Generally I too prefer the normal forms. Ultimate forms tend to follow a pattern of taking that initial design, then making it bulkier and painting it gaudy colours. For a boring suit design, that extra detail can sometimes work, but if I love the initial suit, ultimate forms really can ruin a good thing.
LIKES The tricky part is with Agito's...he kind of has 2 ultimate forms, Burning and Shining. Burning has that organic aesthetic that pervades most of Agito so Glam prefers that one. Though Shining isn't anywhere near his least favorite.
Personally I consider Shining to be the "ultimate" form and not Burning, which is a shame as Burning is my favourite Agito form (and one of my favourite Rider suits generally). However I do think that G3-X is a great ultimate form. The normal G3 suit was pretty boring to my eye. But with G3-X it really stopped looking like a Kuuga knock-off and became it's own design (it helps that Hikawa stopped being the series whipping boy with the upgrade - it's difficult to look cool when you're constantly having your ass handed to you).
Kuuga Ultimate. I completely understand what they were doing with the final episode of Kuuga. It's a unique toku finale...but I still can't help feeling a little cheated that our only glimpse of that awesome suit was (what felt like) barely a minute viewed through a snowstorm so heavy it almost whites out the entire screen.
Double CJX. I can totally see why people don't like it (and CJGX is just too much for me too) but for some reason I really like this one. It's pretty slimline, mixes familiar rider traits with a streak of pure oddness, and for some reason it just works for me.
Accel Booster. Much like with G3, the normal Accel suit is one I was pretty "meh" about. I like the helmet and the driver, but the bike parts hanging off it ruin the suit's silhouette. Trial and Booster both correct that problem, and I really like Booster's shuttered visor and jump jets.
Dekaranger SWAT mode. OK, so it makes no sense that they add external microphones when they made it quite clear that the helmets already have some sort of built-in communication device. I'm not normally one of those people who wishes that Sentai had Rider-style armor either. But there's just something about these forms that makes them look BADASS :buttrock:
Super Gekirangers. I've only seen the first half-dozen episodes of this show so far, so I've only seen these via youtube clips and still photos, but I think they look utterly great. Maybe I'm just a sucker for jump jets?
DISLIKES Meteor Storm. When Meteor first debuted his normal suit design instantly made a break for the top of my "worst-looking Rider suits" list. But the design team apparently telepathically sensed that I wasn't quite horrified all the way to my core, and decided to polish that turd for all they were worth. For my money, this eyesore of a costume is quite simply the worst Rider suit ever. :sick:
Kabuto Hyper Clock-Up Mode and Gattack Hyper. The normal rider forms of these two are some of my favourite suit designs. But their strength lies in their simple lines and sleek forms. Kabuto's Hyper form bulks it up, and then it's clock-up mode has him sprouting fins and fussy gold detailing and it ends up looking like a total mess. Gattack Hyper was thankfully never allowed out of it's hyper-battle prison. Again the design is hurt greatly by being bulked out, but in Gattack's case it's the comedy oversized horns that just take it into the realm of the effing ridiculous.
Magiranger Legend Mode. The chestplates and the blinged up shinguards really just don't work for me, but the helmet extensions really just push it over the edge into "making me giggle" territory.
