Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight

How could anyone have seen Episode one of this series back in January 2008 when it only sneaked in December 2008 and the series starts in January 2009?

The pilot of the series, shot at the end of 2007, was circulating within the trade, cast and crew. Maybe this has been mistaken for episode one.

The sneak preview of Episode one aired on CW4Kids on December 13, 2008 was more than satisfactory. The acting in some cases was excellent and all cases of a high standard. The story promises to be very interesting. The action is cutting edge.

I have really seen some of the upcoming episodes and this will be a hit show in 2009, for kids of all ages.

When the show was announced i was very skeptical since i am not a fan of the adaptations. One day i saw on a website that some of the people from Japan that worked on the original Kamen Rider Ryuki are involved with Kamen Rider Dragon Knight. Then i decided to give it a try and i really enjoyed it. I liked how they used some of the riders , the white rider for example got plenty of screen time in the original version she only appeared in a movie and i was really disappointed. Kamen Rider Dragon Knight has a lot actions , plenty of fights that in my opinion are very fun to watch. The actors did their job pretty well and if you like Kamen Rider you should give this show a try.

I find it funny how the super fan boys bash this series just because it's not exactly like Ryuki. The original Power Rangers wasn't EXACTLY like its Sentai counterparts, but people still like it. Just because the American adaptation isn't EXACTLY like the original doesn't make it bad. Also, the word kamen is pronounced like the word common. People who pronounce it Kay-men are the ones who are wrong. This show takes an idea, and adds a few things to it for a different audience. It's not like anime, where you almost have to keep it the same, it's something that can be changed all it wants. They make it more like a Showa-era show, which makes it so good. One more thing, good luck to the guy who said he was going to buy the rights to Den-O, I bet Toei would love to sell it to some dude who would just copies their idea.

Having watched the entire Japanese Kamen Rider Series over the years I appreciate the new American version. Wasn't easy to get my hands on the first episode but it holds true to the Japanese counter part in spirit. I do however wish the had chosen one of the other series nearer and dearer to my own heart, something like Chou Sei Shin Gransazer. I have been a long standing fan of Sentai in all it's forms since USA Network put Dynaman on the air late nights when I was a kid. Now there was a series I would have actually sat through religiously if the had made an American version. I do look forward to sitting through this series with my sons and seeing whether there is really an American audience for these types of programs.

Alright, I'm going to lay it down for you. NOBODY has really seen the REAL pilot or the REAL trailer yet. I've seen what they think this show is and while it's not nearly as bad as these posts say, it's nowhere what the actual show has grown to be.

It's coming. And when it does the internet is going to explode.

First off, I'm a bit of a hardcore Kamen Rider fan. Like most who got into the Japanese shows, my path started with Power Rangers. And I did love Power Rangers back in the day. I still have respect for it and feel it's an excellent action show for kids.

I just can't get into it anymore. On the other hand, Kamen Rider Dragon Knight is a show I plan to follow from beginning to end and get the DVD's. I love the Japanese Kamen Rider shows, and Ryuki (what Dragon Knight is based off of) was my first entry into the series. Since that I've seen Faiz, Blade, and Kabuto. All thrill rides from beginning to end.

So, I am a fan.... and as a fan, I love what I've seen in the REAL trailer (you guys have to see it!) and the first four episodes.

One thing about Power Rangers lately is that it's a translation of a show I've probably already watched in Japanese. So, I don't want to watch the same story again, and usually a little more silly and lacking serious consequences to actions. Kamen Rider Dragon Knight is it's own story. While watching it, I saw some shades of Ryuki, but it wasn't long before a fully realized world with its own design and characters was crafted. The plot is intricate without becoming convoluted, the characters are involving and charismatic. There are laughs without *forcing* a laugh with out of nowhere slapstick.

I think the original American Masked Rider was unwatchable, but it should be noted that it wasn't a failure or a flop. They ran out of episodes to use.

With Kamen Rider, there is a huge wealth of shows still yet untapped. To either bring in more Riders to the Dragon Knight Universe or craft whole new legends of their own, furthering the name of Kamen Rider here in America.

Action fantasy fans are in for a real treat. Something kids can watch, and also something for us who are missing that martial art/fantasy fix that we got out of Buffy, Angel and Highlander.

Ryuki was good (but not the best.. I mean, Blade and Kabuto were *amazing*!), but Dragon Knight is in a class all its own.

It won't unseat Power Rangers, but PR is no longer the only game in town. Dragon Knight's joined the party and with a smaller budget... managed to raise the bar significantly.

See you guys in the Mirror World, and don't forget to bring your deck. ;)