Kamen Rider Decade COMPLETE Review: Nine Worlds Saga – Part 2 of 3

Nine Worlds Saga – Part 2 of 3 

The second part of my Nine Worlds review. This is the last three arcs that Sho Aikawa wrote before a bunch of writers will take over.

This is Blade’s World in which BOARD looks like a corporate company and the Riders are being paid well… really well. Like any other corporate company, they have this ranking system, but since this is Blade we are talking about, its based on three card suites, namely, Spade, Diamond and Clubs. No Hearts. This really makes sense at first, I mean, there is no Rider System that corresponds with the Heart since the Joker Undead is using the Ace of Hearts. Before a Rider will face an Undead, he needs an authorization from BOARD’s higher ups. Enter Kazuma Kendate, one of BOARD’s top employees, and is currently on the Ace position, the highest on their ranking system.

Kendate is the complete opposite of Kenzaki, he is the type of person that you can say, “not heroic” he is proud, arrogant and thinks he is the best there is… until Tsukasa shattered it for him. Ouch. This arc focuses more on the deconstruction of Kazuma Kendate, which is good in my opinion since hey, it contrasted Kenzaki’s development. From the one who is always looking up in Tachibana from the one who will save the world from the near apocalypse. In Kendate’s case, he was BOARD’s best Rider, receives a really high pay, and he is like living in heaven and slowly, it is taken away from here, one by one until he reached the lowest rank in the chart, 2.

There are two things in this episode that I really liked, first is Chalice getting, no GRABBING the rider Belts from the waist of the Riders. Heck, it’s an idea that I wish will happen in the original series since the belts are simply a buckle and the strap will just appear. Another thing that I liked in this arc is the other way in becoming a Joker Undead.

To those who remembered Blade, if you continually abuse the Rider System by becoming King Form frequently, the Undead DNA will mix with human DNA making the user an Undead. Since the Rider System was based on the Joker Undead’s ability to transform into any Undead it likes once it slashes its card on its belt. In Blade’s World, since it is physically impossible to wear all three Rider Systems, AU Hajime devised a way on abusing the Rider System, and it’s good. However, because of this, it created a certain plothole.

If the Rider System was based on the Joker Undead, AU Hajime wants to become a Joker, and it was mentioned that the Joker Undead never existed, then, how the Rider System came into existence?

Another plothole in this arc is that Decade while wielding FFR’ed Blade was able to kill, I repeat, kill the Paradoxa Undead and Joker Undead. In Blade, it is impossible to kill an Undead, except if it belongs to the Trail Series. Thus, this is the second time this arc has holes.

Overall, this is the first time I saw holes in Sho Aikawa’s writing and the first time I noticed the weakness of the standard two-episode arc. I mean, this arc has a lot of explaining to do! This arc is mediocre.

Next, Faiz’s World, in this world, Smart Brain is not a company but a high school! In addition, AU Faiz is a teenager with an attitude that is quite similar in terms of nerd levels with Billy Cranston of MMPR. AU Faiz protects Smart Brain High School from Orphnochs.

About Smart Brain being a high school and not a company, I was surprised. I mean, it gave an impression that the Faiz Gear is a science project by some student. And was rejected by his/her teacher since instead of transforming into a firefly that is crossed with a shark, the phone only says “Error” thus he throws it away and AU Takumi picks it up and finds out he can transform into Faiz… it was later revealed that the Smart Brain Gears are found inside the campus.

In this arc, we are introduced to Kaito Daiki, a thief, I think the preferred term is “Treasure Hunter” and he wants Takumi’s Faiz Gear. My first impression on Kaito was he just placed there so that we have a secondary Rider. Wait, is that AU Kuuga’s role in this show? Oh, I forgot, he is more useful as Yusuke Onodera. In DiEnd’s design, it felt like its design was rushed so that the show would complete the CYMK color scheme theme in this show.

On his ability to summon Riders, I find it cool. However, his other cards, I find it stupid. DiEnd’s other cards where made not for fighting but for running away and surveillance thus making the system not balanced with Decade’s god-modding capabilities.

About AU Takumi, like the previous Riders before him, he is the exact opposite of the nekojita named Takumi Inui. I only briefly watched 555 but I can confidently say this, he is shy, but he has this same spirit like that of the original. Based on the last episode that I watched, Takumi was determined to help Mari’s dream to see her father again. While in AU Takumi’s case, he wants Yuri to have her dream to have her photos being displayed on a gallery.

As for the plot of this arc, it felt like a fuse of a classic school love story with a little twist, which is common in anime. Instead of having a vampire for a lead character, we have a werewolf. AU Lucky Clover, were the school bullies, the stars of the Smart Brain High… based on my research about Lucky Clover, the roles of their AU counterpart fits.

Take note, this is the last arc in which Narutaki made a full impact on an episode since Kaito will start trolling after this and Narutaki doesn’t want to interfere with his trolling. After this, Narutaki will only appear on-screen just to rant, and say, “This is Decade’s Fault!” or if you want to be a weeboo, “ONERE DIKEIDO!”

Overall, the arc has a common plot but this arc is worthwhile watch.

The last of Sho Aikawa’s writing, Agito’s World, this world is quite similar to Kuuga’s World and the police are still fighting the Grongi Tribe with the overpowered G3-X System, thus confirming the theory that the G3-X System is overkill once it will fight a bunch of Grongis. One of the things that I find funny in this arc is that G3-X’s User has Hikawa’s clumsiness! However, unlike Hikawa who is clumsy outside the battlefield, this G3-X User is clumsy at the battlefield!

One of the things that I loved about this arc is that it’s like the later episodes on Agito, except that the Unknowns are not yet introduced and Agito is quite discreet, just like the early episodes where he never speaks!

Another thing that I liked about this episode is that Kuuga is using the G3-X System. To those who remembered Agito or watched the net movies, G3 was based on Kuuga, so if Kuuga will weat this system would felt like Kuuga is wearing something that he was based upon. This is one of the fun parts of this arc.

This arc is easily concluded as Yusuke Onodera’s arc. In this arc, we saw Yusuke is ready to stop his journey in this world since he saw his “Ane-san.” The arc tested Yusuke not as Kuuga but as Yusuke. This is the arc we see more of Yusuke as a main character in this series and not as a minor supporting character. Sure, this arc is not titled as “Kuuga’s World” but this arc defined him as a character.

After this arc, Yusuke will become regular minor comic relief character, kinda like Tristan Taylor of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series.

About AU Shouichi, unlike the original Shouchi who is an amnesiac that loves planting vegetables and cooks some odd dishes, AU Shouichi is once part of MPD SAUL, is the user of the G3 System with Yashiro creating the system, and supports Shouichi. Until one day, he evolved into Exceed Gills and later, Agito. This scenario kinda reminded me of an episode in Agito in which an Unknown asked Hikawa why he is fighting against them.

In addition, this scenario emphasizes the evolution of Agito that is one of the main themes of the said series, human evolution, and the Overlord of Darkness does not want his creation to reach the next level. The Unknowns here in Agito’s World felt like they are not doing their job well since they only target one Agito who is still Exceed Gills before he reaches his final evolution stage. But I think it would be better if they used Another Agito since it looked like a “dirty Agito.” But since the writer wants to emphasized the three main Riders of the show, we have no choice.

AU Shouichi has this same spirit like that of the original. He is running away since he does not want the ones he loves to be harmed while the original Shouichi is looking for answers on why his sister died. It is similar to the original Shouichi who does not have a home until Mana’s family decided to take care of him and give him a home. In this arc, it concluded with Shouichi being back to the place where he belongs.

Overall, one of the best yet underrated arcs in this show.

Next up Sho Aikawa leaves and a bunch of writers will handle the last three arcs of this saga. Den-O, Kabuto and Hibiki is next!

Awaken the Soul. Kamen Rider Agito Series Review.

This is the first time I write a series review. Comments are humbly accepted for me to improve in my writing.

Kamen Rider Agito is the 2nd series in the Heisei Era of the Kamen Rider franchise. Also, this show commemorates the 30th anniversary of the said franchise. Like the previous series, Kuuga, it has a dark and serious tone but in some instances, whips a couple of comedic scenes like a way for the viewers to breathe in from the show’s dark tone.

Note: I arranged the events according to chronological order.

At the dawn of time, two opposing forces, identified as Light and Darkness fought for the right to rule the world. At the end of the battle, Darkness won. Light, with his last ounce of strength scattered his spirit to the humans, Darkness’ children and he hoped that someday, humans will evolve out from Darkness. Enraged, Darkness promised to kill those people who have the potential to evolve.

At the present time, a young man looking for answers about his sister’s death ride a ferry boat called Akatsuki-gou. Never did he know that riding on the boat would change his life forever. While on the boat, he met a strange man wearing white that awakened his power. A strange being attacked them, with his new power, he tried to defend the passengers but he failed. He was thrown overboard in the ship. Meanwhile, a young cop named Makoto Hikawa noticed a strange light in the middle of the sea. He went to the sea and save the people trapped in the middle of the light except for one, because this feat, Hikawa became part of team that fights Unidentified Lifeforms or in the Kuuga, better known as Grongi.

Back at that guy, he was dragged in the beach where a group of school girls found them. With no memory of his past or the events that happened in the ferry boat, he was only identified as Shouichi Tsugami thanks to the envelope found in his body. Later on his life, he was adopted by the Misugi Family and starts living a normal life while helping the Misugi Family in various chores.

That part was just only the premise before the start of the series, on to the part where the series starts kicking in.

After recovering from a car accident, Ashihara Ryou returns to the swimming team but he slowly undergoes metamorphosis that transformed him into a “monster” that caused his girlfriend to be afraid of him and ran away and his coach hiding away from him.

Strange cases of death are occurring and it is caused by Unidentified Lifeforms, time for the G Unit to take action, after the creature was spotted, Makoto Hikawa wears an exosuit and transforms into Kamen Rider G3, designed by Sumiko Ozawa based on Unidentified Lifeform no. 4/Kuuga. G3 tried to defeat the unknown lifeform but his weapons are like thrown marshmallows on that creature. With no hope of winning, the being that tried to defend the passengers of the ship appeared, identified by the unknown lifeform as Agito.

Agito defeats the unknown creature... and attacks G3. At first, they thought he is an enemy because he attacked G3. Later on, he was recognized by Hikawa and Ozawa as an ally. Agito, obviously is Shouichi Tsugami. Back at time he attacked G3, he is out of control until later on he was able to control his power.

As the series progress, we are officially introduced to Ryou’s form, better known as Gills, met the passengers of the ferry boat and know the answers of Shouichi’s past and why her sister died. Those events, for thrill sake, I want you guys to find out.

On the review, there things that I am looking for a good show, first is the plot, second the character development and third, the twist and turns of the story. Agito fulfilled those three. It has a good plot, being the first Kamen Rider show to have more than 2 Riders; it never fails in character development. And third, the show has a lot of twist and turns causing new and veteran fans of the franchise to go in awe.

I will expand what I like in the show. Aside that it has comedic scenes (Shouichi playing tennis with a frying pan against Hikawa who is a former tennis champion, WIN!) that serves as a breather to the dark and serious tone of the show, it has a good mix of drama that gives a unique taste to this show.

Another thing that I liked about this show is that all characters are connected, making the world of Agito small and easy to understand by the viewers. To those who get it, here’s a sample. Mana’s father is a professor and one of his students is Shouichi’s sister whose boyfriend is connected to Darkness who fought Light that awakened Shouchi’s power as Agito and is living in the Misugi residence where Mana stayed because his uncle who adopts Shouichi lives there. Get the point?

Another thing that I liked about the show is that the main cast had polar opposites with another character in the show. Namely, Shouichi has a carefree personality while his opposite, Ryou had a more serious personality considering the fact that his father died before the series started and his coach and her girlfriend are hiding from him. Another is Hikawa, the show’s klutz yet a heroic klutz, while his opposite, Toru Hojou, the show’s jerk and the type of guy you won’t consider a hero.

The show too, had allusions or tributes or homages or shout-outs or whatever you like to call it in this show. Aside that the 3 main Riders kinda resemble RX’s forms in Kamen Rider BLACK RX, the part about Shouichi living in an adoptive family resembles Kotaro Minami living in an adoptive family in BLACK RX.

The show had minor disappointments namely that the Machine Tornador has little screen time, to be exact; it appeared twice in the series and the Trinity Form only appeared during the time Shouichi recovered his memories for a short period of time and later on disappeared after he returned from being an amnesiac. But so far, it never ruined the plot or the characters.

Overall, the series was great; it is plot heavy and full of action, and in my own opinion, the perfect show to celebrate the 30 years Kamen Rider.