It's showtime!

Originally posted on http://obsessive-geek.blogspot.com/

So Kamen Rider Fourze has ended it's journey. In it's place is a tale of doughnuts, hope, and really talky henshin belts. This is Kamen Rider Wizard.

Plot: The stage is set and the rolls are cast for this performance of The Ring Bearing Wizard. Haruto Sohma is the titular Wizard, with the ability to change elements. He meets Detective Rinko Daimon, who desires to stop the Phantoms (this year's monsters of the week) even tough there's now way to hurt them without magic. Meanwhile, the Minataurus Phantom has his eyes set on releasing the Phantom inside Rinko.

And Now, Onto The Review! 

I miss the compound eyes

 The Ring Bearing Wizard  is heavy on action and exposition. We learn the basics of the series, the motivation of Rinko, and get a feel for Haruto's personality. We also get to know the series' main theme: hope.

You know that Kamen Riders: Men Of Hope article I wrote? Well,  I looks like Toei decided to take hope from subtext to outright main theme. Hope is what saved Haruto from becoming a Phantom. He then proceeds to bring Rinko hope. And the main villains' plan to cause people to lose hope and have more Phantoms be born. 

Our hero, ladies and gentlemen

 Haruto seems to be a more laid back than most riders.  He fights as Wizard like he barely is breaking a sweat. He never seems to get angry and is all in all very relaxed to the fact he fights monsters for a living. He genuinely a friendly guy who doesn't want to see people get hurt. Also, he like doughnuts.

Rinko's our perspective character for this series. She's thrust in head first into the world of magic and monsters during what looks like a raid. Despite the fact that conventional weapons are useless against the monsters, she still feels that she has to do as her father did. She really wants to protect people, no matter what.

I'm not kidding when I say Haruto makes fighting look easy as Wizard. Props to Seiji Takaiwa (whose done 12 out of the 14 Heisei era main riders) for making Kamen Rider Wizard look so good.

While I would have liked to see more character interaction and see more of the main villains (The Phoenix and Medusa Phantoms only get one scene where they tell Minataurus to stop making excuses and do his job), but overall, good action and solid characters so far. See you all for episode two.