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[Watch Da Birdie]

Just finished OOOs.

Really, really liked it, which is odd because it started kind of slow...the only character I didn't care for, really, was Eiji himself, but he got a bit cool for the finale. Ankh rocked, and I really liked how they handled his story. It made me tear up. And the Cake Boss was SUBARASHI!, but I kept thinking he was going to be the bad guy (because the rich guy in W and Fourze was) and was the original OOOs, but nope.

I'm watching Kiva now. On Episode 2. Um...it's different. The horror-feel to it is neat, as is the classic music being used, but I haven't really gotten use to the two-time frames yet and, apart from Sugita voicing Kivat, none of the characters interest me yet...but, wow, I really like the fight-scenes with Kiva. Dude is fucking METAL. I'm so used to CG-fests with Fourze and OOOs, it's nice to see a Rider with a more hands-on style. Like in Episode 1 he hung upside down on the metallic bar, that was pretty awesome. And WAKE UP!

But...uh...wtf is up with that CG Dragon? Fucking ridiculous.

 

[mr_tc]

Pretty good ending for Go-Busters. Did Nick always have that gun? I don't remember him ever using it before.

 

[chickdigger802]

What a bad eps of wizard. I can't believe haruto is still pretty much a blank slate. So much opportunity to make him 'something', but they don't bother. Will my opinion change next week? Probably not.

 

[Slayven]

Everyone's Space Time is mindless Sakamoto fun. I enjoyed it.

Almost makes up for Taisen. Almost.

 

[Boss Doggie]

Fourze movie really is good, but I still mope about how they turned Kyodain into villains, which is hilarious because back then we all thought Fourze looked like Kyodain lol

Also the "Second Rider gimping" happened in this film rather than in the series, so it's all good.

Au gobusters?

Returning GoBusters vs Animal GoBusters

Also dat final episode. Goddamnit J. And they really did pull a Jetman.

Pretty good ending for Go-Busters. Did Nick always have that gun? I don't remember him ever using it before.

Yeah, he used it for covering Hiromu twice before.

 

[shaowebb]

Holy Crap I cannot stop laughing at this show from Japan. XD

I don't know if this is Toku or not, but I get the feeling it fits everyone here.

Yuusha Yoshihiko To Maou No Shiro
or just
Hero Yoshihiko and the Demon King's Castle

Its marketed as a no budget Monty Python like satire on RPG's (mainly Dragon Quest). Its ridiculous and then some. Overtime and Drama Crazy got it subbed and its amazing.

Also Buddha is the best character.

Theres even a guy who keeps stopping in a middle of a fight to adjust his junk and wont stop taking forever messing with it. He starts making everyone self conscious about whether or not their own needs adjusting in the fight and the whole thing disintegrates into chaos XD

Watch this thing guys. Its amazing. Episode one establishes the party, episode two explodes with idiocy and it just keeps getting better.

 

[jwk94]

Someone needs to 1,4,6 that. Thanks for the recommendation though, I'll check it out.

 

[chickdigger802]

gobuster finale, good stuff. Shame they really can't kill off people due to movies.

I still can't believe that they couldn't figure out a way to combine all the mecha into one, no wonder the sales aren't good!

Next season will clearly have tons of gattai nonsense.

Overall, slow start, but characters start growing on me halfway through and probably the best mecha action in sentai history.

 

[Box of Bunnies]

Also Buddha is the best character.

The fact that Yoshihiko is the only person that can't see him is one of my favourite gags. Great show, and O-T just started releasing the second season recently!

 

[Boss Doggie]

gobuster finale, good stuff. Shame they really can't kill off people due to movies.

I still can't believe that they couldn't figure out a way to combine all the mecha into one, no wonder the sales aren't good!

Next season will clearly have tons of gattai nonsense.

Overall, slow start, but characters start growing on me halfway through and probably the best mecha action in sentai history.

And that's why the mecha of GoBusters are generally awesome. It only has one cluster fuck, and even then it made sense in context.

 

[Edag Plata]

And that's why the mecha of GoBusters are generally awesome. It only has one cluster fuck, and even then it made sense in context.

It had two. Great Go-Buster was the five of them and Go-Buster King was five minus Ace (but they used it like, twice ever). Either way, who cares? Doesn't matter how many parts a robo is, as long as the action is good and in this case it was excellent.

 

[Boss Doggie]

It had two. Great Go-Buster was the five of them and Go-Buster King was five minus Ace (but they used it like, twice ever). Either way, who cares? Doesn't matter how many parts a robo is, as long as the action is good and in this case it was excellent.

Ah right forgot about that one, but I thought that one was less clusterfuck because it seemed more mobile. And I'm glad Ace got so much action.

 

[Edag Plata]

Ah right forgot about that one, but I thought that one was less clusterfuck because it seemed more mobile. And I'm glad Ace got so much action.

Yeah, besides the baggy pants, that was a super tight robo. Probably top ten-ish.

 

[chickdigger802]

Yeah, ace is pretty great. Reminds me a little of the red zord in dai ranger.

And some of the enemy megazords are well designed too.

 

[Parallax]

gobusters ended pretty well considering the constant arc change

wizard... continues to bore me.

and fourze the movie. i miss this cast so damn much. gentarou giving a pound to the computer mouse was fucking hilarious. and it seemed everyone got their moment to shine.

 

[chickdigger802]

someone needs to gif that final Ace sidestep sidestep and stab.

Was baller as shit.

 

[WillyFive]

I miss Fourze. The movie was all kinds of great. Great fan service as well with the Kyodain.

Also, Over-Time translated the finale blog post for Go-Busters.

 

[chickdigger802]

I miss Fourze. The movie was all kinds of great. Great fan service as well with the Kyodain.

Also, Over-Time translated the finale blog post for Go-Busters.

wow they start filming like 2 months before the show starts? crazy. But I expect crazy stuff for year long shows.

Lack of J is disappoint though. still am teary ;_;

Damn it why did you have to be good gobuster?

 

[Slayven]

wow they start filming like 2 months before the show starts? crazy. But I expect crazy stuff for year long shows.

Lack of J is disappoint though. still am teary ;_;

Damn it why did you have to be good gobuster?

They need the lead time for effects and shit. It's a wonder stuff doesn't leak sooner.

 

[Edag Plata]

I miss Fourze. The movie was all kinds of great. Great fan service as well with the Kyodain.

Also, Over-Time translated the finale blog post for Go-Busters.

I have to...I mean, I can't copy and paste it because Jin's message is so perfect but made me super teary eyed. Man....

 

[vareon]

Marathoned the last 3 episodes of Go-busters. Went out with a bang. Will write impressions for it.

 

[Boss Doggie]

Did they ever credited J's suit actor? He really played the part well.

 

[Seraphis Cain]

Holy Crap I cannot stop laughing at this show from Japan. XD

I don't know if this is Toku or not, but I get the feeling it fits everyone here.

Yuusha Yoshihiko To Maou No Shiro
or just
Hero Yoshihiko and the Demon King's Castle

Its marketed as a no budget Monty Python like satire on RPG's (mainly Dragon Quest). Its ridiculous and then some. Overtime and Drama Crazy got it subbed and its amazing.

Also Buddha is the best character.

Theres even a guy who keeps stopping in a middle of a fight to adjust his junk and wont stop taking forever messing with it. He starts making everyone self conscious about whether or not their own needs adjusting in the fight and the whole thing disintegrates into chaos XD

Watch this thing guys. Its amazing. Episode one establishes the party, episode two explodes with idiocy and it just keeps getting better.

Thanks for this post, shao. I'd been thinking about watching this, but this post pushed me over the edge. Watched the first episode last night, and it's amazing. So yeah, thanks again!

 

[Edag Plata]

Did they ever credited J's suit actor? He really played the part well.

You mean like, who is he? He's the same suit actor who played Gokai Silver, a relative newcomer to big parts.

 

[Kurita]

Thanks for this post, shao. I'd been thinking about watching this, but this post pushed me over the edge. Watched the first episode last night, and it's amazing. So yeah, thanks again!

Yup, just watched the first episode. It's hilarious.

 

[Boss Doggie]

You mean like, who is he? He's the same suit actor who played Gokai Silver, a relative newcomer to big parts.

Ahh interesting!

 

[Edag Plata]

Ahh interesting!

Yeah, Daisuke Sato was it? (I'm checking, hold on...)

Yep, that's his name. He was Datas Hyper before that, and otherwise played grunts and stuff.

 

[chickdigger802]

They need the lead time for effects and shit. It's a wonder stuff doesn't leak sooner.

yeah, but still it's only 2 months. I'm sure they film eps or w/e in batches. And I know the effects aren't that great, but that stuff still takes time. hmmmm

Thanks for this post, shao. I'd been thinking about watching this, but this post pushed me over the edge. Watched the first episode last night, and it's amazing. So yeah, thanks again!

Yeah started this yesterday (up to eps 4). Really fun even though the humor is beginning to be a bit predictable.

 

[Slayven]

yeah, but still it's only 2 months. I'm sure they film eps or w/e in batches. And I know the effects aren't that great, but that stuff still takes time. hmmmm

I am sure from start to finish they are worked like dogs. Plus they reuse so many of the same locations, so travel time must not be a big deal.

 

[WillyFive]

The Kyoryuger sixth ranger's scans are out. Also, same for the Wizard and Beast upgrade forms.

I am sure from start to finish they are worked like dogs. Plus they reuse so many of the same locations, so travel time must not be a big deal.

I have no idea what Sentai does, but back when Operation Overdrive was being shot, they would do block filming; where several episodes's worth of scenes (4 episodes's worth, according to the PROO special features) would be shot at once because they took place in the same locations (a day for scenes in the beach, a day for scenes on the forest, a day for the scenes on the set, etc.). Then everyone gets their couple of days off, and they're back at it with the next block.

 

[chickdigger802]

Makes sense. like for gokaiger, lets film all the scenes on the ship for the next few eps today, lets film all the scenes of location B tomorrow.


And it isn't hard to imagine they can do the civilian stuff and suit stuff at the same time with different teams.

Are sentai actors paid decently or are they paid like shit like saban rangers?

 

[Boss Doggie]

Wow, Kyoryuger's sixth is already out and the show hasn't even begun.

 

[A Pretty Panda]

Didn't that happen last year too?

 

[WillyFive]

Didn't that happen last year too?

Yep. Earlier, too. Beet and Stag Buster scans came out in Feb 4, three weeks before the show premiered.

 

[Boss Doggie]

Yep. Earlier, too. Beet and Stag Buster scans came out in Feb 4, three weeks before the show premiered.

Wow. That fast huh?

 

[RangerBAD]

Wow. That fast huh?

That's surprising considering they don't usually make an appearance until around the 20th episodes.

Edit: It's also great to see a thread dedicated to tokusatsu stuff. Although, some stuff mentioned in the OP wouldn't be tokusatsu in my book.

 

[WillyFive]

20 Red Rangers walk around NYC.

Edit: It's also great to see a thread dedicated to tokusatsu stuff. Although, some stuff mentioned in the OP wouldn't be tokusatsu in my book.

Like what?

 

[RangerBAD]

20 Red Rangers walk around NYC.



Like what?

Speed Racer movie. Or anything non-Japanese for that matter, but that's just my definition of tokusatsu.

 

[WillyFive]

Speed Racer movie. Or anything non-Japanese for that matter, but that's just my definition of tokusatsu.

I used Box of Bunnies's description of it:

Tokusatsu is a Japanese term that means "special filming". As a genre it refers to pretty much any live-action production that makes extensive use of special effects. In the literal sense, anything from Wonder Woman to Doctor Who could be considered tokusatsu but, much like "anime", it is used colloquially in English to refer specifically to shows and movies of Japanese origin or adapted from them.

Although the source material wasn't Tokusatsu, the movie was live action, heavy in special effects, and used a style that is very similar to what you see in current Toku movies, with cartoony special effects, over-the-top action, and whatnot. If you liked Speed Racer, you might also enjoy other Tokusatsu material, is what I'm saying; so I used it as an example.

As for anything non-Japanese, well, I guess it depends if you believe it's origin is more important than it's inspiration. For example, in the same way people can debate whether or not Avatar: The Last Airbender is anime or not; people can debate whether Robocop is tokusatsu or not.

Also, for another example we have Pacific Rim; although it's not Japanese or based on any pre-existing Japanese IP; it will be very hard to argue it's not the same genre as Super Sentai, Ultraman, or Godzilla.

 

[A Pretty Panda]

I think that new Spider-Man movie was Tokusatsu.

 

[jwk94]

Did a anybody else leave the avengers thinking that it resembled an expensive power Rangers movie?

 

[WillyFive]

I think that new Spider-Man movie was Tokusatsu.

That's an interesting addition to the debate. Let's try to differentiate Spiderman (and Iron Man) from a Sentai/Rider and Metal Hero.

+ They all have fully concealing masks and suits.
+ Iron Man uses technology to suit up in the middle of the action
+ Production-wise, the movies are shot using live suit actors and occasionally use physical non-CGI versions of the suits (even Iron Man).
+ During the hiatus between JAKQ and Battle Fever, the Sentai team was making the Spiderman TV show.

The only thing we can use against them is that they are not Japanese nor adapted from Japanese stuff. But early on, stuff like KR, SS and Metal Hero could have been based heavily on American superheroes like Spiderman and Iron Man, so the distinction between them grew later on.

 

[RangerBAD]

When Americans do low-budget guys in suits stuff it's campy. When Japan does it then it's awesome. I really feel it's a style thing that Japan sort of perfected. We do see the use of CGI nowadays, but some of the monsters suit and hero suits they make, even if low-budget, are really second to none. I'm sure they've seen an increase in budget from old days, but it always retains that great style.

Even if American comic books inspired certain things, the Japanese took things to a level that's all their own. That's how I look at tokusatsu.

 

[The Frankman]

I thought it was appropriate to post this here, pretty cool:

Knicks SG J.R. Smith teams up with the Power Rangers

Nice event in NY where J.R. Smith and like every Red Ranger in the series entertained kids. He and his brother Chris were huge fans of the show growing up, J.R. loved the White Ranger. I'm not exactly a big PR fan, but I can't even remotely tie most of those outfits to their shows...

At the end of the day I think they made him an Honorary Power Ranger. That means... IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!

Dragonzord!
Mastodon!
Pterodactyl!
Triceratops!
Sabertooth Tiger!
Tyrannosaurus!
J.R. Smith!

 

[A Pretty Panda]

Power Rangers are actually becoming the Harlem Globe Trotters.

 

[The Frankman]

Power Rangers are actually becoming the Harlem Globe Trotters.

I would pay to watch a Power Rangers vs. Harlem Globetrotters basketball game.

 

[Parallax]

I would pay to watch a Power Rangers vs. Harlem Globetrotters basketball game.

you would see a match with nothing but trickshots.

 

[KenOD]

The only thing we can use against them is that they are not Japanese nor adapted from Japanese stuff. But early on, stuff like KR, SS and Metal Hero could have been based heavily on American superheroes like Spiderman and Iron Man, so the distinction between them grew later on.

Being from Japan means nothing. Amazing Spider-Man is called a toku in Japan. Why? It's a special effects heavy movie that wouldn't be the same thing without those.
Thunderbirds has a huge cult following in Japan, it's just another toku.
Pacific Rim is being marketed in Japan just as a Godzilla movie would. Giant monsters.

Ultraman is toku, no one will argue that. Yet we've had Ultraman shows not made in Japan and accepted because it's Ultraman. Turn off the sound and show someone who has no idea of their origin, and Sportranger or the Rayforce clip or Titans Warstrike Force or original Power Ranger footage and at it's base people will view it as "yeah, that's like Sentai/Kamen Rider/Ultraman" type of kids shows.

Location does not matter. Language does not matter. Being an adaptation or not doesn't matter. Having superheroes or not doesn't matter. Being for children or adults doesn't matter. Needing and depending special effects or else it just wouldn't be anywhere close to the same type of show, that matters.

Yes threads and dedicated forums tends to specialise only on kid's superhero action shows and sometimes the fringe or those quite similar to it (Garo) or giant monster movies from Japan when they talk about "toku", but that doesn't mean we should put blinders on ourselves. It's just going to limit the options of what can be enjoyed, and it's not like we need any more roadblocks considering it's only been recent people have started to look beyond only Toei or Toei adapted shows back when some had the idea "toku was a Toei only type of show".

I'm not saying this thread should suddenly focus on new Red Dwarf, Iron Man 3, Pacific Rim, or anything else if we are clearly more concerned about kid's superheroes like Sentai or Kamen Rider or Power Rangers, but at least accept them as part of the wild world that is toku and enjoy just how much richness there is for whatever you looking for with special effects to make it come to life on screen. To me, thinking it's "Japan only" is as silly as ignoring the Xbox 360 because it's not a Japanese company and "video games only refers to things from Japan".

 

[A Pretty Panda]

 

[KenOD]

Second only to J.A.Q.K.'s giant rat cannon in terms of sheer power that.