History YMMV / AvataroSentaiDonbrothers

** Taro is meant to be someone who for all his skills, lacks the social skills to properly lead the team or interact with society as a whole. The problem is that he shows little to no remorse whenever he upsets people with his BrutalHonesty, and never listens to any advice to improve himself.

* TheScrappy: Tsuyoshi and Jiro both developed this reputation over the course of the series' run, as whatever entertainment value their antics provide quickly gives way to moments of utter contempt that get under the skins of many a fan.

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* EvilIsSexy: Similar to [[Series/KamenRiderRevice the sister show]], many fans were enamored with all three of the villains before the show even started.

-->''Should I take your hand? Or take your life?''

* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: The reveal that the Donbrothers' Avataro Gears allow them to Avatar Change into past ''Super Sentai'' warriors, just like in ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'', has led some fans to disappointingly call it a "''Gokaiger'' ripoff".

** Kaito and his "True Rival" from the ''Donburis'' special (who is basically the ''Donbrothers'' equivalent to [[Series/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger Stacy]]) interact in such a way that they might as well be old lovers rather than rivals. The fact that the B-plot of Haruka trying to find out who wrote what she assumed was a love letter was caused by True Rival dropping a letter from Kaito just adds fuel to the fire.

* HoYay: Taro and Sonoi have effectively gone on dates, add to that the tension between them, and this one line in their joint character song. It's to the point that [[FanPreferredCouple almost everyone in the fandom agrees that they are boyfriends.]]

* AccidentalAesop: The show zig-zags between treating the SanitySlippage from [[spoiler: Miho's manipulation and subsequent abandonment of Tsuyoshi]] seriously and [[PlayedForLaughs as a joke]]. However, the apathy displayed toward Tsuyoshi's plight works as a case-study of how not to help one cope with trauma. Tsubasa's attempts to reveal [[spoiler: Miho's deception]] are vague and aggressive. No consideration is taken for Tsuyoshi's view on the matter (which his stuborn tendency does not help) nor is the only other party in the know (Taro) willing to get involved. Tsubasa's attempts to get through to the salaryman's addled state are the equivalent of simply telling him to "[[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan get over it]]," [[PoorCommunicationKills which neither helps nor gets the desired information across]]; only contributing to the duo's bickering...which reaches a boiling-point when [[spoiler: Sononi tricks Tsubasa into attacking Miho under the false pretenses of saving Natsumi, causing hostilities]]. The message sent ultimately becomes: "Helping someone through trauma is never as simple as telling them to get better. It's a process that requires time, empathy and understanding."

** Did Jiro always have a [[spoiler:SplitPersonality]], or was a side effect of getting his powers, like the misfortune Haruka, Shinichi, Tsubasa, and Tsuyoshi went through when they got their powers? Since they're both from the Don Clan, does Taro have the same issue? Given that he claims he's always had an "inner voice" telling him to do things, that may have been [[spoiler: his SuperpoweredEvilSide]] living within him all along.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Pre-release, this show had a lot to go against it. It was another anniversary type season marketed as a {{sequel}} to ''Series/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'', with a gimmick similar to [[Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger another anniversary season]] which turned off fans along with two rangers whose default forms are in CGI. In additional, the head writer was Creator/ToshikiInoue, who is very controversial in the toku fanbase due to being the head writer of two very controversial ''Kamen Rider'' seasons and abusing his SignatureStyle in other episodes he writes. In the end, Donbrothers has been highly praised as a breath of fresh air for its unique character driven focus that sets it apart from other seasons, ability to do something different from the recent Sentai formula, and its sheer insanity, with an added bonus of being the first Sentai in awhile to have their toy sale be raised a significant amount since last year. And while many fans agree that the overall story itself is not perfect, it is certainly good enough for Inoue to win back goodwill among fans.

** Despite being built up as a threat since #9, [[spoiler:we still don't know anything about the Juto other than their obsession with origami, the fact that they allegedly possess others, and the reveal that Miho is one of them]]. The Donbrothers don't even know about them for a while, while even Tsubasa, who ''did'' encounter [[spoiler:a Juto]], doesn't even know what it actually is. It doesn't help that out of the six Donbrothers, Tsubasa is the one with the closest connection to them, and he's mostly been OutOfFocus for most of the show's run so far. Not only does it take until ''#27'' for their backstory to be revealed, but that's when the Donbrothers finally learn about their existence and subsequent episodes piecemeal lore [[spoiler:about the Juto's existence and Murasame's ties to them]]. Somewhat deliberate, as an interview revealed that Toshiki Inoue focused on standalone episodes for the summer.

** The fact that [[spoiler:not just Rumi, but Jiro's ''entire hometown'' are merely illusions from the Penguin Jūto for the sole purpose of raising him with little to no foreshadowing may come across as this for some, given how this contradicts previous characterisations of them, such as showing Rumi's interactions with her mother which Jiro wasn't there for and his friends expressing skepticism over him being a legitimate superhero. It also doesn't help that their interactions with him suddenly amount to being a BrokenRecord after TheReveal about their nature. Turns out this was the case, as Toshiki Inoue hadn't committed to the idea of them being illusions during the early writing stages.]]

* DesignatedHero: We're supposed to see Tsuyoshi as a man who cares a lot about his wife, but with how often he gushes over how amazing she is combined with [[spoiler:letting Sonoi kill a Hitotsu-Ki who threatened her, and later becoming a Hitotsu-Ki himself over a misunderstanding involving her]], it makes him come across as obsessive and very selfish, especially since these moments don't get addressed in the show aside from a comedic, EasilyForgiven moment once the latter situation is handled. Not helping things is that [[spoiler:he becomes a Hitotsu-Ki ''again'' in #33. Him betraying Tsubasa by turning him into the police does little to redeem himself, particularly how he smiles afterwards and recieves little to no consequences for his actions. After he became a Hitotsu-Ki for the third time in #45, most fans were just wondering [[JustEatGilligan why he's still on the team in the first place, given how much trouble he's caused in the name of "his Miho"]]]] The fact that [[KarmaHoudini he never gets punished for his behavior]] (which is PlayedForLaughs most of the time) only makes his actions more frustrating to a lot of fans.

** Fans looking at the trailer and watching the endgame of ''Zenkaiger'' speculate that the alternative Kaito in question is [[spoiler:the Creator of Worlds that appears near the end of ''Zenkaiger'', especially given the final form he possessed was ''Kaito's''. This isn't helped with how he utilizes the Kibi-Points since he essentially warps reality to make their wish come true as shown with Haruka's wish in #10.]]

** Since Momoko Arata plays both Miho Kijino, Tsuyoshi's wife, and Natsume, Tsubasa's girlfriend. Many fans wonder if they are either the same person under different aliases or related to each other in some kind of way. [[spoiler:This becomes a lot spicier when it's revealed Miho is a Juto, an identity stealing monster]].

* EvilIsSexy: Similar to [[Series/KamenRiderRevice the sister show]], many fans are enamored with all three of the villains before the show even started.

** "[[Anime/SSSSDynazenon Kaiser Don Onitaijin]]" for [=GolDon=] Onitaijin, due to its comparisons with Kaiser Gridknight. As both have a golden avian mecha that act as the chestpiece and helmet -- Goldburn and Omikoshi Phoenix, respectively.

** Fans tend to chronologically place the ''Donbrothers SpinOff: This is the Donbrothers' Roll Call!'' short right after episode 44, [[spoiler:following Tsubasa's long-awaited InternalReveal as Inu Brother to the team]]. This is despite the inconsistencies it presents as a non-canon spinoff, such as exclusion of Jiro as he was not introduced yet when the short was produced.

** Despite Tsubasa's canon relationship with and devotion to Natsumi, a lot of fans would rather he end up with Sononi. It helps that Tsubasa and Sononi have good chemistry together and that [[spoiler: the situation with the Crane Juuto impersonating Natsumi/Miho makes the relationship between her, Tsubasa, and Tsuyoshi very complicated. The plot thickens when Sononi begins to actually fall for Tsubasa, and begins plotting to kill off Natsumi. Fans rejoiced at the end when Tsubasa and Sononi become an OutlawCouple after former lets Natsumi go.]]

** Taro is revealed to have royal lineage as one of the surviving heirs of the Don Clan. The next season has royalty as one of its main themes.

** The introduction of a much older HappilyMarried adult as a warrior, and given the traditionally female pink as his color, brought on an even older PeripheryDemographic curious about the portrayal of the character having to juggle his adult matters, familial responsibilities and being a superhero in what is usually seen as a kids' show.
%%* LoveToHate: Sonoshi is an effeminate and tyrannical enforcer of the Noto who browbeats on any Noto member who they deem not living to their clan's standards. They solely exist being a nuisance for both heroes and villains alike is what makes them entertaining to watch.

** Adding the Omikoshi Phoenix to the Donblaster only increases with the catchiness, as the standby music that follows could easily be played at a wild party on it's own.
* {{Narm}}: Just about any scene with [=InuBrother=] and [=KijiBrother=] transformed in them given how poorly animated their CG models are and how obvious it is that they aren't actually making contact with the live action world around them. Fights scenes especially, particularly when it's [=InuBrother=], as his movements don't quite sync up to the live action enemies he's fighting.

** Episode 34 sees another one from Tsuyoshi, who [[spoiler:not only betrays Tsubasa by turning him into the police, he actively ''smirks deviously after he does so''. The man may be a loving husband and he may have been justified in acting against Tsubasa "stealing away" Miho (being LockedOutOfTheLoop about what happened to Natsumi), but this is a sign that he's taking the situation ''way'' too far and enjoying it in the process.]]

** The CG used for [=KijiBrother=] and [=InuBrother=] stick out like a sore thumb whenever they're up against a live action background. The ways they contort and move also look awkward as they don't have the same weight as the live action characters. [=InuBrother=] even has trouble with his arms clipping through his head due to his mocap forgetting to account for that. The fact that there were usable suits made for certain closeup shots and the tie-in stageshows only raises further questions as to why either of them were fully CGI in the first place.

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: To ''Series/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'', it is much more refined with the comedy compared to ''Zenkaiger''and adding drama and character focus really makes it more balanced as well. Even with the story, it is much more well received and many fans wished that the show could continue a little while longer, with fans praising it as one of the most unique ''Sentai'' series in recent memories, if not of all time.

** The rumor and eventual confirmation that [=InuBrother=] and [=KijiBrother=] would be animated in CG rather than live action earned some controversy, even before the show began, as CG in Toku is notorious for looking bad. This was not mitigated when previews were released and showed rather uncanny way their CG models look against the live action background, For one, [[SpecialEffectsFailure their CG models don't have shadows.]]

** The announcement that Creator/ToshikiInoue would be penning the show, writing for Sentai for the first time [[Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman in over thirty years]], earned mixed reception from fans given how divisive his [[Series/KamenRider555 work]] [[Series/KamenRiderKiva during the]] [[Recap/KamenRiderZiORiderTimeRyuki later Heisei era]] has been received (though his Sentai work, even his more recent ones, has often been more well received than his Rider work, allowing some to keep their hopes up). But what really set this one off is the producer, much like what happened with ''Zenkaiger'', is also Shinichiro Shirakura, who, along with Toshiki Inoue, was the production team for ''Series/KamenRiderHibiki'''s controversial second part, causing many fans to be extremely cautious.

** Many fans felt that Don Murasame was criminally underused, especially in the later half of the series. [[spoiler:With the reveal that he was one of the few things that could destroy a Juto, you'd think that he would play a major role in the Juto subplot in #46. Instead, it's Taro/[=GolDon=] Momotaro who ultimately defeats the Juto; to add insult to injury, beforehand Tsubasa/Inu Brother was just about to summon Murasame, only to be stopped by Taro. It also does not help that the subplots of him questioning his purpose as a mere weapon for the Noto and his friendship with Jiro end up (apparently) abandoned halfway through. Even worse is that Murasame [[PutOnABus spends a long time off screen]] between [[Recap/AvataroSentaiDonbrothersEp43ATimeTravellingMysteryUnravelled one episode]] and ''the finale'', making his decision to "follow his heart's desire" in the latter episode come off as ''incredibly'' rushed.]]

** TheReveal in #29 that [[spoiler: Jiro's SplitPersonality is the real Jiro]] sets up the idea that the two halves frequently clash. The show all-but drops this dynamic after that point; the halves barely interacting at all sans minor gags. The social side goes dark for a time for the sake of a RedHerring while the Dangerous side only interfaces with the team once to [[spoiler: bring Taro to Kaito for the Omikoshi Phoenix surgery]] (though he does join in on a few clashes, which nobody seems to notice). The last time the halves interact in any meaningful way is #48 for [[spoiler: a SplitPersonalityMerge]], which itself glosses over the trauma Jiro faced from [[spoiler: discovering that his friends were all illusions]] - something that should've been significant to both sides. They never even get to confront their adoptive father-figure, who [[spoiler: created the aforementioned illusory friends as a plot to groom Jiro to be a Penguin Juto replacement]]. Instead, he ends up being [[TheUnfought a non-violent antagonist]] ''Taro'' deals with.

** In a similar vein to [=DonZenkaiOh=], King-Ohger, the main giant robo of the next series, appearing almost ''a whole month'' after it's initial reveal and before it's home series even released a teaser, a move that took almost everyone out of left-field.

* UnfortunateCharacterDesign: While the peach has long been associated with the Momotaro myth, and its iconography is very common in Japan, the inverted design used for the Don Momotaro suit has been compared by many to resembling a pair of testicles on his head.

* WinBackTheCrowd: ''Donbrothers'' became this for Toshiki Inoue as its unique premise and the more character driven storyline makes it stand out among the more recent Sentai shows. It helps that many fans are reevaluating his work and realize that his style of writing fits better towards ''Super Sentai'' than ''Kamen Rider''.

** Haruka's entire life is uprooted and messed up beyond repair in the space of the first episode where she gets accused of plagiarizing her popular manga, gets basically thrown out of her high school, and then forcibly drawn into the conflict when the gear refuses to leave her alone. While you can roll your eyes at how stubborn she is for not seeing Taro Momoi as Don Momotaro (since Jin isn't giving her the information she needs) she's had her ''entire'' life ruined and can only trust the first person she sees (both of which have tried to ''kill her'' by the way) all while having a narrative that's part-obliviousness and part-coping mechanism for how everything has turned south. One just wants to give her a hug and tell her things are going to be okay. Even when she ''gets'' to live her happy normal life in episode 10, she doesn't feel satisfied with it and then realizes that someone ''else'' has to take her place-- one that was unable to handle the trauma like Haruka did -- and Haruka realizes that her selfish wish has horrible reprecussions.
** While Tsubasa's personality and aggressive nature leave much to be desired, his backstory can make people unable to do anything but sympathize. Him getting betrayed by his own teammate and friend does little to help matters. [[spoiler:Given even more of this status when he gets branded as a fugitive for the '''third''' time and his relationship with Natsumi became strained to the point she breaks up with him making his efforts AllForNothing. Thankfully he still has a devoted Sononi by his side at the end.]]

** Done by the series itself. "Matsuri/祭り" traditionally translates to "festival", but given the series' heavy use of the English term "party" in its EndingTheme and equipment's CallingYourAttacks it's highly likely meant to be translated as the latter term in the series' context.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: #22 shows that Hirofumi Suzuki's range isn't just limited to "meek salaryman". The fact that he's also capable of portraying someone sliding off the slippery slope in later episodes helps, too.

* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: The reveal that the Donbrothers' Avataro Gears allow them to Avatar Change into past ''Super Sentai'' warriors, just like in ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'', have led some fans to disappointingly call it a "''Gokaiger'' ripoff".

** The announcement that Creator/ToshikiInoue would be writing the show has definitely piqued some fans interest, despite the controversy around him, as many are curious just what he'll pull off with ''Donbrothers''' unique premise.

** As mentioned under DesignatedHero, Tsuyoshi's dedication to his wife borders on obsession, and all of the terrible things he's done in her name are never called out by the other characters. [[spoiler:It doesn't help that he ends the series as a complete KarmaHoudini, starting his relationship with Miho over again while Tsubasa is ''still'' forced to go on the run for a crime he didn't commit]].

** Despite being one of the show's biggest selling points originally, and having a lot of intrigue at the beginning, the backstory of this version of Kaito and his connection to the Zenkaigers is '''''NEVER''''' explained in the series. Most of the time, the show falls back on ''saying'' how mysterious he is without setting up any clues to who he really is.

** Speaking of ''Revice'', fans compared Jiro's SplitPersonality character arc to Daiji's own personal character arc regarding Kagero. [[spoiler:Not only does his arc culminate in a SplitPersonalityMerge not unlike Daiji and Kagero's FusionDance final form, but also the final episode deals with Taro losing his memories, something that the endgame of ''Revice'' dealt with too with ''its'' main character]]. What makes it eerie is what happens in ''Series/KamenRiderGeats'', in which [[spoiler:''its'' final episode borrows a lot of plot elements from Donbrothers' final episode]].

** Speaking of ''Revice'', fans compared Jiro's SplitPersonality character arc to Daiji's own personal character arc regarding Kagero. [[spoiler:Not only does his arc culminate in a SplitPersonalityMerge not unlike Daiji and Kagero's FusionDance final form, but also the final episode deals with Taro losing his memories, something that the endgame of ''Revice'' dealt with too with ''its'' main character]].

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%% Please do not add any Broken Base, Base Breaking Characters, Never Live It Down or The Scrappy entries until at least six months after the final episode. Remember that Broken Base is for prolonged conflicts and that any entries right now are kneejerk reactions.
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** As noted in HoYay below, Tarou and Sonoi are essentially considered official by most fans. It helps that the amount of ShipTease between them is at a ridiculous level, and they're frequently compared to [[Series/KamenRiderFaiz Takumi and Yuji]], another FanPreferredCouple in a series also written by Toshiki Inoue.