OMG SUBS FOR THIS SEASON ARE FINALLY STARTING TO COME OUT. *flings self at d-addicts*
You know what I need to stop doing? Going to HJU and clicking on the Kabuto threads. It pains me when people miss the point of the series, especially re: Kagami's character. And yet I keep going back! WHY. Especially when 4chan is so much better for my mental health! I love 4chan's reactions to any given Kamen Rider series, but especially when they bring up Kabuto because everyone is gay for Tendou.
Including the dudes.
Especially the dudes.
It makes me endlessly lol.
Seriously, when 4chan is a more happy, positive place than you are, you guys need to lighten up. (Not that I need everyone to like the show, it's fine if you don't! I just hate the endless negativity and the TOTALLY MISSING THE FUCKING POINT. It kind of makes me deeply frustrated.)
Anyway. Speaking of Kabuto.
1) I... I do not know what to make of the preview pic for the Kabuto world/the new Tendou. I'm... reserving judgement, I guess? .__.
2) I've been rewatching some Kabuto raw episodes for screencaps, which means I know what's going on in the scenes, but I'm not paying attention to reading the subtitles on the screen, which means I occasionally notice something I didn't catch before.
And I'm on episode 29 and I just noticed something that really cracked me up. It's not really a spoiler, just a really amusing moment.
Kabuto Ep 29, just after a new Rider has appeared in the previous ep and the next one starts with Kagami and Tendou talking about it. Kagami comes out of the La Salle kitchen area with two cups of tea and hands one over to Tendou.
Who goes to drink it, but obviously doesn't actually take a sip, because he just has it in range, then looks at it, shakes his head at it, and then sliiiiides it over the corner of the table. Kagami doesn't even notice, because he's too busy off and running when talking about the new Rider and Tendou just banishes it to the far corner and. It's kind of really awesome.
Siobhan and I agree that we think it's one of those things that thy're both sort of used to. That Kagami never ACTUALLY expected Tendou to drink the tea, but they have an unspoken agreement. :|
Tendou won't openly bitch about the tea if Kagami makes sure to at least be a proper host and serve it. :|
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Still. It's awesome when those little bits of things that could have been fanon were in the show all along. I love how much Kabuto really managed to pack into its scenes, despite that it was mostly an action show. o/
I'm also slowly making my way through GARO which, yes, totally got even more interesting once you get to the middle episodes. <3 Spoilers for everything listed, of course.
GARO episodes 04-13: One of the biggest things that I've been pleased with over the course of these episodes is that I've been coming around a lot on Kaoru, which means I've been enjoying her scenes with Kouga a lot more. I suspect a lot of it is probably just that I enjoy the raised by wolves het, as Meg says, more than I enjoy her as a character for her own sake, but, whatever. As long as I'm enjoying the scenes, that's all that matters.
Episode five was the start of it for me, I think, because you got to see even more of Kouga being kind of totally emotionally inept and not having a response for when Kaoru (who Kouga feels is underfoot too much) says, "Aren't you the one who said 'stay close to me'?" and he doesn't have a response to that. Hilarious for the look on Kouga's face and because it highlights what an emotional idiot he is. I love it.
But the other thing that really turned me around on Kouga/Kaoru in that episode is she cooked dinner. And it went about as well as it was expected! Kouga makes Gonza try it first, who is like nooooo! I was already kind of dying of lol.
But then Gonza tries it. And runs off to vomit instantly. Kouga and Kaoru stare after him. Kouga looks down to stare at the dish Gonza just tried. He TRIES IT ANYWAY.
And then he says it's terrible but he supposes her face reminds me of him mother's. ....oh, poor hot baby, you really do have the social skills of someone raised by wolves, don't you?
So, the first five minutes of episode 04 did more for me re: Kouga/Kaoru than the entire first three episodes combined, but that's okay because, well. As long as I get there eventually. And now I can enjoy scenes like the one from that same episode, where Kaoru is sketching Kouga and thinking about how she never really had a family, which I find a lot more interesting now.
Plus, you know. They totally make fun of Kouga sometimes. When she asks Gonza, "How long has he had that bad mood?" because he's still being a cranky pants, Gonza replies with, "Please say he's 'cool' instead." a s;ldfkjas;lkjalkj AHAHAHAHAHA, oh god, just when I can't love their retarded family any more than I already did.
BUT APPARENTLY I CAN. Because even Zaruba totally gives Kouga shit all the time. And, if the recap episode is anything to go by, it totally ships Kouga/Kaoru, too. I really love that Kouga has all these people around him who obviously care about him (and the same is true for Kaoru, because she needed people to care about her and give her shit in a way that she can give right back, too) but don't take him seriously all the time. Or people like Gonza who've known him since he was a little baby and are totally his family.
I sort of wondered how that was going to turn out at first, actually. Because the potential was there for super awesome when Kouga was a kid, but would they really go there (that Gonza was really close to him as a kid, that he was totally a mommy figure for Kouga, etc.) or if it was just fannish wishful thinking because that's what I wanted to see happen. Gonza mentioned in episode four that he was Kouga's only family (while they gave us another gratuitous Kouga training scene, thank you, GARO), but it wasn't until episode 12 that I really got my answer.
LITTLE BABY KOUGA OMG. Little baby Kouga looking at the window full of toys and he seemed barely a step above being a little street urchin who never had a toy to play with and then his little face lit up and I was kind of clutching at my heart.
And then his dad was kind of a dick about a kid making a mistake! Like, I get that Kouga had probably been told over and over not to trust strangers, but then went ahead and did it anyway and made a real mess, but just smacking your kid like that? Not even explaining anything to him? But then he saved Kouga's life at the end by sacrificing himself and Taiga touching little baby Kouga's face for the last time was just. a s;ldfkjasl;kj; aaauuuugggh.
Okay, I still think he was a little bit of a dick and Kouga apparently didn't have much of a childhood at all, but he obviously loved his son in his own way, so I'll sit on the fence for awhile longer. (I was kind of surprised that his death wasn't that long, he seemed to die pretty quickly? Didn't Rei taunt Kouga that his dad's death was a lot more painful than that? Idk.) But! The episode also gave us Gonza with little baby Kouga!! Toweling his hair off while Kouga laughed! Tucking him into bed and reading to him and all the things I'd hoped for! al;skdjfa;lsjksljk EXCELLENT.
But it's not just in the past that you get super hilarious yet adorable scenes. Episode six seriously had some of my favorite scenes with Kouga's hand getting injured and everyone is trying to fuss over him, including Kaoru, who goes to get the liquor bottle to sterilize it--though, I've never seen the technique of taking a mouthful and then apparently planning to spit it on the wound? idk--and Kouga just lets her go, casually moving his hand out of the way at the last second so she sprays it all over Gonza. Awesome.
And, if that weren't awesome enough, she tries a second time and he just casually tilts the bottle up which forces her to chug half the bottle and a;lsdkfja;lskj oh, sweet, raised by wolves hot baby. I love you a lot. Episode 07 really built on it as well, when he was working on trying to save Kaoru and then in episode 08, she's drawing him! And he tells her to get lost! She clearly gets under his skin! I wanted them to have babies so bad, you don't even know.
I mean, she later draws him while he's sleeping and winds up talking to the ring! And EVEN THE RING KNOWS that they're stupid for each other! And then Kouga wakes up and demands to see her drawing!
Ever since she came along, he's starting to have real expressions on his face! Okay, so they're anger like when he's facing off against the golden armor in episode 09, but a real expression is a real expression! He even sort of manages to give compliments! End of that episode, he tilts her face up and says, "You look pretty today." Which, okay, totally weirds her out because it was so completely random, but! It was mostly a sort of normal compliment!
And the story of that episode was really nicely done, the way Kouga and Kaoru's stories about their struggle to understand/follow in their father's footsteps, his father's sword, her father's painting. When the plot of an episode is structured well like that, it makes it a lot easier to get onboard with the ship and like both of them as characters separately as well as together.
Of course, the very next episode he goes back to watching her sleep and I start lolling really hard. But also carrying her princess style after the big fight of the episode!
Episode 11 was the big one for them, though, of course. It starts with Kaoru asking Kouga to go on a gameshow with her and you have to love someone who suggests that with complete sincerity. I didn't think I was ever going to stop laughing. Certainly not when she was like WELL FINE I WILL JUST GO ASK REI THEN and Kouga got all pissy and told her to go away. EMOTIONAL MATURITY OF A FIVE YEAR OLD. I LOVE IT.
But, really, she didn't want it for selfish reasons, not entirely. Sure, she wanted the prize, but even more than that, she wanted to see Kouga enjoying a game like a normal person, said with this really touching expression on her face. Sure, he drives her crazy and he's kinda obnoxious, but she cares about him and wanted to see him do something normal. "I still haven't seen Kouga smile... I wanted to see that." Awww, my heart.
The whole episode took their connection a lot further and I think I was in just the right place for it to happen, the way Kouga picked the right Kaoru at the end by just knowing which one was her, by the connection to her memory. And then he DRANK HER SOUL and hugged her and started chanting and then KISSED HER TO PUT HER SOUL BACK IN HER BODY.
It was so incredibly satisfying.
The pacing of the episode was great and then Kouga actually laughed at the end and then she rested her head on his shoulder and I am really glad I managed to get there with this ship, because it was so much better being a fan of them.
Not that I wouldn't totally, totally do Kouga/Rei, mind. I'd totally buy that porno doujinshi. But as far as actual emotional investment goes... yeah, I'm pretty firmly with canon this time around. Thank god, it's hard not being fond of a pairing when it goes canon. D:
Anyway. Moving on.
I also continue to love the special effects. In episode four, Kouga started lighting his armor ON FIRE. GREEN FIRE, it was so great. And I really love that the fight scenes aren't predictable, that's one of the things that attracts me so hard to Kamen Rider, that they'll occasionally change things up a lot. GARO does it even more, each fight is really sort of based around the Horror's powers/abilities to a certain extent. Of course there's always going to be the sword fighting and Kouga flipping around like a mad flippy thing, but there's been a surprising amount of variety even in just the first six episodes, much less the whole first half of the series! Some of the fights are seriously hot, too, episode six was one of my favorites for the fight with the hot chick in the slinky dress with the thigh-high cut in it.
Episode 08 had a super creepy Horror as well, with the chick who could detach her arms and was, apparently, a serial killer who collected fingers even before she got eaten by a Horror but mostly I spent that episode going, "....okay, it's not just me, that bar is giving off some serious Faiz flashbacks, right?" I couldn't stop thinking about Lucky Clover the entire time they were in that bar, the way it was filmed, the angles and the soft filter and even the way the bartender lady looked so similar. It was filmed after Faiz was, right? It was 2003 while GARO was 2005/2006? Given that Fujita Ray was in both series, I sort of wonder if it was on purpose.
Oh, the other Horrors of note--episode 09 had one that looked straight out of a Tim Burton movie and, dude, if you want me to love your show, just give it a vaguely Tim Burton feel and I am there. Especially if you make it an awesome and fast-paced fight! Episode 10 had the creepy as fuck clown with the puppets and well. It's real form kind of reminded me of Killer Klowns from Outer Space (which is a great movie, I will hear no haters), which only made me love the show more. It was a clown-style Horror that fought by miming. Awesome. :Db Rei slicing his puppets in half was pretty great, too.
And I was sort of wary of Fujitay Ray's role on the series, because he didn't do much for me in Faiz (which is more to do with the character than the actor) but Rei's entrance onto the show? Rescuing Kaoru from the thugs by beating the shit out of them? That was hot. So was their dual fight against the hot chick Horror, that was some gorgeous choreography. *__*
Naturally, he is totally crazypants, but is awesome about it. Episode 07 with the fight scene in the tight, confined space of the empty building, yet the both of them were really moving? That just might have been my favorite fight scene in the series yet. Well, either that or when they took about five seconds to dispatch the Horror and then went after each other as Gold and Silver and that was a truly fucking epic fight, holy shit.
But I also loved the fight against the golden armor in episode 09, it was completely awesome. *__* Especially because he got a level up and GOT A PRETTY GOLD HORSIE AND A BIG ASS SWORD. AWESOME.
You know what else I loved? In the fight against the Horror who kidnapped Kaoru, Kouga seriously was not messing around, he doesn't just half-ass it even with the little things. When the Horror flips the coin over Kouga's head, he is LIGHTNING FAST at grabbing it out of the air and stealing it, so fast that you don't even see him do it until he shows that its in his hand. a;lsdkjfa;slkj I love a good bad-ass main character. ♥
I also watched two more episodes of Decade. I may not ever quite entirely catch up, but I sort of don't want to, it's my newest shiny thing! If I catch up, I WILL BE OUT OF EPISODES TO WATCH. (Despite that I've still got Agito and Blade and Hibiki and Black to watch still. orz) Anyway spoilers for the episodes mentioned.
Kamen Rider Decade - episode 05-06: So, episode 05 finished up the Kiva world storyline and I still don't know why they went with little!Wataru since a) Seto Kouji was just there and b) wait, where's Taiga? I know it's AU and all, but my gay incest otp, you guys. D:
In some ways I like that they're going all out AU with these series because I don't want them just using previous series' coattails to be awesome, I want Decade to be its own thing, but also because... well. The further AU they go, the less I'll be heart broken if my favorite bits aren't kept intact. LIKE NO TAIGA. D:
Anyway, ep five had a good moment with Tsukasa saying that he was a destroyer (in the conversation with Wataru in the cafe) with an odd look on his face, like it kind of does bother him a little bit. That people just assume he's going to destroy everything, that maybe he might be destroying things. But, in his own prickly way, he does spur Wataru on when he doesn't want to open up to people anymore because he's afraid he'll eat them.
The episode was also cool because it was kinda neat to see the Kiva armor on a bad guy--not that you don't sort of get that with Dark Kiva, but it's not the same thing. On the other hand, what was not neat to see? What Tsukasa did to Kiva when turning him into a weapon. a;sdlfkjasl;kj the legs oh my god. The horrible, horrible wrongness of the spear! *horrified*
(That said, part of me cannot fucking wait until we get to Kabuto, except I fear I am doomed to be let down. They cannot possibly have as epic a Tsukasa vs Tendou bitch fight as is being built up in my mind.)
At least it ended well with the dual Rider Kick attacks and Yuusuke with baby Wataru! ♥ Then ON TO RYUKI!
Which is kind of totally fucked up and I don't even know what to do with it. Various Riders fight it out to see who wins and they decide the fate of the person on trial? With pretty much no knowledge of the case itself, it's just personal opinion? That is their trial system?
Okay, Kamen Rider, look.
I can swallow a lot of bullshit with minimal bitching because I get that you're aimed at kids and the onee-san-tachi in the audience are going to overthink things that shouldn't be overthought.
But.
Seriously?
No, seriously?
That's so retarded that I cannot even begin. I'm just going to have to move right along. Because Tsukasa clearly having a GREAT time teasing Natsumi about being a murder suspect and how she can't use her thumb technique on him when she's in handcuffs, all of that is great. His smug grin at her just makes me want. l;aksdjf;aslkj just makes me want her to throw him down to the floor already!
GOD, WHY DO I HAVE TO LIKE THE HET IN A FANDOM THAT'S NEVER GOING TO GIVE IT TO ME?
But the episode did try to make up the lack of makeouts to me. By having Tsukasa be totally hot as he's all full of himself as he transforms. And then KIVA FORM! Because, well, a bat for a bat! And ILLUSION VERSUS TRICK VENT, YESSSSS. ♥
I'm sort of undecided how I feel about these versions of Shinji and Ren, since I don't really know enough about the originals to make that judgement call. They... do seem kind of WTF, though, right? Not that pretty much everything from Decade's AU worlds aren't WTF. XD Also, hey, Shinji and Ren were SUPER GAY at each other, always a plus!
And, finally. Shinkenger - episode 03: ....did Chiaki just have several retainers carry him out to practice? I kind of love him and Takeru getting on his case was pretty lolzy, too. I can't say I feel Chiaki's character as much as I wish I did/the rest of fandom seems to love him, but I certainly like him. This episode focused on him a lot and, of course, I'm starting to see where the Takeru/Chiaki comes from, but, well. I imprinted on Takeru/Ryounousuke early on, I almost always ship Red/Blue, and Ryounousuke was kind of there in the middle of the Takeru/Chiaki scenes a lot. It keeps me stuck on that pairing. D:
I mean, right away in the beginning, as soon as Chiaki is a lazyass, Ryounousuke immediately jumps all over him and it's just. Takeru's life is full of moronic children, seriously. ♥
One of the things I actually really liked about this episode is that Chiaki's friends got to see him transform! I haven't seen that a lot in Sentai or even KR, where it's like their secret identities are used to build up suspense to the point it makes me want to claw at things. Here, Chiaki just goes right ahead and transforms in front of them! But, well, they give the bad guys their full names every time they fight, so I suppose it'd be pointless to hide it from their friends. XD
I loved pretty much NO ONE LISTENING as Chiaki says he can fight the Gedoshu's second life on his own. XD And I loved that he finally calls Takeru "Tono", especially because Chiaki got that it was Takeru's presence and insight during the fight that was the reason they succeeded. He got why Takeru is their leader.
I admit. I am very weak to that kind of thing.
....bleh, I didn't didn't have much of interest to say about this episode, I know. orz
I've also started watching Kamen Rider Blade because, well. I finished Kiva and Ryuki isn't finished being subbed yet, so. I'm only eight episodes in, so spoilers for that far. I think... I'm probably going to sound like I'm coming off as crabby at first, but I swear by episode eight I was really kind of digging this series.
Kamen Rider Blade - episode 01-08: There were some things that really irritated me a lot early on in the series, but it's not entirely Blade's fault. The big problem was that I couldn't tell any of the characters apart, I had to look up episode guides on-line to tell who was doing what and their relationships to each other. It took me about SEVEN EPISODES to finally be able to tell everyone apart and-- well, I'm still not sure I could pick any of them out of a lineup if they changed their hair or something, but I can at least mostly tell them apart now. Tachibana got easier after awhile, but Hajima and Kenzaki still give me problems sometimes.
And I had trouble with Hirose's characterization early on. Even knowing that it wasn't really Kenzaki that she was exploding at, when he learned that Tachibana's body was being destroyed by the Rider System, that the same thing would happen to him, and he expressed concern/fear and she blew up at him like it was his fault? I was trying to like her, but that kind of put a serious damper on my ability to be okay with her. It could kill him! And yet it's his fault?
I know that she was rebelling against the idea that Karasuma might be responsible for the mess they found themselves in, but. That still didn't make it okay to blame others. I mean, hell, she could have picked up the suit herself and gone off to fight. (Assuming this isn't another series where only the aliens can use the suits or something.)
THAT OUT OF THE WAY. I actually do like Hirose! Once she got over that and accepted that the people she cared about and looked up to (Karasuma and her father) might very well be responsible for unsealing the Undead, she got a lot better. And I get that she was being a flawed person in that scene and she came around by the end of the episode and, also, I was overthinking it. So, given a little time, I've come around on her character and like her pretty well now.
T...to the point that I kind of want to ship her with Tachibana. I know that he has the girl that he keeps going to when he needs to sleep and they are very cute! Totally sweet and adorable. But Tachibana and Hirose had that whole hatesex vibe going on, the kind that could turn into something more about mutual comfort and then maybe something real. I... I kind of wanted it for awhile. We'll see how their characters develop, I guess.
The other thing that bothers me is that certain characters are kind of stupid and it's not really Blade's fault, but I'm coming off Kiva, so my patience is really low for it. The not explaining shit thing. I was all set to think, hey! Characters who think stuff through! when Kenzaki caught a clue that maybe Hajime was Chalice, but then he immediately lost them when he stopped Tachibana from going after the Undead without explaining that, you know, they needed to find its anti-venom first because lives were at stake. He had time for it! Instead, he just barged in and transformed and told Tachibana to stop, so OF COURSE it looks all wrong to Tachibana!
Even after he managed to keep Tachibana away long enough that Chalice could get the anti-venom, he still didn't really properly explain it. And it was just one thing, the rest of the series isn't so bad, but I'd had far more than my fill of that on Kiva, plus I was frustrated at not being able to tell anyone apart and it was kind of SUPER OBVIOUS that Hajime was Chalice and so it sort of snowballed.
Though, I would feel worse for Tachibana, except he kind of did the same thing early on, too. But he's a dumbass and apparently meant to come across as kind of a dumbass and stubborn and secretive, so I can look past it. Even if it's only fair that Tachibana get crap for not wanting to listen to Kenzaki, despite that he'd just done the same thing a few episodes ago.
Anyway. ANYWAY. Things I do like! Being able to tell them all apart! And I am totally ALL OVER Amane's bond with Hajime and how much he cares about her, even if the rest of the world can kind of go to hell as far as he's concerned. Her saying that she wouldn't even care if he was a monster, she'd be fine with that? ADORABLE.
The whole entire storyline with the bomb in their restaurant? Where he's trapped by the other Undead guy because he doesn't want them to die? But then eventually escapes out of there and runs full tilt towards the restaurant, getting there just in time to throw the bomb out the window in a really awesome moment? YES PLZ.
I'm also genuinely intrigued by the plot. It took awhile for me to warm up to it, but I have to say, for only eight episodes, A LOT of stuff has already happened. I can't imagine how many more twists and turns the storyline is going to take with the rest of the series--and I genuinely want to know how it's all going to unfold, too.
I kind of love that there's a reason Tachibana is so fail, even if it's his own fear that's eating him up from the inside. I'm not sure I trust Karasuma on this, but it was an interesting turn to take. I find Tachibana's attempts to live a normal life, then obviously being tested with an Undead attacking the shopping mall, all of that interesting.
I find the story behind the suits interesting, too! Between Kiva not really explaining it that much and Decade sort of glossing over it for now and watching a lot of Sentai, it's been awhile since I've seen something like Kabuto or Faiz, where they actually went into the story behind the suits themselves, I've missed that! I mean, I'm sort of wary that this is going to be another one of those series where only the race of bad guys (or those who are partial bad-guy-race) can wear the suits, since Hajime is obviously an Undead, but.
Well, actually, mostly I'm sort of wary that this series is going to be another one where using the suits harms the person and everyone I like is going to end up dead by the end. I know Karasuma says the flaw isn't in his Rider System, but a) I do not trust him and b) that doesn't mean fear can't creep in and destroy a person anyway.
I do find it interesting that emotion affects the level of effectiveness of the suits and that apparently Kenzaki can get a ridiculously high number and pull Hajime's numbers up along with him. I also kind of totally love the card motif and I love that Tachibana and Kenzaki have to carry their belt buckles around everywhere, but Hajime's just appears out of thin air when he summons it. And I LOVE the stream of cards that gets spit out to solidify into the belt! I love an explanation--even if it's a silly one--for how they get their belts on before a fight. XD
Also, the bad guys? Have the least effective foot soldiers EVER. XD
Annnnnd Hurricanger to wrap this up. I've started watching it because, well. Everyone makes it sound kind of totally awesome. Idk, spoilers for the first three episodes?
Hurricanger - episode 01-03: I think I went into Hurricanger with certain expectations, that this would be kind of like an earlier Go-Onger, which was sort of a mistake on my part. It's not as cracked out as I was expecting, even if it is still pretty cracked out.
But it got my attention right away for two things--one, a hot cast! Excellent! More than one person I would totally hit! I am shallow, I accept this. Two, another series that starts out with a trio, yay! And another series with Blue as a girl! I'm still kind of surprised by this, since I've dealt with so many male Blues. Except it kind of delights me because I lol a lot at the male Blues. :D :D :D But really the best thing? BLUE WAS SECOND IN THE LINEUP. Admittedly, there are only three characters, two boys and a girl, but still! SHE WAS SECOND IN THE LINEUP. AWESOME.
So, the first episode started off pretty great. Our main characters survive the alien attack because they were skipping class, awesome. And then, to survive that same attack, the teacher has to cast a spell on himself to get rid of the ofuda, which means he TURNS HIMSELF INTO A HAMSTER. AND GETS STUCK THAT WAY. But he can still talk! So, so much lol.
Also, the aliens? A GIANT SPACE CENTIPEDE. God, I love it already.
The opening is also kind of a total fucking earworm, I am kind of getting it stuck in my head, augh.
Okay, so my favorite moment so far? Episode two, when two of the Seven Spears (two of which are female again! and pretty prominent so far!) are arguing back and forth, when one of them goes, "Enough talking! Show your face!" And the big dude that was arguing with him opens his face plate and this tiny little centipede squeaks out, "Shut up!" I LOLLED SO HARD.
I am going to seriously love these bad guys, I suspect.
I don't really have any ships so far, but... I dunno, there was a moment in episode two when Nanami came out in her red kimono after her enka performance and Yousuke was in his blue window washer uniform and she sat down primly with her hands in her lap and he gave her this look and I noticed their colors and just. I would not be opposed to shipping Red/Blue again? It hasn't really held up into episode three, but I wouldn't mind it, either.
Also, I don't even care that the second episode brought in the mechas again (which is always my least favorite part of any Sentai series, I'm just not that into formulaic giant robot battles that I can set my watch to), because I was too busy lolling at a cruise liner being turned into a giant dolphin and a ferris wheel/roller coaster that was IN USE AT THE TIME being turned into a giant lion. Just. Loooooool.
I also love that the three of them are all WHY AREN'T WE ON THE NEWS, WE SHOULD TOTALLY BE FAMOUS BY NOW and that we got our answer by the end of the episode. Just. Sending ninjas out to erase people's memories! Lolz! Also, Nanami vs Nanami in that episode was kinda hot. *__*
I'm sort of intrigued by how... episode 2 had a copy giant for the giant robot fight. Episode 3 had a spell that regenerated the monster into a giant robot fight. I just... what's this? Variety? In Sentai? Does... does it last?
Who knows if this'll be the next Sentai of my heart, but. I definitely enjoyed these episodes already. XD
Including the dudes.
Especially the dudes.
It makes me endlessly lol.
Seriously, when 4chan is a more happy, positive place than you are, you guys need to lighten up. (Not that I need everyone to like the show, it's fine if you don't! I just hate the endless negativity and the TOTALLY MISSING THE FUCKING POINT. It kind of makes me deeply frustrated.)
Anyway. Speaking of Kabuto.
1) I... I do not know what to make of the preview pic for the Kabuto world/the new Tendou. I'm... reserving judgement, I guess? .__.
2) I've been rewatching some Kabuto raw episodes for screencaps, which means I know what's going on in the scenes, but I'm not paying attention to reading the subtitles on the screen, which means I occasionally notice something I didn't catch before.
And I'm on episode 29 and I just noticed something that really cracked me up. It's not really a spoiler, just a really amusing moment.
Kabuto Ep 29, just after a new Rider has appeared in the previous ep and the next one starts with Kagami and Tendou talking about it. Kagami comes out of the La Salle kitchen area with two cups of tea and hands one over to Tendou.
Who goes to drink it, but obviously doesn't actually take a sip, because he just has it in range, then looks at it, shakes his head at it, and then sliiiiides it over the corner of the table. Kagami doesn't even notice, because he's too busy off and running when talking about the new Rider and Tendou just banishes it to the far corner and. It's kind of really awesome.
Siobhan and I agree that we think it's one of those things that thy're both sort of used to. That Kagami never ACTUALLY expected Tendou to drink the tea, but they have an unspoken agreement. :|
Tendou won't openly bitch about the tea if Kagami makes sure to at least be a proper host and serve it. :|
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Still. It's awesome when those little bits of things that could have been fanon were in the show all along. I love how much Kabuto really managed to pack into its scenes, despite that it was mostly an action show. o/
I'm also slowly making my way through GARO which, yes, totally got even more interesting once you get to the middle episodes. <3 Spoilers for everything listed, of course.
GARO episodes 04-13: One of the biggest things that I've been pleased with over the course of these episodes is that I've been coming around a lot on Kaoru, which means I've been enjoying her scenes with Kouga a lot more. I suspect a lot of it is probably just that I enjoy the raised by wolves het, as Meg says, more than I enjoy her as a character for her own sake, but, whatever. As long as I'm enjoying the scenes, that's all that matters.
Episode five was the start of it for me, I think, because you got to see even more of Kouga being kind of totally emotionally inept and not having a response for when Kaoru (who Kouga feels is underfoot too much) says, "Aren't you the one who said 'stay close to me'?" and he doesn't have a response to that. Hilarious for the look on Kouga's face and because it highlights what an emotional idiot he is. I love it.
But the other thing that really turned me around on Kouga/Kaoru in that episode is she cooked dinner. And it went about as well as it was expected! Kouga makes Gonza try it first, who is like nooooo! I was already kind of dying of lol.
But then Gonza tries it. And runs off to vomit instantly. Kouga and Kaoru stare after him. Kouga looks down to stare at the dish Gonza just tried. He TRIES IT ANYWAY.
And then he says it's terrible but he supposes her face reminds me of him mother's. ....oh, poor hot baby, you really do have the social skills of someone raised by wolves, don't you?
So, the first five minutes of episode 04 did more for me re: Kouga/Kaoru than the entire first three episodes combined, but that's okay because, well. As long as I get there eventually. And now I can enjoy scenes like the one from that same episode, where Kaoru is sketching Kouga and thinking about how she never really had a family, which I find a lot more interesting now.
Plus, you know. They totally make fun of Kouga sometimes. When she asks Gonza, "How long has he had that bad mood?" because he's still being a cranky pants, Gonza replies with, "Please say he's 'cool' instead." a s;ldfkjas;lkjalkj AHAHAHAHAHA, oh god, just when I can't love their retarded family any more than I already did.
BUT APPARENTLY I CAN. Because even Zaruba totally gives Kouga shit all the time. And, if the recap episode is anything to go by, it totally ships Kouga/Kaoru, too. I really love that Kouga has all these people around him who obviously care about him (and the same is true for Kaoru, because she needed people to care about her and give her shit in a way that she can give right back, too) but don't take him seriously all the time. Or people like Gonza who've known him since he was a little baby and are totally his family.
I sort of wondered how that was going to turn out at first, actually. Because the potential was there for super awesome when Kouga was a kid, but would they really go there (that Gonza was really close to him as a kid, that he was totally a mommy figure for Kouga, etc.) or if it was just fannish wishful thinking because that's what I wanted to see happen. Gonza mentioned in episode four that he was Kouga's only family (while they gave us another gratuitous Kouga training scene, thank you, GARO), but it wasn't until episode 12 that I really got my answer.
LITTLE BABY KOUGA OMG. Little baby Kouga looking at the window full of toys and he seemed barely a step above being a little street urchin who never had a toy to play with and then his little face lit up and I was kind of clutching at my heart.
And then his dad was kind of a dick about a kid making a mistake! Like, I get that Kouga had probably been told over and over not to trust strangers, but then went ahead and did it anyway and made a real mess, but just smacking your kid like that? Not even explaining anything to him? But then he saved Kouga's life at the end by sacrificing himself and Taiga touching little baby Kouga's face for the last time was just. a s;ldfkjasl;kj; aaauuuugggh.
Okay, I still think he was a little bit of a dick and Kouga apparently didn't have much of a childhood at all, but he obviously loved his son in his own way, so I'll sit on the fence for awhile longer. (I was kind of surprised that his death wasn't that long, he seemed to die pretty quickly? Didn't Rei taunt Kouga that his dad's death was a lot more painful than that? Idk.) But! The episode also gave us Gonza with little baby Kouga!! Toweling his hair off while Kouga laughed! Tucking him into bed and reading to him and all the things I'd hoped for! al;skdjfa;lsjksljk EXCELLENT.
But it's not just in the past that you get super hilarious yet adorable scenes. Episode six seriously had some of my favorite scenes with Kouga's hand getting injured and everyone is trying to fuss over him, including Kaoru, who goes to get the liquor bottle to sterilize it--though, I've never seen the technique of taking a mouthful and then apparently planning to spit it on the wound? idk--and Kouga just lets her go, casually moving his hand out of the way at the last second so she sprays it all over Gonza. Awesome.
And, if that weren't awesome enough, she tries a second time and he just casually tilts the bottle up which forces her to chug half the bottle and a;lsdkfja;lskj oh, sweet, raised by wolves hot baby. I love you a lot. Episode 07 really built on it as well, when he was working on trying to save Kaoru and then in episode 08, she's drawing him! And he tells her to get lost! She clearly gets under his skin! I wanted them to have babies so bad, you don't even know.
I mean, she later draws him while he's sleeping and winds up talking to the ring! And EVEN THE RING KNOWS that they're stupid for each other! And then Kouga wakes up and demands to see her drawing!
Ever since she came along, he's starting to have real expressions on his face! Okay, so they're anger like when he's facing off against the golden armor in episode 09, but a real expression is a real expression! He even sort of manages to give compliments! End of that episode, he tilts her face up and says, "You look pretty today." Which, okay, totally weirds her out because it was so completely random, but! It was mostly a sort of normal compliment!
And the story of that episode was really nicely done, the way Kouga and Kaoru's stories about their struggle to understand/follow in their father's footsteps, his father's sword, her father's painting. When the plot of an episode is structured well like that, it makes it a lot easier to get onboard with the ship and like both of them as characters separately as well as together.
Of course, the very next episode he goes back to watching her sleep and I start lolling really hard. But also carrying her princess style after the big fight of the episode!
Episode 11 was the big one for them, though, of course. It starts with Kaoru asking Kouga to go on a gameshow with her and you have to love someone who suggests that with complete sincerity. I didn't think I was ever going to stop laughing. Certainly not when she was like WELL FINE I WILL JUST GO ASK REI THEN and Kouga got all pissy and told her to go away. EMOTIONAL MATURITY OF A FIVE YEAR OLD. I LOVE IT.
But, really, she didn't want it for selfish reasons, not entirely. Sure, she wanted the prize, but even more than that, she wanted to see Kouga enjoying a game like a normal person, said with this really touching expression on her face. Sure, he drives her crazy and he's kinda obnoxious, but she cares about him and wanted to see him do something normal. "I still haven't seen Kouga smile... I wanted to see that." Awww, my heart.
The whole episode took their connection a lot further and I think I was in just the right place for it to happen, the way Kouga picked the right Kaoru at the end by just knowing which one was her, by the connection to her memory. And then he DRANK HER SOUL and hugged her and started chanting and then KISSED HER TO PUT HER SOUL BACK IN HER BODY.
It was so incredibly satisfying.
The pacing of the episode was great and then Kouga actually laughed at the end and then she rested her head on his shoulder and I am really glad I managed to get there with this ship, because it was so much better being a fan of them.
Not that I wouldn't totally, totally do Kouga/Rei, mind. I'd totally buy that porno doujinshi. But as far as actual emotional investment goes... yeah, I'm pretty firmly with canon this time around. Thank god, it's hard not being fond of a pairing when it goes canon. D:
Anyway. Moving on.
I also continue to love the special effects. In episode four, Kouga started lighting his armor ON FIRE. GREEN FIRE, it was so great. And I really love that the fight scenes aren't predictable, that's one of the things that attracts me so hard to Kamen Rider, that they'll occasionally change things up a lot. GARO does it even more, each fight is really sort of based around the Horror's powers/abilities to a certain extent. Of course there's always going to be the sword fighting and Kouga flipping around like a mad flippy thing, but there's been a surprising amount of variety even in just the first six episodes, much less the whole first half of the series! Some of the fights are seriously hot, too, episode six was one of my favorites for the fight with the hot chick in the slinky dress with the thigh-high cut in it.
Episode 08 had a super creepy Horror as well, with the chick who could detach her arms and was, apparently, a serial killer who collected fingers even before she got eaten by a Horror but mostly I spent that episode going, "....okay, it's not just me, that bar is giving off some serious Faiz flashbacks, right?" I couldn't stop thinking about Lucky Clover the entire time they were in that bar, the way it was filmed, the angles and the soft filter and even the way the bartender lady looked so similar. It was filmed after Faiz was, right? It was 2003 while GARO was 2005/2006? Given that Fujita Ray was in both series, I sort of wonder if it was on purpose.
Oh, the other Horrors of note--episode 09 had one that looked straight out of a Tim Burton movie and, dude, if you want me to love your show, just give it a vaguely Tim Burton feel and I am there. Especially if you make it an awesome and fast-paced fight! Episode 10 had the creepy as fuck clown with the puppets and well. It's real form kind of reminded me of Killer Klowns from Outer Space (which is a great movie, I will hear no haters), which only made me love the show more. It was a clown-style Horror that fought by miming. Awesome. :Db Rei slicing his puppets in half was pretty great, too.
And I was sort of wary of Fujitay Ray's role on the series, because he didn't do much for me in Faiz (which is more to do with the character than the actor) but Rei's entrance onto the show? Rescuing Kaoru from the thugs by beating the shit out of them? That was hot. So was their dual fight against the hot chick Horror, that was some gorgeous choreography. *__*
Naturally, he is totally crazypants, but is awesome about it. Episode 07 with the fight scene in the tight, confined space of the empty building, yet the both of them were really moving? That just might have been my favorite fight scene in the series yet. Well, either that or when they took about five seconds to dispatch the Horror and then went after each other as Gold and Silver and that was a truly fucking epic fight, holy shit.
But I also loved the fight against the golden armor in episode 09, it was completely awesome. *__* Especially because he got a level up and GOT A PRETTY GOLD HORSIE AND A BIG ASS SWORD. AWESOME.
You know what else I loved? In the fight against the Horror who kidnapped Kaoru, Kouga seriously was not messing around, he doesn't just half-ass it even with the little things. When the Horror flips the coin over Kouga's head, he is LIGHTNING FAST at grabbing it out of the air and stealing it, so fast that you don't even see him do it until he shows that its in his hand. a;lsdkjfa;slkj I love a good bad-ass main character. ♥
I also watched two more episodes of Decade. I may not ever quite entirely catch up, but I sort of don't want to, it's my newest shiny thing! If I catch up, I WILL BE OUT OF EPISODES TO WATCH. (Despite that I've still got Agito and Blade and Hibiki and Black to watch still. orz) Anyway spoilers for the episodes mentioned.
Kamen Rider Decade - episode 05-06: So, episode 05 finished up the Kiva world storyline and I still don't know why they went with little!Wataru since a) Seto Kouji was just there and b) wait, where's Taiga? I know it's AU and all, but my gay incest otp, you guys. D:
In some ways I like that they're going all out AU with these series because I don't want them just using previous series' coattails to be awesome, I want Decade to be its own thing, but also because... well. The further AU they go, the less I'll be heart broken if my favorite bits aren't kept intact. LIKE NO TAIGA. D:
Anyway, ep five had a good moment with Tsukasa saying that he was a destroyer (in the conversation with Wataru in the cafe) with an odd look on his face, like it kind of does bother him a little bit. That people just assume he's going to destroy everything, that maybe he might be destroying things. But, in his own prickly way, he does spur Wataru on when he doesn't want to open up to people anymore because he's afraid he'll eat them.
The episode was also cool because it was kinda neat to see the Kiva armor on a bad guy--not that you don't sort of get that with Dark Kiva, but it's not the same thing. On the other hand, what was not neat to see? What Tsukasa did to Kiva when turning him into a weapon. a;sdlfkjasl;kj the legs oh my god. The horrible, horrible wrongness of the spear! *horrified*
(That said, part of me cannot fucking wait until we get to Kabuto, except I fear I am doomed to be let down. They cannot possibly have as epic a Tsukasa vs Tendou bitch fight as is being built up in my mind.)
At least it ended well with the dual Rider Kick attacks and Yuusuke with baby Wataru! ♥ Then ON TO RYUKI!
Which is kind of totally fucked up and I don't even know what to do with it. Various Riders fight it out to see who wins and they decide the fate of the person on trial? With pretty much no knowledge of the case itself, it's just personal opinion? That is their trial system?
Okay, Kamen Rider, look.
I can swallow a lot of bullshit with minimal bitching because I get that you're aimed at kids and the onee-san-tachi in the audience are going to overthink things that shouldn't be overthought.
But.
Seriously?
No, seriously?
That's so retarded that I cannot even begin. I'm just going to have to move right along. Because Tsukasa clearly having a GREAT time teasing Natsumi about being a murder suspect and how she can't use her thumb technique on him when she's in handcuffs, all of that is great. His smug grin at her just makes me want. l;aksdjf;aslkj just makes me want her to throw him down to the floor already!
GOD, WHY DO I HAVE TO LIKE THE HET IN A FANDOM THAT'S NEVER GOING TO GIVE IT TO ME?
But the episode did try to make up the lack of makeouts to me. By having Tsukasa be totally hot as he's all full of himself as he transforms. And then KIVA FORM! Because, well, a bat for a bat! And ILLUSION VERSUS TRICK VENT, YESSSSS. ♥
I'm sort of undecided how I feel about these versions of Shinji and Ren, since I don't really know enough about the originals to make that judgement call. They... do seem kind of WTF, though, right? Not that pretty much everything from Decade's AU worlds aren't WTF. XD Also, hey, Shinji and Ren were SUPER GAY at each other, always a plus!
And, finally. Shinkenger - episode 03: ....did Chiaki just have several retainers carry him out to practice? I kind of love him and Takeru getting on his case was pretty lolzy, too. I can't say I feel Chiaki's character as much as I wish I did/the rest of fandom seems to love him, but I certainly like him. This episode focused on him a lot and, of course, I'm starting to see where the Takeru/Chiaki comes from, but, well. I imprinted on Takeru/Ryounousuke early on, I almost always ship Red/Blue, and Ryounousuke was kind of there in the middle of the Takeru/Chiaki scenes a lot. It keeps me stuck on that pairing. D:
I mean, right away in the beginning, as soon as Chiaki is a lazyass, Ryounousuke immediately jumps all over him and it's just. Takeru's life is full of moronic children, seriously. ♥
One of the things I actually really liked about this episode is that Chiaki's friends got to see him transform! I haven't seen that a lot in Sentai or even KR, where it's like their secret identities are used to build up suspense to the point it makes me want to claw at things. Here, Chiaki just goes right ahead and transforms in front of them! But, well, they give the bad guys their full names every time they fight, so I suppose it'd be pointless to hide it from their friends. XD
I loved pretty much NO ONE LISTENING as Chiaki says he can fight the Gedoshu's second life on his own. XD And I loved that he finally calls Takeru "Tono", especially because Chiaki got that it was Takeru's presence and insight during the fight that was the reason they succeeded. He got why Takeru is their leader.
I admit. I am very weak to that kind of thing.
....bleh, I didn't didn't have much of interest to say about this episode, I know. orz
I've also started watching Kamen Rider Blade because, well. I finished Kiva and Ryuki isn't finished being subbed yet, so. I'm only eight episodes in, so spoilers for that far. I think... I'm probably going to sound like I'm coming off as crabby at first, but I swear by episode eight I was really kind of digging this series.
Kamen Rider Blade - episode 01-08: There were some things that really irritated me a lot early on in the series, but it's not entirely Blade's fault. The big problem was that I couldn't tell any of the characters apart, I had to look up episode guides on-line to tell who was doing what and their relationships to each other. It took me about SEVEN EPISODES to finally be able to tell everyone apart and-- well, I'm still not sure I could pick any of them out of a lineup if they changed their hair or something, but I can at least mostly tell them apart now. Tachibana got easier after awhile, but Hajima and Kenzaki still give me problems sometimes.
And I had trouble with Hirose's characterization early on. Even knowing that it wasn't really Kenzaki that she was exploding at, when he learned that Tachibana's body was being destroyed by the Rider System, that the same thing would happen to him, and he expressed concern/fear and she blew up at him like it was his fault? I was trying to like her, but that kind of put a serious damper on my ability to be okay with her. It could kill him! And yet it's his fault?
I know that she was rebelling against the idea that Karasuma might be responsible for the mess they found themselves in, but. That still didn't make it okay to blame others. I mean, hell, she could have picked up the suit herself and gone off to fight. (Assuming this isn't another series where only the aliens can use the suits or something.)
THAT OUT OF THE WAY. I actually do like Hirose! Once she got over that and accepted that the people she cared about and looked up to (Karasuma and her father) might very well be responsible for unsealing the Undead, she got a lot better. And I get that she was being a flawed person in that scene and she came around by the end of the episode and, also, I was overthinking it. So, given a little time, I've come around on her character and like her pretty well now.
T...to the point that I kind of want to ship her with Tachibana. I know that he has the girl that he keeps going to when he needs to sleep and they are very cute! Totally sweet and adorable. But Tachibana and Hirose had that whole hatesex vibe going on, the kind that could turn into something more about mutual comfort and then maybe something real. I... I kind of wanted it for awhile. We'll see how their characters develop, I guess.
The other thing that bothers me is that certain characters are kind of stupid and it's not really Blade's fault, but I'm coming off Kiva, so my patience is really low for it. The not explaining shit thing. I was all set to think, hey! Characters who think stuff through! when Kenzaki caught a clue that maybe Hajime was Chalice, but then he immediately lost them when he stopped Tachibana from going after the Undead without explaining that, you know, they needed to find its anti-venom first because lives were at stake. He had time for it! Instead, he just barged in and transformed and told Tachibana to stop, so OF COURSE it looks all wrong to Tachibana!
Even after he managed to keep Tachibana away long enough that Chalice could get the anti-venom, he still didn't really properly explain it. And it was just one thing, the rest of the series isn't so bad, but I'd had far more than my fill of that on Kiva, plus I was frustrated at not being able to tell anyone apart and it was kind of SUPER OBVIOUS that Hajime was Chalice and so it sort of snowballed.
Though, I would feel worse for Tachibana, except he kind of did the same thing early on, too. But he's a dumbass and apparently meant to come across as kind of a dumbass and stubborn and secretive, so I can look past it. Even if it's only fair that Tachibana get crap for not wanting to listen to Kenzaki, despite that he'd just done the same thing a few episodes ago.
Anyway. ANYWAY. Things I do like! Being able to tell them all apart! And I am totally ALL OVER Amane's bond with Hajime and how much he cares about her, even if the rest of the world can kind of go to hell as far as he's concerned. Her saying that she wouldn't even care if he was a monster, she'd be fine with that? ADORABLE.
The whole entire storyline with the bomb in their restaurant? Where he's trapped by the other Undead guy because he doesn't want them to die? But then eventually escapes out of there and runs full tilt towards the restaurant, getting there just in time to throw the bomb out the window in a really awesome moment? YES PLZ.
I'm also genuinely intrigued by the plot. It took awhile for me to warm up to it, but I have to say, for only eight episodes, A LOT of stuff has already happened. I can't imagine how many more twists and turns the storyline is going to take with the rest of the series--and I genuinely want to know how it's all going to unfold, too.
I kind of love that there's a reason Tachibana is so fail, even if it's his own fear that's eating him up from the inside. I'm not sure I trust Karasuma on this, but it was an interesting turn to take. I find Tachibana's attempts to live a normal life, then obviously being tested with an Undead attacking the shopping mall, all of that interesting.
I find the story behind the suits interesting, too! Between Kiva not really explaining it that much and Decade sort of glossing over it for now and watching a lot of Sentai, it's been awhile since I've seen something like Kabuto or Faiz, where they actually went into the story behind the suits themselves, I've missed that! I mean, I'm sort of wary that this is going to be another one of those series where only the race of bad guys (or those who are partial bad-guy-race) can wear the suits, since Hajime is obviously an Undead, but.
Well, actually, mostly I'm sort of wary that this series is going to be another one where using the suits harms the person and everyone I like is going to end up dead by the end. I know Karasuma says the flaw isn't in his Rider System, but a) I do not trust him and b) that doesn't mean fear can't creep in and destroy a person anyway.
I do find it interesting that emotion affects the level of effectiveness of the suits and that apparently Kenzaki can get a ridiculously high number and pull Hajime's numbers up along with him. I also kind of totally love the card motif and I love that Tachibana and Kenzaki have to carry their belt buckles around everywhere, but Hajime's just appears out of thin air when he summons it. And I LOVE the stream of cards that gets spit out to solidify into the belt! I love an explanation--even if it's a silly one--for how they get their belts on before a fight. XD
Also, the bad guys? Have the least effective foot soldiers EVER. XD
Annnnnd Hurricanger to wrap this up. I've started watching it because, well. Everyone makes it sound kind of totally awesome. Idk, spoilers for the first three episodes?
Hurricanger - episode 01-03: I think I went into Hurricanger with certain expectations, that this would be kind of like an earlier Go-Onger, which was sort of a mistake on my part. It's not as cracked out as I was expecting, even if it is still pretty cracked out.
But it got my attention right away for two things--one, a hot cast! Excellent! More than one person I would totally hit! I am shallow, I accept this. Two, another series that starts out with a trio, yay! And another series with Blue as a girl! I'm still kind of surprised by this, since I've dealt with so many male Blues. Except it kind of delights me because I lol a lot at the male Blues. :D :D :D But really the best thing? BLUE WAS SECOND IN THE LINEUP. Admittedly, there are only three characters, two boys and a girl, but still! SHE WAS SECOND IN THE LINEUP. AWESOME.
So, the first episode started off pretty great. Our main characters survive the alien attack because they were skipping class, awesome. And then, to survive that same attack, the teacher has to cast a spell on himself to get rid of the ofuda, which means he TURNS HIMSELF INTO A HAMSTER. AND GETS STUCK THAT WAY. But he can still talk! So, so much lol.
Also, the aliens? A GIANT SPACE CENTIPEDE. God, I love it already.
The opening is also kind of a total fucking earworm, I am kind of getting it stuck in my head, augh.
Okay, so my favorite moment so far? Episode two, when two of the Seven Spears (two of which are female again! and pretty prominent so far!) are arguing back and forth, when one of them goes, "Enough talking! Show your face!" And the big dude that was arguing with him opens his face plate and this tiny little centipede squeaks out, "Shut up!" I LOLLED SO HARD.
I am going to seriously love these bad guys, I suspect.
I don't really have any ships so far, but... I dunno, there was a moment in episode two when Nanami came out in her red kimono after her enka performance and Yousuke was in his blue window washer uniform and she sat down primly with her hands in her lap and he gave her this look and I noticed their colors and just. I would not be opposed to shipping Red/Blue again? It hasn't really held up into episode three, but I wouldn't mind it, either.
Also, I don't even care that the second episode brought in the mechas again (which is always my least favorite part of any Sentai series, I'm just not that into formulaic giant robot battles that I can set my watch to), because I was too busy lolling at a cruise liner being turned into a giant dolphin and a ferris wheel/roller coaster that was IN USE AT THE TIME being turned into a giant lion. Just. Loooooool.
I also love that the three of them are all WHY AREN'T WE ON THE NEWS, WE SHOULD TOTALLY BE FAMOUS BY NOW and that we got our answer by the end of the episode. Just. Sending ninjas out to erase people's memories! Lolz! Also, Nanami vs Nanami in that episode was kinda hot. *__*
I'm sort of intrigued by how... episode 2 had a copy giant for the giant robot fight. Episode 3 had a spell that regenerated the monster into a giant robot fight. I just... what's this? Variety? In Sentai? Does... does it last?
Who knows if this'll be the next Sentai of my heart, but. I definitely enjoyed these episodes already. XD