Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Cause there's like a lot of other Sentai too
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OnmyojiOmn
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Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by OnmyojiOmn »

Hi,

First off, I'm really not here to troll, whine, or otherwise piss anyone off. I've become a huge Kamen Rider nerd over the last few months and I've been increasingly curious about Super Sentai. I watched a couple episodes of Shinkenger and I was really liking it, but then... the mech sequences. I was appalled. It's just... it's like they're not even trying. I want to like these shows, but I don't get this at all. Sentai mech sequences cross my threshold for silliness and kick me in the face.

Has anyone else felt this way? Do you get used to it, the way you get used to the costumes in KR? Would it help if I started with a different series?

Thanks
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Re: Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by Draiken »

Well, starting off as a Power Rangers nerd that got to own his first Megazord toys two years ago, I'm not sure how Shinkenger (at least) crosses your silliness threshold unless you were more specific on what you didn't like. I mean, it's just a bunch of different animals (or vehicles, or mystical beasts, or dinosaurs (depending on the series)) that recombine to form a robot that the toys play off of. Maybe other members think differently, but I really can't think of an initial Sentai mech combination from Zyuranger->present that's better or worse than another. (Armament variations, on the other hand...)

I dunno. Maybe you might be better off with a vehicular mech combination like Dekaranger, Boukenger, Go-onger, or Gokaiger if it's the animal combinations that don't work with you. Or you could try a different animal/mystic mech like in Magiranger or Gekiranger.

Otherwise, I think you might be stuck having to get used to it, but in my opinion for toku shows in general, you either get used to the perceived silliness or you have enough suspension of disbelief to let it glide over and enjoy the show. Or you can blame the Japanese Spider-man series for inspiring the use of robots in Sentai because you don't like it. XD
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Re: Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by takenoko »

I actually can kind of see the op's point. I remember having a friend who just totally skipped the mecha scenes in these type of shows (wasn't Sentai, was some other toku, I think). And I gave them shit for it, but I honestly can see how one could feel that way. For the most part, the mecha scenes aren't too dissimilar from watching stock footage.

-Vehicles/animals show up
-After a few seconds they combine
-Maybe a few minutes of awkward bashing around
-They use the finisher and the sequence is done

Except for some minor variations, it's really the same sequence every time.

If you genuinely don't like these things, just fast forward through it. Nine times out of ten, you're probably not going to miss any story for it.
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Re: Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by OnmyojiOmn »

I should have been more descriptive. From what I've seen so far, the bad guys' costumes are as ornate as anything I've seen in KR. I really like the enemy designs in Shinkenger. Then the good guy shows up, and it looks like this. The cardboard boxes that make up the costume flop around with the slightest movement. It's terribad.
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Re: Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by takenoko »

I don't see how that changes anything. If you find it off putting, just skip it. Not everyone has to like it.

Let's put it another way, it sounds like you want us to convince you to change your opinion about something. That's not how things work. Everything forms their own opinions. You say it's terribad, other people might think it's real cool. It's not objectively good or bad or anything else, it's all subjective. So if you want to change your opinion about something, that's only something that you can do. Whether you get used to it, decide to muddle through just for the sake of watching it just to continue to resent it, that's all in you man.
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Re: Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by OnmyojiOmn »

I guess I'm looking for some kind of context that explains the tacky mech costume. There are any number of things I could say to someone who was put off by the costumes in KR, to ease them into it. I'll just keep watching for now.
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Re: Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by Therm_Kitty »

Combining mechs are a thing that just don't always work for some people. Maybe you'll like a different formation or a different team altogether. Even diehard Sentai fans are a bit iffy with some of the mecha in various series. The ones that the suit actor can't move in without a wire team, for example.
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Re: Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by kokowaks »

blame spider-man for this... :lol:

i'm not also a big fan of mech battles... as mentioned before its kinda repetitive and most of the time pointless on the plot... that's probably why i prefer to just leave it to ultraman to battle those giants... :lol:
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Re: Help me appreciate Sentai mechs

Post by AmandaBear »

I can understand. Though Super Sentai is my #1 toku, I love the hand-to-hand combat a lot more than the mecha battles, but I can still appreciate one every now and then, if they're done well. I personally don't mind them at all, I just find the combat way more entertaining. I can't hate on a tradition. Sentai's had giant robots ever since Battle Fever J and it's become a staple ever since. I think that's what makes Sentai stand out from other toku shows. :)
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