#plus 01 does HAVE substance the entire ending is RICH with themes- but it’s just not like the original

[no1ryomafan]

I hate how my Kikaider brain rot has actually worsened since watching the sequels because I thought it would put it at bay since it’s been putting me off from doing other stuff but I just keep ROTATING all the stuff about 01 funnily enough.

01 is just so *weird* because it’s not like I’m having a relationship where I hate it and I think it ruined the original but then become obsessed with wanting to fix it-I have had rewrite ideas but it would come with their own problems nor are they really striking me-no, I don’t actually feel super negative towards it, even if it’s objectively so flawed for multilayered reasons but I keep hyperfixating on WHY it’s so flawed because the OG show and even the crossover are not nearly as flawed in comparison. They do have their issues but they serve their purpose.

The original show having a recap ep was a odd decision and unfortunately the ending feels rushed/unsatisfying due to they had to make a up a ending since they couldn’t do 01s yet, but also as a self contained story it’s still incredibly solid and works for 12/13 episodes. Where as crossover despite being a single episode works for its runtime since it ties perfectly back to both the OG show and 01 + gives Jiro a ending that’s the closest thing to closure he’ll ever get, it’s biggest flaw is just the Inazuman characters are something you won’t have full context on if you don’t read the manga because they sadly didn’t get a anime-which yes I am also reading the manga, didn’t get far but I like what I have read-but that also does not actually effect the Kikaider side of the crossover.

But then you have 01 which absolutely FAILS at using the 4 episodes it’s given in almost every way: It doesn’t tie back to the original despite the originals ending being the way it was for 01, with plot holes being caused from it and it’s tonally different as it leans more on action than story which is not in its favor as it takes up most of its short runtime leading to the new characters and the story not being as developed as the original despite having incredibly interesting plot points, just the execution is not there.

It’s the one Kikaider show that needed to be longer, either the episodes needed a 45 minute runtime or it needed to be 6-7 episodes which is at least half the length of the original if it also couldn’t get the 12/13 episodes treatment. It just baffles me how 01 was given such little time especially as a OVA yet was still made likely due to the first show doing decently, yet they didn’t use their time wisely at all to make it actually tie to the original.

But I still can’t find myself to actually hate it or deem it as bad because maybe I appreciate the fact it existed just so the crossover could happen and we could also see the 01 characters animated, or just again, it doesn’t ruin the original so you could honestly pretend it doesn’t exist even if I don’t because I like the crossover and it’s important there. It’s something I don’t feel strongly for and I will always just advise the first show to people, since it being so flawed for so many reasons that’s it’s baffling at least makes it interesting to think about rather than boring or god awful.