KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

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Poll ended at Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:20 am

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16
73%
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3
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9%
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1
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Total votes: 22
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KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by takenoko »

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Previous episode rating: 4.47 (15 votes)

Alt Title: Live in Amazons

I hate to admit it, but that was pretty damn good. There were major battles, both physical, moral, and mental, and surprisingly... no one died. But death isn't the ultimate solution to things, especially when the message of the series seems to be a question of what it means to live. What made this a good ending for me wasn't the finality of the moment, but rather seeing everyone settle into the position where they belong. Life continues because everything has its place, from predator to prey, and a balance is struck. It's the cycle of life, an ecology.

And so, let's talk about all the damn characters again, in perhaps one of the most satisfying, mature endings to a toku that I've seen.

Mizusawa Haruka
As much as I bitched about him, I think he's finally found his place. Yeah, protect all the Amazons in your wildlife preserve and protect the humans when you can. Sure, you're going to have casualties on both sides either way, but at least he taught us to check our privilege as humans.

Takayama Jin
In Nanaha's arms, where he belongs. With his unyielding stance, does it seem like he's the villain? But it's a delightful villainy, since he justifies his murder of innocent Amazons by saying its in the name of protecting humans. Since he and Haruka are the same type of Amazon, it's only fitting that they go through this daily cycle of opposite but equal morals. And they're getting the scars to show for it. A rivalry to match Batman and Joker, Superman and Lex.

Mizusawa Mizuki
Really just a plot device to the end. I like that she represents Haruka's humanity. Maybe without her, Haruka would have gone full on Amazons for Amazons only and given up on humans. Either way, it's good to see him fully reject her, moving on past her, forcing her to move on from him as well.

Izumi Nanaha
Nanaha the best. She always knows what's up. Now if only they had her give Jin an egg at the end.

Shidou Makoto
At this point, I think it's safe to say that the mercenary band might care about one thing more than money. And that's each other. The family that hunts together lives together.

Mamoru
So... I guess he's learning to control his taste for delicious human flesh? It's sad to see him reject his beloved Team, but he's got a new team now. I guess?

Takai Nozomi
It was funny to see her teaching kids. Image shock! It's surprising to see Miyahara Kanon in civilian clothing in this series.

Misaki Kazuya
Oh sweet Kazuya. Willing to forgive Mamoru despite losing his arm to him. (And still wielding a shotgun one handed). If he comes back next season, I hope he gets a cyborg arm. I mean, if you just put some Amazon cells in there, you'd probably just grow a new arm. I'm just saying.

Fukuda Kouta
I love Fuku's strong silent type persona. When he receives the last paycheck and just bows. Ah man. The quiet among us is way too underrepresented in media. Since it looks like the Investigation Squad got wiped all at once, it's interesting to see him do their bug detection work while getting his hands dirty in the midst of battle. It doesn't really fit in with his sniper style, but oh well.

Mizusawa Reika
LOL, what a great revelation. It's not surprising, and yet so perfect. As we all thought, Haruka is her son. What makes me laugh though is the pride she takes in him. Is parenthood just an extension of our egos? She acts like Haruka's her clone. What's sad is that she's clearly a better mother to Haruka than to Mizuki, her own actual child. Hey, I guess we're lucky that Mizuki didn't end up boning Haruka, after all.

Kanou Shougo
Oh you brilliant man. I love your weirdness. I sort of wish he turned out to be a fish Amazon or something. Anyway, I like the way he sat down and had a beer with Shidou. Had that long conversation. Then at the very end he mentions Mamoru. Speaking of things you should lead on...

Tachibana Yuugo and President Tenjou Takaaki
Speaking of people put in their place, I love how thoroughly defeated Yuugo is by his coworkers. Reika's a mad scientist and his boss is a madman. He seems almost horrified when he realizes who probably let the Amazons out into the city in the first place.

Come to think of it, I guess Sawaii Miyu was the last new Amazon that we got to see. This episode was completely focused on all the preexisting characters. The bonds that connect them and the conflicts that drive them apart.

I didn't always agree with the writing, but it all came together in the end. You know a series is tight when you see everything had its purpose and used properly. All these guys show up in the final episode and played their parts. If there is a second season, it seems like it'd be a shame to ruin the balance established here. Maybe it'll be about new characters or from a different perspective.

The episode and series get a 5 star rating from me. Well deserved too.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by TypicalStandUser »

I FRAKING LOVE IT!! The wham lines in the Nozama office were shocking as well! The final fight was so simple yet awesome as it progressed!

Spoiler
Jin's "Amazon!!" is a nice shoutout to how Daisuke says it and his final warning reminds me of those disembodied voices after the Showa Riders defeat the organizations.

And Shogo mentioning that the remnants are unaffected by Tlaloc's gas... Amazonz are better cockroaches than actual cockroaches.

And the ending oh so much reminds me of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Hopefully with better writing, it could go for a route similar to Dawn/War For, or better than that.


Misaki better get a sawed-off shotgun ala Terminator 2/DOOM in place of that typical combat shotgun. Fuku's rifle should also have anti-materiel mods to it as well!!

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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by darkmage02 »

I have never been so satisfied with a KR's ending since Gaim. It's a shame that it's only 13 episodes, but these 13 episodes are so well wrapped up it's worth more than 50 episodes or so of a mainstream KR series. Like Takenoko said, every character found where they belong in the end and fall in place perfectly. That's what so satisfying for me.

I simply love how brutal the fight between Alpha and Omega. Though it ended in a draw, but winning isn't the point here. It's the battle of beliefs. And that's life. You don't win all the time. But you must never stop fighting for your beliefs. The battle reminded me of Kuuga's final fight - so brutal, so raw, so filled with emotions and none of those flashy explosion bullshit KR series of late are so proud of.

I thought I would never live to see another KR series this dark being made. So much more gratifying than Ghost.

Thank you Yasuko Kobayashi. *hats off*

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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by Catastrophe »

I'm going to have to disagree with the majority of what people are saying. I found the writing in the last two episodes to not be as tight as earlier in the season.

Harukas characterisation is poor. As it stands now, I get that he identifies as an Amazon and wants to protect them, but there have been several instances of controlled ones going berserk and eating people. Now, if he said that he was living with the normal ones and would kill them when they awakened, that's fine. But is current standing puts him against the safety of humanity.

And then we get to Jin. To me, Jin is the 'hero' of the story. His backstory fits the traditional rider mould properly. He had a hand in creating the Amazons. He realised that his company was full of crazies (and it's implied the old man let them escape), so he turned himself into one with the purpose of hunting them down. He's essentially discarded his future because after he gets them all he'll end himself. And yet they try to play him as the villain at the end. The extermination squad attack him when they know full fucking well that keeping Amazons around is a bad idea. I hope he gets used more next season because he was horribly underused this season. Definitely my favourite character.

Extermination squad at the end were lame. They were pretty good the whole time about getting the Amazons but flubbed it at the end against Jin.

My main theory for next season is that Tachibana has worked out how insane the old man is and ends up assisting Jin in some way.

Ignore Amazon sympathisers. Ignore Amazon apologists. Jin is a true Kamen Rider. Haruka is a pretender.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by darkmage02 »

Catastrophe wrote:Harukas characterisation is poor. As it stands now, I get that he identifies as an Amazon and wants to protect them, but there have been several instances of controlled ones going berserk and eating people. Now, if he said that he was living with the normal ones and would kill them when they awakened, that's fine. But is current standing puts him against the safety of humanity.
I guess what the writer aims to tell here, in this last episode, is that what makes humanity so important? What makes us think so highly of ourselves, that it's wrong for other beings to consume us just to stay alive? What makes a monster? Humans who create them, or the Amazons simply wanting to survive? When Haruka told Mamoru "it's ok to eat humans", it's pretty safe to say that he's thinking of the above.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by fenrir »

Parasyte, Tokyo Ghoul, Puella Magi Madoka Magica (by Gen Urobuchi = Gaim writer).
As the final thought of the series, i guess AMAZONS also wanna speak some kind of same thing with those 3 anime series that i've watch above. it's all about humanity & live as a human afterall.

agree with Take above about JIN vs Haruka = equal moral lesson.

and perhaps that's also kinda managed to bridge the opinion of Catasthrope & the others i guess.

I mean, what Catasthrope talk about Jin is kinda true. and yet, this time the series want us to see the whole Kamen Rider Live in a slightly diffrent POV.
Almost All Kamen Rider mostly see the series from the HUmanity Hero POV i think. this time i do agree that Jin is more fit as the Hero one, as what Catasthrope have said based on his explanation.

However, this time i think TOEI/ Yasuke Kobayashi want us to see Kamen Rider in a slightly diffrent POV, not as a regular Hero, but some kind of a live being. which can be intepreted good / bad depend on his conscience & decision. And this time Haruka/Omega is the main protagonist/ main POV. and by doing so ofcoz Jin position must become a villain coz their value is completely opposite since ep.6.

in the end hero/villain thing not really matter for this series i guess. it's more about live & humanity.

anyway, agree as well IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL ENDING EPISODE IN TOKU SHOWS. 1 of THE BEST I EVER SEEN!! definitely 5/5 for this ep & SERIES (or perhas 4,5 minimum, haha).

and now we have to wait for a long 1 year for the 2nd season :( sadly.

anyway, about Mizuki. i think even thou she perhaps just a plot device, but her existance (+ Nanaha + Nozomi,) all very important for the series. as her existance really2 important for us to see how Haruka develop & chief mizusawa true personality as a human/scientist. and btw, she just 17(the chara) & almost seems like have no problem in daily life, i think we should forgive some of her naivety in this very very mature&dark toku show based on it as well.

and WOW, as i write this, i just realize perhaps this series is a toku show that have many very strong & pivotal female character = Chief Mizusawa, Nanaha, Nozomi, Mizuki (3,5 if mizuki not that strong in most people opinion. or 5 if we wanna include Mika/Miyuu Sawai).
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by Kuchiri »

I wonder what we're going to see in Season 2... I mean, there is going to be a time where Haruka will awaken, and what will he awaken as?
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by Victormaru »

I really like the entire segment with the Extermination Squad and their lives after Tialoc. It was really different and interesting to see. Fukuda as a doctor, aha.

If Haruka's band of amazon refugees are such good people, where the hell did those aggressive amazons come from that attacked the Extermination Squad? Were they just awakened assholes that weren't apart of Haruka's group and still wanted to eat humans? If so, why were they all in the same spot together? I wouldn't allow asshole amazons around my area.

If Haruka and his amazon friends are in hiding, what have they been eating this entire time? They look like they haven't had new clothes in a long time, so I assume they had to have been eating something up until that point. Was Haruka going out to buy them McDonald's cheeseburgers? Maybe I ask too many irrelevant questions.

Jin eating vermin, now that's truly disgusting. We didn't have to see him chew on a body part for like two whole minutes. I thought it was kind of funny though 'cause he's a straight savage.

Notice how Jin finally screams, "Amazon!" for the first time, rather than just casually saying it. I liked how stupid it was to see them both growl back and forth for five minutes before transforming. I think it really sets the tone of the battle 'cause they were almost trying to kill each other. That was a great fight scene.

I wonder if they have something planned for the second season with that random plot twist at the end. I thought that was stupid, lol.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by takenoko »

>Fukuda as a doctor, aha.

I thought that was just his mom going crazy. It didn't seem to make sense for both Fukuda and Shidou to be doctors.

>If Haruka's band of amazon refugees are such good people, where the hell did those aggressive amazons come from that attacked the Extermination Squad?

They turned right that second all at once.

I'm hoping for a new story in the same universe for season 2. I don't really see a need to revisit this band of characters, because their time is limited. With no means of reproducing, eventually Amazons will all die out sooner or later. Or be killed by Jin or the exterminators. There's no need to follow the story to its ultimate conclusion.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by DekaBreak »

Kuchiri wrote:I wonder what we're going to see in Season 2... I mean, there is going to be a time where Haruka will awaken, and what will he awaken as?

You know, with that revelation it's clear that all 3 belt-using Amazons are part human. Since Jin gets by fine with a belt and no anti-awakening drugs, maybe Haruka wouldn't awaken, or if he does, it could be a controlled awakening. And that would fulfill his wish of Amazons living in quiet. (Please don't give Season 2 this happy ending, Kobayashi)

The old man basically inverted the food chain, where humans were once at the top, they are now at the bottom. Haruka's objection to the convenient murder of Amazons is a defiance against the human tendency to be the final predator of all life on the planet. That extends to all series like this - the henshin heroes are expected to keep in check anything that damages human interest, although from the other side, it is just the villain civilization's quest for progress (talking about those not out to destroy humanity but just rule it - Roidmudes, Enter etc). Human superiority complex. As I felt the urge to punch Haruka right then and there when he told Mamoru that it's ok to eat humans, I wonder if this species is truly that moral and if it deserves to be protected by Riders, Rangers and Ultras in the Tokuverse.

Damn Kobayashi. You made me the villain.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by Ashki »

I'm still too speechless to say much, but I will say one thing:

This show reminds me of why I loved Faiz so much. Nothing was cut and dry, and you had three factions, one protecting humans, one against, and one of Orphenocs who wanted to coexist and hold onto their humanity. For some reason, they just haven't been able to replicate the powerful moral dilemmas un later series... until now. Haruka struggled to tow the line, until forced to choose... so much like a certain Orphenoc.

While Jin seems the classic hero, he fails to meet the Showa standards. Remember that both Niigo and Riderman were set to kill Ichigo and V3 (respectively), but became heroes because of the faith given them by the Riders. And let's not forget the original Amazon, who showed pity on Moleman, leading to one of the most unique friendships in KR.

Speaking of which, keep in mind that "tamadochi" was the catchphrase for the original Amazon series. In fact, it was one of Amazon's first words. This show exemplifies that theme of forgiveness, embracing differences, and always being there for one another through the extermination squad.

Season 1 reinvented Kame Rider better than the movie reboots. Season 2 has much to live up to...
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by envedges »

Haruka, to some people, he seems to be the Shinji-type, but to be honest he is not that bad or cringy on what people are making out to be, and trust me I have seen worse protagonist out there like Wataru from Kiva. The story was pretty interesting and overall was mostly about Haruka struggling to be human and an Amazon, and in the end he adopt his own human-like morals and avoid discriminating against all Amazons. As for Jin, I really enjoy his character and essentially was a psychopath which makes it unique compared to any other protagonist. I find it amusing when I was watching this show that I came across another character, Io Fleming from Gundam Thunderbolt, that was pretty similar to Jin and for the most part they were neck to neck, but in the end after watching this episode Jin seems to be more insane between the two. From what we got in this episode, Haruka, was artificially created, in other words he started out literally as a monster, but never really behave like one until he turns into an Amazon after forgetting to take his pill. In the end, he was more defensive and humanlike, while Jin started out human, and acted more like a savage and an animal towards other Amazon, which goes back nicely to their given titles by Nanoha and some official sources.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by toni2212 »

Man, what an episode. I'm waiting to see if they are going the Gaim route by having a clear winner & loser, hero & villain, good & evil and all that. But it didn't, and it was a good idea indeed. Although I did see a shadow of Paradise Lost in the ending (and some Attack on Titan too)..... but what the heck. In the end, I ended up rooting for Jin just because his reasoning makes more sense to me than Haruka's.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by Go-On Macaroni »

Ashki wrote:Remember that both Niigo and Riderman were set to kill Ichigo and V3 (respectively), but became heroes because of the faith given them by the Riders.
Not entirely true. Nigo wasn't meant to kill Hongo in the TV show, but only in Ishinomori's manga (where he was one of the 12 Shocker Riders and took out Hongo, reducing him to being a brain in a jar; eventually, Ichimonji got un-brainwashed and became Rider 2).
Riderman's different. He only attempted to kill V3 because, despite Destron betraying him, he was still loyal to them and wanted to show that. He wasn't strictly ordered to do so as much as he was just following what he knew and V3 had to convince him that there were other avenues to go for.
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Re: KR Amazons 13 released (Season 1 finale)

Post by Tuss4 »

Spoiler
I am super hype for season 2 now.
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