what's so great about yaguruma

[Impulse87]

alrite, so i've been wonderin for a while, just what's so appealing about yaguruma, he didn't appeal to me when he was zabee, his fighting style was boring compared to Kagami's angry beserker style and kageyama's boxing. Now that he's kick hopper he seems more interesting, with a better fighting style

So, anybody wanna tell me what's so great about yaguruma?

 

[KamenGrappler]

I liked him better than anyone else as TheBee, (Kagami lasted like 1 and 1/2 eps, so I barely count him) and I hated Kageyama (Hated, seriously).

But I definitely like him better as Kick Hopper -- and that's what's so great about him (I think). His character underwent some real (and: realistic) changes, his whole nihilist attitude really appeals to me. The way he brings the hopper zect close to his face and barely says "henshin", almost like he's bored with it. It's too fucking cool -- and same goes with Kage -- I really like punch hopper.

It's kinda weird, because TheBee is one of my character zecters, but I really prefer everyone in their current armors: (Gatack,Punch H, Kick H)

 

[Aoi Kurenai]

Maybe because before he went loco he was the single most kickass character on the show? He was the most stable and had a great outlook on things. He wasn't pompous like Tendou and wasn't annoying like Kagami, it seemed like he actually deserved to be a rider. I never thought he was boring at all, he really brought the show back to life, for me, Kabuto was getting boring and felt like the same thing over and over again before he showed up.

Of course none of that would mean a thing if he wasn't cast right. Hidenori Tokuyama was the perfect choice for a character like Yaguruma, he can play a confident character without looking like an ass. His little mannerisms made the character all the better, it really seems like he put his own spin on Yaguruma. Then he lost it.

As Kick Hopper, when he was first introduced, he was a pretty cool character. He was being built up to be this kickass super evil series ending bad guy, he even made Kageyama seem cool. Lately though, he's been made much more cartoony than necessary. Like I've said in the main thread, if he had been reintroduced sooner then having him "stray from the path" every now and then wouldn't seem like that much of a problem. But whatever, we're stuck with him as is and I can only hope he'll get better, without Hidenori Tokuyama, I doubt I'd be able to stand him at all.

 

[Bolt]

I liked him better as TheBee, at least his fighting style. His suited double just isn't good enough to pull off a pure kicking style, but when he was super well-rounded I thought he was the best Rider. I like the fallen angel kind of motif of the Hoppers but I don't really like their costumes (or at least the color schemes of the costumes) or Kageyama.

 

[JFC]

As a character, I really liked Yaguruma as TheBee because he demonstrated that he was a leader that worked WITH his subordinates, instead of just ordering them around. While he was always the one in control, he never acted like a dictator to his troops (i.e. Shadow). He was the type of leader who you knew had the respect of those that he lead. Granted, he still had his flaws like any other character (namely, the desire to be the No.1 rider over Kabuto), but still, he put the team's well being first before his own.

 

[FreedomR8G6B1]

He's great as either Thebee, with his leadership skills and teamwork; he's also great as Kick Hopper with a psychotic persona; but overall I still prefer Thebee Yaguruma. Hell, I loved "Shadow" as well...then Kageyama took over.:redface2:

 

[Thrift]

I like him overall as TheBee and Kickhopper. I cant really say much because I have no complaints. I just think it would be cool that if before the series ends one of the Hoppers we come to their senses and one of them become TheBee again, preferable Yaraguma.

 

[xin]

yup i also liked yaguruma during when he was TheBee. The way he handles situations are really neat and his fighting style is a balanced one although TheBee'd strong point is on Rider Sting..

 

[HenshinXherO]

He just cool like that.

 

[icebolt]

I think Yaguruma's appeal as TheBee stemmed from the notion that he just seemed right as a hero-type of character. Polite, caring for his subordinates, showing leadership qualities and confident but not arrogant like Tendou...all the reasons why Kagami admired him so much. Good guys like that are now sometimes seen as cliched/one-dimensional/wooden characters but Tokuyama Hidenori pulled it off well and so Yaguruma was believable as the KR version of Cap America.

His appeal is only enhanced more by his fall from grace (going berserk trying to kick Kabuto's ass) which is completed by his change to Kick Hopper. In terms of personality, you see a change from total good guy to total badass. Again, the actor manages to pull it off. I mean Yagu now is still cooler than Kage now with his devil-may-care attitude. You get the idea that being TheBee was so important to Yagu that being kicked out of Zect brought about such a drastic change.