[KyoryuGreen]

Let's see: The action, the music, the characters, the storytelling, the lessons the stories tell us, how to improve myself, the struggles the heroes go through that I can relate to, and overall how they make me feel good inside.

[Suzu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EpsilonX

I'm only in the Showa era of Rider (i'm trying to watch as much as I can in order) but Wizard is one of my favorite suit designs, and because of that has been one of the ones i'm more looking forward to watching. Is it really as bad as everybody says?

I would say it depends. I tried to very open about it even though I heard stuff before and I found it okay. It is at least somewhat interesting when you watch it the first time. The problem with Wizard is that it's extremely long, but the pacing is rather bad. Like in, they spill the beans about most of the important plotpoints within the first three episodes without having enough lore to make up for it. So for a long time, most episodes are pretty random.
As far as the characters go... it's a mixed bag and which tendency it has depends on what you can tolerate. For example, Shunpei. I talked to Convoy about him a lot and he hates him. Personally, I could care less. I roll my eyes sometimes, but that's about it.
Wizard is pretty flawed, but I think you can enjoy it to some degree nonetheless. It has some pretty neat moments. So if you feel like watching it, go for it




Anyway, TOPIC.
As for me, I had some conact with Tokusatsu before I started watching on a regular basis (Mystic Knights, Sailor Moon toku, Power Rangers Mystic Force, Magiranger), but the term itself was something I learned when I joined the fandom, which was about 2 and a half years ago with Shinkenger.

What I enjoy about toku is of course the overall storytelling and the Super Hero aspect (needless to say, I'm more the Henshin hero type rather than the Kaiju and Mecha type). I think what draws me into toku rather than anime (because the storytelling sure is similar there) is that it's live action. I completely migrated to live action these days because I admire the work behind it (the stunts, the suits, the acting...), especially what can be done with practical effects. I also like that due to all that, it feels pretty realistic overall, compared to crazy proportioned, always flawless-looking animated characters- not that this doesn't have it's own charm, but live action charms me more

[EpsilonX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suzu

I think what draws me into toku rather than anime (because the storytelling sure is similar there) is that it's live action. I completely migrated to live action these days because I admire the work behind it (the stunts, the suits, the acting...), especially what can be done with practical effects.

If i'm going to watch an episodic series, it's going to be a toku series for these reasons. However, I generally think that anime has better storytelling, and there are certain things that are easier done with animation than live action.

Quote:

As soon as they fight its (bad) CGI only. None of the action is real. And that's not what I seek with my Toku.

Welp, I may as well not even bother then.

[Matrixbeast]

Well, the anime comparison is actually a moot point. If you put the good anime against the good toku, you'll find that there's thousands of better anime.
Then you put the bad anime against the bad toku, you'll find that there's an entire ocean of bad anime in comparison to the scant few bad toku.
Not because either is inherently superior, but simply because Toku (Well, the action oriented Toku we know), by and large, is just a much, much smaller product around. I can say anime has worse story telling, and I'm not inherently wrong (Just look at the magnitude of gawdawful 90's-early 2000's anime that went straight to the bargain bins at Wal-Mart, FYE, and any Japanese retailer, that no one pays attention to).

[AgileSiamang7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwami

Everything basically. Didn’t like the premise, didn't like he characters, didn't like the art style and general tone of the show. However, what really turned me off was the CGI. They have real suits - but only for standing around, walking and slight movement.

As soon as they fight its (bad) CGI only. None of the action is real. And that's not what I seek with my Toku.

I only recall CGI fights for the 3rd season and the end boss fights of most other seasons.

[EpsilonX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

Well, the anime comparison is actually a moot point. If you put the good anime against the good toku, you'll find that there's thousands of better anime.
Then you put the bad anime against the bad toku, you'll find that there's an entire ocean of bad anime in comparison to the scant few bad toku.
Not because either is inherently superior, but simply because Toku (Well, the action oriented Toku we know), by and large, is just a much, much smaller product around. I can say anime has worse story telling, and I'm not inherently wrong (Just look at the magnitude of gawdawful 90's-early 2000's anime that went straight to the bargain bins at Wal-Mart, FYE, and any Japanese retailer, that no one pays attention to).

I just meant to say that when I prefer toku to anime, it's for the same reasons that Suzu listed, and not because I was actually comparing the two as art forms. Sorry, my posts tend to include way more than they need to sometimes.

[Phantom Stranger]

It depends on the toku. For things like Ultra, Rider, and Sentai, it's the same as the enjoyment I find in most superheroes. I have an admiration for doing good, helping others, overcoming great obstacles, a single person or team against all odds. At least, that's the core of it. Granted even if it has those elements, it doesn't necessarily mean it'll be good or well executed, or have other important components like character development. But that's the case with any work.

For Kaiju like Godzilla, it's similar to my love of horror movie monsters and morality tales. At least for certain portrayals. Other times they may go with a more heroic giant monsters, which I also like.


For what I like in toku in contrast to solely western created characters, obviously ascetics and portrayals are usually very different, which helps set them apart and look unique. Roll calls for example, you don't see that for The Avengers or Justice League, and it wouldn't work for them, but it works in toku.

Various effects like those distinctive sparks are unique and so much fun to see. Suitmation, details put into said suits, spandex and rubber alike, miniatures. I love stuff like that, and western productions don't usually have those, or at least certainly not in the same style you see in Tokusatsu.

Now, how I got into Toku is pretty simple: I grew up watching MMPR and Godzilla movies.

[MrHerofan]

Well I started this thread so I might as well state my things.

What I enjoy about tokusatsu depends on the franchise.

For Super Sentai it can sometimes be to see what they do with their human fights on the ground and megazord battles. The practical effects were what got me into the whole franchise. But if the story is crap then I can't stand the show, it sounds weird I know, but I enjoy practical with good story. I haven't seen a Sentai show in full in about two and a half years, because some of these more recent shows haven't been interesting me.

Kamen Rider I also adore for the practical effects and the stories that some of these shows have. Some are fun but others are pretty generic but again seeing those suits fight makes me want to know how they filmed some shots and fights. The suits for most shows are pretty good, but of course there are plenty that are questionable.

Ultraman and Godzilla I haven't seen much of, but the large scale fights do intrigue me. I've only seen on Godzilla film and haven't ever gotten past 4 episodes in an Ultra show.

As to how I got into it, I watched Power Rangers as a kid and then a few years back watched some marathons on TV to kill time and I couldn't help but remember some of these teams. It reminded me of when I was a kid and seeing the fights made me interested into seeing how they filmed the show. It was from there I got introduced to Sentai with Shinkenger and about 6 I became interested into rider with 7 episodes of OOO and my first weekly show Gaim.

[Suzu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EpsilonX

If i'm going to watch an episodic series, it's going to be a toku series for these reasons. However, I generally think that anime has better storytelling, and there are certain things that are easier done with animation than live action.



Welp, I may as well not even bother then.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

Well, the anime comparison is actually a moot point. If you put the good anime against the good toku, you'll find that there's thousands of better anime.
Then you put the bad anime against the bad toku, you'll find that there's an entire ocean of bad anime in comparison to the scant few bad toku.
Not because either is inherently superior, but simply because Toku (Well, the action oriented Toku we know), by and large, is just a much, much smaller product around. I can say anime has worse story telling, and I'm not inherently wrong (Just look at the magnitude of gawdawful 90's-early 2000's anime that went straight to the bargain bins at Wal-Mart, FYE, and any Japanese retailer, that no one pays attention to).

Guys... I was referring to the way a story is told as in cultural quirks and stuff. I like how Japanese people tell stories in their media and that is basically the same range of styles in both live action (toku and drama) and anime. Yes, there are toku that do it better than some anime and there are anime that do it better than some toku, but I was referencing to the fact why I watch Japanese toku in particular.
Ultimately, except for the short phase before I discovered Magiranger, Amercian toku storytelling aka Power Rangers never clicked with me. That also goes for the last Godzilla they made. It was okay, but not really what I wanted to see in a toku movie. Pacific Rim was kinda cool in that regard but it did take a lot of Japanese style elements so... yeah.

[Banban27]

since i was born in the 90's.. i kinda missed the parts where the heroes would be jumping of the cliffs or rolling down the mountains after they were hit by something.. more drama and intensity.. nowadays.. very few scenes like these can be shown own the modern super sentai and other tokusatsu shows.. ��