Kamen Rider Fourze - IT'S SPACE TIME!

[Edible]

What is Kamen Rider?

Japan loves its masked hero shows.  You've almost certainly heard of the Power Rangers if you live in the western hemisphere, well... this one is the latest and greatest (only not actually a Power Rangers/super sentai show at all, it's Kamen Rider which is better!)

Kamen Rider itself is a group of shows which has been running for 40 years.  Each has the same basic premise - masked, superpowered hero (or sometimes heroes) fights monsters to save their village/town/city/country/planet from the people who control the monsters.  Kamen Riders in the past have had to fight aliens, beings from other dimensions, bizarre genetic experiments, time-devouring assholes, freaky vampires, other Riders, and a zillion other things.  They're most famous for A) Wearing a bug-eyed mask and B) having a Rider Kick, a signature jumpkick often imitated/parodied in anime and manga.

Well, what about Fourze?

So that brings us to Fourze.  It started airing last year and has 20-something episodes now.  It tells the tale of one high-school badass named Gentaro, who is a punk with a wild haircut and wants to make friends with everyone in the school, by force if necessary.  He stumbles across a plot to transform students into evil Zodiarts, monsters powered by their celestial-bodied inspirations, like Orion and Perseus.  He also discovers a lone group of students fighting against the power, and teams up with them to become Kamen Rider Fourze!

Why would this interest me?

C'mon now.  It's got everything!  Awesome music, a goofy and lovable cast, a plot that doesn't take itself too seriously, fun fight scenes, cute girls, emotional scenes, people being badasses, silly monsters, unconventional weaponry, etc.

Give it a shot!  It takes exactly one episode to know if you'll want to watch the rest, no "it gets better later" stuff here!

[Zakenna]

yeah ok so I'm glad I'm not the only one who got hooked into this at Katsu

[Edible]

yeah ok so I'm glad I'm not the only one who got hooked into this at Katsu

Hahaha yeah.

I watched 16 episodes in a row on sunday. <_<

[triangles]

MJP was watching this last night.
I have no idea what's going on but it looks ridiculous.  I see no problem with this!

[Zakenna]

MJP was watching this last night.
I have no idea what's going on but it looks ridiculous.  I see no problem with this!

well it's either that or moe. So I guess if you had to choose one or the other you'd probably choose insanity

[triangles]

Yes clearly this is the better choice over having to watch high school moe blob anime :V
High schoolers with a mecha suit that can fly? Or whatever they do?
OK!

[♛ Apher-Forte]

Edible is the last person I imagined to get into Toku.
no seriously.

however, for me, I lack the conviction and Fourze just made me lose all my appetite with his attitude from episode 6 onwards.
dropped.

I finished all the old riders up to RX, (except for Skyrider which is missing from my collection); and Agito, Kabuto, Den-Oh, Remilia (that Bat themed/vampire themed one, Hibiki (oni themed), Blade, Decade and W and OOO (not out of order, it stands for Oz) in the current era.

Probably the saving grace about Fourze is that the second form appeared so early in the show, the unlikeable characters however drive me nuts.  I guess you can find it fun if you aren't already deeply into Tokusatsu over the years and find this to be quite the insult to the entirely of original intent of the creator (much like Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry)

[helvetica]

Link has been ranting about Fourze for months and honestly I thought it was just some stupid shortening of Forza 4 :b

I... guess I could watch it, n-not like I'd want to or anything </tsun>

[Amraphenson]

I find it pretty easy to enjoy Kamen Rider as long as I turn my brain off. The inner kid in me always enjoys these kind of shows. And I like most of the characters; I guess being a high school student helps out. I'm really fond of Ryusei for some reason.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

For me I thought the foreboding sense of crime solving and stuff like the bitter taste of man vs desire in W and OOO respectively brings a lot more to the table for Kamen Rider shows, and as a whole, not the kinda overacted unbelievable characters as seen in Fourze. Maybe it is just me, I suppose that is why I like Heisei ones more, especially the one like V3 which is basically a story about vengeance and forgiveness, in Black and RX it was underlining coexistence under different ideals, etc rather than a space brat kicking the badguys bumbling his way through, I actually did think Fourze sorta lost its self-value beyond a few episodes in, rather than slowly reveal it. Then again, I do say it is the one Rider show with plenty of eye candy girls around, more so than the W movie 2 which features the backstory of Kamen Rider Eternal.

[Menorah Jams, Pham]

I was indifferent about Kamen Rider until I was exposed to Fourze.

I CANNOT GET ENOUGH FOURZE NOW. 

Although "uchuu kita" = "it's space time?"  I dunno.  I'd have done something all like "Space is the place!" but then again, I didn't pay any money for this so I can't complain.  :V

They showed Fourze suit figs and Gentaro figs at WonFes... Gentaro's face is rapeface in a bad way, but the Fourze suit fig is gonna find its way to our display shelf real soon-like.

[Amraphenson]

It's 'Ore Sanjou' level in translation obscurity. No real 'correct' one.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

I was indifferent about Kamen Rider until I was exposed to Fourze.

I CANNOT GET ENOUGH FOURZE NOW. 

Although "uchuu kita" = "it's space time?"  I dunno.  I'd have done something all like "Space is the place!" but then again, I didn't pay any money for this so I can't complain.  :V

They showed Fourze suit figs and Gentaro figs at WonFes... Gentaro's face is rapeface in a bad way, but the Fourze suit fig is gonna find its way to our display shelf real soon-like.

well now that you are exposed to it, and like people like Gentaro, you must and I assure you so will like

Kamen Rider Kabuto: it is about this guy who walks the path of Kamina/Heaven, is so sexy it hurts, and says stuff like 'Grandma says...' and basically just being an awesome deus ex machina.

and if you want fun like Fourze, your next target should be watching the entire Den-Oh, which is consisted of ORE SANJOU (I have arrived/shown up/came), ORE NO HISATSU WAZA (my final move), I AM GONNA MAKE YOU CRY WITH MY MANLINESS, and LET ME HOOK YOU INTO MY LOVE TRAP.

but unlike Fourze however, Den-Oh is already the most popular of all rider series, spanning what... 8 movies after a series? that is unprecedented in rider history. also, time traveling, which means this show is illegal in China! What better way to say 'fuck you' than this lol. Overall, the way I see it, there is still chance for me to like Fourze, all I ask is not this rather unlikeable character trait to show on.... and really, I would imagine this is actually the first rider series taking on anime style background (it happens in a high school) rather than previously... random people who seem to be jobless, unemployed, or somehow shown up to be awesome asskickers (ie Kabuto, he lives with his little sisters and is a perfect cook at home...and that's it, in OOOz is a hobo/vagabond...)

Uchuu kitta~ seem to translate more to IT IS SPACE HERE. or SPACE HAS ARRIVED...

[Edible]

Incidentally, I also liked Den-O.

[Pesco]

I'm near the end of Kabuto and the plot development feels disturbingly similar to Mai-Hime for me. But I can overlook it for how they keep finding time for silliness.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

Eh really? Then again, it is deus ex machina material right in Kabuto anyway, though... in some sense, it is kinda true. Nonetheless, be prepared for mindfuck somewhere down the road. I think the movie edition: God Speed Love broke my entire mind into a million pieces by the sheer impossibility of it all...
It also reminded me about that one movie of Superman and Lois's death and etc...

[Amraphenson]

Started out with W myself. Loved it and OOO to pieces.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

I know right, Half Hardboiled detected is so cool~~<3
I probably like Accel more than I should, this guy is just 21 different flavors of cool.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

Kabuto is a Gary-sue in a Mary-sue world. Also that movie was... Uuuhhhhh alright I guess. :V. He was so deus ex machina since the hyper zecter is all "TIME TRAVEL YEAH". Anyway Fourze looks a little strange because of rockets and stuff. But the drills suffice for manliness in the show until he gets some risingultimateshiningsurvivalhyper form or something.

Anyway I started at Faiz/555 and for some odd reason I like Decade and Kabuto best. Den-O was just something to make me laugh.

[Pesco]

Yeah I finished Kabuto but SO MANY LOOSE THREADS

Stuff like how/where did

Spoiler:

Yaguruma get the Hopper zecters, Tendou's parents, what the heck actually happened at the end...

[♛ Apher-Forte]

Yeah I finished Kabuto but SO MANY LOOSE THREADS

Stuff like how/where did

Spoiler:

Yaguruma get the Hopper zecters, Tendou's parents, what the heck actually happened at the end...

we will never know the truth.

also like WHO WAS GRANDMA?

[Amraphenson]

She's actually shown on an extra clip of something, I forget what. An internet video? No clue.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

now pending on my personal guesses:
Kabuto:

Spoiler:

1. Zecters arrived via space time continuum like the one that sent Hyper Zecter into existence, (as Kabuto mentioned, Hyper Zecter already existed in the past, hence destroying it in the future or now, will mean nothing to it, making him officially the most powerful of all riders save Decade for haxxorz). We also know Natives were here before Worms, and that the technology seemed controlled by them for their own survival... (because they can accelerate, so whoever created the Zecters were meant for the zecters to control Worm population/maybe even used to exterminate them/protect Natives (who can't seem to progress into hyperspeed form).

2. Tendou's parents were...Natives? or rather, they were dead and being taken over (image wise) by Worms/Natives, Both died before Kabuto knew them well enough it seems. Grandma might as well have been aware of them, and their Native/Worm replacements. Tendou was well aware of Worm's existence since episode 1, in fact it seems like he waited until the end of the episode to show that he knew all along what they were, and that they were meant to be defeated by him, as per Grandma... hence... yeah.

3. Natives, they are humans, humans and Natives are ok with each other and everyone dies from a rockfall.

Anyway I started at Faiz/555 and for some odd reason I like Decade and Kabuto best. Den-O was just something to make me laugh.

I think my problem with Fourze is his weapons come in candy colors...which is kinda... meh LOL MARKETING TO KIDS MEANS BRIGHT COLORS YOU CAN PUT INSIDE CEREAL BOXES~
it kinda cuts all impact from any of the previous 4 riders (save for candy pink Decade and his pocket book-cardholder sword gun)

Faiz and Kiva are the most emo I think of all the rider series. Kiva wins a tad bit for being gloomy and violins, which is cool when your house is a flying dragon cannon thing... Also it makes about the one series with a lot of cooler extra riders/enemy riders. Dark Kiva remains one of my favorites for his emblem kick. Faiz is probably one of the weaker series for its lack of supporting roles, but it did introduce a legendary enemy rider - Kaixa, who remains among Toku communities one of the coolest allied-chaos riders.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

Faiz and Kiva are the most emo I think of all the rider series. Kiva wins a tad bit for being gloomy and violins, which is cool when your house is a flying dragon cannon thing... Also it makes about the one series with a lot of cooler extra riders/enemy riders. Dark Kiva remains one of my favorites for his emblem kick. Faiz is probably one of the weaker series for its lack of supporting roles, but it did introduce a legendary enemy rider - Kaixa, who remains among Toku communities one of the coolest allied-chaos riders.

Kiva isn't really that emo. I mean his Templar form or something had a violin as a weapon. So clearly it's acceptable if Kiva likes Violins. And his house is a castle which is a Dragon. YEAAAAH.

Faiz is just awesome in his own ways which is kinda different then any other Rider. Mostly because of Accel(for me) Some of my friends like him because he uses a phone to transform.

[Sality]

but it did introduce a legendary enemy rider - Kaixa, who remains among Toku communities one of the coolest allied-chaos riders.

I thought it was Ouja who earned that title way before Kaixa ? :V
Ionno, while some people do consider Kusaka as a jerkass or a villain, I do still consider him to be a hero. He is just like over-ambitious ? 

On topic about Fourze,
To be honest, I stopped watching Kamen Rider back when Den-O is still airing, so I don't think I can contribute as for now. The recent Riders aren't really to my liking, even though I somehow finished Kiva, albeit disappointed with the ending and its development. I still don't know whether I should pick Fourze or not since his design and the setting are somewhat lacking for me.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

if in doubt, pick up W because it sure as hell does not disappoint. Alternatively, opt for OOOz for random amounts of HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

[Pesco]

I've watched 2 episodes of Den-O and I think I'll stick for the lulz.

[Sality]

I've watched more than 10 eps of Double (none for OOOz) back then, but it failed to tickles my interest as the concept of 2 men being one doesn't stick well to my liking. (or maybe I was affected by his performance in all-riders war against Shadow Moon, which I find humiliating)

[♛ Apher-Forte]

I've watched more than 10 eps of Double (none for OOOz) back then, but it failed to tickles my interest as the concept of 2 men being one doesn't stick well to my liking. (or maybe I was affected by his performance in all-riders war against Shadow Moon, which I find humiliating)

Remember that all the movies are mainly there to fanwank over powerlevels, and they have in actual not much relation to the main storyline or even the actual powerlevels to it. That is how I see it.

[Amraphenson]

In any given preview movie, the power of a Rider rises to absurd levels. Riders that have already obtained their respective super modes will pale in comparison to a movie preview Rider, who will accomplish more than anyone else with only their start-of-season equipment.

See: Double, OOOs, Fourze.