[DreamSword]

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Originally Posted by Daikaijuman54

The thing that's such I love in this movie is the sense of scale here, which is something, oddly enough I don't consider much when I watch giant monster movies, but there was just something beautiful about how heavy the mechs felt, like every time they moved it felt like that scene in Jurassic Park when we first see the Brachiosauruses, just this majestic feeling of awe. Or, as someone who grew up on the Showa Era Godzilla films, it was almost like watching those again in a completely new way, it carried that spirit of old Tokusatsu with it, and that's how I've come to understand why that made this move so good.

Yeah, the sheer scale and weight of the Jaegars and Kaiju was definitely emphasized alot more in the first movie, though me personally I just took everything moving at a faster pace in the second one as just a result of the technology advancing. It felt kinda like comparing old school Gundam to modern Gundam in that sense.

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And you know what? I actually have nothing against you enjoying Uprising. In fact, I'm almost glad that there are people who can find it in themselves to enjoy things commonly seen in negative light (look at me, I like the 1998 Godzilla and the Star Wars Prequels).

I too enjoy the Star Wars prequels. They're not like, top tier cinema or anything, but I enjoyed them for that they were.

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My issue with Uprising happens to be the tone, where the first felt like a true love letter to Kaiju and Mecha fans, keeping a somewhat serious tone and adding interesting flair to this kind of story, and some really great cinematography. While Uprising feels like a parody of said things, unable to really understand why Kaiju and Mecha are so beloved. Sure, there's the lack of weight to the Jaegers, sure, the plot feels like what people think the genre is about, and sure it is very much a Hollywood Franchise Bait movie, and there are things I can appreciate, like the Kaiju and Jeager designs, or the one that looks based off Ultraman, and the Kaiju Drones are a neat concept, but it just didn't work out for me. And yet despite how much I'm not a fan of this movie, there are movies that are lower on my list of bad movies, and also because I don't hold grudges that often.

Yeah, the balancing of the tone could've definitely been handled better. I think what helped in my particular case is that, while I do feel a handful of the humor was ill-timed, I've seen way worse when it comes to that sort of thing? Heck, at the very least none of the jokes outright annoyed me in Uprising, like how the humor in, say, Far From Home did(hot take I know).

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For something wholesome, though I'm afraid I can't find a video of it, there was an interview Guiellermo Del Torro did in Japan, and Pigmon shows up and he got really excited and was asking the interviewer to take a picture of him and Pigmon, saying "He's my favorite!" it's really sweet, and funny how he's also a huge Ultraman fan.

That's adorable! I can definitely see why people classify these movies under the Toku banner after having seen them! And I hope that The Black only leans more into that.

[DreamSword]

I hit a milestone today.

[DreamSword]

Episode 1: From The Shadows

If Pacific Rim as a franchise has set up any sort of pattern, it's that any and all characters who could prove to be interesting that aren't the main ones will be killed off, and brutally.

But more on that later. The short version of all of this is that I felt this made for a decent premiere.

The premise is that some time after the events of Uprising(or atleast so I assume), a ton of Breaches get opened, resulting in a massive horde of Kaiju stomping throughout Australia. Jaegar pilots from all over do their best to fight against the invasion, but eventually the government declares the entire content to be lost and orders everyone to get outta there.

In the midst of all the chaos are two particular pilots who fight tooth and nail to save a bus full of people which also has their kids on it. After fighting their way to a remote area where a Jaegar base used to be, the parents leave the children there, reasoning that as long as the kids lay low then no Kaiju will be able to find them, and that there'll be enough food and water to last them until the parents can find help.

Neither help nor the parents are seen for five years, and that's where the real story begins.

Our main duo are Taylor and Hayley, the children of the Jaegar pilots from earlier, and their dynamic is simple enough. Taylor is the vigilant if overly-cautious one while Hayley is the wild child. Taylor wants to keep everyone safe by continuing to lay low, especially since they've made a village for themselves over the past five years. Meanwhile Hayley, due to knowing no danger for that amount of time, wants to work towards a way of getting everyone out of Australia themselves. Needless to say they clash pretty often.

Ignoring how they managed to get new clothes that fit them during that time lapse aside, one day, Hayley discovers an abandoned training facility beneath the village, housing the Jaegar known as Atlas Destroyer. And for a mech with such an awesome name, it really is just a training dummy. And it's upon activating the training protocol that the Kaiju are alerted to the existence of the village, and disaster strikes.

This is what I was alluding to earlier. Everyone in the village other than Taylor and Hayley, and while I get it's done as a way of getting the ball rolling on the plot, it's also a shame in that had even just some of these character lived, there could've been some character development and other stories to come out of it. Who were their parents? What were there dreams and aspirations before getting dropped off at the village? Now we'll never know.

That all aside though, I really do dig the premise of the main mecha just being a training dummy. That's something I can't say I've ever seen before in a mecha show, or at the very least isn't something I can immediately remember in something else. Plus, the action was top notch all throughout the episode, making it very entertaining to watch.

I am definitely interested in seeing what future episodes have to offer.

[DreamSword]

Episode 2: Into the Black

Not gonna lie, I so expected the Kaiju Heart to be in that tank.

Anyway, the thing I dug most about both movies was the Drift sequences, so you'd better believe I totally loved how this episode opened!

Yeah, it's done in a much different style to the movies, but getting to look into Hayley's' psychosis and how she's not just getting over what happened last episode, ontop of the dream-like imagery? Absolutely loved it.

The premise of the episode proper is that Atlas Destroyer is running out of fuel, so our duo needs to go scavenging the ruins of a nearby city to try and find a power cell or two. What follows is essentially a survival horror movie but in the span of an episode.

And for the most part, I felt that it was well done. The atmosphere was solid, the chase sequences, while a bit predictable, were suspenseful, and the episode did a good job at introducing new elements into the Pacific Rim universe such as mini Kaiju and following up on Kaiju Jaegers ala Obsidian Fury from Uprising. Solid stuff.

And... that's about all I can say about this one? It was just a solid ride from start to finish, and I'm interested in seeing how the new kid adds to the cast dynamics, if at all.

Oh, also, good attention to detail on Experiment Kid not being able to move after getting freed, since like, yeah, no duh someone who hasn't properly used their limbs in five years is gonna go immediately limp. Good eye on the power cell not being fully charged, either.

[DreamSword]

Episode 3: Bogan

I felt this one worked alright, though it definitely had issues.

The setup is that Taylor and Hayley discover a group of travelers passing by and decide to tail them, resulting in them being taken to a settlement known as Bogan.

First off, and I'm sure someone can correct me here, but I don't think that Kaiju ever laid eggs before now? It sure didn't seem that way from how the Kaiju gave birth in the first movie.

Second, I felt it out of character for Taylor to be the one to lose focus of everything going on so fast, given he's been the overly careful one all through the show so far. Losing track of the boy they saved, not being able to read the room when in Bogan; it all more felt like things Hayley would be prone to.

And last is that ending, wherein it turns out that Mob Boss somehow drifted with Taylor, which, if I'm getting the rules from the first movie right, means that not only are the two somehow drift compatible, but that somehow the two drifted while only wearing broken down helmets? I thought you needed an entire system for that, suit included?

I get that it's all to keep the plot moving, but alot of it felt a bit forced and that some minor tweeks would've made the entire scenario work out alot better.

Still, atleast there's some more characters to work off of and some bits of world building were dropped, so hopefully those will all get followed up in future episodes. Again, not horrible, but could've been better for sure.

[Daikaijuman54]

So, haven't said much since you've started this series, but here's some stuff I have to say about this season.

First off, worth noting is that Atlas Destroyer has more of a Pacific Rim 1 vibe to his design. By that, since it's implied this takes place sometime after Uprising, the Jaegers are sleeker and more streamlined, similar to Striker Eureka (the only Mark 5 at the time, while Uprising's Jaegers could be considered Mark 6), there's more similarities to the original Gypsy Danger, but somewhere closer to a Mark 4 or prototype 5. Maybe I'm not making sense, but that's the general feel I get from it.

The Voices aren't bad (I've had bad experiences with dubs), so the characters weren't insufferable, which is something I worried the sister would have been, but thankfully she wasn't. But as you've mentioned, there are times the two's characters tend to get mixed with the other, though it's not as bad as it sounds, to be honest. Also, I'm glad that the Hayley avoided a problem I was dreading, when their village gets wiped out, she actually feels responsible for it, something I've noticed is usually dumped onto someone else when it happens, so I was pleasantly surprised they pulled it off, and did it rather well, even working for the overall plot and characters.

I believe I heard somewhere the Kaiji laying "eggs" was a mutation, or a means to colonize Earth, but I don't remember where I read that. Bossman using the Drifting tech to interrogate is brilliant concept, no better way to break someone than by emotional damage. For how he managed it given the restrictions set by the films, I believe it's implied he and his band modified a lot of the tech that surrounds his camp, which should become more obvious as the season progresses.

The show does a good job on handling it's source material and creating it's own identity in the process that I feel Uprising fell short on. I'll save my thoughts on the full season after we get there (as I still need to watch Season 2, which is the finale).

[DreamSword]

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Originally Posted by Daikaijuman54

First off, worth noting is that Atlas Destroyer has more of a Pacific Rim 1 vibe to his design. By that, since it's implied this takes place sometime after Uprising, the Jaegers are sleeker and more streamlined, similar to Striker Eureka (the only Mark 5 at the time, while Uprising's Jaegers could be considered Mark 6), there's more similarities to the original Gypsy Danger, but somewhere closer to a Mark 4 or prototype 5. Maybe I'm not making sense, but that's the general feel I get from it.

I think I see what you're getting at, and for sure, Atlas Destroyer does come off as a slightly more mobile version of Gypsy Danger rather than some offshoot of, say, Gypsy Avenger. It helps sell the idea that the mech is a training unit, for sure.

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The Voices aren't bad (I've had bad experiences with dubs), so the characters weren't insufferable, which is something I worried the sister would have been, but thankfully she wasn't.

I've mainly had solid luck with dubs, but I can definitely feel you considering how dubbing on other projects, "Netflix Originals" especially have ended up. Looking at you, Netflix Ultraman.

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Also, I'm glad that the Hayley avoided a problem I was dreading, when their village gets wiped out, she actually feels responsible for it, something I've noticed is usually dumped onto someone else when it happens, so I was pleasantly surprised they pulled it off, and did it rather well, even working for the overall plot and characters.

Yeah, it was really nice that it wasn't something that the characters just immediately got over, and that character development resulted therein. I too have gone through many a story where the response some characters get is "It's okay, nothing super bad happened!" and it's like... dude, people are dead.

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I believe I heard somewhere the Kaiji laying "eggs" was a mutation, or a means to colonize Earth, but I don't remember where I read that. Bossman using the Drifting tech to interrogate is brilliant concept, no better way to break someone than by emotional damage. For how he managed it given the restrictions set by the films, I believe it's implied he and his band modified a lot of the tech that surrounds his camp, which should become more obvious as the season progresses.

Gotcha. Guess I'll wait and see if this gets explored a bit more in future episodes. Really curious as to how in the heck Bossman and Taylor are Drift Compatible to say the least.

[DreamSword]

Episode 4: Up and Running

If there's one thing I can give this show, it's that it's managed to make every Kaiju encounter so far feel like a major event, and this episode is no exception, as its second half features the return of Copperhead, the Kaiju from the first episode who just absolutely refuses to stay down.

Atlas Destroyer is confirmed here to only be a Mark 3, meaning that it's way out of date by the time this series takes place, and that fact is very much emphasized by how its punches do basically nothing to Copperhead, whereas if this were, say, Uprising with its Mark 6s, there'd be much less of a struggle in a one-on-one fight.

This episode also serves in establishing a connection between Taylor and Mei, both literally and metaphorically, via the Neural Handshake. While I initially was confused at Taylor's' insistence on fighting the Kaiju given his characterization in the first two episodes, maybe after seeing Mei's' memories, he's subtly trying to tell her to stand up to Mob Boss? There have certainly been a handful of times where Mob Boss doesn't have much of a leg to stand on in terms of making demands and yet comes out on top anyway.

Outside of that, this episode didn't have too much else to offer? The mystery of Experiment Boy continues with his tendency to kill and eat wildlife, and there's some weird bit of humor at the very beginning of the episode inwhich Taylor drinks "Kaiju Milk." Otherwise... yeah, nothing too noteworthy.

Now granted, I did rather enjoy what was the central highlight of the episode, but I'm also not going to sit here and pretend that I found anything incredible "deep" within it.

And hey, ya know, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. The most important thing to get out of stories is a good time, I think.

[DreamSword]

-QUICK ASIDE POST-

Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!

I was browsing some old posts that I had made on social media, and wouldn't you know it, I was doing this stuff long before even joining TokuNation! Below is an old post I did years ago after a rewatch of the above titled show, and if you guys want the short version: It's really good! The post is quick and to the point, and maybe I'll do a more detailed analysis of the show one day in the (far) future, but for now, I think it sums up my overall feelings pretty well. I definitely recommend checking the show out! I give it a 5/6.

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So I recently completed my rewatch of Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go! It was every bit as fun as I remember, and makes me sad that the show got cancelled before its big climax. Those last few episodes were some of the best in the series without a doubt. Now to sort the seasons from best to not best.

Season 2 - This is the season where the show started to grow its beard. More character focus, more connected plots, and even the comedic value started getting better. Not to mention the best season finale in the whole show. Who knew a show about Cyborg Monkeys could make me nearly tear up?

Season 3 - While season 2 had the best season closer, this one had the best season opener. Not only that, but a good chunk of the season focused on having fun. Not only increasing enjoyability, but also making the more serious episodes stand out all the more. And while the season finale was a tad weak, it was still good.

Season 4 - This season had the absolute worst episode in the whole show. "The Hills Have Five" was nothing but a waste of time and was the only episode that made me wanna bash my brain against a wall. But the season quickly makes up for it by having every episode afterward be fantastic.

Season 1 - Now don't get me wrong, the season is not bad by any means, and even has one of my favorite episodes(Secret of the Sixth Monkey), but during this time, you can tell the show was still trying to find its identity, and it wouldn't be found until season 2. Still a fun watch all around though.

Overall, SRMTFHG! is a great show that was sadly passed up during its time on Jetix so long ago. While alot of things in it are for the sake of parodying nerd culture, it showed a surprisingly good ability to tell mature stories. If you're a fan of western animation, I'd definitely say to check it out.

[DreamSword]

Episode 5: Escaping Bogan

This episode is definitely my favorite so far. Things are really picking up!

I think what really helped here was that, with the overall plot of the episode being so simple, it made for alot more time spent on character development.

Mei especially gets alot of highlight here, which in turn made her my current favorite character in the show. She's definitely misguided in her dedication towards Mob Boss(even claiming he's a man of his word, which is laughable), but yet she still has her own code of honor, which helped me really get into her character.

The plot being nothing more than "fix Atlas Destroyer so we can get the hell out of here" also surprisingly helped in expanding on the lore of this universe and showcasing the continuity The Black has with previous films.

Ghost Piloting is now a thing, and while I could see some people calling foul on it due to how dangerous solo Drifting was shown to be in the first movie, I think it still works due to how it not only very obviously takes a toll on Taylor, but also how it was established in Uprising that the PDCC uses a brain in a jar as a training dummy for Drifts.

Really the only thing that I felt as out of place was Joel dying at the end which, I get is to highlight how messed up Mob Boss is, but like, we already had two full episodes showcasing that? Felt like such a waste of a character who could've added alot to the cast dynamics, I feel.

But yeah, overall a great episode. Let's hope the show keeps this momentum up.