[Switchblade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunred

I remember this was around the time they had the Gavan 30th anniversary so probably why it was in it, to make good use of the sleeker Type-G Gavan suit while they can before they no longer have use for it and have to shelve the suit away in the warehouse of Toei's props department.

In fairness, Toei committed to the new Gavan stuff a lot longer than I think anyone expected them to.

[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

TOKUMEI SENTAI GO-BUSTERS MISSION 27 - “THE UNCONTROLLABLE DUO ESCAPE THE LABYRINTH!”

...

IT’S TIME FOR Directions!

It's gotta real deflating for Nick to have it rubbed in his face that his sense of direction is *so* cosmically awful that even when doing the opposite of what he recommends means running headfirst into a wall, that's still the correct choice. But then, I suppose Nick is far from the only character in this show with some glaring flaws. I mean, you could probably do pretty much the same thing by asking Hiromu how to be polite in a social situation and then doing the exact opposite of whatever he says.

Also, I skimmed back around this episode a bit because it's not one I remember particularly well, and I had completely forgotten there was literally a scene in this show where Ryuuji gets upset at a child for calling him ojisan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

TOKUMEI SENTAI GO-BUSTERS VS BEET BUSTER VS J

So, if it hasn't become apparent yet, I'm not actually as intimately familiar with every last facet of Go-Busters as I'd like to be, and this little spin-off is pretty emblematic of that. I barely knew it existed and didn't even see it until years after originally watching the show, and even now that I have watched it, I don't remember much about it.

Completely forgot that Gavan popped up, for example! Although I guess, in retrospect, it's fair if Gavan gets to make a gratuitous cameo in a Go-Busters thing, since the Go-Busters actually made their sneak-preview debut with a gratuitous cameo in Gokaiger VS Gavan. (Sentai teams were doing this for a while in the crossover movies in a similar fashion to new Kamen Riders in their summer films) So I guess, in that sense, there's a sort of poetic full-circle nature to all this transparent marketing synergy? If I were to try and make it sound more grand than it is?

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Completely forgot that Gavan popped up, for example!

There's a burst of light that stops Beet Enter from murdering Jin, and my first thought was Oh Yoko And Ryuji Finally Showed Up. Y'know, blasting away with their camera guns or whatever. If you had given me a hundred guesses, I don't think I'd've landed on Gavan showing up for the save. Heroes usually act with shock and surprise when another hero pops out of a floorboard for a last-minute rescue, but this is the first time where I thought an actor underplayed the stupefaction that the moment warranted. I don't think it would have been more inexplicable to me watching it in 2024 than if 2012 Kamen Rider Die had saved Jin from being executed.

[Sunred]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

In fairness, Toei committed to the new Gavan stuff a lot longer than I think anyone expected them to.

That is true. It may not have been around in recent years but it made a lot of appearances during the 2010s.

[Kamen Rider Die]

TOKUMEI SENTAI GO-BUSTERS MISSION 28 – “WARNING: LIKELIHOOD OF CHICKENS!”



There are episodes of this show that are difficult to talk about because they’re mostly just a single problem for the team to solve. They aren’t illustrative of much more than a previous character attribute – in this case, how Nick looks after Hiromu – and the character dynamics aren’t really tested in a serious way; we’re repeating, not evolving. (Well, Messiah...) It makes for an enjoyable episode that it’s hard to talk about in deeper ways, because there really isn’t much depth to it. It’s wacky action and puzzling obstacles and explosions and that’s sort of it. It’s a superhero problem that the characters face, not a human problem.

That’s not the end of the world, for sure; lots of shows barely even manage to reach this episode’s bar of Fun Superhero Problem With Inventive Climax. But it’s just… what am I even supposed to talk about here? The closest we come to a genuine emotional moment in this episode is Nick telling everyone that Hiromu’s weak point comes from a formative childhood trauma that’s also played as low-key ridiculous, so that’s great. (It also doesn’t make a ton of sense in relation to Yoko and Ryuji’s weak points, that are a biological consequence of their powers. Hiromu’s is just a phobia?) Hiromu never has to overcome his initial trauma, and Nick never really learns anything as his partner. It’s just the two of them getting a spotlight to show off their teamwork, but that isn’t a revelation or anything, you know? I want to see something surprising or learn something new, and this episode kept all of that for the last couple minutes of Shocking Plot Developments.

Which, naturally, I didn’t give a shit about. The Gog/Magog revelation points to Messiah having a connection to Hiromu and Rika’s parents, but there’s no explanation forthcoming; ditto Jin’s alarming declaration that the Vagras have stolen all his hyperspace Enetron, details to come next episode. It’s all stuff that I can react to when it’s inevitably revealed, but I never expend much energy on in the Theory stage of things. It’s a two-minute sequence that might as well be the Next Episode trailer, and I don’t watch those to begin with. No thanks!

And yet. And yet! This was still a fun superhero adventure, with multiple characters playing multiple other characters, and a clever Metaroid who almost found a way to kill the Red Buster. On that level, this thing was a success. In every other way – theme, character development, moral, etc. – it was just a blank for me. Not gonna be the most memorable one in the series for me, sadly.



IT’S TIME FOR a new opening sequence!

Diiiiiiidn’t love it. The new theme song lacks the spark of the original, even if it never counts four numbers out of sequence, and I sort of hate how the previous emphasis on the entire organization (especially the original three Buddyroids and the support staff!) is jettisoned in favor of a Five Superheroes Only theme song. I dislike the change!

[Androzani84]

So like I said, we’re in retool territory. And the first obvious sign is Enter saying “you know the evil scheme that failed last week? Turns out it actually worked and I read the thing wrong”

The second is that we have a new, more energetic opening, which I genuinely think works better for this show (I think a fast paced action show should have a more energetic and electric score than Go-Busters’ rather monotonous and overdone brass instrumentals), and the first song didn’t really fir that niche for me. It’s a crime that I’ve never had an opportunity to subtitle it, since the VS movies were in that period where opening songs weren’t included except too briefly to count as it playing, or as instrumentals. Which I’m gonna rectify now.

If we make the most out of our abilities then I’d like to be tested constantly.
3+2 members, that’s the combination!
We chose to fight because we all embrace the same wish
Yes! Comrades are always on the same page. We always face the challenge!

This five’s collaboration will last forever
Let’s Morphin’! Keep movin’! Believe! Bustership!
Now let’s give a dazzling finale
Red, Blue, Yellow, Beet and Stag Buster
When faced with imminent trouble!
We’ll work on our original style!

No matter how fired up we get,

We make decisions with a clear head

Because we all have our sights

Set on the image of imminent victory!
Ever since that day, our buddies have always been here to protect us!
Yes! No matter what comes at us, we’ll deal with it together!

This five’s collaboration is the best
Let’s Morphin’! Keep movin’! Believe! Bustership!
Some of your powers are still dormant
Red, Blue, Yellow, Beet and Stag Buster
With comrades, our powers are multiplied!
We’re looking for the peerless style!

None of us are alone, no matter what barriers are in our way!
With our arms linked together, we’ll make our jump start!

(Busters Ready Go!)

This five’s collaboration will last forever
Let’s Morphin’! Keep movin’! Believe! Bustership!
Now let’s give a dazzling finale
Red, Blue, Yellow, Beet and Stag Buster
When faced with imminent trouble!
We’ll work on our original style!

There’s also some changes to the ending visuals, replacing the rather dull and moody imagery with new scenes of all 4 duos doing their own unique dance moves, which made me warm up to the song a bit more. (Probably because I felt the new visuals were more appropriate than a indecisive “is it a fun dancing credits/is it a moody piece highlighting the intended tone” visual language, on account of committing to one).

As for the episode… it’s a rough transition between the old and the new. I’ll have more to say about the next one.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

TOKUMEI SENTAI GO-BUSTERS MISSION 28 ? ?WARNING: LIKELIHOOD OF CHICKENS!?

(It also doesn?t make a ton of sense in relation to Yoko and Ryuji?s weak points, that are a biological consequence of their powers. Hiromu?s is just a phobia?)

Hiromu's weakpoint is freezing, which is a genuine side effect of the Gobuster program. His alektorophobia is only the trigger, the same way that Ryuji's is triggered by intense heat, Yoko's by low sugar and Jin's by getting blown up. Without the program, Hiromu would simply run away from chickens like how normal people react to their phobias.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

IT?S TIME FOR a new opening sequence!

Diiiiiiidn?t love it. The new theme song lacks the spark of the original, even if it never counts four numbers out of sequence, and I sort of hate how the previous emphasis on the entire organization (especially the original three Buddyroids and the support staff!) is jettisoned in favor of a Five Superheroes Only theme song. I dislike the change!

Counting four numbers out of sequence is part of the appeal though! Like, when you hear Scramble, you expected the numbers to be scrambled, right? But yeah, while Busters Ready Go is in my top 10 Heisei Sentai OPs, Morphin' Movin' Bustership is pretty far down on that ranking, but certainly not last. You'll be glad to know that the original OP will continue to be used as an insert for the most climactic fight scenes!

[Switchblade]

You know, I completely forgot that Go-Busters changed up its theme song. Weird how tokusatsu keeps doing that when a show gets reworked, all the way back to Ultraman Leo.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

There?s also some changes to the ending visuals, replacing the rather dull and moody imagery with new scenes of all 4 duos doing their own unique dance moves, which made me warm up to the song a bit more.

Yeah, but they also got rid of all the workers and techs and janitorial services dancing in the hangar, and that's a miss for me. The Go-Busters are more than just the superheroes, or the command crew -- it's everyone at the base that we usually don't see. Getting rid of all of that flattens the premise, and it feels like a mistake to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Counting four numbers out of sequence is part of the appeal though! Like, when you hear Scramble, you expected the numbers to be scrambled, right?

I... do not! I mostly expect the operatives to scramble into action! And then countdown to action!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

You know, I completely forgot that Go-Busters changed up its theme song. Weird how tokusatsu keeps doing that when a show gets reworked, all the way back to Ultraman Leo.

It's a very weird acknowledgement.

[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

TOKUMEI SENTAI GO-BUSTERS MISSION 28 – “WARNING: LIKELIHOOD OF CHICKENS!”

...

IT’S TIME FOR a new opening sequence!

Continuing my trend of open hostility towards anything that threatened the status quo of my precious Go-Busters, I hated the new opening theme for a good while. Busters Ready Go! is real deep in my heart, and from the outset I thought it was an ideal song to represent the show. There's a bit more of a sense of a sort of solemn duty it gives to the heroes' standing against evil than usual for a Sentai theme, especially with the typically great Fujibayashi lyrics, while still being very grand and exciting, which was also very consistent with the show's likewise excellently tailored background music. (Between this and Go-Onger I've always wanted to see Megumi Oohashi tackle another Sentai someday.)

For me at the time, at least, Morphin'! Movin'! Bustersship! was maybe a little too energetic and fun for its own good? I've long since learned to understand the appeal of it as a song -- and even as an opening for Go-Busters -- but even now, I don't think it really digs down into the soul of the show on quite the same level.

To be more fair, it's probably important to acknowledge that the odds were also stacked against it, since when I was originally watching the show, I was playing catch up towards the end of its run, having already learned this new song was likely a harbinger of a dreaded "retool" of some kind or another. And like, if I could barely handle the completely normal thing of a shiny new protagonist with Jin, you can imagine how nervous that idea had me! Honestly, to this day, especially never having seen any primary source outright confirm anything, I'm still not sure what retooling exactly happened, versus how much of it is simply the usual twists and turns of development on these shows being perceived that way? It's not like a Hibiki situation where there were obvious major staff shakeups, at the very least.

But uh, I'm probably getting a bit ahead of Die at this point! I don't really have any epic argument off the top of my head about the hidden depths of this episode's narrative or anything though, so without going back to it, the most I can say is that I also enjoyed my time with it. I mean, it's got Red Buster in the spotlight, and Rika even shows up, so it'd be hard to disappoint me. I guess I could point out that since the Go-Busters' Weak Points are all based on common computer problems, it makes perfect sense the intense fight-or-flight response of a strong phobia would be overwhelming enough to cause Hiromu to freeze up, much like a program using up too much memory?