What are your thoughts on Kamen Rider Zeztz 10? Honestly?

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VIDEO

Kamen Rider Zeztz 10 Review – Case 10: Vanish

By MJ Muñoz
Rider Tears – Honest Kamen Rider Commentary

Dream Logic, Mystery Threads, and a Goofy New Form

Case 10: Vanish is one of those episodes where Zeztz fires on multiple cylinders at once. The action pops, the dream-world visuals get even weirder, the ongoing mysteries deepen, and the show slips in some silliness that works… and some that definitely doesn’t.

Let’s break down what stood out.

The Nightmare: A Wild, Almost Digimon-ish Design

The Nightmare of the week looks like a demonic Mickey Mouse mixed with a sheep or a dust bunny, complete with crazy oversized glasses. Honestly, its vocal performance even reminded me of English Etemon from Digimon. I don’t know what Japanese Etemon sounded like, but the vibe felt close enough that the comparison stuck.

Dream Architecture Level-Up

Once again, the dream world steals the show.
The art museum with its upside-down pyramid structure (another Digimon reference? There is an Etemon connection going back to Digimon Adventure…) creates a surreal, unsettling space. But the highlight is the live projection gimmick:

• Screens display the action as low-res projections, not clean CG.
• We see Zetz vs the Nightmare.
• We see Nox trying to shoot Zero.
• The grainy projector look makes it feel dreamlike and unstable.

Then Zeztz charges through the projection screen and transitions into the next location. It’s clever, stylish, and memorable, exactly the kind of dream-logic flourish this series excels at.

I wanted to praise this up front, because soon I’ll be criticizing the mechanics around the forms and the capsems.

Barrier Form: Cool Pieces, Silly Face

Let’s talk about Esprim Barrier.

I really like the big arm pieces he chops with. Individually, they look solid.
But when Zetz brings them together and they form a kind-of-sort-of face?
Yeah… it looks goofy. Really goofy.

In Kamen Rider OOO, combining parts made sense visually and thematically (cobra, tortoise, crocodile). In anime like Digimon, WarGreymon pulling a shield forward looks cool because the medium supports that kind of exaggeration.

Barrier’s “face shield” just doesn’t land. It’s not visually cohesive, and it doesn’t feel grounded in the show’s logic.

Capsems: My Ongoing Love-Hate Relationship

Zero lays out the four capsem categories:

• Red – Impact (physical power)
• Blue – Technolog (technology/machinery)
• Green – Esprim (mind/body, ESP-like powers)
• Purple – Wonder (reality-bending)

The idea is neat, but the execution?
Messy.

Technology is not a fundamental force

Time, space, and life? Sure.
But “technology” as a foundational pillar of reality? Not buying it.

Projection should be Wonder, not Technolog

The prison arc had Zetz fight using machine projections—copies of himself that fought independently but finished with the same finisher. It felt like Wonder/ESP… but it was labeled “technology,” which makes no sense.

Toy-first writing

The capsems seem designed for toys first and the lore second. That can work if the writing leans into it with Kuuga-level thoughtfulness. Instead, we’re getting explanations that poke holes in the show’s own worldbuilding.

Bad silliness vs good silliness

• Fujimi & Nasuka tumbling through windows? Fun.
• Dream-world gags? Great.
• Capsems breaking internal logic? Frustrating.

The former is intentional comedy.
The latter feels like forced lore.

Some people argue that the silliness or lack of solid foundation for these kinds of details don’t really matter because these transforming hero shows, like Ultraman, Super Sentai and Kamen Rider are for pre-schoolers. That isn’t a valid excuse. It should still make sense and be internally consistent, preferably elegant.

Is Rider Really for Preschoolers?

I take exception to this kind of claim. Some Japanese fans online insist that Rider and Ultraman are “for preschoolers.” If that’s true, then:

• Why is there violence?
• Why is there blood?
• Why are some characters dressed provocatively?
• Why are long-running mysteries so intricate?

The claim doesn’t line up with what’s on screen. Is the gap in cultural difference really that large across Japanese and American culture? I grew up with Batman and Spider-Man TAS as well as Power Rangers and while they are made for kids, they aren’t on the level of Blippi, Barney or Blue’s Clues which Japanese (adult) otaku, my counterparts, suggest is the audience. This is a matter for further investigation.

Nox, Zero, Nem — The Agent Web Tightens

This episode pushes the “agent” storyline hard.

Nox

• Reveals he was an “agent” of something.
• Aims his gun at Zero specifically.
• His sword has a capsem-shaped indentation. Suspicious.

Zero

• When Zero learns that an Esprim recovery capsem was stolen, his subtle reaction (a little reflective shimmer like an anime sweat drop) felt deliberate.
• Suggests past history between Zero and Nox.

Nem

• Seemingly protects Zero from Nox’s gunfire.
• She told Baku Nox said they (he and she) were “alike.”
• Nox then says he is an agent, so is she too?
• She was an orphan… meaning she may have a secret past.

Is Nem also an agent?
If so, when? And for who?

This is one of the most compelling mysteries in the show right now.

Character Arcs: This Show Does Not Stop Moving

We’re ten episodes in and multiple characters are developing simultaneously.

Fujimi

• Continues obsession with Black Cases.
• Motivated to save his former partner, Nox.
• Plays the gag of “I solved the case!” every episode.

Nasuka

• Gradually believing in the supernatural cases.
• Supporting her boss more despite irritation.
• Solid comedic chemistry with Fujimi.

Nem

• Her connection to Nox deepens.
• Her past remains mysterious.
• Possible agent status hanging over her. She is acting on her own to support Seven/Baku.

Nox

• Working with the Nightmares.
• Likely wants his body back.
• Initial involvement unclear.

Baku

• Balancing detective work and dream battles.
• Powers evolving.
• Continues to react with grounded humor.

Zeztz is doing something impressive:
balancing Monster-of-the-Week structure with multi-layer arcs.

It’s giving weekly payoff AND long-term momentum.

Final Thoughts

Despite my frustrations with the capsem system and Barrier’s design, this was a strong episode. The dream-world visuals continue to be standout, and the show excels at weaving ongoing mysteries with episodic cases.

This is shaping up to be some of the best Kamen Rider I’ve seen in years. I’m genuinely excited for Episode 11.

Your Turn

What did YOU think of Case 10: Vanish?

• Do the capsems feel forced?
• Should Projection belong under Wonder instead?
• Is the toy catalog warping the lore?
• Is Nem secretly an agent?
• What’s Nox really after?

Let me know your thoughts!

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Drop a comment below or tag me @MJ_Scribe on Twitter. Let’s have some fun talking about this.

If you enjoy thoughtful stories for kids and families, check out my book Mockwing Mayhem. It is a heartfelt adventure about magical bugs battling monsters and protecting children.

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