Kamen Rider OOO - Talk Up!

[Lynxara]

I'm pretty sure Carranger had more interesting choreography at this point.

I've always felt Carranger had some really outstanding action choreography, though it comes out mostly in the mechanical sequences. The on-foot sequences are very well-shot but are played for comedy more frequently than the mecha fights. RV Robo is honestly one of my favorite Super Sentai robots.

In general I don't think action choreography is really a problem for OOO. The fights are based on good solid concepts. I think it's more that the direction is a bit weak, the scenes just aren't shot as well as they could be.

It doesn't seem to be a question of bad talent because OOO's head director appears to be Ryuta Tasaki, who's done good work throughout most of Heisei Rider (including W) and... well, Carranger.

The only conclusion I can come to is that Tasaki is a bit bored by the material and phoning it in. I kind of get that feeling from the scripts, too. The giant block of exposition in episode 2 isn't really Kobayashi's style.

If he's supposed to be a Big Bad--which I don't buy--then I agree with you.

Well, if you go by Faiz's example, he's not a big bad but definitely meant to be taken as an actual sinister presence. Kogami Foundation right now is behaving quite a bit like Smart Brain. (After a lobotomy. Ba-dum-tish!)

If I recall correctly, Smart Brain does sinister things throughout Faiz while also providing the hero with power-ups for reasons I honestly can't remember anymore. (I haven't seen Faiz in probably 5+ years.)

The only reason why Smart Brain isn't Faiz's big bad is that the company closes up shop in the final episodes, which I do remember because it felt very strange at the time. This is rectified in Paradise Lost, where Smart Brain (or perhaps more what it represents) is unquestionably a major villain.

 

[Hidden Masta]

I was taking a closer look at the Ankh creature effect. It looks like the index and middle fingers are the actor's actual fingers, painted and with fake nails.
Got plenty of shots for reference, on both actors.
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Also it looks like they're trying to set the explosion flashback in another country. Notice the wall hanging and the soldier's helmet.
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The finger is probably so they can better hold stuff.

And the fact that the girl isn't Japanese is a good sign it's foreign.

 

[big_j_ny]

Good lord, episode 2 was terrible. The script was not great but I think what made it really unenjoyable was the poor quality of the direction and acting. It really feels like the director here is just phoning it in, some conventional shots were just very poorly blocked. The CGI sequence was ambitious but easily could've been improved with smarter shot choices.

The actors range from mediocre (Eiji, Ankh) to amazingly, hilariously bad (Kogami). And the dude playing Kogami has no excuse, I've seen him in other shows where he wasn't chewing scenery all Shatner-style and reeking of ham. There weren't any standout performances really breathing life into the material, which was otherwise generic and too loaded with exposition.

I think I'll be tuning out of OOO for now. Maybe I'll go back to it later if there's some sign the show evolves over time, but typically the Kobayashi shows don't. What you get in the first few episodes tends to be roughly what you get for the rest of the series. What I got in episode 2 is not really something I wanted or liked all that much.

Also, in general, I don't think I can tolerate the rank hypocrisy of the scripts telling us that excessive greed makes you a monster while Bandai is otherwise flogging toys wall-to-wall throughout the entire episode. It's like how Go-onger tried to give us heroes who fought pollution using cars, there's something insultingly fatuous and dishonest about it.

You guys who are sticking around, I hope you have more fun than I did.

Once again, that is something I've feared the moment Kobayashi was named the writer of this show. I'll remain optimistic and try to remain for a few more episodes...........but if it continues goes the same route as a "certain show of hers that I absolutely dislike," I'm jumping off this lil OOOs train and await for Movie Wars Core (and the W movie to be released on the net) to come out and reminisce about W.

I'll continue to keep my optimism up for this show, but I won't be surprised if Kobayashi doesn't improve after all of this.

 

[Darkster]

I'll remain optimistic and try to remain for a few more episodes...........but if it continues goes the same route as a "certain show of hers that I absolutely dislike," I'm jumping off this lil OOOs train

Was that a hint? :laugh:

 

[big_j_ny]

Was that a hint? :laugh:

I never intended it to be one, actually. But now that I've re-read that sentence, it seems my mind subconsciously made a PUN when I wrote that.

 

[Shogun_Master]

Kougami Organization's leader has severe mental problems & should be thrown into a straight-jacket immediately.:nono:

Best line ever- "Put this coin into that vending machine!"
"Uhhhhhh... no thanks, I'm not thirsty.":laugh:

That battle could have been way more awesome than it was.:shakefist

Wonder if Ankh will hold up his end of the deal or keep trying to control Eiji's Rider privelages.:laugh:

Extremely confused by the flashback... can't wait to find out the backstory.

 

[Skiks]

Woo I invented a word! Someone add that to tv tropes! But yeah I don't know how else to explain the plot dealings in this show. It's just Faiz.

 

[Darkster]

Ah, man. The TV Tropes stuff for Kamen Rider is weird and biased.

 

[Harlequin]

I rather liked this episode. Made me chuckle and made me intrigued.

Especially the "infinity-plus-one" moment with the icing.

 

[Tokuboy]

Same place Hana got her's......Kobayashi.

I find that little "Hunnggyaaaahhhh" noise she does when she uses her power-kei stuff to be unbelievably moe.

Heh, I like her a lot. :wub:

Woo I invented a word! Someone add that to tv tropes! But yeah I don't know how else to explain the plot dealings in this show. It's just Faiz.

No, it's Inoue. *rimshot*

Got around to watching episode 2. I... like OOO, even though it's quite schizophrenic.