Kamen Rider Kuuga was a great series. It managed to revive Kamen Rider in the 21st century and had a fantastic lead, likable cast, and awesome rider and monster designs. It seemed like it couldn't be topped.
This is when the writers for Agito stepped in and said, "Yeah, we can do better."
And they did. Oh so much better.
First of all, right from the get-go, they upped the ante by having not one lead rider, but three, each with a unique design and motif. Not only that, but each lead also has their own unique story arcs that serve as Character Development. Shoichi is a cheerful Amnesiac Hero that is trying to find out the mystery of his past and why he can transform into Agito, Hikawa is an officer that wants to use the G3 System to save lives despite some corrupt officers trying to work against him, and Ryou, who is struggling to understand his powers as Gills while also working to uncover the truth behind his father's death.
While Kuuga suffers a bit from its slow pacing, the pacing in Agito is perfect. The sense of mystery and discovery that occurs over the course of the show easily engages you. Almost every episode, a new revelation behind the main plot is revealed, and since the majority of episodes end in cliffhangers, this encourages binge watching (Like I did).
As for the action scenes, they're also fantastic. Each main rider has their own unique fighting style, meaning that the action scenes aren't just the same punches and kicks. Agito uses not only his fists but also a staff and sword in his different forms, G3 uses a pistol and gatling gun, while Gills fights ferally, not unlike Amazon.
The villains are also great. Much like the Gurongi, what makes the Unknowns so interesting are how menacing they are. They regularly kill people in bizarre ways and, unlike the Gurongi who did it For the Evulz, the Unknowns do it for a more interesting reason that's obviously spoiler filled. This adds another depth to them that prevents them from being black and white like previous Kamen Rider villains.
So, in the end, Kamen Rider Agito, despite only being the second Heisei rider series, manages to be one of the best thanks to its storytelling, characters and action scenes. If you call yourself a Kamen Rider fan, it's your duty to watch Agito.
An Even Better Sequel to Kuuga
Kamen Rider Kuuga was a great series. It managed to revive Kamen Rider in the 21st century and had a fantastic lead, likable cast, and awesome rider and monster designs. It seemed like it couldn't be topped.
This is when the writers for Agito stepped in and said, "Yeah, we can do better."
And they did. Oh so much better.
First of all, right from the get-go, they upped the ante by having not one lead rider, but three, each with a unique design and motif. Not only that, but each lead also has their own unique story arcs that serve as Character Development. Shoichi is a cheerful Amnesiac Hero that is trying to find out the mystery of his past and why he can transform into Agito, Hikawa is an officer that wants to use the G3 System to save lives despite some corrupt officers trying to work against him, and Ryou, who is struggling to understand his powers as Gills while also working to uncover the truth behind his father's death.
While Kuuga suffers a bit from its slow pacing, the pacing in Agito is perfect. The sense of mystery and discovery that occurs over the course of the show easily engages you. Almost every episode, a new revelation behind the main plot is revealed, and since the majority of episodes end in cliffhangers, this encourages binge watching (Like I did).
As for the action scenes, they're also fantastic. Each main rider has their own unique fighting style, meaning that the action scenes aren't just the same punches and kicks. Agito uses not only his fists but also a staff and sword in his different forms, G3 uses a pistol and gatling gun, while Gills fights ferally, not unlike Amazon.
The villains are also great. Much like the Gurongi, what makes the Unknowns so interesting are how menacing they are. They regularly kill people in bizarre ways and, unlike the Gurongi who did it For the Evulz, the Unknowns do it for a more interesting reason that's obviously spoiler filled. This adds another depth to them that prevents them from being black and white like previous Kamen Rider villains.
So, in the end, Kamen Rider Agito, despite only being the second Heisei rider series, manages to be one of the best thanks to its storytelling, characters and action scenes. If you call yourself a Kamen Rider fan, it's your duty to watch Agito.