Kamen Ride: Spoiler Warning!
Kamen Rider Decade Episode 2: "Kuuga's World"
Written by Aikawa Shô
Directed by Tasaki Ryuta
Now how great was that? After the stellar kick-off from last week, we're thrown deep into, as the title promises, Kuuga's world. And what a place it is.
First things first: this isn't quite the Kuuga's world, as in the original guy from 2000. It's a Kuuga's world though, a Decade-specific edition. We can assume all the other Rider worlds will probably be like this; pastiche versions of the TV series where everything's up for grabs and it's all sort of like you remember it, but new again. Characters, specifically villains who never met each other in the series, now coexist side-by-side. Things are similar, and sometimes even the same, but there are still just as many differences.
In this case, it definitely captures the spirit of Kuuga. The opening battle is choreographed just like the classic early Kuuga confrontations would be: a boatload of cops, absolute pandemonium, a member of the main cast telling everyone what to do and nobody's quite sure who to shoot. Thankfully, it's established right from the get-go (last episode, in fact) that we're coming in hard on a regular day in this Kuugaverse. The story is already in progress so everybody knows what's up. By this, I mean we're already past the "Is #4 a friend or foe?" stage. They know who he is as soon as he appears, like we do. And apparently, Tsukasa!
Ah yes, #4. While Kuuga fans might take some time getting used to the new guy (more on him in a second), I found the number of fan-friendly references in this episode to be more than adequate to ease the transition. It still feels like Kuuga, if nothing else. All the code names are present and correct, although the Grongi who appear (and are designated as #7, 8 & 9) all showed up at later points in the original Kuuga series, so clearly things are working in a different order this time around.
And speaking of Grongi, their proper name is even dropped, early on and continually. It's a good way to remind the kids (and new viewers) of just who the baddies are in this world. The distinctive Grongi language makes a welcome return, and Tsukasa's ability to speak and understand it is a helluva cool twist.
As for Kuuga himself, he uses his four basic forms here, and they're still all pretty much the way they should be. He still creates the weapons out of stuff lying around/handed to him (pipe, gun, and a Grongi's Sword!) and we get some good old attacks. There's also a nifty variation on the Mighty Kick. I would describe it as being somewhat influenced by what's come since, as the classic Mighty Kick was almost always of the slow-mo flying variety.
I think it's fair to say that they did tone down the form's individual attributes somewhat. Pegasus is now just kind of the form for when Kuuga needs to shoot something, and forget about the "enhanced senses" stuff (well, you could say he needed them to shoot the guy, but they gave us the short version.) But thinking it over, that was kind of a natural trend of the original show too. Titan Form was a nigh-unmovable mountain in his debut, but he was getting pounded on later in the series.
In fact, the very guy who famously beat the snot out of him (the Buffalo Grongi, Go Baberu Da) is himself quickly dispatched by Decade. So if you need a reason why Decade can handle Titan Form Kuuga so easily, there you go. He easily took down one of the guys that could really give Kuuga trouble. Of course, hardcore Kuuga fans will note that said monster had two "forms" himself in his original appearance, and the one seen here is actually the weaker one (when he didn't wield the infamous big hammer that SMASHED poor Kuuga around. I know them that well!) In fact, he had some new weapon here, but I think almost everybody did (or didn't.) So this entire paragraph may now be void. Moving on...
Also, as the dialogue implies, our man Onodera Yuusuke is still fairly new at being Kuuga, and does not know the full extent of his abilities. Yes, Onodera.
Well, he's not Godai, but he's not quite meant to be. He's an echo, a shadow of sorts. He's an alternate take, and the show almost acknowledges it. Similar, but not the same. I think you could say that while Kuuga, as a character, has been recast, his alter-ego is now almost something else. If that makes any sense.
He's got some Godai-ish moments. Check out his talk about his Henshin after the initial battle. The mannerisms and way of speaking really stuck out as being like what someone would remember Odagiri being like (which is pretty much the case here!) Also, at the point when he turns around in that nighttime conversation with Natsumi, for a fleeting second or two, he really did kind of look like Godai to me (it's probably the helmet though!)
That said, Onodera is his own man, and Murai plays him as such. He's a bit more brash, more impulsive. Dare I saw a bit darker even. Godai's whole deal was that he was in many ways the most "innocent" of Riders. While someone like Shinji was also your "average guy thrown into a fantastic world" type, he quickly caught on to how things worked. He went in full-throttle. He stood up to the psychos with conviction (see one of his famous moments of badassity.) Most of the Riders are like that: regular joes who learn to roll with the punches.
Godai always had this way of acting like nothing quite phased him, even when it did (and brother, did it ever.) It's fascinating to consider that he's the Rider in arguably the most "realistic" and probably the grittiest Rider world of all. There's a couple nasty ones (I would not want to live in the world according to BLACK) but I think Kuuga's almost tops 'em all. It had a great way of making everything really matter, no matter where you were in it. Even if the world inside Pore Pore is a million miles away from the bloodshed on the streets, people felt the effects. If you were a cop, you might as well have been a dead man walking.
But back to Godai. He could be dying in a hospital one moment, and telling everybody to cheer up the next. It's all sort of covering for this inate purity he had. The possibility of him losing control and becoming the dark Ultimate Form was a big deal. For other Riders, it'd be the twist of a two-parter or such, but for Kuuga, it's huge.
It says a lot that he's such a good guy that he manages to become the red-eyed version, still in control of himself, but look what even that does to him. The final battle is so savage that he ends up in tears. Nearly all the Riders wish for the day when they don't have to fight anymore, but Godai is an especially notable case. He never quit or gave up, he saw it as his duty to fight as Kuuga. He got a thrill out of saving people and doing good even. He did, after all, become Kuuga by choice. Well, there's the whole "call to action" thing, but it's still far more his decision than with a lot of Riders. But in the end, I think he knew what kind of life he really wanted.
By contrast, Onodera's definitely got something on his shoulder. I hope we get elaboration on this. His comment of "fighting for himself" can be read a couple ways, especially if you consider his earlier outburst over the thought of Decade replacing him. He doesn't like that idea. I'm gonna guess this might tie into losing somebody, especially given how this Yuusuke seems to have a lot less friends than the original version (and no sister.) Maybe they're all there, maybe not. But the point is, the fight is something he takes a lot more personally. Not *seriously*, because Godai was always serious about it too, but certainly *personally*. He sees it as his fight. He's even willing to attack Decade, although there's other reasons for that.
His relationship to Tsukasa/Decade is interesting. You get the impression he can't stand the guy in this one. While I'm sure that's bound to change, possibly even next episode, it's other interesting contrast to his predecessor. I can't say I can see Godai reacting quite as negatively. Of course, as I've said, he isn't Godai, and this isn't quite the Kuuga world we know. This much becomes clear early on.
But I also think it's interesting how each was introduced. Their first scenes for both really set the tone for the characters. Godai juggles to comfort a lost kid, Onodera transforms and flying-punches someone in the face. I think this was almost sort of intentional. I'm not criticizing the new character at all; in fact I liked him a lot. But he's singing a different tune, that's for sure.
At the end of the day though, he is the Godai Yuusuke equivalent, and he fulfills that well. I haven't watched Climax Deka again since theaters (need to crack open that DVD sometime) so I don't remember Murai much in that, but he's good here. He said early on that he was a Kuuga fan, and I can believe it. He's playing his version, but it's still Kuuga.
I mentioned his lack of friends. Well, he's still got one! Yashiro Ai, the Ichijô stand-in. I like their dynamic. In some way, this Yuusuke feels younger than the original (and I think he is), so giving him a surrogate big sister makes sense. She's pretty cool and I hope she sticks around, or at least comes back later, since it looks like the Kuuga leg of Decade's journey has another episode or two to go.
Okay, I've gone long enough without talking about Tsukasa/Decade. Tsukasa still rocks. I loved his antics here. He's running wild in Kuuga's world and being a smartass to everyone, but the show's always aware of this. It's not just him stomping around ruining Kuuga. He can only go so far before it comes back to bite him.
I'm talking especially of the scene when Kuuga attacks him; I was expecting it to be the other way around, or at least for Decade to take it all in stride like Kabuto probably would. But no, he's actually genuinely surprised. His plan was running smoothly up to that point, and then it all falls apart. I like that. Next episode it looks like Tsukasa really gets in over his head, and Kuuga needs to bail him out. It's a nice thing to do with your hero who is supposedly the strongest Rider of all.
I like how we are getting more hints at his past, or rather hints that he has a past. There is a big mystery to him. I like how he questions himself at times, but still jumps right in. His diversion of the police is clever, as it at first seems like a standard Grongi type game trait (and they had some spectacularly elaborate ones.) The whole "using Ai" thing probably wasn't the smartest idea, but it makes sense and it works well towards the ending confrontation between Decade & Kuuga. By that point, Onodera is so fed up with the guy, and if punching his friend isn't enough, finding out he is the "devil" who seeks to destroy all Riders is the last straw.
That whole above sequence was pretty awesome. Tsukasa speaking the Grongi language and then suddenly punching someone in the face! Well, it just wouldn't be Kuuga without some blood. I like how that was worked into it. It was a nice little bit of fleshing out for the Grongi & their murderous game.
As for Decade, he gets to use some new powers this time. We see his own cards being used, as he hasn't yet amassed those of the other Riders and their powers. Everyone will be talking about his Rider Kick of course, but I quite liked his gun move too, because it looks like what's on the card! And his sword, well... it still looks rather funny with the big box part, but I like it. Kamen Rider (and really, many Tokusatsu) have a way of making the ridiculous look awesome, and I for one can't wait for the DX toy (which is probably exactly what Bandai wants, the bastards.)
As for the Dimension Kick: it's cool. I think everybody knows what my favorite Rider Kick of all time is, but this is still one to impress. It's got a little bit of this and a little bit of that; I think I was most reminded of Shining Form Agito, Faiz & Blade King Form's final attack, but you could draw parallels with a bunch of them. It's cool and I'm just glad they got it in now, since I assume Decade will be using a lot of different finishers over the course of the series, be they co-op ones or something borrowed.
The fights were great. I like that there's still plenty of action to balance the story. The old Grongi faces were great to see back. Of particular note is La Dorudo Gu, the Condor guy who busted out of a warehouse door last episode and is defeated by Pegasus Form in this one. I've always liked him since the original Kuuga, where I was bummed he never really got to fight Kuuga himself (although there were tons of publicity photos of them duking it out.) So it was good to see him here, even if he was sans his tonfa weapons and his trademark deep voice. He is, if you're still clueless, the true form of the abacus-carrying scorekeeper in the original show. What can I say, I've always liked evil bird dudes. He's dropped down quite a bit in the police ranking though!
And we got a little glimpse of the new big bad created for Kuuga's world: N Gamio Zeda, a wolf Grongi. While it is a little odd to be replacing the all-important N Daguba Zeba (who was literally the Anti-Kuuga), the new guy has a pretty cool design and the preview clips look intense. I adore the fact that they retained the proper Grongi naming system, as "Da" was the ending for all mammalian Grongi and the "N" and added "Ze-" denotes his top-ranking status. And I like the new twist in that it's the Grongi reviving him, whereas Daguba was the one responsible for reviving everybody else.
Also, he's voiced by Tachiki Fumihiko, a veteran anime voice actor who was the voice of the Rouze Absorber & King Rouzer in Kamen Rider Blade, and in a more-meta-than-meta twist, the narrator for the original Kamen Rider Kuuga series. How about that.
It was interesting to see Kuuga fighting multiple Grongi at once, something that didn't happen very often before. And Kuuga fighting another Rider! That's a first, if you don't count the stage shows. I have to say again that I liked how that played out. I was glad that it wasn't just Decade saying "LOL gimme ur powers1" or merely some sissy slap-fight. Whatever Kuuga's heard about Decade, it's not pretty. Thankfully, our main man is as surprised to this revelation as we are. While Decade's got the advantage, it's not just him beating down Kuuga. I appreciated that.
Of course, we're also then privy to another snippet from the Great Rider War, with the long-awaited confrontation between Decade and the dreaded black-eyed Ultimate Form. Kuuga's transformation into him was awesome, complete with flying debris and Riotrooper corpses! And in a move that I hope appeased everyone, it was pretty evenly matched right up the end when they seem to destroy each other and everything around them. Who knows, in future episodes we might see the after effects, in which only Decade is left standing (only to be attacked by Agito, then Ryuki, then Faiz, the Blade, etc) but whoa-ho-ho, if that wasn't a great moment.
And just when you think it couldn't get any better, the Hoppers show up.
I mean, really. I never thought I would see the day when I could type this sentence and not be referring to 1) a stage show 2) a fanfic or 3) something one of the kiddie magazines made in Photoshop for a poster, but here we are:
Kamen Rider Kuuga and Kamen Rider Decade join forces to fight the Hoppers from Kabuto.
That's damn good Kamen Rider, that is. This is all the doing of the mysterious Narutaki, who was another surprise in a show that continues to surprise. Way back when I first saw the clip of him turning around and bugging his eyes out, I thought he was going to be some comic relief guy! The dude who, in each universe, just happens to stumble across Decade fighting something. But no, he is in fact very bad news. He's the "big" villain specific to Decade himself that I was hoping for, and I can't wait to see who or what he turns out to be. The whole concept of him summoning rival Riders (Kaixa is purported to be up next) is great.
And showing they're still the man (well, men), Tokuyama & Uchiyama are back doing the voices for the Brothers o' Darkness. They're scheduled to be back next week, and after that, who knows? I'd love it if we saw them out-of-costume again.
All in all it's another great episode, and if Decade does indeed only turn out to be #30, if all of them are at least this good, I'll be more than happy.
Next Time: Can our heroes escape the Hoppers and put their differences aside in time to save, well, pretty much everything? The King of the Grongi is back, and he's going to have a lot of new followers...
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