Thisisok

The Power of Friendship!

I honestly wanted to do a review with a positive view of this kamen rider. Because this is genuinely good. For real, even the overly comedic performance of the actors was very entertaining to watch. It has everything: a good message, nice fights, good protagonist, good directing and a good ending. Of the ones I saw, between Kuuga, W and Fourze, fourze managed to be more competent in history development, relationships, and villains, than the other two. It has a more lighthearted approach to things and a very charismatic protagonist.
Seriously, watch it. It's childish and silly, but it's extremely fun to watch. Especially in such difficult times that we are.

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Not bad

The first season, titled Ultraman Ginga, definitely felt more enjoyable to me than this one. Despite Ginga S having a much higher budget and a more robust production. Victory was overshadowed by Ginga, which was a negative point for my taste. Splitting the protagonists in two always ends up highlighting one more than the other. The main villain was poorly utilized and ultimately discarded in favor of the "real" villain. And, for God's sake, the dancing and singing to cheer up the heroes at the end almost made me die of cringe (that idol sings poorly, to say the least).

However, Ginga S manages to be a good starting point for the Ultras that came after it. It has a fast pace, good fights, and a decent utilization of characters given the limited time available. It's definitely not as bad as I've heard people say.

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Esse talvez seja o meu favorito de toda a franquia (5 filmes). Tem um tom bem menos "shonen" do que seus antecessores, além de ter uma filmografia que dá um ar bem mais sério ao filme. Ação simplesmente incrível. As cenas finais são ótimas. O detalhe da Tomoe dizer "Perdão querido" enquanto toca a ferida feita por seu noivo assassinado no rosto do assassino pelo qual se apaixonou... sem palavras. Cria uma dualidade de sentimentos sensacional entre seu antigo amor e seu atual. Sinceramente a única coisa a se reclamar do filme é que ele é um pouquinho longo de mais pro meu gosto. 1:30h Talvez já seria suficiente. Por fim, recomendo.

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Black!

And finally I finished: Kamen Rider Black. Amazing visual effects, creepy monsters and a well written story (very episodic and long, but still). The protagonist is great, and the villain being another Raider in the end is a good choice. It gives a very dynamic duality of roles. I just wouldn't say it's my favorite Raider so far due to the pacing being a bit of a drag. The episodic feature of the show give the feeling that it should end early. Even so, it remains one of the best rider series. Very dark and creepy with incredible pratical effects. If you have never watched any showa Raider i recomend this one.

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With a lesson of friendship and an idealism that may sound a little cheap, Kamen Rider Kuuga presents itself as a revitalization for the franchise after the death of its creator. With good fight scenes, great monsters, and a plot that is supported by its good casting (except Godai's sister, who acts very badly) Kuuga is certainly fun! In addition to having a much darker tone than those that came after him (Agito and so on). Perhaps Kuuga's big problem is his abrupt end or his too long episode count. Spoiling the series a little bit.
In addition, I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to start watching Raiders.

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That was a cool Ultraman drama. The fights were incredible with one of the best camera work in ultraman. As my first ultraman series of the new generation, it was a great experience. I must say that perhaps low expectations made me like the series more, but I believe that it will still be good for those who hope to have fun. Main characters may seem shallow at first but we ended up connecting with them at the end (despite the series having only 25 episodes). It had a good pacing, maybe a little too quickly in his last act. But it was still ok. The romance-style episode of Haruki and Yoko was cute. Now on to what I thought was bad on the show: The villain. There is a saying among critics that "stories are as good as their villains". If that is the case, then Ultraman Z is bad. Fortunately, this is not a perfect saying, because despite having a badly executed villain, this remained a fun show. A show that cares about its characters more than the depth of its villain.

I recommend it for beginners in the Ultraman series or if you desire to start a tokusatsu show.

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This Geed movie is pretty simple, and the script is full of plot conveniences. Still, it’s a fun watch, but as is often the case with this new generation of Ultras, it’s noticeably weaker than the TV series it’s based on. It’s a very straightforward film with a nice message at the end about “everyone being an Ultraman.” The reference to “Jean Fight!” was especially funny (context: Hamada Tatsuomi, who is Ultraman Geed, previously worked on Revenge of Belial, where he operated the robot Jean). It’s a funny reference.

Overall, the movie isn’t essential for those who have already watched Ultraman Geed; it’s safe to skip.

PS: Whoever wrote the other review needs Jesus, because that was rough.

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HOPIUM, THE ULTRAMAN

Aaah, Ultraman Geed… what can I say? A very beautiful and well-written story. It teaches about forgiveness, revenge, loyalty, and purpose. There are so many great lessons that both children and adults can take from its narrative.
The visual effects are really cool, the fights are a bit underwhelming but well executed, and the music fits perfectly, adding a lot of emotion to the scenes. This has become one of my favorite Ultras. It’s amazing how a simple story, when done right, can make you feel genuinely good.
The final scene (no spoilers) delivers a very strong message about forgiveness and letting go of certain grudges… honestly, just watch it. Go for it.

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Ultraman Zero The Movie: Revenge of Belial. What a light-hearted and genuinely fun movie. It’s a shame I didn’t watch it earlier, considering how positive and hopeful its message is. It’s not as well directed as Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends, but it’s still quite competent at what it sets out to do.
Is the narrative execution a bit shallow? Definitely. The level of plot conveniences is almost funny, like the heroes slipping inside a cave and suddenly being teleported onto a spaceship. Belial is far less interesting than in his previous appearance. On the other hand, the CGI effects are noticeably better.
Overall, it’s a very fun movie, especially to watch with kids.

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Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends feels like The Avengers of the Ultra universe. Honestly, considering it was released in 2009, there’s a lot of good stuff here. Koichi Sakamoto, as always, is especially talented when it comes to directing tokusatsu (and is currently being wasted by the damn Toei on mediocre Sentai and Rider productions).
Most of the famous Ultras, with the exception of Tiga, have well-handled appearances. The production clearly put care into the heroes’ suits and the settings. The environments are fully CGI, with a very PS2-era look; however, they fit the story’s tone (even if they are quite dated, but hey, it’s tokusatsu).
The plot, despite forcing in characters from the extremely boring Mega Monster series, introduces a villain who, while not very well developed, has a unique charisma. Belial truly comes across as a major threat by defeating nearly all of our favorite Ultras, especially those from the Showa era. It then falls to the remaining heroes to band together and face Belial.
It’s a shame that the character who most deserved the spotlight only appears from the middle to the end of the film, Ultraman Zero. Even so, he is another extremely fun and charismatic character, now positioned as a the main hero.

Overall, this movie is essential viewing for Ultraman fans.

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Ultraman Blazar felt like a return to the classic Ultra series: a focused and serious story, a protagonist who isn’t an inexperienced teenager but a family man, and a more “humble” narrative progression that avoids overly grand ambitions.
The biggest flaw of this season, in my opinion, is how rushed it feels. It seems the writers had more to explore in each situation involving the characters, but were limited to just 25 episodes to develop everything. You can sense they wanted to take more risks (especially considering how episode 25 feels almost like a farewell to the protagonist until halfway through). Still, what was delivered fortunately does not disappoint. And what can be said about the effects? Tsuburaya completely outclasses Toei. The episode direction, especially during action scenes, could have been a bit more dynamic, but it’s far from bad.

Let’s see if the movie expands even more on this fantastic Ultra universe.

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“My name is Garo, a Golden Knight!”

There are works that leave a lasting mark on us. As a child, I can mention some tokusatsu titles such as Ultraman Tiga or Ryukendo. However, none made me appreciate and long for the tokusatsu genre as much as GARO.

Back in the old days, when we had to access fansub blogs to download series (most of them unlicensed) in RMVB or AVI files, my teenage self came across a small poster of an armor that looked like a golden lion. That was Garo.

What can I say about GARO? Without a doubt, its first season has yet to be surpassed by any tokusatsu series. Its effects, including CGI, are superior to many shows still being released in 2025. Twenty years later, it remains a landmark for its fans and for lovers of the genre.

The performances are well above average (for tokusatsu), the character development is strong, and the narrative is simple yet solid. Even the monster suits feel carefully crafted. The soundtrack remains incredible and memorable.

I really enjoy several later GARO seasons, but the first one still stands untouched. Keita Amemiya will have to work hard to surpass the brilliance that the first season still has, even today. Even if you’re not a tokusatsu fan, it’s absolutely worth checking out.

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CHEESINESS FOR THOSE WHO LOVE IT, AND I DO...

Man, I really love Kamen Rider Kiva. It’s definitely in my top 5 Kamen Rider series. Does it have several plot holes and extremely cliché narrative conveniences typical of the tokusatsu genre? Yes, absolutely. Still, it’s hard to deny that it’s a very fun show to watch.
Despite following the usual Kamen Rider “monster of the week” format, the narrative presents an interesting linear structure by alternating between 1986 and 2008, showing how events from one era influence the other. The transitions between time periods are often very fast and can confuse some viewers, especially in the early episodes, but I believe it’s something you eventually get used to.
Without a doubt, the most interesting, and funniest, character is Kurenai Otoya. In fact, the series is surprisingly competent in its comedic and lighthearted moments, not taking itself too seriously while still maintaining the weight of its drama. It also features a straightforward romance and love interest (something often downplayed in Kamen Rider series) between the protagonist and his romantic interest.
I’d say one aspect that works as both a positive and a negative is how, out of nowhere, characters’ motivations and interests can completely change. It’s negative because the narrative often feels messy and poorly explained. On the other hand, it works as a surprise factor, since characters who seemed to be clearly heading in one direction suddenly go in another, something that happens frequently with the show’s romantic subplots.
The ending is silly, but I found it satisfying for what the series aims to be. I know Kiva doesn’t have that many fans out there, but it’s a very pleasant series to watch. Maybe someday I’ll rewatch it.

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