Subscribe: Podcast Addict, iTunes, Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RSS
I will be discussing: The Bad and Good of Geats 03 and peak design.
CREDITS
Kamen Rider Geats 03 Encounter II: Zombie Hunting – September 18, 2022
Writer: Yuya Takahashi
Director: Teruaki Sugihara
SYNOPSIS
Keiwa continues to worry about Takahito, who had disappeared in an attack by the Jyamato. Neon continues to do her live-streaming activities against the wishes of her mother, who is strictly opposed to her influencer occupation.
When Ace becomes a new star in Neon’s livestream show, they are suddenly attacked by Jyamato, and Tsumuri calls for a special edition of the Desire Grand Prix, called the Zombie Grand Prix. Can our heroes survive?!
BAD
-I want Handsome Daan-Pa back! This kid who has it now doesn’t really make sense to me. He is effectively written as a character to root against, but unless there is more to him, this is not a well-constructed foil.
-There weren’t enough extras to really sell the idea that Keiwa was earning so many points by saving people. Later when Mary said it, there was not a SINGLE civilian to be saved, so that came off odd
GOOD
-These helmet designs are so good. Each one has a lot of detail, personality and charter put into them. Buffa has hair. Daan-Pa has a expressive mouth and looks playful and sinister depending on the angle. Na-Go has beautiful detailing that make it feel elegant and ancient, but still dangerous. Tycoon has some personality, but I haven’t seen enough. I think Geats and Tycoon are both kind of these blank slates that can evoke different feelings as needed.
-I like the fact that we don’t really know what everyone’s desire is and how that makes for tension, mystery and character moments. For example when Neon said she wished for her prince, we got that background detail on her through Keiwa’s flashback. Later on she hinted that her desire was something else entirely and it seems she was misleading the others. The presence of a secret desire adds intrigue and opportunities for misdirection. It is almost like there are two games at play, that against the Jamato and that against the other players. That layering is fun.
-Keiwa being rewarded for saving people is cool. I especially like that he got BOOST. I wonder if he will get the bike or if he could get BOOSTED arrows, that would be cool.
QUESTIONS
-Are we getting a different rule at the end of each episode?
-Is it fair that Geats keeps using the environment to win rounds? Do you like that?
-Is Ace going to get called a toxic gamer for schooling Na-Go on how to defeat the zombie horde? That was a fun moment.
SCORE
Episode 3 – 8/10
The action was top-notch. The characters have me hooked and I am excited at the meta-game going on between them even more than the Jamato aspect of the DGP. I like the rules of the game and the world being slowly shown as needed by the story.
REFLECTIONS
What is the value of peak design?
SOURCES
More from MJ
MJ Muñoz 