Kamen Rider

[Korashk]

Does anybody else here watch Kamen Rider?

For those of you that are unaware, Kamen Rider is a Japanese superhero-type show that has been running since the seventies and features various Kamen Riders fighting evil. The main themes are justice and using the enemy's powers against them since almost all Kamen Riders have powers similar to those of the people that they're fighting.

It's not like the typical American show where the seasons are connected and follow one group of characters. There are well over 20 different Kamen Rider series featuring hundreds of Kamen Riders. The current series is called Kamen Rider Fourze and is particularly well written. It's about a high school club formed to fight against monsters based on constellations.

You can find these series to watch at fansub sites such as http://over-ti.me/, http://tvnihon.com, and various other places. For those who feel like giving the franchise a try I suggest watching Kamen Rider W from Over-Time's site, or Kamen Rider Kuuga from http://midnightcrewsubs.blogspot.com/.

My personal favorite entry in the series is Kamen Rider Ryuki which basically takes the battle royale theme and turns it into a Kamen Rider show. Anime fans might recognize that this series is what inspired Puella Magi Madoka Magi.

Other than that, those that know about it can discuss it here. What are your favorite series, Riders, and how do you think Fourze is going to turn out?

[RCT109]

I love Kamen Rider
Favorite season Is W

さ、おまいのつをかぞえろ！
Now count up your sins

I dont care for Forze
I mean it is well written but I feel W is better

[Korashk]

I love Kamen Rider
Favorite season Is W

さ、おまいのつをかぞえろ!
Now count up your sins

I dont care for Forze
I mean it is well written but I feel W is better
W is also a great season, but I think that Fourze tops it for three reasons. The first is that a good work of fiction has to have well written villains. This is something that I felt W lacked. The only really powerful (narratively) villain in that show was the Weather Dopant. The rest of them were fairly cliche and bland. The Chairman of Museum was pretty much just your average criminal leader and the rest of his evil family were just like him when they were actually being evil. The arc villains were really no better. I'd go as far as to say that the movie villains were miles more interesting than most of the actual show's.

On the other hand, Fourze has a wide variety of interesting villains. Scorpio's obsession with Libra driving her to be evil; Libra's initial stint as top dog slowly gets chipped away as even the new generals outclass him in power; and Cancer's antics that are essentially just the elaborate trolling of the Kamen Rider Club. Even the arc villains either have a believable motivation that made them turn evil, or have the same kind of ambitions that the Horoscopes have, if shorter lived.

The second reason is that Fourze has a better narrative that goes beyond the individual arcs. This is mainly due to recurring villains. W did have this, but it wasn't as pronounced. Fourze feels more connected, whereas W is more like watching an hour-long crime drama.

The third is that the suit designs in Fourze are WAY better than the ones in W. I can't think of a bad suit to come out of Fourze, whereas the number of good suits in W can probably be counted without running out of fingers.

I will give W the edge in the development of the hero characters. Shotaro, Phillip, Terui, Skull, and may others were great.

Overall, W is one of the best Kamen Rider shows out there, but I personally think that Fourze tops it, which is impressive since Fourze isn't even done airing yet.

[RCT109]

I see what you are saying about the reoccurring villans but, the story behind W is that of a detective who runs into a crime family inf ふうとん city and thats the main story line. Then there is the fact that they are the "Two in one detective" wich has never been nor have been seen since W.

Forze is about a high school kid and a club to me thats not fitting in the whole KR franchise but to each his own driver


and I think that W's suit is way better

[Korashk]

I see what you are saying about the reoccurring villans but, the story behind W is that of a detective who runs into a crime family inf ふうとん city and thats the main story line. Then there is the fact that they are the "Two in one detective" wich has never been nor have been seen since W.

Forze is about a high school kid and a club to me thats not fitting in the whole KR franchise
I don't really think the theme matters at all when it comes to Kamen Rider, or any work of fiction really. It's all a sliding scale of how good the narrative is and how the actors portray the characters. Both Fourze and W are great in this respect.

but to each his own driver
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120522023856/mlp/images/1/16/OH_YOU.jpg

and I think that W's suit is way better
W's suit itself is way better that Fourze's, but Fourze's monster suits are much better. I think that's something most people can agree on.

What other KR series do you like? I'm partial to most of the earlier Heisei (except Faiz, that one was terrible) and late Showa. I've only seen some of Black, but it's already near the top.

[RCT109]

I like Blade and O's

[RCT109]

what is your favorite henshin

[Korashk]

what is your favorite henshin
0UDw_1mGlgs

Black's, the music is wonderful and it really captures the essence of Kamen Rider, which is that the hero uses the enemy's power to fight against them.

Before Black I liked Gils's full transformation with the background going white and the suit actor running alongside the actual actor as he fades away.

[RCT109]

honestly I like kabuto's and Blades best but
OOO is awesome to
I love the songs with them

[Korashk]

If any of you that gave this thread its 104 views starts watching Kamen Rider, I'll have done my job.

G4m3kYCod34

Anyways roby, what do you think of the stuff that's come out about Kamen Rider Wizard? I'm loving the design and the ring gimmick seems less gimmicky than things have been lately. I also like that the belt isn't obtrusive, even if I don't particularly care for its design. If they go back to the more serious side of Rider this show will absolutely live up to my expectations.

[RCT109]

I like the ring thing to
The colors remind me of Den-O more or less maybe that will be tied into it with him being a "wizard" so I cant wait for september 2nd to get here

The belt seems weird to me IDK if its just the hand that is stiking me oddly but if you look at his weapon it has the hand on it too. Maybe the hands and the rings go hand in hand for give the pun not trying to . But all in all it seems to be a great season for this new decade its our 5th one so I hope its good..


Oh on that note is it just me or has KR been counting as this decade goes by with the belts

If you look at decade he used 1 card them W used 2 memories then OOO used 3 cores. Fourze used 4 switches and now the look of it Wizard had a hand that shows the four fingers plus the thumb making a five count