|
Community Links |
Members List |
Search Forums |
Advanced Search |
Go to Page... |
|
Thread Tools |
02-18-2020, 11:49 AM | #241 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,097
|
I'm so excited for you to start Ryuki. It's one of my favorites. It's a hell of a ride
__________________
|
02-18-2020, 01:06 PM | #242 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
|
And that's a wrap on Masked Rider Agito! It was a fascinating series, I thought. I know people are always like, You Have To Watch Kuuga At Some Point, but I feel like Agito is way more interesting, for both its successes and its failures. It has this sometimes-exhilarating, sometimes-infuriating way of reaching for something unique or idiosyncratic and just knocking it out of the park, but half-assing and underwhelming on, like, basic Kamen Rider stuff. I've never seen a more intriguing mix of genius and ineptitude. Where it succeeded, for me, was in the small moments. The character beats, seeing any combination of characters playing off of each other, that was great. And any story that kept the scale small, focused with precision on a character or two, I thought those stories were this show at its best. All of the new flavors this series brought to the Kuuga template, the warmth and humor especially, it created a Kamen Rider show that felt incredibly fresh. I cared so much about these weird nerds, and I'd watch them in just about any kind of show. It's just, the basics, man. There are some fundamental expectations that a Kamen Rider series should be able to meet, and I think that's where Agito really dropped the ball. A lot of the stuff in the beginning, the weird structure with the dials where Spooky Man's DNA pops out, no one ever explains where that came from or why it worked the way it did. The storm that engulfed the Akatsuki-gou, the appearance of Agito Jesus, why he was dead, I don't think anyone even tried to explain that stuff. But there was all this time spent tying up backstory about characters who were dead before the show even started, so, why wasn't time spent on this show's established mysteries? Why was all of the Unknown stuff left so placeholder and vague, when that's nominally what the point of the show is, Agito overcoming this specific threat? And so much of the show was just a monster shows up, a whole bunch of other stories, and then Agito defeats the monster. And, like, I really enjoyed that "a whole bunch of other stories" part! But I don't think it's weird to expect the Agito Fights A Monster stuff to also be worth watching? I wonder sometimes if the character stuff was really that good, or it just seems better compared to the shrug of a villain we got. Everything Spooky Man did felt perfunctory, rarely exciting or intense. It was like the monster stuff was an obligation the show felt disinterested in, so they rushed through or skipped over it as much as they could get away with. I'll remember little moments, Hikawa and Shouichi eating ice cream, but I don't know if there's a fight or a monster or a villain scheme (outside of Kino's) in this show that sticks in my brain. It's all adequate, in so much as there are monsters and a Masked Rider fights roughly one each episode, but that part of the show never seemed able to meet the ambitions of the character storytelling. (The one thing I don't get about Spooky Man's plan, and I kind-of love that the show never gave him another name so I don't ever have to stop calling him the Spooky Man, is why Scorpio to alter and inflict terror with. Why not Gemini? Gemini's all about duality, about humanity showing one face but hiding another. If people are going to be murdered by doppelgangers, or as a result of their hidden fears/desires, why not use Gemini and make it thematically coherent? There are more than enough stars in that constellation to make a big, imposing X. It's such a weird choice for this show to make.) But, hey, I don't want this to sound like I didn't like Agito. I really did. I think it's sweet and kind in a way that Kamen Rider series rarely are. It's just that the things I'll remember fondly will definitely be taking up space with the things that I felt underwhelmed by. How did Agito work as a series for all of you? I think, maybe more than any other Kamen Rider series, I'd love to continue to unpack what worked and what didn't on this one. I'll go through moments where I love it, and that'll be followed by a moment where I... not hate it, but can see more of its flaws. Super interested in what everyone else got out of this show. Don't be shy! Anyway, that's all I've got in my head right now about Agito. Thanks for hanging out and talking about it, or just following along. I don't know if this was... I'm not sure I made a lot of sense, or was any good on this one. Felt less confident, especially in the later episodes. Felt like I wasn't really getting my arms around it, or couldn't explain my thoughts that clearly. I don't know. Complicated feelings about these write-ups, which I guess is appropriate for Masked Rider Agito. I'll be on a bit of a break before starting up Ryuki. I'll still be around the boards, for sure, but I gotta catch up on some non-watching-Kamen-Rider parts of my life for a few weeks. I'm going to lose four or five days to the C2E2 convention next week, so that don't help. Mostly I've got to recharge my brain, rest it up, to be able to really try and appreciate Ryuki. I'm very excited to start it in mid-March. Hope to see folks back on the boards for Kamen Rider Die watches Masked Rider Ryuki! Thanks again!
__________________
Currently working on: Go-Busters is next! Archive of previous shows on KamenRiderDie.com! Last edited by Kamen Rider Die; 06-03-2023 at 03:26 PM.. |
02-18-2020, 05:41 PM | #243 |
Ex-Weather Three leader
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,581
|
Quote:
I’ll be on a bit of a break before starting up Ryuki. I’ll still be around the boards, for sure, but I gotta catch up on some non-watching-Kamen-Rider parts of my life for a few weeks. I’m going to lose four or five days to the C2E2 convention next week, so that don’t help. Mostly I’ve got to recharge my brain, rest it up, to be able to really try and appreciate Ryuki. I’m very excited to start it in mid-March. Hope to see folks back on the boards for Kamen Rider Die watches Masked Rider Ryuki!
Thanks again! You are gonna need the break. Ryuki is a different ballgame compared to Kuuga and Agito. I expect you to go MCU Aunt May-at-the-end-of-Homecoming on us during certain moments.
__________________
Last edited by Sunred; 02-18-2020 at 05:44 PM.. |
02-18-2020, 06:17 PM | #244 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
|
Quote:
Thanks! I am looking forward to having more strong feelings about Kamen Rider in the near future!
__________________
Currently working on: Go-Busters is next! Archive of previous shows on KamenRiderDie.com! |
02-18-2020, 06:17 PM | #245 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
|
Quote:
Quote:
Wait, not to ruin the moment, but did we forget about this? There probably isn't that much to talk about with it, being a random side thing and all, but did you at least watch it? You're usually extremely thorough about getting everything together to watch (we didn't even have to tell you about the special!), so I'd have trouble believing it skipped your mind. Quote:
I know people are always like, You Have To Watch Kuuga At Some Point, but I feel like Agito is way more interesting, for both its successes and its failures.
But I think the real lesson to be learned here is that we as a fandom need to get together and put a stop to this horrible nightmare reality where Agito and Blade have become "those shows no one talks about". When did this happen? It feels like just yesterday I was writing my Ghost thread, where the two examples I gave of excellent Rider shows were exactly those two. I don't think I even mentioned Kuuga anywhere in there! When I got into Rider, I remember hearing about how awesome Agito was fairly regularly, but apparently now nobody can shut up about Kuuga for long enough to give it the time of day? Kuuga's great too, but it's no wonder it would let someone down after hearing about it like it was the only Rider show you'd ever want to watch. I propose that going forward, we all attempt to steer conversations about Kamen Rider toward Agito at any given opportunity. Most times, this will be easy. Other times, it will appear difficult, but clever thinking will allow you to get around any potential obstacles. For example: "Hey, what's your least favorite Rider series?" "Well, I can tell you it's definitely not Agito. That show slaps!" See? Easy as can be! Just follow these basic guidelines, and soon enough, we can live in a world where new Rider fans don't have to live ignorant of the greatness that is Agito. Quote:
I don’t know if this was… I’m not sure I made a lot of sense, or was any good on this one. Felt less confident, especially in the later episodes. Felt like I wasn’t really getting my arms around it, or couldn’t explain my thoughts that clearly. I don’t know. Complicated feelings about these write-ups, which I guess is appropriate for Masked Rider Agito.
__________________
|
02-18-2020, 06:51 PM | #246 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
|
Quote:
I somehow managed to forget the whole "don't let go!" bit, but I'm happy to say the "I'm going to live too" ending bit has always been one of the parts of Agito that I remember vividly. Part of it is that honestly, Shouichi is not the guy I go to for heroic speeches, so any time he did one, I found them sort of adorably embarrassing. The more important part is that it's just a really killer moment to end the penultimate episode of your hero show on. So many other Rider shows go for the darkest hour, and leave on that question of "how are things possibly gonna get better next week?", but Agito, true to itself as ever, goes the exact opposite direction, having this big triumphant crescendo, hyping you up just as much by reversing the question, so you're now asking "how hard are the Riders gonna mop the floor with the bad guys next week?".
Quote:
Wait, not to ruin the moment, but did we forget about this? There probably isn't that much to talk about with it, being a random side thing and all, but did you at least watch it? You're usually extremely thorough about getting everything together to watch (we didn't even have to tell you about the special!), so I'd have trouble believing it skipped your mind.
Quote:
Okay, the dog was Count Zero, yeah, that's a good takeaway from the thread. Amazon had an Emperor Zero already, too, so I don't blame Switchblade for that line of thinking.
But I think the real lesson to be learned here is that we as a fandom need to get together and put a stop to this horrible nightmare reality where Agito and Blade have become "those shows no one talks about". When did this happen? It feels like just yesterday I was writing my Ghost thread, where the two examples I gave of excellent Rider shows were exactly those two. I don't think I even mentioned Kuuga anywhere in there! When I got into Rider, I remember hearing about how awesome Agito was fairly regularly, but apparently now nobody can shut up about Kuuga for long enough to give it the time of day? Kuuga's great too, but it's no wonder it would let someone down after hearing about it like it was the only Rider show you'd ever want to watch. I propose that going forward, we all attempt to steer conversations about Kamen Rider toward Agito at any given opportunity. Most times, this will be easy. Other times, it will appear difficult, but clever thinking will allow you to get around any potential obstacles. For example: "Hey, what's your least favorite Rider series?" "Well, I can tell you it's definitely not Agito. That show slaps!" See? Easy as can be! Just follow these basic guidelines, and soon enough, we can live in a world where new Rider fans don't have to live ignorant of the greatness that is Agito. Quote:
That's funny. I was actually going to tell you before even reading this bit that this is easily my favorite thread you've done so far. The fun you were having with the series was super apparent in every post, and from the very start, you showed a great grasp on the bigger picture of what Agito was "about" before the series even started laying it on thick. We even got epic overarching plot threads like Nijou's eventual redemption and revival as some guy named "Hikawa". If you're worried you weren't explaining yourself well enough, or anything like that, don't be.
__________________
Currently working on: Go-Busters is next! Archive of previous shows on KamenRiderDie.com! Last edited by Kamen Rider Die; 02-18-2020 at 06:54 PM.. |
02-18-2020, 07:16 PM | #247 |
Master Procrastinator
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 367
|
Ryuki I think you will like. Gain owes a lot to it, with the large cast of riders and the monsters not being the real antagonists. I will say no more, but I look forward to seeing what you think about it.
|
02-18-2020, 10:14 PM | #248 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 182
|
I really enjoyed your analysis of the show, especially since Agito is a real favorite of mine. It's definitely one of the unsung heroes of Kamen Rider and I'm hoping this thread got at least a couple of people to check it out who hadn't before.
I'm glad you (mostly) enjoyed it, and I definitely look forward to your thoughts on Ryuki. The first time I watched it was with HK subs and I didn't love it, but I've seen it a few times since and by my 3rd (Tv-Nihon) watching it became another of my favorites. |
02-18-2020, 11:19 PM | #249 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
|
Quote:
Quote:
I really enjoyed your analysis of the show, especially since Agito is a real favorite of mine. It's definitely one of the unsung heroes of Kamen Rider and I'm hoping this thread got at least a couple of people to check it out who hadn't before.
I'm glad you (mostly) enjoyed it, and I definitely look forward to your thoughts on Ryuki. The first time I watched it was with HK subs and I didn't love it, but I've seen it a few times since and by my 3rd (Tv-Nihon) watching it became another of my favorites. And, really, I did enjoy Agito. Much like Shouichi, the more I stayed in the moment, the more it worked for me. The more I thought back on past events, the worse my present got. Huh. The show is a weirdly self-perpetuating engine of analysis. It is an auto-critique. Masked Rider Agito is Masked Rider Agito's harshest critic!
__________________
Currently working on: Go-Busters is next! Archive of previous shows on KamenRiderDie.com! |
02-19-2020, 09:20 AM | #250 |
take me to space
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,406
|
I think I never had any particular issues with the Unknown for being just 'the force of evil our hero fights' and nothing more because the show never really played them up as being more than that. The focus from the beginning to the end had always been about our the protagonists developed around that stuff and around each other. Plus I've seen 'god wants to destroy all life' in enough JRPGs that I didn't really need any more elaboration to that story.
Anyhow, it was fun reading your various thoughts once again. I'm sure it takes quite a bit of effort to articulate what these shows do for you in a way that's both accurate to how you feel and also meaningful to share, so I think you deserve props for having kept at it so far. |
|
TokuNation News & Rumors |
Memorial Edition GoPhone Announced |
Kakuranger: 30 Years After |
ToyRise RyuKenDo |
Alternative Cut of "Day Of The Dumpster" Released |
Shodo SUPER Kyoryuger Teaser |
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:04 PM.
|