Stephen Lunsford and Felix Ryan in Victorious

I usually do not watch "Victorious" but I was flipping around and found yesterday's episode "A Film my Dale Squires" featured Stephen Lunsford as Dale Squires and Felix Ryan as Damian. Felix Ryan plays Spike on Power Rangers Samurai and has appeared in 3 other episodes as Damian on Victorious. Stephen Lunsford played Kit on Kamen Rider Dragon Knight.

Power Rangers Samurai On Demand Comcast

For those that don't know Comcast/Xfinity is a cable service in the United States. And there is 'On Demand,' where you can choose programming they have selected so you can catch up with your favorite shows, see movies and exclusive content. Some you have to pay for, similar to Pay-Per-View and some are free. The following is free.

At this time of March 6, the latest episode they have is "Day Off," "Deal with Nighlok" and "The Rangers Unite." "Stick and Stones" and "A Fish Out of Water" are not yet available. I am to guess that next week "Stick and Stones" will be available.

CGI Debate

Since the Giant Robos were introduced in Battle Fever J (1979), the mecha have been a combination of puppets, stop-action animation, some robotics and men in boxy robot suits. Puppets like Magi Dragon for example, using wires. Stop-action like some robots or animals. Robotics like flying jets using radio-control, which I think they used for example for the Triceratops in Zyuranger. And men in suits were used for Tyrannosaurus in Zyuranger and the beasts in Gingaman.

But beginning in 2000 with Timeranger, they started using CGI. GoGoV is the last one that used wires, stop-action and radio-control exclusively. Gingaman had some early CGI when GingaOh was formed. Timeranger used CGI for the flying jets (above). Stop-action, suit acting and radio-control were used for the V-Rex (Q-Rex).

Gaoranger was the one that used more exclusively Computer Generated Imagery for the power animals themselves, megazord formations and megazord finishers. This trend still continues to today. 'Megazord' battles are now usually CGI with suit acting with very little stop-action animation (like with the Origamis). But it is not always CGI, for example with Gao Lion, when he would bite, we would see a close-up for a puppet (scale model).

Here with Gokaiger, we see scale models, which is still used but limited.


Anyway, the debate is that they should not use CGI or do better CGI. The pictures above are from Tomica Rescue Force, where they use arguably better CGI. Fans are boards have been saying that Toei have to upgrade their software. But the Tomica series has ended and Toei has to do like 50 episodes a year, with almost zero breaks. I do agree that the CGI could be a bit more detailed.


I think the reason the CGI is not up to par and not super detailed or 'realistic' because of costs and time. But I think it can be argued that the CGI of the Megazords now are way better than the graphics used for the Ninja Megazord in the Mighty Morphin movie.

Power Rangers Samurai - A Fish Out of Water - Episode Review

"Fish Out of Water"
Mike comments on Kevin being too high-strung. A new monster (Yamiror) is out there that with his stink, it makes people sick. Jayden sends Kevin on a mission to find the Swordfish zord. The four fight the monster and end up getting sick. Kevin uses a fishing pole to fish it out but with little success. Kevin thinks back when he was at a pool and his dad gave him his Dragon Folding Zord and told him he had to be a Power Ranger. The flashback is brief. He is knocked out and wakes up in a little tent with an old man. The old man helps Kevin to fish the fish out. When they get the fish out, he asks what kind of fish that was. Jayden fights the monster even though sick and the others quickly join him. Kevin arrives and they finish him off with their cannon. They then use the Swordfish with the Megazord and finish off the monster. Meanwhile, a mysterious villain (Decker) watched them. The Bulk and Spike subplot has them at the beach and Bulk buried in sand.


Review:
First time I notice the credit during the first act saying "Japanese episode written by." At least they give credit to the original writer, since essentially they are copying shot by shot with some tweaks. Like the man who helped Blue in Shinkenger was a former Kuroko, their black clothed helpers. I like the tone of this episode, I think it is the tone they want. It has been hard to figure out if they wanted to be serious or campy. With the puns, it seems they want a light complicated mood. Even though it doesn't have some underlying themes the original episode had and the fisherman seems sort of useless, it is still a solid dramatic and entertaining episode.

More Gokaiger Scans (March) - #2

Poll Results: 199 Heroes and Kamen Rider OOO Random Combos

Favorite Kamen Rider OOO Random Combo?

Takajaba	60 (39%)
Takakiriba	48 (31%)
Takatoradol	85 (55%)
Takakirietar	69 (45%)
Takatorartar	67 (43%)
Takagorita	66 (43%)
Takauba	69 (45%)
Takautar	71 (46%)
Gatatoraba	64 (41%)
Lakiriba	57 (37%)
Lagoriba	52 (33%)
Lakirietar	47 (30%)
Latorazo	47 (30%)
Takagoriba	33 (21%)
Latoraba	35 (22%)

Takatoradol won.

Least Favorite Kamen Rider OOO Random Combo?

Latoraba	34 (25%)
Takagoriba	30 (22%)
Latorazo	65 (48%)
Lakirietar	58 (43%)
Lagoriba	63 (47%)
Lakiriba	57 (42%)
Gatatoraba	61 (45%)
Takautar	53 (39%)
Takauba	55 (41%)
Takagorita	47 (35%)
Takatorartar	46 (34%)
Takakirietar	38 (28%)
Takatoradol	41 (30%)
Takajaba	28 (21%)
Takakiriba	29 (21%)

Latorazo is your least favorite!

Do you think the 12 heroes to appear in the 199 heroes movie will be Kamen Riders?

Yes	158 (67%)
No	76 (32%)

Pick 12 to appear in the 199 Heroes movie...

Mask X-1	126 (46%)
Ninjaman	151 (55%)
Gunmajin	134 (49%)
Signal Man	173 (64%)
VRV Master	168 (62%)
Bull Black	213 (78%)
Deka Swan	201 (74%)
Deka Bright	184 (68%)
Zuuban	146 (54%)
Rio	182 (67%)
Mele	181 (67%)
Go-Roader GT	129 (47%)
Daigoyou	155 (57%)
Datas Hyper	147 (54%)

I forgot to add MagiMother!

Highest to Lowest:

1. BullBlack
2. Deka Swan
3. Deka Bright
4. Rio
5. Mele
6. Signal Man
7. VRV Master
   
8. Daigoyou
9. Ninjaman
10. Datas Hyper
11. Gunmajin
12. Mask X-1