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Last time we left off on a cliffhanger battle on Let’s Watch Wednesdays! But this week we see the result of Kamen Rider Den-O VS Kamen Rider Zeronos!

And continuing this week we start with a question. Why doesn’t Yuuto want to make new friends? Despite being likable he strives to be alone only keeping Deneb close. Is there something sinister hidden here? And it’s time for the advent of a new hero! The 5th Imagin of Den-Liner appears, the enigmatic, the aristocratic, the elegant swan himself, Sieg! And his human brother?! This just begs more questions. In answering them a new form will be born, Den-O Wing Form! But only briefly. In 3 weeks time this form will rise again in a feature film adventure. Next time we begin our perilous journey into the movies’ time travelling antics as Ryutaro is kidnapped at multiple points in his life!

Den-O Fun Fact #8

Now that we’ve cycled through the first 4 Imagins of the Den-Liner, it’s time to take a look at the resident goofball of Zero Liner, Deneb! Deneb  is partially based on Benkei, a warrior monk popularly known for taking up residence at Gojo Bridge in Tokyo and standing guard over it. Collecting 999 swords from passing swordsman as he defeated them. Benkei was a warrior bound by his honor and was the trusted retainer of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, often placing himself in harms way for his master much like Deneb.

Deneb is named after the star Deneb in the constellation Cygnus, which has heavy ties to the tradition of Tanabata. Deneb serves as the connection between the lovers Hikoboshi (Altair) and Orihime (Vega). As the stars of Altair & Vega, Deneb is seen a bridge between the two. Hence why the two main forms of Kamen Rider Zeronos are  Altair and Vega, and the difference between them is Deneb himself.

So it’s time once again for you to join us in our weekly discussion of all things Kamen Rider Den-O! Head on over to our thread this week by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation” forums at the bottom of this post! And remember that Let’s Watch Wednesdays will be taking a week off next week as TokuNation begins it’s FULL on site coverage of all things San Diego Comic Con 2014! To find all of our news from the convention simply click this link!

under Kamen Rider, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

It’s time once again for Let’s Watch Wednesdays to return to TokuNation! We’ve got another round of episodes with Kamen Rider Den-O!

Sakurai Yuuto. 2 men share this name, or rather 1 man from two times. One travels through the shadows of the past, the other has arrived in the present. With his own Ticket, his own belt, and his own train of time, the Zero Liner. Aided by the lovable Imagin Deneb, Yuuto has become Kamen Rider Zeronos! But what contract have they made? What powers lie in the Zeronos Cards? And what consequence does their use have? We only know one thing to start, he is fairly strong. 

Den-O Fun Fact #7

Ryutaros, the happy go lucky child like Imagin of the Den-Liner crew is next on our list. Ryutaros is based on the legend of Taro, the Dragon Boy. Taro is said to have been a gluttonous lazy child who lived with his grandmother as a young boy. He didn’t help his fellow farmers, or do his chores, he merely played and ate. But one day he found out from his grandmother that his long lost mother, thought to be dead, had actually been turned into a dragon many years before and now slumbered at the bottom of a lake. 

So Taro set out on a quest to find his long lost mother. Along his journey to find her Taro encounters all manner of vile creatures and demons of myth. At one point he’s given a cup of sake that once drunk, gives him the strength of 100 men. But only when he helps people, not when he’s being selfish. He learns to become a farmer, properly, and appreciate the land and the gifts it bears. By the end of his journey Taro become a self sacrificing hero of myth. Though Ryutaros has an overt dragon theme his carefree attitude and general laziness are more like the early version of Taro. But just as Taro one day became a selfless hero because of his journeys, Ryutaros will also.

As always join TokuNation’s members in a weekly discussion of all things Den-O by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post.

under Kamen Rider, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

Did you bring your ticket? Because it’s officially Let’s Watch Wednesdays again here at TokuNation! And Kamen Rider Den-O is on the tracks!

The strain of 4 Imagin has finally begun to set in on Ryutarou. At the same time an old friend returns to town, of course a new character means a new Imagin is here to ruin the past! Specifically a past tied to Ryutarou’s own. And the revelation of the hooded man, of his past with Airi. The man known as Sakurai Yuuto. A watch, a solemn lake, the hooded man, and a stranger with a Ticket,  the past present & future are all colliding.

Fun Fact #6
Kintaros, is the 3rd Imagin to join the Den-Liner crew. And his incredible strength and kind heart are based on the legend of the Golden Boy, Kintaro! Kintaro is known to have a few minor differences in his origin, but they generally wind up with the young boy in the forests of Mount Kintoko.

It’s undisputed however that he was strong, fierce, large (or rather plump), and carried a hatchet from a very young age. He befriended the animals of the forests, some say he even learned their languages, he fought demons, sumo wrestled bears, cut trees, and generally was a rambunctious child. Tales of his strength have been spoken of for years since. Kintaros the Imagin bears the motif of a strong golden bear and carries the type of hatchet that Kintaro is most popularly thought to have had.

Be sure to click “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post to join our weekly discussion!

under Kamen Rider, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

And we’re back with more Kamen Rider Den-O! 3 Imagin now possess Ryutaro. As the weight of that continues to bear on his body and soul, what will he do when a hidden 4th awakens within him? Ryutaros unveils himself! This dragon themed, break dancing, trouble maker is here for one reason. To Defeat Ryutarou. But before he can do that, Den-O Gun Form will rise!

Meanwhile the memories in Airi’s heart begin to surface. Memories of a telescope, of stars once seen, and a love once loved. A familiar watch is in her possession as well, one that a mystery man still holds as well. Inscribed within are the words “the past should give us hope”. What does this mean for Airi? Why does this man continue to appear? Time will tell.

Fun Fact #5

Urataros was the 2nd Imagin to join the Den-Liner crew. As such we explore his origins in myth next! Urataros is based on the legend of Urashimataro. Dating back to nearly the 8th century this legend centers around the fisherman Urashimataro who’s act of kindness, saving a small turtle from violent children, earned him the respect of the sea emperor Ryujin. Urashimataro had coincidentally just saved Ryujin’s daughter.

Given gills to breath water and taken to the bottom of the sea Urashimatro was welcomed by Ryujin and his daughter, now a lovely princess named Otohime. Despite his pleasurable stay in the palace of Ryugu-Jo he asks to retun home mere days after his arrival. given a box that will protect, but instructed by Otohime not to open it, Urashimataro returns to the surface. In his absence what felt like mere days to him had actually been 300 years. His family and life as he knew it were gone, in a panic he opened the Tamatebako box given to him by Otohime. Which unleashed the ravages of 300 years of rapid age upon him….

Next week we take a look at Kintaros and his connections to the legend of Kintaro! Be sure to click “discuss on the TokuNation forums” at the bottom of this post to join our weekly discussion!

under Super Sentai, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

Time for a double dose of legendary train hero power-ups from Ressha Sentai ToQger! And it’s also time for TokuNation to test drive it’s newest segment, Toy Tuesdays! Each week on Tuesdays (most of them anyway) we plan to bring you a new toy gallery. This week it just so happens to be a pair of new figures but we’re going to be digging into a back log of rare & vintage toys as well as this segment progresses. So stay tuned!

The recently released DX Kyoryuger & Den-Liner Resshas are featured in the Heisei Rider Vs. Show Raider: Kamen Rider Taisen Featuring Super Sentai film. But each are of course based on heroes of the past! One from Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, the other from the first train themed hero series, Kamen Rider Den-O! Each is based on the central mecha of their respective series albeit in a miniaturized form. Combining Kyorguer Ressha with ToQ Oh results in ToQ Oh Kyoryuzin but when you add Den-Liner to the mix you get ToQ Oh Kyoryuzin featuring Den-Liner!

Check out our 40 image gallery for this pair of new Resshas after the jump by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post.

 

under Power Rangers, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

Our Power Rangers Monday segment continues! Last week, we shared with you our Top 5 things that were not adapted from Super Sentai and got a lot of great responses. It’s always fun to take a look at the “what if”, as many fans who aren’t dedicated followers of Super Sentai had no idea about Gosei Green or the entire scenario revolving around Shinken Brown. Thanks for your feedback and for enjoying the article!

For this week’s topic, we put up a poll asking you to pick which topic we discussed today – and while the vote was close, the one that edged the others was the Top 5 Must Own Power Rangers Toys! This one was a little more challenging to write up because so many of the toys have Super Sentai counter-parts, leaving us to almost have to focus exclusively on the action figures as opposed to the Megazords. However, we did come up with a list that we feel is pretty awesome.

Before you read in to it – we didn’t include anything from the Legacy collection or from the S.H. Figuarts toy lines. Why? Because everyone knows that you MUST own those items. They are simply masterpiece quality figures and Megazords that every Power Rangers fan should own. That, honestly, left some slim pickings – we didn’t want to focus on the “rare” as we can do that in a future update (we’re looking at you Gold Lost Galaxy Megazord!). So take a seat, lean back, and fire up your browsers to find these must own Power Rangers toys! Please click “Read More” to begin your adventure!

[Read more…]

under Kamen Rider, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

Let’s Watch Wednesdays returns! Kamen Rider Den-O is speeding down the tracks. But are we approaching a detour?

Kintaros the mighty bear Imagin is here to stay! And as long as he’s here he’ll continue to make the forces of evil cry as Kamen Rider Den-O Axe Form! But how many more stragglers can the Den-Liner pick up? And while we have questions, what about Hana? Her destroyed future? The secret behind her and Ryutaro being Singular Points? But more importantly (f0r now) it’s time for Ryutarou to be a bodyguard, well Kintaros can do most of the work.

Fun Fact #4
Did you know that each of the Den-Liner Imagin that make up Den-O’s arsenal are all based on Japanese myth/folk heroes? Each of them is based on a unique hero of Japanese lore and this week we focus on big red himself. Momotaros is based on the legend of Momotaro. Sent from heaven floating down a river within a giant peach, Momotaro was taken in by a childless couple. Raised by them he grew up to be a great slayer of the various Oni of myth. Even going so far as to befriend several wild animals, and with their help he invaded the dark island Onigashima, defeated the hordes there and return home with enough wealth to live out the rest of his days comfortably with his family. Momotaros shares a basic peach motif with this hero of legend and his look is in fact based on that of a “typical” oni. Next week we take a look at Urataros’ origins in myth!

As always be sure to join in on our weekly discussion thread by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. Kamen Rider Den-O is ramping up to something big very soon. You just have to watch to see!

 

under Power Rangers, Super Sentai, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

It’s Monday which means it’s time for another Power Rangers Monday article! Last week, we talked about the Top 5 Things That MUST Be Adapted from Kyoryuger to Dino Charge, and it was a huge hit! Thanks everyone for taking part in the discussion. A lot of you disagreed with our feelings that the overall theme of music should be adapted and it was an awesome discussion on both sides. A lot of you also wanted to see Deathryuger as the Navy Ranger, or rather his 100 Years After adaption of being Kyoryu Navy. Either way it was a lot of fun – and if you missed it, check out the multi-page discussion by clicking here!

This week you voted on our topic of discussion – and you chose for us to discuss the Top 5 Coolest Things Not Adapted From Super Sentai! Not being super-versed in all things Super Sentai, I reached out to our content director Den-O, a self-proclaimed Super Sentai enthusiast, and with his help, came up with a rather fun and interesting list. Please click the “Read More…” option and check out the list we came up with!

Please take a moment and vote on next Monday’s article – we brought over a couple of options from the last poll and added three new options of which they would all be extremely fun to write and research! So vote, discuss, and read on!

[Read more…]

under Kamen Rider, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

Let’s Watch Wednesdays is back at it again to bring manly tears to you. Kamen Rider Den-O meets a new ally this week!

Urataros has joined the Den-Liner crew! But are his womanizing ways behind him? Obviously, not. Yet again he reels Ryutarou into more trouble. But a relationship will be reforged because of him. And Ryutarou must ask why his sister can’t remember something truly dear to her. Buried deep down are memories that bring tears to Airi’s eyes. And speaking of tears, his strength will make you cry! The 3rd Imagin of the Den-Liner appears. Kintaros! And next week, anew form!

Fun Fact #3

Yet another actor you’ve seen before appears in Kamen Rider Den-O! In Den-O actress Wakana Matsumoto portrayed the lovely and idolized Airi Nogami, older sister to our sometimes heroic main character. She would also later play Manami Kawasaki. A Gate, notorious thief,  and a bit of a gold digger from Kamen Rider Wizard who would cross paths with our titular hero. 

Click “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post to join the discussion that’s always at a climax! Let’s Watch Wednesdays!

under Kamen Rider, TokuNation, TokuNation Spotlights

Kamen Rider Den-O has come around for another pass at Let’s Watch Wednesdays! All aboard for more adventures through time!

A new Imagin is on the horizon. A scheming, plotting, womanizer? First we had a peach, now it’s time for a turtle, Urataros is here! This slanderous “hero” has also made a contract with Ryutarou and with it comes a new form for Den-O, Rod Form! Why not let him reel you in? And Owner is also turning out to be quite the odd man. Where exactly does an eccentric rice eating, time-travelling, train owning man come from? Meanwhile a mysterious man with a watch still walks through time. But that’s a matter for much later, or much sooner. Time travel’s fun isn’t it?

Den-O Fun Fact #2

Kamen Rider Den-O featurers yet another toku alum. Seen in the very first episode is the lovely coffee hostess of the Den-Liner, Naomi. But astute fans may have already recognized this woman. Before Rina Akiyama played Naomi, in fact 6 year before this, she played Shouichi Tsugami’s young friend Mana on Kamen Rider Agito!

Click “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of the post to join our weekly discussion thread!