[ZeoRangerV]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPLIT LIP

EDIT: And because I nearly forgot, I watched Super Hero Taisen and I have one main question: ummm... so is DiEnd dead?

No, he was there right at the end of the film.

Got a couple of episodes further into Amazon and still loving it. So refreshing to see a semi-naked man/giant lizard rider biting and clawing at enemies after watching numerous series of fancy attacks and special effects.

[Megabattimus]

Hmm, what I have been watching that's Rider related lately?

Well, before I get into that, I figure since I never brought them up previously I should talk about the last two Rider shows I finished: NO FEAR, NO PAIN (Kamen Rider Kuuga) and CLOCK UP (Kamen Rider Kabuto).

Lets get the lesser of the two out of the way first: Kabuto.
Overall I liked it, but holy crap did it shove way too much shit into its last 15 or so episodes. Seriously, what the hell guys? By some sheer miracle it didn't completely derail the show and was offset by some awesome stuff (mainly the Hopper Bros.), but it did impact on my enjoyment of the show enough to mention it as a negative. Other than that, it was solid. I dug basically every Rider (yes, even Drake) and really liked seeing Kagami grow and evolve as a character...and on the flipside seeing Kageyama get promoted to a position that he was not in any way trained for and get shat on repeatedly by the show for it. Like at one point, Gorou-Chan uses TheBee Zecter through sheer force of will and despite the Zecter fighting against him, STILL does a better job than Kageyama. Really the only reason he got the thing was because TheBee's preferred user (Kagami) rejected it in order to become his own man.

Now, the movie on the other-hand (God Speed Love)...was downright awful. Just holy crap, how did they fuck this up so badly? What made it worse was the damn ending, which turns Tendou into the thing that people that hate the character think he is: an unbeatable asshole that can make EVERYTHING better just by using Hyper Kabuto to stop an asteroid, go back in time and use said asteroid to hit another asteroid and URGH. Just thinking about that movie hurts my brain.

On to something amazing: Kamen Rider Kuuga.
This...this is my favourite Rider show, just edging out W for the spot. It was...sniff...just everything I could ever want out a Rider show. Great fight choreography that isn't overly flashy, great use of the bike, TERRIFYING villains that actually KILL civilians and that you can't understand the motives of, leaving you just as confused as the characters are as to why everything is happening, one of the best supporting casts ever that all contribute in some way to the world, the best police force in the HISTORY of the franchise (or at of the Heisei era) that actually HELPS the Rider out, the greatest non-secondary Rider character to ever support a Rider (motherfucking Ichijo), one the best main villains ever, the best Rider of the Heisei era (baring Shotaro of course), one the best uses of form changes in a show, some of the best MOTW designs of any Rider show, one of the best worlds of any Rider show (baring the Windy City of Fuuto), one the best OPs ever, and, of course, one of the GREATEST endings to ever grace a Rider show.
I just can't say enough how much I ADORE this show. Everything worked and even when the plot wasn't moving; stuff was STILL happening, so I was NEVER bored. I honestly hope that MCS can get their v3 versions of the episodes back on track again once they finish Stronger, because I can't wait to watch this show again.

Now, onto what I've being watching lately:

Started Blade. I'm 6 episodes in. Its great. Haven't watched any of it recently but I figure I'll resume it sometime within the next couple of weeks; which I'll be doing raw since the TVN versions are...really awful. Not to mention I've kinda sworn off ever watching TVN again unless I ABSOLUTELY have to after a little blog post they made a week or so ago.

Up to episode 20 something in Fourze. Really enjoying it. Gonna watch more of it probably next week. Also watched Megamax, which was amazing. Didn't watch the OOO section since I didn't wanna spoil myself on that, but everything else was beautiful.

Up to episode 3 of the first Kamen Rider, aka Kamen Rider: The Adventures of Hongo and Ichimonji. Really digging it. Well...except for the MISUNDERSTANDING subplot in the first two episodes. Was not a fan of that. Everything else was excellent though.

And finally, I've been counting medals (Kamen Rider OOO for those not in the know) lately. Up to episode 13. Really digging it. Also watched Movie War Core which...I didn't hate as much as I thought. Sure, it, apart from the AMAZING Skull section and the ending in Fuuto, was awful: but it didn't hurt me or anything. Mainly because I went into those sections with SUPER low expectations and knew what to expect. The Skull section exceeded my expectations and I now join SPLIT LIP in the boat of wanting a Kamen Rider W Returns: Skull movie. Like holy crap was that amazing.

[Switchblade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megabattimus

On to something amazing: Kamen Rider Kuuga.
This...this is my favourite Rider show, just edging out W for the spot. It was...sniff...just everything I could ever want out a Rider show. Great fight choreography that isn't overly flashy, great use of the bike, TERRIFYING villains that actually KILL civilians and that you can't understand the motives of, leaving you just as confused as the characters are as to why everything is happening, one of the best supporting casts ever that all contribute in some way to the world, the best police force in the HISTORY of the franchise (or at of the Heisei era) that actually HELPS the Rider out, the greatest non-secondary Rider character to ever support a Rider (motherfucking Ichijo), one the best main villains ever, the best Rider of the Heisei era (baring Shotaro of course), one the best uses of form changes in a show, some of the best MOTW designs of any Rider show, one of the best worlds of any Rider show (baring the Windy City of Fuuto), one the best OPs ever, and, of course, one of the GREATEST endings to ever grace a Rider show.
I just can't say enough how much I ADORE this show. Everything worked and even when the plot wasn't moving; stuff was STILL happening, so I was NEVER bored. I honestly hope that MCS can get their v3 versions of the episodes back on track again once they finish Stronger, because I can't wait to watch this show again.

[KyoryuGreen]

Watched Fourze episode 2. Very enjoyable episode, Gentarou so far reminds me of what would happen if you crammed Eiji, Date, and Gotou from OOO into a blender.

I think I'm going to stick to Kiva just had this growing need to watch Fourze lately lol.

Also watched Kiva 9, man Ixa looks so awesome. I love the design theme of this season.

[ryan]

I'm enjoying reading peoples thoughts and feelings on some of my favorite shows, Kiva, Kuuga, Fourze. Makes me want to watch them all over again, even though I just finished Fourze last week, and I'm already in the middle of rewatching Kuuga.

So I guess it just makes me want to watch Kiva again.

Why no Saga Figuarts, STILL? :'(

[Locke]

Even when I bash Kuuga?

[ryan]

Nah, for Kuuga I was talking about Megabattimus. You suck.

No, I've enjoyed our discussions. I still think you're doing it wrong, especially with regards to the Gurongi, but I think our talks have been nice and friendly and interesting.

[Locke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan

Nah, for Kuuga I was talking about Megabattimus. You suck.

No, I've enjoyed our discussions. I still think you're doing it wrong, especially with regards to the Gurongi, but I think our talks have been nice and friendly and interesting.

Kuuga seems to be less of a touchy subject than W so our discussions were a lot more constructive. But I still wish I knew the villains motivations this point...or even anything about them. It went from a mystery to standing on lego in the dark.

[ryan]

I guess I can understand that. I guess I was fine with them wanting to kill the Linto for killing's own, or the game's own sake.
There IS a reason for the game, but honestly I had kinda forgotten about it, until you asked the question. Not to say it's a bad reason necessarily, but the reason must not have had as big an impact on me, as just the method of the games did.

[Locke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan

I guess I can understand that. I guess I was fine with them wanting to kill the Linto for killing's own, or the game's own sake.
There IS a reason for the game, but honestly I had kinda forgotten about it, until you asked the question. Not to say it's a bad reason necessarily, but the reason must not have had as big an impact on me, as just the method of the games did.

It's just because I didn't know anything about them, it took the context away from their violence. And at first the random, unknowable violence was effective because you are like 'how can you do something so horrible?!'.

But it's hard to remain invested when you've been asking that very question for the last 38 episodes.

Speaking of 38 that was a great episode even if the whole colours and moving box thing was kinda dumb.

The Power Rangers logo thing is Daguva, some kind of magical maguffin that the ULs and Kuuga (who I guess is a UL as well) can use to access new powers. Although the white wig is pretty dumb, Batman's new form is pretty fucking cool. I really like that Kabuto UL as well.

I am enjoying that there is more focus on Kuuga himself again, part of what made the first fifteen or so episodes so enjoyable was the focus was entirely on him, the mystery of what he is and his powers were. Sadly once the base forms were introduced this aspect of the series just kinda fell out of it until new forms were introduced again. So although not consistent I'm glad whenever it comes back again and I'm glad that means a new form is on the way. Hopefully a lot cooler than the Gold forms.

Also it's sad to see Ichijou get hurt, then again I'm not surprised it hasn't happened sooner, this is ground in the real world this series so the idiot shouldn't go around provoking the ULs without any backup. Or provoking them at all. The speech he had about Godai was a little gay though and if Ichijou has the hots for Godai power to him!