Current Events > Toku Thread: Godzilla, Kamen Rider, Super Sentai/Power Rangers, Ultraman, etc

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WszmKpoBvs

There is already a whole board for tokusatsu discussion (https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/1407-tokusatsu), but sometimes just a general is nice.

Shout! Factory and PlutoTV recently teamed up to host a new subbed toku streaming service, so now anyone can jump in and see dudes in costumes wailing on each other with barely any context!

https://pluto.tv/live-tv/tokushoutsu

The coolest thing about this is that now Kamen Rider can legally be viewed outside Japanese syndication and 30 year old DVD releases, albeit just the original Kamen Rider for the moment.

http://www.shoutfactorytv.com/kamen-rider/kamen-rider-s1-e1-the-mysterious-spider-man/5e6c5172ec20790001eead24

Toei has also launched a YouTube channel for posting a couple subbed episodes of each of their properties, obscure and not so obscure!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7pddu3yyzkzFEiXfQLex3w/

Not sure who else here watches purestrain toku apart from @AlisLandale but all are welcome to share their childhood love of spandexed soldiers and lizard-shaped Hiroshima metaphors.

...

I don't know how to end this post so here's a pic of Spider Napoleon.




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Ultraman, Ultraman
Here he comes from the sky.

Ultraman, Ultraman,
Watch our hero fly.

In a super jet he comes
From a billion miles away
From a distant planet land
Comes our hero Ultraman.

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Took a peek at that youtube channel, holy crap I didn't know there was so much of that shit. There's like a hundred different series that all look the exact same but with slightly different costumes lmao.

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Holy fuck finally a topic for me!

Anybody been enjoying Zero-One so far?

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Zero-One is ok so far.

The Camera Work and action is very nice along with a decent CG budget for a TV series.

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HagenEx posted...

Took a peek at that youtube channel, holy crap I didn't know there was so much of that shit. There's like a hundred different series that all look the exact same but with slightly different costumes lmao.

Yup. They had a lot of them.

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The high point of this style of movie/TV isn't even Japanese. It's a Hong Kong movie from the 70s called Super Inframan and it's one of the best things I've ever seen

cant wait for kong vs godzilla movie

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AlienLanes posted...

The high point of this style of movie/TV isn't even Japanese. It's a Hong Kong movie from the 70s called Super Inframan and it's one of the best things I've ever seen

+1

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HagenEx posted...

Took a peek at that youtube channel, holy crap I didn't know there was so much of that shit. There's like a hundred different series that all look the exact same but with slightly different costumes lmao.

If you only watch one thing on their channel, make it Kaiketsu Zubat, the story of a cowboy detective and his guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcWtho1uNyc

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I was gonna make a Pokemon joke, but that might be where they got the name from. The whole capsule monster concept came from Ultraseven. Why would lifting a name like Zubat be out of the question?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSOvyKBe1tQ

RchHomieQuanChi posted...

Holy fuck finally a topic for me!

Anybody been enjoying Zero-One so far?

This guy.

I need to catch up on it (which should be easy now that production has been temporarily halted), but it's good so far. The biggest negative is that Aruto doesn't hang out with anyone besides Izu so he gets kind of boring. The biggest positive is that it's Detroit: Become Human but instead of poorly done Civil Rights allegories, you have a dude who embodies commercialism getting his face kicked in.

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Zero one is fucking sick

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I need to check out Zero One, I stopped during Zi-O.

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CM_Ponch posted...

I need to check out Zero One, I stopped during Zi-O.

Rejoice! 01 is currently better than Zi-O.

I still liked Decade season 2 a lot more than season 1. And regardless of how season 3 in 2029 ends up, I will very much love watching a 40-year-old Tsukasa smug it up.

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Ive been loving Zero-One, even the repetitive competition arc. Im a few eps behind on both it and Kirameiger though because life is getting stupid busy. >_>

@ClunkerSlim have you seen any post-Time Force seasons? RPM did some good character work.

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The two halves of the Tortoice(sic) Imagin, representing the Tortoise and the Hare. Imagin are formless beings until they form a contract with or possess someone, at which point they will take on a form representing a fable that is important to the contract holder/person they possessed.

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@yusiko @Airhammy

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I wish I had more time to watch these and be part of these conversations. I've watched Zyuranger and the first episode of Dairanger, but haven't watched any other Sentai.

Also watching through all the Godzilla movies. The last one I watched was Son of Godzilla which was one of the weaker ones. So the next one will be Destroy All Monsters when I have time.

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Tag.

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Turn up

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFQO7cdv5Pg

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AlCalavicci posted...

I wish I had more time to watch these and be part of these conversations. I've watched Zyuranger and the first episode of Dairanger, but haven't watched any other Sentai.

Also watching through all the Godzilla movies. The last one I watched was Son of Godzilla which was one of the weaker ones. So the next one will be Destroy All Monsters when I have time.

It's ok! Toku is so wide a medium that no one will have the same experience as another. I've never seen Ultraman or any Kaiju movies save for the original Godzilla and Shin Godzilla. I've also never finished a Sentai except Gokaiger, though I did watch most of Lupinranger vs Patranger for some reason. The vast majority of my watching is Kamen Rider.

Turn up

*watches you from behind a corner*

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also, there was recently a Humble Bundle where I learned about the existence of some Indie horror game called Yuppie Psycho.

The character on the cover looks suspiciously like best-girl Colon from Liveman.




https://youtu.be/2Hp3CDjx4EY


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SmidgeIsntBack posted...

*watches you from behind a corner*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZMVD6thfdI

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Was excited until you said only original Kamen Rider for now... How long do we have to wait to get the current stuff....

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AlCalavicci posted...

I wish I had more time to watch these and be part of these conversations. I've watched Zyuranger and the first episode of Dairanger, but haven't watched any other Sentai.

I've seen all of Zyuranger, about 95% of Dairanger, and various episodes from Kaku and Time.

I have Jet-Mega, and Time on dvd but haven't watched most of them yet.

As for Kamen Rider I last saw some of Gaim and enjoyed it.

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Airhammy posted...

As for Kamen Rider I last saw some of Gaim and enjoyed it.

The break dancing or whatever was pretty cringe.

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Airhammy posted...

I've seen all of Zyuranger, about 95% of Dairanger, and various episodes from Kaku and Time.

I have Jet-Mega, and Time on dvd but haven't watched most of them yet.

As for Kamen Rider I last saw some of Gaim and enjoyed it.

But you, as my reference and keeper of sentai records, come off as having seen them all and know all

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AlienLanes posted...

The high point of this style of movie/TV isn't even Japanese. It's a Hong Kong movie from the 70s called Super Inframan and it's one of the best things I've ever seen

I just realized I have seen this, years ago when a let's player I follow showed it on ustream for an audience of like 20 people. I will always stan Princess Dragon Mom.



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AlCalavicci posted...

But you, as my reference and keeper of sentai records, come off as having seen them all and know all

Well I know a lot about the Zordon era, Zyuranger, Dairanger, and some other programs. Otherwise I've studied.

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KamenRiderBlade posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZMVD6thfdI

https://twitter.com/ZswyDkshi/status/1153287148184825856?s=19

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtEKpUW6Ny4

tag urself i'm driving safely with Carranger

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Ive always been a huuuuge Godzilla fan but for some reason have never been able to get into Ultraman or the dozens of other similar things that *should* be up my alley. I did pick up the recent Mill Creek (I think?) Ultra Q and Ultraman, but havent watched yet (although had seen some previously).

Id love a proper Zone Fighter release in NA, though.

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I'm warning you, I am faaaiiirly strong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiSCNYs1I8s

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Damn, I didn't expect all these toku fans to come out of the woodworks in CE lol.

LightHawKnight posted...

Was excited until you said only original Kamen Rider for now... How long do we have to wait to get the current stuff....

Dude just watch the fansubs. Who knows when the current stuff will get brought over to the west. They never have been for years and you never know how long you would have to wait, if they ever do get brought to the west.

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SmidgeIsntBack posted...

I just realized I have seen this, years ago when a let's player I follow showed it on ustream for an audience of like 20 people. I will always stan Princess Dragon Mom.

The late Siskel & Ebert both placed the film on their guilty pleasures list.

The Top Crusader posted...

Ive always been a huuuuge Godzilla fan but for some reason have never been able to get into Ultraman or the dozens of other similar things that *should* be up my alley. I did pick up the recent Mill Creek (I think?) Ultra Q and Ultraman, but havent watched yet (although had seen some previously).

Id love a proper Zone Fighter release in NA, though.

So would I.

I just want to see it. I saw Fire Man and Gridman without subtitles or dubbing. I wouldn't mind watching Zone Fighter raw if it meant getting to see the missing Godzilla fights.

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Jiraji/Jaraji is a Grongi, a type of monster that kills indiscriminately for sport. They are one of the cruelest enemies seen in a toku series, and Jiraji is exceptional in his depravity, having chosen high schoolers as his targets. So great is the suffering he causes his victims that Kamen Rider Kuuga, a pacifist at heart that just wants everyone to smile, is driven to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-NDGkoPhyE


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Gashat!
Let's Game!
Metcha Game!
Mutcha Game!
What's your name?!
I'm a Kamen Rider!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTeMdRIXQpY

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Mighty Jump!
Mighty Kick!
Mighty Mighty Action X!

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Danger danger!
Genocide!
Death the Crisis!
Dangerous Zombie!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z954tHVgLNY

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The closest thing I've ever watched to a tokusatsu series is Pretty Cure, which is also made by Toei and is basically just a cute girls equivalent of Super Sentai or Kamen Rider. I've considered trying out a Kamen Rider series though, just haven't had the chance. So my two questions for you guys:

1) Which Kamen Rider series would you most recommend to a newcomer who has never seen one? Just jump into the current one whatever it may be, or are there a few older ones that are considered better or more easily accessible for a newcomer to try out?

2) Would you guys consider Pretty Cure an "honorary" tokusatsu series since it's also made by Toei and has a lot of the same elements (transforming team of heroes, hand-to-hand combat scenes, villain/monster of the week setup, etc.) as Super Sentai and Kamen Rider? It even airs alongside those two in the same Sunday morning lineup.
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Agito is a pretty good starting point or Black for an older series

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Honestly Zero-One is great, so if you want to watch the current series Id say go for it. Its middle arc is a bit of a lull but its been picking up hard as of the last few episodes.

Its been my first series and Ive been loving it.

IReallyDoubtIt posted...

Gashat!
Let's Game!
Metcha Game!
Mutcha Game!
What's your name?!
I'm a Kamen Rider!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTeMdRIXQpY

But Ive also been watching this one recently and its also good. But those fugly potato costumes are an abomination. >_>

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The whole magical girl genre kicked off with Cutie Honey in 1973, two years after Kamen Rider's start. And the '73 CH anime was also done by Toei. Kamen Rider Ryuki inspired Madoka, whose writer then went on to create Kamen Rider Gaim which was kind of an echo of Madoka. And Precure has regular cross promotion with Rider given that they share the same block.

https://kamenrider.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_references_to_Kamen_Rider_in_popular_culture#Pretty_Cure

There's also a crossover movie coming out this year called Pretty Den-O.



Frankly, it's less that Precure is toku and more that Kamen Rider/Super Sentai are magical girls.



Den-O actually isn't a bad first season if you're into Precure and just anime in general. It came out in 2007 and its style was like a turning point for modern Rider. Before 2007 you had your campy Showa, tragic Black, dark Kuuga, the rest of Heisei Phase 1 swinging wildly between superhero and soap opera, and then along comes Den-O with its impeccable comedic timing and sidekicks that look like demonic pro wrestlers.

The gimmick of the show is possession; the main character switches between 5+ different personalities for his forms, and the actor sells this. Every other character also sells their roles, in large part due to the obvious chemistry they all have together.

The gimmick carries over to the Rider's insert song Double Action, which starts out as a banger and is redefined like 10 different, awesome ways across the series and movies. Did I mention the actor himself sings most of these alongside the character possessing him?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR7Qp8FoQis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m02BOyI-zoM

Despite its influence on the rest of the franchise though, there are reasons it could be a bad first impression of Rider. It's the closest the franchise has ever come to being slice of life, and so there is almost no plot except in the last few episodes, when the big villain finally decides to show up. What little plot there is raises a ton of questions and...well, it's a show about time travel so you know.

The fights are also kind of lame, though the gimmick usually keeps things from getting outright boring. Den-O is definitely a show you watch for the atmosphere.

Irony posted...

Agito is a pretty good starting point or Black for an older series

As someone who started with Agito, it was damn rough for me. The Riders are awesome but the story is nonsense and moves like sludge. The fights aren't even fights, they're just ways for the director to end and start episodes. TWO fight songs across 50 episodes??? And then it has the gall to introduce brand new love interests for two of the characters and then kill them both off an episode later for cheap pathos; maybe the worst treatment women have ever gotten in the toku I've seen and that bar is buried in the ground.

AlisLandale posted...

But those fugly potato costumes are an abomination. >_>

Please don't make fun of the Level 1s, they're trying their best.

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Calwings posted...

1) Which Kamen Rider series would you most recommend to a newcomer who has never seen one? Just jump into the current one whatever it may be, or are there a few older ones that are considered better or more easily accessible for a newcomer to try out?

@Calwings

There are plenty you can start with but to name a couple, Kamen Rider Build or Kamen Rider Zero-One (current series).

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If you start with a newer one it's hard to go to old ones because of how dated they are. Better off starting with an older series. Black is when the series first became good and you can actually ignore the series before it.

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