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08-15-2022, 01:16 AM | #791 |
Reiei
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 3,691
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Quote:
This.... is amazing! The man who despised artificial intelligence, Hiden, and Aruto, this darkness within him was all because of his ridiculous childhood of having horrifically-realistic-asian-parents and the loss of Sony AIBOU, it's so stupid, it's dumb, it's.... brilliant! Maybe real even because even the smallest of events in one's life can of course influence one's outlook in the future. He literally named his rider form after his long lost robot dog! This is just stupendous! It is *chef's kiss* when Thouser scans him and it just tells you right away what he's feeling just to further how ridiculous but also kind of heartfelt this scene is, all thanks of Nachi Sakuragi's acting of course. And then what does he do? He goes out with the robot dog to face the monument of his sins, the Ark. Successfully blocking the Ark's blast! This is one example I feel that Thouser is one of the most powerful suits in the show, it's just how it's handled that determines if it's strong or not. The shot of Thouser (the rider) with his back turned against Aruto is really cool. Even Aruto is dumbfounded that Thouser is working with him with newfound resolve! All he really is missing is a new form to go with it if, say, this show aired a year or so later. This scene (and next episode) is also something I love seeing. I already said that Thouser's design doesn't quite look like a villain suit nor does it perfectly fit a hero design either, it finds a perfect middle ground. That's why it's so nice to see it in this way as well. That said, of course this episode is not perfect. There are a few bits I would have like changed. One of course is Gai absolutely deleting every one of his crimes, completely unneeded and his development as a character afterwards would be much stronger had they left out this scene. Next one is removing Ai, the little plot device. I think it would have been better if Gai was all to himself, recollecting his thoughts up until, I guess, Zea notices his grief and then builds Thouser for him. Having Ai cough up what Gai needed to say isn't as strong as having Gai admit it to himself. Overall, if I didn't love Gai already, this and the succeeding episode cemented it for me! art by: @yu_sui77 btw, massive Thouser fan Last edited by TheRaizin; 08-15-2022 at 01:23 AM.. |
08-15-2022, 02:41 AM | #792 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,554
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One thing I remember was that Thouser being portrayed by AIBO was part of a promotional deal with Sony (though I’m not sure whether the deal had been planned before they wrote this episode, or if they made it specifically for the episode). Though sadly, Thouser the Rider does not come with Thouser the dog as an accessory, due to Takara having the toy rights for AIBO (though they did release a tiny figurine around the time of this stretch of episodes, with their blog suggesting that you “pair it with suitable action figures”
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08-15-2022, 03:00 AM | #793 |
Reiei
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 3,691
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Quote:
One thing I remember was that Thouser being portrayed by AIBO was part of a promotional deal with Sony (though I?m not sure whether the deal had been planned before they wrote this episode, or if they made it specifically for the episode). Though sadly, Thouser the Rider does not come with Thouser the dog as an accessory, due to Takara having the toy rights for AIBO (though they did release a tiny figurine around the time of this stretch of episodes, with their blog suggesting that you ?pair it with suitable action figures?
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08-15-2022, 03:41 AM | #794 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Oh this is the episode they used the bike for a scene?? I guess there is something I like about this episode then
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08-15-2022, 04:32 AM | #795 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 320
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38 is straight up my favorite episode in Zero-One, and I think the last one I actually enjoyed at the same time.
Gai was, at this point, just straight up my favorite character since he was both very well defined and someone who was an active participant in the plot, while our heroes just kept bumbling around. And I had gotten a bit annoyed how after winning against our heroes, he is simply reduced to the buttmonkey, leaving the show without a central antagonist for a while, so, seeing this episode really felt right at the time. It really explains where a person like Gai can come from, and I adore that. It really just treats him like a multidimensional character again, and I'm all here for it. His backstory really struck a chord with me, and I adore how Ai-chan and Zea go out of their way to cheer him up. Small tangent, Ai-chan is probably the best use of Aruto as a protagonist. He really was drowned out in the show proper and doesn't have many good moments, but I count all of Ai-chan's moments as his as well since this AI is something only he could have come up with. It's the most impact he has on the story, and I really like it. I'd loved it if stuff like this was used more for him since he comes off as super bland otherwise. Another reason I may love this episode is that I called it xD Ok, mostly a joke, but I find it funny that I called Gai's daddy issues around the early twenties and was proven right. Stroking my ego always makes me like a series more. Also helps make this come less out of nowhere. That said... There are a few issues I have with what surrounds the episode. Primarily the foreshadowing for Gai's daddy issues. It's there with how much he seems to idealize grandpa Hiden and how much the dismissal of his concerns clearly felt personal to Gai that gets brought up in Aruto's and Gai's early coffee talks. That said, it quickly kinda just dips out of the show, and for the majority of Gai's time in the show, it is effectively forgotten. And yeah, that is a massive problem since there needed to be more to make it really work in the series's greater context. It just doesn't fit with what came before it in some way, similar to the Workplace Competition arc. That one is, in my opinion, the best arc in the show, strong antagonist, solid two-parters, and I feel it dives into what makes Humagears special the most but is terribly placed. Going from the frantic first arc to a slow and structured second one is a terrible idea and wrecks havoc on the show's pacing. It doesn't work well with what has been done before, just like with this episode. That said, I still love this episode to bits! Also, cute robot dog! Quote:
Because horrible people don?t come from nowhere, and that?s worth acknowledging. Gai?s a terrible human being, but there were things from his past that made this terrible outcome feel right to him. It's everything this show's been talking about with intolerance and hatred, how they have a root cause rather than an innate presence. This isn?t an episode about forgiving Gai; this is an episode about understanding him, and maybe seeing if there?s anything to be salvaged.
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08-15-2022, 08:49 AM | #796 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,113
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KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE EPISODE 38 - ?I AM 1000% YOUR FRIEND?
I'm watching this episode, though, and... it?s honestly one of my favorite moments in Zero-One, because it?s beautiful. It?s perfect. I wasn?t laughing, but I was almost crying. I get that it?s probably not going to work for everyone. It?s a bold swing to follow last episode?s casual suggestion of multiple homicides with this episode?s attempt to resolve Gai?s childhood trauma. Gai?s seemed an absolutely irredeemable character, and I get it if this turn comes far too late (or far too random) to be convincing. For me, it worked perfectly. I love the mundanity of it all: how Gai was a kid with a shitty dad, and he couldn?t process those feelings of inadequacy, so he pushed himself to be a hyper-competent asshole. He had this one friend, an AI from Hiden Intelligence, and the loss of it became this psychic wound that warped him in the weirdest ways. His hatred of AI was the absence of a friend; his desire to take over Hiden was a chance for a connection to something that used to make him feel worthwhile; his push to grow its profits at any cost was proof that his affection for Thouser was reciprocal, and valuable. It?s all sort of pathetic, but it?s a recognizable kind of pathetic. Suddenly, all the foreshadowing made sense. Him calling Isamu a "stray dog" was projecting his own feelings, cause he's been astray for the last 35 years chasing perfection and dismissing anything else as an unnecessary distraction, that's what his father's psychological abuse did to him. It's important to emphasize that despite his youthful looks, Gai is a middle-aged dude, he's been learning the wrong things for decades, so it's harder to get through to someone like that. In a way, he's like the Ark, he relinquished his capacity for love and kindness in childhood, represented by Thouzer, leaving nothing left to make him sincerely happy. That's why his start on the road of redemption is believable, as his evil was caused by his ignorance to what he was doing, the consequences of his actions on the world around him. He never took the chance to look at himself, on the inside, until now. It's only after a pep talk by a HumaLexa and Zea giving him Thouzer back that he saw what a terrible person he had become. Thouzer, being designed for therapy, was immediately able to see what many of us couldn't, that Gai was "lost", felt like he "wasn't worth a percent", etc. We dismissed him as an irredeemably bad person, but Thouzer showed us through his own eyes that deep down, Gai was actually a suffering person in need of help and love, but too ashamed to ask for it. After this episode, I wasn't fully prepared to forgive him, but I could give him a fraction of that forgiveness and the space to start anew. Easily my second favorite episode, after 29. Quote:
That said, it absolutely worked for me and I legitimately got teary eyed when I watched it. I've always had pets and I've loved them all deeply. I had to put down my 15-year-old cat last month after a months-long battle with cancer. The anticipatory grief alone almost wrecked me. I have also always over-empathized with inanimate objects. I was a stuffed animal kid well into elementary school and there is absolutely a teddy bear whose reconstruction would be like regaining a family member for me. Everything about Thouser (the dog) was custom-made to appeal to my emotions and this episode hit me like a truck.
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That said, of course this episode is not perfect. There are a few bits I would have like changed. One of course is Gai absolutely deleting every one of his crimes, completely unneeded and his development as a character afterwards would be much stronger had they left out this scene.
Are you somehow immune to Thouzer's inherent cuteness?
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08-15-2022, 09:05 AM | #797 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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The dog? That thing annoyed me so much lol
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08-15-2022, 09:09 AM | #798 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,113
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Oh.... Well I commend your bravery for sharing such a controversial opinion.
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08-15-2022, 10:42 AM | #799 |
本当のクロスセイバー
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Himitsu
Posts: 168
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It's a shame that the reception for ep 37 were not that high. For all its sake, ep 37 is simply a plot episode or an episode solely to progress or move the characters to the next phase. That being said, all of the moments in that episode were all *chef's kiss*. Ranging from Aruto doubting his believe in technology, Yua started reconciling with Fuwa, Ai-Chan still the best talking partner, Gai being stomped again for the Xth time, and the cherry on top was Fukuzoe bringing Aruto back to his sense. Those were all good but maybe a spreading it to an episode or two would be even better. That's asking too much for that time's condition, tho.
Episode 38, on the other hand, saying it was a masterpiece would be an understatement. I don't think I need to elaborate it much more; Die, TheRaizin and the others have given their thoughts thoroughly. The scene between Gai and his pet robot dog, Thouser, might not be as effective for me, unlike with the others. Still, I can't help but feeling a fuzzy warm after seeing Gai reunited with the Izu-equivalent for his side. There's some sort of relieve and glad in just seeing Gai be honest and make peace with himself and the others. Gai was pathetic, yes, especially in the last couple of episodes. But I'm glad the first ever victory Gai have earned in the series was not gaining triumph over Aruto, but simply gained back what he had lost and needed the most. The decision for redeeming Gai will always be a hot take and conversation no matter what. I must prefix this by saying Gai's redemption was held back a bit by Takahashi's insistent to depict Gai as the most horrible prick and Sakuragi Nachi was too effective in portraying Gai as horrible as possible. I'm in Switchblade's boat in which I'm also ambivalent whether I like the decision to redeem Gai. Do I want to see Gai being kicked in the ass for the Thousandth time and give him the most horrible death like Kusaka? I firmly say Yes. But man, I DO love the decision that Takahashi and the others made by salvaging Gai back from what we thought a point of no return. Maybe deep down in our hate for Gai, we also dearly love him as much as we hate him; not unlike Gai's love for Hiden Intelligence. NB: A bit of hot take, but Yamashita is the best source of comedy in the show. He made me cracked a smile whenever he's on scene. For those who love Onari, Shunpei or Akiko, Yamashita is a much better source of laugh for me.
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08-15-2022, 02:34 PM | #800 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,290
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Quote:
KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE EPISODE 37 - “NO ONE CAN STOP IT”
But almost every detail within the episode is one that needed a little bit more space to breathe, or another scene to elevate it. The Ark’s strategy in this one is the weakest element, since there’s almost nothing to be gained from drawing out Thouser. It means that Gai is fully aware of the Ark as an adversary, and neither Gai nor ZAIA is eliminated in the process. The Ark tipped its hand, and all it got in return was calling dibs on the weekly Thouser Destruction. The motivation for the entire battle is likely just the Ark getting a chance to gloat over Gai, but it’s not a great strategy from a normally patient, plotting villain. Quote:
Fuwa and Yua’s little moment in the hospital is another scene where the actors have enough rapport to find fun notes and heartfelt emotion, but the placement is random and weird. Fuwa has never been the guy to… I was going to say “dwell on the past”, but, uh, that was his entire character for the first half of the show. But he was never the guy to hold stuff against Yua, so her need to come clean and apologize finds a mostly perplexed and distracted audience in Fuwa. (He’s got a lot to do this week as Emergency Morale Officer!) Yua’s overwhelming guilt and shame over the preceding *gestures at entire series* is likewise sort of overblown, since it syncs up with a non-Fuwa plotline from last week. There’s kind of no reason to have this scene happen here? A lot of what she brings up is stuff from a dozen episodes ago, and it’s nothing Fuwa’s even referenced recently. I like the weird beat of Yua needing to unburden herself thanks to Ai’s therapy, but it doesn’t really feel motivated by recent events.
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Aruto’s plot works the best, since it’s dominated by gray areas and fun scene partners. I don’t really care too much about the liberation of Hiden Intelligence from ZAIA (it’s fine, but typically random; Gai’s been up to shady shit since minute one, but I guess this was the line that got drawn), but I liked seeing Fukuzoe act as a supportive figure for Aruto. Fukuzoe is 90% comedy relief for this show, and 9% someone for Aruto to embarrass, but I love when shows build an episode around the 1% of a guy like this that is a three-dimensional human being. Fukuzoe cares about Hiden Intelligence, and he’s used to Aruto’s optimism. When he sees Aruto bummed out about the likelihood of Humagears being so advanced that they can’t be constrained by human morality or human weaponry, Fukuzoe’s there to be an employee, and ask his President to be the beacon the company needs; to care more than anyone else. It’s incredibly sweet, and if it’s the result of a plot that feels somewhat haphazardly instigated, I don’t care much. The effort put into the scene by the two actors, leveraging this background joke into something resolute and hopeful, was worth it.
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