[Locke]

Right so I checked out the first episode of Fourze and man there was a lot to like.

I couldn't tell you why but I love high school settings and sci-fi is my favourite genre aside from horror, hell I have a Blade Runner tattoo, so mixing that all together was really enjoyable for me.

Plus, usual shit Kamen Rider CGI aside, Fourze looked cool, the monster looked cool, the fight was very polished flashy and fun and they actually convinced me for once that the actual character is inside the suit. Even if it is a character I'm not particularly fond of.

Also I wanted to question where Gen got the other switches but then...chainsaw leg...that is all.

[ryan]

I just finished Fourze, and I loved it. It has it's serious moments. I'd say it reminded me a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which for most of the first three seasons were fun, but rarely all that serious, with a couple of obvious exceptions. Fourze even has a prom episode that reminded me of the Buffy S3 Prom episode.

I wouldn't say it has the same real world affecting stuff that Kuuga has, until toward the end of the show when we learn that if the horoscope's goals are reached it will destroy all of Japan. My main complaint with it is that there is too little repercussion for people using the switches. 2 or 3 former switch users return and we get to see them deal with it, but mostly, the switch disappears and yay everybody is fine!

But it was a lot of fun, and unlike Kuuga, where I only cared about Godai and Ichijo, I ended up liking all of the characters in Fourze, quite a lot (again, reminded me of Buffy). Even JK, who I expected to hate the entire time, he had some real great moments. They all did, and those character moments are a large part of why I think the show worked for me.

The switch gimmick itself? Well, meh. I didn't mind the O-Medals, I LOVE W's Gaia Memories, the switches are just there for me. There are a lot of switches that should be totally useless, but I think the show did fine in justifying their existence. There are plenty that we only see once, but that's fine, if you have a chainsaw leg, and wolverine-type claws, why would ever go back to something like net? he does mainly get them out of hammerspace, but that's fine with me. It's amusing at times, certainly, but it never bothered me.

[Matrixbeast]

Check out the Fourze movie. Lots of former Switch users show up in it.
Also, you have to remember that these are teens, and teens make dumb decisions based primarily on emotion. While you have to hold them accountable for their choices, there has to be some give (Additionally, the switches alter their judgment).

As for the switches, not counting the movie (Which made a point to use all 41), I think the only one that was used once in series was Medical (Maybe Camera, too). As for the hammer space thing, eh. OOO never explained where Eiji put the medals (More often than not, we see Eiji just insert new medals without being show him removing the first ones).

I'm glad you enjoyed Fourze. It's goofy and silly, and while there are some serious moments, it doesn't have a complete tonal shift and keeps the lighthearted tone until the end.

[ryan]

Oh, I LOVED that Fourze movie. might be the best KR movie I've seen. I liked all the characters that came back. What I meant was, we don't see them again ever having to deal with their bad choices of the past. There are a couple of instances of it, but for the most part, they're 'cured' and become Gentaro's friends, so they can come back in the movie.

But dealing with the consequences of using a swtich, that we only see a couple of times.

Medical was used twice in the episode where Scorpion stings Gentaro and later again in the episode where Meteor makes a deal with Ares. I guess my point wasn't really supposed to be that some switches are under used, it's more that why would you use them again when you have some of the others. After Magnet states appears, he uses it in the next 5 story arcs, even when it's apparent that Elek or Fire is almost always going to be a better choice. Similarly, anytime he uses Pen instead of Chainsaw or Spike - well, that's a bad example because I think they did a great job of making Pen useful. Water. Why would you ever use Water when you could use Chainsaw (aside from being in Cosmic states when you can mix it with freeze)?

Anyway, don't get me wrong, Fourze is probably in my top 3 or 4 KR shows. My complaints aren't meant to be taken as true negatives, just some things that I think could have improved the show, but I'm very happy with how it turned out.
Even my hope that Yuuki would turn out to be a Horoscope came true, if not exactly the way I wanted, it was a good story in itself. I just would have loved it more if she had ALWAYS been a Horoscope, or had become one by choice. But oh well, I liked how that arc played as well.

[Locke]

So Fourze isn't quite the upbeat Kuuga I was looking for after all then? Any one have any other recommendations?

[ryan]

It's not a dark as Kuuga, and I can see people saying it's not as serious. But it is a lot of fun, and I would say it feels genuine to me. If you enjoyed the first episode, stick with it for a while.

I can't remember if you've mentioned it in the past, have you tried Double? I feel that one is a really good mix of serious and silly, but I would also say Fourze really is too.

[Locke]

Yeah I didn't like W and the whole thread exploded and no one has left me alone about it

But okay! When Kuuga is over, over to Fourze I go.

[Locke]

So is Kuuga really suggesting that Kuuga himself may be the main villain? I mean it's kinda been hinted at all along but if they do go through with this it's either gonna be awesome or completely stupid.

That aside I have no idea what is going on any more, the Bat dude shoved some Power Rangers logo thing into his stomach and that made him change clothes but then there is a Greguru, whatever that is and eh...

It should be awesome to see two UL fight but I have no context for anything because even the code which is given subtitles in Japanese, isn't translated by the subbers. I may as well watch these episodes raw half the time. And yeah yeah stop complaining about free stuff but if you're gonna sub a show, why only sub half of it?

[ryan]

Ok, I couldn't remember who it was that caused that little ruckus. Well, you're difficult to read then. You didn't like W, but you liked the first episode of Fourze?

Granted, I do feel the Fourze started out stronger than W did. It took W around 10 episodes or so to become really strong, but once it did, I thought it was all amazing. I liked it from the beginning, but the early episodes are definitely weak, and I didn't feel that way for Fourze. But maybe others do, maybe it's too fresh in my mind, I don't know.

[SPLIT LIP]

Did you ever try OOO, Locke?

I still find it hard to believe you didn't like W, especially since you watched Wizard and thought Fourze's first episode was good. Was W the first Kamen Rider series you watched? Maybe now that you've seen more KR you should try and revisit it? Maybe now that you have a greater idea of KR overall?

It's just so weird that you like highschool drama and "everyone in the show is a useless tool" drama but not smooth jazz buddycop detective drama.