Kamen Rider Ex-Aid: Initial Thoughts and Reactions
Gaming and Kamen Rider seem like two things that a) go together and b) I would like a lot, so it's not at all a surprise that I was excited for this season of Kamen Rider. Traditionally I've found it a bit more uneven from season to season than, say, Super Sentai; either I love it immensely, hate it completely, or am supremely indifferent to it, but it always creates extreme feelings in me. Thus far, every third series has landed squarely in the love column. Will Ex-Aid continue the streak? Let's find out.
I love when a multiple Rider system is set in place early on. We have three Riders in two episodes, representing two different video game genres (platformers and fantasy RPGs). The MC is kind of what we've come to expect recently; he's a young man in his early twenties with a mostly lackadaisical approach to life who is suddenly thrown into a situation where he can sink or swim, but he has to choose one. I think this works for Kamen Rider, especially when he's given a vast array of foils in the form of secondary Riders. Emu is not a bad example of this Everyman-type of guy, but in a season with only two Riders it would probably get old quickly.
Combining the video game aspect with the surgery aspect makes for some good metaphor and establishment of stakes. I think it was a good decision to use duality to great effect in this season, because the nature of a Kamen Rider is one of duality, generally between humanity and whatever threatens humanity. I look forward to seeing how Emu interacts with the other staff members at the hospital, as we’ve already gotten a hint at some of the dynamics within it. Of the hospital staff, my favorite character thus far is Budget Kyary...er, Poppy. I definitely loved the Grudge Girl reference in episode 2--at least I think it was intended to be a reference. Her character also involves duality between her two selves: the energetic Poppy versus the reserved Asuna. I suppose Poppy is supposed to be the real self while Asuna is the mask; perhaps we’ll see some merging of the two or reversal in that vein in contrast with Emu going from being the doctor/gamer to the full-fledged Kamen Rider.
I have no doubt that Kamen Rider Ex-Aid will continue to excite and interest me, so (at least until we get a new Kamen Rider reviewer :P) I’ll be doing more straightforward episode reviews from here on out. I find that this season seems to have every element of the series as a whole that I like to see in Kamen Rider to the right degrees, and with just the right amount of shadiness in the background. I can’t wait to learn more and goomba stomp/Phoenix Down/EWGF my way through this new series. The aesthetic, the plot, the characters, everything grabs me and makes my body ready for more.
