Sorry if this was late but, welcome to the first special review of the series of reviews, like I said last time, Shinkenger’s World review is a special that will talk about the things that build up for this review. Let us start where it was first hinted, on the first Super Sentai Versus film, Goranger vs. JAKQ.
Even if the Riders never made an official appearance in this film, their presence was hinted in the pictures seen in the world map shown by the Joker to the JAKQers. We saw Kamen Riders, V3 and Amazon fighting CRIME somewhere in the world. But since this happened in the 70’s and this it has Ishinomori involve with it, I can say that this film is canon.
Years later, on the third season of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, which is an adaptation of Zyuranger that later on, uses footages from Kakuranger for their third season, on their opening episodes, we are introduced to Dex, the prince of Edonoi. Who will later be the protagonist in Saban’s adaptation of Kamen Rider BLACK RX, which they called; Masked Rider…, which is accurate title wise considering that Masked, is the English equivalent for Kamen.
On the three-episode arc called, “A Friend in Need,” we saw the first unofficial team up of Super Sentai and Kamen Rider. But because it is American and Dairanger’s Kiba Ranger was in there in the form of Tommy’s White Ranger, it felt like it was a legal Sentai and Kamen Rider team up. I mean look, Zyuranger and Kamen Rider BLACK RX together with Kiba Ranger. Is it me, or it really sounds off?
Years later, this idea was ported in Kamen Rider Decade and finally, we have the official Kamen Rider and Super Sentai team-up the fans have been waiting for a long time! And so, since I love to do some random tributes, here’s what I got:
Kamen Rider Decade vs. Samurai Sentai… Shinkenger! The KR DCD Special Complete Review, going forth!
The arc kicks in with Kaito stealing Ika Origami. To those who haven’t watched Shinkenger, Origami is like their mecha… and that is all you need to know. After stealing it, we met Genta, the guy who owns tbe said Origami. Meanwhile, Tsukasa and co. arrived in this world, with Tsukasa this time around, cosplaying as a kuroko. Put this simply, those extras in kabuki plays, and Tsukasa is not pleased with this!
Anyways, they later met Daiki and learned that this world has no Riders but after he left, a horde of monsters appeared and the Shinkengers arrived to kill the monsters. Tsukasa was dragged along with the other kuroko and learned more about the Shinkengers. In a nutshell, it is safe to say this, samurais in colorful spandex. Hope someone in Power Rangers Samurai will notice this!
Back with Daiki, he is about to leave this world when Genta arrived and transformed into ShinkenGold for him to get his Origami back, with Daiki transforming into DiEnd and summons Raia and Scissors.
Back in the Sanzu River, one of the back guys whose name I don’t mind to know considering that all Shinkenger related videos are removed in YouTube and I can’t watch Shinkenger and I am too lazy to download because my USB flash drive might loose more disk space, asked Chinomanako, a monster with many eyes to tail DiEnd. The said monster arrives and DiEnd shoots him. After some struggle, the best part of the arc happened. DiEnd experienced karma. The thief has been stolen!
Can the Riders defeat Chinomanako now that he has the Diendriver? Will the Shinkengers and the Riders understand each other that they are at the same side? This is for you to find out. This is the end of the first part of the arc.
On to the review, unlike my previous reviews this would be a special since this is the first time, Sentai and Kamen Rider made a team-up all thanks to Decade, so, I will review the arc per episode this time around.
The episode, like the other arcs in Decade, introduces the viewers who are the Shinkengers, and the episode did a good job in introducing the Samurai Squad. Unlike the rest of the Riders that appeared on the series, this crossover is said to be canon for both series, namely, Decade and Shinkenger. To be exact, Shinkenger has some teasers on the Decade episodes!
Since it introduces us to the Shinkengers, the viewers who haven’t watch the series had a slight idea who are the members of the team and how they act. But my problem with the episode is that, the Shinkengers lack focus on its members. The only members I had the idea about their personality are: Genta, Ryuunosuke, Chiaki and Takeru. The rest, I have no idea.
Let’s focus on DiEnd in this episode. Sure, the last arc was all about him, but since I think the writers can’t get enough of him, they decided to do one thing that I was surprised when it first happen. Daiki experiencing karma. Poor boy. It was fun to watch again and again to begin with since, for the first time, his role in the show made sense! He is a bait of better things to come in the next episode! Without him, this world might not have a Rider! And without him, Narutaki will not make his side comment about this world being destroyed and all!
On Natsumi, this is one of the few instances we saw Natsumi’s concern over her friends. We saw this kind of concern in the earlier eps, but unlike those eps, this is a world not protected by Riders. I mean, she is used to see them protect their own respective worlds, obviously, she will be culture shocked when she saw a group of samurais in spandex fighting monsters! Heck, I will really worry! Much more if I saw those guys pilot a giant robot to fight a giant monster!
Overall, the episode was a good start in the arc and at the end of the preview; we will have an evil Rider that out of the ordinary.
On the next episode, Takeru and Tsukasa faced off and we saw Narutaki convincing Takeru to kill Tsukasa. It is safe to say that Narutaki is responsible in spreading the rumors of Tsukasa being the destroyer and all. But before the fight started, a group of monsters led by the evil Rider, came that leads to Takeru to transform into ShinkenRed.
While he is fighting, Narutaki started his mind games on Tsukasa that the evil Rider is a way the world is trying to say that they are rejecting Decade. After it is over, ShinkenRed has driven the monsters out along with the evil Rider. The two then went to the Hikari Studio along with Genta to lead him Daiki, the culprit. Later on, followed by his retainers, on the Studio, they try to convince Daiki to return the origami but he refused.
Since the Shinkengers didn’t trust the Riders that much, Daiki used that fear for his escape, and used Tsukasa’s camera and started weaving lies that it is a bomb which caused panic. After they were calmed down, Genta leaves to follow Daiki that is right now, getting the Origami from the river.
The evil Rider appears before them and attacks, Genta transforms into ShinkenGold and fights him and he later calls the other Shinkengers. They all leaved, with Tsukasa bothered on what Narutaki said to him earlier.
Will Tsukasa would come to aid the Shinkengers? That is for you to find out.
On to the review, the last arc focuses more on Tsukasa and Takeru, Tsukasa because this one of the rare moments he doubt his own presence in a world they visited. Most of the time, Tsukasa does is this, know the Rider, try to figure out why he is dressed like that, and get the Rider’s personal trust, win the card. But this is a different situation.
This world has no Riders, and accordingly, this world is trying its best to remove Decade out of this world for the sake of the balance of this world to be preserved. Aside from that, this is when we saw Tsukasa… being Tsukasa as a person and not as Decade as the Rider. At the climax of the episode, Tsukasa arrives and says this, “The world might not need Decade’s help, but the world might need Tsukasa Kadoya’s help.” You might say, it is a lame excuse for him to transform as Decade, but for me, this proves that Tsukasa might have the spirit of the original Riders. I repeat, might.
To Takeru, this is where we might say you can include him to Sentai’s Hall of Badassery in which known Sentai Warriors are listed for their moments that define their character, and this episode defined Takeru as a whole. It defined him as a guy who has this instinct of a leader and a true warrior.
The best thing about this episode is the team-up battles with the Shinkengers, Kuuga and Decade. Even though all of them have even amounts of exposure, ShinkenRed and Decade had the best moment of them all. Seeing the two guys exchange giant swords was a fun moment to watch. Seriously, I might faint if either of them decides to double wield those two swords.
Aside from the battle between the Shinkengers, Decade and Kuuga vs. the evil Rider and his minions, Chinomanako’s Rider form was awesome. In the short spam of time, they milked much of the potential of having a monster use one of the Rider Systems. Sure, we saw this first on 555 when the Faiz Gear is being passed around by the Orphenochs who got it, but unlike in the said show that they retained the same design, in Chinomanako’s case, the logo, the overall design was altered. Heck, we have exclusive cards coming from the said form, in the form of Kaijin Ride cards!
The Kaijin Ride cards was probably, one of the best usage of the Diendriver’s System. It fits well for a bad guy! When I first saw him summon a horde of monsters, I thought this might be over after it, but no, it is just the beginning. The good thing about these cards is that, you can summon any monster you want to summon, but sadly, we only saw Moose Fangire and Eagle Undead being summoned. Because of this, it made think, what if Chinomanako has the Decadriver, will he transform into the head kaijins of the Heisei Era or something else? It would be fun if he transforms into Daguva!
Overall, the episode was great. It was a great crossover episode, but unlike those Sentai crossovers, even if they have even amounts to shine, it was ShinkenRed and Decade who was on the spotlight.
Now the entire arc overall, I have noticed two themes in this arc. Home, to some extent, family, this theme was first felt in the first part of the arc but it was clearly established on the last part. Why is it? Because as the Shinkengers fight the monsters, their Jii is waiting for them in their temporary home and in my own opinion, he can be considered as their foster father while they are away in their real families.
Meanwhile, in the Hikari Studio, Tsukasa is someone who doesn’t know which world he belongs, and as of now, his only family is the ragtag group in the Hikari Studio, namely, Natsumi, Eijiro, Yusuke, Kiva-la and in some extent, Daiki. Even if it not the world he belongs, Tsukasa knows that, he has a place to return to whenever he will go on a journey.
Next time on this Kamen Rider Decade COMPLETE Review, it will be the Showa Era arcs! BLACK RX x BLACK and Amazon’s Worlds! Since I watched BLACK and Amazon, I might include some commentaries as a fan who watched those shows! After the Showa Era Special, I will review Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai Shocker Director’s Cut before proceeding to the prologue of the Final Story.