[DreadBringer]

Haven't read the manga it's based on, but so far it seems that at least this adaptation is mostly faithful.

It seems that even for Kamen Rider, the fights in the prologue seem to be faster, more dynamic, and raw in anime form, rather than the limited tokusatsu depiction. Makes me wonder what could happen if real life shootings aren't as limited as animation.

The anime format also altered the character's expressions compared to the toku depictions, with Shotaro feeling more nonchalant than in the series (also more smirking than in the series, where he almost never smiled). Firstly it seems that Shotaro and Akiko's personalities are exaggerated compared to the anime one, seen in their spat (I thought Akiko regressed back like the beginning of W self that time), but shortly after they're still the same protective and attentive people towards the clients (outside of the payment). Highlighted here for Shotaro as the client Chuuta Tsubosaki was an ordinary man squaring off against a beautiful woman who Shotaro did flirt briefly (I do really like Tokime's outfit though... a̶l̶b̶e̶i̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶o̶l̶e̶n̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶s̶), Chuuta so far also planned little retribution against Tokime due to also being bewitched by her.

Tokime so far is the troublemaker and the main 'threat'. Didn't expect her to be this antagonistic to the cast in her debut. And didn't expect her to be this big of a threat, as she's not using any devices like Gaia Memories, just being her supernatural self (and also physical, in her knee attack to an expert fighter) in floating and the spell she put on Shotaro to got him into trouble with the cops (making way for Jinno and Makura), who she's also apparently responsible for murder of Tachikawa's men. She had bloody boots at that time and wonder how they got cleaned as the boots are taken off in her bathing scenes.

Oddly Shotaro here seems to try avoiding Philip's help until the end of the episode. There's the talk about Shotaro having his own agenda or such against a hot woman, but iirc in the main series he had squared off against a hot woman (as a threat or client) with Philip's help as usual, even if Tokime might be on another level compared to those.

[SPLIT LIP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Actar

*snip*

(^o^)

Yeah, it really did knock it out of the park in terms of accuracy. Like you said, only missed opportunity was not using more music from the original, but I'm still holding out hope the next episode will begin with the classic henshin music buildup.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

Oddly Shotaro here seems to try avoiding Philip's help until the end of the episode. There's the talk about Shotaro having his own agenda or such against a hot woman, but iirc in the main series he had squared off against a hot woman (as a threat or client) with Philip's help as usual, even if Tokime might be on another level compared to those.

Ah, but until the end they weren't sure Gaia Memories were involved, and as soon as it was clear there was more going on Philip showed right up. I don't think it was them avoiding helping each other so much as neither party seeing the current situation as that much of a concern when it was assumed to be a simple serial pickpocket. Shotaro falls for pretty women all the time, and it's not like Philip was always involved with those instances.

It wasn't about any "agenda," Philip was just teasing Shotaro about his luck with women especially in regards to cases.

[Mesnick]

Maybe not right away, but I looked. Well, that was cool. It is immediately evident that the same team worked on the manga and later anime as on W (except for the main scriptwriter Riky Sanjo, the design of the Dopants, as in the original, was developed by Katsuya Terada, who could not resist the temptation to create monsters without live-action restrictions). Very competently added 3D, almost does not stand out from the background of the picture. I also liked the action, although it is unusual that the transformation was only in a flashback. Bloodiness and erotica were also unaccustomed, but if you perceive the anime as a continuation for the older audience of the original show, then just what you need.
I also liked a lot of small references, like the inscription "Ishinomori" on the container and characters familiar from W. What a great voice Watcherman has! Well, the fact that the denouement of the story will be in the next episode should not even be surprising: a two-episode format that worked so well in the original that it simply cannot be abandoned.

[Mesnick]

And some fan art that mixes the only two anime I'm currently watching in such a funny way:

[Mesnick]

And as someone who hasn't read the manga, I'm going to assume that the client is a real dopant, and Tokime just found his Gaya Memory in a stolen bag.

[Frontier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

And as someone who hasn't read the manga, I'm going to assume that the client is a real dopant, and Tokime just found his Gaya Memory in a stolen bag.

I think there's definitely something suspicious of the fact that he cares more about the bag instead of his money.

[Mesnick]

I was wondering if in the first episode of "Jeanne and Aguilera" Akiko mistaking Poppy for Phillip in the first episode of "Jeanne and Aguilera" could be a reference to his green hair in the anime?

[Frontier]

There's that patented Kamen Rider W case recap with Fumihiko Tachiki! How I missed it.

And there's the Opening! It's not W-B-X Crime in the City, but it's pretty fitting and a solid Rider anime Opening, featuring the Narumi Detective Agency in their daily lives (with Tokime in tow), Terui radiating strong Bishonen husband energy, the new villains taking over from the Sonozaki's as well as teasing their Dopant forms, W and Accel busting heads, LunaTrigger and HeatMetal, and all of Accel's upgrade forms! The only thing we were missing is Extreme and FangJoker, but that's just me being greedy.

Boo! Still delaying the first proper Henshin sequence. And then Shotaro just leaves his driver behind out of pride. Well, sometimes you have to save the best for last.

Smilodon and Magma Dopant cameos! We even got to see the Sonozaki's in their Dopant forms! Even Nazca!

Nobody loves Fuuto more than Shotaro (other than Kirihiko Sonozaki), and he'll do anything to protect the sanctity of the city as well as the feelings of anyone who resides in it.

Philip did the thing! And it looks especially cool in anime form.

So they're dealing with the Road Dopant, who can enter into a shadow version of Fuuto but the strain of that causes them to cannibalize human beings as a result. That's pretty graphic.

Akiko said the line!

Is that supposed to be Akira Aoyama from the final episode of W? When a middle-schooler seems like he's getting more game than poor Shotaro.

I think the first major indication that Tokime isn't the Road Dopant was seeing her on that tree snarling at those teen girls. She acted more like a cat than a killer vehicle monster. Actually, her being cat-like might explain a lot about her mannerisms. It looks like her Gaia Memory is broken though, but is it somehow seeing into herself to give her powers?

Well, Philip is right that Shotaro seems enamored with Tokime and her smile is enough to wrap him around her finger...but sometimes even a half-boiled detective needs to follow his gut!

If you didn't think they showed enough of Tokime's bathing scene last episode, here's some good shots of her naked and in her underwear!

Tokime has amnesia? So even she doesn't know who she is, what she can do, or even why she's there other than knowing the answers to all her questions are in Fuuto. I guess that will be one of the driving questions of the series, especially if she's joining the main cast.

It looks Tokime might be falling for Shotaro herself when he defends her and brings her in close! She's cute when she blushes.

So the Road Dopant was one of Tachikawa's subordinates who had been killing his fellow men to feed the hunger his power induces in him. Also, Tachikawa mentioned wanting the bag as well as Tokime's head, so something definitely seems up there.

Just when Shotaro thinks he's going at it alone, Philip shows up to smash into the Road Dopant with the Revolgarry just in time for him and Shotaro to finally transform. And Akiko is there to pick up Philip, as always.

There it is! Cyclone! Joker! And together they form...Kamen Rider Double! And that Henshin was so beautiful. And they end it on the perfect scene of them saying the line...now, count up your sins!

The Ending shows that Ultraman isn't the only tokusatsu anime that can do a fun Ending sequence of everybody dancing, and it was a pretty cute and fun Ending. We also see Tokime ingratiating herself into the daily life of the detective agency, but my favorite scene is her with Shotaro's hat.

Mick the cat and Philip can both relate to being exasperated by Shotaro and Akiko's antics.

[SPLIT LIP]

Another great episode, and that henshin sequence was killer. Amazing to see what the freedom of animation can do with a fairly standard transformation. Little flourishes like the W on his chest forming after the armour with a little wind venting on the Cyclone side and mystical glitter sparks on the Joker side.

Also Revolgarry! I always forget that thing exists but I like it a lot. I think the CG on this version may still be better than the original. I also totally forgot they adopted Mick after the Sonozakis all died.

I will say, I don't remember liking Tokime much in the manga and this kind of reminds me why. She acts so aloof and obviously villainous, but as soon as it's made obvious she's innocent her whole personality changes. As soon as the plot no longer needs her to act mysterious the whole act drops and she starts reacting/acting like a normal human. A bit of a contrivance.

Also seeing Dopants actually animated is neat. They do a good job adding more movement in the eyes and mouth without being too removed from the "guy in a rubber suit" aesthetic of the original.

[Paladin]