Late to the Shinkenger party...
Nov. 23rd, 2009 12:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I watched the first ep ages ago, then promptly got distracted by other things. This past week I watched a bit more, because frankly I feel intrigued and left out... specially lately. *cough* 8D
Anyway, I've only watched the first four eps, but so far I can say:
☆ Takeru is (to me) by far the most interesting character. Apparently some people think he's a mean poopiehead, but I disagree, I think he behaves how he does because, firstly, he's really not used to being able to relate to people on a personal level, because by necessity he's *~tono-sama~*, and also because... it's a war, and he's a warrior, and that's just how it has to be. But at any rate, I like him a lot.
☆ Chiaki is an adorable little brat. :D
☆ Kotoha is... just there. She's cute and harmless and unobjectionable, and the sort of character that is utterly forgettable to me. :D;;
☆ Ryunosuke is totally ridiculous. But I love that, because it's all about making fun of and abusing Aiba, and I can totally get behind that. I can also TOTALLY get behind anyone smacking him or shooting him down, and so it should be no surprise that's just one factor in why...
☆ MAKO IS KIND OF TOTALLY AWESOME \:D/
I mean, come ON. First the totally deadpan way she tells Ryunosuke he's disgusting when he drops pants to change (I too would totally tell Aiba he's disgusting if he did that in front of me!), then the way she blithely shoots him down after he got the wrong impression of why she was nice to him. And then the lulzy irony of wanting to be a "normal bride" and... it turns out that she sucks at "bride things". And I was just dying when she attacked the food she was cooking with a sword. 8D
Anyway, I've only watched the first four eps, but so far I can say:
☆ Takeru is (to me) by far the most interesting character. Apparently some people think he's a mean poopiehead, but I disagree, I think he behaves how he does because, firstly, he's really not used to being able to relate to people on a personal level, because by necessity he's *~tono-sama~*, and also because... it's a war, and he's a warrior, and that's just how it has to be. But at any rate, I like him a lot.
☆ Chiaki is an adorable little brat. :D
☆ Kotoha is... just there. She's cute and harmless and unobjectionable, and the sort of character that is utterly forgettable to me. :D;;
☆ Ryunosuke is totally ridiculous. But I love that, because it's all about making fun of and abusing Aiba, and I can totally get behind that. I can also TOTALLY get behind anyone smacking him or shooting him down, and so it should be no surprise that's just one factor in why...
☆ MAKO IS KIND OF TOTALLY AWESOME \:D/
I mean, come ON. First the totally deadpan way she tells Ryunosuke he's disgusting when he drops pants to change (I too would totally tell Aiba he's disgusting if he did that in front of me!), then the way she blithely shoots him down after he got the wrong impression of why she was nice to him. And then the lulzy irony of wanting to be a "normal bride" and... it turns out that she sucks at "bride things". And I was just dying when she attacked the food she was cooking with a sword. 8D
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Date: 2009-11-23 07:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-23 07:08 am (UTC)(Also, it really helps to be told that no one will shun you if you skip the giant lego battles :D;;)
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Date: 2009-11-23 07:13 am (UTC)No one really do. \:D/ I tend to stare blankly at the screen too during the 'mecha' scenes. 8D;
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Date: 2009-11-23 07:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-23 07:28 am (UTC)Mako IS totally awesome. I won't spoil the details of the particular ep where she totally became one of my favorite Pinks, but Mako as a character is one strong, levelheaded person.
Chiaki will just keep getting more and more moe as the series goes on, trust me. I personally think that Tono beats him out in the moe department, however...
Speaking of Takeru and what you said about him: THIS. ARGH THIS. It's different for people who aren't familiar with bushido/ the way of the samurai and all that it entails in terms of one's behavior, so Takeru's attitude has been misread a lot by fandom. Dear oh dear.
Shinkenger is interesting to me as a kendo kenshi because each character is finding their interpretation of their own bushido. : D of course, I do like the other bits about it, too!
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Date: 2009-11-23 08:16 am (UTC)I don't really think it's necessary to have extensive knowledge of bushido to understand where Takeru is coming from, I think all it takes is, you know, being able to go beyond OMG WHY IS HE MEAN* and having the capacity to try to understand the circumstances that shape his behavior as they are presented even though they are different from those of normal people. I mean, to me, it's totally rational and logical in a setting where lives are very much at stake (not just yours, but those of people you're supposed to protect), for a leader to say that just trying isn't enough, that if you're not going to put yourself out there and do whatever is necessary, you're just in the way. It's harsh, yes, but it's the way it has to be.
That said, I do know just enough about bushido to think this is a very intriguing angle, and I'd love to hear more about it from you... probably when I'm further along. :D
*As I told Dimmie, I actually would not describe Takeru as "mean" or "an ass" or anything like that. Stern, totally, but assy? Not by a long shot.
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Date: 2009-11-23 08:46 am (UTC)The fact that they are essentially a battalion makes it even moreso, IMO.
I actually should compile up a big ol' "Shinkenger and Bushido" post thingy...when I have more time. Gah.
Takeru is a bit distant and certainly a stickler for decorum. I agree with you though, he isn't assy...unless you are talking about Dat Ass > >
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Date: 2009-11-23 09:22 am (UTC)Is it maybe because we're used to Toast-buchou, Mura? I meant, Takeru is a lot like Tezuka, I think, in the beginning. Stern, no-nonsense, very serious and cool under pressure, expects the best from his team, etc.
For me, at least, that's one of the reasons I never thought Takeru as 'mean' or 'an ass'.
I agree with
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Date: 2009-11-23 12:29 pm (UTC)But the thing is, I never thought Tezuka was mean. I used to think he was boring, but I never thought he was mean.
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Date: 2009-11-23 01:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-23 09:18 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-11-23 12:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-23 01:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-23 01:02 pm (UTC)Ah well. C'est la vie.
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Date: 2009-11-23 01:05 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-11-23 01:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-23 01:12 pm (UTC)I have so much boredom :D/
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Date: 2009-11-23 01:15 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-11-23 01:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-23 04:54 pm (UTC)Mako is awesome. She's the bijin type that's not like "nyaaaaa Takeru-kun, save me from this terrible monster >.<" which I hate the most 8D; She's serious, not selfish and her behaviour is awesome xD
Btw, yeah, I ship Takeru/Mako ¦D~
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Date: 2009-11-23 05:26 pm (UTC)This does not surprise me at all. XD
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Date: 2009-11-23 10:40 pm (UTC)