Coming soon! Samurai Sentai Shinkenger MV "Kimi Ga Inai Mirai"

Okay, I have finally watched all the episodes of Shinkenger I have missed (Yay!) and some of them were excellent! Anyway, Shinkenger is coming to a close next week. Since it is, I am going to redo that MV of Shinkenger I posted last month ago since I now have all the episodes on my computer (except for the last one) and there's a lot of footage I can use! The song is called "Kimi Gai Inai Mirai" and it is from Inuyasha: The Final Act. The single is finally released after months waiting for it (and I have to say, the singles for Anime take longer to come out than Toku!) I just actually need to listen to it and look over the footage to see what I can and shouldn't use. This MV will probably be my greatest one ever. IF not, better than the ones I already made. Hoping everyone is looking forward to it.

And if no one saw the first one yet, watch it here! YouTube won't let me post it for some reason! Grr...Hopefully this new and improved one will be on YouTube.

Grr! YouTube won't let me upload the preview due to copyright issues! So it looks as if this MV will be on my blog only! And I don't even know how to upload it on my blog! So it looks like this MV will be up longer than I thought. Sorry everyone.....

Disney's Power Rangers

 

Yes, I know for a fact that almost everyone groans over the Disney seasons, mostly the ones made by Kalish. But in my opinion, not that many were that bad. I mean, everyone says Disney has bad ideas. They don't actually. They just lack content.

Power Rangers Ninja Storm

Super Sentai counterpart - Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger.

This one was the first fully produced season by Disney. I count Wild Force still as a Saban season. It was the first season to be filmed in New Zealand. This one was a big risk. Because this season was supposed to reintroduce people into Power Rangers, as this season was really a parody. Hence there is so much comedy in it. This season was almost non-canon (not in the Power Rangers Universe) until Dino Thunder fixed it. But I see this season as not one to hate. Like I said in previous posts of mine, Ninjas and Rangers don't mix well for me. But to be honest, I actually enjoyed this season. If Shinkenger were to get adapted for Power Rangers (and I really hope it does someday) I think I would probably enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Ninja Storm, if it were in the right hands that is.

Power Rangers Dino Thunder

Super Sentai counterpart - Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger

This has to be the best Disney season in my opinion. Tommy Oliver was brought back in this season. But most people watched this season just for him, which I think is a stupid reason. I watched it because it gave that old nostalgia feeling of watching MMPR again, which I enjoyed. Having teenagers as rangers, dinosaurs as its theme (of course that's Abaranger to blame) and having an evil ranger turn later on in the season. Some call this a rip-off of MMPR, but still enjoy it. Disney did manage to dub an episode of Abaranger, and that's how I discovered Sentai. This is my favorite season from the Disney era.

Power Rangers S.P.D.

Super Sentai counterpart - Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger

We are now entering the Kalish seasons. I'll say that I did enjoy the first half of this season, but then it just all went down hill. And to be honest, I was hoping that this was a good season. But what confuses me is that the promos said S.P.D. takes place in the year 2020, but in the show it takes place in 2025. The promos must have been wrong. I really don't have much to say on this season. This season was an okay season, the first half rocked, the second half was trash and rushed.

Power Rangers Mystic Force

Super Sentai counterpart - Mahou Sentai Magiranger

Another season I was hoping to be good. The premiere was something interesting, but then episodes afterwards weren't that great. Probably the only decent episodes were Stranger Within, Dark Wish, and Mystic Fate. That's it. While I didn't enjoy Magiranger much (because like Shinkenger and Hurricanger/Ninja Storm) Magic and Rangers don't mix well for me. It's just not my taste you know? This was the first season not to have a team-up with it's past successors, and episodes were reduced due to budget.

Power Rangers Operation Overdrive

Super Sentai counterpart - GoGo Sentai Boukenger

WARNING! USE OF FOUL LANGUAGE IS IN THIS PART OF THE POST!

Don't even get me started on this season! This season just flat out sucked! This is the shittiest season I have ever seen from Power Rangers! And I thought Saban's Masked Rider was a shitty adaptation (it still is) but god damn! Overdrive beat it by a mile! No one, and I mean NO ONE, liked this season. Bad acting, unlikeable characters. Hell, even the Once a Ranger team-up sucked! Boukenger was so much better than this! I hated everything out of this season. I think what Kalish was trying to do was try to make this a homage to the first season (having an Asian as a Ranger, having a Black guy as the Black Ranger, etc) This was the last season to use a Battlizer, and thank goodness because I thought it was stupid anyways! I wasted about 9 fucking months watching this season! Who can I see to get them back??

Power Rangers Jungle Fury

Super Sentai counterpart - Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger

To clarify for everyone, this was supposed to be the final live-action season of Power Rangers. Because according to Lavender Ranger, Disney didn't want to share profits with Toei, Bandai, or Plex anymore which is why Disney tried an animated version. However, since Power Rangers is a co-owned brand, Disney owns half and Toei owns the other, Disney decided to do one more season before canning the show for good. Not because of Shinkenger.

Anyway, this season had its dialogue written great, but its story wasn't that great. This was the first season to not have a Battlizer since in Space. Instead, extra Rangers were made in reminiscence of the Titanium Ranger from Lightspeed Rescue. Again, no team-up due to budget. Rumor is that Bandai and Jetix Europe help fund for the Spirit Rangers. Another rumor, 'scab' writers were picked up due to the writer's strike (rumor is Judd Lynn was one of them) This was another okay season for me, I still prefer Gekiranger over Jungle Fury.

Power Rangers RPM

Super Sentai counterpart - Engine Sentai Go-Onger

The Kalish seasons ended with Jungle Fury (Thank god!) Disney got in Eddie Guzelian. According to him on RangerCrew, he was told by the Execs of Disney that he could do whatever he want since this was the last season, and Eddie decided to go out with a big bang. However, there was 'creative differences' with him and Disney during production, and he went overbudget so Disney fired him and Judd Lynn was brought back to be EP for the second half. This season was very tough to adapt, considering that Go-Onger was very childish Sentai. And with all the footage Go-Onger had, new footage was made for the tone of RPM. Due to Eddie going overbudget, there was no extra rangers, no battlizer, or team-up. I can't help but think about the rest of the seasons if Eddie stuck around to produce it fully. I was really looking forward to his finale when I read it. And Go-Onger? While I do enjoy the comedy out of Go-Onger, I think RPM was handled more properly than Go-Onger. This was also considered one of the best seasons of Power Rangers, and RPM is now officially my favorite season!

UPDATE: 1/27/10

 

To be honest, I really was looking forward to a Shinkenger adaptation regardless of what people say. Whether it's how Shinkenger is "too Japanese and hard to adapt" when it actually isn't, or how people don't want Shinkenger to be bastardize which I think is a stupid term made up by fanboys, which I hate also.

So, all in all, Disney didn't have bad seasons. It's just the Kalish seasons that were bad. If you haven't checked out the Disney seasons just because they're Disney, check out atleast Ninja Storm, Dino Thunder, and RPM. Skip the Kalish seasons. Trust me, you won't miss anything.

My thoughts on MMPRv2

Okay, yes. I know that most people don't like the changes that Disney has made for MMPR, especially the Sentai fanboys.

The opening credits have been changed. It kinda looks like a fan-made opening that you could find on YouTube. My only complaint about the opening is the picture above, which is in the opening credits.

And what I really don't like is the Batman-like graphics. But if Kakuranger did it, then MMPR can to so I won't argue anymore.

 

They also add graphics around like wind and stuff when the Rangers are posing. They pause scenes and put background and colors. Some cases they put name tags on the villains and monsters, like what Zyuranger and other Sentai shows did.

There is Anime-like moments used as well like when they put lighting effects between Jason & Skull when there is conflict.

Most people, especially Sentai and PR fanboys consider MMPRv2 cheesy with all the effects, but it's not like MMPR was cheesy already. In some cases, most of the effects work out well. On a side note, I just LOVE how Sentai fanboys already hate/dislike MMPR and think Zyuranger is better, yet they bitch and complain about MMPRv2. Sentai has done some of these effects before MMPR did, like the Batman graphics and Anime-like moments (Kakuranger and Go-Onger anyone?) Toei has done some of this stuff too, so don't hate on Disney just because they try it out. To wrap this up, I don't mind MMPRv2. It's something for me to look forward and wake up to every Saturday morning. It's just some things are just unnecessary.

To those who hate MMPRv2, have a nice day! :)

Jetman - an inspiration for RPM?

I'm not talking about suits, mecha and such. I'm talking about story-wise, tone, and characters. This got me thinking that Eddie (EP for first half of RPM) may have gotten some elements from Jetman and maybe even other Sentai series for RPM.

I mean, if you actually think about it, both Gai and Dillon are the "lone wolves" of the team. Gai dies in the ending of Jetman, and in Eddie's finale for RPM, Dillon was supposed to die.

 

The tone for RPM was different from any other PR series, way different from Saban's series in my opinion, especially since we had new blood controlling the show for the first half of the season. Jetman's tone was a different tone from any other Sentai I've seen. I heard that Maskman had the same tone, but I won't say since I haven't seen Maskman yet. But both Jetman and RPM had the same kind of tone.

I can't really think of anything else at the moment. But I'll update when I do. And if anyone has something to contribute to it, don't be afraid to leave a comment and I'll update giving credit to you.

My thoughts on KR Double so far....

I'm really enjoying Double, it's been probably my favorite Kamen Rider series to watch (aside from Kabuto and Kiva that is)

The battles and form-changing have been treated with respect and care to the plot, to the point where even if the start of the fight, or the outcome of the fight doesn't have any real meaning, something happens during it to lead Shotaro and Phillip toward the conclusion of the case.

The characters for the most part are pretty well rounded and human. The Fuuto Irregulars and Akiko were pretty ugh inducing at the beginning of the series, but they've mercifully have been toned down and still do fit with-in the overall scope of Double as Shotaro's trust-worthy word on the street. These past fews arcs have also done really well for Humanizing the Villians and Wakana (I really can't bring me to call her a villian anymore.), making them both ruthless wall to over come, while still prone to human error. Acting wise, it's been pretty passable, with Shotaro being the best of the bunch. Though pretty much everyone has been improving as they have settled into there roles.

The BGM's and music have been well-done as well, Double's theme is definitely my favorite KR opening so far. A good variety of music to match the PI angle for Double.

Best thing I have to give Double is the amazing consistancy the writing/tone of the show has had. Outside of the Heaven's Tornado arc (easily the worst arc Double has thrown out.), the show has been pretty damn good at keeping it's tone consistant and well, moving the plot forward. Both sides of the struggle have gained information on the other side as things have progressed, with both sides not quite having enough information/power to make an all out attack on the other. It's not the fasting moving Rider plot, but it's not insulting out intellgence making us wait till the end of the year to really do anything, expect pimp out more toys.

Accel's introduction could change a lot of this, the show still has a lot of episodes to go. But as of now, I'm really impressed, and give this about a 9 out of 10 if I must give it rating. This is definitely a series you don't want to miss! :)

My thoughts on Shinkenger.......AGAIN

Well, I don't think I told anyone, but I dropped Shinkenger after Episode 30. But I did stick around for Episode 36 (For Super ShinkenYellow since everyone else got their power up, and since I'm a big fan of Kotoha ^_^ and that episode made me hungry for curry! lol) Things were just boring to me. And I don't think I told anyone this either (and I may get some hate) but after the Decade/Shinkenger team-up and ShinkenGold's apperance, I just didn't even bother to watch anymore episodes.

I always thought the Super Shinken modes were a waste. They didn't really do much. The finishing attacks seemed kinda weak and the white cloths around them were kinda pointless, but perfect for a Samurai so I won't say anything else. Now, if they were a power up like Lights of Ginga, Abare Mode, S.W.A.T. Mode, Legend Magiranger, or Kageki, then I would be pleased. But this power up just doesn't seem all that great to me.

What I also don't like is how Takeru/ShinkenRed is getting all of the attention. I mean, he's getting just as much attention as Nick did in Mystic Force, which was something I didn't really like. And I don't mean to get off topic here, but I just LOVE how Sentai fanboys hate when Power Rangers (especially Disney's) does the whole "Red Ranger Focus" but yet when Sentai does it, everyone doesn't have a problem? What the hell? This is why I hate Sentai fanboys. But anyways, Takeru is getting more attention than any of the other Shinkengers. There isn't much character development for the others, especially Kotoha. Well from what I've seen so far.

Also, let me just say that the storyline is just dying out. Here's the storyline:

"For 18 generations, samurai of the Shiba House have suppressed the evil intentions of the Gedoushu, malevolent spirits that enter the world of the living from gaps between buildings and other structures. Now, the youngest head of the Shiba Clan must gather his four vassals in order to battle the Gedoushu as the Shinkengers."

I mean, its basic stuff, and I don't mind it. But still, the storyline is just weak. And I know Power Rangers hasn't had the best storylines either, like MMPR for example. But I don't mean to sound like a Sentai fanboy here but Sentai usually has better storylines than Power Rangers. Even Go-Onger, a very childish Sentai, had a more reasonable story than this.

 But aside from all those things I've said, I have seen the episodes with the Female ShinkenRed. A first for Sentai. The episodes weren't bad. They kinda reminded me of Timeranger/Time Force, where Ryuya/Alex return and then pass the changer/morpher back to Tatsuya/Wes.

As an overall, I see nothing interesting about Shinkenger to me. The main reason really, why I don't like Shinkenger, is because I just don't think Samurais and Rangers mix well together. I mean, I didn't/couldn't even get into Hurricanger/Ninja Storm and I haven't seen Kakuranger yet and I can't really get into Shinkenger. Recently however, I have rewatched the first two episodes again. And have decided to give Shinkenger a second chance. I'm going to rewatch all of what I've already seen and missed, and hopefully stick around till the end. But as of now, my opinion on Shinkenger stands as not my favorite =/