#this isn't going to turn into an ultraman blog

[biomic]

Hi! I see a lot of screenshots and such from your blog for things like (I believe) Kamen Rider(?) I might be wrong please forgive me if so. I have always had a sort of vague interest in sentai media but never knew good hopping on points, do you have any personal recommendations for where an absolute beginner might jump in to watch shows like that?

if you're interested in tokusatsu, you can really start anywhere that looks cool or interesting to you! most seasons, aside from some anniversaries and the very rare sequel show, are pretty self-contained for the most part. diehard fans will make a big deal out of "good and bad starting points" but the truth is every show has been someone's first and hooked them on the genre, even the "bad" seasons (the poor quality of which is often exaggerated by fandom anyway) or the experimental entries not indicative of the wider franchise they're part of

but! if you want some real beginner friendly, you'll-probably-have-fun-with-this toku, my go-to recs for The Big Three™:

if you want to follow a team of heroes grow together as they fight evil in increasingly silly scenarios, super sentai's probably the series for you (and my favorite ^_^)

watch kiramager if you want a straightforward throwback to classic sentai. it's a back-to-basics season that gives you a good baseline of what sentai as a whole can be, while elevated enough by its stellar cast and infectious energy so as to never feel generic

shinkenger takes a more dramatic approach to the usual sentai formula, following a team of samurai recruited to serve under a lord who isn't telling them everything he knows. an incredibly stylish show that's almost sure to leave an impression

kamen rider began as a tragic hero, kidnapped by the villainous organization shocker and turned into a cyborg against his will, ultimately escaping and using his newfound abilities to put an end to their evil. since the original story, kamen rider has gone through a whole host of various different tones and storylines, arguably becoming the most versatile of the big franchises, though certain elements remain consistent like the near ever-present bug motif or our heroes using powers derived from evil for the sake of good

created in the wake of the 2011 tohoku earthquake disaster, kamen rider fourze was made with the goal to make children smile again, and that desire led to something really special. arguably The Power of Friendship™ show to end all others, and while its upbeat tone might not exactly be in line with Classic Kamen Rider™, it stands as a great entry point thanks to the passion behind it and its clear love for the genre

probably best experienced as blind as possible, kamen rider build is a rollercoaster of a series full of high stakes, mystery, intrigue, and Heated Drama Between Men™. if you want something more serialized that'll keep you on the edge of your seat throughout, build's one of the very best

i also wanna mention kamen rider gotchard, the currently airing series! we're only 8 episodes in at the time of this post, so you could catch up quick while still going through the backlog. very much a back-to-basics season, introducing pokemon-style creatures for our protagonists to catch in addition to the usual superheroics. it's been pretty cute so far :)

ultraman is a sci-fi series that typically follows a defense team created to defend the earth from aliens and kaiju, aided by the giant of light, ultraman. as opposed to the other two franchises where there's often a serial plot to follow and a centralized villain faction, ultra typically thrives with telling standalone sci-fi stories, usually aligning with a show's overarching theme and often compared to shows like star trek or the twilight zone, though recent seasons have been more willing to switch up the format

ultraman x is for anyone who's ever asked, "but... what if we could be friends with godzilla?" young XiO scientist daichi becomes bonded with the alien ultraman x and work together to protect the earth and fight for a future where humans, aliens, and kaiju can coexist. to me this is like, the platonic ideal of what ultraman is, and a perfect starting point because of it. also features several crossover episodes with past ultra seasons throughout the show, but it's all still very new-viewer friendly and could even entice you to check out some of those shows yourself!

ultraman orb, the 50th anniversary of the series, changes course by making the defense team a background component in favor of following amateur investigators and the mysterious, lone wanderer who's suddenly entered their lives (hint: he's ultraman). another iconic entry in the Heated Drama Between Men Cinematic Universe and a nice balance between ultra's classic status quo and a more modern ongoing narrative

i'd also be remiss not to mention the currently airing ultraman blazar, which i unfortunately have not been able to keep up with due to outside circumstances but have heard NOTHING but glowing praise for. it's simulcast on youtube every week with english subtitles AND an optional english dub!

pretty much all of these can be snagged over at nyaa(.)si, and x and orb can be watched legally over on tubitv(.)com!

[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.

[rpking99]

"Mmm~! Oh Kara, you're so beautiful." Power Girl purred as she took in the Supergirl's beauty, licking her lips as she ran her eyes across the other blonde's lovely frame "I know you're my alternate universe counterpart, but holy fuck you are just so cute and sexy. Oh god, I just want to kiss you. Run my hands through your long blonde hair, bold your thin waist, slip under your tiny red skirt and-oooooh~!"

"I know Karen, I know." Supergirl panted as she looked up and down the woman who was basically her older twins "Your breasts are so big and perfect, your ass is so perfect and your muscular abs and arms and thighs... Fuck~! I know it's probably just the Pink Kryptonite, but I want you. I want you so bad~!"

"Me to, Kara. Me to. Kiss me, kiss me please~" Power Girl moaned, slowly leaning forwards to kiss her

"Oh Karen~" Supergirl moaned back, leaning her head forwards. Drawing her lips closet

"Kara~"

"Karen~"

"Kara~"

"Karen~"

"The fuck is Pink Kryptonite?!" A random voice cried out from the silence

Screeeech~

.....

"What?" They both asked as they looked at the readers

"What's Pink Kryptonite?!" The voice asked again

"Isn't Kryptonite posion?! Doesn't it hurt?!" Another asked

"Why do you always have Supergirl wearing black, writer?!" A third asked

"Alright! Enough!" Supergirl yelled out, using super breath to blow the audience back "Okay. So we have been getting this question ever since the blog started RP-ing."

"And even before then, honestly." Power Girl commented, crossing her arms under her large bouncy breasts "So.... Well. It's time, isn't it?"

"Yes. It's time." Supergirl nodded as they turned to the readers, a large suitcase opening

"Kryptonite Break Down time!" They called together

"Now. This won't be super in-depth." Kara explained "We won't be going into EVERY version of the radioactive rock, what they do in EVERY continuity, and so on. Just the big, main ones."

"Also, won't be going a lot into their origins or anything like that." Karen hummed, shaking her head "That's for your own searches."

"So... First one! Let's go!" Supergirl cheered

....

And instantly fell face first into the floor, groaning. "F-First is G-Green K-Kryptonite..." She mumbled out

"Green K is the most classic and common strands, and the version you all definatly know." Power Girl commented as she picked it up "All Kryptonite is from the same place. It's in the name, Krypton." The bigger breasted heroine threw the rock up and down in the air calmly, casually "It is chunks of the planet, affected and altered by different radiation. Mutating it's properties for when it arrives within Earth's atmosphere."

"It-It's poisonous and weakens Kryptonains." Kara grumbled in pain "I-Green K does, at least. It's radiation is like nuclear radiation for humans, in a way. It-it makes us weak, sick, it hurts, makes us unable to use our power and can... Can kill us."

"Of course, Multiverse is a thing." Karen commented "Different universes, different Kryptons and different Earth's. It's why I am uneffected by Green K, well this Green K. Minute differences in atmosphere and what not. You'd need Greek K from Earth-2 to effect me."

"I-put it away! Please!" Kara groaned

"Right, right, sorry." Power Girl nodded, dropping the Green K into a lead lined box and closing it "Technically any Kryponite that effects me should be from Earth-2, but the comics are not really constant with that."

"An interesting fact about this one is tied into Earth-3, where Kryptonian's such as UltraMan snort it as a drug." Supergirl explained "In this world, morality is inverted and Green K also does not hurt them. But UltraMan, the inverted version of Superman, grinds up and snorts it to get high and increase his powers. Which implies something.... interesting for later. Okay, Power Girl. What's next?"

"Red K." Power Girl smiled as she pulled out the next rock, a shimmering red glowing filling the air

"Oh great!" Kara mumbled as her hair suddenly turned from blonde to brown "Red K.... It is a wild card. This type of Kryptonite? It produces wild mutations. Changing hair colour, body size. In silver age comics it went as far as turning Superman into a humanoid ant and so on."

"The only exception for this strange Kryptonite is Smallville. In this TV show it heightened a Kryptonian's agression and negative impulses." Power Girl added calmly, shaking her head

"Red K isn't poisonous. But it's effects are random and potentially dangerous in their own way." Kara commented as she reached into another box "Next we have..."

"Blue Kryptonite." Supergirl commented as she held up a glowing blue stone

....

When nothing happened, Karen leaned forwards and tapped the rock a few times "Is it broken?" she asked

"No, it is." Kara chuckled "Blue K does nothing to Earth-1 Kryptonian's... Technically. It has the same effect Green K does on us to people of Bizzaro world, however. Mainly Bizarro himself and Bizarro-Supergirl. As well.... As UltraMan from Earth-3."

"Really?!" Power Girl asked in surprise "The guy who snorts Green K as a drug is hurt by Blue K... Does that mean you could snort Blue K like he does Green and get the same effect?"

"Potentially." Supergirl nodded "Not like I'm gonna do it, though. We should probably put these away."

"Right, our next one is possible the most dangerous one yet." Karen agreed. The two quickly put the stones away before they hid inside a led lined bunker "Because next we have...."

"Gold Kryptonite." They said together as the golden gem was rolled out into the performance hall

"This... It is definitely one all Kryptonian's fear. If they know what it does." Kara commented as she looked through the window of their lead lined shield

"Gold K... It removed a Kryptonian's powers. Perminantly." Karen said simply with a little, nervous, mumbled "All they say in the comics is that it... Well, it does."

"But the writer of the blog has a fan theory that is rather simple." Kara added "That Gold K basically damages a Kryptonian's cells like Green K does. But we don't feel it. No, instead it just breaks down the cells ability to process sunlight to give us our powers."

"Small exposure isn't too bad." Power Girl sighed "But even a small exposure will perminantly weaken your powers. Imagine being able to run a mile an hour, and now you're only doing 90% of that mile an hour. It's not a lot, but it's noticeable."

"And it stacks. Able to perminantly loose your powers, even." Supergirl finished "Can, can we get that gone now please?"

The Gold K is wheeled out of the room

"Thank you." The younger of the two sighed as the lead lined bunker was lowered, the pair of blondes walking out "Hey, what's next?" Kara asked the older blonde

"Well, we've covered four. The next one definatly should be the last." Power Girl hummed "We only have so long and so many pictures, so we may have to do a part two to cover some more-oooh~!"

"Karen?! What's-ahhhh~!" Supergirl asked, only to meet the same fate

The two letting out deep noises of boarderline pleasure as their bodies suffered, their eyes darkening a bit as a black gem stood on the table behind them

"Black.... Black Kryptonite." Supergirl panted as she looked down at the gem with a smirk "Bout time we got to this beauty, I missed being so free~!"

"This fees so good~!" Power Girl sighed as she ran her hands over her body for a moment "No wonder you enjoy being like this~!"

"Yeah." Supergirl giggled with a grin "Now. How about a change of cloths?"

"Of course." Power Girl grinned "After all.... We need to match our clothing with our outlook. Rules of comics, after all."

"Of course." Kara nodded, the two quickly flying off... And soon returning

The Kryptonian babes soon returned wearing all black, leather/latex kinky versions of their outfits

"Ahh~, feels better~" Power Girl purred "Mm~, so much better~! So sexy and confident and as naughty as I wanna be! No need to hold back how I wanna be!"

"Oh, yeah. The guys watching." Supergirl laughed, both women sounding much sexier "Black K... It freezes Kryptonian's from themselves. Removed their inhabutions. Their doubts, their feet of society and so much more. We act out our emotions, we are free without restraint~!"

"Smallville, and some versions in the comics, portray this as 'good and evil' and splits them in half." Power Girl explained "Normally for the two to fight each other. But again, it's just us being free~! To do as we feel~!"

"Speaking of feel~" Kara purred as she suddenly hugged Power Girl, grabbing her boobs

"Oooh~! Supergirl~!" Powergirl moaned

"Later bozos!" Supergirl laughed before pulling Power Girl into a deep kiss. Both moaning into each others lips as the curtain closed down in front of them

Keep Your Eyes Open For Part 2! Will Be Linked When Posted!

And here is the link for Part 2, all done! Hope you enjoy!

[headspacedad]

Netflix Ultraman review

no spoilers

also no previous knowledge of the canon and this is in no way going to be professional so much as my scattered thoughts on it but I know a lot of us are looking for something to watch and I figure I’ll give a review if that helps anyone thinking about Ultraman.

I’m going to start off easy.  Heckin’ yes, I recommend this show.  It’s thirteen episodes long and it did enough in those episodes to give me enough background to understand the rules of the world and to get to enjoy the characters while still leaving me with plenty of hints about things that would make a great second season (and third and fourth potentially).  The story was pretty simple, not a lot of psychological twists or in depth character or moral deconstruction but it stuck with that and gave me a really fun ride that had enough new reveals through it to keep me looking forward to what came next.

I will say - hugely not a fan of the animation style.  I don’t like this animation style, I don’t enjoy seeing more shows using it and I really don’t think it conveys any kind of subtly or beauty.  Personal opinion and I know some people do but definitely not my cuppa.  The CGI meshes went from ‘pretty decent’ to ‘oh my gosh that’s on the level of a guy in a rubber suit’ - which, granted, did give me a nice throw back to ‘guy in a rubber suit monsters’ of Ye Olden Days that Ultraman apparently started with but also pulled me right out of the immersion as well.  That said -

the fight scenes were glorious.  Just - completely beautiful.  Tight and tense and dramatic and - yeah, wow me beautiful.  I’m the kind of girl that scoots up to the edge of her seat in theaters when fight scenes come on and I was seriously cheering during certain parts (quietly, it was three in the morning and I had a sleeping bunny nearby but still).  Added to that - the Ultraman gear looked incredible!  I was completely in love immediately with the Ultraman gear and stayed that way all the way through.  The music was also a perfect fit for the series to me and the music that played in the final showdown in the last episodes was - I’m going to use the word majestic.  Pulled me right in and I would soundtrack the heck out of it if it becomes available.  It’s not over the top, it doesn’t overwhelm the action at all but its the perfect partner to it. 

The characters themselves managed to stay pretty interesting to me.  No one went off the track, you pretty much knew what you were getting almost as soon as they were introduced.  No one’s subverting troupes here.  But they also managed to fill out their troupe pretty nicely to me.  If they were only a dimension or two deep they made full use of those dimensions for the most part and the show did manage to avoid some ‘fill in the blank’ plot staples that I dislike.  The old men, their relationship and the way their friendship played out was a really nice surprise to me considering I was expecting the usual ‘make one bitter/untrusting/cynical’ gets tossed around, the protagonist, Shinjiro was the usual ‘teenage Japanese school boy’ but still came across as earnest and struggling and trying his best without being boring or repetitive.  There was a pop star who was certainly not the brightest - but bounced off the protagonist really pleasantly by the end and I was sold on the way their interaction developed (okay, the protagonist wasn’t stupid, but he wasn’t the brightest either and it made it really - well, cute, by the end)  and - I’m going to pause here and introduce you to my favorite character:

This asshole.  Dan Moroboshi.  Okay.  I am not a big fan of ‘asshole’ characters.  Generally they annoy me more than anything else (more on that later) but this guy?  This guy was a competent asshole.  I am a complete sucker for amazingly competent characters and the ‘asshole’ part comes off, almost from the beginning, as a guy that knows what he’s doing and keeps having people throwing wrenches into that - thus causing him to be an asshole.  Or - more of one.  I’m going to say he was probably always a bit of one anyway.  Point being, I like him because as often as he’s being dismissive - he never, to me, came across as lying, intentionally cruel or doing what he was doing because it was enjoyable.  He was that horrifyingly rigid realist thrown up against things that were dreamy.  And, almost from the very beginning, despite shutting down the protagonist, he was also throwing in helpful things at the same time.

��The failure to do something when you could have taken action - that’s unforgivable.”

He’s at war and he’s trying to keep as many people alive as he can and, pretty early on, despite himself, that includes the protagonist.  By the end, when he’s calling Shinjiro ‘kid’ I was completely in his fan club.  More of Moroboshi please.

And let’s talk villains for a moment.  Because as an American viewer with no past history, the way each new one had to strike a pose and introduce himself (and how half of them fought shirtless?) did jar me a bit during otherwise tense moments.  By the third I was endeared though and the way Shinjiro response to the last one with ‘who cares?’ made me love the boy, and the show, even more.  The aliens themselves weren’t that impressively ‘alien’ and when they were they went straight into ‘rubber monster suit’ territory but I got that a great deal of that was because they were probably aliens from the rubber suit time when you slapped a mask on a guy and sent him out to throw styrofoam rocks.  If the show is staying true to its roots while updating its going to get some of those and once I got that mindset going I was good to go.  The CGI was definitely touch and go however with the aliens, sometimes it worked, sometimes it really really didn’t.

This in no way stopped the fight scenes from being amazing.

There were a couple of ambiguous characters, one of them obviously a HUGE plot point for further seasons if we get them and the other two less so but still suspicious in all the right ways.  None of them hooked me, even if one had a super interesting design, but I do hope we get more seasons so I can find out what’s really going on (or I’m going to have to manga things apparently).  I will add there’s one character, Seiji - that I could not stand.  He was all the things I dislike about that particular troupe.  However, I enjoyed not liking him.  I got where he was coming from as his story unfolded.  It didn’t make me like him any more and I seriously loved the scene between him and Moroboshi (which might say something about me but okay) but he was fun for me to dislike.  And by the end I was actually pretty good with him being a part of the story and where it was potentially going. 

The climax was two episodes and very satisfying to me.  There were several ‘things are about to get bad ass’ moments that I completely absorbed with glee.  Music and fighting were top notch of course.  And the ending was satisfying while still leaving plenty of openings for what came next.  I am seriously, seriously hoping for another season at least possibly more.

End summary: it was fun.  It was just a lot of fun for me.  Its not deep and its not going to throw anything seriously shocking at you.  It is very much a ‘by the book’ story progression for this kind of thing.  But its a enjoyable ride with mecha-suits, kid becomes hero, aliens amoung us, beautiful action scenes and enjoyable characters.