Kamen Rider Wizard (2012 - 2013)

It's showtime!

Created in 2012 by Toei, Kamen Rider Wizard is a tokusatsu (live-action series) that continues the Kamen Rider franchise started by series creator Shotaro Ishinomori in 1971. The fourteenth series in the Heisei era of Kamen Rider and the twenty-third series overall, Kamen Rider Wizard takes place in a world where magical creatures called Phantoms threaten the survival of the human race. Six months prior to the start of the series, dozens of people were kidnapped and sacrificed in a ritual called the Sabbath. Referred to as Gates, the magical potential in these sacrificial pawns and their despair called forth creatures called Phantoms that now terrorize Japan in search of more humans to use as Gates to call forth their dark brethren. The only survivors of this ritual are Kyomi, a young girl who lost her memories and Soma Haruto. Taken under the wing of a mysterious wizard dressed in white, Soma Haruto learns the ways of magic and martial arts. Taking up the mantle Kamen Rider Wizard, Soma Haruto must protect the human race and Kyomi's past may be the key to doing so. Along the way he'll contend with fierce rivals, sadistic enemies, and the evils in the human heart.

Just another day for a Kamen Rider.

From the very first episode Kamen Rider Wizard sucked me in with its cast of characters, excellent choreography, epic score, and explosive action. Haruto's introduction as Kamen Rider Wizard is absolutely badass. He's cocky for sure, but not arrogant and he lays waste to the Phantoms in an efficient, business-like manner. Wizard's fighting style is truly unique among Kamen Riders as it emphasizes Wudang Sword which is a form of Chinese swordsmanship. Wizard's fighting style is more focused on acrobatics and he blends martial arts and magic in dispatching his foes which leads to some very creative action sequences. At first Wizard can only control one element, but he becomes more powerful and more competent as the series goes on and it's impressive to see him use magic in different ways and combine different elements to dispatch his foes.

 

I'll be your hope.

Shunya Shiraishi plays Soma Haruto who's a very easy-going character. You wouldn't know it, but Haruto hides a lot of pain and tragedy behind his smile. In a series where a lot of characters are dealing with personal trauma, Haruto has seen more than his fair share, but he keeps going and he turns pain into hope. Haruto believes that no matter what a person has gone through they can still find happiness. Even if you have nothing left, there's still hope and if you don't have that Haruto will be your hope. As a wizard he believes that he can do the impossible and as a Kamen Rider he does. He inspires a lot of people around him in such a way that even when he hits rock-bottom there are so many people around him who he's saved and many more people who need him which keeps him going. He's not invincible and he's not perfect. He has his strengths, short-comings, fears, and so forth. He's a very human character despite his ever-growing power.

Most of the gang.

Haruto is supported by his student Shunpei, his police contact Rinko, his friend/love interest Kyomi, his father figure Shigeru, and Nito his fellow Kamen Rider. There is a believable and very well-written family dynamic that defines the group and we see the characters bond, fight, and challenge one another, but they always stay strong and stand together. It's a great and necessary contrast in a plot that focuses heavily on despair, loss, and loneliness. Every good hero needs a good villain and Kamen Rider Wizard has one of the best.

They don't get much badder than this.

The Phantoms are led by the enigmatic Wiseman who was responsible for the Sabbath. The most powerful Phantoms have the honor of working under Wiseman and they include the trickster Gremlin, the sadistic Medusa, and the immortal Phoenix who is easily the best villain in the series. Played by Atsumi Kanno, Yugo AKA Phoenix is Kamen Rider Wizard's fiercest foe. Hotblooded, violent, and merciless, Phoenix is the polar opposite of Wizard. Phoenix gets a lot of character development and the show does a great job exploring the relationship between Phoenix and Wizard which started as a rivalry defined by strength and quickly erupted into a war fueled by hatred. In Phoenix, Wizard sees a life-threatening foe and the same is true for Phoenix in that Wizard is perhaps the only being truly capable of beating him. These fight scenes are brutal, the score is epic, and every encounter feels like it could be the last and the two force each other to grow stronger. Phoenix is never defeated the same way twice and this forces Wizard to evolve and adapt or perish.

The enigmatic White Wizard.

Kamen Rider Wizard is not without its problems. The second half of the show isn't as strong as the first. While the plot advances the battles don't always feel as though they carry the same seriousness as earlier conflicts. Kyomi and other characters get a lot of development which is great, but it comes at the cost of Haruto's agency. In the latter half of the series Haruto feels more like a peripheral character in his own show. The show even introduces three more wizards, two of which don't really add much to the plot. There's a big plot twist involving several characters, but if you've seen enough tokusatsu you probably called it fifteen or so episodes before it actually happens. So the show can be fairly predictable late in the series for those viewers familiar with the Kamen Rider formula.

Life Is Showtime

Overall I had a great time watching Kamen Rider Wizard. It's not a perfect Kamen Rider series, but it's a good series despite its flaws. It was highly entertaining with some great fight scenes and intriguing characters. It's quite different from the traditional Kamen Rider formula, but this didn't detract from its entertainment value and it's an entry I'd recommend to newcomers and long-time fans alike.

Gundam Thunderbolt (2015 - 2016)

Power. Pure. Simple. Power.

Adapted from the manga written and illustrated by Yasuo Ohtagaki, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt takes place in the Universal Century timeline and is centered on two characters: Ensign Io Flemming, a soldier in the Earth Federation and Daryl Lorenz, the best sniper in the Principality of Zeon. Ensign Flemming and his team are called to action when Zeon forces attack the Thunderbolt Sector. Daryl shoots down Io's entire squadron with his superb skills, but before he can Sieg Zeon, Io hijacks a Zaku belonging to one of Dayrl's squad mates and executes him on camera for all to see. To say our hero has a mean-streak is putting it mildly. Daryl vows to get revenge for his fallen comrade and Io welcomes the opportunity to kill him the next time they meet. And so begins a rivalry that will tear the Thunderbolt Sector asunder.

We ain't talking SD.

If you're a long-time Gundam fan you'll notice Gundam Thunderbolt has similarities to Stardust Memory in that we have a plot that follows two characters. What's interesting about Thunderbolt is that  it plays with our perceptions of who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. Daryl Lorenz is a Zeon pilot and while that would place him in the role of the villain (given Zeon's history) he's actually portrayed in a sympathetic manner. Lorenz cares about his comrades and just wants for the war to end as soon as possible. On the other hand, while Io Flemming is a Federation pilot and technically the good guy he's quite the sociopath. He revels in battles, shows no hesitation in killing, and he lusts for the power that only Gundam can give him. Simply put, if you gave Dio Brando a Gundam he'd be Io Flemming.

Someone Kickstart a real-life Gundam. I NEED this in my life.

The animation is Gundam Unicorn level while the art has a gritty, realism not often seen in this franchise. This is a dark, grim, unfriendly Gundam that lacks the bright pastels in say Gundam Seed or Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans. The episodes have plenty of character development and action, but the first episode in particular had a sequence where Gundam Thunderbolt made its debut and this was especially well-done because it emphasized the power and the fear these mobile suits bring to the battlefield. We see the Gundam Thunderbolt in action from the perspective of Zeon and this Gundam is a monster to behold. As a long-time fan of Gundam I've been waiting for the series to return to a more mature atmosphere. This isn't the Dawson's Creek-era of Gundam Seed and the characters don't run on nakama power like those in Iron Blooded Orphans. This is dark, gritty story-telling that explores both the horrors of war and what it does to people with plenty of mechanized action along the way. Gundam Thunderbolt is exactly what long-time Gundam fans are looking for. Believe the hype.

Noblesse Awakening (2016)

Putting the bite back into vampires.

Written by Jeho Son and illustrated by Kwangsu Lee, Noblesse is a webtoon/manwha that centers on a powerful noble named Cadis Etrama Di Raziel (his friends call him Rai). After 820 years Rai awakens in South Korea and is amazed at the scientific advances mankind has made over the centuries. After meeting up with his servant Frankenstein, Rai enrolls in Ye Ran high school in order to get closer to humans and learn more about the modern world. Rai makes friends quickly, but it isn't long until they are attacked by a secret organization trying to harness the power of the Noblesse for themselves. Rai must protect his friends and keep the secrets of the Noblesse hidden at all costs.

And he don't sparkle.

If you follow me on Twitter or if you've visited my blog then you know I'm a big fan of Korean comics. Whether it's Veritas, Immortal Regis, Cavalier of the Abyss, or The Breaker I've never known Korea to disappoint. Paradoxically enough I'm most critical of the things I enjoy and so I was always hesitant to read webtoons because of their non-traditional style and its ever-increasing appeal to the mainstream. I gave the animation a shot on a whim and I was pleasantly surprised, maybe even astounded by its quality. The animation is superb as you would expect from Production I.G. and the score combines music from several genres. Rai's appearance is heralded by a brief, but noteworthy orchestral track while smooth jazz plays during the show's opening which takes aesthetic cues from Ergo Proxy.

The voice acting is quite good, although Rai's voice actor is particularly noteworthy. Tarusuke Shingaki does a great job of portraying the nuances in Rai's personality. Rai doesn't talk much so Shingaki makes each line count as he expresses Rai's kindness toward his friends and cold detachment from his enemies. During the fight scenes Rai is so calm it's almost creepy and he speaks with the authority of a god. The anime is pretty dark, but not without its bright spots. Noblesse is known for being quite funny when it wants to be and Noblesse: Awakening had several laugh out loud scenes. In one scene Rai is trying Korean food and when he smells garlic he immediately thinks his classmates are trying to kill him. He even carries a "If lost please call this number" card on him at all times. Because Rai is a fish out of water, he's somewhat inept in everyday situations like finding his way home.

Oh that fish out of water.

Noblesse: Awakening was intensely entertaining and you owe it to yourself to watch it. It's almost unprecedented that a Korean manhwa/webtoon has not only been animated, but has actually been released online for FREE. That's right action aficionados. Line Webtoon hosts Noblesse: Awakening on their website and Youtube page and they encourage you to share it with as many people as possible. "Worshiped by humans they were sometimes known as nobles, sometimes as rulers, and sometimes as gods."

Shuriken to Pleats

Growing through pain.

The Meiji Restoration was the start of a new age for Japan as the country changed from a feudal society to one driven by a market economy and heavily influenced by the West. This lead to a sharp rise in industrialization which strengthened Japan's military power. Unfortunately for the warrior class, the Meiji Restoration abolished the samurai system and many were faced with unemployment and poverty, while ninja were forced underground or abandoned their lifestyles completely. However, some managed to find a living by travelling overseas and becoming bodyguards or assassins for the rich and powerful. "Shuriken to Pleats" centers on Kirio Mikage - a young girl who is descended from one such clan and is currently under the employ of James G. Rodd. A kind and loving humanitarian, James treats Mikage more like a daughter than a shinobi and plans to adopt her officially. Before this can happen, he's assassinated by unknown assailants and Mikage finds herself alone in the world. To honor the wishes of her fallen master, Mikage tries to live life as a normal girl, but sinister forces at work will make that impossible.

 Kirio Mikage

Written by "Vampire Knight" mangaka Matsuri Hino, "Shuriken to Pleats" is a shoujo (girl's) comic with elements of action and romance. While I enjoy manga where the ladies take center stage, I typically stay away from shoujo as romance and friendship are themes I rarely find captivating. However, I was drawn to this manga because while those themes are still in play, they're not the major focus of the story. Shuriken to Pleats's major highlight are its characters and how they interact with one another. There isn't much of an emphasis on romantic interactions, but the nuances in human relationships and the dynamics thereof. Kirio Mikage is on a personal journey to find her place in a world that doesn't really need her while trying to find her own identity.

Promise ~

Mikage is a shinobi and only knows how to live in the darkness. Her clients have always treated her with fear or loathing, but this never bothered her because she sealed her emotions. She wasn't prepared when she became James' bodyguard and not only did he see her as a human being, but he grew to love her. Mikage herself couldn't help loving James in a way she couldn't really describe. After James was assassinated she was forced into a new, unfamiliar life, but it was one of emptiness and loneliness. Romance is the furthest thing from her mind as she's juggling an existential crisis that few would understand. Worse yet is that trouble seems to find her wherever she goes.

She will protect this life.

Mikage later encounters Wakashimatsu Mahito - a seemingly sinister individual with a sarcastic wit, pompous attitude, and stubborn streak. Despite being an abrasive individual, Mikage finds herself helping him because she remembers that her master would never leave a person in need. The plot thickens when the same assassins who are after Mahito may have been responsible for the death of James which forces Mikage to choose between pursuing her new life or blaze a trail towards vengeance. These are complicated situations for equally complicated characters and building these complex dramas is something that Matsuri Hino handles quite well.

Fighting for her future.

Fans of Matsuri Hino are familiar with her art style and several characters look like they walked out of Vampire Knight. The environments don't sport a whole lot of detail, but this is because each panel is drawn to emphasize the characters and the story unfolding between them not just in dialogue, but in their non-verbals such as their eyes. There is a painful story etched onto the faces of these characters.

Breathe

This is a manga that took me by surprise. As I mentioned I don't like shoujo, but this isn't a traditional shoujo-style manga. The characters struggle with deeper issues such as tragedy, family turmoil and self-perception. Matsuri Hino's artwork and writing are captivating. "Shuriken to Pleats" may not appeal to everyone, but I find it to be an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.