[DISCUSSION] RIDER TIME: Shinobi (Full Series)

[SamuraiEchidna]

The ninjas who never hide when it's Rider Time!

Welcome to the discussion thread for RIDER TIME: Shinobi. (All three episodes)
Synopsis: In the year 2202, Japan becomes a "ninja society" in order to combat global warming and environmental deterioration. However, as an evil criminal ninja clan rises to power, it's up to Rentaro to stop them as Kamen Rider Shinobi!

This thread was made with Toku Prime's permission. And remember, this is a SPOILER ZONE! If you are trying to avoid spoilers, this is not the place for you.​

 

[Black Fang]

"In the year 2202, Japan becomes a "ninja society" in order to combat global warming and environmental deterioration."

I was already a bit disappointed that they weren't giving another Phase 1 show a Rider Time special instead of for a brand new character, but this sounds like a complete waste of time.

 

[Shogun_Master]

I know that they're trying to put it so far out of reach that it won't outshine any other future Rider series that they end up doing after Zi-O, but I would think that if we haven't solved Global Warming by 2202, we're probably all dead.

Anyway, I've seen episode 1 so far. I do get what a few people have brought up- that they've virtually ripped off the storyline to Spiderman & put Ninjas in it. Still, it's pretty fun & I'm glad we're getting something out of what would otherwise have been just a cool, little, borderline pointless one-off. At least the theme song they gave him was more tolerable to me than Zi-O's. I don't know what went wrong there. I do hate pop music, but I was, at least, able to stand Ex-Aid & Build's theme songs more than Zi-O's.

Well, I guess I'll wait until I see all 3 before I say anything else.

 

[Black Fang]

I could buy the "global warming" setting if they had cleverly applied it to the general themes of Kamen Rider and had certain NWO-esque organizations using the hysteria of "man-made climate change" to further their own agendas (Hey, much like real life!). But even then, having people adopt ninjitsu to deal with the issue makes absolutely no sense, unless what they really mean is "abandon all modernity and return to feudalism".

Build's theme didn't seem that "pop music-y"; in fact I think it's the best Rider theme song in a very long time. Ex-Aid's sounds like a pop-rap combo, and I sort of like it in spite of itself. Kinda like the show as a whole.

 

[SamuraiEchidna]

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE THIS 3-PART SPECIAL & WANT AN ALTERNATIVE TO TV-NIHON...
The special has been translated by 2 different groups: Scull & Vanir.
If RiderTime has any plans to sub this, they have not yet done so. Over-Time has shown interest, but have not subbed this yet either.
If I have to make a recommendation, I like giving new groups a chance, so I recommend Vanir. Unless some other group finishes this series first.​

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So far, I've only seen the first episode. And yeah, I have to agree with everyone so far. The idea of embracing the ninja way just to save the environment is really dumb...

To be fair to the show, they try to justify it. Basically, Japan has become like the world of Naruto. Everyone has ninja super powers. The show basically implies that with everyone using elemental ninja powers, the people of Japan can stop using industrialization as much. However, they are still making smart technology and holographic technology, not to mention the Rider gear. So I doubt becoming a ninja society is really doing anything... Also, this premise puts Kamen Rider Shinobi and Hattari's abilities in question. If everyone has ninja super powers, what makes Kamen Riders all that special? Oh, right, the show says they are the best, so I guess they are! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Iroha is secretly this ninja princess, and not even she knows of her own lineage. And Rentaro is trying to keep his identity as Kamen Rider Shinobi a secret. Well, I can understand him wanting to down-play his abilities when he's a civilian. But letting Iroha, a ninja prodigy, take place in a huge ninja competition? Wouldn't that make her stand out more, and thus an easier target for the Rainbow Snake organization? Seems like Rentaro has some mixed priorities here...

I don't know, everyone... I like the idea of a ninja-themed Kamen Rider (We had Gaim, so why not?). I even like the idea of making him purple, and many other details too. But it seems like this mini series is going in the same wacky direction as Ninninger. I know they are using an actor from that show, but that doesn't mean they have to go in a similar direction. But so far, if anyone is looking for a ninja Rider with a slightly more serious plot, I'd say wait for Toei to make a real TV show out of it. It just seems weird that Ryuki's special was so respectfully handled, but this is just silliness. Did the creative staff think that kids would probably be more interested in new Riders rather old ones?

 

[Shogun_Master]

Ok, overall it was pretty short & sweet & entertaining. I hope that they end up doing more with the character, though, given that they acted like they were introducing further story, even though it was the end of the special. Kid of like we'd just happened to catch them somewhere in the middle of their series. I wonder if all those other Ninja Riders they showed at the end were declined concept designs for Shinobi, or other attempts at Ninja Riders in the past that didn't go through, or something?

 

[SamuraiEchidna]

Wow! What a race to the finish! I was originally rooting for Vanir to sub all 3 parts, but RiderTime and Earthly collabed to fully translate all three episodes! Too bad, newbie. Maybe you can tackle something else.

As for this special, it was interesting, but I'm not exactly happy about it.

Turns out the reason why Rentaro was letting Iroha take place in that tournament was because the prize was only for a big supply of rice. I guess letting her take place in something innocuous like that is fine, just wish they had made that part a bit more clear in the beginning instead of waiting til Episode 3 to explain that. It's painfully ironic how Hattari wants to make sure Iroha doesn't stand out more than Rentaro does, even though Hattari has more selfish reasons and doesn't realize Iroha's a princess.

I'm still confused about why Rentaro needed to hide his identity with that golden mask. Didn't he all ready have a mask? Didn't that purple scarf around his neck double as a ninja mask? But more then that, I'm disappointed that Shinobi ended on a cliffhanger. What's the point of building up this lore and teasing us on upcoming Riders or Monsters at the end? If we aren't going to see more of Shinobi in the future, then all of that foreshadowing at the end was pointless. I would have preferred them trying to tie all this in to Zi-O instead. Not to mention that villain turned out to be way more lame than how he started out.

I still think there is potential for a ninja Rider series, and the end of this special did make me interested in seeing more. I just don't think this is the right way to do a ninja-themed Rider series. There are plenty of elements about it that I liked, but there are other story elements that would need another pass.

 

[Black Fang]

I'd rather see an Amazons-style ZX series if we're going to have a ninja Rider, instead of this.