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Saturday, February 13, 2010

Tensou Sentai Goseiger - Epic 1 - Review



I'm not going to review every Goseiger episode because 49 is too many even for me. Some episodes don't warrant a review.

The episode starts up with Dereputa of the Warstar attacking the headquarters of the Gosei people. Gosei Red fights him. Then we see him spotting a kid, who is either being teased or ignored by other kids. The other Goseiger fight some of the Beebe footsoliders. Gosei Red, Alata speaks to the boy and spirits away, loosing his transformation card. He regroups with the others and they discuss him loosing the card. Pink suspects the boy and calls him magically to them. I don't know what they tell the boy but Red stops Blue from 'memory wash'. It then gets to the point that the monster of the day fights the four and keeps them hostage. The boy gives the card back to Red and the five transform and show off their Gosei Blasters with the Headers, going against the Beebe. Then the monster of the day comes with his giant boulder and fights them. They bring their Gosei Weapons.

They then form the Gosei Dynamic Buster and destroy the monster. They then see the boy in the black coat apologize to a boy in red. They bid their goodbyes. The five hande their own drama. They turn around to find Dereputa. He wants Red. Red clutches his arm.


Review:
Gosei Red is an interesting character, but I am not sure of my assessment of him yet. I don't know if he childish or what yet. I like how they are already are a team. It is a bit like Boukenger how they were already a team. The theme song and the feel of the show reminds me of Sentai of the 90's, it definitely has a retro feel. It was a good episode but I was hoping for a big budget beginning ala Boukenger's first ep (the Indiana Jones feel) or Gaoranger's (fighting in water and air, fast pace). But I guess they are spending a lot of money on the Shinkenger vs. Go-Onger teamup and the upcoming Shinkenger special. Because the Shinkenger opening was tame.


Click here for caps

104 of 148 were very much looking forward to the Goseiger premiere.
24 (16%) weren't looking forward to Goseiger as much as they did for Shinkenger.
20 (13%) were not really looking forward to it.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2010 - Foul Play in the Sky - Ep Review



"Foul Play in the Sky"
Kimberly goes on a plane ride with her Uncle Steve (Writer/Producer Doug Sloan) and Bulk & Skull tag along. Squatt poisons Steve to fall asleep and Kimberly must fly the plane with the help of Alpha 5. Meanwhile the Rangers fight the Snizzard (voice played by Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad" and "Malcolm in the Middle").



I liked this episode because it showed that Kimberly was just not a bimbo. When Kimberly looks over the mountains, thinking of the time she first met Zordon. When I first saw this, I thought it was going to be a flashback episode, a clip show. But I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't. Because no new episodes aired after this episode for a while, I thought it was like a season finale or something. I mean, I was 11 for god's sake. Anyhoo, love above--Snizzard, that is the suit in new American footage. We never saw Dora Radun in the Bandora's palace, this was a splice-and-dice of old Rita footage with this shot to make the illusion of us seeing Snizzard being made.


This episode was also the first appearance of my favorite character Angela. Trini and Billy barely appear in this episode. In the end of the episode, some random guy is talking to Kimberly, applauding her for flying the plane by herself. Jason and Zack imitate a woman and a man. And yet more food is dropped on Bulk. In this revision, the graphics are different and more entertaining, except for the hearts--I guess it was also added since the episode airs before Valentine's Day. There is a data card before the commercial of the Pink Ranger and it is dumb because it says 'armor: pink', we know she is pink for god's sake! They could have at least maybe put her hobbies or something.

CUTS:

Squatt putting the toxic in the soda can. I guess they took it out so kids wouldn't get ideas. But that's dumb because he is an evil monster. Anyhoo, I liked this shot because it was another shot of the American Squatt suit. Its the first time we see his face, we last saw original footage of him in "Switching Places."

Friday, February 12, 2010

Most Attractive Sentai Villainess?

Lami

Zonnette

Shibolena

Shelinda

Venus

Lira

Furabijou

Wendinu

Jannu

Nai (left) and Mea (right)

Kazu no Shizuka

Mele

Kegaleshia

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Poll Results: Saban Series Come Back/Another American KR Series

Which Saban Series would you want to 'come back' or be rerun once again?
141 out of 302 votes, people want Beetleborgs back. Most likely, because it already has comic book look and is not in danger to be 'revisioned' like MMPR.

Big Bad Beetleborgs: 141 out of 302 votes

VR Troopers got 67 votes

Mystic Knights got 49 votes.

Saban's Masked Rider got 45 votes



Would you want Steve Wang to produce another US Kamen Rider?
Yes -- 240 of 311 votes
No -- 71 of 311 votes

Would you want another American Kamen Rider series?
Yes -- 327 of 385 votes
No -- 58 of 385 votes

Monday, February 8, 2010

Command Center in "Chuck"

The Jewish temple, used as the Command Center in Power Rangers, makes a cameo in the NBC TV series "Chuck." It is a building called the House of Book in the Brandeis-Bardin Campus of the American Jewish University, that was designed by Sidney Eisenshtat. This building has also been used in Marilyn Manson's music video "The Dope Show", Season 7 Episode 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the "Dead Run" segment of "The Twilight Zone: The Leprechaun-Artist/Dead Run", episode 19 of Season 1 (1986).

Music Video: Kamen Rider Dragon Knight - "Telephone" and "I Like It Rough"

The following is an unfinished music video. I was going to letterbox the whole video but it just wasn't working for me and I didn't think I would post it.


I was obsessed with mashing up Lady Gaga with Kamen Rider Dragon Knight, maybe because I listened to her albums when I played the video game. I was working on the song "I Like It Rough" but it wasn't working out, so I use the basis of it to make the music video for "Telephone." So you will some clips repeating. I didn't finish letterboxing the "I Like It Rough" video above so I didn't even bother letterboxing the one below. Tell me what you think, which is better...

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Character Comparisons: Kamen Rider Decade Heisei Riders

I was suggested by my friend Robert Fyle to do character comparisons between the 0riginal Heisei Kamen Riders and the alternate universe A.R. World Kamen Riders from Kamen Rider Decade. I have not seen every series, but I have complied info from friends who have seen it, websites, and books. I have seen the entire Kamen Rider Decade series though. Most of the Riders have the same first name.

Kamen Rider Kuuga
Yusuke Onodera / Yusuke Goudai
Yusuke Onodera is guileless and optimistic, Yuusuke Godai is positive-thinking, happy-go-lucky, multi-talented man. Onodera rarely engages in battle while journeying with Tsukasa. He does, however, act as an inspirational figure to the other Riders, as can be seen with his aiding of Wataru, as well as his actions in the other Riders' worlds. Goudai's trademark is to always give a thumbs up (the Roman sign to warn that everything is alright) to everybody around him. Onodera was basically the good conscience of Tsukasa, telling him to do the right thing. Onodera believes in the good in Tsukasa. Onodera also is striken with the loss of a friend, when he enters the Agito World, he sees her again but realizes it is another world and not his.

Kamen Rider Agito
Shouichi Ashikawa / Shouichi Tsugami
Tsugami s a young man with no memory of his past and is living with the Misugi family. A generous, simple, all around nice guy, Shouichi's ideal life is to just work in his garden and please his foster family. He had a funny habit by addressing someone that he didn't know as Koungouji-san. He fights as Agito due to the Unknown being somewhat tied to his forgotten past. Ashikawa originally was the user of the G3 system until he mysteriously disappeared. Ashikawa left because he began to transform into Exceed Gills , a partially evolved creature that was targeted by the Unknown. By the time the Unknown begin their attack, Shouichi completes his metamorphisis into the evolutionary Kamen Rider Agito, with Yusuke Oondera's help.

Kamen Rider Ryuki
Shinji Tatsumi / Shinji Kido
Shinji Tatsumi lives in a world were everyone knows about the Kamen Riders and they are tied intot he court system. They fight to the death, and that will decide the end of the defendant. Tatsumi is a cameraman who works for the Atashi Journal, a popular magazine that covers the Kamen Riders and the trials. When the editor of the journal is murdered, Shinji becomes a Kamen Rider to decide the fate of the suspect. Shinji is good-hearted, friendly, naive idealist who works at the ORE Journal as a journalist trainee and is caught in a war between the Kamen Riders. They are somewhat similar but Tatsumi is a bit more serious, but kind to the Decade Riders.

Kamen Rider Faiz
Takumi Ogami / Takumi Inui

Takumi Ogami is a hot-blooded teenage high school student who protects Smart Brain High from the Orphnoch, though his reason for doing this is a mystery. He can use the Faiz Gear along with assuming the form of the Wolf Orphnoch. Inui was a bit aloof loner who did want to protect humanity but didn't care much for fighting. He reluctantly used the Faiz Gear, he later revealed he was the Wolf Orphnoch. They both were Orphnoch that fought Orphnoch. Ogami had to fight other high school students.

Kamen Rider Blade
Kazuma Kendate / Kazuma Kenzaki
Kendate is a Rank Ace employee of BOARD, due to his ranking, Kazuma is prideful to the point of seeing himself to be invincible. It is not until after he was demoted that he realized that ranking isn't everything and that followers are just as important as leaders. Soon after helping him, Kazuma thanks Tsukasa. Though at first he refuses to aid Tsukasa and Yusuke, Kazuma has a change of heart and joins in the fight against Super Apollo Geist. As for Kenzaki, his family died in a freak fire accident when he was 11. He was scouted by BOARD, because of his smarts and great survival tactics, he was promoted to the Rider System. In the TV series ending, Kenzaki sacrificed his humanity in order to save Hajime, thus becoming the Navy Joker. Kenzaki appears before Asumu and Wataru in the World of Rider War as the A.R. Worlds continue to fuse. He says that their true enemy is Tsukasa, using them to force him to leave while he can or destroy him if he refuses. He assumes Blade King Form to fight Decade when the Rider War begins.

Kamen Rider Hibiki
Asumu / Hitoshi Hidaka
Asumu is Hibiki's child apprentice. Before inheriting Hibiki's powers, Asumu was able to assume a form called Transformed Asumu. As a result of his master losing the ability to control his Oni powers, Asumu later inherits the power to become Hibiki. In Decade, Asumu and Hibiki are played by different actors. As for the original version: Hitoshi Hidaka, known as Hibiki is one of the most seasoned Oni in service. Hibiki has a strong sense of ethics and believes constantly training oneself to keep up their strength. Hidaka allows Asumu to quit but feels great regret for being the one to push him to stay his student. Following the great battle against the Makamou, Hibiki and Asumu lost touch with each other and share some awkward moments a year later. They reconnect with each other, Hibiki can be his mentor in life and help him be a better person.

Kamen Rider Kabuto
Souji / Souji Tendou
Souji is a young man who has been given access to ZECT's technology. However, Kabuto's Clock Up System malfunctions, prompting ZECT to deem him a threat. Tendou is a mysterious, quiet 21-year old man who often seems to follow monk-like philosophies of peace. Tendou is somewhat rude, and this serious personality holds back the caring emotions he has for others. The Decade episodes based in the Kabuto World were more concerned with the Worms and theBee than with Kabuto.

Kamen Rider Kiva
Wataru / Wataru Kurenai
Wataru is a 12 year-old half-Fangire boy reluctant to claim the title of King of the Fangires. He is stressed because overseeing the ceasefire between humans and Fangires, due to his fear of losing control over his Fangire urges around new friends. He eventually gets over it and becomes king. He later appears in the World of the Rider War as his reality is absorbed into it. Wataru refuses to listen to Tsukasa and Yusuke in uniting all Riders to defeat Dai-Shocker. Wataru disappears when the convergence of the worlds continues. Kurenai is a shy young man who never lies, becomes Kiva because his violin told him to and aspired to be like his dad, he later finds out he inherited the Kiva role from his mom. Kurenai appears in front Tsukasa as a mouthpiece of the Kamen Riders, explaining to him the Decade plot. Kurenai reappears and tells Tsukasa that his mission was to destroy the Riders, not befriend them. Kurenai henshins to fight Decade. In Movie Wars 2010, following Tsukasa's destruction, Wataru explains to Natsumi and Daiki that Decade's death has undone the destruction of the multiverse.

I'm not comparing Den-O since Momotaros just takes over people's bodies (mostly the main cast of Den-O) and there is no 'alternative' Den-O. Unlike the other Riders Worlds, the World of Den-O is almost identical to the setting of the original series, the interior of the DenLiner is now the interior of the New DenLiner.