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06-09-2020, 10:23 PM | #571 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,414
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Quote:
Holy shit, Kusaka lying to Yuuji and blaming Takumi. Highlight of the episode, by the way. It’s not just that Kusaka lies to Yuuji about what happened to Mari, claiming it’s Takumi who attacked her. It’s that he leverages Takumi’s guilt, so when Yuuji asks Takumi if he’s the reason Mari’s injured, Takumi says yes. It’s so goddamn clever of Kusaka.
Honestly, man, all issues I had with this episode aside, it’s a great continuation of Yuuji and Takumi’s dissolution. It’s these little decisions, little recriminations, that keep pulling them apart. That stuff came out great. |
06-09-2020, 10:26 PM | #572 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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Quote:
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06-10-2020, 04:55 AM | #573 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Of course Kusaka still has his head in the game! He's not some sloppy, overly emotional idiot, like that horrible monster Inui!
In all seriousness, one thing I really love about Kusaka's lies in this part of the show especially is how, and I'm pretty sure this a real thing emotionally manipulative people do, he likes to tinge his falsehoods with bits of truth. Was Mari attacked by Takumi? Absolutely not. Was her getting attacked his fault? Debatable! Same thing with him brushing off trying to murder the s*** out of Yuuji by telling him that whole thing was just part of a plan to destroy Smart Brain from the inside. This is why I say he seems to believe everything he says the second it leaves his mouth. Past events always exist to whatever level is most convenient for him at that particular moment. Sometimes it feels like he's deluding himself as much as his victims. A couple translation cop notes for this one, by the way, and what do you know, they're both from Kusaka, during his conversation with Takumi early in the episode: - "...it seems you're quite interested in my past. I'm not going to tell you anything about myself." is "You seem to be pretty interested in my past, but you never talk about yourself." Part of the actual thing Kusaka is doing here still survives in the next few lines, but Kusaka's jerk move here isn't merely stubbornly refusing to give information. What he's actually doing is trying to posit that Takumi is the REALLY suspicious one, which is just so much more Kusaka. - Unfortunately, the part of this that made it in is still messed up. The "about that house" bit is complete nonsense, and a result of TV-N not being able to figure out what sono uchi meant. The full line is something like "I'd really like to hear about it someday. About your past." By the way, Die, I'm amazed by the restraint you had not to make one of the screencaps for this one Kusaka saying "It's a terrible story." Refusing solid gold like that is how I know you really do like this show!
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06-10-2020, 07:19 AM | #574 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 104
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The Kaido/Keitaro stuff... is it the fire incident? Yeah that one may seem random, but it'd be quite important later on.
I don't mind the distracted feel of this particular episode, because Faiz has long established itself as a more character-driven show than a plot-driven one. I think it's worth it even with the risk of awkward transitioning/tonal dissonance, just to keep having the relatively balanced amount of character focus without forcing all of them to be involved in the same plot. Also, I think this is usually the point where the non-transforming/non-fighting supporting character started to really become obsolete and a non-factor in the grand scheme of things, so I appreciate that they constantly have new separate stuff to do for Keitaro (who, bless his heart, I have a hard time imagining would contribute much to the current Plot A besides the usual "TAKKUN, ORPHNOCH!!"). Eventually, the threads tend to converge at some point, though it'd naturally feel disjointed if you evaluate them on individual basis. I do think that early in the show, it did a much better job transitioning/juggling several plot threads than at this point, but obviously it's easier to do so when the stakes are lower and there were fewer number of characters. |
06-10-2020, 07:23 AM | #575 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,550
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Not to spoil anything, but the next episode’s title has “shin” in it.
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06-10-2020, 07:38 AM | #576 |
Ex-Weather Three leader
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,512
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FYI Sawada/Spider Orphnoch is played by big-time actor Gou Ayano, and this show was his debut work. He has been doing all sorts of roles post-Faiz and around early 2010s he just kinda had a big break as an actor and has been doing well ever since.
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Last edited by Sunred; 06-10-2020 at 08:28 AM.. |
06-10-2020, 09:44 AM | #577 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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Quote:
In all seriousness, one thing I really love about Kusaka's lies in this part of the show especially is how, and I'm pretty sure this a real thing emotionally manipulative people do, he likes to tinge his falsehoods with bits of truth. Was Mari attacked by Takumi? Absolutely not. Was her getting attacked his fault? Debatable! Same thing with him brushing off trying to murder the s*** out of Yuuji by telling him that whole thing was just part of a plan to destroy Smart Brain from the inside. This is why I say he seems to believe everything he says the second it leaves his mouth. Past events always exist to whatever level is most convenient for him at that particular moment. Sometimes it feels like he's deluding himself as much as his victims.
Quote:
A couple translation cop notes for this one, by the way, and what do you know, they're both from Kusaka, during his conversation with Takumi early in the episode:
- "...it seems you're quite interested in my past. I'm not going to tell you anything about myself." is "You seem to be pretty interested in my past, but you never talk about yourself." Part of the actual thing Kusaka is doing here still survives in the next few lines, but Kusaka's jerk move here isn't merely stubbornly refusing to give information. What he's actually doing is trying to posit that Takumi is the REALLY suspicious one, which is just so much more Kusaka. - Unfortunately, the part of this that made it in is still messed up. The "about that house" bit is complete nonsense, and a result of TV-N not being able to figure out what sono uchi meant. The full line is something like "I'd really like to hear about it someday. About your past." Quote:
The Kaido/Keitaro stuff... is it the fire incident? Yeah that one may seem random, but it'd be quite important later on.
I don't mind the distracted feel of this particular episode, because Faiz has long established itself as a more character-driven show than a plot-driven one. I think it's worth it even with the risk of awkward transitioning/tonal dissonance, just to keep having the relatively balanced amount of character focus without forcing all of them to be involved in the same plot. Also, I think this is usually the point where the non-transforming/non-fighting supporting character started to really become obsolete and a non-factor in the grand scheme of things, so I appreciate that they constantly have new separate stuff to do for Keitaro (who, bless his heart, I have a hard time imagining would contribute much to the current Plot A besides the usual "TAKKUN, ORPHNOCH!!"). Eventually, the threads tend to converge at some point, though it'd naturally feel disjointed if you evaluate them on individual basis. I do think that early in the show, it did a much better job transitioning/juggling several plot threads than at this point, but obviously it's easier to do so when the stakes are lower and there were fewer number of characters. Worse, that A-plot is pretty much only there to provide a viewpoint for the B-plot, which is the Takumi and Yuuji plot. Sawada's decision-making is important because of how it affects Takumi's feelings for Yuuji, and vice versa. The entire A-plot exists to support the B-plot, which... not a great way to construct a story! For me, this episode is built around character-driven storytelling, it's just applied in a way that makes elements feel more hollow than I'd like. Quote:
He's pretty good in this one! I can see why he'd do well in his career.
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Currently working on: Go-Busters is next! Archive of previous shows on KamenRiderDie.com! |
06-10-2020, 10:48 AM | #578 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,094
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Quote:
--3--
All of the Sawada/Mari stuff, it’s really there to add more complications to what Takumi and Yuuji are dealing with. Well, mostly Takumi. He’s trying to decide if he should view all Orphnochs as enemies, and Sawada makes that sort-of an easy Yes. Once again, I like that Kusaka’s shown to be right in this situation. There’s wanting to see the best in people, and then there’s being reckless with your sympathy. Sawada killed two Ryusei School alumni, and had threatened Mari’s life just a few days earlier. (Plus the dozens of kills to which Mari wasn’t privy.) He’s a member of Lucky Clover, the definitely evil Orphnoch group. He also just killed Saya, which was the reason Takumi was so conflicted about Orphnochs in the first goddamn place. It is literally the thing that started this storyline. Like, this was straight-up a bad call by Takumi. Sawada should’ve been given a wide berth, not a clandestine meeting. (I mean, I'm okay with it on a storytelling level. Takumi was letting his desire to patch things up with Yuuji maybe cloud his judgment here, and Mari was 100% not taking no for an answer. Kusaka tried to help!) For Yuuji, he gets his answer from Takumi through Kaido and Keitaro, which is naturally garbled. Takumi’s “I was a fool to trust you” comes back as “Fool.” It’s heartbreaking, to Yuuji. Someone he trusted is laughing at him. It gets worse (trademark Faiz) when Yuuji sees what’s happened to Mari. Holy shit, Kusaka lying to Yuuji and blaming Takumi. Highlight of the episode, by the way. It’s not just that Kusaka lies to Yuuji about what happened to Mari, claiming it’s Takumi who attacked her. It’s that he leverages Takumi’s guilt, so when Yuuji asks Takumi if he’s the reason Mari’s injured, Takumi says yes. It’s so goddamn clever of Kusaka. Honestly, man, all issues I had with this episode aside, it’s a great continuation of Yuuji and Takumi’s dissolution. It’s these little decisions, little recriminations, that keep pulling them apart. That stuff came out great. He's convinced that Orphenochs will eventually turn bad and should be destroyed, starting with Kiba, who conveniently wants to beat him up for attacking Mari, as Kusaka misled him to believe. You can see that as much as Takumi judges himself, he refuses to be judged by who he considers some heartless Orphenoch. He immediately turns hostile towards Kiba. These events have shaped him in to become a more indiscriminate killer of Orphenochs like Kusaka and it's not a good place for him right now. Quote:
Of course Kusaka still has his head in the game! He's not some sloppy, overly emotional idiot, like that horrible monster Inui!
In all seriousness, one thing I really love about Kusaka's lies in this part of the show especially is how, and I'm pretty sure this a real thing emotionally manipulative people do, he likes to tinge his falsehoods with bits of truth. Was Mari attacked by Takumi? Absolutely not. Was her getting attacked his fault? Debatable! Same thing with him brushing off trying to murder the s*** out of Yuuji by telling him that whole thing was just part of a plan to destroy Smart Brain from the inside. This is why I say he seems to believe everything he says the second it leaves his mouth. Past events always exist to whatever level is most convenient for him at that particular moment. Sometimes it feels like he's deluding himself as much as his victims. Building his elaborate web of lies on a foundation of truth is what makes them so verifiable. He knows Takumi feels guilty for what happened to Mari, so he twists the truth to make him look worse and the rest takes care of itself. However, I don't think he's completely deluded by his fantasies, although he definitely has a warped narrative of himself and other people. He needs a grip on reality so he can remind himself that Sawada is the guy he wants to kill the most. Having Takumi scapegoat himself is just a bonus. His manipulation isn't without reason after all. Quote:
Fiveman Episode 32 Jetman Episode 18 Die should be familiar with this one from Agito: Agito Episode 27 If I missed one, let me know.
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06-10-2020, 10:56 AM | #579 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 104
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Quote:
The problem I think this episode has, as I've thought more about it, is what stories these plots are serving. The A-plot is Mari and Sawada, but the focus pivots from Mari, a character we're (hopefully) fully invested in, to Sawada, someone who's brand-new and part of the villain group. That makes the A-plot feel so much less compelling to me, since it's not really about Mari's arc anymore. She's fully committed to Sawada's redemption, then she's betrayed. We don't even get to see her reaction to being betrayed! The story's entirely about Sawada, and his choices.
Worse, that A-plot is pretty much only there to provide a viewpoint for the B-plot, which is the Takumi and Yuuji plot. Sawada's decision-making is important because of how it affects Takumi's feelings for Yuuji, and vice versa. The entire A-plot exists to support the B-plot, which... not a great way to construct a story! For me, this episode is built around character-driven storytelling, it's just applied in a way that makes elements feel more hollow than I'd like. |
06-10-2020, 04:09 PM | #580 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Quote:
During my rewatch, I remember feeling like the acting in Faiz was a slight cut above its contemporaries, but between all the experienced talent and rising stars, I guess there was a good reason for that. Ah, yes, Kusaka's favorite class back at college! Quote:
Shin Godzilla in Episode 33, confirmed!
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