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01-04-2021, 02:37 AM | #491 |
take me to space
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In terms of how well done it is, that shot of Gon looking over her shoulder to the magazine photo of Daisuke in the foreground is super impressive. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that my favourite of your choice of screencaps was "Fish bill!" I too would be airing my grievances about not being paid to a little girl too...
You should go drink some strawberry milk too! Who knows what kind of hidden memories you'll suddenly unlock. |
01-04-2021, 03:09 AM | #492 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,403
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I forgot just how freaking hilarious Kabuto can be. I remembered certain bits like the make-up duel (although I thought it was with Tendou, not some random dude), but I forgot that it went beyond just a few small moments. I cannot over stress how much I love Tsurugi as the show's primary source of comic relief. What I think makes him work so well is that the humor is so closely tied to who he is as a character. I have some well-documented issues with some of the way Kamen Rider does humor in the Neo Heisei era: screaming, flailing, making weird faces, etc. What's so great about Tsurugi is that it doesn't feel like he's trying to be silly, it's just that his arrogance and absolute lack of life skills often intersect in really funny ways, usually drawing in the other characters around him.
My favorite screen shot is the one with Gon treating Jiiya while Tsurugi awkwardly pats her head. It's such a delightfully odd moment and I absolutely loved it. I found it a bit weird seeing Tsurugi hanging out with Gon, at first. Daisuke's first period on the show ended right before Sasword showed up, so it felt like we were seeing characters from two different eras of Kabuto interacting with each other. It works, though, and I hope Gon sticks around more even when Daisuke's actor takes off again because I honestly don't remember if she did or not. I absolute agree with you, though, Die: this episode was fantastic. |
01-04-2021, 05:08 AM | #493 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,545
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Ah yes, the Ultimate Supreme Make-Up episode, one of the two highlights of the season (the other being Kageyama singing ‘Bocchama’ his favourite birthday song).
Speaking of the scene, the quickly killed rival is played by Hiroyuki Matsumoto, best known as Nephrite in the live action Sailor Moon, who would later play Gamel in Kamen Rider OOO. He also guest starred in Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger. |
01-04-2021, 10:37 AM | #494 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,077
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I'm glad to see you're as excited as I was about Gon/Yuriko's return and her heartwarming reunion with Daisuke! When she left and you thought her role was over, a part of me wanted to subtly imply to you that she'd come back soon but I ultimately decided it would be more rewarding for you to find out on your own. Now that I think about it, I don't recall expecting her to come back when I first watched either, but the show is so much better with her in it to balance out all those weirdos (Tsurugi thinks he's babysitting Yuriko but it's totally the other way around). It's nice to see Daisuke's character development finally rewarded by having her back by his side.
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01-04-2021, 12:44 PM | #495 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
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Location: Chicago, IL
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Quote:
In terms of how well done it is, that shot of Gon looking over her shoulder to the magazine photo of Daisuke in the foreground is super impressive. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that my favourite of your choice of screencaps was "Fish bill!" I too would be airing my grievances about not being paid to a little girl too...
Quote:
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I forgot just how freaking hilarious Kabuto can be. I remembered certain bits like the make-up duel (although I thought it was with Tendou, not some random dude), but I forgot that it went beyond just a few small moments. I cannot over stress how much I love Tsurugi as the show's primary source of comic relief. What I think makes him work so well is that the humor is so closely tied to who he is as a character. I have some well-documented issues with some of the way Kamen Rider does humor in the Neo Heisei era: screaming, flailing, making weird faces, etc. What's so great about Tsurugi is that it doesn't feel like he's trying to be silly, it's just that his arrogance and absolute lack of life skills often intersect in really funny ways, usually drawing in the other characters around him.
Quote:
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I found it a bit weird seeing Tsurugi hanging out with Gon, at first. Daisuke's first period on the show ended right before Sasword showed up, so it felt like we were seeing characters from two different eras of Kabuto interacting with each other. It works, though, and I hope Gon sticks around more even when Daisuke's actor takes off again because I honestly don't remember if she did or not.
Quote:
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Ah yes, the Ultimate Supreme Make-Up episode, one of the two highlights of the season (the other being Kageyama singing ‘Bocchama’ his favourite birthday song).
Speaking of the scene, the quickly killed rival is played by Hiroyuki Matsumoto, best known as Nephrite in the live action Sailor Moon, who would later play Gamel in Kamen Rider OOO. He also guest starred in Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger. It's just a very sweet shot, no pun intended. She looks adorable, reading a magazine and having a snack. It's so domestic. Quote:
I'm glad to see you're as excited as I was about Gon/Yuriko's return and her heartwarming reunion with Daisuke! When she left and you thought her role was over, a part of me wanted to subtly imply to you that she'd come back soon but I ultimately decided it would be more rewarding for you to find out on your own. Now that I think about it, I don't recall expecting her to come back when I first watched either, but the show is so much better with her in it to balance out all those weirdos (Tsurugi thinks he's babysitting Yuriko but it's totally the other way around). It's nice to see Daisuke's character development finally rewarded by having her back by his side.
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01-04-2021, 06:48 PM | #496 |
The Immortal King Tasty
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My screencap of choice was going to be that shot of Gon looking over her shoulder to the magazine with Daisuke on it. It was, right up until I came in here to see that, not only did Die pick up on that and use it, his entire post on the episode is an extended art gallery dedicated to one of the most irreplaceable talents behind Daisuke – Ryuuta Tasaki. Tasaki directed Daisuke's debut episodes, 11 and 12, which I noted had great direction, as well as Daisuke and Gon's initial sendoff in 17 and 18, which I don't think I made as big a deal about, but rest assured they were also quite gorgeous. It could be said these episodes mark a sort of conclusion to a Drake trilogy of sorts, and Tasaki pulled out all the stops for the visuals on this first half of the grand finale. It's stunning, to the point I'm not even worried about just reiterating things Die already said, because they seriously bear repeating. Even with all those screencaps, I'm not sure you can totally grasp just how well shot this episode is without seeing it in motion. I knew from the opening credits what to expect, and it blew away even those high expectations. If you want to know what I'm talking about when I say Tasaki excels at clarity, do yourself a favor, sit down, and watch this exact episode, because I don't think there's a better demonstration of the things he can do better than any other director at Toei. The sheer amount of consideration when it comes to knowing where the camera will start in a shot, how it needs to move, where it will end up, and what's going to be where in the frame is staggering. Composition is the name of the game here; Tasaki is very conscious of how motion and framing communicate information to the viewer, and he brings that attention to detail to even the most minor of scenes. Note that Die's massive gallery didn't include a single picture with a Kamen Rider in it. And since these things bear repeating, I'll say again: the exciting fight scene is one of the least impressive things in the episode. And it's still shot fantastically, too! Narratively, it's on the obligatory side of things; just a straightforward team up between Kabuto and Gatack at the end to take on some run-of-the-mill Worms, which is probably why it escaped Die's mention. But for how short it is, it packs in a lot of fun touches. A lot of good angles throughout, and even Tasaki's own take on the "1!2!3!" alternating between both belts leading up to simultaneous Kicks. It's cool action that will leave you perfectly satisfied, and yet it wouldn't even crack a top 10 list of most visually interesting scenes in here. It really is in all the little things, you know? Small touches like being literally shown the kanji in Kagami's name on ZECT's files comically rearrange themselves (complete with a goofy sound effect) as he ponders his genius idea that they were maybe reading it wrong the whole time, or that bit with the cop handing the bowl to Tsurugi, which is the kind of minor thing I'm coming to understand is more likely on-set improvisation from the directors than a specific command from the script, so I'm cool just assuming that it was Tasaki's work too, rather than the writer's. This episode is, at the very least, a high-water mark when it comes to direction for Kabuto. Without a doubt. I was sure of that the second I saw Die's post, because that made it clear I wasn't simply imagining how mind-blowingly above average it was. I was thinking he'd maybe give a few shots a quick mention or two, before moving right on, leaving me a huge opening to do what's become my usual thing of praising Rider directors. And I mean, I did have a huge opening, in the end. Die got to say all he did, and I still had more than enough room to say what I wanted to – it's just that good people. A huge part of why I wasn't expecting the huge gallery was because this episode also marks the return of one of the other most irreplaceable talents behind Daisuke – Die's potential archenemy turned eternal love, Toshiki Inoue, who starts a block of four episodes with this one. It's a solid script with a ton to compliment, with some of the usual caveats, such as that Hiyori's lines can be counted on one hand. But even then, her one scene allows her to be snippy with Tendou and react a tiny bit to Gon's return, so Inoue didn't totally leave me hanging on that front. Everywhere else I look though, I mean, I'd have to stretch even harder for things to complain about. The episode does a great job building up Daisuke's current, rather melancholic status quo, easing him back into the forefront as Gon's quest to meet up with him again takes shape. There's a typical Inoue boldness to how quickly things swing back from the bittersweet note we last left these two on; a confidence the viewer will want to see that undone that I can't say is misplaced. The key is that, while Gon gets her memories back almost immediately, the crux of the drama is the work it takes to get them in the same place. They have to earn that reunion, and with how much Daisuke has on his plate being impersonated by a murderous Worm, things aren't looking great by the time the cliffhanger hits. It's an engaging plot all around, and I also have mad respect for how it actively chooses to involve Tsurugi in a major capacity, even getting interactions with Daisuke and Gon, when in a lot of ways Tsurugi seemed introduced to be a sort of broad replacement for Daisuke as Tendou's rival, who could be in the show on a more permanent basis. Having Tsurugi be a part of the proceedings allows the show to demonstrate how unique his identity has quickly become. In a show about eccentrics, Tsurugi is, perhaps, the man who stands at the top of being eccentric, and he's a delight because of it. Very impressive, very fun episode of Kabuto, any way you slice it. It's got a script that knows what it's doing, and direction that REALLY knows what it's doing.
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01-04-2021, 07:28 PM | #497 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
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When we're watching Gatack take on the Worms, I feel like I'm seeing his fighting style more than I have before. (It's that clarity you're talking about!) Like, we've seen Gatack in solo action and in team spots, but here it was like I was really able to process how his fighting style was unique. Gatack fights with his whole body. It's Kagami's boundless enthusiasm and inability to think things through, but as a combat technique. He's getting in close with every Worm, body-checking them, flipping them over his shoulder. Tendou's style is precise. Daisuke's style is distant. Tsurugi's style is angry. Kageyama's style is defeat. But Kagami's style is bold, is excitable. I never really felt that until this episode. I'm so glad everyone else loved this one, too! It is nice to know that I am/we are not just locking onto things that may not be there for other people. It's one of my favorite things, being able to flip out over these shows and have other people flip out as well. Fun feeling!
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01-04-2021, 07:38 PM | #498 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Quote:
When we're watching Gatack take on the Worms, I feel like I'm seeing his fighting style more that I have before. (It's that clarity you're talking about!) Like, we've seen Gatack in solo action and in team spots, but here it was like I was really able to process how his fighting style was unique.
Gatack fights with his whole body. It's Kagami's boundless enthusiasm and inability to think things through, but as a combat technique. He's getting in close with every Worm, body-checking them, flipping them over his shoulder. Tendou's style is precise. Daisuke's style is distant. Tsurugi's style is angry. Kageyama's style is defeat. But Kagami's style is bold, is excitable. I never really felt that until this episode.
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01-04-2021, 10:48 PM | #499 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
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KAMEN RIDER KABUTO - EPISODE 28
I don't know if I'm going to have a lot to say about this one! I really enjoyed it, don't get me wrong. It's an enormously pleasant conclusion to the Gon/Daisuke story. I am as powerless against Gon's adorable belief in Daisuke as Tendou is, so her single-minded dedication to clearing his name and keeping him safe... yeah, god, totally onboard with that. And the direction... maybe not as tight as the last one (there's a smidge too much shakiness in the fight camerawork), but still finding some fun shots here and there. Watching Gatack do an elbow drop on a Worm is worth my attention, if nothing else. I love all of these characters, so getting to see them all team-up and bounce off of each other (this episode ropes in Tsurugi to a non-Tsurugi plot, and it casts him in exactly the light you'd think it would), that's pretty outstanding. It feels more like a movie than the movie did. But... yeah, I don't actually have a ton to say about it, really? Some of it is that I went overboard with talking about the first part of this story, and the second episode is basically the story saying Yes Yes, That That. There're no huge deviations or massive twists. Tendou is still caring for Jiiya, and helping Daisuke because it would make Gon happy. Daisuke is still phenomenally bad at taking care of himself. (There is a part when he's in the equipment room by the crane, and he hears the cops coming for him, so goes to hide in the corner, then realizes there's a door. Was he going to just stand in a dark corner and hope the cops didn't see him?) Tsurugi is still being greedy and presumptuous. Hiyori doesn't even show up in this episode, and Misaki exists to tell Tsurugi he's being sort of a dick about Daisuke's (presumed) death, so I hope you don't want to see more than one lady on this show. (Even the Worm Widow only gets one scene!) Like, the stuff with Tsurugi is legitimately different from last episode, so let's touch on that. It's a bit convoluted, and I appreciate the script untangling it for me. It's all about how Tsurugi is suddenly hot for/fascinated by Misaki, since she reminds him of the Worm he was hot for/fascinated by/murdered a couple episodes ago, who reminded him of his sister. (I don't... I really don't want to delve too much into exactly what sort of relationship Tsurugi wants to have with these women. Jiiya says Tsurugi's looking to replace his sister, and I'm happy to leave it at that.) So now, transitive property, Tsurugi is being way too forward with Misaki. It's extra troubling for Misaki, since Daisuke was just murdered by a Worm, and Tsurugi's like Let Me Buy You Lunch. (Ironically, Daisuke would probably consider that a fitting tribute!) She's pissed at him because he doesn't seem to have any reaction to another Rider getting murdered, and... I like what it does for Tsurugi, how it exposes the ways he feels like he's letting down his sister's memory by being a callous, self-involved blowhard, but I'm honestly not sure what Misaki's problem is? Tsurugi never even met this guy before (that he's aware of), and Misaki's maybe shared three words with Tsurugi before this. Tsurugi only got hauled into this because they begged him. I'm not sure how broken up he's supposed to be? Or why it matters to Misaki? It's clearly there to give us a little more insight into Tsurugi's trauma, humanizing him some, as well as giving Kagami an opportunity to empathize with Tsurugi, humanizing him further. It's just, Misaki being so judgmental... I don't know, it felt a little forced to me. Luckily, there's all of the Gon and Daisuke stuff, which is delightful. It, once again, isn't really shocking anyone with new takes on our favorites. (Gon even pulls out a Daisuke Is Daisuke, so you can tell that Inoue didn't feel like cluttering this reunion up with any bold new ideas.) It's great, though. Just real charming to see Gon care for Daisuke, and for Daisuke to care for Gon. It... I really, really enjoyed this episode. But, man, it's impossible to talk about it because of how comfortable the whole thing is. It's fan-service. It's all callbacks, all Greatest Hits. (They even do the tear-jerking Partners thing, but this time as a heartwarming victory!) It is designed to leverage your investment in previous relationships to make you happy. That's not a bad thing! I was so happy watching these last two episodes! But past a certain point, it's like... I don't have anything to say about them? It's a fun story about putting Daisuke and Gon back together (while also threading Tsurugi more into the story going forward), and it's very sweet to watch that. I honestly don't know what else to say about this one? A QUESTION Sorry to come up so short on this one! Definitely felt a bit wrung out after 27, and this one was such a straight-forward continuation that I just couldn't find a grip on it to talk about things. There's a great big WTF moment at the end, though, with Hyper Kabuto showing up to defeat a bunch of Worms and menace our heroes... including Tendou?! It's nothing I feel like talking about yet (there's almost no context), but I'm curious about how other fans took that epilogue. How did you feel the first time you saw the end of this episode? (And please, no spoilers for what that scene might set up!)
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01-05-2021, 02:02 AM | #500 |
take me to space
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,406
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I don't remember my first reaction upon getting to this episode or its end, but I'm sure 'mild confusion and intrigue' was it.
This point in the show, we've had like five riders running around and all of whom have some pretty wild personalities! You talk about all of them so fervently that I'm curious how at this time you would rank them in terms of how much you like them (I assume Hiyori still surpasses all of them though!). |
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