Movie Taisen Full Throttle & Gaim Gaiden 2
Decided to just post this here. Because I rather not set this loose on tumblr and have the nuclear apocolapse on all over again. Knowing the tokutumblr and their extreme factions.
Can't remember if I made any posts before about the Gaim first half of Full Throttle, so putting this here. Regardless, it took me a long time to get back to this. Heh.
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle
TBH, I watched the first part like a year ago or something... so I might just refer to my thoughts back then or smth. Or I just summarize, then.
Like, regardless whether you love or hate Gaim... this Gaim side first half of the movie did well to tie some of the loose ends that weren't achieved at the end of Gaim. Like you see Takatora trying to fix things post Ygrdrasil fall; Micchi trying to pick himself back up after the whole thing with Kouta, Mai, Gaim, Nii-san, stuff; Zack and the other's post Zawame lives... I can't really put it into words, but I do feel that this part of Full Throttle tied much of the leftover loose ends left in Gaim. The Taka-Ryoma thing, for example. Or the Kureshima brothers' relationship even. Or just what happened to the remnants of the Beat Riders kids + Oren. Then again, it's Haganeya Jin's that in charge of the plot for this part so I'm cool with everything he did. I'd type more, but since I also finished watching Gaim Gaiden 2 as well, I'll pick this back for that meta.
Drive's part, well... I need to get back to Drive to see at which timeline did this timeline fit together. But surely, prior to some critical plot involving Chase. Most likely, just before Chase's debut. The story's just the usual phantom thief plot... which also have the W feel. No surprises there. But things worth noting of course, that the moment where there was any hint of the crossover between Gaim and Drive halves... it was always nearing the respective climaxes of both parts. Like the Roidmudes don't start to appear in Gaim part until the point when Michi was trying to save Mai; and signs of Megahexes flying over only appear after Tomari defeated Lupin. Prior to that, no one from one side was aware of whats happening on the other side. Despite the fact the area where Taka was fighting Ryoma/Megahex as well as area where Michi went to save Mai was more or less 0.5-1 km away from where Ryoma had the final showdown with Lupin/Kiriko being held hostage.
In which I basicaly make my own theories. Was lazy to copy paste (maybe do later) but that's basically how I reason to myself as to how any such movie taisen crossovers were made possible. Because with Decade, anything cross dimensional is possible. Even if Tsukasa wasn't clearly present, such things should still happen. Even though I also believed, that Megahex!Planet (and maybe also Kouta himself) may also play a part in allowing the Gaim world to connect to Drive's (as well as the general post-Decade) world. So there's that.
That aside, there was a lot on the final/third portion of Full Throttle that I liked a lot. For example, the part where powered Megahex resurrected a mecha copy of Kaito (thinking it can use him to be his minion like Ryoma) only to have him retailated back after transforming to Baron. That despite the revived Kaito was created artificially, Kaito's personality was too strong to even allow himself to be controlled by beings like MegaHex. I also especially love the exchange between the Gaim Riders and Megahex. In which, Sanjo's writing actually explain some of the main things in Gaim that Butcchi didn't manage to convey. And that was awesome! Also, props to the gags between Gaim and Drive over the whole thing about fruits, fruit god, talking belts, toy cars and bulky addons that don't fit in the car. As well as the whole road safety jokes and Drive and Gaim teaching each other how to use each others' rider abilities. Made my day, seriously. Just proves that as much as Sanjo might suck at character driven arcs (his own), he did do well in writing stuffs relating to Gaim and some other things. Sanjo, especially, gave the Gaim Riders some good lines for the Full Throttle's finale. While not also neglecting Drive's character. Even if the end part did have a strong W aura. (Brain... tbh, looked like he was high on weeds. lol)
Well, all in all... Full Throttle was amongst the better written Movie Taisen movies so far. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Kamen Rider Gaim Gaiden 2: Duke / Knuckle
I had a plenty of thoughts when watching this, last night. But I can't remember all now so might as well summarize.
I like how the Duke side was written. Like how from the Gaim Gaiden's Zangetsu's side hinted a bit about Ryoma's untold stories... this gaiden expanded more on it as well as more hint of Ryoma's back story. Like how the first meeting with Takatora happened, and what exactly happened to Ryoma after that time when Takatora got hurt during his first testing of the Sengoku Driver using the Melon lockseed. Aka we get to see how Ryoma managed with his life continuing to support Taka while already having lost his motivation regarding Taka (since Ryoma idolized Taka, wanted to make him godlike yet Taka refused that fate) and what happened priorto Ryoma's betrayal to Taka. While also including a focus towards another unknown character who was Ryoma's predeccesor. As if that wasn't good enough, there was also a special mention on how Minato first met Ryoma (which marked the start of her enlistment into Ygdrassil) as well as a hint of Sid's back story. It's more that I could ever hoped for, and even if there won't be more Gaim Gaiden v-cinemas... I'm already satisfied this.
I love how Ryoma's obsession over creating a godlike figure as well as his feelings towards Takatora were portrayed enough in this Gaiden. Since... if you watched this, right before the Gaim side of Full Throttle... you'll have an even better outlook on the TakaRyoma relationship. Like... eventhough Ryoma did betray Taka, Takatora was still the man that Ryoma truly respect and admired. Like even when Megahex revived him and him talking down to Takatora and calling him foolish; in the end... Ryoma did in his own way, gave Takatora the ultimate Genesis Driver (via Megahex regardless). Even at the end, he considered Takatora as the greatest. And I guess he's right. Because so far, Takatora's the only Sengoku Armored Rider who could defeat a Genesis Armored Rider without having to use an energy lockseed or an apple lockseed.
That aside, I love how Gaiden 2 kept the whole connection thing between the two side stories. Like how Ygdrasil's past (or just Ryoma rly) connected Zangetsu's side story with Baron's side story; so does the Duke side story with Knuckle. In form of the Black Bodhi Organization. Cos in a way.... the golden apple trope and the blood/black bodhi trope was not that different actually. Chinese wuxia shows had a lot of tropes involving bodhi fruits tbh. Come to think, the sacred tree that was used in Gaim to be the Helhelm tree did look like a Bodhi tree. Wow... took me long enough to realize this connection. I should have watched this v-cine much earlier lol.
Knuckle's side story appeared to be set post Final Throttle, seeing that Taka and Micchi was said to go abroad together and stuff. And even when Knuckle/Zack was supposed to be the main focus... this side story felt more like Team Baron's side story in general. Well... Zack WAS the second-in-command. Still, there's a lot more of back story involving Kaito... and yeah, lotsa Kaito. Like we finally see how the original the team (nameless prior) first appeared before Kaito joined in and changed things. Heck... could you even imagine? That Team Baron actually had ONE female member? Who (most likely) was the original team leader and might have been acting as the (hidden) Team Baron manager during the series all these times! So yeah, a lot of Team Baron's origins story thus a lot more we hnow about Kaito.
This side story was soooooooooooooo much Baron origins as well as some MANLY tears. lol. There's so much manly here I kid you not! Also there's a lot of Kaito feels. Yes I cried. Esp. during the part where Zack and Shura clashed to determined who had the right to carry on with Kaito's will. As well as more Kaito-Zack feels.
Hahahaha. Gaim feels post.
This entry was originally posted on Kaleidoscope World.
Can't remember if I made any posts before about the Gaim first half of Full Throttle, so putting this here. Regardless, it took me a long time to get back to this. Heh.
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle
TBH, I watched the first part like a year ago or something... so I might just refer to my thoughts back then or smth. Or I just summarize, then.
Like, regardless whether you love or hate Gaim... this Gaim side first half of the movie did well to tie some of the loose ends that weren't achieved at the end of Gaim. Like you see Takatora trying to fix things post Ygrdrasil fall; Micchi trying to pick himself back up after the whole thing with Kouta, Mai, Gaim, Nii-san, stuff; Zack and the other's post Zawame lives... I can't really put it into words, but I do feel that this part of Full Throttle tied much of the leftover loose ends left in Gaim. The Taka-Ryoma thing, for example. Or the Kureshima brothers' relationship even. Or just what happened to the remnants of the Beat Riders kids + Oren. Then again, it's Haganeya Jin's that in charge of the plot for this part so I'm cool with everything he did. I'd type more, but since I also finished watching Gaim Gaiden 2 as well, I'll pick this back for that meta.
Drive's part, well... I need to get back to Drive to see at which timeline did this timeline fit together. But surely, prior to some critical plot involving Chase. Most likely, just before Chase's debut. The story's just the usual phantom thief plot... which also have the W feel. No surprises there. But things worth noting of course, that the moment where there was any hint of the crossover between Gaim and Drive halves... it was always nearing the respective climaxes of both parts. Like the Roidmudes don't start to appear in Gaim part until the point when Michi was trying to save Mai; and signs of Megahexes flying over only appear after Tomari defeated Lupin. Prior to that, no one from one side was aware of whats happening on the other side. Despite the fact the area where Taka was fighting Ryoma/Megahex as well as area where Michi went to save Mai was more or less 0.5-1 km away from where Ryoma had the final showdown with Lupin/Kiriko being held hostage.
In which I basicaly make my own theories. Was lazy to copy paste (maybe do later) but that's basically how I reason to myself as to how any such movie taisen crossovers were made possible. Because with Decade, anything cross dimensional is possible. Even if Tsukasa wasn't clearly present, such things should still happen. Even though I also believed, that Megahex!Planet (and maybe also Kouta himself) may also play a part in allowing the Gaim world to connect to Drive's (as well as the general post-Decade) world. So there's that.
That aside, there was a lot on the final/third portion of Full Throttle that I liked a lot. For example, the part where powered Megahex resurrected a mecha copy of Kaito (thinking it can use him to be his minion like Ryoma) only to have him retailated back after transforming to Baron. That despite the revived Kaito was created artificially, Kaito's personality was too strong to even allow himself to be controlled by beings like MegaHex. I also especially love the exchange between the Gaim Riders and Megahex. In which, Sanjo's writing actually explain some of the main things in Gaim that Butcchi didn't manage to convey. And that was awesome! Also, props to the gags between Gaim and Drive over the whole thing about fruits, fruit god, talking belts, toy cars and bulky addons that don't fit in the car. As well as the whole road safety jokes and Drive and Gaim teaching each other how to use each others' rider abilities. Made my day, seriously. Just proves that as much as Sanjo might suck at character driven arcs (his own), he did do well in writing stuffs relating to Gaim and some other things. Sanjo, especially, gave the Gaim Riders some good lines for the Full Throttle's finale. While not also neglecting Drive's character. Even if the end part did have a strong W aura. (Brain... tbh, looked like he was high on weeds. lol)
Well, all in all... Full Throttle was amongst the better written Movie Taisen movies so far. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Kamen Rider Gaim Gaiden 2: Duke / Knuckle
I had a plenty of thoughts when watching this, last night. But I can't remember all now so might as well summarize.
I like how the Duke side was written. Like how from the Gaim Gaiden's Zangetsu's side hinted a bit about Ryoma's untold stories... this gaiden expanded more on it as well as more hint of Ryoma's back story. Like how the first meeting with Takatora happened, and what exactly happened to Ryoma after that time when Takatora got hurt during his first testing of the Sengoku Driver using the Melon lockseed. Aka we get to see how Ryoma managed with his life continuing to support Taka while already having lost his motivation regarding Taka (since Ryoma idolized Taka, wanted to make him godlike yet Taka refused that fate) and what happened priorto Ryoma's betrayal to Taka. While also including a focus towards another unknown character who was Ryoma's predeccesor. As if that wasn't good enough, there was also a special mention on how Minato first met Ryoma (which marked the start of her enlistment into Ygdrassil) as well as a hint of Sid's back story. It's more that I could ever hoped for, and even if there won't be more Gaim Gaiden v-cinemas... I'm already satisfied this.
I love how Ryoma's obsession over creating a godlike figure as well as his feelings towards Takatora were portrayed enough in this Gaiden. Since... if you watched this, right before the Gaim side of Full Throttle... you'll have an even better outlook on the TakaRyoma relationship. Like... eventhough Ryoma did betray Taka, Takatora was still the man that Ryoma truly respect and admired. Like even when Megahex revived him and him talking down to Takatora and calling him foolish; in the end... Ryoma did in his own way, gave Takatora the ultimate Genesis Driver (via Megahex regardless). Even at the end, he considered Takatora as the greatest. And I guess he's right. Because so far, Takatora's the only Sengoku Armored Rider who could defeat a Genesis Armored Rider without having to use an energy lockseed or an apple lockseed.
That aside, I love how Gaiden 2 kept the whole connection thing between the two side stories. Like how Ygdrasil's past (or just Ryoma rly) connected Zangetsu's side story with Baron's side story; so does the Duke side story with Knuckle. In form of the Black Bodhi Organization. Cos in a way.... the golden apple trope and the blood/black bodhi trope was not that different actually. Chinese wuxia shows had a lot of tropes involving bodhi fruits tbh. Come to think, the sacred tree that was used in Gaim to be the Helhelm tree did look like a Bodhi tree. Wow... took me long enough to realize this connection. I should have watched this v-cine much earlier lol.
Knuckle's side story appeared to be set post Final Throttle, seeing that Taka and Micchi was said to go abroad together and stuff. And even when Knuckle/Zack was supposed to be the main focus... this side story felt more like Team Baron's side story in general. Well... Zack WAS the second-in-command. Still, there's a lot more of back story involving Kaito... and yeah, lotsa Kaito. Like we finally see how the original the team (nameless prior) first appeared before Kaito joined in and changed things. Heck... could you even imagine? That Team Baron actually had ONE female member? Who (most likely) was the original team leader and might have been acting as the (hidden) Team Baron manager during the series all these times! So yeah, a lot of Team Baron's origins story thus a lot more we hnow about Kaito.
This side story was soooooooooooooo much Baron origins as well as some MANLY tears. lol. There's so much manly here I kid you not! Also there's a lot of Kaito feels. Yes I cried. Esp. during the part where Zack and Shura clashed to determined who had the right to carry on with Kaito's will. As well as more Kaito-Zack feels.
Hahahaha. Gaim feels post.
This entry was originally posted on Kaleidoscope World.