#I wanted to make this before Gavv starts

[nodokasia]

IT'S A KAMEN RIDER SHOW!!!

When your group gets to make a song for the show you love.~🍬

[mirai-e-jump]

Monthly TV Guide, October 2024 Issue ft. Kamen Rider Gavv Cast Members (translation below)

Publication: August 23, 2024

Chinen Hidekazu x Hino Yusuke x Miyabe Nozomi

Chinen: The three of us have many scenes together, but even before filming began, we were able to go into the shoot with a mutual relationship.

Miyabe: That's right.

Hino: Hide would suddenly show up at my house and say, "Let's play a game."

Chinen: Hahaha! (laughs).

Hino: From the start, Hide was the first to take the lead in bringing the three of us closer together.

Chinen: I wanted us to get to know each other as quickly as possible, and to film in a condition where we could communicate. Because of that, we all exchanged contact info.

Hino: We exchanged LINEs on the day of our meeting, and from there, he immediately asked us out to a meal, which made me happy, and I think this led to better communication on set.

Miyabe: Even on set, Hide helps everyone around him feel at ease. He's calm, but he's also got a reliable side to him, and he also puts alot of thought into his role. He'll also say things to us like, "Let's try this part here," or "Let's practice alittle more," which has been extremely helpful.

Hino: I mean, he's reliable, or atleast he's trying to be reliable (laughs).

Chinen: Eh?!

Hino: That's what's so wonderful about you (laughs).

Chinen: Thank you (laughs). With this production, we've been taking on alot of different challenges, wouldn't you say?

Hino: That's right. First, It's not an easy experience to play the same role for a whole year, right? Because we have a year to work on it, I think there's a certain way to develop and immerse ourselves into it, and if we can do that, I think we can grow alot as actors, so I'm going to go all out.

Chinen: I also want to do my best with action. I've always practiced karate while in Okinawa, so I'd like to become an actor who can also do action. Even now, I'm learning one on one from everyone on the Action Team, and they teach me cool moves that I've sought after myself by saying, "I want to try this move."

Miyabe: I play the role of a flashy gyaru president, but it's the complete opposite of my actual self. Still, I also think it's alot of fun to play an opposite type of role like this, so I hope to continue to expand on that range and to be able to connect with it in the future.

Hino: Is it fun being a gyaru?

Miyabe: It's so much fun!

Hino: Somehow, you're more cheerful than you've been before.

Chinen: I really thought that! I thought that living with a gyaru mindset makes you cheerful, as well as the people around you. For the first time I thought about gyarus, and I thought that being a gyaru is great.

Miyabe: "Being a gyaru is great"! (laughs).

Chinen: I think I'm envious of that mindset…!

Hino: It's positive, isn't it?

Chinen: Yeah. I hope to be able to incorporate that kind of positivity into my own personality. _

-This is what I want to fight with!! Food & Tactics-

Chinen: I think liquid types would be strong. Like the carbonated kinds.

Hino: Shouldn't we limit this to sweets…?

Chinen: Alright then, it'd be konjac jelly! It'd be the type that jiggles and would absorb the opponent's attack. It could repel various things.

Miyabe: I see (laughs). I love plums, so by using it's sour power, it'd make the opponent lose it's strength.

Chinen: That might be the most unpleasant thing for the opponent's side. I don't think I'd be able to keep my eyes open (laughs).

Hino: Ah, that could happen!

Miyabe: In that case, it'd be something like plum candy or plum tablets!

Hino: I'd use experimental types. It'd be like, I put powder 1 and powder 2 together and then mix them.

Chinen: I see!

Hino: That's how I'd restrain my opponent.

Miyabe: It sounds like it would take alot of time and effort to mix (laughs).

Chinen: Would you tell the enemy, "Hold on a sec" (laughs).

Hino: We'd need to establish an unspoken rule that they don't attack during that time (laughs).

[thewertsearch]

GG: aaaaa please dont tell anyone i told you about him! […] CA: settle dowwn jade youre radically underestimatin the amount of shit i dont givve about this […] CA: i got bigger ships to sink and soon wwhen im good and ready me and my luminous fuckin science stick havve got a date wwith jack noir

Seems like Eridan's planning to join Vriska.

Correction - he's planning to rejoin Vriska.

If he's trying to restart their kismesissitude, he's going to be sorely disappointed. Vriska is out of his league, and not just as a romantic partner. She's a god, and he's an angry kid with a wand who represents no threat whatsoever to Noir.

CA: wwhys this matter so hush hush anywway GG: he didnt want me to tell my friends who he really was […] GG: he was so nice, and it really did feel like i was talking to family, so i really dont think he was making it up

I think your intuition is correct, but that doesn't mean he's specifically your grandson. After all, 'family' is a term which can encompass all sorts of relationships.

GG: i couldnt help but try to imagine his parents… GG: and more interestingly……. GG: his grandfather :O

Even if he is your grandson, that doesn't necessarily mean he has a grandfather. As far as I can tell, there's no reason why the Veil's DNA-mixing machine couldn't merge the genes of two women.

For all we know, Pen-Pal could have four biological grandmothers!

CA: that gun i just gavve you is somethin of a hatchright to the kid CA: happy i could play a role in your dirty stinkin lineage GG: like an heirloom? i guess it could be GG: do you even have those? if you dont have parents how could you? CA: no wwe dont knoww our direct forebears and im pretty sure any attempt to seek out or evven inquire about the supplier of your genes wwould be a fine wway to get yourself killed

I didn't think a troll's genes had an individual supplier.

Based on the fact that their genetic material is combined in the Mother Grub, I've been assuming that each troll is created from a large number of 'parents', whose DNA is mixed in the Mother's stomach.

Obviously, our Sgrub trolls are going to be an exception to this rule, since the game presumably cloned them from twelve Guardians - but Eridan seems to be implying that all trolls have an individual parent.

This doesn't align at all with what we know about troll reproduction. There also seems to be a certain amount of secrecy surrounding this process, since Eridan thinks you'd be killed for looking into it. Is there some sort of conspiracy at play?

CA: but wwevve got our lore and it says wwe all got indivvidual ancestors wwho contribute to most of our genes abovve and beyond wwhat the grubs slurry does

Alright, that makes a little more sense. So trolls are derived from a large mixture of DNA, but they have one true 'parent' who contributes the lion's share of genetic data.

Maybe an embryonic troll starts off as a clone of this parent, and other trolls' genes are slowly spliced into it as it develops.

Again, for the Sgrub trolls, things are a little different. We have reason to believe they were cloned in sets of three, implying that each of them has three genetic donors. Perhaps, then, they each inherited the majority of their DNA from one of these trolls - their 'ancestor' - and only share a small number of genes with the other two.

These ancestors have been mentioned before - quite a while ago, now - and I think they may be the key to solving a major mystery of the Hivebent arc.

Namely, Aradia mentioned her ancestors, and seemed to believe she was following their orders. When Scratch's plans started to reveal themselves, I assumed that he was the one directing Aradia, and was only pretending to be these unseen forebears.

With this new revelation, however, I'm forced to reconsider my stance. What if the Voices were those of the ancestors?

What if Aradia was being instructed by the troll Guardians all along?

[toku-explained]

FuwaMallow

Arc: SKIP investigate a sinkhole that appeared during construction work. Yuma feels Ishido has truly become part of SKIP, defying the general SKIP perception of a wall between them and the GDF. Just as they are speculating there's no Kaiju involvement, Oka-Gubila appears. Yuma and Ishido attempt to lure it in the van, when they come across two kids, Yumi and Dai, who haven't reached a shelter, Ishido takes them while Yuma continues to lure, then becomes Arc. As the battle progresses, suddenly from a lightning cloud emerges a strange skeletal robot, which emits a strange melody, and launches a debilitating sonic attack in the area, before engaging Oka-Gubila. Realising Dai lost his favourite hat, Yumi goes to find it, and is nearly hit by a stray attack from the robot, now engaging Arc, who barely saves her using Luna Armour but is defeated. The robot then, as Yuma is too slow to reach them, saves Rin and Dai from Oka-Gubila. The robot, designated Givas after the one recognisable sound it makes, has spent 6 hours on standby, and Yuma wants to believe it is an ally. SKIP starts working on deciphering the noises, while Ishido is called to the Space Sciences Division, and meets an old friend. YouPi's analysis translates Givas' song to mean "Does this planet have my Givas? I a here to be your Givas." After a discussion about the number of suns affecting societal development and guessing Givas is from a world without one, they determine Givas to mean enemy. Yuma is unwilling to believe it, but Ishido says it's irrelevant. Givas has started emitting green lasers, and GDF have officially decided it's hostile, when Ishido insists on following the GDF decision, Yuma is angry enough to say Ishido is just GDF all along. There is a sour mood, as Yuma watches Givas from the GDF cordon.

Shin Dogengers: Ohga-Man and Yabai Kamen continue to battle Livaira and his soldiers. On earth, KitaQman tries to run but is stopped by everyone, then as everyone is discussing what to do, Hyakutoban points out someone is still missing, Tanaka only then realising. Frustrated by Yabai Kamen and Ohga-Man continuing to resist, Livaira starts draining life from his soldiers in order to power up, and Ohga-Man encourages Yabai Kamen to return to his Shin form so they can be on a more level playing field. Eventually they blast him, but, body on fire, he starts merging with the ship it seems for the final descent, only for something to resists. Back in the control room, Ohga-Man and Yabai Kamen are contacted by the other Dogengers from Sekikaguoh-208. After the realisation earlier they'd found Mini-Sekikaguoh, who was angry at being forgotten, and had to devote some time to sweet talk it into forgiving them before it would summon the larger body. With the robot still struggling, Yamashiron has everyone start cleaning to power it up, and Ohga-Man throws Yabai Kamen from the vessel, he lands right back in his seat at AHK, where, in anticipation, Maid Shitsuji has just prepared his drink.

Gavv: Shoma, unknowingly, steals vegetables, only for the owners to note a resemblance to their son, Makoto. Jeeb and Shita are trying to locate the red Gavv, and try to hide it from Nyelv when he stops by, but has something of his own brewing. Makoto died 20 years ago, his parents, after hearing about Shoma's struggles, offer him a place to stay for now. Hanto visits Suga, the Granute Researcher, and learns from him. Based on Hanto's own story, Suga surmises the compression technology is a recent development, and also reveals, thanks to the Gochizo he picked up, he is now able to work on a way to fight the Granute. Shoma helps on the farm, and gets to try marshmallows, unaware an Agent is watching them. Hanto talks with his mentor, who warns it seems Suga knows too much about the Granute to be trustworthy, an Agent is watching them too. While shopping Shoma is attacked by Agents, and runs to protect the family, lured to where Jeeb and Shita are waiting. They knew Kamen Rider was him thanks to his unique red Gavv, and has tried to eliminate him with the elder Stomachs, the unwanted younger brother with a human mother, but Shoma couldn't be compressed, and ran after his mother was out through the production line. Shoma fights as Gavv, seeing the Gochizo his siblings note her has been able to create minions now he's on earth. He uses Fuwamallow, the soft body resist attacks, then uses Marumallow to build strength and crush them, Jeeb and Shita then leave angry. Realising his presence makes the old couple more appealing targets for the Granute, he decides not to return, and winds up collapsing on a road, the Gochizo unable to move him, as a shadowy figure approaches.

Boonboomger: Taiya is still contemplating what's going on with Mad Rex. Disrace re-enforces the brainwashing on Mad Rex. The Sanseaters, recalling how Mad Rex respected their refusal to give in and recruited them despite failure, vow to help him regain himself, and while Disrace is on a long phone call, take Mad Rex to various locations and even imitate the Boonboomgers in hopes of restoring his memories, the only hint he shows of it is seeing BunRed's mask. Itashar uses the Boonboom Danger and manages to connect to the Garage and make a delivery request, which Boonboom sends Taiya on. Sakito and ByunD see Taiya go past in the Super Car, at which point ByunD mentions detecting something like the Boonboom Signal, which Chassiro enquires about. Taiya arrives at the collection point, and is ambushed by the Sanseaters and Mad Rex, and finally understands for sure that Mad Rex doesn't have control of his own wheel. At this point, Disrace detects what's happening, and controls Mad Rex to attack, Taiya fights him as BunRed. Chassiro, Mira and Jou arrive as well, but the Sanseaters refuse to let them interfere, and summon Boonboom Killer Robo, the three barely escape the cave in the Super Car. Yarucar steals Jou's cars, so Boonboom Killer Robo Police battles Boonboomger Robo Monster, before switching to Boonboomger Robo Builder. As BunRed 119 battles Mad Rex, a sneakily watching Genba seeks to interfer to get info from Mad Rex, but Sakito and ByunD also don't want the battle interfered with, so BunOrange and BunViolet also battle. Taiya is defeated, and desperate to finish things quickly, the others switch to Boonboomger Robo Knight and finally beat Killer Robo. Mad Rex has BunRed at his mercy when he sees Boonboomger Robo Knight, and memories of is defeat stir, causing him to flee. Seeing Mad Rex is gone, Genba also abandons the battle. Mad Rex returns to Disrace's side, and the Sanseaters mourn their failure, dismissing a sound from Mad Rex's dog as their imagination.

[crimson-ace-reviews]

Crimson Ace Reviews: Kamen Rider Gavv Episode 2

This episode reveals why Kamen Rider Gavv is a fantasy show: It portrays corporations as evil, and we all know how false that is, right?

Let's get into Kamen Rider Gavv's second episode: Happy Zakuzakuchips

We pick up right where we left off last week, with a woman named Sachika waking Shoma up. Sachika then offers to take him back to her place for some food.

It's here we get the show's opening theme, “Got Boost?” It's a pretty upbeat theme with some nice visuals. I especially like the one part where Shoma, Hanto, and Sachika are all singing along to the song.

After the opening, Sachika takes Shoma to the store she runs, Hapipare, or Happy Parade. Shoma mistakes a towel Sachika gives him for cotton candy, before being told to go take a shower. Make sure to wash your Gavv too, Shoma.

The next scene properly introduces the season's villains, the Stomach Family. These are the heads of the company which produces the Dark Treats, those things Granute Hound wanted more of last episode. Lango Stomach is the president of the company after the death of their father, Glotta Stomach is the head of manufacturing which involves those shrunken humans wrapped in Fruit by the Foot, Nyelv is in charge of research and development, and the twins Shita and Jeebh are in charge of getting supplies. It's a very effective scene that introduces the villains and gives the audience an idea of their goals and explains more about the Dark Treats. I also love how rather than an evil empire, the villains are structured like a corporation, sort of like the villains from Kirby: Planet Robobot.

Back with Shoma, he helps himself to some of Sachika's food, only to forget the whole “giving birth” thing.

Damn it, Shoma! Do that in the bathroom for Gaim's sake! Or at least see a doctor about your Gavv if it keeps up.

Something of note is when Shoma tries a bento made by Sachika, he doesn't create a new Gochizo, showing that it's only snacks that affect his Gavv. After he struggles to hide the new Gochizo he created (including a few he made from eating potato chips for the first time), Shoma offers to help Sachika help a friend move. Because he has super strength, it's a snap for him, so they celebrate with soba and potato chips.

Meanwhile, Hanto gets a lead on the mysterious monster attack, taking him to Hajime's house.

Oh hey, Hajime. We thought you were dead.

Speaking of monsters, we get our first look at this week's Granute, Granute Whipple.

Damn, Squidward's been hitting the gym.

He gets a new assignment, to target the friend Shoma and Sachika just helped move out.

Back with Shoma and Sachika, the latter asks the former just why he goes so crazy over snacks. He explains that he gets it from his mother.

You know, between this show and Dragon Ball Super, who would have thought junk food would be seen as humanity's greatest achievement by aliens?

After Sachika gives her full name, Shoma starts to reveal his last name, but because it's all but stated that he's a member of the Stomach family, he has to improvise and come up with a name that's less evil.

Okay, not the best person to name yourself after, but at least Toshiki Inoue isn't a mass-murdering psychopath.

Cut to Granute Whipple, who wraps up the friend into the shrunken Fruit by the Foot form, which is seen by two of Shoma's Gochizo. After starting to write in a snack diary, Shoma is alerted to this, so he heads out and confronts the Granute, transforming into Gavv. Granute Whipple tries to bargain with Gavv by offering to split the profits, but Gavv tells him to shove it. Gavv gets the friend back, but his gummy armor is chipped away again, so he tries a different Gochizo, this one labeled “Zakuzaku Chips”.

I like this form. The food motif is much clearer here, and I especially like the touch of his eyes being potatoes that are quickly sliced off.

The weapons, a pair of swords called the Zakuzakuchipslasher, are really creative, looking like crushed bags of potato chips. Hopefully, these things won't break so easily like what happened last week.

In all seriousness, Shoma is just as surprised before he figures out that the Zakuzakushipslasher's effectiveness depends on the angle, and even if they break, unlike the Poppin Gummy armor, he doesn't need to reload another Gochizo to make the blades regenerate. So Gavv goes to town on Granute Whipple, and just like the commercials say about eating chips, you can't just stop at killing one Granute. Gavv saves the friend, but she isn't grateful to be saved by him.

Yes, because clearly the bright blue gummy-themed person is a terrifying monster.

Gavv rides off on his ATV, only to be seen by Hanto. We learn that the reason why Hanto is so obsessed with monsters was because a Granute murdered his mother when he was just a kid. Damn, that's two for two on dead moms this season. Somebody better get Sachika's mom to a bunker.

Just like last week, the episode ends with Shoma deciding to leave Sachika's place to continue roaming the world. Our hero, ladies and gentlemen, master of chewing and screwing.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Shiny New Toy: For the Zakuzaku Chips Gozhizo and the Zakuzakuchipslasher.

No Parents Allowed: For Hanto's mother, who was killed by a Granute.

This was a pretty okay episode. It had some strong character moments, a good introduction to the villains, and hints at future conflicts with the mystery Granute that murdered Hanto's mom. It's a good follow up to Episode 1.

Next time on Kamen Rider Gavv: Shoma continues to scare the public that probably thinks Monster High is too graphic for them, given how he's still being called a monster. But hey, at the very least, he discovers soda-flavored gummies.

[christine-ye]

Howdy!

I'm trying to get used to being on here but hi! I'm Christine, nice to meet you! 🎶 Basic info (more in my Strawpage) 🎶 -She/her -21 (ADULT) -Ace/asexual -Autistic

🌺 Things I like 🌺 -Magical girls in general (mostly Sailor Moon and PreCure/Pretty Cure nowadays with some other titles sprinkled in like Magic Knight Rayearth, Tokyo Mew Mew, etc.) -Evangelion -Super Mario (and occasionally other Nintendo series like The Legend of Zelda) -Tokusatsu (mainly Kamen Rider and Super Sentai) -History and mythology (currently majoring in history with a classical humanities minor in college) -Music (mostly anime and video game music)

🌈 Guys I'm very normal over (💙 means main/current favorites) 🌈 -Shinji Ikari (Evangelion) 💙 -Hibiki Hojo/Cure Melody (Suite PreCure) 💙 -Kazuma Kenzaki (Kamen Rider Blade) 💙 -Misato Katsuragi (Evangelion) -Umi Ryuuzaki (Magic Knight Rayearth) -Luigi (Super Mario) -Hotaru Tomoe/Sailor Saturn (Sailor Moon)

♠ Media I'm currently watching (will update as I go, * for shows currently on hold) ♠ -Kamen Rider (1971): started 8/25/23* -Kamen Rider Hibiki: started 8/27/23* -Kamen Rider Ryuki: started 8/28/23* -Star Twinkle PreCure (rewatch): started 10/1/23* -Kamen Rider Geats: started 11/10/23* -Choujin Sentai Jetman: started 11/22/23* -Kamen Rider Fourze: started 1/19/24* -Kamen Rider Kiva: started 1/19/24* -Wonderful PreCure (latest PreCure): started 2/3/24 -Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger (latest Super Sentai): started 3/2/24 -My Adventures with Superman season 2: started 6/14/24* -Ultraman Arc: started 7/6/24* -Ultraman Blazar: started 7/6/24* -Kamen Rider Gavv (latest Kamen Rider): started 8/31/24 -Hana no Ko Lunlun: started 9/21/24* -Acro Trip: started 10/2/24 -Magilumiere Co. Ltd.: started 10/4/24* -Kamen Rider Revice: started 10/23/24 -The Rose of Versailles: started 11/23/24

⚡️ Plan to watch (TBD, may change) ⚡️ -Kamen Rider Kuuga (after I finish Fourze and Kiva, will watch alongside OOO) -Revolutionary Girl Utena (been wanting to start it for a while) -Kamen Rider OOO (after I finish Fourze and Kiva, will watch alongside Kuuga)

🍃 Tags (may add some if needed) 🍃 -#christine's ramblings of the day: for general talk and/or random thoughts -#christine watches/rewatches [show name]: for shows I'm currently watching/rewatching (not necessarily actual liveblogging) -#christine reviews stuff: for media reviews -#christine answers: for answering asks -#christine's rant/vent: for any time I vent/feel negative (I suggest muting it if you don't want to see me be pissy on main) -#shameless self reblog: for self-reblogs (don't use often) -#incorrect quotes: for any incorrect quote posts I come up with based on my interests

⚠ Important things to know ⚠ -I'm very sensitive and shy and often suck at social interaction, so don't be too worried if I don't respond quickly, misunderstand a joke, or don't follow you back -Please DO NOT INTERACT if you're the following: bigots of any kind (racist, homophobic, transphobic, etc.), NSFW (or any weirdos in general), pr0sh1ppers/"pr0-f1ction" people, Zionists, and crypt0/EnEffTee/A.I. supporters. GET AWAY FROM MY BLOG OR GET THE BLOCK -If I interact with or follow someone/something problematic, please let me know -Ask me stuff! I don't mind answering asks :) (but I will delete certain asks that make me uncomfortable for any reason) -Yes, I am that idiot on Twitter (username is @/Christine__Ye if you want to follow idc) who won #1 Cure Melody fan back in October 2023 before you ask -My Discord is @/christine_ye in case you want to keep in touch with me there -You should watch Kamen Rider Blade actually please and thanks

I'm generally nice and trying my best (most of the time lol) so hello again and welcome! ✨

[rosemirmir]

4 and 9 for the 20 questions ask!

4: Thoughts on what you're currently watching/watched most recently?

Arc: I've really been enjoying it so far! These past few weeks have been real emotional hitters too. (I've heard things about the latest episode but still gotta see it.)

Amazon: While my progress has been slow because adhd, it's been a great starting point to dive into showa rider for me.

Gavv: Also been enjoying so far. I'm glad they gave me a little weirdo so early on with that new researcher.

Ghost: Early on, but I love takeru and want to put him in my pocket. I've been having fun so far.

Boonboomger: Its a fun time! Though the current arc with Genba has made me cry more than once XD They are really hurting me with him not being in the OP.

Liveman: Absolutely obsessed, especially with the villains. Bias was a guy made for me and my friend told me about how him and Geryon are actually really similar, which has me even more excited. And I already latched onto Bias before being told that. I can't stop thinking about how one of Kemp's plans was fixated on making One Singular Car ruin humanity. AND BIAS WAS INTO IT. Colon and Megumi, my beloveds.

Gokaiger: Recently begun watching it again when the Plex server I'm connected to wasn't able to connect to Amazon's files. I've been meaning to revisit and actually finish what is my first proper toku and I MISSED THESE PIRATES SO MUCH. Just saw the sneak brothers episode last night. The combo of link ocarina of time and buggy one piece killed me. Don is everything.

9: Favorite theme song?

Honestly at this point it might be Chemy X Story... Especially the version where Flow is also in it. But there are so many bangers its still hard to pick just one. Anything Goes, Justifaiz, Liveman's OP, Gingaman's OP are all other themes I love a lot.

20: I've already watched (insert show here), what should I watch next?

I'm not entirely sure how to answer this but I do think everyone should watch kaiketsu zubat. It's one of the shows of all time.

(Ask Game)

[etraytin]

favorite cj/danny headcannons?

Okay, I admit, this one is jumping the queue because I want to write about CJ and Danny today. I am a capricious yet benevolent bestower of headcanons, what can I say? 

Danny started following CJ around on the campaign trail for the first campaign, but she never gavve him the time of day. She was way, way too busy establishing her bona fides as somebody who could be respected as a mouthpiece for the campaign, and doing anything with even the most charming of reporters would've torpedoed that immediately (Also Danny was not exactly the most charming of reporters, tbh, though he did have a certain offbeat something about him.) Danny had more access than most to the campaign because he was writing Abbey's biography and he was willing to listen to large quantities of trivia from Governor Bartlet, but at the end of the day, he was still a reporter and still an opponent. But man, was he tenacious!

CJ came the closest she ever did to giving in and dating Danny when he came back at Christmastime in the Santa outfit. Things had been hard for such a long time, and though she wasn't actively grieving Simon anymore, she still spent a lot of time thinking about what might have been if she hadn't wasted time on wondering what other people would think. Old CJ would never have kissed even Santa-Danny on the press podium, but she'd had a lot of time to think about what she wanted. Unfortunately, Danny had ulterior motives in mind when he came back to the White House, and within hours they were more on opposite sides of a line than they had ever been before. (I actually wrote a fic about this particular moment, check out In Sin and Error Pining.) By the time the whole mess with Shareef was finished and aired out, CJ had put her reputation and her job on the line to preserve her own integrity and leak the story to Danny. By that point their relationship was hopelessly tangled between the personal and professional and there was just no way through it for either of them.

Danny did keep in touch with CJ sporadically during his time away from the White House. Sometimes it was useful work stuff, tipping her off to something she might want to keep an eye on that he'd noticed in his travels. Sometimes it was silly stuff, a video of baby flamingos or an article about how redheaded men make better lovers. And sometimes it was just a few lines of text about what he was doing lately, and that he was thinking of her. CJ rarely replied; she had good intentions but never knew what to say, and an email postponed is an email unsent in her busy inbox. Occasionally she did though, sending him a clipping of the reviews of his latest book or a picture of Gail, or a harmless story of something that had happened in the White House. It wasn't a lot, but it was something.

Danny emailed CJ during the MS scandal, after the debacle with "relieved" in the press room. He told her not to quit, and though she had no idea how he was so sure she was considering it, she took his words under advisement.

CJ didn't meet Danny's family in person until after the administration, but she got a deluge of phone calls and emails basically the moment Danny said he was dating somebody at Christmas that year. Nobody else in Danny's family had much interest in politics, so CJ being Chief of Staff was much less intimidating to them than it might have been to others. Margaret had to develop a very sophisticated call-screening process to avoid offending anybody while still letting CJ do her work and keep her sanity. By the time CJ actually met the whole family, it was no surprise at all to see how similar they all were to Danny in both looks and personality.

After the end of the administration, Danny doesn't pick up a steady gig for awhile. He's got a book contract and another couple of ideas kicking around, and he sends in columns from time to time to keep his hand in, but he's got other responsibilities to deal with. CJ is his full-time job for the first little while, until she finally breaks the surface of exhaustion and burnout enough to notice his subtle hovering and wave him off. Once she starts with the Hollis Foundation he devotes more of his time to writing again, something that isn't quite as exciting as political reporting, but is much better for his blood pressure and his relationship. As a side benefit, writing a Bartlet biography gives them plenty of reasons to visit New Hampshire and let CJ continue the slow process of rehabilitating herself after a decade in the most intense and painful levels of national politics.

Although Danny basically proposed the night he told CJ they should think about jumping off a cliff together, it's nearly eighteen months into the Santos era before he coughs up a ring and pushes his courage to the sticking point. Even for him, maybe especially for him, it's hard to know how CJ will react to certain things. He keeps it private on their own veranda, just in case he's misread the situation, but as it turns out, her first question is "What the hell took you so long?" which of course starts another playful argument. Eventually they double back around to the part where she actually says yes and they get the long romantic kiss and glasses of champagne.

The talk about kids is a little weird because neither CJ or Danny are quite sure whether or not they actually want one, but it feels like a conversation that should be had quickly or never, given their ages. Danny puckishly suggests just leaving it up to chance like all the best Catholics do, and CJ laughs and agrees, figuring that at her age, nothing at all is likely to happen. She throws up for the first time in an early-morning board meeting three months later. They both decide that God is obviously some kind of comedian, but both find themselves warming to the idea of parenthood quickly. Neither of them would've ever been in the position to parent at any earlier time in their lives, but right now it actually seems doable. It's not a great pregnancy and it ends precipitously a couple of weeks early with an emergency C-section, but CJ and the baby both come out okay. The kid, a girl, is named Josephine because Josiah is a little weird for a girl's name.

CJ is absolutely done with politics after her stint in the White House (or so she claims) but Danny's fascination is lifelong. After the Bartlet biography he starts writing the story of the Bartlet presidency, using his wife as his best resource. Her friends are also quite helpful, especially after a few drinks. The Cregg-Concannon family settled on a spacious home just outside Santa Monica and often invite friends to visit from all over the country. This is especially easy during the winter months, because most of their friends still live in DC, which is terrible. CJ takes trips to various African countries and Danny goes on a couple of book tours, but for the most part they are homebodies, enjoying the chance to stay in one place most of the time. It's nice to be able to make that choice, very peaceful. When Josh and Donna get out of the White House, with Josh just about as burnt out as CJ ever was, their first stop is in California to get some advice on how to live like real people again. CJ and Danny are happy to give it.

[crimson-ace-reviews]

Crimson Ace Reviews: Kamen Rider Gavv, Episode 1

Hey, it's been a while, hasn't it?

I'll admit, I've been busy with my other blog and a lot of real life stuff to put a lot of time into this one, but I managed to find a little compromise to still post without needing as much time as my other posts: weekly episode reviews. Starting today, I'll be taking a look at the new Kamen Rider series, and gradually include reviews of each episode of the next Super Sentai and Ultraman series as well.

With that being said, let's get into Kamen Rider Gavv's first episode: A Snack Kamen Rider?!

The series opens with our main character, Shoma, running away from some faceless goons. He tries to get out through a door, only to end up in what I can only assume is a rejected room from Labyrinth.

Let's hope none of the villains this season have massive codpieces like Jareth.

After a short scuffle, Shoma falls through one of the doors in the room and into the human world.

Yes, unlike other Kamen Rider protagonists, Shoma is an alien who has just arrived on Earth. This is something that has never happened before in the show's history.

Like I said, NEVER. HAPPENED.

After a boy finds Shoma unconscious at a beach (insert your own Agito joke here), Shoma wakes up and has one thing on his mind.

The boy, named Hajime, helps Shoma get up and takes him to his secret hideout, but not before Shoma has to save him from getting hit by a car. Unfortunately, he can't save the car from getting hit by him.

Look, just say you had an adrenaline rush, and everyone will believe you. Worked for the guy from Twilight.

Meanwhile, a freelance writer named Hanto interviews a woman about her missing husband, claiming the source is a monster.

Now I'm not a reporter, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't smile while talking to a grieving widow about her possibly dead husband.

Hanto's mentor chides him for his behavior and believes it to be her covering up a murder. After all, this is Kamen Rider. We all know monsters don't exist. So anyway, we cut to someone delivering shrunken humans tied up in Fruit by the Foot to another masked goon like the ones who chased Shoma, receiving a cube of some kind as payment.

Like I said, no such thing as monsters.

Shoma is taken to Hajime's hangout spot and is given some candy to eat. As soon as he tries a few gummies, he gives birth to something through a strange red thing on his stomach.

Shockingly, this isn't how Shoma's kind reproduces, and Shoma himself doesn't know what the hell this thing is (while it's not mentioned in the episode, these things will be called Gochizos). After telling Hajime that he's an alien, Shoma explains that the red thing is something his kind has called a “Gavv”.

Hajime goes home for dinner, so he tells Shoma to stay at the hideout and not break any more cars. Meanwhile, the shady man from earlier takes out his “payment” of a strange gummy cube as a large tongue shoots out of his stomach, revealing he's like Shoma.

What the hell, dude?! If you're going to play with your Gavv, at least do it in private!

We get a brief flashback with a young Shoma and his mother, the latter tells Shoma how he absolutely cannot eat human snacks. She doesn't say why because we still need to justify the show's gimmick and because it makes for better drama later on. Afterwards, Hajime is making his way home, only to be stalked by the same creepy dude, who says he wants to steal his happiness for something called a “Dark Treat”, the same cube thing he got earlier. Shoma saves him just as the man transforms into a hound-themed monster.

Shoma calls the monster out, revealing that like him, he's a Granute, the name of the alien race Shoma is a part of.

So after the two compare Gavv sizes, they fight. Shoma has super strength, but the Hound Granute isn't a car, so Shoma gets his ass kicked. This reminds Shoma of how it was impossible for him to save his mom, who was turned into the same Fruit by the Foot thing as the Hound Granute's victims. Right when Shoma gains the resolve to protect Hajime, the Gochizos come to save him, telling Shoma to put one of them, labeled “Poppin Gummy” in his Gavv. This allows him to transform into a Kamen Rider.

Base form's got a pretty decent design. Nice blend of colors here and there, but the bottom half is rather underdesigned.

As Shoma fights in his new form, we see how much his armor kind of sucks. Because it's made of gummies, it's easy for the Hound Granute to punch them off, so Shoma is forced to use more of those snack creatures to recreate his armor. As the two keep fighting, Hajime's mother appears out of nowhere to scream about the two “monsters”.

I'm guessing she went to call her American cousin Jonah afterwards.

After Hajime's mother takes him away to safety, the Granute Hound tries to get under Shoma's skin by calling him a monster. Shoma's response?

Yeah, Shoma may be a monster, but he's the monster who's going to kick your ass.

Shoma tries to break out his new weapon, the Gavvgablade, only for its finisher which shoots a Gochizo at the enemy to fail miserably. And I don't mean like it's not strong enough to kill him right then and there. It harmlessly bounces off the Granute Hound.

Maybe don't portray your new hero's armor and equipment as weak and fragile if you want kids to buy your toys.

Granute Hound escapes in a quadrupedal form, so Shoma gives chase on his new, ATV, created by another Gochizo and clearly CGI.

The next part of the fight is a very obvious CGI fest that's meant to get around Japan's dumb anti-customized vehicle laws and justify calling this show Kamen Rider Gavv. After that, Shoma unleashes the power of a different Gochizo, Kickin Gummy. This gives him a giant foot to use for his Rider Kick, ending the Granute Hound.

The next morning, Shoma leaves Hajime's hideout, eats all his snacks, and leaves a letter explaining why he'll keep his alien identity a secret going forward. Shoma uses the same Gochizo as last time to create a less goofy bike and rides off... only for the episode to end with him unconscious again only someone else finds him like this. I'm guessing the term “food coma” means something different for the Granutes.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts:

Much like SF Debris, I'll be giving awards to certain cliches and recurring themes I've noticed are prevalent in tokusatsu.

Shiny New Toy: For Shoma's Gavv and the Gochizo he created.

No Parents Allowed: For Shoma's mother, who was captured before the series began.

Kenny of the Week: For Hajime, being a small child character who becomes important to the plot. If you watch Brandon's Cult Movie Reviews, you'll get it.

Death by Rider Kick: For the Granute Hound, obviously.

This was a pretty solid first episode, all things considered. It sets up the main conflict, establishes Shoma's character and has good action. Shoma is a very likable protagonist, and he's a fine middle ground from a Rider getting the hang of his powers and a Rider who knows about the conflict of the series. Unlike other seasons where the main character is a rookie who has to figure out how his powers work, Shoma doesn't have a mentor or confidant to help him like Aruto, Touma, Ikki and Houtaro did. He's pretty much winging it as he goes along, but he's still going to fight as a Kamen Rider.

The only real gripe I have is that Hajime is shoved aside at the end despite being set up as a major character. Maybe he'll appear later on, but it's really strange that we spent so much time with him in the pilot only for the episode to end with someone else taking him in, especially since the second episode preview shows this woman serving a similar role as Shoma's confidant.

But putting aside, this was a pretty sweet way to start Kamen Rider Gavv.

Next time on Kamen Rider Gavv: Shoma discovers Pringles. That might not sound interesting, but when you're one of the only superheroes in existence who gets his powers from junk food, it's a big deal.