A while ago I finished watching Blade. It's a bit of a mixed bag. Interestingly, it's the first Kamen Rider show I've watched that actually has 2 different opening songs, and also interestingly these 2 halves they demarcate vary wildly in quality.
The first part is mediocre. The premise is solid, the characters are solid and their relations have interesting dynamics. The biggest problem is that the show feels like it's spinning its wheels for too long. There are sub-plots introduced that never really move forward. It's one step forward and you're excited to see where things are going, but then soon after it's one step back again, repeat.
It has some excellent moments though, but also some really low lows.
Then the 2nd part with a new opening comes along and its immediately a massive improvement. Story starts firing on full cylinders, the sub-plots actually start meaningfully moving forward and it's all really really good.
I'd put the 2nd half on its own quite high on my list in isolation, but it's a bit of a thorny path until you get there, unfortunately.
Currently I'm watching Hibiki, up to episode 3 right now. It's pretty wild.
It has a completely different feel to any Kamen Rider show I've watched so far. The direction, the music, the locations, the entire vibe is just very different. Heck, it's kind of a musical at times if you can believe that. It's fascinating.
I really dig it.
The first part is mediocre. The premise is solid, the characters are solid and their relations have interesting dynamics. The biggest problem is that the show feels like it's spinning its wheels for too long. There are sub-plots introduced that never really move forward. It's one step forward and you're excited to see where things are going, but then soon after it's one step back again, repeat.
It has some excellent moments though, but also some really low lows.
Then the 2nd part with a new opening comes along and its immediately a massive improvement. Story starts firing on full cylinders, the sub-plots actually start meaningfully moving forward and it's all really really good.
I'd put the 2nd half on its own quite high on my list in isolation, but it's a bit of a thorny path until you get there, unfortunately.
Currently I'm watching Hibiki, up to episode 3 right now. It's pretty wild.
It has a completely different feel to any Kamen Rider show I've watched so far. The direction, the music, the locations, the entire vibe is just very different. Heck, it's kind of a musical at times if you can believe that. It's fascinating.
I really dig it.
