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#101 |
Alias: ZeroEnchiladas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,790
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Alright so we've reached the end I did plan on covering my brief thoughts on the remaining episodes.
Episode 20: A really nice episode, I'm always a sucker for hero visits the sick kid in the hospital stories. And this one delivered a really nice story and lesson, with both the kid and Bima learning from each other and taking their own steps forward. God Helios is a pretty cool power-up, though I will admit I laughed at mysterious voice taking the form of a PNG of Bima God Helios. Overall, a really fun episode and I wasn't expecting it to be a one-off either, which was a pleasant surprise. Episode 21-22: Admittedly I don't have much to talk about the main plot here, but it is cool to see a bit more fleshing out of Vudo as a civilization in how Rasputin seems to be the main guy dictating the whole invasion. Our third member of Shadow Crisis doesn't make too big of an impression in these episodes. The main attraction and thing even I didn't know about was Gackt appearing as Bima Legend. I was a bit confused at who I was staring at when the episode first started, as if I knew him from somewhere, then the credits drop and 'Special Guest: Gackt' assaulted my senses and I went crazy. Dude's an absolute treat to watch here, even if he is the personification of 'Bullies Bima, Refuses to Elaborate, Leaves'. It's a mostly solid two-parter though I had a lot of fun purely thanks to Gackt's presence. Episode 23: The big final battle between Bima and Azazel, its brother vs. brother and it definitely resonates with me a lot more than their constant battles in Episode 17. It's an emotionally powerful episode, with both combatants giving it their all, getting so tired they basically just start slugging each other, with Vudo basically betraying Azazel in the end. The result is Ray protecting Reza as best he can, even at the cost of his own life. This was such an effectively powerful cliffhanger that I basically said screw it and watched the next episode immediately instead of waiting a day like I did prior. Episode 24: This episode gave me big, SSSS.Gridman Episode 11 Vibes in terms of how the status quo is handled. Because for most of the run time, we've got Reza as Azazel contemplating what to do now that he remembers what happened and is free from Vudo's grip. We also get a major focus on Uncle as well, the two sharing a nice quiet scene together after Uncle hilariously distracts the last member of Shadow Crisis which gives Reza enough time to give them cover to escape. It all caps off with Ray returning as Bima just in time for the two brothers to team up and beat the last member of Shadow Crisis. It's overall a solid episode with both this and 23 taking its spot as my favorite episodes of the show. Also at this point I decided I'd watch the final two episodes since I already was this far in. So I finished up Bima quite a few days ago before the thread. Episode 25: It's the penultimate episode, and man, this episode along with last made me realize something. We hadn't actually seen everyone ride bikes in a while. That note aside, we get a fun opening battle with Bima and Azazel fighting against a horde of Combatmen set to Seperti Bintang, Rasputin ends up showing up to face them down himself and manages to actually quickly defeat them, before activating Grand Gator. We're very much in the first half of a finale, as despite the destruction going on, Ray, Reza, Randy, and Rena all stand together as a family against Grand Gator. It also helps that God Helios shows up too in the nick of time to get them close to the giant mechanical beast. Episode 26: What a great finale overall, it's a very action packed one as we see our heroes and their family work together to stop Grand Gator. It all culminates in what I always love, the faith of people powering up the heroes to help them break through and win the day. In which we get a very satisfying beatdown of Rasputin by Bima and Azazel, the two going all out in one of my favorite sequences in the show. The day is saved, the family is all together, and while there are a few lingering questions, it wrapped up fairly alright. Well aside from the cliffhanger which I felt was odd, but not unwelcome. It was mostly surprising in that I assumed they'd close things off as a single series, though I guess they had already gotten to go ahead for X or were just confident they'd get another series. I did not expect Iron Mask to return under the banner of a new evil leader so I'm curious to see how that?ll go over in Bima X. With all that said, did I enjoy my time with Bima? Yes I'd say I did. It's not the most amazing Tokusatsu I've ever seen but it is very enjoyable to watch, with refreshing locales, really cool suits, and a lot of moments filled with heart. I'm definitely happy I checked Bima out in the end, and I look forward to watching Bima X whenever that eventually happens. Last edited by Enchilada645; 05-31-2023 at 01:56 PM.. |
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#102 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,391
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Same here. Satria is very similar to Rider, so we can get a good idea of how that would be like from Bima-X.
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#103 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
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[CENTER]Episode 26
And what a final bout it is! This finale is packed full of fighting, fighting, and more fighting! Infiltrating and managing to take down Grand Gator from the inside and Bima and Azazel's' final fight with Rasputin take up the majority of the episode's' run time, and even features a surprise appearance from the biological parents of Ray and Reza. Quote:
It's a very Ultraman-esque finale, with the people of Indonesia all offering their prayers to the Garuda Knights in their last stand. And of course, the world is saved from the Vudo Empire, with the Satria returning home to celebrate their victory. While many a plot thread is left hanging, this final episode leaves off in a very emotionally satisfying way, with every major character arc resolved in a bombastic final battle.
Black Priest revived Topeng Besi, and so yeah, your hope for getting to know more regarding Topeng Besi will be answered. Reino Barack actually stated that the sequel being made depends on the show's reception, and fortunately Bima is well-received enough there to have the sequel being made, though you don't like these kind of endings. And Bima-X is closer to full-sized toku that it has 50 episodes.
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#104 |
Some guy. I'm alright.
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,941
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With all that said, did I enjoy my time with Bima? Yes I'd say I did. It's not the most amazing Tokusatsu I've ever seen but it is very enjoyable to watch, with refreshing locales, really cool suits, and a lot of moments filled with heart. I'm definitely happy I checked Bima out in the end, and I look forward to watching Bima X whenever that eventually happens.
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Though it's also nice touch that in these part, the prayers are done with various different religions people here have, Islam, Christian, Catholic, Buddha, and Hindu all being featured to give their prayers, likely at least to show tolerance for the varying religions Indonesia have.
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Otherwise, the Grand Gator's insides is also quite bizzare to have ceramics like rooms in building
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#105 |
Some guy. I'm alright.
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,941
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FINAL THOUGHTS ON BIMA: THE GARUDA KNIGHT BIMA isn't the great tokusatsu show ever made by any stretch. The sound design is pretty bad, alot of the two-parters could've easily been one-off episodes, and there are a handful of arcs that just go nowhere. But at the same time, it genuinely improves in every aspect as it goes on, the stuff it excels at remain highly enjoyable, and most importantly, it's got alot of heart to it that makes it hard to think everyone involved wasn't giving an honest effort. As I continued to go through this relatively unknown toku show made in Indonesia, I more and more continued to think of it as a friend. Not just because the past month has been a bit rocky for me personally, but in the genuine warmth and growth I got to experience when watching it. It's the sort of thing not many shows in general have to them. The sort of experience one has with a friend they know is by no means perfect, but continue to witness and cheer them on as as they continue to move forward in their life. And even if there are bumps in the road, at the end of the day, when you think of that person, you can't help but give atleast a little smile. For me it's easy to say that BIMA's' biggest strength is its atmosphere, no matter which half of the show you're talking about. I've read people comparing the show to Kamen Rider Black, and while I can see some vague similarities, I'd be quicker to compare the show to Kuuga, which also has an atmosphere that I cite as its biggest strength. It takes the basics of the Showa Era and inserts the atmosphere and drama of early Heisei. Is the overarching plot or the characters involved super deep and complex? No, but that's not at all required. While simple, the storytelling is handled with some surprisingly mature subject matter. And although none of the characters go through any super big changes, they're all played by actors who insert some wonderful charisma into their performances, and do their best with what they're given. Big highlights in the show such as the reuniting of the family would not work even half as well without everyone in the cast being so likable. Even if it's not the best at any one particular aspect of itself, everything ends up coming together really well, and I'd highly recommend it to any Toku fan who thinks that any one of the Big Three are getting stale for them. Good action, good music, good characterization, and an especially good atmosphere make for an overall good time. I guess the short of it is that BIMA's' big heart is also its biggest asset, just like that one friend you know who isn't especially smart, or funny, or perhaps not even all that capable, but you know is always there to make you feel good, and really, what else could you ask for? Overall, I rate BIMA: Satira Garuda a 4/6. Not the most incredible work ever, but a very fun and fulfilling one.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 02-04-2025 at 06:40 PM.. |
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#106 |
Some guy. I'm alright.
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,941
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![]() The Beginning ![]() This felt like a wonderful return home. "The Beginning" serves as the transition between the original BIMA and BIMA-X, and I was very impressed by it all around. There's alot of reasons why, but the main one is just how natural the whole thing felt. It made me wonder just how long this sequel had been in the planning stages, because this really did feel like such a perfect follow up. Sure, I could see some people calling it a retcon that Rasputin was only a small piece of the Vudo Empire, but not only am I used to other shows having similar hooks(Voltron, for example), but given the sequel hook at the end of the first show I really didn't feel like it at all came out of nowhere. And that's not even getting into how all of the original cast is back, and quickly remind me of how endearing they all were. And while Ray is of course the main character, I felt like Reza had the best showing here, as the film shows how he's starting to feel inferior to his brother, and how that mentality is starting to drive his actions. It's such a great character hook and I hope to see more of it. The movie shows a great bit of growth on a part of not just Reza, but the production staff too. The team behind BIMA has really started to hone their craft, as while it's not perfect, the film itself is rather well put together in terms of technicals. The CGI stages and green screening look great even when compared to more modern tokusatsu(like Geats), with scenes like Ray in Hell actually impressing me with how they were pulled off. The action and stunt work is as fluid as it's ever been, and the music is great at carrying the mood of any given scene. I especially like the track that plays during the fight at the movie's' climax, and don't even get me started on how great the credits theme("Let Tomorrow Be" by Flumpool) is. Combine all this with all of the actors really nailing their characters by this point and the overall mood and tone of the film never once misses a beat. I really was surprised at just hooked I was by all of this. If I had to give one notable gripe, and it's not even a major one, I'm sad to say that it's the Bima-X suit itself. Now, it and of itself, it's not a bad suit. But when compared to what came before it? It doesn't even hold a candle. And I get it, it's really tough competition, because the Bima and Azazel suits are basically perfect suits all around, but even so, this is a direct sequel, and as such the comparison must be made. And as such, it falls short. Thankfully though it's made up for by having a way better transformation sequence. Wings of fire might be considered a cliche at this point, but it's one I'll never not love. But at the end of the day? Yeah, I had a great time watching this thing, and it makes me very excited to see what BIMA-X has in store going forward.
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#107 |
Alias: ZeroEnchiladas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,790
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We're back!
Man, it feels great to be back with these guys. It was fun seeing the Iskandar/Bramasakti family again... and also it's only now I realize their names all start with R... Anyway, the gap between watching Bima and Bima-X definitely made me miss them and we've still got that classic Bima feel to it despite the upgrade in production quality. It very much is a transitional special, but it ends up working tbh. The new stuff we get about Vudo mainly just expands the worldbuilding a lot more and also Black Lord has one of the most insane mask designs I've seen a villain general have. Aside from one other gripe, I think my only minor gripe is that the audio feels a tad off. Mostly in that while listening with headphones it feels like the voices and music are coming from two separate sides instead of both at the same time. Other than that the effects are improving, and we still get some really fun fight scenes. Speaking of the fights though, I'm digging our new Vudo Soldiers this time around and I can't wait to see what MOTW we'll be seeing this time around... Okay I have to get to it too don't I? Put me in the camp that prefers original Bima to Bima-X. Not that Bima-X is a bad suit, in fact I enjoyed what little we saw of it. But Bima's one of those lightning in a bottle designs that work instantly. So of course the new suit's going to have tough competition. That said I do like how we've gotten more Toyetic. While I'm fine with more static transformation devices, there's something that satisfies me about seeing people insert little trinkets or mess with their changer to transform. This is a bit all over the place, but I really enjoyed this return to an unexpected favorite of mine. Also holy shit I was not expecting them to grab Flumpool for the ED. |
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#108 |
Some guy. I'm alright.
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,941
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That said I do like how we've gotten more Toyetic. While I'm fine with more static transformation devices, there's something that satisfies me about seeing people insert little trinkets or mess with their changer to transform.
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#109 |
Some guy. I'm alright.
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,941
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Episode 1: The Return of the Garuda Satrias Episode 2: Hurry! Save Earth from the Eruption! Surprise! We're doing two episodes a post now! Yeah, I didn't know if BIMA-X was going to have two-parters like how BIMA did, let alone them being structured the same. Turns out it does. Because see, when it came to the original show, the ways its two-parters were laid out often left me kinda struggling with thinking about what exactly to talk about. So I decided that if BIMA-X played out the same, I'd just do two episodes a day. And I feel as though it was the right decision to make, because when it comes to these two episodes, the first is pretty much nothing but an extended fight scene that introduces the very bare bones of how the show's' format works. The second part meanwhile, while still heavy on the action, does lay some ground work for an ongoing plot, and even features the roles for Ray, Reza, and a new character who seems oddly interested in the Power Stones, while also working for a mysterious benefactor. There's little bits of comedy in both episodes, but it's mostly action all around. What little bits of comedy there are aren't bad though. I got a giggle out of the crab monster doing the crab walk, and the other lighthearted moments, while not laugh out loud funny, did give me a smirk. It was also cool to see how Ray and Reza worked as a team throughout this thing. With Ray handling the monster of the week while Reza handled the Gladion mooks and later searching for the cause of the volcano. On that note though, I am sad to see Reza go off on his own come the end of the second episode. I hope it doesn't mean we're going to go a large chunk of the show without him, as again I've grown to rather like this cast, and thus his presence will be missed. But hey, atleast the little bits where the cast talk to the audience at the start of the episode is back. No, seriously, it actually did put a smile on my face to see that aspect be retained from the original BIMA, and I hope we get some really insane ones like what the old show had. Last but not least, I'm also glad they brought Ungu back for the opening song. But just like when comparing the Bima-X suit to Bima, while the new song is nice... man, it just doesn't compare to Seperti Bintang. Again, it's really tough competition, almost unfairly so, but still, it must be said. All in all, a decent way to kick us off on a new adventure.
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#110 |
Alias: ZeroEnchiladas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,790
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So first off, I really enjoy both OP and ED, the new OP isn't going to hit the highs of Seperti Bintang but I'm just glad we've got another good OP. I also like that are ED highlights fan-art too, that's really cool.
That said, yeah there really isn't much to talk about in these two episodes other than there being a lot of action. We've got some minor plot threads going, and I'm honestly sad to see that Reza is seemingly going to hardly be in the show. If only because that means less Azazel. I felt like we've had some good Double Riders energy going on with him and Ray so it's a shame he seems to be going on a collectible hunt for the foreseeable future. |
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