Kamen Rider Gaim Series Review

Hey all, it's been 6 months. Things have been chugging along and I just don't have that much to say about the current tokusatsu. But since my birthday is coming up and I always make it a point to post something on that day, I don't really know why, here are my thoughts on Kamen Rider Gaim. Also it's cool that my birth month coincides with the new Rider show.

I was 10% interested in Gaim when it started. I gave it a chance. I liked the samurai theme since I really enjoy toku sword fight scenes. I continued till the episode where Micchy became an armored rider and I stopped right there.  I wasn't feeling the whole dancing plot. And when I saw all those other riders showing up (Baron, Bravo, Gridon), I really wasn't interested anymore.

But then news came out of a PINK female rider. I couldn't resist. I love pink warriors. So I started watching again but I did revisit the old episodes. Until now, I don't really know what they were about, maybe I'll check it out later. With the arrival of the Genesis Drivers as heralded a very nice upgrade, the Kachidoki Arms. I gotta say, it was the bomb to watch this form dish out the pain. I like the form so much I might consider buying the figuart. Kiwami isn't too bad but I'm disappointed it didn't come with its own special weapon. It just reuses old weapons and uses the DJ Matlock gun for its finisher just like Kachidoki.

I love this form and weapon

Radiant Mai

The story by this time transitioned to a more serious tone. I gotta say, to make me more interested in the story than the fight scenes is rare.  All the betrayals, revelations, triumphs and defeats just meshed perfectly and constantly moved the story forward at a lightning pace.

This series caught me and probably everyone else off guard on how good it turned to be. It was a joy watching this amazing drama coupled with armored rider fight scenes.  Amazing how a show with a childish concept could gradually transform into a darker story, all the while incorporating various real world legends into its own.

Drive has a lot to live up to.

Kamen Rider OOO

This is the very 1^st kamen rider series I have watched in order.  I give my thanks to a youtube user who will remain nameless.  

The obvious pull of the series are the 3 way changes the main character is able to perform and of course that’s what kept me watching.  Also while researching on the series; I was intrigued by the main character’s story.  The whole “I have no desire thing” touched me on a personal level.   I kept watching because I want to see what the end moral is.  It is like the Japanese writers are preaching to the world through the show that we are all greedy and selfish.  If we hold on to this greed or desire too long, it eventually turns evil, just like a Yummy.  It also shows how even good intentions can go bad.  Look at me, trying to learn an important life lesson from a Japanese tokusatsu program.  But there are some good lines, although it may depend on the translators understanding.  I particularly memorable one is “protect what little happiness you have with your own hands.”    

The story flowed well for me.  It was like after each episode, there was an important event that made me want to watch the next immediately.  Majority of these was getting a new medal which means a new combo.  But not always, there was Kazari making evolved Yummies, Akira Date’s storyline, Dr. Maki’s storyline and Lost Ankh.  There were also some really intense episodes such as when Ankh threw Eiji off a building, OOO using Tajador to fight Kazari, Date joining the Greeds and of course, the awesome Putotyranno combo debut.  It also has its share of humor.  Ankh and Date fighting over Cell Medals, Ankh mocking Gotou while working at Cous Coussier, every time Dr. Maki’s doll fell, once in a pot of edon and the eccentricity of President Kougami.  Although probably the most hilarious was the episode with the LOVE combo and Hina and Ankh had to force Eiji to turn into OOO, all the while Kazari was waiting to engage.  

Now that I have seen the finale, I can say I very much enjoyed the whole ride.  I feel good knowing I have completely watched one whole tokusatsu series, the next will most likely be Gokaiger.  Will I watch Fourze?  Maybe in youtube, I downloaded the last three episodes of OOO because I really wanted to see it without lag.  The main character of Fourze looks like an old friend of mine to be honest.  I also have no complaints with the suit so far.

My only complaint with OOO is that secret of the Core Medals were only revealed in episode 45, which only leaves us with three episodes to wrap it all up.  I feel they could have extended it a bit more.  The last complaint is there is no explanation for Hina’s monstrous strength. 

My favorite combo by the way is SaGoZho.  I love the physical approach of the finisher as well as the black and silver on the suit, as well as the red eyes.  Though Gamel is just ANNOYING to watch.  My least favorite is Shauta combo, I just don’t dig those wires or whip things.