At The Crossroads

And so 2014 comes to a close (about an hour from now in Japan time as I write this) and what a year it has (and hasn't) been!

Depending on who you ask, the assessment of this year ranges from "okay I guess" to "pretty lousy" and right on down to "an outright unmitigated disaster". I guess I should feel lucky that all things considered, 2014 wasn't a terrible year for me beyond the usual stuff (sick for about half of it, swamped with job responsibilities for the rest.)

But there is a sense of regret as things come to a close, because this was honestly a pretty great year to be a Kamen Rider fan. On TV, at the movies, and most importantly, on the toy and book and video shelves, it felt like someone was tapping directly into the dark recesses of my mind and coming out with movies where Ryō Hayami drives up to deliver lines opposite Kamen Rider Faiz, or they're making toys based on Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider. What an age of wonders we live in!

And... I never found much time to talk about any of it. Heck, I really liked all three of the Rider movies this year, and I only 'reviewed' one months after the fact, which shows you how messed-up things have gotten time-wise. Not to mention a bajillion other things I've been saying I'll get to eventually (it's practically a running joke at this point, but that big Q&A episode of Rider Break! is at the front of this Big To-Do List.)

But a new year is on the horizon, and with it comes a renewed drive (sorry) to push on. Even when real life wears me down, like Taki taking a vicious suitcase beating from a giant flying squirrel-man, I never want to give up. There's so much stuff I want to do, so much stuff I've started that needs finishing, and so many more exciting things in the pipeline I haven't even hinted at.

Can I make it happen this year? Will 2015 be the Year of the Igadevil (we'll think of a better name later)? I dunno, but the next part of the story starts real soon, and I'm going to do everything I can to make it an exciting one.

Thank you for sticking with me on this crazy journey so far, and I wish you all a safe and happy New Year. Let's hope it's a good one.

Rider Break! Episode 21: Drive Is Live

You Are The Wheelman.

Rider Break! Episode 20: When Gaim Ends, Drive Begins

Kamen Rider Drive is just hours away, and Kamen Rider Gaim has had 46 47 weeks (plus a few weekends off for golf, Super Sentai crossovers, etc.) to tell a tale of Armored Riders warring all so that a DJ can make one of them into a space god to save Christmas. Or something. I wasn't really paying much attention, but I did like that Bravo fella.

Fortunately this episode I'm joined by Craig & Nikki from The Repacked Podcast to figure all this stuff out!

Rider Break! Episode 19: Rider War Part 2

Can the classic and modern (and guys that are like 15 years old but we'll still pretend they're sorta modern) Riders put aside their vaguely-defined differences in time to save the world? Will Shu reunite with his mother? Will Super Sentai actually show up? Who will survive, and what will be left of them? It's an overlong, incoherent nonsensical monstrosity... but enough about this episode of Rider Break!

Listen in as Heisei Riders vs. Shōwa Riders: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai concludes in the only way it possibly could (or at least one of two ways)...

...and stuff like that.

Rider Break! Episode 18: Rider War Part 1

At long last, Igadevil & Rider Break! return for the gajillionth time to bring you the overdue epic mess of a review for Heisei Riders vs. Shōwa Riders: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai... less than 48 hours before the movie comes out on home video! It's a Rider Break! so big, we had to Rider Break! it in half! Exclamation points!

Rider Break! Episode 17: Triumphant Return

Fujioka & Hayami are back to show the new kids how we do it old-school this spring. Igadevil is back and is so excited, he has no clue how to string together a coherent sentence. Fortunately, he has some help from Down Under.

Rider Break! Episode 16: Not From Concentrate

Rider Break! is back with another "live" first reaction, this time to the first episode of Kamen Rider Gaim! Is it a fresh new direction for the series, or did the months of waiting just amount to a crate of old fruit rotting in a run-down warehouse? Expect no clear answer to this question, plus more!