[Mesnick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

One of the old laws of tokusatsu: if you see a dog in an episode made before 2000, it is probably going to die. If it?s Metal Heroes, replace ?probably? with ?absolutely.?

To be fair, in Toei Spiderman, a wounded dog fell off a bridge into a river and survived. This is probably why, when the next time the show touched on the dog theme, they immediately exterminated the whole kennel.
But it seems that in Gavan all the dogs remained intact, there they only mocked the rabbits.

[GuardianAngel87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

One of the old laws of tokusatsu: if you see a dog in an episode made before 2000, it is probably going to die. If it?s Metal Heroes, replace ?probably? with ?absolutely.?

Funny you should mention that, Metalder had an episode involving the main character himself having to rescue a trio of puppies and all three of them actually survived the events of said episode.

[Annuga]

I've started Shinkenger yesterday, having seen 9 episodes total so far, I'm honestly a bit disappointed considering the high praise this series in particular gets, though I believe I heard that it truly shines when ShinkenGold comes around and I can't say I'. Not enjoying myself, here's hoping the show grows on me

[Kamen Rider Lucha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annuga

I've started Shinkenger yesterday, having seen 9 episodes total so far, I'm honestly a bit disappointed considering the high praise this series in particular gets, though I believe I heard that it truly shines when ShinkenGold comes around and I can't say I'. Not enjoying myself, here's hoping the show grows on me

Shinkenger gets its reputation from the last 10-ish episodes, which are A++ Sentai. Almost everything before that ranges from fine to pretty weak. A "skip-to-the-end" or "cherry picking" approach after ShinkenGold's initial round of episodes makes the series better, but Sentai fans are usually completionists. I rarely get much traction with that suggestion.

The action is always top-notch, though, so at least you'll have that to hang your hat on if you choose to plow through the whole thing.

[GuardianAngel87]

I'm now 30 episodes into Battle Fever J and this show is so much more fun than it had any right to be.

[Annuga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Lucha

Shinkenger gets its reputation from the last 10-ish episodes, which are A++ Sentai. Almost everything before that ranges from fine to pretty weak. A "skip-to-the-end" or "cherry picking" approach after ShinkenGold's initial round of episodes makes the series better, but Sentai fans are usually completionists. I rarely get much traction with that suggestion.

The action is always top-notch, though, so at least you'll have that to hang your hat on if you choose to plow through the whole thing.

I guess the best way to sum up why to me at least is that Sentai is generally more character driven than story driven, the appeal is the characters rather than what they find themselves in with all the twists and developments of the main story. When compared to like, Kamen Rider anyway.


Also made it to episode 17 yesterday and goddamn Genta is an absolute delight

[Sunred]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annuga

Also made it to episode 17 yesterday and goddamn Genta is an absolute delight

Awwww yeahhhh!!!
Suit acted by Jiro freakin Okamoto if I may add aka Kamen Rider Black and RX, Ouja, Leangle, Kintaros to name a few. This I believe was his next Kobayashi-written sentai show since Timeranger where he was the suit actor for Time Fire.

[Sh Ranger]

Avatarou Sentai Donbrothers New First Love Hero and Post-Season Review


In preparation for King-Ohger tomorrow, I'm watching the Summer Movies and associated spin-off today!

This will also be my thoughts on Donbrothers overall.

Starting with New First Love Hero, it's pretty much what I'd expect from a Sentai Summer Movie written by Inoue. Jetman didn't have one, so this is the first time seeing something like that. It's ridiculous, but I love it.

Ninpuuki is basically Niram from Geats. He's an eccentric movie director who's all about the "Reality". And honestly, I kind of ended up agreeing with his weird vision. Sonoi and Sononi did a good job portraying the two leads at their most basic. But that's all they were, basic, cliche, too perfect, the kind of 2D performance that Sonoza would rip up.

Whereas, Tarou and Kitou as the two leads? They're terrible actors. But damn, they're amazing to watch and their improvisation is crazy! The way Tarou does all those gestures like he's a kabuki or something. The way Kitou exaggerates her lines so awkwardly. Sonoza makes a great zombie lord as well. I'm not surprised the movie bombed with the test audience in the post-credits, but I can't even be mad that it bombed so spectacularly. If it wasn't canceled, it probably would've become a cult classic and source of memes.

Oh, Kaori's actress is here, giving Tarou and Kitou some corn that may or may not have been grown on Raita's farm! Inoue shows up at the award ceremony as well!

Moving on to the main show, I guess I'll start with the final arc, since I haven't talked about that at all yet.

One of my few complaints about the show has always been the lack of focus on Saruhara, a character with so much potential. So I was actually surprised that he had this little rivalry-turned-friendship with Sonoi in Episode 48.

Those two Blues have an intriguing dynamic. Saruhara asserts his role as the SIC trying to hold these crazy people together in Tarou's absence and doesn't trust these interim Donbrothers to get the job done. While Sonoi feels like he has the closest relationship with Tarou and wants to honor him. They're both proud and stubborn, but they eventually learn to respect and trust each other enough to complete the mission. I appreciated that, with Saruhara finally getting his own bond with a Noto that he wanted. Better late than never.

The Kijino/Miho/Natsumi/Inuzuka/Sononi love triangle is a season highlight for sure. I wasn't sure if Miho was really dead when her body passed through the moon portal, but yeah, looks like she's dead.

After Inuzuka's year-long quest to spring Natsumi from the Jyuto Forest and all his Romeo-like melodramatic lines about how much he loves her and cannot love anybody else ever, it ends in a similar way that Gai/Kaori did, with both parties realizing that Inuzuka's need for secrecy and Natsumi's need for honesty are too much of a barrier for their relationship to survive.

For all Kijino's less-than-heroic inclinations, he did see the error of his ways in the end and try to move on in a healthy way. So, if he does want to accept Natsumi's offer of continuing that dream as a new reality with her, then sure, I'll approve of that ship. Even if illusions are false, the feelings experienced through them can be just as real as anything else.

Overall, I loved watching Donbrothers for year, as it relentlessly subverted and deconstructed all the tropes that are so common to this franchise and delivered on all the exaggerated comedy and suspenseful soap opera drama that makes Inoue such a perpetually polarizing love or hate kind of writer. Tarou/Sonoi, Kijino/Miho, Inuzuka/Natsumi, so many exciting ships that were put to the test of human flaws. I used to suggest Inoue for new Sentai with the expectation that it would never happen, so however this show turned out, I was glad for him to return to the franchise and hope to see him return once more someday.

Now that there's enough entries, here's my first ever Reiwa Sentai Ranking:

1) Zenkaiger
2) Donbrothers
3) Kiramager

I like Kiramager BTW, but seriously, I think Sentai has been super competitive and high quality recently, at least since Ryusoulger. Can King-Ohger full force full power rise to the king of this ranking above Zenkaiger? We'll find out next year!

[wentwood]

I'm watching To Qu Ger - Don Bros any way I can so I don't fall too far behind the current series.

I can watch up to Zen Kai presently.

Almost half finished with Kira Mage. (Episode 16)

Deka has delayed this some.

[Sheepweaver95]

I'm really digging the first episode of King-Ohger.