Power Rangers

[Samurai8472]

Yes, that part's obvious. That's not the question. This show is about traveling back in time and meeting all the past Heisei Riders, which implies that it's set in the same universe as most of the Heisei shows. It's on "Earth-1," to borrow a usage from DC, while Build was on "Earth-2" until last week. So in order to get to Build's world, Sougo had to cross dimensions as well as traveling in time. So that's my question -- can the "Time Mazine" do both? Is crossing dimensions a routine ability, or was it a side effect of that fight in the time vortex, an accidental sideslip?

I don't recall seeing any Sentai where they routinely turned humans into monsters. I doubt they'd have let the Rangers go around killing them all the time if that were the case. And Timeranger is the only season I know of where they captured the monsters alive. Are you talking about older Sentai, pre-Jetman?

1. I'm going to chalk it up to being knocked into the alternate dimension Build. We have main 2017 and Build's 2017 which can be accessed as some kind of "anomaly". Sougo got kicked from timestream and ended up being there.

2. I meant to say that from what I've seen of past Kamen Rider series like "Black RX" they used to do the normal way of making monsters like sentai. Each of "Black Rx's" generals would send down a themed monster. One general was robot themed. The other was biological etc etc.

Old Kamen Rider series were more like Sentai in it's tone and delivery. I believe Black RX had alot of kids that needed saving.


Lupinranger VS patoranger episode 30

https://www.mp4upload.com/5dx8v5kykjgc

A pretty decent episode with Keiichiro and Kairi both on a mission that results in Kairi facing a crisis of confidence. There's alot to read into this episode and both red's goals

These heart-to-heart moments between the teams, specifically the reds this time, are what makes the show work on another level. In a sense, they're fighting each other, but in another sense, aren't they just fighting themselves? Keiichiro knew his duty and his orders, but prioritized public safety over personal rivalry. Kairi knew his mission to obtain the Collection and abided by Noel's instructions, but felt compelled to be the good guy instead of merely helping others incidentally. That's one way to cool down Keiichiro's hot-bloodedness and Kairi's carefree selfishness.

The gas monster wasn't so cheesy when you realize it's gas and not flatulence gas haha.

If Power Ranger's adapts this they'll likely turn the gas into fart jokes.

Gauche trying to enter the field and being repelled was funny. Looks like this weekend we get a Frankenstein creation gangler so at least that's something with her.

I wish Noel would work more with the Patranger's. He's practically been officiated into the Lupinranger team. The Patranger can't even tell him what they're really doing out of worry he'll tell the Lupinrangers(which he did)

There's some talk that it's so transparent who the show is focusing on the most(Lupinrangers) They want you to take sides but it's very clear where the show stands.

Splash VSV should have gone to the Patrangers but they came up with a reason why it should go to the Lupinrangers( Car is slower than the Jet)

 

[Christopher]

A pretty decent episode with Keiichiro and Kairi both on a mission that results in Kairi facing a crisis of confidence. There's alot to read into this episode and both red's goals

These heart-to-heart moments between the teams, specifically the reds this time, are what makes the show work on another level. In a sense, they're fighting each other, but in another sense, aren't they just fighting themselves? Keiichiro knew his duty and his orders, but prioritized public safety over personal rivalry. Kairi knew his mission to obtain the Collection and abided by Noel's instructions, but felt compelled to be the good guy instead of merely helping others incidentally. That's one way to cool down Keiichiro's hot-bloodedness and Kairi's carefree selfishness.

Yeah... The Keiichiro-Kairi friendship/rivalry is the most compelling part of the show. Fascinating to see Kairi starting to identify "Kei-chan" with his big brother, and start to confront his own desire to be a nobler person. Plus it was nice to see Kairi's companionship actually getting Keiichiro to loosen up some.

The gas monster wasn't so cheesy when you realize it's gas and not flatulence gas haha.

Well, that was implied on one level -- it was flammable gas, which suggests methane -- but the monster's name was "Kunks," so clearly he's based on a skunk (though anagramming it that way borders on the filthy in English).

Crude humor aside, it was actually quite a clever gambit -- to create a situation where the Lupins stealing the Collection piece from the safe would backfire in the Ganglar's favor.

There's some talk that it's so transparent who the show is focusing on the most(Lupinrangers) They want you to take sides but it's very clear where the show stands.

I dunno, I think they balance the teams pretty well, and it's the interplay between them that's the show's real strength. And clearly they're moving toward a resolution where the teams come together as one in the end.

Splash VSV should have gone to the Patrangers but they came up with a reason why it should go to the Lupinrangers( Car is slower than the Jet)

And once again, what I love about this show is that even the action-driven and toy-driven beats like that are still handled in a way that makes them meaningful character stories -- in this case, creating a situation where Keiichiro had to trust LupinRed for the greater good, and give Kairi a chance to live up to the faith that his brother and Keiichiro had in him.

 

[Christopher]

Typically dumb Super Ninja Steel episode today, with a truly screwed-up plot where Levi (a celebrity country singer despite being a high school student) was pestered by an overzealous fan who mistook fandom for friendship, and somehow it was Levi who was in the wrong for not playing along with the delusions of this borderline stalker.

There was a mildly cute continuity in-joke, though -- when Mick (Kelson Henderson) was briefly turned into a werewolf by the monster, he said he looked like a cross between a troll and a Yeti.

 

[Samurai8472]

Interesting story I came across involving Haim Saban, Avi Arad and Gene Simmons of KISS fame. It's just one of the many stories where we hear about the cut throat/money grabbing person Saban is.

http://gawker.com/5222987/meet-israeli-influence-peddler-haim-saban

Saban has a reputation as a brutal businessman. In person, he projects all the charm and terror of Ian McShane's Deadwood character Al Swearengen. Once, according to an excellent Portfolio profile from last year, while negotiating with Kiss' Gene Simmons over the rights to Kiss characters for use in a cartoon, Saban turned to his partner and said, in Hebrew, "Now we gut him." Saban didn't know that Simmons, who was present, was Israeli and spoke Hebrew.

Simmons*who, unbeknownst to Saban, was born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel*replied in Hebrew, “You ass hole. I’m one of you.”


Also Sarah Joy Brown (VR Troopers and a few appearances on Power Ranger Zeo) was speaking out against her mistreatment by Les Moonves over at CBS, and she also mentioned Haim Saban as well.

https://twitter.com/sarahjoybrown/status/1037457562998697984

 

[Samurai8472]

Kamen Rider Zi-O episode 2

https://www.mp4upload.com/amkhe2njcxzf

Okay. Probably need to rewatch that again to get the full grasp. I hope due to the nature of the series involving time travel that this format doesn't leaves us with an absurd amount of plot holes

So because of Another Build in the past then the real Build can't coexist. I'm not sure why after Another Build is defeated that Sento and Banjou lose their memories

So episode 1 had Sougo inadvertently meet the Skywall build and Cross-Z because he was kicked into the alternate dimension.

Sougo then goes into the 2017 real Build timeline. Once Geitz defeated one variation of Another Build then Sento and Banjou regain their memories of events that have happened to them in the past but not Sougo

Past Sento just rolls along with it and guides Zi-O till Sento and Banjou lose their memories

Which they'll get back once Zi-O repeats the loop

It seems like, when Sougo accepts the powers, the previous Riders lose their memories of being riders , just like with the Another Riders. The difference is, they will one day get their memories back thanks to his efforts.

Another Riders must be an antithesis to the real Riders. Another Build, for example, is an athlete, using sport powers, instead of science powers of Build.

I thought it was funny how Zi-O tried to copy Build's catchphrase and Sento was like "Don't do that!"
Also funny was the "formulas"

"Learned it as a Freshman?"

Kamen Rider Zi-O episode 1.5 and 2.5. The extra material tries to explain more of the mechanics of the show

1.5
https://www.mp4upload.com/tguwbj3s3fzh

2.5
https://www.mp4upload.com/stbaxa9bsr0x


"Gates(Bill)?1"

"Is that from him?!"

LOL

Also regarding Tsukuyomi

Spoiler: Zi-o

Hacked sounds from the toy version of the Ziku Driver reveal she has a sound effect in it. The belt says Tsukuyomi

http://news.tokunation.com/2018/09/03/ziku-driver-hacked-possible-new-ride-watches-on-the-way-55631

It's possible she'll be a rider in the future.

 

[Christopher]

Hoo boy. Inconsistent time-travel logic always bothers me, and this is totally incoherent. They're treating Build as if it's been in the same timeline all along, for one thing, and the rest of the time-change logic makes no sense. Like, if Another Build was created last year, why is it only attacking now? It's all a total mess.

 

[Samurai8472]

Hoo boy. Inconsistent time-travel logic always bothers me, and this is totally incoherent. They're treating Build as if it's been in the same timeline all along, for one thing, and the rest of the time-change logic makes no sense. Like, if Another Build was created last year, why is it only attacking now? It's all a total mess.

Since Another build took over 2017 with no real build it's probably been killing and converting people into bottles for a year?

The Time Jackers say that Another Build now effectively was "Kamen Rider Build" for 2017

 

[Christopher]

Anyway, it seems I was right that Geiz's name is based on the English word "Gates," but not for the reason I thought. And apparently "Zi-O" means "Time-King."

 

[Samurai8472]

Lupinranger VS Patranger episode 31

https://www.mp4upload.com/fqe6cb4qhpng

Well that was an odd one. It's like they wanted the Patrangers to be goofy ( LOL at the Robocop gag with Hilltop) but then they had the last half be Tsukasa trusting a gangler.

All the lupin collection pieces were recolored morphers/changers. The bad boy collection piece just happened to be the Gokaiger/Super Megaforce changer. There was also the SPD license and dino brace from Abaranger.

Will update post with more thoughts later!

 

[Christopher]

Well, they always have to do one episode per season with a good/sympathetic monster, though they always have to adhere to the formula and have the Rangers (or another monster) kill it at the end, sometimes because it's turned evil and sometimes as a tragic/noble act of mercy so it doesn't have to live like that, or something. This was one of the more simplistic applications of the trope, with the good Ganglar turning out to be evil all along and just inverted by the Collection piece. (I wonder, if it inverts the morality of the person holding it, why didn't it turn Tsukasa or Noel evil?)

It's clearly more effective to enlarge a Ganglar while they still have a piece in their safe and can use its powers, as we saw in the climactic battle here. So I have to wonder why Gauche doesn't do that more often. Sometimes these shows justify why they only enlarge the monsters after their defeat. In Gingaman, every single damn time a monster grew giant, they played the same narration clip explaining that it shortened their lifespan and was a last resort. And in Timeranger, it was an accidental side effect, a "rebound" of the freezing process that shrank the prisoners, and they couldn't carry on a normal life of crime if they were made giant, so it was usually a last resort to avoid getting freeze-compressed. But sometimes there's no apparent downside to explain why enlargement is saved as a last resort.

Nice dynamic FX shot at the end with the camera circling around the LupinRangers as they watched the giant Ganglar/Kaiser battle, a nice blend of the two different scales.

By the way, does anyone know if Sakuya and Keiichiro's "good cop, bad cop" personas were based on any specific fictional characters, Japanese or American?

All the lupin collection pieces were recolored morphers/changers. The bad boy collection piece just happened to be the Gokaiger/Super Megaforce changer.

I actually recognized that one, for a change.

By the way, I forgot to mention that I realized there's a pretty big logic hole in the show's premise. The Lupin Collection supposedly consists of artifacts gathered by Arsene Lupin, a character whose adventures were published and set in the 1900s-1930s. So how can those collection pieces include a modern fire engine, fighter jet, and so forth?

 

[Samurai8472]

Nice dynamic FX shot at the end with the camera circling around the LupinRangers as they watched the giant Ganglar/Kaiser battle, a nice blend of the two different scales.

By the way, does anyone know if Sakuya and Keiichiro's "good cop, bad cop" personas were based on any specific fictional characters, Japanese or American?

By the way, I forgot to mention that I realized there's a pretty big logic hole in the show's premise. The Lupin Collection supposedly consists of artifacts gathered by Arsene Lupin, a character whose adventures were published and set in the 1900s-1930s. So how can those collection pieces include a modern fire engine, fighter jet, and so forth?

The camera angle to show the scales was a really nice shot. It reminded me of a Power Ranger in Space episode where the Astro megazord crashes into the street

I though the good cop/bad cop shtick was the trope of a young hot headed cop and experienced older cop. Maybe Law and Order?


I was thinking Noel is modifying the collection pieces but the fighter jet is out of place

 

[Christopher]

I though the good cop/bad cop shtick was the trope of a young hot headed cop and experienced older cop. Maybe Law and Order?

I can't think of a Law & Order detective who matches the kindly, grandfatherly good cop that Sakuya was playing. I was reminded a little of Matlock, but he was a defense attorney.

 

[Christopher]

Luckily I forgot to watch today's Super Ninja Steel live -- luckily because watching it on DVR let me fast-forward through the worst of the really crude, juvenile Victor/Monty subplot. Maybe I'll do that with all their scenes from now on.

The rest of the episode wasn't much better. I usually like it when an episode focuses on Sarah, but they seemed to write her out of character here -- it's hard to believe that such an overachiever and go-getter could suddenly become a slacker who blows things off because they're too easy. Heck, I'd expect her to be the student who's already read weeks ahead in the textbook just because she enjoys challenging herself.

Also, the monster plot was supposedly that the monster lulled the Rangers into complacency by making them think he was weak and thereby lured them into a trap -- but there wasn't really any trap, just a pretty routine fight in a quarry. So that wasn't very coherent either. Anyway, I'm becoming increasingly struck by how the Ninninger monster costumes are these intricately sculpted, even elegant creations with evident foundations in Japanese mythology, history, and art, but in their Power Rangers incarnations they're just generic monsters with thuggish or comical voices and not a trace of the identity or backstory implied by their designs. It's a shame this adaptation is so weak and superficial.

 

[Samurai8472]

Anyway, I'm becoming increasingly struck by how the Ninninger monster costumes are these intricately sculpted, even elegant creations with evident foundations in Japanese mythology, history, and art, but in their Power Rangers incarnations they're just generic monsters with thuggish or comical voices and not a trace of the identity or backstory implied by their designs. It's a shame this adaptation is so weak and superficial.

The monsters in Ninninger were nice to look at but I'd say it was an okay season. Not great. Just passable.

Takaharu was an idiot. He had a catchphrase "I'm on fire!!!!!" that got really annoying.

"Moete Kitaaa!!"

Kasumi the pink ranger was pretty and was essentially the Billy of the group. She was the brains

The grandpa was always encouraging the kids to best him as the "best ninja/last Ninja"

Starninger the 6th ranger wanted to comically kill the others to achieve the title of "Last Ninja"

This is episode 1 to get a taste of it

http://www.jatoku.com/shuriken-sentai-ninninger-episode-1-english-subbed-we-are-ninja/

 

[Christopher]

Kasumi the pink ranger was pretty and was essentially the Billy of the group. She was the brains

So not too different from Sarah's role on the show. I still find it amusing that they cast a really strong-looking bodybuilder in the role of the team's tech genius and inventor. Not that I mind casting against type, but it seems to me that it would take a lot of dedication to physical training to maintain a physique as impressive as hers, yet we never see Sarah working out beyond the same Ranger training as the others.

 

[Christopher]

By the way, I found the other day that Netflix has Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film, Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro, and I watched it for the first time since I caught it on TV decades ago (and thus the first time in Japanese). It's a terrific film in its own right, but it was interesting to see the parallels to Lupinranger vs. Patranger. Of course they're both based on the fictional "gentleman thief" character Arsene Lupin from French literature, so they have some tropes in common (like Lupin's custom of giving "advance notice" to the person he planned to steal from), but it's clear that LvP is specifically inspired by Lupin the Third -- particularly in the character of Keiichiro, who's cast in the same mold as Lupin III's nemesis Koichi Zenigata of Interpol, with the same relentless, furious pursuit of his criminal arch-rival. Plus I guess Tooma owes something to Lupin's stoic samurai sidekick Goemon, although Umika is a lot more sweet and girlish than Lupin's sexpot rival Fujiko.

 

[JD]

Is there a reason why a French character has become such popular source material for Japanese stories?

 

[Christopher]

Is there a reason why a French character has become such popular source material for Japanese stories?

Wikipedia says there's been a long history of Franco-Japanese cultural exchange and diplomacy since the 19th century. Napoleon III helped the Tokugawa Shogunate modernize its military, and I guess they've had good relations ever since.

Anyway, it's no weirder than the heavy American and English-language influence in Japanese fiction, Super Sentai being a prime example.

 

[JD]

Wikipedia says there's been a long history of Franco-Japanese cultural exchange and diplomacy since the 19th century. Napoleon III helped the Tokugawa Shogunate modernize its military, and I guess they've had good relations ever since.

I wasn't aware of the France and Japan connections in the past.

Anyway, it's no weirder than the heavy American and English-language influence in Japanese fiction, Super Sentai being a prime example.

I can see that with those country, but I guess I never really thought of France as being that influential.

 

[Christopher]

I can see that with those country, but I guess I never really thought of France as being that influential.

Study your history. The French had a widespread colonial empire for centuries, including a major presence in Southeast Asia. The Vietnam War was basically the result of America inheriting a mess that French colonialism in the region had started decades earlier. (The reason the romanized spellings of Vietnamese names and words look so weird to English speakers -- like Nguyen being pronounced pretty much like "Wen" -- is because the romanization scheme was devised based on French pronunciations of the Roman alphabet rather than English.) There's also Francophone Canada, of course, and French colonialism had a major impact on North Africa, notably Morocco and Algeria (which is why Casablanca's Captain Renault is French). And there's a reason why the word for "European" in Arabic, Turkish, and other Mideastern and South Asian languages is Ferengi, i.e. "Frank/Frenchman." (And yes, the Star Trek race was named after that word, heaven knows why.)