Sean Akizuki's East Asian Drama and Movie Blog

I remembered back when Kamen Rider Fourze was berated for this and that. Was it true that the series wasn't so well-liked (at first) but it got its following? Maybe not as next year's Kamen Rider Wizard failed to ride on the hype. It was the first space-themed Kamen Rider for the Heisei era but not for the entire franchise. In fact, the first space-themed Kamen Rider (or at least, on the surface was Kamen Rider Super-1 ). Sadly, it turned out that the actor Shunsuke Takasugi was swindling people during the time it was aired. Was Takasugi jealous of the success that Fourze had while his series caused a six-year hiatus before the appearance of Kamen Rider Black ? Sota Fukushi is one lucky guy to have fulfilled what Super-1 failed to do. Hopefully, Fukushi doesn't fall into that path. More interestingly, Fourze is the first Kamen Rider to take place in a high school - something similar to Saban's Mashed Rider . Until now, the staff at Saban Entertainment continue to look d...

Well I don't know how often I'd be doing a Kamen Rider Zi-O weekly episode review (though expect them to be around Wednesday or Thursday depending on when Over-Time releases the subs) and do expect that maybe after next week -- I'd probably give updates once every two weeks or whenever I feel like it like I did with previous Kamen Rider posts. Now it's time for me to write what's a two-in-one tribute episode where two riders contrast each other namely the extremely dark Kamen Rider Faiz and the super-lighthearted Kamen Rider Fourze. Okay, I'm thinking about the slipping down here. I remembered when Kamen Rider Fourze aired around September 4, 2011 and ended on August 26, 2012. There are many girls who are missing having the zodiac sign called Libra. What's going on? Our heroes Sougo, Geiz and Tsukuyomi now enter as "students" of what could be Amanogawa High School in 2018. For one, I want to criticize how Geiz and Tsukuyomi do a poor job blendi...

I admit that there was a time when Super Sentai and Kamen Rider used to have heavy doses of nightmare fuel. When Kamen Rider made its major return in with Kamen Rider Kuuga, I still gave a thought on how Kamen Rider Kuuga up to Kamen Rider Kabuto were nightmare fueled seasons. Most of the Kamen Riders that followed it were less scary and more fun rides like Kamen Rider Den-O (though there may be a few segments that were scary) and Kamen Rider Kiva (though I think Fangire attacks did give a moderate nightmare fuel for an otherwise fun show). Now it's time to talk about Kamen Rider Fourze's "It's Space Time!". I remembered watching Kamen Rider Super-1 some time after I watched Kamen Rider Fourze. Super-1 was an attempt at space but ended up having a six year hiatus before the dawn of the blockbuster Kamen Rider Black. Is it me or is the Showa era of Kamen Rider something of a struggle? Anyway, I thought about how Fourze succeeded where Super-1 failed in the spac...

While watching Kamen Rider Fourze, I simply feel like the show was a huge combination of Nickelodeon shows.  It feels like Teen Nick because it's a show that takes place in Amanogawa HIGH SCHOOL.  The setting is pretty much a teenager's environment. And well I felt like here were the following characters of some characters that make it fell like a Nickelodeon Show based on the Kamen Rider Club: 1.) Gentaro Kisaragi and Sheen Estevez- Both are the show idiots.  Kamen Rider Fourze feels like a sequel to Planet Sheen and if adapted, can become a sequel to Planet Sheen!  Both characters are never known for their intelligence and are rather impulisive.  2.) Kengo Utahoshi/Jimmy Neutron- Both characters are the show geniuses who have some kind of resentment/friendship towards the show idiot himself.  If Jimmy rebukes Sheen, Kengo does the same to Gentaro.  3.) Tomoko Nozama/Sam Manson- She has no Jimmy Neutron counterpart but she is certainly a shou...

Well here's my thoughts on the individuals of the Kamen Rider Club.  It pretty much is about growing up, making mistakes and moving on.  Now what I thought of the members... 1.) Gentaro Kisaragi/Fourze- He's the typical "bad boy" image with the heart of gold, quite naive and wants to be friends with everyone. Again, another unlikely hero and he's pretty much comedic for me.  His "Grease" image would remind me of John Travolta's 80s character.  Is it me or does he dress too much like the 80s?  His determination to be friends with everyone can be a fatal flaw as he can be too trusting which is a weakness in many people.  Despite that weakness, I really still like the guy!  For me, I do think that his cheery enthusiasm is one of the many reasons why I like him, something I wish I had more of. 2.) Kengo Utahoshi- While I initially disliked him but I grew to accept his role in a short amount of time as he was what I'd call the boy genius or the J...

Well this is my first Kamen Rider movie review, I might do a more detailed review of Ryuki's alternate ending but I'll start with this.  It's time for the first review and this feature film was pretty much a little bit odd but I still liked it.  So the opening scene begins with Foundation X going to receive the Twelve switches of the Horoscopes from Gamou, Keiko Hayase does a small part.  Inga Blink who's not really my type is fun to watch as she performs kicks.  At school, Gentaro tries to be friends with a computer which is stupid. Utsugi Sensei calls them and they are alerted.  I just loved the action sequences involved or the fact that Ayumi Kinoshita made an appearance as the character Asuka- she's an awesome actress.  Well, the Kamen Rider Club is set on a mission where they are supposedly set for space.  There's the bus scene which they are going to go to the "secret headquarters" and the fight with Inga Blink.  There's also the short came...

Well I never thought I'd write another review.  This time it's SPACE TIME!  Now it's time to talk about Kamen Rider Fourze- doing a teenager based Kamen Rider right where Saban's Mashed Rider got it wrong.  Sure there are people who didn't like this series, yes I agree it has its flaws but moving on.  Now the story starts with a great mystery at Amanogawa High School.  Gentarou our hero has a "bad boy" image while there's Kengo that geeky guy who seems to have a heart problem and bubbly Yuki.  Gentarou wants to be friends with everyone and the formation of the secret organization of teenagers called the Kamen Rider Club.  Ha ha, eat your heart out Dex of Mashed Rider!  Now where was I?  So he's the unexpected hero who one day becomes Fourze to defend the school from the Zodiarts. The Zodiarts are students who were mysteriously given switches but by who?  There's the mystery part there compared to W's already known mystery of the Museu...

This is the cliche trope of "In order to deceive your enemies, you must deceive your friends first."  So I really thought of the purpose of Ryusei had as Meteor.  Also I'd dare say this plot is pretty much similar to the Shroud giving Ryu the power to Accel.  For one, I thought Virgo was a woman due to having a feminine voice and two, I even thought Tachibana was an android and it just got even more WTF in some way when I discovered all three were the same person.  So we know Emoto is both Tachibana and Virgo.  So we realize that he has to be such a good actor in his quest to finish off the Zodiarts.  What I thought was that Kengo was very forgiving even if Emoto killed the latter's father.  What was also surprising was that the "Dark Nebula" was nothing more than a place of sanctuary for those "banished "there as Ryusei and Tomoko return. Ending was also pretty touching when they buried Emoto in the moon after he is killed by Sagittarius Zodia...

Boo!  Hiss! But the April Fool's joke got me to write this!  Say what you want but then again, I really thought of it if Toei can make money if Saban gets the rights to Kamen Rider Fourze, first I'd stick with the name Power Rider Apollo to keep it separate from that STUPID Mashed Rider and two, this should be Saban's chance to repair himself from that stupid mistake he made years ago by getting competent writers and producers to make this.  Now for my characterizations not only based on Kamen Rider Apollo or past references to MMPR but rather, trying to keep things fresh but I haven't named them: A Latino superhero for Fourze's counterpart.  I'd probably try to keep him as wacky as Gentarou and probably closer to Sheen Estevez and get some characterizations of Sheen Estevez.  He firmly believes in the existence of the supposedly fictional Power Rider Apollo (he even has an action figure) then one day becomes the action figure he loves! For Kengo's coun...

I could remember based on my conversations with the Fantasy Leader, he actually had said that the rumors of Power Rider Apollo are just a part of an entire gag.  So what's it really?  Hee hee, but if you ask me while I'm still about to finish watching Fourze... it does come to my head that whole season is pretty much like a Nicktoon in itself like Kamen Rider Kiva is.  But really, did the writers of the rumor come from Planet Sheen?  Hee hee.

Okay I'll get it straight again I am NOT a PR hater or anything but there are some CRAAAAAP things that Saban did like his infamously stupid Mashed Rider.  Yeah, Mashed Rider was really that bad that I guess anybody who dislikes Black RX would rather watch the latter.  Can anybody confirm this for me?  Now just my thoughts on how the adaptation could SCREW UP... and I hope this is just an April Fool's joke.  I will take down this article if anybody and I mean ANYBODY CREDIBLE can prove me to be dead wrong.  Am I wrong?  Just COMMENT.  I really need all the help I can get. Fourze is what I'd call "Saban's Mashed Rider done right."  So we have teenagers forming the Kamen Rider Club. But really Saban can you STOP with that MMPR nostalgia overuse?  If you want to use the "teenagers with attitude" theme then CUT all links to MMPR so you can get the idea done better will ya?  I was watching Megaforce and really LINKING GOSEI TO ZORDON IS W...