Maskman's Prince Igam

Well, I just finished Maskman a few moments ago (SPOILER WARNING) and I'm not really sure what to think about it. The ending just left so much to be desired that it is a shame because the last several episodes were really well done. The final battle with Zeba just felt like a generic Monster of the Week battle with a standard mech battle that nothing felt like it was an epic conclusion at all. Even the ending seems very whelming as Takeru and Ial finally get together and then she just says goodbye to him like it was nothing.

It also doesn't help that the characters received little to no development throughout the entire show. Takeru and Akira were the only ones that seemed be developed, and they had all of the best episodes. Hell, the three parter when Akira becomes Unas is probably the best arc in the entire show, but it also came in far too late to have any overall effect on the series. The biggest problem with this show is that is just repetitive to the point that the battles are not even that interesting to watch. None of the villains are given any development as they are just there, especially Okelampa who doesn't even get a story or anything. He just randomly shows up out of the blue to make a monster grow and then just disappears until the next time he needs to make a monster grow. They could have had at least one episode explaining who or what he is.

Like the main fights, the mech battles are on rinse and repeat and every episode had to have one. These became the most tedious 85 seconds portions of each episode as they were just flat out boring.

Overall, I am glad to have finally gotten to watch the show subbed, as there are some good moments, but with everything said and done, the ranger suits are the only highlight of the series. Everything else is as generic as you can get. Unless you are down to your last several shows to check out, I would recommend watching a different series instead of this one. Hell, if you want to see a series from the 80s, watch this one's successor Liveman, as it is far more entertaining and enjoyable.

Oh yeah, dumbest moment ever. "Igam is a woman?" NO **** CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!!!! The only way you wouldn't have known that is if you were both blind and deaf.
 
Oh yeah, dumbest moment ever. "Igam is a woman?" NO **** CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!!!! The only way you wouldn't have known that is if you were both blind and deaf.

I wonder if they ever expected someone to buy into that since the movie does revolve around a Mermaid who falls in love with Igam.

Also, if there is one thing that really dissapointed me about Maskman´s finale was Igam´s conclusion; considering all the things that happened, seeing her going into exile to atone for her sins felt anti-climactic. I know there is a morale in there, but it would have been more fiting for Igam to join Ial in rebuilding the the underground empire.
 
I can't say Igam's gender and/or the other characters' awareness of it really bugged me. It's just another breeches role. Maybe it's just because I grew up aware of the English pantomime traditions where certain characters are traditionally portrayed by members of the opposite gender (Peter Pan by a girl, Cinderella's ugly step-sisters by men)? I dunno, maybe they were just trying to appeal to fans of the Takarazuka Revue or those that love all things bishonen? Cross-dressing seems to be one of those things that's just a part of the melting pot of Japanese pop culture. Heck, the actor that played Philip has just announced he's doing a cross-dressing role.

The only novelty was that they decided she really was a girl, and that wasn't really as much of a surprise to me as, say, Redyue in Gaim was. The way they ended the Takeru/Ial relationship was unexpected though (although points for not being cliched I guess).
 
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Cross-dressing seems to be one of those things that's just a part of the melting pot of Japanese pop culture. Heck, the actor that played Philip has just announced he's doing a cross-dressing role.

This.

And I'm not surprised about Masaki Suda. My nephew thought he was crossdressing in W :D.
 
lol well Princess Jellyfish is aimed at a very different demographic. Most of those kind of manga/anime/movies seem to be targeted at adult women. I don't know if it's an element that would have been so easy to find on Japanese TV back in the 80s (especially in Maskman's early evening timeslot). But Sentai isn't the most daring of TV shows; Toei wouldn't have put a (woman pretending to be a) man being played by a woman on screen if there was a chance that it might make people change the channel. It's probably just something to try and appeal to a different audience. The next year Liveman cast a bunch of hotly tipped rising stars to try and create some buzz about itself.
 
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I think the only thing I've been taken by surprise was with the character in Changeman. The actor is clearly a woman, but she has a male voice. I have no idea why, but it is kind of stupid.
 
I think the only thing I've been taken by surprise was with the character in Changeman. The actor is clearly a woman, but she has a male voice. I have no idea why, but it is kind of stupid.
Spoilers!
[HIDE]Shiima has the male voice when she's a loyal member of Gozma, but when she reverts to her original personality - the princess of another planet - she regains her natural female voice. The male voice is an indication of when the brainwashing/modifications the bad guys carried out on her are in place.[/HIDE]
 

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