(This originally was a post by Sam aka Sorrow on the Real Man Club blog but I thought I would post it up for him and clarify he (Sam) is a Kamen Rider fan and I'm (Matt) not.)Since I am an avid watcher of Kamen Rider and Tokusatsu series in general I was looking for a new show to start. That show was the one and only Kamen Rider Blade. It ran from January 2004 to January 2005 and was proceeded by Kamen Rider 555. It's only been seven episodes so far and I'm already on the edge of my seat in every single episode. Before I go on I want to thank TV-Nihon for all their fan subbing over the years and making this review possible.
Ten thousand years ago, a massive battle known as the Battle Royal was fought by fifty-two Undead, each representing a species fighting for dominance over all others. The winner was the Human Undead, known as Category Two of Hearts, giving dominion of the Earth to humanity. In the present day, archaeologists discover the sealed Undead, and accidentally set them free. Thus, a new Battle Royal begins. Having developed the Rider System, based on the Joker's ability to copy sealed Undead, the organization BOARD equips two young men, who become Kamen Riders: Kazuma Kenzaki and Sakuya Tachibana fight together as Kamen Rider Blade and Kamen Rider Garren to protect humans from Undead and seal them. Also fighting Undead is the mysterious Chalice, a Kamen Rider whose purpose is unknown. In addition, a young man struggles to free himself from the control of the sealed Undead powering his own Undead-made Rider System, fighting as Kamen Rider Leangle. (Taken from Wikipedia)
This series is just plain fun. Kenzaki has one of the coolest henshins I've ever seen. Yet he seems so weak in the first two episodes and you start to have your doubts. Also, sealing the monsters in cards was kind of lame for me at first, yet it grew on me really quick.
Like always you have your henshin heroes that ride their badass motorcycles and OF COURSE transform (henshin) when they are riding. The beginning isn't as cool as the first couple episodes of Kabuto with Souji Tendou aka the motherfucking man, but it will get you to keep watching. It's good to start watching all these series since I watched all Decade and probably missed something when Tsukasa went to all the different worlds.
Now let me move onto the cons of this fun to watch series. You have to understand that Kamen Rider is usually made for younger audiences so sometimes you just have to ignore the cheesy lines or guys becoming friends but sound really homo when they are talking about it. Then again TV-Nihon's subs make up for it all by having the characters curse. I'm pretty sure their favorite phrase has got to be, "Don't fuck with me!!!"
If you have never seen Kamen Rider then I wouldn't start with this series because even though it's a great watch so far it doesn't capture that true Kamen Rider sense at first like W, Decade, or Kabuto will. I mean you can start with this series, don't get me wrong but I would recommend Kabuto because of its epicness. Just remember kids if you're ever in trouble yell HENSHIN and something cool might happen!
