KR Gaim 04 released

[takenoko]

Wiki: http://wiki.tvnihon.com/wiki/Kamen_Rider_Gaim_04

I really liked Kaito's actions at the start of the episode. He's not a jerk. He could have gotten into a pointless fight with Kouta, but instead takes in the situation and focuses on learning about his surroundings and finding an escape. He also tells Kouta his theory that the bikes might be the key to escape (keys and locks, ha!)

The revelation that Mitsuzane is Takatora's (Zangetsu) brother is pretty neat. Is it my imagination, or is there a shot of a melon in the fruit bowl when looking at Takatora and grapes when looking at Mitsuzane?

Speaking of Zangetsu, his real debut in the story is pretty great. I actually felt kind of afraid for Gaim. We can make a joke about Gaim escaping by falling into water, but it looked like Zangetsu was actually considering shooting Kouta when he was unarmed. It's been a while since I felt like the main Rider of a series were in real mortal danger. Good move, Gaimteam staff.

Oh yeah, Takatora's played by the same actor as Kakashi from the Soukoku movie. Nice.

Also, Kaito forming allies by bribing them with locks is also such a classic military strategy. The struggle for power is pretty great.

Oh man, Micchi has a dark side. Sweet.

Have to really admire the background music in this episode. From the recap to the beginning to the music playing during Ryugen's transformation.

Edit: Taking a break next week for some sports stuff.

[Phoenix512]

Kaito was probably thinking "Thanks Kouta for telling me all this. Now let's get even more powerful and get lots of locks." So I wonder if Kouta and others can control Inves like Zangetsu did. It's weird for the main Rider to be afraid this early in the series. I would give it a few more episodes but oh well. I like the interaction between Cid and Micchi.

Mercury needs to lay off on the makeup a bit.

It's interesting that Zangetsu has the same gunsword that Gaim has while Baron and Ryugen don't have it.

[takenoko]

So we had a lot of going back and forth about how to translate Pine Au Lait's attack.

The problem is that in Japanese オーレ can be Olé or Au Lait. The thing is, the attacks are based on drink names (Orange Squash and Orange Sparkling are both drink names in Japan). So it should obviously be Pine Au Lait, right? Welllll...

Squash and Sparkling are generic enough that they work as attack names. Au Lait is pretty much only a drink name, whereas Ole works a little better for an attack name. You can name your daughter Elizabeth after her grandmother, but that doesn't mean your daughter is grandma. A reference is just a reference, and context is important. It's a clever reference, but as an attack, Olé works better. I feel like most people are going to look at "Pine Au Lait" and think it's a silly name for an attack.

So it gets a little complicated because while most the drink names follow the Fruit + Au Lait naming convention, I did see a few examples where the drinks were called Olé, like http://cafe-ole.jp/ Admittedly, these examples are so far and few in between, that there's a very good chance that they were just the guy misinterpreting which オーレ it is.

[Catastrophe]

It's interesting that Zangetsu has the same gunsword that Gaim has while Baron and Ryugen don't have it.

Gaim and Zangetsu look to both be Samurai themed, while Baron and Ryugen have western knight and Chinese themes respectively. I wonder if anything will be said later on about the similarity between Gaim and Zangetsu?

[Lunagel]

At first I didn't really like Micchi due to the pretty obvious stereotype of quiet nerdy boy who can't stand up for himself but holy shit that scene with Cid. I think I fell in love.

Micchi: i can has belt?
Cid: Fuck off kid
Micchi: HOW ABOUT NOW MOTHERFUCKER?
Cid: ;D

Can we agree that DJ Sagara doesn't get to name any more riders? I miss the Gekiranger narration with Bae, that was at least amusing and I didn't feel like my screen was getting raped by his nostrils.

[Triple M]

Isn't it great to see something approaching the spirit of old-school hardness return to Kamen Rider? 14 minutes of straight action from the start, 4 and a half minutes of threatening or sternly narrowing eyes, 15 seconds of dancing and the annoying DJ, a new rider showing up and kicking ass, and a ton of other numerous and extremely bizarre things happening at the same time. There's an extremely well-composed style to the direction of this show that I've noticed as well, the motifs of reflections bearing differences is pretty interesting to me. Here's hoping that this show continues in the vein set by this episode

[Catastrophe]

So I am liking how Micchi has this secret, kind of malicious side that he uses to protect his friends. I'm hoping he doesn't turn Kusaka level dickhead or has to undergo Urobutcher suffering later on. Like getting jealous of Kouta and teaming up with his brother to get him.

[Revorse]

I'm early to a thread for once. Cool beans.

Nice to see Baron in action. lol since I want him to be my favorite. I'm hoping for some Gugnir action from him eventually.
I wasn't expecting Kaito bribe the other groups. I felt he'd be the kind to make other join him by just outright overpowering them.
It's kinda hard for me to see how's he's against cheating, but not bribery. Maybe his thirst for power is gonna lead him to do thing he wouldn't do.

I understand Micchi's change is better than him being a quiet guy, but wasn't that display slightly annoying to you guys?
It sorta felt like he was acting like one of the spoiled brats to get what he wants instead of being cunning or crafty.

Damn, Kakashi broke Kouta. I wonder how he's gonna snap out of it.

I'm pretty sure you guys get sick of me asking for translations and whatnot, but I got another question.
What's Ryuugen mean? Ryuu has something to do with Dragon right?

So I am liking how Micchi has this secret, kind of malicious side that he uses to protect his friends. I'm hoping he doesn't turn Kusaka level dickhead or has to undergo Urobutcher suffering later on. Like getting jealous of Kouta and teaming up with his brother to get him.

I'm think something will. And it's gonna be Mai's fault.

[TheLastTatlFan]

Can you tell Urobuchi loved Ryuki as a kid yet?

Kouta peaked my interest in episode one. I liked Kaito from the start, but he's a bit too abrasive, how I feel about him is probably going to shift from week to week. Micchi? I REALLY like him from this episode. He's a rich kid, but he's loyal to his friends and knows when to throw his weight around. Although we saw Ryugen kneeling before Zangetsu in that flash-forward in episode one, so presumably he's going to go through some Stuff that will bring him and maybe also the viewer to tears.

And Takatora makes a good first real impression here. He'll make a good antagonist.

Now taking about stuff from the Next Episode Preview. Spoiler tagged just to be safe.

Spoiler

And Kouta gets Strawberry Arms next episode. I get that he's the main Rider, but why does that have to mean he gets all the form changes?

Then again, the end of episode transition displays all the Lock Seeds Kouta has at the moment like it did with Eiji's Core Medals in OOO's, so maybe the they'll be changing hands as the series progresses? Please let that be the case.

[XerBlade]

It's weird for the main Rider to be afraid this early in the series. I would give it a few more episodes but oh well.

That's classic Urobuchi for you. I suspect it took 4 episodes instead of the usual 2 or 3 because this is a ~50 episode series, lol.

[locuas]

I'm early to a thread for once. Cool beans.

Nice to see Baron in action. lol since I want him to be my favorite. I'm hoping for some Gugnir action from him eventually.
I wasn't expecting Kaito bribe the other groups. I felt he'd be the kind to make other join him by just outright overpowering them.
It's kinda hard for me to see how's he's against cheating, but not bribery. Maybe his thirst for power is gonna lead him to do thing he wouldn't do.

because this is not "bribbery" as much as it is giving them weapons in exchange of manpower. this is an acceptable militar strategy of giving someone something in exchange for their aid. and it fits perfectly with Kouta's philosophy of "the strong should conquer the weak". since they are "weak", he offers them power by accepting him as the superior one.

A little thing i wanted to notice. during Michi's first meeting with his brother, Zangetsu gives a tipical "only matter to be the best" speech, but the thing that really surprised me was, when Micchi agreed with him by stating that he had a lot of "useless things", the reaction of zangetsu. it implies that Zangetsu cares for his brother more than it looks, that he just wanted him make sure he was not just screwing around. maybe he worries that he had put too much pressure on his little borther? or that he does not think Micchi has that many "useless things" as Micchi believe?

Oh, boy did they break Kouta here. this relates with what i said in the previous episode. from his point of view, the inves games, including fighting the wild Invess, had been just that, games, he did not realize jus thow dangerous this was until now. something he did not feel previously because up until now the belt hadn't failed to protct him. Now, he actually was in danger, to the point that he actually felt he could have died and that scares him. He, a kid, had just come face to face with the fear of death, had to fight a real fight for his life and he not only losed he barely managed to escape alive, which only did because zangetsu allowed him to, and he knows it. That's the first step for him to become an adult.
He had told Mai that he did not mind getting hurt as long as he could help others, but those were hollow words, not because he did not believe them, but because he had not the experience or wisdom to realize what those words really mean. it is just now, that he understand how bad things can actually get. how weak he is, that he can say "i want to help despite what can happen" with the maturity that comes with those words.

Also, makes sense Mai understands Kouta's problem better than Micchi, Mai had been there and understood what Kouta meant, while Micchi can only imagine it.

[toni2212]

Micchi's got one of the most interesting backstory for wanting to be a Rider and the way he obtains it. I didn't expect him to threaten Sid like that though. And Ryugen's design is much better than Pine Arms despite both having a bit of similarity.

No kidding. Zangtsu really gives off an Ouja vibes, but then he didn't shoot a fallen Rider. Oh well, since the one who has fallen is the main Rider of a series, can't afford to kill him right off the bat.

For now Gaim's much interesting. Can't wait to see how Kouta will come back from his depression.

[Phoenix512]

Can you tell Urobuchi loved Ryuki as a kid yet?

You have a weird definition for a kid if a kid was 20 years old when Ryuki was airing.

[squashy]

Mai unexpectly acts much less bitchy. Pfft, give me a break tsundere.

I love how Zangetsu presence immediately leverages the tension, not to mention he indirectly turned his brother a Rider. And sooner or later they will fight. Oh I can't wait >:]

I'm pretty sure you guys get sick of me asking for translations and whatnot, but I got another question.
What's Ryuugen mean? Ryuu has something to do with Dragon right?

Yeah Ryugen means dragon-black.

[kyoichikiller90]

Kouta really doesn't have guts to fighting Riders instead of Inves