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anonymouslyabigail-blog · 5 years

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Disney is Weird...

Like, really weird. And I’m not just gonna drop the same Pixar Universe theory on you that you’ve probably heard over a thousand times. No. What I want to talk about are the Disney Parks, because, boy, is there some weird stuff going on there.

I went to Disney World for the very first time last summer. It was magical. But that’s not what you’re here for. There’s a lot of interesting diversions Disney has taken in its march towards being the most magical place on Earth. After I visited, I became obsessed with finding out how they do it. How the Imagineers make the rides, what kinds of rides get rejected, things like that and I was not ready for what I found. Here’s some of my favorites:

1. Extra-TERROR-estrial

So, in 1995, a guy by the name of Michael Eisner was in charge of Disney. And if you choose to do more research on the Disney Parks, you’ll see his name pop up a lot, and not in a good way. One of the very first things he did as CEO was take his teenage son with him on his tour of the Disney Parks to see what they could be doing different, better, even. Eisner’s son complained that there was nothing for kids his age to do at Disney World. So Michael decided that in an effort to make his parks more “edgy” and “cool”, he would start incorporating franchises that were cool with the teens. And nothing says “Disney” quite like the 1979 thriller horror, Alien. Eisner immediately started trying to get the licensing to open a ride based on the movies in Tommorrowland while the Imagineers watched in horror as they were forced to create a ride that went against everything Walt believed in.

Things really took a turn for the worst when Eisner couldn’t even get the licensing rights to the movie the ride was based on, and the concept was pretty much complete. So instead, they turned it into a generic alien horror ride, however, the star of the show looks a lot like a creature whose name rhymes with menomorph. If you’d like to see a full walkthrough of what this ride was like and the history (and potential future of this ride), I’d suggest this video. Naturally, the ride was a disaster and everyone hated it, so the ride got turned into Stitch’s Great Escape. Which was also a disaster that everyone hated. But all of that is covered in the video

2. DisneyQuest

Okay, buckle up, ‘cause here’s where things get really wacky. We’re still in the 90s, when everything was trying to be all “epic” this and “wicked” that. Also, Chuck E. Cheese’s and stuff were starting to be really cool. So our pal Michael Eisner said, “Let’s do that, but better.” And so they did. Sort of.

The 90s was trying really hard to make VR work. Like, really hard. Which was really cool. Except for the fact that the technology and the graphics just weren’t quite there. Instead of being fully immersed into a brand new world to explore, you mostly just ended up with disappointment sprinkled with motion sickness. Disney wanted to open a place that was like Chuck E. Cheese on steroids while utilizing VR technology to design the attractions within. And thus DisneyQuest was born. The goal of DisneyQuest was to provide an amusement park experience in towns all across America. In their bid to do so, Imagineers created a couple of really cool attractions like Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride and Ride the Comix. It was a place for families to play cool games in an immersive atmosphere, as well as grab a bite to eat from The Cheesecake Factory Express. It was really cool until it really wasn’t. Because of the failure of EuroDisney, which is a whole other separate post on its own, Disney didn’t have the funds to keep building them all over the U.S., but they had already secured land for a lot of them. So in a couple cities, there was land that Disney had bought but didn’t plan on developing, leaving a giant eyesore in the middle of those cities and a sour taste in the mouths of those that lived there.

At it’s prime, there were two DisneyQuests. One in Chicago and the other in Disney World, which seems a little redundant. The one in Chicago ended up closing but the one at Disney World stayed open for a weirdly long amount of time. Like, until 2017. And towards the end, it started to get kinda sad. There was a sort of cool promotion for Wreck-It-Ralph they did, where they put Fix-It Felix games in there but that's about all that happened to the place between about 2000 and 2017. And that’s how Disney tried to be Chuck E. Cheese’s but failed miserably. Where’s my Shane Dawson video about that?

3. The Yeti

So I didn’t get to go to Animal Kingdom during my visit but it is definitely one of my #goals. I want to do the Avatar rides, and see Animal Kingdom at night, and all that cool stuff. But what really fascinates me about the Animal Kingdom is Expedition Everest.

Expedition Everest is one of the more thrilling rides within the Disney Theme Parks and also features one of the largest moving animatronics to ever be built. Or at least it would if the animatronic moved. See, when Imagineers designed the roller coaster, they designed it inside Animal Kingdom’s icon, Mount Everest. This ride takes you through an abandoned mountain camp as you try to escape the legendary monster of the peaks. As guests ride through the mountain, they see shadows of the Yeti, hear it roar, and finally come face to face with the beast as it lunges at the ride cars, with guests narrowly escaping. That is until March of 2009 when it was found that the Yeti was causing cracks to form in the mountain’s structure and that it would be irresponsible to allow the Yeti to continue its reign of terror. So they switched to plan B, or rather B-mode. The Yeti’s B-mode features a still Yeti, with its arms stretched toward the car. Then, strobe effects are activated to give the illusion that the monster is moving.

So when will the Yeti animatronic be able to strike out once again? It’s sort of up in the air. In order to fix the Yeti, they would have to dismantle the entire mountain, fix the foundation, and put it back together again. Fans remain hopeful that it will be fixed thanks to Imagineer Joe Rhodes who has sworn to fix the Yeti. Until then, it remains in Disco mode. So named, after its fancy strobe lights.

So Yeah...

Disney has some weird facts lying around. If you want to read more about some other spooky Disney rides like Extra-TERROR-estrial, I recommend this Buzzfeed article. For other weird little tidbits about Disney Parks history (don’t even get me started on America Sings), and other theme parks, I suggest this channel, this channel, and this channel.

Tell me some weird stuff you guys know about Disney. I love these kinds of things.

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gameridernews · 7 years

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Ex-Aid review: Month 11 (Episodes 42-45)

Here we are... the final month of Ex-Aid. With only 4 episodes left, how does the show wrap up?

Well, for starters, let me say this: I'm only going to be covering these episodes the way I would any month of episodes, then will do a separate post where I talk about the show overall - give me time to write that one. Also at the end, I return to my final predictions to see what I got right or wrong.

Oh, a small addendum to the last review since I'm pretty sure I talked about the summer movie: We know now that it's a 1-year-later story, so anything I said about it as an alternate ending to the show... is completely invalid. Oops.

So with that being said... let's tackle the final level.

With Gamedeus unleashed, turns out Masamune wanted to give one last middle finger to the world by reprogramming Gamedeus to let off one hell of a pandemic - everyone in the area has been infected, and it's as bad as when Nico was infected with Gamedeus' virus.

Now I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't sure how to feel about that idea - yeah, it does work as a big finale thing. But it's also what the summer movie was doing, so in that regard it feels redundant. But I warmed up to it since it shows everyone caring for patients in a way that really fits the motif of the show - we're seeing not Riders, but humans, care for the people they want to protect on a personal level. Also Taiga and Nico are wonderful human beings, you guys.

While that's happening, Kiriya and Kuroto are using a clever plan as an excuse to beat the hell out of each other. I was into it once they revealed what they were doing - by continuously infecting themselves with the Gamedeus virus, they build up a resistance, and the end result is a new Doctor Mighty XX Gashat which can eliminate the virus - a shame it doesn't get used to transform, but hey, we know there's at least two different places that could be used now that the show is over...

The Gamedeus Bugster, VERY ironically, is a bit of a small talking point here. Apart from causing a pandemic (which is arguably Masamune's work), and having all the powers of the past Bugsters, the only notable thing about him is the buildup and his quick death once Doctor Mighty XX is delivered to Ex-Aid.

This is something I can understand being a downer, but... we don't have nearly enough time to justify bumping down Masamune in favor of some villain that's just appeared - I didn't expect him to actually stick around because it'd be a waste of time. But I also see it as a miraculous victory - against all odds, they somehow managed to find a way to stop him at the least second.

What they didn't count on was the lingering sanity of Masamune Dan! With no further options, Cronus appears before Ex-Aid and crew can finish off Gamedeus, only to do the job himself and absorb the hell out of Gamedeus' data to become Gamedeus Cronus!

How is Gamedeus Cronus? Well... I know how Rider shows work. We are at that stage where the design process becomes "What can we make with as few new parts as possible?" - which I don't think is unreasonable considering the show's just about over and they're focusing on the next one. That being said, it does what it needs to do well enough - it's Gamedeus but as a Rider. The fusion works within story context.

In a surprising twist, turns out the Ride-Player that's closest to Gamedeus is... Nico! So Masamune, now being perhaps more powerful than the unstoppable Gamedeus, knows EXACTLY what he's doing when he insists on having her challenge him.

He's just screwing with them all now, aiming for the one character who has no Rider belt. Even though Nico is more or less like a Level 10 Ride-Player (d-don't add that to the wiki, that's a joke), she's not unstoppable.

So it's time for big brother Taiga to step in, because it's as he's been saying from the start... only he needs to be the one who fights.

This was a big moment for Taiga, because his motivations are clearer than ever. And he uses both Nico's and... some random Kamen Rider Chronicle Gashat, both at the same time, to transform into Cronus. If you were wondering, TV Asahi just refers to do this "Kamen Rider Cronus (Taiga Hanaya Version)". I'm not sure what the second Gashat is adding aside from it representing Nico, but I do like how this form seems to have access to ALL weapons. Imagine the catharsis of gaining access to this in a proper Chronicle game.

After Taiga gets tossed around a bit, Hiro and Emu show up to remind him that doctors have to work together, and they give him a white coat! That... later we learn that it's okay for him to be a doctor again but that still made me go "Wait, is that legal?" - the three use their strongest forms, reminding us Taiga is in need of something stronger than Level 50...

... then Gamedeus Cronus brings in one last video game trope by revealing that a proper final boss has a second form. Kickass! It's at this point, a true pandemic begins. People become Bugster Viruses, which I thought looked pretty goofy. Masamune is certainly bringing hell on Earth, just like a proper final boss. Turns out he knows exactly what video games are all about.

As an aside, did you know I was considering doing monthly reviews for the next show in the form of video? I'm still undecided, but I am still thinking of how I can keep that simple enough that it won't be hell to edit. I only bring this up because hey, we get our cameo for the next Rider here, Build!

This was a dumb cameo, but a fun kind of dumb. I liked how it involved Genm being mistaken for Ex-Aid, because not only is that going back to misunderstandings from Genm's cameo in Ghost, it's also a resemblance that has not come up in a long time. Made me go "Oh right, it IS weird that they look so alike!"

You gotta take cameos with a grain of salt, but they do admittedly try to capture the basic idea of what that character is like. If Build is anything like this, he seems kinda fun. This whole bit of him wanting a sample from Ex-Aid is actually followed up in the summer movie, which I guess is okay to say now since it's gonna have to be talked about when the upcoming winter movie happens.

Now then, let's talk about heartbreak.

In order to make the people happy, Poppy basically sacrifices her own existence to spread the vaccine to Gamedeus' virus and cure everyone, effectively stopping the pandemic.

This was especially touching when you realize that the most exposure she's had to the general public is being depicted as a deadly Bugster that has even infected others. She's making quite the sacrifice for people who might not even want her alive. You’re breaking my heart, girl.

Then we get what I was most interested in during the episode preview... the baby war!

Ex-Aid brings us back to the Level 1 forms in a clever way, reminding us of its function: Separate the virus from the patient. As everyone switches to the forms we first came to know them for, they beat the Game out of Deus and even perform a chibi Rider Kick together!

But then...

More heartbreak.

With Parad forming a proper bond with Emu, he's found that he lacks something: The chance to redeem himself. He's let a lot of people suffer, and it seems like one fight alongside Emu isn't enough to rid him of his sins - that’s pretty mature of him.

So after Poppy sacrificed herself by using Doctor Mighty XX to turn into a vaccine, Parad does the same to latch onto Gamedeus and finally put an end to it all, so that humans can live in peace.

The day is saved.

Or, you know, fuck you.

Masamune knows what's up. If Parad is gone, that means Ex-Aid - the only one with the power to face him - can't transform. The Riders are effectively powerless to stop him and his time powers. Try as they might, they can't punch something that punches them harder in less than an instant.

The day is ruined. And it looks like this finale is the BAD ending! You beat us, Cronus!

Or, you know, fuck you.

Yes, in a miraculous come-from-behind revival that we get explanations for later, Emu is back in action! And with everyone standing together in the dark setting (Cronus powers are weird), we recreate episode 1's opening scene... with Genm offscreen because of a delayed Continue apparently.

This fight was quick, but fantastic. Everyone gets a piece of Cronus, even Lazer in bike form. Which I now realize is odd for him to revert to, but I guess he figured he'd have one last ride with Emu. No way that phrase can be taken out of context.

Masamune is defeated, and... I'm a little mixed on Masamune, I'll be honest.

The reset from last month was something that came into play because Masamune's Bugster infection intervened, giving them the glowy eyes Emu gets when he does M stuff. While they use that effect again during his last Gamedeus Cronus fight, it... kinda never came into play again. It was just some random thing that served no purpose other than to artificially extend the drama. So... that was pointless.

As for what happened here, with Masamune's final act being to stab himself with his own Gashat, I can only assume he was trying for one more final fight since Graphite used Gashats this way, but it kinda just... kills him. So I'm not sure what to make of it. It doesn't help that they never give it any lip service. He's just gone.

Masamune has been a great villain up to this point, but I feel that he's been all over the place within these final two months and hasn’t been at his best. Still, now that he's gone, peace can properly return. No fakeouts, just status quo.

The rest of the final episode is essentially an epilogue for our beautiful cast.

For starters, I guess the Bugster Virus still lingers, it's just not nearly on the level of Gamedeus. I guess that works, since otherwise we'd have to say goodbye to Kuroto and Kiriya. Speaking of, Kiriya will be taking part in developing medicine that fights against the virus, with the help of the new CEO of Genm Corp: Tsukuru! Burger-san is in chaaaarge! That puts a big smile on my face.

Taiga gets a pretty sweet deal. His efforts have given him the right to be a doctor again, and his previously abandoned hospital has been cleaned up and is now in service as a Bugster Virus hospital. Not only that, Nico has graduated and wants to work for him! Adorable.

Hiro is passing down his expertise to future generations, and even though it's not directly stated, we know that he now has much more respect for the patients now that he's spent plenty of time with Emu.

As for Emu, he relays all that happened to the ministry of health, and is offered the chance to stay in CR. Which I guess is fair since his introduction to it was happenstance.

Lastly is a speech where Emu admits a grim truth: Those infected with the Bugster Virus have been cured... but they have not yet been able to restore the lives lost. As it currently stands, they still exist as data, and when questioned on whether that could be considered "living", Emu says something very mature. When Kuroto first revealed that the victims would be reborn as Bugsters, Emu was strongly against them being data because that can hardly be called living. Has he changed his stance now?

Well... no. He instead believes that medicine has come a long way, and that one day, they WILL find a way to bring these people back properly. The way it was handled was, again, very mature of Emu. I really can't say enough that he's grown up since the beginning.

Kuroto, not so much. But at least he has godly talents.

Since Kuroto got just a bit of Poppy's virus when she sacrificed herself, he was able to restore her! And with the okay of the ministry of health, she will continue her service to CR just like always! I must say, considering this character was too much for me to handle at the beginning, I'm happy to see her stay!

Not only that... when Emu got close to Parad as he sacrificed himself, it seems that he reabsorbed just a bit of Parad's virus, which is how Emu was able to transform during their last fight with Cronus - tightly wrapping it all up, aren't they? Because of that, Parad gets to live.

I'll be honest, I always feel like I need to be more critical when a character is immediately brought back after death... but the tears in my eyes during that moment tell a different story. I guess I’m okay with this.

With our final scene that seems to be a later moment, we randomly get... product placement! Yes, it seems Kuroto was "inspired" to make a new Gashat based on his mysterious encounter, which I'm sure has a form attached to it but it currently just causes the trailer to play. Oddly specific power.

But wait! There were predictions I made. Let's see what they were and how they panned out. There's a lot of em.

First off, I'm gonna just summarize two here: Previews led us to believe Parad might be killed off, as well as Taiga. Aside from me guessing Cronus was the one who killed Parad, I guess I was right in saying they wouldn't kill off either character at this point in the story. I feel the need to address those quickly since they were no-brainers. I even thought they were excessive to say at the time. But...

I think since the heroes now have the Proto Gashats [which contain Saki's data], they’ll be able to convince Hiro well enough to return. That being said… Masamune giving him a new form with no strings attached? Suspicious. Maybe there’ll be some kind of mind control in place in the event Hiro turned on him. This man thinks ahead. It’s gonna take a heavy duty “What it means to be a doctor” speech to shake Hiro from this one.

Okay, I guess Taddle Legacy was a form with no strings attached. It made sense in my head.

Graphite and Parad [might be] successful in infecting Masamune’s belt with the virus of Gamedeus... which results in him becoming a Gamedeus with the unstoppable power of Cronus! That’s, like, twice unstoppable. Perfect for an endgame villain.

I knew it would be a perfect endgame villain! But it turns out this was all Masamune's doing.

I also made a prediction about the ending and talked about how the summer movie was setting itself up as an alternate ending... but again, that turned out to not be the case. But I did say what I thought would be the ending for the show:

I think that the show will have your standard happy ending. Bugsters are gone, CR is disbanded, everyone goes back to their regular lives as doctors/non-doctors. All that needs to be kept in place is the ability to transform, or at the very least modify the gear so it isn’t required anymore. Basically, the show’s ending is more welcome to continuation and crossovers.

And it sure is! But they were surprisingly cool about not undoing much. The Bugster Virus still exists, CR is still needed, and they work in a way for Emu to still have the ability to transform. Which is about as crossover-friendly as you can get.

So that was a show. I'm actually gonna end this review here, because I think it's only fair to have a SEPARATE review to talk about the overall show. The characters, the plot, the style... it's something that would make this post twice as long. So give me some time to write it.

As for the next series, Kamen Rider Build? I am cautiously optimistic! Some believe there is a noticeable coincidental format to Rider shows in which a really good show is followed up by an okay show then followed up by a crappy show. I just take them each as their own thing. There's elements of this new one I find interesting and I look forward to seeing how it presents itself.

With that being said, see you next game, when I analyze Ex-Aid as a whole.

#kamen rider exaid #reviews #feed

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