Hi. Welcome back. My name is Kamen Rider Die, and this is a thread where we watch Kamen Rider Decade.

Sorry for the crazy delays in starting this series! Some of it's work-related (Free Comic Book Day was yesterday, and we've also been doing a lot of store renovations besides), but some of it's the scope of this project. While there hasn't been a lot of visible work being released, I have been accumulating content for y'all over the last few weeks. I may not've been posting, but I was not taking a break!

But now that's done, and we're all here, and we're going to watch Decade. I'm thrilled about it. I'm thrilled about Kamen Rider shows generally, obviously, but this one feels special. I've never seen an anniversary series. I know OOO did that 1000th episode two-parter, and there're any number of Phase 2 movies with Legend Riders, but an entire series devoted to celebrating ten years (plus!) of Kamen Rider? Very excited to see what that looks like.

I'm also excited because this thread isn't just going to be me experiencing Decade for the first time; it's going to be me experiencing Decade for the first time with my friends from TokuNation. Each story on Decade is going to be covered by me and another fan, someone who can bring their own perspective to the process. It's a little like what I imagine Decade'll be like as a show, with me moving on from story to story, getting to spend some time immersing myself in someone else's worldview, and then taking that with me as I move through the series. Growing as a fan with the help of other fans, you know?

And there will be other fans! I've lined up a dozen folks to share their passions and insights, and they'll be revealed as we progress through the series. It's a really good group, and I've had fun doing some pre-show chats with them. We'll delve into their backstories as they show up, and hopefully get a better sense of how we all connect as fans.

That's kind of a thing I want this thread to be about, maybe? How this site connects us all as fans? I tried to indicate that in the title: TokuNation Watches Kamen Rider Decade. As much as I'm excited to explore Decade as a series, it's getting to explore it with all of you that's the most satisfying. I hope folks can use this thread on an anniversary series to reflect back on their time on the boards, and take a moment or two to appreciate the really great community we have here. You're all good people, and I'm glad I've gotten the chance to talk with so many of you over the last couple years.

Almost time to start the show! Let's go over a few ground rules -slash- friendly requests, first.

PLEASE KEEP THE DECADE DISCUSSION TO THE CURRENT EPISODE AND ANYTHING PRIOR. Like I said up above, this'll be my first time watching Decade, and I'd prefer to stay as spoiler-free as possible. If we can steer clear of talking about upcoming character developments or plot turns, I'd appreciate it. Not a huge deal if anyone's enthusiasm gets the better of them, but anything you can do to keep the discussion focused on the present and past instead of the future, I'd be grateful for.

NOTHING FROM ZI-O THROUGH REVICE. I'm gonna watch those shows soon, so please don't post anything about them! Thanks!

THE REST OF HEISEI IS FAIR GAME. I might ruin parts of other shows in the course of discussing Decade. I mean, I am almost definitely going to ruin all of the other Phase 1 shows. It feels like it'd be impossible to talk about an anniversary series without at least referencing where a series it's celebrating ended up. If you haven't watched those shows and want to stay unspoiled, maybe don't check in on this thread that much!

YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE WHY I DO THIS. No one has to take part in the discussion - most people lurk for awhile before they post - but I am always excited to read people's thoughts on these shows. The episode posts are a conversation starter, not a final statement. It's only through other people chiming in that we get something really special, so please don't be shy about sharing your thoughts!

IT MAY TAKE A MINUTE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SCHEDULE THESE POSTS. The process of watching and writing about this show is way more complex than every other Watch thread, so I don't know exactly when episode posts are going to drop. The plan, a week before I start watching this show, is to have a new post go up between Sunday and Tuesday, and another post go up between Thursday and Saturday. Two posts each week, and each post will cover one World Of story. (Like, you're about to read an Episode 1 post, and then in a few days you'll read an Episode 2-3 post, then an Episode 4-5 post, etc.) The logistics of working with a large group of international contributors means that there are probably going to be some times where schedules don't line up, and things get delayed. Hopefully not too often, but I've never tried to do a project like this before. Please bear with us!

I think that's all the little advisories I need to get out of the way. We're finally ready to watch Kamen Rider Decade! Together! LET'S RIDE!