#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.~🍬

[tardisscans]

Hino Yusuke's Live (12/30/24)

I've been extremely sick so I haven't subbed anything, but I wanted to at least give a quick rundown of what Hino said in his last live!

Hino is really really excited for the Terebi-kun special.

The number of fans from China has increased a lot!

Initially there were more female fans but Hino thinks it's 50/50 now.

Hide arrives at 12:57 and Hino gets excited and asks if he's watching.

Hino starts rambling about how he feels lonely without Hide even though they've been together for a year.

He also states that he doesn't know how many days he won't be able to see him again after they finish Gavv, so the feeling is similar as to when he was with his idol group.

Both laughed at the "Sukipi Doshi" scene (すきぴ同志; translated by some as "lovebirds", "lovers" or "crush". I'll keep it as "sukipi" to simplify things lol)

Hino goes and describes the whole scene of Ep16 where Shouma and Hanto "sacrifice" for each other, but says he couldn't help himself and laughed when Shouma remembered Sachika's words about the "sukipi"s.

For Hanto, Shouma is really special, and for Hino, Hide is special too.

He talks about Hide having an unrequited love for Hino, and how clingy and embarrassing is lmao.

Hide actually comments a " ?? ".

"It's a bit troublesome to be so loved"

Hino says to not ask for spoilers, he's afraid of people getting angry at him lol.

Miyabecchi has been more cheerful lately!

He thought she was very serious and quiet at first but she's actually pretty lively! Hino also praises how talented she is and that she was chosen as Sachika for a reason :)

"Oi, Hide, don't just comment. Say something interesting."

Hino's favorite hero is Den-O and he watched every episode of it.

He also liked Kabuto and Kiva.

His parents told him he had the Den-O belt but he only remembers playing with Kuuga's belt lol.

19:03, Honoka (Shiita) seems to be watching the live too! :)

(Proceeds to complain about how hard is to make a live)

Hide asks if Hino has something he wanted to do before the end of the year but wasn't able to.

Hino says he wasn't able to go on a date with Hide.

He explains it's because they see each other all the time on set, but they go out to eat together, or go to each other house's too.

He kinda likes the idea to go travelling to different places for the FLT.

He also wants to get a driving license.

Hino likes the idea of picking someone up and having a "driving date" but I think people kept thinking he meant Hide?? (He was talking about him just seconds ago) so when he read "a date with your "sukipi doshi" he just talked about how much he wants one until he realized what the fans meant and said "Ah, sorry. Yes. It's Hide. My sukipi is Hide." lmao

"I swear it's not only a work relationship!" Hino keeps telling us how they are also good friends irl and outside of work.

He changes the subject and reveals Hide has him pinned to the top of Line, and how "weird" it is but also really cute.

In a more serious note, he finds Hide's pureness cute.

Comment: "What do you like about Hide?"

Hino: "He's like a dog. And his face."

He explains he replies really fast when he gets the notification, so he doesn't really have a need to pin anyone.

Comment: "Does Hino-kun have Hide pinned to the top too?"

Hino: "Hino-kun only has managers pinned!"

He does have a Gavv Staff group pinned though.

"Anyways, let's say Hide has an unrequited love."

(Unsure of what he means, but I think Hide comments that Hino actually does have him pinned to the top too???)

He also says that when he was in high school, he had a soccer event and went on a 2-3 day trip, and when he came back, his parents had already adopted a dog, so he had to get use to it lol.

Comment: "Hino-kun, are you a dog person or a cat person?"

He explains he was afraid of animals since little (to the point of moving sidewalks if someone was walking their dog), but after staying at a friend's house (who had cats) he became a cat person.

People asked him about meeting someone (Unsure of who they are- I'm really bad with names, sorry.) but Hino says they're really nice and friendly.

He changes to Hide again lol.

Hino mentions how he likes pickles but Hide doesn't eat them, so he always eats them for him.

At first he asked Hide to just give him what he didn't want, but nowadays Hide just finishes his bento and gives him the rest. (Because he's a child)

27:00, Ruito (Jeep) is here too!

"Ruito-kun is too cute!" - Hino.

He says Ruito is really cute while working (on stage) and he even thought he was a girl, but in private he's extremely funny, "He's just an ordinary boy".

Ruito is his favorite among the cast and says he has been seeing him lately (...Is that foreshadowing?...)

"I'll give you my pickles next time" - Ruito.

(Hino complains but accepts it anyways lol)

Gavv it's like an all-boy's school. (He feels sorry for Honoka and Miyabe)

He says he can't drink with Hide cause he's underage, but he can with Shoji and he's been hanging out with him lately and they went to karaoke! He address him between formal-casual, and even though he's a senpai and older, he feels like a friend instead of an older brother.

"Do you like Shoji-senpai?" (Laage9/Vram)

Hino says even though he joined midway, (he doesn't know if it's bcs he worked on toku before), Shoji blended perfectly fine.

Hino was determined to not go to his hometown for new year (I'm guessing to prepare for his role as Hanto.)

He says to look forward to who is he gonna spend his time with in New Year? And I think someone on the comments said it was Hide, but Hino says it's not, that it's okay for Hide to be separated from him in holiday season lol.

He then states that once in a while you just need to have some time to realize how important someone is to you, and to let Hide think about how having time with Hino is a precious thing.

"It's not Shoji either!"

Actually, back to the Hide, Hino hopes Hide can take him to Okinawa.

Hino talks about how he hated his own voice but that a producer told him he had a distinct sound and it was his strength.

Please do not treat him as a Hide's middleman!

He explained that it's as if it were Valentine's Day and they called him to meet at some place and he arrives, sees them fidgeting with chocolates in their hands, and his heart starts racing, and then they just tell him "Can you please give these to Hide?"

He talked with Director Sugihara about wanting to change his name, but Sugihara was like "It's you life, do what you want." (lol), but after chatting a bit, he suggested to check out Takebe P's other works (Producer of Gavv).

He says he tried LupPat and Zero-One (But Takebe didn't work on them, so I'm not entirely sure why he mentioned them. Prolly bcs of Sugihara working on Zero-One or Komura...)

At the end, he just thanked the producer, director, Hide, toku fans, and children, and said how grateful he feels to work on such a popular work, and that he will work very hard!

He then clicks on something and keeps getting distracted with the filters for like 10 minutes lol.

[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?

[littlemisssquiggles]

….Nahhhhhhhh…we gotta talk about today’s episode of Kamen Rider Gavv…

... Because shit DEFINITELY hit the fan with that cliffhanger of an ending from today’s episode.

With Big Sis Glotia opening her big mouth and outing Shouma not only in-front of Lakia Armaga (a.k.a Laag9 a.k.a Kamen Rider Vram) but ALSO Hanto who had the best timing in this entire show to show up at the exact moment the whole fight between Gavv and Vram vs Full Granute Glotia ended.

I mean, we all knew this day would eventually come and we all knew it  was going to be a painful moment with as much delicacy as ripping off a bandage on a critically gaping flesh wound.

But DAMN, even though shit was going to be bad once Hanto discovererd the truth about Shouma, even then I was still hoping it would’ve been after a moment of Shouma spending more time with Vram Lakia so that he’d have another Granute ally or maybe after he’d at least told everything to Sachika so that would at least have her on his side.

But no, the worst possible outcome happened with Shouma being outed before he could explain anything to everyone. Now everything just looks bad.

But ironically enough, that’s not what I want to talk about. What I’m here to discuss is actually the teaser for the next episode!

The name of the episode is “An Excessively Bitter Gavv” debuting what looks to be Shouma’s anti form. An evil version of himself.

To me, Bitter Shouma looks and acts like a corrupted version of Shouma. No longer his kind, compassionate and sweet self, willing to do everything in his power to help others especially those who have been victims of his “family” and their malicious Dark Treats empire. From the trailer, Bitter Shouma looks … well bitter.

He appears to be resentful with not an ounce of the compassion he had when the season started.

And what’s worse is that in the trailer we’re shown a scene of Hanto showing Sachika a video of Bitter Shouma beating up an innocent civilian and Hanto telling Sachika that Bitter Gavv is the “real Shouma”.

I know I should expect Hanto to say that given how this episode ended. But here comes my questions. HOW did Shouma become BITTER Shouma?

Is there going to be like some kind of timeskip between today’s episode and the next one and during that time, Shouma has gone missing and when he finally resurfaces he’s just rocking this new angrier persona?

Are we dealing with a case where BITTER Shouma is the embodiment of his Granute personality that he’s kept suppressed for so long until the events of this episode, particular the part where Hanto punched him in the face and probably reawakened that side of Shouma?

The only thing that makes sense is … what if Shouma got so depressed as a result of everything that happened, losing all of his friends’ trust to the point that not even eating candy makes him happy anymore. He is no longer able to feel joy from eating human world food and enjoying sweets like his used to when he first came to the Human World. Thus, he is so desperate to feel some semblance of joy again that he even dares to try Dark Treats. Y’know the very thing that he’s been trying to stop the creation. The very thing his own mother warned him not to try.

And in trying Dark Treats, Shouma gets corrupted. Because that’s what Bitter Gavv looks like. An inverse Gavv with his titular red Gavv now being purple.

 Is BITTER Shouma even our Shouma?

There is also the possibility of Bitter Gavv can be an evil clone of Sweet Shouma?

After all, why did the Sugar Doctor pilfer a sample of Shouma’s hair and was observing his DNA?

Create a human/Granute hybrid that is able to transform into a Kamen Rider using Gavv’s power due to Sugar’s experiments with Hanto.

And we’ve also seen Gavv’s ability to produce Gochizmo’s be artificially done to produce another rider in the form of Nylev’s experiments with Vram.

We know from their encounters that Nylev and the Sugar Doctor exchange their scientific findings. That’s how the Sugar Doctor was able to fit Hanto with a Granute gland which I’m sure he got from Nylev. Just as how Nylev was able to produce the Vram System and artificial Gochizmos from what he learnt from the Sugar Doctor’s experiments with Hanto. And as we saw from this episode and the last, the Sugar Doctor has a sample of Shouma’s hair. His very DNA. So who’s to say that Bitter Shouma isn’t going to be the culmination of all of these experiments - an exact replica of Sweet Shouma cloned in a lab with all of his known abilities but none of his compassion.

I wouldn’t put it past Nylev and the Sugar Doctor to create an exact replica of Shouma/Gavv only purely evil with zero compassion for others including humans and serving Stomach Inc. Or at least Nylev because we don’t know what his true intentions are.

I don’t want to believe that Bitter Shouma is Shouma. But at the same time, there is evidence that this could be the case too. We know from the show that Shouma possesses suppressed memories of a timeline where he did encounter Hanto’s mom.

We KNOW from the show that there was timeline BEFORE Shouma was surgically fitted with the red Gavv by his grand uncle.

It makes me wonder if there was a period, when Shouma was very very young growing up in the Granute World where he was oblivious to the truth about his family’s business empire. His mother clearly knew which was why she warned him from young never to try Dark Treats.

I feel like ultimately it would be revealed that Shouma has a connection to both Hanto AND Lakia.

There has to be a connection between all three of these characters and these events. A connection that can help clear Shouma’s name and help him make peace with everyone especially Hanto and Lakia.

But who knows. I guess the next episode will reveal everything.

Until then, this squiggle meister is curious to know what other Kamen Rider fans and Gavv enthusiasts think is the true identity behind Bitter Gavv?

Is he really the “real” Shouma now corrupted by grief and bitter emotions as a culmination of everything that’s happened to him up to this point in the plot?

Is he suppressed manifestation of Shouma’s Granute half, rotten, ruthless and lacking compassion that has now been reawakened as a result of current events? Or is he an evil clone of the real Shouma as a result of another one of Nylev and the Sugar Doctor’s experiments in the name of Granute/human science?

What do you  guys think it could be?

~LMS (2025)

[guster-animations]

Kamen Rider Gavv Episode 16 Producer Notes

this one seemed interesting and brevin wants me to translate some of these so i’ll start with this

taken from this website

toku translation masterpost here

-

Looking at the Next Episode

2024 was tied off with a crab-filled Christmas… I hope you enjoyed “Gavv”.

Episodes 17 and 18 will be directed by Takayuki Shibasaki. A big focus for the director was the unprecedented transformation scene and its action! There are many two-episode arcs that rush to the big part in the latter episode, but he goes full-throttle starting in the first half… in snack terms, it’s a full dessert course. A new Kamen Rider appears, and has a pudding design in many places. The slightly enemy-like eyes are attractive.

Kohei Shoji plays this character, who is filled with many mysteries. When I asked him, “There isn’t much information written in the script, so won’t it be difficult to act? Should we add more details?”, he gave the reassuring words, “There’s no need for that at all”, without hesitation. Just as you’d expect from an experience tokusatsu actor. With this character who has some kind of motive, the story will start to go in a different direction from now on. Please look forward to it.

(The tagline for the poster reads, “The world needs a bitter push.”)

A new visual for the next arc has also been revealed. While there are interesting developments happening here, the root of Shoma and Hanto’s conflict still has not been resolved. Serial drama components are also an important part of “Gavv”, so even though we’ll reminisce with reruns of episodes you might have missed during the week of New Year’s, please look forward to the next episode. 2025 will be exciting for “Gavv” as well.

(Written by Naomi Takebe)

The Episode In Short

Thank you for watching Episode 16. It was an episode just before Christmas, broadcast on December 22nd!

Satoshi Morota directed it, continuing from the previous episode. This time again, he carefully and subtly captured the inner workings of Shoma and Hanto’s minds.

Settling things in a battle with Kani!

While making this Christmas episode, we imitated “The Gift of the Magi”, which the scriptwriter Nobuhiro Mouri suggested.

“The Gift of the Magi” is a famous work in the programs of Christmas plays, and we showed the disagreements and bonds between these two people using the Buche de Noël Gochizo as a key item.

Their disagreements were also depicted in episodes 11 and 12, but Shoma and Hanto’s relationship will change as the story of “Gavv” progresses.

Is this a result of the Magi’s challenge…?!?! (no idea what this means)

At the end of last episode, Hanto was captured by Granute Rojo (also known as Kani), and this time Shoma intentionally gets caught by Kani in order to find Hanto and save him.

And Kani disturbs them by sidestepping again. You think he’d release their bonds, but he’s an unfair liar Granute. But it’s hard to dislike him because (??)…

The battle with Kani, who first appeared in episode 13, finally comes to an end. No one would have guessed a blue crab would survive for 4 episodes…

Yosuke Kishi, playing the role of Kani, was all-in this episode! He put in fun crab ad-libs at a crazy pace during his performance and voice-overs, and brought forth the shape of a never-before-seen Granute.

Being a veteran of Toei tokusatsu works, he gave lots of friendly advice, especially to Hidekazu Chinen who he had many scenes with, and he was very good at taking care of him! Thank you very much, Kishi!

Double Cake Revenge!

On that note, Gavv and Valen clash with Kani! The two of them struggle against the crab’s hard shell. Kani’s not just talk— he really is strong!

In the midst of that, Gavv’s Buche de Noël Gochizo comes to Valen!

Valen uses the power of Buche de Noël, which carried Shoma’s feelings, and transforms!

How was the transformation sequence with the tasty-looking chocolate Buche de Noël?

He looks more like a lumberjack than Gavv’s Buche de Noël form did! The face’s shape slightly resembles a reindeer, and it’s a new form for Valen that goes perfectly with Christmas!

The power of cake also pierces through Rojo’s tough shell!

And continuing from last episode, the weird whip soldiers also appear! This time, they block him with teamwork similar to coordinated gymnastics! There were many exciting things from action director Fujita this time.

Finished with a double-cake blow!

It was an action scene that made me want to eat perfect cake for Christmas. (I don’t even know what I’m talking about.)

The Jellyfish’s Hunt in the Human Realm

Last episode, Lage9 came to the human realm as an employee. His tentacles produce a poison that causes happiness in people. As a Granute who targets humans, he steadily gathers Human Presses with his excellent ability.

It’s an innocuous-looking topic title, but what he’s doing is pretty foul…

This time, Lage9 comes to a movie theater. After the courthouse, the next closed area where humans gather that he chose was a movie theater.

The movie that played here was actually the movie created in “Yodonna 3”, “The Next-door Girlfriend”. As you can see, in the scene with the actor Kiramei Blue’s character Shigure Oshikiri (played by Atomu Mizuishi), fairly passionate romantic developments were happening.

It was a randomly and unintentionally chosen scene, but it might be miraculously related to “Gift of the Magi”? That’s the situation, so those interested should definitely check it out on TTFC (Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club)

Shoji is seeing his former costar Mizuishi’s passionately romantic movie in an unexpected place… (Laughs).

Lage9 gets the Dark Snacks that he wanted, but he doesn’t seem to have any interest in them. What is he hiding? It makes you curious about what his true goal is…!

Lage9 is introduced as a “hat-wearing man”, and the said hat that he wears was chosen for the strange coolness of hiding his eyes.

Even so, it’s an outfit that Shoji can only wear with his 188 cm of height (Laughs).

The events that Lage9 creates will definitely have an impact on Shoma and his friends in the future, and there are definitely interesting things that will happen with the new completed belt, but at least the issue of defeating Granute Rojo has been safely settled!

Even though Shoma and Hanto still have bad feelings about each other… it’s still brought to a close with a fun Christmas party.

Did you enjoy the time spent with cake and crabs this Christmas?

The next episode of Kamen Rider Gavv will broadcast on Sunday, January 5th.

You might think the lack of an episode over break is disappointing, but it’s been decided that every episode will be available for free on TVer, Abema, and TV Asahi during the New Year holidays!

If you haven’t seen every episode of Gavv up to now, please enjoy it at your own pace this week!

(Written by Ryohei Takahashi)

[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 with occasional Ultraman, I focus on Blade a lot especially) -History (college major) -Classics and mythology (part of college minor) -Music (mostly anime and video game music)

♠ 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* -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* -Mahou Tsukai PreCure ~Mirai Days~: started 1/11/25

⚡️ Plan to watch (TBD, may change) ⚡️ -Kamen Rider Kuuga (1/30/25, will watch alongside OOO) -Revolutionary Girl Utena (been wanting to start it for a while) -Kamen Rider OOO (1/30/25, will watch alongside Kuuga) -You and Idol PreCure (upcoming PreCure, February 2025) -No.1 Sentai Gozyuger (upcoming Super Sentai, February 2025)

🍃 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) -#personal stuff: for general life stuff -#my merch: for any merch posts -#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, crypt0/EnEffTee/A.I. supporters, and spam bots. 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 and/or periodically close my inbox for personal reasons including overabundance of donation asks. I'm sorry but I can't do those atm, will still reblog donation posts though) -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.

[mirai-e-jump]

Animage February 2025 Issue ft. Shoji Kohei Interview (translation below)

Publication: January 9, 2025

That man, is Vram

Shouma and Hanto discover that they're both transforming into Kamen Riders. Making her exit is Siita, second daughter of the Stomach Family, the biggest enemy to Shouma and his friends. As thrilling developments unfold each week, a new Kamen Rider has joined the fray in "Kamen Rider Gavv." His name, is Vram. Known as Lage 9, he's a Granute who's been employed by Stomach Inc and can transform into a Kamen Rider.

Shouma, born between a human and a Granute, transforms into Gavv. Then came Valen, who the human Hanto transforms into. Many fans may have predicted that the one to transform into the tertiary Rider would be a Granute. However, the "man" known as Lage 9 is more than just an enemy to fight. While he pretends to not be interested in the reward of dark sweets, when he negotiates with Nyelv, who approached him with a secret job behind president Lango's back, it becomes apparent that he has his own agenda, but what are his true intentions?

Before Granute Lage 9, Shoji Kohei-san passionately played the role of Crystaria Takamichi (KiramaiSilver) in "Mashin Sentai Kiramager." A complete departure from his role as a powerful and lively man, it'll be interesting to see how he'll play the role of a lazy and mysterious monster!

-Working together to express Vram's sense of strength-

"It's not often that a person who plays a hero in the Super Sentai series then goes onto playing the role of a Kamen Rider, so we were surprised when we first heard the news."

Shoji: I was surprised that coincidences like these could happen. I worked together with Kudo Mio on Kiramager, where she played KiramaiPink after appearing in "Kamen Rider Ghost," but I never dreamed that I'd be in a situation where I'd play a transforming hero and then a character who Henshins, and not just as a minor character, but as a regular.

"We also thought it was interesting that just like KiramaiSilver in Kiramager, you made your entrance with this role during the middle of the story."

Shoji: Yeah, it feels like some kind of fate.

"What kind of impression do you have of the Kamen Rider series?"

Shoji: Compared to Sentai, I have the impression that the human drama is played out more seriously. I've been watching Gavv's broadcast so far with the feeling of, "How can they do this much with a Sunday morning program?!"

"Lage 9 acts exactly like a typical enemy, doing things like collecting large amounts of Human Presses, so we couldn't believe that he was a character who'd transform into a Kamen Rider."

Shoji: I was alittle surprised by that too (laughs). In the original materials I received, all I knew about his character was his purpose in life and his general beliefs, which would be revealed in the future. When it comes to the scenes where he performs his evil tasks, I think it's easier for children to understand it if he looks like a bad person, as it also makes it clear as to why he's doing it, so I'm trying to play the role in a way that makes me appear as evil as possible.

"He made his first appearance in episode 12 for a short time in his Granute form, with Shoji-san only appearing through his voice performance."

Shoji: Until he appeared in his human form, he'd been putting on an act in front of Stomach Inc, so I wanted to make sure he appeared weak. From there until he transforms into a Kamen Rider at the end of episode 17, I wanted to make my performance as natural as possible, and to create an intense contrast with his fighting appearance.

"Starting from episode 18, he'll finally play an active role as Kamen Rider Vram."

Shoji: When talking about strong characters, I think there are many different types you could go with, but together with Vram's Suit Actor Eitoku-san and the production team, we're expressing him as the type who can "switch on and off." Eitoku-san doesn't make any exaggerated movements or heroic poses in his performance, and he'll wait until the last moment before suddenly moving, so even during post recording, I'm conscious of creating a difference between when he is and isn't putting in alot of energy.

"What was your impression of Vram's visuals using a pudding motif?"

Shoji: It was more poppin than I had envisioned (laughs). The vivid yellow color is eye catching, too flashy and cute for him to be an enemy, and I also like the pieces of pudding being applied to various parts of his body, such as his ears, shoulders and back. It's the same for Gavv and Valen, but I think the nice thing about Gavv's production is that while its story runs heavy, the Kamen Riders are colorful and poppin.

"How do you communicate with Eitoku-san?"

Shoji: Currently, I feel that we're on the same page and can have everyday conversations when we meet (laughs), but in the beginning, we didn't know how to approach each other, so we'd just confirm and adjust things one by one. We'd be like, "What'd you do in this scene?" or, "I think this is the emotion that's coming from the scene." Before Vram made his entrance, Eitoku-san and I have been performing Lage 9 together since his Granute form appeared. When done well, the effects of our synergy can expand upon this great role alot better than if we were to perform it alone, but on the other hand, if we're both looking to go in different directions, it can make the viewers feel that something's out of place. While thinking about how we should handle our emotions, I hope we can continue to trust each other and perform together.

-The difference between Rider and Sentai's storytelling-

"Shoji-san, please tell us your impressions of Shouma's Chinen Hidekazu-san and Hanto's Hino Yusuke-san."

Shoji: Chinen's a kid who's like a sponge. Even without lighting, his eyes are sparkling, and it makes me wonder if me and the other five appeared like that on the outside four years ago (laughs). Hino's career in the entertainment industry is longer than mine, and I feel that he has the desire to greatly expand upon the important role of Kamen Rider that he's obtained with his own hands, and that he wants to improve the entire set. I haven't actually said this to him, but he's a kind person. Our job isn't just to put on a good performance and create good scenes, it's also about making the finished footage look good. Chinen and Sachika's Miyabe Nozomi have yet to build up their acting careers, so there are times where they struggle on set. I'd like to give them advice, but it's something I also have to think about for myself, so I'm watching over them from a slightly detached position. I feel that Hino's advice, which varies in subtle ways depending on the person he's directing it to, has had a positive effect on Chinen, the others, and the entire set……I might be praising him abit too much (laughs).

"(laughs). You must feel that the atmosphere on Gavv's set is good then, huh?"

Shoji: That's right. I'm a main cast member with five years of experience as an actor, and especially on Kamen Rider's side, it's like I'm a veteran entering a younger set, where everyone has the ambition to take a big step forward as actors from this production. I hope that this will be a turning point in my career where I'll be able to grow, and I'm thinking about how I can give back to the set using the experience I've gained so far.

"What do you feel is the same or different between working on set for the Super Sentai series and Kamen Rider series?"

Shoji: What they share in common is that the scripts are written in parallel to watching our performances and the finished footage, which allows the actors to grow alongside their characters. As someone involved, I enjoy the fact that Chinen and the others look more appealing now than when I first met them, and I think that's the most interesting part tokusatsu fans who have loved the series for so many years want to see most. I think what's different is that Super Sentai has stories for each character, but they also work as a group and have storylines that are usually resolved in an episode, while each person in Kamen Rider has their own storyline that lasts the entire show. I was together with the Kiramager members pretty much all the time (laughs). In Gavv's case, it'll be interesting to see how Gavv and Valen, who are fighting together, deal with their opponent Vram, and how their relationship will change in the process. I'm excited to perform as well.

"What did you learn from your experience on Kiramager that you've been incorporating into Gavv?"

Shoji: I feel that I've been able to make use of my knowledge in post recording and how I behave on set. When I first started doing post recording for Kiramager, I struggled with it so much, that I finally recorded a single episode after what felt like countless hours of recording. What was great for all of us was that we were able to record while surrounded by Voice Actors such as Minase Inori-san, Sugita Tomokazu-san, and Nakamura Yuichi-san, all of whom are active at the very front of the industry. Suzumura Kenichi-san still contacts me every now and then, and Inada Tetsu-san comes over when I call him (laughs), so we're very close friends. I learned alot about how to approach the performance with just my voice, so I think it's one of my assets. Normal dramas are filmed and finished in about 2-3 months, and while staff members join and leave within Super Sentai and Kamen Rider, they're always involved in the same productions, so their sets are abit unique. With the main premise being what Chinen, the lead actor, wants to do, I try to come up with ways of improving the atmosphere on set, while also thinking about whether to give him a push or run with him.

"Please tell us what we should pay attention to in future episodes."

Shoji: First would be the action performed by Kamen Rider Vram. As a viewer, I really enjoy the battle scenes that Action Director Fujita Satoshi's been putting alot of thought into, and now that Gavv and Valen are being joined by Vram, you'll get to see three different fighting styles. I hope you enjoy his interesting visuals, as well as how he uses his weapon. And then, the type of fate Lage 9 carries on his back will become clearer as his character develops, so I hope that you'll watch each week's broadcast with anticipation. _

Double Riders from the tertiary Rider's point of view.

From Lage 9's perspective, they both serve as obstacles who get in the way of his objective, nothing more and nothing less. He happens to wear a suit that looks similar to theirs, but he's taken the stance to eliminate them since he's been ordered to do so by those above him. As for myself, I view both of them as heroic, but it's interesting to see how the things they both carry overlap, such as the feelings of guilt Shouma has towards Hanto. I think it's because there are some nuanced elements that you end up wondering, "What kind of person is this guy?" or "Maybe there's another side to him." I feel that that's what makes them so appealing within the story. (-Shoji)

[mirai-e-jump]

TV Life, 12/27/2024 Issue ft. Chinen Hidekazu & Hayama Yuki (translations below)

Publication: December 11, 2024

GavvPare! Vol.8 (Chinen Hidekazu)

-I was worried about the scene where he confronts his older brother and sister-

I confront Siita and Jiip in episodes 13 and 14. For Shouma, they're his older brother and sister, and although they abused him, they lived together in the same place, so I think he feels differently about them compared to how he's been fighting the Granutes and Agents so far. He has to take them down, but he's abit hesitant in taking action. With these complex feelings, I was worried about how to convey his feelings during the confrontation scene. However, the Director told me, "If Shouma doesn't stop them, the people of the world will lose. Stop them as if they're two violent criminals, don't think of them as his brother and sister." Even though Shouma's conflicted, he's determined to carry out his basic desire to "protect people," so I think I was able to show a different side of him than usual. We're enemies during the performance, but Hono-chan who plays Siita and Ruito-kun who plays Jiip, are similar in age to me and are good friends in our private lives. We also have a relationship where we can say what we want to say to each other, can compete with each other, and the three of us even set goals for the next year and promised to "make them happen together." Now that we've overcome the difficult scenes, I'm truly happy that Hono-chan and Ruito-kun are Siita and Jiip.

It's alittle early to say this, but looking back on this year, it's been a really crazy one. Around December of last year, I was saying to those around me, "I feel like something big is gonna happen next year." I never thought it'd be this production, but I'm really happy that I'm actually playing the lead role in Kamen Rider Gavv like this, and that I'm able to spend my days making my dream a reality. I'll never forget what I learned this year, and I hope to make even more progress in the next one!

Q: What's something that fills you with energy when you eat it?

A: Okinawan senbei. It has a taste that brings back memories of eating them during my childhood, but there are very few places in Tokyo that sell them. My mother in Okinawa often sends them to me. They're so delicious that I can't stop eating them once I start, so I try to restrain myself from eating them before filming so that I don't become bloated (laughs). I'd love it if everyone gave them a try!

Off Shot: During the last scene in episode 14, Hanto rushes to Shouma's side after his deadly battle with Jiip and Siita. Hanto helps Shouma up by lending him his shoulder, and the two of us imitate how to carry off an "injured person." On a tokusatsu set, the actors often discuss with the Directors how they'd react together during such unusual situations! That was alittle peek into the behind the scenes. _

BakuDAYS Vol.20 (Hayama Yuki)

-If I could express Ishiro's individuality-

In episode 37, I was assigned to perform two different types of action scenes. I had a scene with Taiya and a scene with Sutea, a colleague from his spy days, and we practiced the action about a week before the shoot. When the screen splits, there's a line where both Ishiro and Taiya say to each other, "I believe in him," but the real line in the script was, "I believe".* However, Haruhi consulted with me, saying, "I think "I believe in him" would be better since it sounds abit more like they have no doubts." I understood what he was saying and also revised my line. I also played the role of the fake Ishiro in episode 37, but I had trouble separating the two roles. I consulted with the Director in advance and was told that there was no need for me to force out two different characters, so I played the role while being conscious of facing everyone in Boonboomger with a cold expression and avoiding eye contact. Ishiro's strong point is analyzing, as he can anticipate what's going to happen in the coming future. So, as I play the role of Ishiro, I try to anticipate things that aren't written in the script, and ask the staff in advance about things that might happen in the future. By doing this, I hope to express Ishiro's individuality. Other things, for example, include his posture when standing, his vibes when speaking, and the pauses in his speech. I feel that it's been a very valuable experience being able to create Ishiro's character like this over the past year. (*it's the same meaning, but the first is casual while the latter is formal)

From now on, the internal circumstances regarding the Hashiriyan organization will become clear. If you pay attention to the actions of each and every character, I think you'll be surprised and amused!

Q: What's something the "Informant" wants to research?

A: I started working on my body once I started performing action in Boonboomger. I've been going to the gym for a couple months now, and I spend my free time researching the anatomy of the body, efficient ways to work out, and foods that are good for attaining the ideal shape (laughs).

BakuageSHOT: Thanks to the efforts of the production team, they made sure that I wouldn't get scars from the handcuffs, and I was able to film without any injuries. This filming session made me once again realize how much support I get from those around me!

[mirai-e-jump]

TV Life, 12/13/2024 Issue ft. Kawasaki Honoka/Koga Ruito & Suzuki Miu (translations below)

Publication: November 27, 2024

GavvPare! Vol.7 (Kawasaki Honoka & Koga Ruito)

-How we move on is something to note-

Koga: Jeebh and Shita are twins, so including their appearance, they share alot of similarities, however, in reality, we're polar opposites.

Kawasaki: That's right (laughs). We kept looking for something we share in common, but we couldn't find anything.

Koga: (laughs). Still, I feel that that's why we're able to play off each other while compensating for what the other's missing.

Kawasaki: While also being pulled along throughout the performance, I've learned alot from him about how to behave on set. I'm not really the type that's able to "switch on and off," but Koga-chan is able to switch perfectly. I thought he was a professional when I saw how he recited his lines before the performance and how he stayed focused. Also, there are times where he helps me by casually following up with me when I can't properly express what I want to say. Thank you!

Koga: Same here. I'm a shy person, but thanks to her always talking with me, Hono-chan's cheerfulness really helped me get accustomed to the set. Once we got closer, we were able to just go ahead with a, "I'll do it this way here" and "OK," all without having to talk specifically about the performance or making adjustments in advance.

Kawasaki: When we were told that we were fired in episode 9, I personally thought, "If we really are fired, it's too soon for us to make an exit!" (laughs). Just like how Shita wants to be a part of Stomach Inc forever, as an actor, I want to stay on the set for as long as possible, so it was easy for me to create emotions that were similar to my own.

Koga: I get that. They both bullied Gavv quite abit, but after being told that they were fired, they started to get impatient…I tried making my tone harsher and smiling less in order to express that impatience, that way, the viewers would notice the change when they watch, as those details may be foreshadowing of what's to come.

Kawasaki: I hope you don't overlook that!

Koga: At the end of episode 12, we were determined to never forgive Gavv, so one of the things to note will be how we move on from episode 13.

Kawasaki: As I expressed my mixed emotions of anger and sadness, I had expressions on my face that I had never seen on myself before, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it'll look on air! _

BakuDAYS Vol.19 (Suzuki Miu)

-I want to act out Mira's struggles with care!-

Recently, episode 36 was the one that left the biggest impression on me, as I was playing the role while hoping to bring out the best in Mira. There's a scene in the Deliverer's garage where Mira tells Taiya and Boon-chan, "It's frustrating that I can't help Aki's dream come true." Mira is sometimes presented as "the sun of the Boonboomgers," but she's not exclusively cheerful, as she also has her own frustrations and struggles. So, for the scene at the Deliverer's garage, I played the role carefully, hoping to convey her frustrations and her relationship with Aki.

Mira's innocent and full of energy. I think characters like that can come across as selfish if they mess up, but Mira's able to properly understand other people's feelings and put them before herself. In episode 36, when Aki took Mira's Boonboom Changer and tried to transform, the first thing Mira said to her was, "Why'd you try doing such a dangerous thing?" I thought it was just like Mira to naturally express her worries first before condemning the other person for what they had done.

Now that I think about it, this episode was my last "turn" in this series. We've been filming Boonboomger almost every day, so I'm really sad that this life is coming to an end, and I feel as if I'm losing a part of myself. We've been filming for a year, so there's an incredible sense of unity on set. I was able to reaffirm how fun it is to create a single production together!

Going forward, there'll be a major event that we can't overcome by cheerfulness and energy alone. Nevertheless, it'd make me happy if you could watch the Boonboomgers crank up as they push forward!

Q: What do you want to control through help from the "Driver"?

A: I really sleep alot (laughs). I always sleep way too much, so I want to control my sleep! I tend to fall asleep when we travel by car, but I'd like to be able to stay up and make the most of my time.

BakuageSHOT: In between filming, I found Yaru-chan just hanging around, so we took a double shot! His voice is just so cute, that I end up imitating him. The friendship between the Sanseaters in episode 38 really moved me!

[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.