
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Oh, and just to pull back the curtain a bit, I had already written that part about the name before you made your post expressing basically the exact same sentiment. Made me feel like I plagiarized your opinion, but I can guarantee it's a conclusion I arrived at independently! Maybe Hurricane's coolness factor really is just *that* objectively observable.
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I wonder if you'd think people's complaint about female treatment using the support heroines from Phase 1 too as an example of how 'sexist' the series are (where they never get a spotlight, relegated to limited, less proactive role, only on sidelines, has no agency or just trophy, etc.) as dead wrong, and that female treatment (except for few) isn't really that big of an issue like they're making them up as.
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#36 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
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I also think "Flame" has a nicer ring to it than "Fire" would, for the record, but I can't really articulate that one very well. It's just like... you know, Saber is a 炎の剣士, not a 火の剣士.
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#37 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,953
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Episode 6 -- "To a Beautiful Flower"
I'm going to go ahead and take note upfront of the writer and director for these ones. They're the first episodes of the series written solely by Junko Koumura (making them her first solo Rider episodes period), but I've always found her style on Wizard meshed so well with Kida's that I'm honestly not sure exactly what difference that makes, beyond her name being the one that gets credit for a ton of Wizard stories I love. Likewise, I couldn't immediately tell you what unique flair Kenzou Maihara brings as the third director in the rotation for the series. Really, I couldn't tell you much about Maihara in general? He has a career that's crossed paths with Toei tokusatsu fairly often, but there are only so many of those shows he's even worked on more than a single pair of episodes for, with Wizard being more of the exception than the rule there. Still, while I can't say with certainty what makes Maihara's style his, I *do* know these episodes have a lot of style. I was impressed by so many little touches adding to so many scenes that there's no way I won't fail to mention a bunch. Even within the first handful of scenes, you've got everything from Shunpei practicing saying "I love you" in the languages of the world with relevant musical cues and national flags displayed as prominently in the frame as Shunpei himself, to the classiness of the lighting throughout Gnome's introduction, perfectly matching the refined vibe cultivated by his human guise as a sommelier with a notably well-developed sense of smell. And that's not to mention the woman walking down the street whose sheer beauty itself seems to make the world around her shine with a heavenly glow. ![]() This is Manami Kawasaki, who will probably be pretty important to this story, judging by that introduction. She's meeting with one Mr. Kouichi Yamagata, a fairly timid looking dude who's one huge bundle of nerves on this date, as though he himself can't believe his luck. It seems quite a few people are meeting someone nice, as a matter of fact. Wajima's got someone he's so head over heels for he's planning to give her a newly made magic ring as a present, despite Koyomi's protests. Shunpei is gleefully pursuing the aforementioned sudden interest in foreign languages at the recommendation of a woman who was even kind enough to sell him a ton of crash course educational books on the subject... even though Koyomi immediately sees something off about that. Heck, even the donut shop employee has fallen in love, which has Haruto musing that he wouldn't mind meeting someone new himself. Speaking of Haruto, he gets looped into the plot in a particularly fun fashion. The familiars are built into the series in large part as a way to take shortcuts with that part of a script, but Koumura rises above the temptation here. Instead, a civilian fleeing from Gnome bumps into Haruto, crushing his latest bag of donuts before he gets a chance to take a bite. It's a nicely comedic scene for the guy on a few levels. The situation itself is pretty amusing, with Haruto basically retreating to the comfort of junk food to distract himself from how lonely and/or bored he's feeling, and his actual reaction is priceless. There's such excessively raw anguish in his voice and on his face, like no tragedy in the world could ever be greater than that of a donut going to waste. It's hilarious in the moment, but it also helps build Haruto into a more rounded character. There have been scenes that break his cool guy image for comedic value since the premiere, but I feel this one demonstrates how he can downright excel in that kind of scenario in a way that hasn't been as obvious up to this point. Of course, with a monster to go after, that's only a brief moment, as Haruto quickly heads off for the first fight scene of the story, arriving to save Yamagata and Manami in typical fashion, firing off both his gun *and* a nice quip. Haruto's very much in his element, stylishly wiping the floor with Gnome as if we don't still have most of an episode pair to get through. There are some nicely material touches to the action, as well. A little table gets smashed when Gnome is kicked into it, complete with the drink that was on it going flying, and the battle makes its way to a fountain for the two combatants to splash around in, making the images more lively. Even as Hurricane Style flies around with the power of post-production, the shots being fired at Gnome are kicking up practical water, so there's still something "real" going on. Speaking of reality, I'd also like to highlight the filming locations before moving on. ![]() ![]() This started out as me simply wanting to mention that I like seeing Wizard fight in pretty green parks, but that got me curious enough to look further into it this time, which resulted in the discovery that this particular fight scene takes place across *two* pretty green parks! In two completely different places, no less! It's a textbook example of what I like to call Toei Geography, where the magic of editing makes it seem as though Wizard and Gnome run just slightly off to the side of where they were to get to that fountain, when in truth, traveling that distance on foot would likely eat up most of a day. From what I understand, anyway. I can only regurgitate what internet searches have told me on this subject, but a fair bit of this episode was filmed in and around the Kawaguchi City Green Center in the Saitama Prefecture, including the miniature railway Hungry is set up at and the restaurant the fight starts at. The fountain the fight ends at, however, is the Kawajima Heisei no Mori Park, which, as the name tells you, is in Kawajima, a town also in Saitama, but like, obviously not as nearby as the episode would lead you to believe. Both of these locations have been used in Toei shows beyond just Wizard, so there's nothing all that special about any of this. A more worldly person than I could probably launch into a lecture like this about any random location that pops up in whatever episode, which is itself what I'm mostly trying to call attention to with all this. The thing about filming on location is that it means even the most simple scene comes with a real life story to go along with the imaginary one being told. The imaginary story *is* the one I'm supposed to be digging into right now though! Much like Gnome, living up to his motif, digs a hole into the ground to escape Wizard! ![]() After entrusting Unicorn with the task of tracking down Gnome, Haruto turns his attention back to Manami and Yamagata, as they all head to Yamagata's lavish estate to discuss what's going on. This is another occasion where, even though the show definitely doesn't expect the viewer to be surprised, the narrative technically keeps it ambiguous who the Gate is, since Haruto himself is initially uncertain. It's mostly a scene to get the plot moving, highlighting Yamagata's wealth, establishing Manami's discomfort with the police as Haruto brings in Rinko to help, and splitting the group into pairs as Manami insists on heading back out, with Haruto coming along as Rinko stays behind with Yamagata. That being said, Koumura's dialogue keeps it from actively feeling mechanical, making room for a bit of banter between Haruto and Rinko, and also going all in on embarrassing Haruto for comedy when it turns out he's not even *slightly* above falling for Manami's charms. He probably thinks he's still playing it cool in his head, but Haruto treats walking along with Manami less like he's there as a bodyguard and more like he just landed a date, even bragging about his awesome wizard powers when asked. To be fair to Haruto, Manami is clearly actively encouraging all this... right up until Haruto mentions he can't use magic to make money, at which point Manami deliberately drops a scarf on the ground so she can slip away while Haruto picks it back up. This is around the point where the meaning of the episode title becomes clear. ![]() It doesn't really come across in translation, but the title of this one is the sort where the viewer is meant to finish a phrase in light of the full context of the narrative. In this case, a Japanese equivalent to the idiom "every rose has its thorn". In contrast to her outward beauty, it turns out Manami is a con artist who has been leading several men along in order to turn a profit. This of course includes Yamagata, who has been tricked into buying a mountain of presumably sketchy health products. On top of being a dramatic twist, this revelation also leads to the big punchline of the whole episode, as it turns out, naturally, that *everyone* who met a nice woman lately actually just met Manami, as her schemes start to crumble around her. ![]() As straightforward a gag as it is, it really is pretty funny. I think what's especially amusing to me about everyone running up to Manami in blissful ignorance, even more than the fact that Haruto is still not above any of this, is that this is the first time you see Wajima out of the house, and it's for this. He even seriously brought the ring! Oh, and I suppose I might as well note that Shunpei calls the donut shop employee "Ryuu" in a throwaway line of dialogue here, for all the hardcore donut shop trivia fiends out there who care. Such people will no doubt also be aware that the character is only ever credited simply as "Employee" (much as the manager is "Donut Shop Manager"), a subtly pointed choice that emphasizes exactly how trivial this trivia is. The whole beauty of the Hungry crew's characters is kinda in the way they humbly yet reliably sit on the sidelines, after all. Manami storms off, giving Gnome the opportunity to reach his hand up from underground like a zombie movie and pull her down, since Manami is the Gate this time around. Unicorn directs Haruto to the hole he left behind shortly after, which leads to a big showcase sequence for Land Style, complete with the insert theme. ![]() I think part of me always wants to assume Land Style is the least cool Wizard form because it's literally square, but it's really just as easy to argue it actually looks the most fabulous out of them all? Yellow fundamentally has amazing contrast with black, and this particular yellow has a golden shine to it which just ups the fanciness factor that much more. There just really isn't any losing with Wizard forms, you know? The transformation here goes above and beyond to make Land Style seem like a big deal, too. I can't say for sure if it's specifically Maihara who deserves the credit for this, but the choice to cut in some shots of nearby trees being shaken as clouds of dust blow through the air, with no other sound but the wind, it absolutely gives that sense of raw power. The moment is savored to a level that's almost excessive, but the way the show isn't in a rush to move also fits the kind of slow, stalwart vibe that's generally associated with this sort of elemental motif. The instrumental version of Strength of the Earth even starts up over nothing more than Wizard just kind of posing for a moment, before finally busting out the Drill Ring to dig down to where Gnome and Manami are. Where Gnome and Manami are is also another stunning location for a fight scene, by the way. ![]() The natural greens get traded in for a cold industrial vibe, accented beautifully by the "natural" light shining in from the implied hole above in the form of a spotlight on the star of this performance. Interestingly, the way the show chooses to portray the Land-ness of Land Style in the fight here is not through any magic it uses, but instead in the fact that it's tough enough to let Wizard take on all these Ghouls with nothing but his bare hands. Which he could do in any form if he wanted, but the way it's shot, especially with the liberal use of slow-motion, sells what the scene is going for. It's extremely forceful, and also more steady than normal, without coming off sluggish. This is all aided by Strength of the Earth kicking back in, this time with the lyrics. If I had to pick which one of the four inserts so far is my least favorite, it's always been this one. While back in the day, it genuinely took me a bit to get into it, nowadays, I only point that out to illustrate how high the standard of quality here is. Strength of the Earth is for sure a jam in its own right, once again matching the overall tempo and everything to the element, being, well, like I just said, forceful and steady, with lyrics that run with the Earth association to sing about Wizard basically using the power of the planet itself to protect people, which is admittedly pretty epic. Land Style's not the only form that gets to show off in the climax though, as Haruto switches back to Flame for a sequence that gives me the perfect chance to finally talk about one of Wizard's greatest tricks -- Seiji Takaiwa wasn't the only guy in that suit. ![]() Six episodes into this, I remain unconvinced any still frame will ever do justice to these sequences, but if you look at the credits for any episode of this show where Wizard flips and spins through the air without the aid of wires, trampolines, or compositing, you'll likely find the name of the show's official XMA Coordinator, Hideki Sugiguchi. There's frankly an astonishing amount of tangents I could go on talking about this guy! They range from as simple as noting that Takaiwa went on a diet before the show to slim down and better match both Sugiguchi and Shiraishi, to as borderline philosophical as musing on the poetic and cyclical nature of a tokusatsu show actively incorporating XMA, which itself was started by a Power Rangers actor as a sorta martial art, sorta extreme sport (hence, Xtreme Martial Arts) all about doing flashy action like you'd see in a movie. Somewhere in the middle of that range, I might try and dig into Sugiguchi's rather extensive career as a stuntman, which could itself take the form of talking about anything from his time working on Kamen Rider Dragon Knight, to his more recent work doing motion capture for video games and the like, to the point he apparently started his own company to that end. Stories within stories, I tell ya! Before preparing to make this thread, I wasn't at all aware of Sugiguchi's contributions to Wizard; now that I am aware of him, it kind of scares to me to think that all the stuff I just mentioned is only scratching the surface. Putting all that stuff back off to the side, this show was very fortunate to have Sugiguchi there to contribute the distinctive flair to the action he did. His stunts are both highly cool and mesmerizingly graceful, and that's a perfect fit for the character Wizard is meant to be. On that note, the sequence afterwards where Wizard rescues Manami from Gnome is something that's always played a huge part in defining the way I view Haruto as a character. ![]() Manami asks why he'd go through all this trouble to save someone like her, carrying the implication of self-loathing, like she doesn't feel she deserves being saved, with all the immoral things she's done. Haruto, though, he barely needs time to think before responding that saving Manami is just the obvious thing to do -- the thing he *should* do -- and that her being a con artist doesn't change that. What I think this plot really accomplishes for the overall series, and why I'm glad it comes this early, is that Manami lets the show make Haruto's style of heroism that much more defined. I like that he still wants to save her, of course, but that's the obvious part. What I think is more specific to what draws me to Wizard is that saving Manami is the only thing Haruto wants in this moment. I love how small the stakes seem, and what that says about how big they actually are. Wizard isn't fighting to save the world, or the city, or the school, or some crowd of people being terrorized -- he's putting everything on the line to save just a single person. In this case, a person who might not be considered "worth" saving, which is the key thing that highlights the beauty of that. There's a nobility to Haruto as Wizard that stands out to me even in a franchise full of noble heroes. The raw visual, as usual, sells this as much as the dialogue. One hand gripping a blade to strike at evil, the other hand placed reassuringly on the shoulder of those who evil would dare harm -- it's like my primordial notion of a hero, embodied by this one character. That nobility evidently has an effect on Manami, too, as she seems to reflect on the person she's become in contrast to that. Literally, no less, looking at her reflection in the water, and perhaps seeing not the beauty on the outside, but the ugliness that's taken root underneath. ![]() So yeah, typically strong visual storytelling as the episode approaches its cliffhanger, with both Gnome and Manami managing to slip away from Haruto yet again after Gnome tries to bring the ceiling down on him. Episode 7 -- "Buying Memories" Back at Omokagedo, Shunpei, Wajima, and the donut shop employee are taking the truth particularly poorly, wallowing together in their sadness to the sound of equally melodramatic music, all as Rinko and Koyomi look on with little sympathy. Haruto is just barely cool enough to be outside the circle of misery, but still gets called out by Rinko for trying to act like he was any less head over heels for Manami at first. Haruto's voice cracks as he swiftly tries to change the subject, continuing the strong trend of Haruto comedy in these episodes. In general, all the banter and everything makes the scene a lot more actively enjoyable than it needs to be to do its job of reorienting the plot. Even the potentially overly broad comedy of the melodramatic moping is given much more punch by a strong directing choice, as all the shots of them have the colors desaturated, while all the other shots are normal, as though the three of them are so excessively absorbed in their own feelings that they currently exist in a different world from the other characters. ![]() ![]() Wajima's even so upset that he was about to smash his new ring with a mallet! Haruto intervenes however, and ties the bow on the scene by testing out the Smell Ring, which turns out to have the power(?) of concentrated stank. Obviously only Haruto can actually use the ring, but still, probably for the best Wajima didn't get the chance to offer that as a present! The initial round of check-in scenes also includes the Phantom side of things, of course. I suppose the most noteworthy thing going on there is that Phoenix seems to be getting genuinely agitated, which builds towards something later on, but mostly, I'm bringing it up because I think they just picked an interesting location to shoot it? ![]() I don't have a whole story about what or where this industrial-looking whatever place is, but it's neat, and I enjoy that the monsters have their conversation here. Gnome is up that high for recon purposes, but it's just not really a spot most people would typically be having a chat in, and since these aren't people, that vibe fits. Haruto breaks the news to Yamagata, who isn't all that surprised to find out that Manami was interested in a guy like him for his wealth. Yamagata starts to turn the story towards the "why" of Manami being a con artist, suggesting she has some particular reason she needs the money, and calling attention to the fact she went out of her way to help him when Gnome first attacked, when she could've easily just worried about saving herself. Rinko brings us closer to finding out that truth by tracking down where Manami lives with those ever helpful detective skills... but because Koumura just wants to leave a good impression, I guess, the scene doesn't stop there. Instead, immediately after getting off the phone with Haruto, her boss at the station calls to comedically yell at her for always running around chasing Phantoms instead of actually showing up for work, which is pretty much the raw essence of Rinko? The fact she's a cop informs a lot about her character, but she's explicitly not part of some elite anti-Phantom task force or anything like that. After all, she's also meant to be one of the most normal people in the show, so emphasizing her job *as* a job in this fashion keeps her very down to earth. Even though having this in here doesn't add to the plot of these episodes, I definitely think it adds something to the episodes, and certainly to Rinko as a character. Over at the curiously dumpy apartment where Manami currently resides, she's preparing to skip town, but not before looking at an old family photo taken in front of a house and promising to return with the money she needs to get something back. Perhaps you've pieced together this mystery already, but even if you haven't, it sure seems like Gnome is catching on quick, as he makes his presence known. ![]() It's a pretty cool entrance, honestly. The classy outfit, spiffy sunglasses, and nonchalant demeanor make him seem him almost like some mob hitman or something. Extra points for dramatically smashing the photo against a wall. Minus some points for trying to drive Manami to despair by just strangling her though. I guess it'll get the job done, but it's hardly on the same level of theatricality. At any rate, Haruto and Rinko show up just in time. Rinko tries to tend to Manami, only for her to slip away once again, while Haruto does his thing tussling with Gnome. And it's specifically Haruto doing the fighting for a bit, without transforming, which adds some spice. He even crashes out the window with Gnome, and then has to fend him off for a bit when Gnome gets the drop on him after running away. And that's still only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how cool this fight is! First of all, it's got one of those classic panning transformation shots, going behind Gnome's back and having that fill the screen for a moment to smooth out the transition between Haruto and Wizard. In this particular case, it's still filmed as two shots (you can see the background jitter if you scrutinize it frame-by-frame), and they still had to add most of the usual visual effects, so I get the impression it's here less for practical reasons and more just because it looks good as a motion. But none of that is what makes me remember this fight extra fondly. No, that's all down to the choice of location. ![]() Now, going back, I've obviously realized these ones are full of great locations (Kraken even stops by that little cafe on Toei's lot I'm fond of while looking for Manami and Gnome at the start), but this one is a location that's stuck with me since way back when I first watched this episode. It's the definitive example I always think of when I think of how a sense of place can be used to make a fight scene stand out, entirely for the extremely creative shot where Wizard and Gnome pop in and out between different rows of big concrete pipes. It's immaculately executed, complete with a gag where Wizard loses track of Gnome for a second, all while the camera holds on that same position, no matter how small or large the two of them get in the frame. It's so much fun, and has basically never left my head in all these years. Plus, as a nice bonus, the fact that it's related to construction is even kinda relevant to the story, since the ambient sounds of active construction work were used to emphasize how poor of an apartment Manami is living in. Speaking of which, after Gnome makes his escape once again, Haruto heads back to the apartment, where Rinko has put together from the photo and the copious amount of real estate ads featuring the same house that, indeed, Manami is saving up all that money from her scams to buy her childhood home back. Haruto catches up with Manami on a hill overlooking the city before she parts ways with it for the time being, giving her the chance to finally tell the full story. An extremely sentimental story about the happier times she had as a child living in that house with her family, how their family lost it all after her father was (rather ironically) deceived by a con, how they promised to live in that house again one day, only for Manami to eventually be left without even a family, and how, in spite of all that, the thought of that house has kept her going amidst the turmoil of her life all this time. The wistful tone is 100% Wizard, and likewise, the way the visuals support the dialogue is typically commendable. The deliberate deployment of warm and cold colors goes without saying at this point, and the abstract visual of a young Manami's family members literally leaving her one by one after taking that photo (even the dog!) goes a long way towards selling the emotions of the scene. Likewise, I really appreciate the montage of Manami staring longingly at the house throughout the four seasons, because that stresses so clearly how constant its presence is in her life, even now, as she speaks of how the memory of the joy she felt living there motivates her to press on. ![]() It turns out the house is going to be sold and demolished soon, which is why Manami is in such a rush to gather money she stooped to scamming people to get it. When Haruto says he still can't overlook what she's doing, Manami tries to claim that Haruto can't understand the pain of losing your family. In true Wizard fashion, this turns out to be a similarity between the guest character and a main character, letting us learn a little more about Haruto as he mentions for the first time that he doesn't have a family either. He doesn't totally open up about it right then and there, but there's a contrast in how the two of them have turned out despite facing similar tragedy. We already know Haruto makes it a point to focus on the now, and in a touch I think has a few different layers, he turns the subject away from both of them to say there are plenty of other people in the world who have lost their families. The most immediate point of that is to tell Manami it's not okay to turn that pain into an excuse to do something wrong, but more generally, I think the dialogue here speaks to Haruto's selflessness, and how much the thought of people dying weighs on him. Despite how much I'm reading into that part of the conversation, it breezes by pretty quickly in the moment, as Manami's attention turns towards the house on fire in the distance -- her childhood home, naturally. I guess this is what I get for complaining Gnome wasn't being theatrical enough! As soon as Haruto and Manami arrive, he's right there to take credit for the arson, confident that this will be the thing to break Manami. That confidence isn't exactly misplaced, either, as when Haruto saves Manami from a falling ceiling fan, she tells him he shouldn't have bothered, since she has nothing else left without the house. Haruto, in no unclear terms, tells her not to say something so stupid, which sounds forceful, but the way he can't make himself put it more delicately in the moment is also how you know he cares. And, you know, if that's too subtle, the next thing he says is a big declaration that he's going to protect Manami's hope, followed by transforming into Water Style, dousing the flames and flushing Gnome right out of the building like common waste. It's a typically awesome hero moment for Haruto. Having secured a moment to breathe outside, Haruto elaborates that what he wants Manami to know is that you shouldn't get so caught up dreaming of the past that you sacrifice your present. Right after this, he has to go fight Gnome, leaving Manami alone to think that advice over. Since the advice is such a perfect summation of what this story is about, it clearly resonates with her. It's been made apparent Manami doesn't really *like* the person she's become in pursuit of reclaiming her former home, so thanks to Haruto, what she finally realizes is that while the memory of that house is worth holding on to, the house itself, at the end of the day, is still only a house. There's some pain in letting go, but it's also freeing to have that burden lifted. Me unpacking it definitely doesn't do justice to the light touch the actual scene uses, communicating these big ideas and conflicting emotions with fairly minimal dialogue from Manami. The subtlety with which it's all handled is really quite beautiful. ![]() The final fight with Gnome takes place basically just on a flat expanse of gravel, so the benefit of the environment this time is that it lends itself well to setting up tried-and-true tokusatsu stunt stuff. You've got a handful of explosions going off (the kind that kick up dirt I mean, not the big napalm ones), a stack of random barrels and such for Gnome to get knocked into, and, most notably, quite a bit of wire-work. Wizard gets to flip clean over Gnome's head, lift him up over his shoulders, and toss him around like it's no trouble. The action is very physical with Water Style here, which is awesome. ![]() Once Haruto switches to Land to turn the tables on Gnome's special powers, the emphasis shifts towards effects of the digital variety, which are still cool, and are also pretty funny, as a bonus. Gnome keeps hiding underground? Just use the Big Ring to smack the floor so hard the shockwave throws him into the air! Crack a joke about playing whack-a-mole as you slap him into next week! Gnome can track your scent? Slip the Smell Ring on him and that's no problem! The stench *is* a problem though, so maybe adorably cover your nose with your robe! (Takaiwa's idea, by the way.) ![]() Strength of the Earth even gets an encore for all this, since this is still a big Land Style showcase. The subterranean foe it's put up against is a perfect complement to that end, too. Perhaps nowhere is that more apparent than right at the end, when Gnome trying to escape underground leads to Haruto busting out the Drill Ring again, this time in combination with the Kick Strike Ring for a spinning finisher that rapidly tunnels right down to where Gnome is to blow him up. A sort of Rider Rock Drill Kick, if you will. (I'm sure Fourze would approve!) Really though, I'm just always happy to see Haruto actually doing a (mostly) normal version of his Rider Kick. They completely nailed capturing the character in the poses. Of course Wizard twirls around in place before running forward. Of course Wizard does a whole roundoff to leap into the air instead of jumping *without* doing a gymnastics move first. With Gnome finally taken care of, everything is all set to wrap up with Manami thanking Haruto, and making clear her intent to go the police, starting fresh to properly live in the present. That turns out to merely be how Manami's character arc wraps up, however, as Rinko soon pulls up with Yamagata in tow. Now knowing the reason she needed money, a sympathetic Yamagata says he's buying the house, not to just give to her (he's not doing this because he's a pushover or anything), but to keep it safe so she can return one day and buy it back properly this time. Yamagata's a pretty cool dude, as it turns out! Thanks to him, it's a much happier version of the same ending, acknowledging that Manami's goal in of itself wasn't the problem, and giving her a chance to work towards that dream again, the right way, without losing sight of the life she's living right now. ![]() Plus, you know, bringing Rinko and Yamagata back in right there ties all the narrative elements together in a real tight bow, which is even nicer. Just about the only one who *isn't* feeling good about this resolution is Phoenix, in a quick little coda to the story proper. Up until now, he's mostly been portrayed as somewhat carefree, occasionally borderline jovial, but he gets truly angry here for the first time, setting up an element to continue into the next story, much as Koumura weaved in that mention of Haruto not having a family. They're just rock solid episodes that way! The relevance to the larger narrative goes way beyond merely establishing a few plot points, as well. Even more than with Takagi last time, all the feelings Manami is navigating here are things you'll see reflected over and over again in other characters throughout the series. There's a thoroughness to the way broader overarching themes are represented that elevates a primarily standalone story into a sort of microcosm of everything around it. I know I just called the last two-parter a benchmark, but I think of these ones as very much *the* definitive basic Wizard story, elegant in its simplicity. There's not a ton of focus on anything that isn't Manami and Haruto, and because it's so all in on only being about Wizard protecting a Gate, I think it captures the essence of him as a hero perfectly. It's not just a story about Haruto protecting someone from physical harm; it's a story about how that person's wounded heart is healed because Haruto's refusal to give up on them inspires them not to give up on themselves. And again -- I think that's a pretty beautiful thing.
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#38 |
Echoing Oni
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,606
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I guess we're into the part of the show that I do not even slightly remember because nothing about this looks familiar to me.
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#39 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,725
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I said I’d save my usual things, such as cast trivia for when Doe gets to Wizard, but with this two parter, I can’t hold back the urge to make a joke hat at least Manami didn’t cook.
But that aside, having only seen the actress as Airi in Den-O (who aside that one episode Ryotaro brought in a hazard disposal team to destroy her food, never really showed much emotion than dissonant serenity), I was surprised by her performance here. If I hadn’t been told, I wouldn’t have recognised the same actress (though that’s nothing new. Unless I’m told in advance, I have trouble recognising Japanese actors in things) |
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#40 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,454
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The initial bout with Cat Sidhe opens up with a good showing of his agile and wild fighting style as he takes on Wizard in Flame Style, but the real fun comes when Haruto turns the tables by busting out Water Style once more, this time debuting the Liquid Ring, effortlessly confounding Cat Sidhe as he nonchalantly lets attacks flow right through him and reshapes his body around the Phantom in all sorts of different holds, like the world's weirdest pro wrestling match.
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Takagi isn't too thrilled about the idea of bodyguards he didn't ask for getting in his space, so Haruto and Rinko settle for watching from outside his apartment for any sign of danger. Rinko gets to work her detective skills a little here by having gathered some info on Takagi, revealing that while he is exactly the kind of prodigy that's been sweeping competitions since he was little, he's currently in a huge slump, failing to win any more such awards, explaining why he's so focused on tomorrow's contest, and also why he's so darn surly.
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It's probably quite the risk for the initial story focused on Koyomi, really. Especially if the previous three episodes made you welcome the presence of Rinko and Shunpei with open arms, it's easy to imagine all the active hostility making Koyomi look like a total jerk. She's presented at her absolute least flattering here, but that's also what makes the story interesting.
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Getting back to the story at hand, Rinko is quite conscious of how undesired the presence of her and Shunpei is by Koyomi, but Haruto is quick to say it's nothing worth getting hung up on. It's a peak into how close Haruto and Koyomi are to one another, because as Haruto is talking about how Koyomi was the same way around him at first too, it's with a familiarity and certainty that sort of seems beyond the scope of the six months they've actually known each other.
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We already know who the pianist is, but it turns out the doll is Koyomi -- not a Phantom, and not quite human, but an existence that's only kept animated by magical power. Magical power that Medusa easily sucks dry, leaving Koyomi seemingly dead, and a panicked Shunpei to call Haruto, bringing the whole story together.
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Depends on the setting and heroine's abilities. Like, I agree with the complaint that Kiriko's role as a cop was quickly forgotten and she got reduced to a damsel (Spinning Wheel is a song about 3 guys wanting to protect her). But I disagree with the complaint that she was denied being a Rider, since it was already explained in-universe why that's impossible, in contrast to Mei where that argument is actually valid.
Though there can be certain plot aspects that has in-universe explanations, many people would not accept it and that, it's still problematic to include that subplot/explanation in the story and the producers should've never included it in the first place (perhaps an example is complaining about character switching sides several times even though their motivation is explained). I do usually get more defensive of something that has explanations or meaning too, but dunno if my defense of those is valid or just me grasping on straws in defending them, tbh. Quote:
I think it's only fair to judge heroines based on what they can and should be able to do, rather than what people wish they would do. Koyomi is a magically-animated doll that needs to be recharged regularly, so of course she has limits on how much she can do and people need to respect that.
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The most complete non-wiki encyclopedias for Kamen Rider series (currently only found Ryuki and OOO's). |
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