Overview
Kamen Rider Faiz is declared by many of the Kamen Rider fandom to be one of the best Kamen Rider show with tones of fans for this show and the Darkest Kamen Rider show their is. It is with my full honestly if someone actually dose say this is that Darkest Rider show their is just ignore them, to be honest this is not that dark at all (their was a bit where it was a bit dark but not really to be honest) and also their are more darker Rider shows out their like Black, Kuuga, and the current Kamen Rider series Kamen Rider Gaim (I really do mean it Gaim is a hella more darken then this show). The main reason why I decide to review this shoe it because it is the 10 year anniversary of Kamen Rider Faiz and since it is that I thank I should put the spotlight on this show. Is this really the best Rider show their is, dose it deserve the parse by it many fans and is this show any good, well START UP for Kamen Faiz.
The Show
Episode 1 "The Start of a Trip": The show begins with one of our main charters Kiba Yuji and well he dies basically and is reborn as the main monster for the show called Orphnoch, the Orphnochs are all white/grey color and they also part animal and they are the next stage of humanity, and all of always blue fire on them and then turn to sand. Many of the fans do not like the Orphnochs because they are bland and don't show that much detail, personally I like the Orphnoch design a bit more then other people since why dose an enemy monster have to be multi color and can't for once can't we have for once have all monsters be the some color (more or less for once). We latter cut to one of our main charters Mari and with her she is careening the Faiz Driver and when she is attacked by an Orphnoch we are FINALLY introduce to our main Rider for this season Inui Takumi, Mari then puts the Faiz driver on Takumi and the Faiz Driver is the most practical rider belt their is since the main component for the Faiz Driver is that it has a cell phone which can also turn into an gun, how to become Faiz is pressing 555 (what is use to press before calling) and speaking of which the Faiz suite. The Faiz suite is inserting to say the least, I do like the colors Red, Black, and Silver for the main color choices, I do like a red line connecting the all around it, and overall it's simplistic and nice looking (also his head looks like his Mission Memory), his Rider Kick is a drill with cyber stuff sounding it (look it up for your self so it can be better explain). One of the things I like about Faiz is his Bike the Autovajin which is basically a transformer. When Faiz defeat the Orphnoch Mari tells him she has to bring the belt to japan to deliver the belt to he father at the company Smart Brain (the giant named corruption for the show). This first episode brought some differences from normal rider series like not introduce the main rider in the begging and shows some one else using the belt to transform (given the right rider show) and felt different over all, latter on we would meet more of our charters like Keitaro, Yuka, and Kaidou. Episode 13 "Friend of Foe?": When the charters have to fight one of the sub villains for this season called lucky clover one of their members is stopped by a mysterious rider and that rider would be Kamen Rider Kaixa. The main holder for the Kaixa suite would not be introduce until a few episodes and we meet Kusaka who for most of the first episode we see him he always his hands (more on that latter) and through out most of the show he is too a jerk and is MADLY IN LOVE WITH MARI like mega levels of creepy, and it is all just creepy to watch. Kaixa suite is inserting as in that his phone is more of a slider phone and opens from the side, I also like his suite design it's a lot like Faiz with being different. I also like his weapon too the KaixaBlaygun where it is a giant X for the base of the handle but can also be a light saber and a gun which is cool, his bike the SideBasshar is also a transformer too but dose not have an AI but it is more like a Meach and his rider kick is the same as Faiz but he kick the enemy and then the cyber drill appears. Another impotent detail about the few episodes that fallow this one is that their is an 3rd belt the Delta Driver, with white lining, has a gun for it's transformation which he also shouts "Henshin" to transform, and when it kills a Orphnoch it leaves a trail of red fire, also the Jet Sliger is an awesome giant motorcycle also his kick is the same as the other 2 but use both feat. Surprising the first person to wear the suite is an girl. She dies just like a helpless girl and we don't see her henshining, I will give more on my thoughts latter on that and it's more or less one of Mari friends being Delta for the rest of the show. Episode 36 "Restored Memories": Now their has been a sub plot about both Mari and Kusaka school reunion about something tragic happen the night of their reunion and it has been in mystery and it is finally shown to us what it is. The lead up for this is when Mari dies (just 1 punch to the gut and instance death and it is complete BULL SHIT even if it is an Orphnoch it would just put her in bad shape) and Takumi get's so pissed off that he decides to revile he is an ORPHNOIC. And this has currently only been done 1 other time and that is Eiji from Kamen Rider OOO turning into a Greed but Eiji turned back into an human (the only other time this has also happen so far is Wataru from Kamen Rider Kiva with because but this only half counts since in the show he is half Fangire and not 100% Fangire), what happens was that when it was the night of Mari's and Kusaka's reunion all of their class mates die but those too, it was believed that it was Takumi that killed everyone and for a while Takumi isolate himself from the others and inserting arc but latter we see that it was the bull Orphnoch that did this and gave Takumi amnesia and made him forget what happen, to makes matters worst he is shown a video showing that he cause it (sense he has amnesia) and latter would he did not do it and latter rejoin the group. this was a first time for Kamen Rider and was something of a twits and all around enjoyable (also Takumi Orphnoch from looks really cool or I think that because I REALLY LOVES WOLFS because their are my favorite animals). How ever their is 1 flaw that I have with this, 1 I do not believe that you can not get amnesia from getting hit in your back no matter how much force it is, even by an Orphnoch. Well that is just me over think that anyways after that Takumi get's the Faiz Blaster (that is what it is called from the toy) and is Kamen Rider Faiz Blaster Mode, it's just a repain of Kamen Faiz but with a jetpack/ machine gun, and to be honest the weakest design from all of Faiz. My favorite form Faiz is Faiz Accel form which I love seeing the extra detail on the chest, the red lines becoming white looks amazing, and I do like the Faiz Accel watch, final note he is super fast and that is cool (ever if it dose last for 10 seconds. Episode 50 "My Dream": In the Last couple of episodes their has been this subplot about this kid named Tereuo and latter learn that he is the Orphnoch King and if the Orphnoch King is killed all Orphnochs will die. The ending felt rushed, liked Takumi being captured and then release could have an episode on it's own and the fight between both Yuji and Takumi could have been the lead up for the final episode. (Personal complaint how did both Takumi and Yuji get upgraded forms to their Orphnoch forms?). Now the back story on how the Belts were made was that the Belts were originally made for the Orphnoch King to protect him and if you look closely at him the 3 rider design are based off his design which I thought was something inserting. In the final moments of the episode when Yuji sacrifice himself the ending makes it like all of this was a dream. Look at the Dialog what the charters are saying, another thing I have to complain about is that it looks like they are setting up a sequel for the show with the Orphnoch King still living, (which would seem like something in a crappy M.Night Shyamalan movie)and the 1 thing that I did not like at all was with Takumi saying dialog Keitaro has, that I did not like. So this ending sucked because it sorta like a dream but I do have some good things too, like the fights in the final episode were all great given the story and what we know of the charters. But this is at lease a week ending compere to other Rider show that has come before and after.
The Charters
Takumi/Kamen Rider Faiz: Takumi is a jerk through and through and that is how I describe him through out most of the series as a jerk and also he is an Nekojita which is Japanese for one who can not eat hot foods or a wimp. but also he dose not have any confidence in his self and afraid that he will let people down. What Makes Takumi different again is that he is also an Orphnoch (it was never said on how he became an Orphnoch but what ever) this made a arc of him secluding himself throughout a few episodes and made him sorta a loner too. But to be honest it took FOREVER for me to like him mainly because of the fact that he is just a jerk and it would not until the almost final 10 episodes for me to like him.
Kusaka/Kamen Rider Kaixa: OK I'm just getting this out their Kaixa is an DICK. and that pretty much sums him up he is just a DICK, an example is when like Yuji was badly injured he just did nothing to help Yuji, he also kills Orphnochs even the good ones that were trying to be good and help out the heroes. And he will stop a nothing from keeping him from loving Yuri because (I AM NOT JOKEING THIS WAS FROM THE SHOW IT SELF) Mari would make a great mother for him. When Kaixa died I did not care about him nor did I sad when he died, no when that happen I was just laughing when he died (also specking of Kaixa death from clips of the Heisei Riders VS Showa Riders movie it looks like Kaixa death has been retcon but that that is for another day). Also fun fact their is a day named after him and it's called "Kaixa Day" and it is what you might think it is, a day where you act like a DICK to someone and it is every September 13.
Yuji: Yuji out of the main 3 Orphnochs has the most charter development and shows. he pretty much lost his girlfriend when he became an Orphnoch, he was always a nice guy when we he was human. When he was an Orphnoch he always defend for himself and try and defeat the enemy (despite not being that strong). But like Near the end his charter change and he let go of his humanity and became allied with the Orphnoch which I which had a bit more built up to becoming allied with the Orphnochs. but I give him this when he sacrifice himself to defeat the Orphnoch King that was a great way for him redeeming himself.
Side Charters: for this season I thought the support charters range from good, to passable, to some bland or just not interesting charters which is an surprise even for me. And the Support charters for this season are Mari, Keitaro, Yuka, Kaidou, Mihara,and Rina.
The Music
I'm not going to lie I seriously was thinking about putting the music as part of the Good on this review but their are 2 reasons why I did not do that and I will explain but right now let's talk about the main tracks for the show. JustiÏ's is really fantastic sense it is done by my FAVORITE Tokusatsu band of all time Physic Lover (and I will praise more of their work on this Blog) it's start off slow and built up with a lot of techno beats and I just like the Lyrics, Dead or alive for the first fight theme was a fun additive resistive song that had a nice level from the singer, The people with no name is a lot of people favorite song from Faiz and I see why and I like it too it's fast past a lot of guitar in it and a rocking beat, EGO (Eyes Glazing Over) has a nice tone, loud and the begging and jut addicting. is great to here, DELTA STRIP-White Ring for being Delta's theme I love how it begins off slow and is like nothing is their and it just stops then picks up with and the extended parts from the singer was cool but my favorite part from the song is when the singer says "DELTA". Kaixa theme KAIXA nized dice is 1 reason on why did not put this on The Good part on my review, not just because I hate him or the them, I actually did like the theme with it begging up with a organ techno drums and has a lot of different tones and that awesome guitar riff in it but I swear I never heard this in the show once and it has to be in the show to make it on The Good on these reviews of mine. And their are also the inserts song that did not fit with the show with like a country guitar in the other songs just did not fit the show, it's like the Digimon Zero Two movie Hurricane Touchdown where the music was just out of place and hinder the enjoyment (that and also a none sensual plot that made no sense what so ever and being too long and glad the American version cuts it down). Digi-Ranger Jukebox Recomedation: Everyone's favorite song from the show The people with no name.
The Good
The 3 main Orphnoch: The thing I liked most about Faiz was the 3 main Orphnochs sense I enjoy their backstories all were tragic and sad in 1 way or another. I like the end results that each be became one would be the villain, one would die, and one would good again.
The Relationship between Takumi and Yuji: This in my option is probably one of the shining moments for a show because you could see how both are reacting to this when 1 is sad the other cheer them up and this got even more intense when Takumi became an Orphnoch their friendship was pushed even more to the limited. And the fight scene between both of them were great and the final fight between both of them is something you should watch.
Takumi is an Orphnoch: This was a big twist for the show and it shows and it's like a giant WOW moment, I mean the Main hero is actually one of the villain is just a sight to behold.
The Bad
The Riders Losing their Belts: This is more of an nit pick but the Riders always lost their belts like a lot and it actually shows their week and not strong in the slightest. And it shows how easy to get and lose one of these belts.
The Faiz Gear: This is more like a nick pick rally where, just where did all of this Faiz gear come from like the Accel watch, the Faiz Blaster, or even the Bikes, it was implied that it was Mari's and Kusaka's step father that was sending all this stuff to him but where did he get it. What it really comes down to is just more toys more money.
Lucky Clover: I thought these were sorta week villains because they were introduce way early into the show and they are the best of the best which they always lost 1 member a lot. And even if you have an Orphnoch that destroys everything he touches you got another one who sucks his thumb like a baby, and to be honest some were not inserting.
The Women: In my humble option these are some of the weakest written females in a Toku PEROID. My main blame is the writer himself Toshiki Inoue who treats a lot of his women like week girls who die in the most none excitable death ever. 1 thing is Mari she dies from just a punch to the gut and I do not care even if it is an Orphnoch still you should survive. Or the fact their was 2 female Deltas, the first one was describe an super powerful and OP but she dies like a week little girl and we never got to see her Henshin, and the 2nd one she is Delta for like less then 30 seconds. Also a lot of the men fell in love with Mari just by looking at her, but as a guy taking she is really not all that pretty, mainly why I say that is that all I saw throughout most of the show with her was a blank expression and an
Dull Surprise.
The Charters: Again in my option these are some of the weakest charters EVER in a Toku I have ever seen and is my Option. Takumi was just a jerk and it took forever for me to like him, Kusaka was just DICK and did not like him what so ever, Mari well Dull Surprise, Keitaro I did like him but was not use that often near the end, Yuji again I did like him but near the end man he lost some charter about him, Yuka was a sad story and did not hater that much but her death (just I hate Toshiki Inoue and how he writes his women), the ONLY CHARTER I did really like and I can say is my favorite is Kaidou because he was funny, he was full of energy, I enjoy him and he is just a cool guy (also his actor Mitsuru Karahashi would latter play Juzo form Shinkenger so he get's brownie points). Everyone else I did not care for, or horrible charter, or just had no personally what so ever. It's not like Kamen Rider Kuuga where the charters are all likeable or like Digimon Frontier where all the charters were relatable, just about all of these charters suck.
Final Verdict
5/10
To be honest Faiz is OVERATED
I'm not going to bash Faiz to much because their are a lot of Faiz fans out their so I won't coastally putting my hate on this show sense it has some really bad charters and poorly written females. If you do wana see this then go a head you may like it more then me which is probably a majority of people then go a head, but still this is not the darkest rider show their is. For alternate Recommendations if you want a Kamen Rider show that has better charters that are likeable then I recommend Kamen Rider Kuuga, and also if you want a dark and spy theme (O yah Faiz is also a bit spy theme, did not see that what so ever) then their is Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters.
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