Kamen Rider Drive Episode 25 - Why is New Battle Beginning?

[TheLastBlade]

I don't mind that Drive is less serious than Gaim... It's just that stuff like the idea of monsters being ludicrous is really pushing it for me.

That whole Shinnouske revealing his identity to the world better be the turning point of the series...

 

[kuroihikari]

I respectfully disagree. I had fun with the earlier episodes of Drive. At worst, it was decent. But at it's best, it was perfectly watchable. While it had bad comedic moments, I did enjoy how relatively simple and mysterious they were. At the time, it actually felt like we were going somewhere..... But then 12-19 happened..... AND MACH!!!!!! Jesus Christ, is this somebody's ****ed up idea of a likable secondary rider?! The comedy felt like it took main center, there were side stories that no one really cares about, the roidmudes are getting lamer and giving bad reasons to feel bad for them, Chase's story is the obvious focus, AND THE CREW JUST SUCKS!!!!!!! 20-23 were pretty decent, but it needs to work REALLY hard to make people forget 12-19 existed. I haven't watched 24-25 yet.

As of this half of Drive, I'd say that it's still decent.... Almost below average. But it's feeling like a bad version of Kamen Rider W. At least, IMO.

Mach is likeable enough. He goes over-the-top, yeah, but that's basically it. Otherwise, he's pretty swell. He mostly conforms to Shinnosuke's rules, he respects and loves his sister, and he has probably the most initiative about them all.

 

[Black Fang]

I really wish there was a special Team up of every Kamen Rider that has worked for the Police in the past and have them do a special team up.

Too bad it wasn't real. That'd actually have been a creative premise.

 

[Undrave]

Mach's debut episode just didn't do much to endear him to anyone. He came out as a total douchecanoe! The silly humor was brought to its paroxysm when he swatted Shinnosuke's tought bubbles away AND then they had to saddle him with that stupid Danger Signal Bike ><

But I admit he's grown on me in recent episodes.

 

[TheLastBlade]

I honestly don't feel bad for Mach :/ His downfall is what he gets for being a git. Hopefully, my opinion of him changes in episodes 24-25.

The only positive I can actually say about him is that Roidmudes definitely deserve to be destroyed.

Hey wait a minute....Aren't we forgetting certain characters/plot points that could've made superior episodes than 12-19?

 

[TheLastBlade]

Another positive is that..... Meh.... At least it isn't Bleach bad. That Manga/anime (yes I am aware that the anime is currently done) had pacing equivalent to a snail.

 

[Clocktower]

I'll just say this: No, we didn't need more drama. Gaim had too much of it and it turned me really off. Having a KR that wasn't like that was a relief and this show delivered so far. Just the right amount of drama for the tone it's trying to convey.

Also, the show definitely feels like a police procedural for the most part: Cases of the week + a smattering of character development and plot here and there, which is really what it should be.

I liked the drama of Gaim, but it definitely isn't something I'd want from Kamen Rider every year. Drive has been great for being much more a "back to basics" kind of show, even dropping the cold opening. And again, yeah, I really like the police format. It also helps that the Shift Cars have become far less intrusive in Drive as we've gone and the Riders here have a manageable amount of upgrades.

Gaim's biggest problem was the mood whiplash (which I know is becoming a completely overused term here). It tried to do serious drama while also having the completely over the top slapstick inbetween. Most toku shows get away with the silly comedy, Gaim just conflicted with itself too much. The upgrade spamming also became completely ridiculous. Kouta had 7 forms, whereas everyone else had two at most. When you have so many riders, does the main character really need that many forms?

And the less said about the end of Gaim the better.

 

[lazycoconut]

I liked the drama of Gaim, but it definitely isn't something I'd want from Kamen Rider every year. Drive has been great for being much more a "back to basics" kind of show, even dropping the cold opening.

I wouldn't call Drive a "back to basics" so much as a return to the standard post-Decade format. People complained about it when it became obvious with Fourze and Wizard that Toei was going to repeat this format over and over again; but apparently one year's break is enough that people will like it again. (I'm grateful however that the show is giving us three Riders this year instead of sticking to two. I like to have more Riders)

 

[Undrave]

It also seems a lot more free to do done-in-one stories so I think that helps, and it varies the way the bad guy escapes at least.

 

[KamenRiderUNDERGROUND]

I think Mach's debut episodes made his character seem over the top. Take episodes 12-15 out and Gou seems to be a likeable secondary Rider.