Toqger 01 departing now

[takenoko]

http://wiki.tvnihon.com/wiki/TQG_Station_01

A decent first episode. Nothing wrong with a light-hearted sentai.

Conductor seems like he'll be fun.

I sort of called the twist at the end. I'm interested in seeing what it means for the rest of the series. There's just something very CS Lewis about dying in a train crash. Since they say "as good as dead" I'm assuming they're just in comas and only exist in some kind of mind-only form.

Not really buying the transfer gimmick. I do like the use of the mecha in the transformation.

The mecha doesn't suck as much as the toy pics make it appear to be, but it's not setting my IMAGINATION on fire either. Hohoho.

[DaVinci030]

This episode is good and was very annoying. Even for Tokacchi/TOQ 2gou gets jump off.
Sounds like it's a reunion between the five since I saw on the flashback (when Raito fall off from the tree).

That conductor... LOLz

How cute for Kagura/TOQ 5gou... always saying "I'm strong".
Speaking of her, Kagura's actress is much younger than Amy's actress.

One last comment... it's like a battle between the trains like from Den-O movie.

[Phoenix512]

I really don't know what to make of this series. Instead of an nondescript box van kidnapping kids, you got a fucking black steam train kidnapping kids. Yay Pedo Train! It's definitely silly but the implication of the team being either dead or in a coma isn't a silly matter.

I get R4 vibes from ToQ 5 which is a good thing.

I swear Toei likes to reuse that mecha cockpit set over the years. It reminds me of Goseiger/Go-Onger/Boukenger mecha cockpit sets.

[Merisusa]

This was surprisingly colourful and fast paced. I think the transfer trick, while interesting in concept, is going to get very confusing in execution. But it was strangely giggle inducing to see the guys fighting in pink at least. I wish they had continued the track motif onto the gloves and boots, the way the Go-Ongers had tires. The helmets are great, but the suits are just frustratingly sparse to me.

I am in love with the period steampunk explosion that is running throughout the designs of the villains. I particularly like that the overall period is dictated by the country their name is derived from... Baron Nero/Italian/Venetian Carnival Mask. Sadly they got Madame Noir and Baron Nero a little mixed up, because while the "Plague Doctor Mask" is often identified with Venice it actually originated in France, while the "Volto Mask" on Madame Noir is more traditionally Venetian. However General Schwarz looks to be the perfect mix of Prussian period military garb.

Finally... Ticket-kun is adorable and they better make a plush of him!

[takenoko]

Thanks for that explanation. Also, it's probably worth noting that all their names mean "black" as well. Schwarz is German, Nero is Italian? Noir is French?

[the_imposter]

I liked the episode as well but I'll be intrigued as to where they take it narratively speaking. The costumes were a lot better on screen than the catalogue scans had led us to believe and the mecha is growing on me the more I watch the episode, either way I'm fully signed up for this one, I just hope the absurdist comedy angle is kept in check because it can be very well done but only if used in moderation.

[Arigomi]

The color specific weapons were eerily similar to Go-Onger's Super Highway Buster. There are differences but I tend to expect more creativity in the toys for a new show.

I don't mind the suits but the helmets bother me. The way the tracks wrap all the way around the head is just too weird for me. Thankfully, the villians look amazing and exude a lot of personality.

Overall, there is a lot of potential for fun but the toys are just baffling:

Spoiler

Final random thought: Human Centipede Sentai

[PHurricane]

Time for the Den-O reboot! Repurposed Denliner set, repurposed Ghost train set, repurposed Kingliner station, repurposed sky train track effects, the mecha using Liner Form’s Densha Giri attack, Owner’s long-lost cousin, powers that are grounded in the user’s imagination...there’s a lot of similarities. From a financial perspective, I have to give them some credit. Den-O was around for such a long time that it accumulated a lot of train-related sets and CGI effects. It makes sense to do a show similar enough that they don’t have to start from scratch and can (hopefully) use that part of the budget for more interesting things later on in the series. (I do wish they didn’t have Conductor be so similar to Owner, though.)

But enough about Den-O, and onto what this series is really about - the new team. They seem like an interesting bunch, plot-induced amnesia and “as good as dead” status aside. I like that they’re coming in to the series already knowing each other and being friends. I’m sure we’ll inevitably get episodes where they clash with each other, but it’s nice that they’ve already got a foundation for their teamwork.

Right (and I can’t believe they went with that for his name) has such a baby face. I thought it was pretty funny that technically the first attack we see him perform is gnawing away at the monster’s hand while asleep. Tokacchi...he’s so awkward, I just know I’m going to have a soft spot for him. Him and Kagura. The way she shrunk the grunts and then poked them to death has got to be one of the more bizarre attacks I’ve seen in recent toku. I suspect she’s going to have some zany focus episodes.

Mio seems like she’s from the same school of Yellow members as Moune, Luka, and Youko. Not a bad thing, but a little predictable at this point. As for Ryuusei’s friend whose name I haven't yet learned, it’s just nice to see him out of his coma.

I initially said it as a joke because of the way the kids in the flashback are wearing the same thing as they are on the train, but I’m suspicious that the kids from the flashback are the real ToQgers and their adult forms are just products of their imagination. Not sure how that could play into the “good as dead” line that was thrown out at the end, but it would definitely fit into the “imagination is power” theme.

Random points:
-Those changers are incredibly bulky. I read a review that said the toy is so big that it’s more suited for an adult than the child that it’s intended for. It’s got to be heavy too.
-The suits aren't quite as bad once they're in motion. They're still a little blinding if they're just standing still.
-The color change gimmick is going to give me a headache. Like Tokacchi said, after a while, you can't tell who's who.
-I think there should be bets placed on how long it is until a monster doesn’t step behind the white line and gets crushed by the transformation sequence.
-Ditto for when someone loses their pass and they can’t board the train and/or form the mecha because of it.
-Ticket is pretty cool.
-So are the villains. Although I was a little creeped out by being told that the giant toddler was going to be the unseen boss’ consort.

[zeta_gundam]

So train-riding heroes with an eccentric Owner Conductor, fights Imagin with imagination, and change Forms colors...

Finally... Ticket-kun is adorable and they better make a plush of him!

They probably will make a hand puppet and sell it as an exclusive on Tamashii Web Store. $$$$$$$$$$$$

I don't mind the suit designs, save for the helmet. I'm probably in the minority here. But I'm digging the baddies' designs. They look great. So awesome, that if they were to release Figuarts versions of them, there's a high likelihood that I'll buy them (unless they cost way beyond a student's budget). Except fat boy. No fat boy (or girl?).

Considering how the baddies have a steam train, the team has normal day-to-day electric trains (well Right's is a steam train too), I bet the sixth member will have a bullet train.

[ViRGE]

Tracker's currently down.

Edit: and it's back up. There goes Toqger, speeding along at 20MB/sec up. Ravenous beasts.

[DaVinci030]

Time for the Den-O reboot!

Seriously.

I forgot... Conductor's actor was a guest star in GoRanger episode 57. I believe that is his second time to appear in Super Sentai series.

[evel333]

My only wish is for Hikaru/Magishine and Travelion to make a cameo somewhere down the line.

[KR_Karasu]

"As good as dead"

I hadn't gone the coma route in my head, though I did imagine them in some sort of limbo. Perhaps their success as ToQgers will determine whether they live or die. It would be interesting if they are, in fact, still the children from the flashback and are only older in their imaginations.

Other notes:

- Love the Raven look for Baron Nero as well as the Crows. Big corvid fan here.
- I hope the color change thing gets a little more purposeful.
- Suits are sparse, though helmets are cool. Hopefully a future upgrade will improve the look.

[Mandalori]

Thanks for that explanation. Also, it's probably worth noting that all their names mean "black" as well. Schwarz is German, Nero is Italian? Noir is French?

Yes, Noir is French.

[Netto no Zen-Aki]

My thoughts on the show:
-Suits are kept simple because they need all 5 suits in 5 sizes for the ToQger.
-Ticket is going to be a handful *yes, horrid pun intended*
-Love the design of the bad guys. Was kind of freaked out by the large "little girl" of the bad guys. Heard the small cutesy voice, expecting something similar to Candelilla, but nope.
-I was seriously hoping that that one Kurosu/Crow was going to get hit by the trains after being over the white line.
-Conductor scolding them about changing without permission and forcing the change-back.
-Train Mecha is going to be different after all the other mecha I've seen. But hey, this seems to pull it off well. As long as they don't go the Go-Onger route and try to combine 12 different trains into one, we'll be good.

Overall, this series is off to a good start and I can't wait for more. ToQ, Gaim, and HappinessCharge are going to keep my weeks happy.