[GoseiWonder]

One question about all the Wateru not-really-hate-but-something-vaguely-similar-maybe, how does Keisuke Nago fair in the realm of showing basic human compassion?

I haven't watched Kiva so I have no attract hammer to the characters and the above is just my take on what the consensus seen on the last few pages is.

[SPLIT LIP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

Heaven's Tornado was the dance move, wasn't it?

Ye.

It was the Cockroach dopant arc. The guy with the memory socket in his foot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

Surely Heavens Tornado cant be the only filler arc?

It's the only one that in no way advances anything. The closest it comes to plot developement is it introduces Philip's obsessive nature, that when he fixates on something it dominates his being until he's learned all about it. But that becomes apparent later anyhow.

The virus arc is also filler... but I also thought it was a pretty good story. The arc where a little girl thinks W is her dad is good as it's solid character growth for Shotaro and I'm pretty sure sets up Kirihiko, a faily important character. But the "Money" arc is skippable as it just works on setting up Philip and Shotaro's dynamic. Again, something that's very evident in Begins Night anyhow.

So that's six episodes you can totally pass on, plus the beginning is probably skippable since everything important is covered again in Begins Night. But ultimately the decision is yours. Sadly I've forgotten all the orders and names of these episodes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoseiWonder

One question about all the Wateru not-really-hate-but-something-vaguely-similar-maybe, how does Keisuke Nago fair in the realm of showing basic human compassion?

When he is seriously injured once and a random passer-by comes to his aid, Nago punches him in the God damn mug.

Nago is the worst. The only reason I don't bring him up is because he's clearly insane and unsympathetic.

I don't hate Kiva, I'm... dissapointed in it. The same way a parent is dissapointed in their child for trashing the car.

[Locke]

So watch episodes 11 and 12, as they are a good story, even if the Virus arc isn't really important? Check. Watch five and six, due to important character stuff for Shotaro and setting up later stuff, check.

But do skip episodes one, two, three and four?

[SPLIT LIP]

So I've FINALLY got the episode list up. (I've been doing other things so I never got the playlist open) The first four eps, yes, I'd say are skippable. You've seen the first episode, and you've seen the retelling of it in Begins Night, so you should be good. That episode's all just setup, explaining how Akiko got there and how W goes about business. (and of course tells us that she doesn't know her dad is dead until Begins Night)

Episodes three and four are "money" and while decently enjoyable, are ultimately on the chopping block as nothing groundbreakign happens, and the Money Dopant is a literal big fat sack of loose change, and hardly an exciting foe in battle. Five and six, however, are "Papa is a Kamen Rider" which is decent Shotaro growth. (but features of the few giant CGI-fests. Like Matrixbeast said, it always confused me that Revolgarry had decent effects, but the MOWs rarely did)

Seven and Eight are Heaven's Tornado, but nine and ten are "Sweets." Now the Sweets Dopant is pretty silly, but that arc is REALLY good at establishing Akiko as useful. She's truely an insane person, and a BIG change from the bland or do-nothing leading ladies that normally populate Kamen Rider. Check it out I'd say.

Eleven and Twelve are virus, which is a good story. Thirteen and Fourteen are where plotlines and themes start developing, specifically the villains.

So yeah, that's all I can say for the first fourteen. However after that, every episode is worth watching, IMO. Looking back through the early eps, which even as a hardcore fan I don't consider amazing, I realise one of W's strengths is that it embraces it's aloof nature, but never parodies it. It has fun, but never makes it out to be stupid. It helps taht a lot of the messages it preaches are really good messages. One of my beefs with Den-O is that it occasionally dropped a really weird message, like a frustrated man who yells at, scares and almost assaults his wife should be pitied for his problems? Uh, no? It's so easy for these shows to just phone in the morals, but W never does. Hell, it takes a common phrase "Nobody's perfect" and really makes a statement out of it. (as well as an awesome song)

Also I'm knackered as shit, and I'm not sure if my ramblings are now going in circles or not.

[Locke]

So skip the first four episodes, watch five and six, skip seven and eight and watch all the way until the end? Thanks for the help!

[KyoryuGreen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoseiWonder

One question about all the Wateru not-really-hate-but-something-vaguely-similar-maybe, how does Keisuke Nago fair in the realm of showing basic human compassion?

I haven't watched Kiva so I have no attract hammer to the characters and the above is just my take on what the consensus seen on the last few pages is.

You really can't judge characters by what others think. I think Nago and Wataru are amazing, great and fun characters. I think Nago has some compassion but not that much.

The past few pages looked like a deconstruction of Wataru of some sorts so I stopped reading.

[Suzu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyoryuGreen

The past few pages looked like a deconstruction of Wataru of some sorts so I stopped reading.

Same here. I'd recommend people to just check the series themselves if they want to judge the characters.

Also, what's this about skipping episodes of W? Skipping episodes is a stupid thing to do. I mean, how can you judge a series if you skipped episodes because someone told you they were bad? Watch the whole thing. And then judge it as a whole.

[SideswipePrime]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

But it isn't apples and oranges. They are both superhero shows 'Superhero Time!' yet I can count on one hand the times that Riders have been actual superheroes. They let people die, get mad people die and then hunt down the monster. What do they do while the monster is killing people? Drink milk? Play the piano? Go to school?

A big part of American Superhero comics is their real lives are constantly at risk, because they are always out there fighting crime. They don't just deal with the guy who can throw buildings, they protect people from muggers, or stop bank robberies or anything. Quite often they are forced to put real lives on hold, just to save people they've never even met before, they sacrifice selflessly for the greater good. HEROES.

We never see Rider's do these things. Maybe it adds more power to the punch when they are avenging, not saving, but the punch is lost when they are avenging EVERYONE because of their own lack of initiative. It's more a hero complex, than actual heroics.

I meant purely from a power standpoint. Kiva has a dragon form. Superman has whatever power the writers want him to have (more or less).

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoseiWonder

One question about all the Wateru not-really-hate-but-something-vaguely-similar-maybe, how does Keisuke Nago fair in the realm of showing basic human compassion?

I haven't watched Kiva so I have no attract hammer to the characters and the above is just my take on what the consensus seen on the last few pages is.

Hardly any until way later when He falls in love with Megumi.

SPLIT LIP said he's insane...yeah.

At least his catchphrase is cool...

Sono inochi, Kami ni kaeshinasai!

[SideswipePrime]

Double post!!!

[NGW]

So haven't really watched any Kabuto in a while. Think I started episode 9 at one point but haven't actually really sat down to watch it.

Think I may want to check out Dragon Knight. I LOVE Ryuki, it's my favorite season of Kamen Rider and it is honestly one of my favorite shows of all time, so going into Dragon Knight may be..a bit tough for me, but I dunno, kinda curious ya know? I'll be as open minded as humanly possible, going in with absolutely no bias for or against it and trying to not make any mental comparisons to Ryuki, but damn it's gonna be hard.

Edit: Ok, so I watched the first episode of Dragon Knight.

Umm...I really don't have much of anything positive to say at this point to be honest. I won't dismiss it completely after only one episode, heck even Ryuki didn't have the strongest start, but...I dunno. I'll give it another episode or two, at least until after not-Shinji contracts with Dragredder.

Edit #2: And just watched the second episode. Honestly just made me wish I was watching Ryuki again. I'm just really not feeling the show so far. The acting is really bad, I don't like the new sound effects used, the music isn't nearly as good, and I can't say I'm fond of what story we've been given so far (and from what I've read of the plot online...yikes that's really bad), I mean Ryuki's best aspect was its characters, sure, but I still enjoyed the general plot of the season too.