The big issue, as a couple other people have already noted, is that it feels like two A-plots smashed together. Sena being split up or Emperor Yodom showing his ugly face would under normal circumstances be their own A-plots, with ample time for each to breathe. Instead we get both plots in a single episode, and I don't feel like either one is as developed as it needs to be.
Of the two plots, the Sena plot thankfully ends up getting the bulk of the attention. I've always wondered what would happen if Yodonna's split-up power was used on a ranger, so now we finally get the answer to that: so much Sena! Splitting up your character into multiple exaggerated personality subtypes is a bit of a heavy-handed trope - there's no subtlety to it as you're literally splitting your character to focus on one aspect of them - but it's certainly appropriate for a show like Super Sentai. Sena is definitely the ranger closest to a Genki Girl to begin with, so her pessimistic/doubtful side isn't something we've seen much of this season, not even in her other focus episodes.
And wow, the writers didn't hold back here; they had their opportunity to go to a dark place with a downer character, and took it. Getting a team member back when they feel low is under normal circumstances more of a cookie-cutter plot for Sentai, but then those characters aren't a) So single-track downers, and b) trying to kill themselves. Given Japan's suicide problem I'm sure there are some cultural implications that are going over my head, but still, I'm surprised they went in such a serious direction.
The payoff, however, was some great character moments. Downer Sena shrieking at Sayo about coming to save her, and then the chase into the sea is a powerful scene. Sayo going on about how the team needs Downer Sena was done exceptionally well. It's not only a good use of the "emotional" character, but both actresses were in top form there. Which is no small feat when the two of them are sitting in the sea on what's clearly not a warm day. Ultimately that entire scene is all carefully engineered to generate this kind of a reaction (you shoot at the ocean like that specifically to make a hard-hitting scene), so the outcome is no accident, but kudos to Toei & the cast on being on top of their tradecraft here.
So why am I unfulfilled after all of that? Because in what would have been a high-tier episode on its own, we get the stupid Emperor Yodom plot bolted on to the end. Not only was it essentially unrelated to the Sena plot (the only shared factor was Yodonna), but Yodom has been a non-factor for the previous 36 episodes now. So why should I care about him now?
From a production standpoint, I get it: Yodom is going to be the big-bad, and the writers are moving the series into its endgame. But shoving Yodom in here shortchanges both plots. We got robbed of an even richer Sena plot (and probably a good Sena/Sayo/Yodonna catfight) and a better build-up for Yodom. Despite Kiramager's successes, the villains have routinely been the weakest aspect of the show. Having the big boss drop in after so long doesn't help with that; sure he's powerful, but he's only important because the plot dictates it, not because of anything he's done. Who lead to Crystallia's fall? Garuza. Who's been hazing the Kiramagers for the last 36 episodes? Garuza, Kurantula, and Yodonna (who despite being Yodom, is clearly her own distinct personality). At no point are we given a reason to care about Yodom, so he's little more than a late-series distraction.
And while we're on the subject of the villains, -1 point for the Kurantula fake-out. Either kill him or don't. Don't kill him in the previous episode and then bring him back in the next one; it greatly cheapens the previous episode. Also, shouldn't he be missing an aspect of his personality now?
Getting back to the positives, here's another episode with some more great mecha footage. It's a bit ridiculous that they're even bringing out Express given that they know that Garuza can hijack it, but I am loving Evil King Express. Overall I don't really get why Kiramager is focusing so much on the mecha now when the show didn't pay them an outsized portion of attention in the first half of the series, but I'll take it. We haven't been treated to this much mecha action - proper suits and all - since Go-Busters almost a decade ago.
Finally, kudos to the post-production team on the multiple Senas. The compositing was done very well. There are only a handful of small tells that give away the usage of green screening, and that's around the lighting. Otherwise they nailed things like getting them behind the table without any artifacting.
If it's any consolation prize, aren't these episodes normally filmed about 8 weeks before airing? So it was only late October/early November when they shot that.
Apparently to gloat? That's one of the problems with this episode; Yodom didn't really do anything. His appearance was more for writing reasons, to setup the series' endgame.So in the end, why did Yodom want to meet with Oladdin?
It looks very inflexible. Which has me a bit worried once it comes time for the obligatory big bad fight.Yodom's real form is kinda unusual, I don't know what to think of it
That is a really good question! Having two masks like that is too big and obvious of a detail to merely be decorative, so I'm sure we'll get an answer to that question sooner than later.Phoenix512 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 01, 2021 7:57 am If the left mask is the one that has Yodonna, I wonder what the right mask is supposed to be?
Since there's clearly a bit of disagreement over whether Downer Sena intended to commit suicide at the beach, I believe she was going to take a long walk into the sea in part for the reasons stated above. That entire scene was played very dramatically and straight, with long pauses, conspicuously-selected shots of Sena and the sea, and a purposeful lack of background music. If your character is not going to end it all, then you aren't going to make it look like they are with that level of detail, least you mislead the audience and create a plot inconsistency. But if you are going to have your character end it all, then this would be the traditional, "tactful" way to set the scene without being more explicit.vasyear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 3:41 am HOLY SHIT this got DARK!
If Sayo wasn't there Sena 5 would've committed suicide, this is another reaction to COVID clearly and mad respect for TOEI for putting that subject matter in a kids show,
incredible work by both actresses, the desperation in their eyes, taking of the hair tie (whatever you call them) THAT'S when you knew she WAS going to happen she was going into the sea and nothing could stop her, the hair tie is a big part of Sayo cause it relates to her runner background taking it of was 5's way of saying "I am no longer Sayo" "I’m nothing" I hope this brings Sayo and Sena together and make them better friends
I should also add that Sena's hostile reaction to Sayo coming to save her is very on-point for actual suicide attempts. She was doing it in private, which typically indicates that she wanted to go through with it (people who do it publicly typically want to be stopped). So a hostile reaction in that situation mirrors real life, where people who are stopped normally resent it at first.