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Blaze Dragon posted:Wow. Until now ToQger was a "good, but not amazing" kind of Sentai, but this arc was awesome. I love Zed already, he's become my favourite character from...basically the point he showed his face on-screen. Seems this'll be another Sentai I'm rooting for the villains (Go-Busters, Goseiger...there's probably more where the big bad is so insanely cool you can't help but root for him). It was never a pun, that is not how 超 is pronounced, nor is it how any instance of o or ou is pronounced in Japanese. The person who brought it up was joking; this was never even in the ballpark of possible.
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May 14, 2014 07:20
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Dr Tran posted:Why aren't you getting drunk with the Treasure Five? The humor's a little different sadly. I can't seem to like any of the characters and get attached to them like Akibarangers. That may be the point, so this is the type of show that's not to my taste.
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May 14, 2014 07:27
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Final Dairanger verdict after 50 goddamn episodes. Spoilers will be tagged. First of all, the cons. There is no consistency, at all. Strategies used to solve problems in one episode are forgotten about for the next 20. Powers that defeat enemies in one shot become useless against the next enemy and powerful again against the next one, with no rhyme or reason. If Power Rangers is anything to go by (and I'm not sure it is), this is par for the course for 90's super sentai shows. Characters are not developed in any depth at all. Their difference comes chiefly from the different plot arcs that are associated with each of them. This isn't that bad, as the arcs are very distinct from each other. So by association the characters get very distinct from each other as well. The sixth ranger is all but forgotten about, except in the episode arcs that explicitly focus on him. The main villain's design is... something. It looks like something straight out of a modern Tetsuya Nomura sketchbook – the theme is leather, zippers, belt buckles, and in one very unfortunate case, shirt buttons. It's jarring and awful at first but after a while it becomes endearing and adorable in that "oh, you" kind of way. It might just be the TV equivalent of Stockholm Syndrome, however. Does it live up to its premise as a "martial-arts themed super sentai"? No, it kind of doesn't. I mean, Dairanger is about martial arts in the same way Dragonball Z is about martial arts – the focus is on ki and on each character's special powers. However, you combine this with the lack of power consistency mentioned above, and the whole thing falls apart. If you can't trust the rangers' special techniques to do the same thing (or even be the same thing) between episodes, you can't root for their special techniques. The whole thing becomes a showcase for smoke-and-sparks bombs and flips. So many flips. The headquarters of the main characters is the most underwhelming scene setting ever. It's a featureless basement. That's it. The most obvious question that the viewer asks from day goddamn one, who the hell is Master Kaku, where does he come from, and why doesn't he have anything better to do than sit around in a basement all day, takes until episode 40 or so to even get acknowledged. Now for the pros. The special effects are in fact very well done. The things shows its age, but it's clear that the special effects are done with love and, most important, care. They also get better the further along the series gets. The monsters are mostly themed after Japanese culture and are pretty interesting. It picks up, and the martial arts focus increases. I can divide it in something like four big phases: The first 20 or so episodes, where the show is trying to get its feet under itself. It's not bad at all. In fact, it's a lot of fun, but it's pretty average super sentai action. From episode 20 until episode 35 or so, the series becomes more secure about itself. The plot arcs introduced here are less flimsy and will carry the series until its finale. There's more of a focus on individual duels between rangers and monsters. Fight choreography becomes better as a result. At around episode 34 or so, there's a noticeable change in direction, though I don't know enough Japanese to dig through the credits and find exactly what happened. Things just get better all around. You see them trying different things with both fight choreography and scene direction. It works. The last 6 or 7 episodes ramp up the dramatic tension, something that hadn't been happening until then. It's very well done: the stakes increase organically, the pacing is set to a more exciting one and doesn't let up, and there aren't any of the gaping holes in writing you'd expect from a series end. From around episode 40 or so, they start dealing with the loose ends of the previously introduced plot arcs. I personally think every single plot arc is closed in a dramatic, satisfactory way, which is more than can be said of many series out there. Let's talk about the ending. The last 5 or so episodes are about ramping up. The reveals come one after another, the pacing is great, and each event moves the plot along in leaps and bounds. Within the constraints of having to rehearse and shoot within a week (i.e. fight scenes take a few seconds at most), the fight choreography is stellar. People on the internet say the ending is "out of nowhere" and "very out there". That's because of a bombastic twist on episode 49 – the twist changes everything, but it doesn't nullify the work done in the previous 48 episodes nor does it deus-ex-machina the rangers out of their problems. It's a bombastic twist that I approve of. Now, the last few moments of the very last episode – where the rangers in old-man makeup watch their grandsons become the new Dairangers to fight Gouma anew – are pretty insane, but they fit with the series' theme and previously introduced issues. It's the right kind of insane. There are no gaping plot holes. There are, however, two huge questions that remain open: Where the hell does the daijinryuu come from and who made the Gouma clay people. The series gives enough material to become intrigued and speculate about their answers, so they're the right kind of open questions for an ending. High point of the show? The fights between the rangers outside their suits and the evil henchmen. The best choreography is found there. Final verdict: Lots of fun! The ending is very well executed and satisfying. The plot is basic but well done, until around episode 35 where it starts doing things, and then it becomes genuinely good and involving. Choreography could be better but when it's good it's pretty drat good and the special effects are great.
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May 14, 2014 14:23
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I saw the end of Dairanger as some kind of metaphor involving international relations. Dairanger is clearly Japan. The Gorma are China. DaiJinRyuu is probably America, coming in and loving poo poo up and making everyone play nice. After things are kinda solved, the massive dragon that makes people jump off buildings(???) goes home until things go wild again.. That's just me though.
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May 14, 2014 23:27
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Parmesan Basil posted:I saw the end of Dairanger as some kind of metaphor involving international relations. Dairanger is clearly Japan. The Gorma are China. DaiJinRyuu is probably America, coming in and loving poo poo up and making everyone play nice. After things are kinda solved, the massive dragon that makes people jump off buildings(???) goes home until things go wild again.. That's just me though. 2. You are out of your goddamn mind.
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May 15, 2014 01:08
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SpiderHyphenMan posted:Okay, 1: The Dairanger would be China, seeing as how their powers are based on Chinese mystical animals and martial arts. Yes, it's obviously a metaphor for the loss of innocence, with the Gorma representing the inner sorrow of man.
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May 15, 2014 01:20
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It's obviously a sex metaphor.
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May 15, 2014 01:30
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No you guys are wrong, it's an anology of how Dairanger was never adapted into Power Rangers but as a horrible clay monstrosity of itself that isn't even real.
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May 15, 2014 01:50
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Stop looking too deep into the show for 5 year old kids, guys
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May 15, 2014 02:49
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eBay has failed me...does anyone know where I can get my hands on the Kyoryuger Ranger Key set? Not the new Deboss one, but the original one.
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May 15, 2014 04:03
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Wow, Pink paid up this time
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May 15, 2014 05:35
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jivjov posted:eBay has failed me...does anyone know where I can get my hands on the Kyoryuger Ranger Key set? Not the new Deboss one, but the original one. You could email RiderProxy (riderproxy.order@gmail.com) and see if she can find you one on Yahoo Japan Auctions. That'll likely be the best bet for finding it at this point.
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May 15, 2014 05:46
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If you're not at least watching After V for the Commander, I just don't know.
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May 15, 2014 23:46
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I'm continuing on with Fourze, I'm in the middle of episode 14 now. Some thoughts:
I'll be watching Megamax next. It looks like there's a female Rider in it? Hopefully they don't kill her off for no reason, I've heard that's a trend with female movie-only Riders. jonjonaug fucked around with this message at 00:09 on May 16, 2014 |
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May 16, 2014 00:06
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jonjonaug posted:I'm continuing on with Fourze, I'm in the middle of episode 14 now. If you want spoilers about the female rider: They kill her off  but they eventually do bring her back in movies a lot later
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May 16, 2014 00:10
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jonjonaug posted:Hopefully they don't kill her off for no reason, I've heard that's a trend with female movie-only Riders.
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May 16, 2014 00:10
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Flameingblack posted:The female rider is great, but she also brings back one of the things you hated about the series. Panty shots. Just wait until she ends up getting panty shots while in her Rider form! How is that even possible? EDIT: So Sonada just attacked the main Rider outside of his costume, but with a slow acting poison and she's not going to stick around and watch him die. This is simultaneously pretty smart and incredibly stupid.
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May 16, 2014 00:12
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jonjonaug posted:How is that even possible?
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May 16, 2014 00:18
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The worst part is definitely the butt/thigh shots and accompanying sound effects. Outside of Directoral influence, Nadeshiko is a cool Rider.
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May 16, 2014 00:18
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Bioman 37 is subbed.
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May 16, 2014 00:25
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I feel like people only like Nadeshiko because she was a girl, if she'd been a boy she really would have been generic. What exactly is her defining personality trait? That she likes Fourze? Everybody likes Fourze (eventually,) thats his whole schtick!
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May 16, 2014 03:07
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Then he'd be best-est buddies with Fourze and be GokaiSilverRider. Not really seeing a problem here.
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May 16, 2014 03:27
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Cliff Racer posted:I feel like people only like Nadeshiko because she was a girl, if she'd been a boy she really would have been generic. What exactly is her defining personality trait? That she likes Fourze? Everybody likes Fourze (eventually,) thats his whole schtick! She's a space goo switch who copies everything she sees! If she had physically copied Gentaro or better yet Kengo and otherwise had the same personality, he'd have been hilarious. It would've been great to see Kengo's actor do that, actually. Also, her costume is cool.
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May 16, 2014 03:46
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jonjonaug posted:[*]The chairman had a line like "They'll never suspect a teacher!". Maybe if they were all functionally retarded? It'll probably only take four or so episodes, right? He never does anything aside from sit in his chair saying "How interesting!" until the finale, so maybe people expect the teachers to be like him? 
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May 17, 2014 10:17
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I think I'm in love with Kamen Rider Black. It's about people falling prey to the darkest desires of their hearts and forging covenants with Lovecraftian sanity-sapping monstrosities... but, at the end, there's a guy with huge balls who puts an end to all this funny business by jump-kicking Nyarlathotep in the face. It's awfully satisfying.
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May 17, 2014 16:25
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New Sharivan/Shaider V-Cinema!BunnyHat posted:Writer: Naruhisa Arakawa (Kuuga, Abaranger, Dekaranger, Gokaiger, Akibaranger) More Hiroaki Iwanaga 
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May 17, 2014 23:25
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Box of Bunnies posted:New Sharivan/Shaider V-Cinema! I thought that Gavan bombed, they're doing it again? Anyways I wish they did fewer crossovers even if Sharivan and Shaider were related back in the day. Its starting to feel like Toei can't create a solid feature that stands on its own two feet without cameo appearances.
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May 17, 2014 23:37
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Cliff Racer posted:I thought that Gavan bombed, they're doing it again? Gavan's performance is probably why this is going the V-Cinema route instead of being a theatrical release.
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May 17, 2014 23:47
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Cyphoderus posted:I think I'm in love with Kamen Rider Black. It's about people falling prey to the darkest desires of their hearts and forging covenants with Lovecraftian sanity-sapping monstrosities... but, at the end, there's a guy with huge balls who puts an end to all this funny business by jump-kicking Nyarlathotep in the face. It's awfully satisfying. How far are you? It only gets better as it goes along. The last 15 or so episodes are some top tier stuff.
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May 18, 2014 04:01
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Funny, I don't remember a karate bugman kicking me in the face...
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May 18, 2014 11:41
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I've started watching Abaranger (Imagination Station subs) and 3 of the first 4 episodes have them coming up with some sort of actual strategy to beat the monster of the week. It's great!
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May 18, 2014 17:39
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SpiderHyphenMan posted:I've started watching Abaranger (Imagination Station subs) and 3 of the first 4 episodes have them coming up with some sort of actual strategy to beat the monster of the week. It's great! Still waiting for someone other than the Geki scrub people to do it.
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May 18, 2014 18:30
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Cyphoderus posted:I think I'm in love with Kamen Rider Black. It's about people falling prey to the darkest desires of their hearts and forging covenants with Lovecraftian sanity-sapping monstrosities... but, at the end, there's a guy with huge balls who puts an end to all this funny business by jump-kicking Nyarlathotep in the face. It's awfully satisfying. I love Kamen Rider Black so drat much. Tetsuo Kurata does a fantastic job as Minami Kotaro; there isn't a whole lot going on with the character besides "drat you, Gorgom!" and being generally pleasant to everyone else, but the intensity he brings to the role is fantastic. The Kamen Rider Black suit is also great. It has a wonderful simplicity to its design (though it does bug me that the seam on the back of the torso is so sloppy during some episodes, but that's minor complaint about the show's production rather than the design). There's a whole lot of dumb stuff going on with the various monsters of the week, but it plays them so straight that the entire show has a wonderful earnestness to it. (Also, the theme songs for the opening and credits are really good)
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May 18, 2014 18:51
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Literally The Worst posted:Still waiting for someone other than the Geki scrub people to do it.
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May 18, 2014 19:12
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SpiderHyphenMan posted:Pretty sure GekiDan isn't involved with it, seeing how he's dead. Pretty sure GekiDan wasn't the guy who did the Geki scrubs. I think that was some guy called GekiAnon or some dumb poo poo like that.
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May 18, 2014 19:26
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ZenMasterBullshit posted:Pretty sure GekiDan wasn't the guy who did the Geki scrubs. I think that was some guy called GekiAnon or some dumb poo poo like that. GekiKnight: he wanted to be a special snowflake when every scrubber and their brother was being ShowAnon (though he was also GoseiAnon at the same time, because he wanted to be a specialer snowflake and release two shows at once and blow our minds when they were done). We literally had this conversation in this thread, by the way. Including SpiderHyphenMan getting confused about who scrubbed Gekiranger.
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May 18, 2014 19:50
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AzraelNewtype posted:We literally had this conversation in this thread, by the way. Including SpiderHyphenMan getting confused about who scrubbed Gekiranger. Oh poo poo I remember that. God I wish ToQger wasn't trash. May we'd have something else to talk about than literally repeating ourselves.
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May 18, 2014 19:55
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ZenMasterBullshit posted:God I wish ToQger wasn't trash. May we'd have something else to talk about than literally repeating ourselves. Good thing its not then? It had a slow start, but they're starting to do interesting things, and I'm really hoping
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May 18, 2014 19:56
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AzraelNewtype posted:We literally had this conversation in this thread, by the way. Including SpiderHyphenMan getting confused about who scrubbed Gekiranger. Christ it's going to be lovely when leave your children the job of being Something Awful Toku Thread timekeeper.
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May 18, 2014 20:34
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Rei_ posted:Christ it's going to be lovely when leave your children the job of being Something Awful Toku Thread timekeeper. Nah, it'll be cool when the monkey smears karate bug guts on their forehead while an Elton John song plays in the background.
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May 18, 2014 20:41
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