Rider Tears

Kamen Rider Zeztz 39 left me with a growing concern about the series. Is Zeztz becoming too complicated for its own good? Between Odaka's rushed redemption, Seek getting the redemption arc Odaka arguably deserved, the missing Somnia capsule, The Lady's growing role, and a rapidly expanding cast of threats, it feels like the show may be opening new storylines faster than it's resolving old ones.

I still love Zeztz, but this episode made me wonder whether the series is trying to juggle too many moving pieces at once.

Do you think Zeztz...

Did Kamen Rider Zeztz 38 confuse character movement for character growth?

Odaka (Knox) ends this episode with a new form, a new purpose, a new alliance, and a major victory over Three. On paper, everything changes. But did he actually grow as a character?

In this review, I explore the difference between a trip and a journey, why Baku's development felt earned, why Odaka's redemption fell flat for me, and why Midnight Shadow's debut may be the most disappointing moment in Zeztz so far despite the fantastic suit design.

Was this a meaningful character...

Baku's battle to save Nox reveals the true theme of Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 37. This isn't just a story about friendship. It's a story about cooperation, trust, and why no one can win alone.

What did you think of Nox's redemption and the growing alliance against CODE?

Dive deeper with the Inspector's Notes - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/06/02/kamen-rider-zeztz-37/

Baku never transforms in Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 36… and somehow that makes him feel more heroic.

This episode quietly proves something important about Zeztz. The real power was never just the suit. Baku still fights, manipulates dreams, saves Nox, challenges CODE, and pushes the story forward even after losing the ability to become Zeztz.

Ironically, the same toy gimmicks I’ve criticized since Episode 1 finally justify themselves here. The capsules stop feeling like merchandise and start feeling like actual tools that expand the story and the character.

In this analysis, I talk about:

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 35 completely changed the game.

Kureha dies again.

CODE: Somnia rewrites reality itself.

Baku loses the Exdream Driver.

And Zeztz pushes its hero into another brutal moral dilemma.

But strangely, the most powerful part of the episode might have been the quiet barbecue scene at the beginning.

In this analysis, I break down why contrast may be the secret behind Zeztz’s emotional impact, why Takahashi keeps resetting the status quo, and whether Baku made the right choice by sacrificing his power to save tw...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 34 is stunning.

Baku’s new power completely changes the structure of the show, Sieg finally gets the nightmare he wanted, and Zeztz continues escalating in ways that feel logical, thematic, and honestly kind of terrifying.

This episode gave us dream infiltration, layered nightmare warfare, some incredible visual storytelling, and one of the most satisfying villain defeats in the series so far.

Check out my Inspector’s Notes - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/05/15/kamen-rider-zeztz-34/

Baku’s impossible struggle against despair, death, and hopelessness becomes something larger than a simple power up episode. Zeztz 33 explores persistence, dreams, mythic storytelling, and the idea that refusing to give up can transform reality itself.

In this Henshin Inspection review, I discuss:

This episode also features the debut of Kamen Rider Zeztz Exdream.

Drop a comment to let me know where you stan...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 32 delivers massive revelations about Zero, Baku, dreams, and Nightmares... but I’m struggling with what the show seems to be saying now.

Is Zero really being framed as noble?

Is Nightmare power actually evil?

Or is Zeztz setting up another false truth that Baku will eventually overcome?

In this review, I break down the fatherhood themes, the growing moral confusion surrounding CODE, and why this episode may be the first time the series genuinely frustrated me.

Drop a comment and let me know where you st...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 31 drops a massive reveal: Zero is Baku’s father.

It should be shocking. It should be meaningful. But instead, it raises a bigger question…

Is Zeztz becoming too connected for its own good?

In this review, I break down why the growing web of relationships, Code agents, and shared backstories might be pushing the story from compelling into ridiculous—and why this twist might not actually add anything to the narrative.

Drop a comment to let me know where you stand.

Check out my Inspector’s Notes...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 30 introduces Orderm — and just like that, everything changes.

I had issues with Catastrom and the way power was being handled in Zeztz… but this episode kind of wipes those away. Not because it answers them, but because it sidesteps them entirely.

Is that good storytelling… or just really effective tokusatsu?

In this review, I break down:

The visual storytelling of Catastrom vs Orderm

Why the new form works emotionally

The “trolley problem” Zeztz just escaped

And whether this is a cop-out… or exactly w...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 29 is trying to convince us that Catastrem is dangerous, corrupting, and pushing Baku over the edge.

I’m not buying it.

In this review, I break down why the Catastrem arc isn’t landing, why the show hasn’t clearly defined the difference between dream power and nightmare power, and why Baku’s actions in this episode actually make sense based on everything the story has shown us so far.

If Catastrem is supposed to be a problem, the show needs to prove it. Right now, it hasn’t.

Is Ze...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 28 introduces Sieg as a uniquely dangerous villain. Not just because of his power, but because of what he represents.

He is a fallen hero who knows the truth about Code, a criminal with a mysterious thousand-year sentence, and someone who can wield Nightmare power without a system. That combination makes him different from anything we have seen so far.

In this review, I break down why Sieg works so well, how he challenges Baku, and what his existence reveals about Code as an organization.

Drop a comment to let...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 27 introduces Sieg in a way that expands the world of the show in a major way.

In this episode analysis, I look at how Sieg is making an already great show even better.

Three key things stand out:

• Sieg's strange nightmare realm where monsters are imprisoned and forced to fight

• His ability to enter and interfere with other people's dreams

• His power to rewrite and reshape the dream world itself

This episode also raises huge questions about the lore of Zeztz.

How po...

Kamen Rider Zeztz is a clip show, but...

This one feels different.

Instead of simply repeating old footage, the episode uses the recap to reframe the story and clarify what the conflict actually is, it keeps the conflict going and introduces a new threat!

So the question becomes simple.

Is this the greatest recap episode in tokusatsu history?

Dive deeper with Inspector's Notes: https://mjmunoz.com/2026/03/17/kamen-rider-zeztz-26/

ZEZTZ PLAYLIST - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe9IGJCLD_-0FNtTPRXlUSZZYAHQV1AVL

OMEGA PLAYLIST...

Episode 25 of Kamen Rider Zeztz might be one of the most important episodes in the entire series so far.

After the shocking events of Episode 24, the story appears to reset in a kind of New Game Plus timeline, but the emotional core of the episode comes down to one line from Baku:

"My mission now is to make sure my dream never comes true."

For years Baku dreamed of becoming an invincible CODE agent, Code Number Seven. But now that dream has become a nightmare. If his vision of the future is real...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 24 - The Moment Baku Failed

In Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 24, the biggest moment isn’t Baku’s apparent death or the destruction of the Nightmares. The most important moment is much smaller and much more disturbing.

Baku walks past an injured man and does nothing.

Earlier in the series, Baku risked his life to save strangers. Now, as Zeztz Catastrom, he ignores someone dying in front of him and continues pursuing his mission. Has Baku lost his heart? Has he crossed the line from hero to something else?

In...

Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity Episode 1 is a very promising start; the biggest reason is Reiji.

In this Henshin Reflection review of Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity Ep. 1: Red Gavan, I break down why the premiere feels complicated and overloaded with multiverse lore, Emorgears, transformation devices, and large-scale sci-fi concepts… yet still works because of its emotional core.

Reiji Doki is a compelling, charismatic lead. His emotional performance, grounded presence, and untransformed Jackie Chan–style fight choreography elevate the episode and provide a strong human anchor in the middle of dense worldbuilding.

Does Gava...

Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 23 “Destroy” proves this is the right way to sell a toy.

Catastrom isn’t just a new form. It shifts Baku’s trajectory, raises the moral stakes, and forces a real confrontation with duty and identity as Code Number: Seven.

The belt add-on, the Catastrum Buster, the dark framing — it all matters to the story.

That’s why it works.

In this review I break down: • Why Catastrom feels consequential • The moral tension between Baku, Nem, and Fujimi • How Zeztz integrates toy marketing into meaningful storytelling

Is this one of t...

Episode 22 of Kamen Rider Zeztz raises a serious moral question about CODE… and then distracts us with spectacle.

Baku embraces the power of Catastrum, destroys Nox, and delivers one of the most satisfying fights of the series so far. But in the middle of all that chaos, something important gets pushed aside.

Are we being emotionally manipulated? Is CODE righteous? And why does it feel like Yuya Takahashi just pulled a sleight of hand on the audience?

Let’s talk about it.

Bonus Content - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/02/20/kamen-rider-zeztz-22/

#Kame...

A spoiler-light review of Silver Buster by Jordan Allen (@MightySkrow), breaking down what works, where it stumbles, and why it feels like the strong opening arc of a modern henshin hero series.

If you love Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and transformation heroes with real consequences, this one’s worth a look.

Full Post - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/02/13/silver-buster-book-1-review/

Episode 21 is great and it sucks, because it is great at what it does. The Nightmares win in the worst way possible, by targeting children, and the consequences finally spill out of the dream world into reality.

Bonus Content - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/02/11/kamen-rider-zeztz-21/

Episode 20 quietly escalates everything. New players enter the board, old failures come back to haunt the story, and Zeztz crosses a strange moral line as the nightmare war expands. Not explosive, but necessary. Where do you think this arc is headed? What do you think of Agent 5?

Bonus Content - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/02/05/kamen-rider-zeztz-20/

Kamen Rider Zeztz 19 confronts what it means to act morally inside a broken system.

Baku admits he does not fully understand CODE, but still chooses to fight what he knows is wrong, while Nem struggles with guilt, responsibility, and the temptation to sacrifice herself to end the Nightmares.

In an imperfect world, when clarity is impossible, what does it actually mean to do the right thing?

Bonus Content - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/02/04/kamen-rider-zeztz-19/

Episode 18 of Kamen Rider Zeztz isn’t the flashiest episode so far—but it is the episode that proves why Yu Takahashi is one of the best Kamen Rider writers the franchise has ever had.

BONUS - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/02/03/kamen-rider-zeztz-18/

Episodes 17 and 18 work as something rare:

a true jumping-on point for new viewers and a rewarding continuation for longtime fans.

In this review, I talk about:

-How Zeztz 18 re-establishes the core conflict cleanly and efficiently

-Why CODE’s internal collapse feels earned, not rushed

-Kureh...

Zeztz Episode 17 shouldn’t work as well as it does.

BONUS - https://mjmunoz.com/2026/02/02/kamen-rider-zeztz-17/

There are unanswered questions, dangling plot threads, unclear motives, and a fairy-tale framework that barely holds together—and yet the episode hums.

In this review, I talk about why the contrast between Baku and Nox works so well, how the nightmare-powered Rider system creates perfect mirrors between them, and why the show’s sleight of hand makes confusion feel intentional rather than sloppy. Even when I don’t fully understand what the story is doing, the execution is so st...

If Episode 16 of Kamen Rider Zeztz left you feeling conflicted, you are not wrong.

That discomfort feels intentional.

This episode is not confused or messy. It is carefully designed to put both the characters and the audience off balance.

Instead of trying to cover everything that happens in Episode 16, I focus on one central question that defines the episode for me.

Did Baku make the right choice trusting Zero?

Zero demands loyalty without transparency. He insists there is only one solution and reacts strongly when Baku questions that order...

In a previous reflection, I talked about why people watch Kamen Rider.

The transformation. The mask. The spectacle.

But that isn’t why people stay.

You watch Kamen Rider because it transforms.

You love Kamen Rider because it endures.

Across every era, beneath the resets and reinventions, there are internal constants that never go away. This video explores the deeper, human reasons Kamen Rider resonates year after year — beyond suits, gimmicks, or power systems.

This is a Henshin Reflection on endurance, choice, and what it means to rema...

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers had a rhythm you could trust.

Rita attacked.

The Rangers fought.

The Rangers won.

Then Green With Evil disrupted the rules.

This arc did not just introduce a new Ranger. It broke the structure of the show, expanded the mythology, and permanently changed what Power Rangers could be.

In this Henshin Reflection, I break down the specific ways Green With Evil disrupted Power Rangers, why that disruption mattered, and why it still works decades later.

This is not about escalation.

1

Zeztz Episode 15 is the moment Baku finally clicks for me. This episode reframes him as a Rider who is stepping out of Zero’s shadow and choosing his own will even if it means betraying the system that gave him power.

In this video I break down Baku’s growth, the role of dreams and nightmares, the meaning of rebellion in Kamen Rider, and why Episode 15 feels like a turning point for the series.

Watch the full Zeztz playlist in the pinned comment and tell me what you think this episode is really saying.

Bo...

Why does Kamen Rider work year after year, even as everything changes?

New suits. New tones. New worlds. And yet Kamen Rider is always recognizable.

In this Henshin Reflection, I break down the core external elements that define Kamen Rider across the franchise. These are the visible, structural constants that draw people in and make someone stop and watch.

This is not about why we love Kamen Rider.

This is about why we watch it.

If you enjoy tokusatsu analysis, transforming heroes, or thoughtful breakdowns of Ultraman, Kamen Rider...

Are they quietly turning Nox into the sympathetic figure and Baku into the danger?

Episode 14 of Kamen Rider Zeztz feels like a major thematic shift. While the spectacle is strong, the framing tells a different story. Nox is presented as someone being hunted, facing a recurring nightmare, while Baku feels increasingly forceful, mission driven, and detached.

In this episode, the camera perspective and dream logic subtly position Nox as the emotional center, even when he is framed as a villain. Meanwhile, Baku moves through the dream space without reflection, converting trauma into power rather than...

Super Sentai didn’t fail because it was outdated.

It failed because it stopped surprising us.

In this Heart and Sold episode, I look at the untapped potential inside Sentai — all the things it could have been — and how Project RED now has the rare chance to break the mold instead of repeating it.

We talk about:

• Why Sentai grew bigger but shallower

• How the formula became a cage instead of a toolbox

• Why Rider and Ultraman sharpened their identities while Sentai didn’t

• The cost of massive...

Zeztz 13 just gave us a black hole finisher and an extinction-level meteor Nightmare… all by episode 13. Is this “unlimited power” good storytelling or too much, too soon?

In this Rider Tears review I break down:

• Why the meteor threat actually works

• The dramatic conflict between Baku, Fujimi, and Nasuka

• The Wonder suit: great colors, weird hands

• Zero’s shady behavior and Knox revealed as Agent 4

• My theory that former agents might be dream ghosts

• What the show risks if it keeps escalating power

• Why the cost of the ca...

Kamen Rider Zeztz 12 might be the best episode so far. Nox Knight arrives with incredible presence, the story grows in real ways, and the lore lands with real weight. This episode blends character moments, toy logic, mystery, and action into something that finally SO SATISFYING!

The Capsems matter more than ever, CODE’s true history becomes a real mystery, and the Knight System raises huge questions about how deep this rabbit hole goes. Even the real world use of powers gets pushed forward.

I break down the fights, the revelations, the design choices, and the st...

Zeztz 11 surprised me in the best ways. Between the microscopic mold fight, the dream-tech mystery, and the escalating tension around Agent Zero, this episode pushes every thread forward while still delivering pure toyetic chaos. Wonder Form’s scythe battle is wild, the No.X theory gets stronger, and Zero is looking more suspicious than ever.

Vote in this week’s Zeztz 11 Meme Duel (and get the Short bonus commentary):

https://mjmunoz.com/2025/11/24/kamen-rider-zeztz-11/

Explore the full Rider Tears archive:

https://mjmunoz.com/category/podcast/mjmrt/

Thanks for supporting Rider Tear...

This moment changed everything.

Episode 3 of Henshin Reflection: Heart and Sold dives into the exact point where I first realized tokusatsu wasn’t just about suit acting, explosions, or heroes I loved — it was also shaped by toy cycles, merchandising, and business decisions I had never noticed as a kid.

Get the polished Reflection here:

https://mjmunoz.com/2025/11/21/henshin-reflection-heart-and-sold-3/

In this reflection, I look back at:

-My memories of Masked Rider and Black RX

-How Sentai and Rider split in toy strategy

-When form changes beca...

The story takes a sharp turn in Case 10: Vanish, where Kamen Rider Zeztz dives deeper into hidden agents, dream clues, and a stolen National Secret. The action lands, the mystery escalates, and we’re getting multiple character arcs moving at once. This one surprised me in the best ways.

Full Review - https://mjmunoz.com/2025/11/18/kamen-rider-zeztz-10-an-honest-review/

Support my work by checking out my books and reviews at: https://mjmunoz.com

Watch more Rider Tears here: https://www.youtube.com/@henshininspection

#KamenRiderZeztz #RiderTears #MJMunoz #TokusatsuReview #HenshinInspection

How did tokusatsu hook me so hard?

In this episode of Henshin Reflection: Heart and Sold, I talk about the fusion of spectacle and story that hit me five days a week after school, from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to discovering Super Sentai and Gokaiger.

Let’s explore what pulled us into these shows long before toy sales and industry rumors.

#Tokusatsu #Toku #KamenRider #Ultraman #SuperSentai #PowerRangers

POST - https://mjmunoz.com/2025/11/14/how-i-got-hooked-henshin-reflection-heart-and-sold-2/

My book about magical bugs battling monsters is out now. Read Mockwing Mayhem HERE - https://ww...

What do you think of Kamen Rider Zeztz 09? Honestly?

#Tokusatsu #Toku #KamenRider #ShotaroIshinomori

Full Review HERE - https://mjmunoz.com/2025/11/11/kamen-rider-zeztz-09-an-honest-review/

My book about magical bug battling monsters is it now.

Read Mockwing Mayhem HERE - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F5Y4MC4B