REVIEW: Ghost 20
So I think I’ve figured out the formula of Ghost that makes it so good. What it basically does is takes the tired old plots and clichés of tokusatsu past and redoes them, except making it fresh, different, new and good again. Going into this episode I felt quite nervous since we’ve seen the plot of a monster-of-the-week becoming sympathetic quite a few times (more so in Super Sentai if memory serves me correctly). But Ghost really did something new with it and made me realise that pattern I outlined above. In short this episode is great.
The reason why I say this episode/arc makes this clichéd plot good again is for a couple reasons. Firstly, it really feels like these episodes with the Painter Ganma (who I really hope our heroes name considering the events of the episode) have an impact beyond these past two episodes. Usually this plotline comes as a sort of filler arc to make up time and for a few chuckles; but with Ghost’s use of it, the trope feels like it is going to go beyond a few episodes. Not only is this because the Painter Ganma survives after the inevitable sacrifice, but it genuinely affects the plot in numerous ways. For instance the heroes now have a Ganma they can ask questions/study and with Takeru’s successful befriending of the Ganma and many characters have now hopefully been convinced that reconciliation between humans and Ganma can occur.
Another way the plot is made new is how this idea of reconciliation being possible is beautifully blended into Alain’s current plotline. This is since, by again seeing Takeru successfully being friends with the Painter Ganma, he is now realising that the two species don’t have to be enemies. On top of that it’s helping his feelings on Makoto evolve further. At any point during Takeru and Kanon’s attempts to free Makoto, he could have intervened and stopped them from rescuing him. But he didn’t. On top of that we have been seeing over the past few weeks that Alain is dissatisfied with a Makoto that is soulless, and as the episode says, heartless. Rather than showing that Alain is dissatisfied with a controlled Makoto because it isn’t entertaining, I honestly think it’s because he genuinely cares for Makoto. Why? Well Alain realising this is due to Takeru and the Painter Ganma’s relationship. It’s all tied together.
Furthermore, it feels fresher due to the time the plot takes, its tone and its outcome. Usually with this sort of plot where we gain sympathy for a MOW, it’s usually done for a few chuckles and usually ends in tragedy. However with the Painter Ganma, despite a good amount of clichéd moments, the show takes its time with the Ganma’s friendship with Takeru. By having time to digest and expand on it beyond the usual episode, nuances and depth can become apparent such as when the Ganma protests against Takeru’s request to stop painting. As for the tone, the plotline never feels like it’s used for a cheap laugh/joke such as in the case of the Jealousto and to an extent Roiimude 072. The plot gains more significance because it’s not treated like a joke and so becomes better.
As I said earlier, the outcome of the plot, where the Painter Ganma doesn’t die, really made the plot feel fresh for me. Throughout the whole arc I saw the flags of the Painter Ganma’s death everywhere and was a bit disappointed, at the time, about the outcome. But the fact that the Ganma survived was so refreshing and bizarrely new. On top of that it lead to all of that cool stuff I mentioned above about how the Painter Ganma surviving helps in expanding the longer narrative arc.
But what about other aspects of the episode? Well honestly the stuff I’ve said above is what I really wanted to say about the episode and why I find it so good. The acting is as usual good, so is the fighting and the ‘quality’ of the episode is quite alright. There are a handful of things I wanna quickly mention before signing off though. Firstly the reveal at the end of Eadith having the same actor as the hermit really was no surprise due to leaks from the magazine scans. I really hope they aren’t going to re-hash the DJ Sagra plot again. I do feel Ghost is doing a bit of a best-of Kamen Rider plotlines deal where it takes old plots and makes them better, but there is a point where it is going to become derivative.
Also to no-one’s surprise, (and because of its rushed last minute reveal, to a comedic effect) Makoto’s body is still in the Ganma world. This has been telegraphed a mile away so I don’t feel too shocked by it, but I’m quite glad it here. Firstly because it adds more drama to the overall conflict and Makoto has a personal stake in it. Secondly because it reveals more about Alain’s changing attitudes since if Makoto’s body is in the Ganma world, why hasn’t Alain killed him yet. Thirdly, it brings up some very interesting questions about Makoto’s rider powers and how he is in the human world. Finally, it could also be a way to introduce Deep Spectre since there has to be some kind of side effect to having your physical body being in the Ganma world for so long.
So the only reason why this review seems like less than what I usually write is because all I didn’t have anything aesthetic/design wise to talk about. This is kind of a god thing in my eyes since I was getting a bit tired of constantly having to talk about a new design and it shows that the program is slowing down a bit in regards to new forms, which allows for more quality story stuff like this to happen, which is great. So yeah, great episode with some great plot impact, go check it out!
