I kind of love that there's this subsection to Rider episodes, where the lesson is It's Okay To Quit Things. I mean, it absolutely is okay to quit things you aren't passionate about, but that's such an unusually (to me) mature message to pitch directly to children.

I can see it getting tiresome (it's a little Deus Ex Machina, especially the IXA stuff), but I'm okay with for a couple reasons.

First, there's the poetic nature of Agito's all-changes form change being a one-and-done form (up until way later in a movie), and now Kiva's all-changes form change is another one-and-done. That's too funny to not admire. It'd be like if Dogga Form was introduced by having Nago fling the Dogga Fuestle at Kiva's head. It's such a specific disregard for toku conventions that I find it really entertaining.

And that's sort of the second thing: I mostly don't care about that stuff? I like form changes and power-ups (less into the CGI monstrosities), and I would certainly prefer they be well integrated into the story (Build's various upgrades are pretty much the gold-standard for me), but it's not really the end of the world for me if they aren't. It's also clearly something Inoue doesn't really care that much about, and I'm willing to cut him slack on it. When the stories are strong and the themes are prominent, I don't really think too much about the show's indifference to accessories. Sometimes they line-up like the last episode, though, and it makes it all the better.

Though probably their background is different (burned out), I was thinking regarding the spoiled child, the child's reaction to the teacher and being teached is similar to Tsurugi's cluelessness and pride. And... I thought "support and guidance" is pushing it. He proclaims he doesn't like kids and is teaching as a way to get laid. He's the type to also mock if the student isn't on his liking... I don't approve of overlooking every questionable stuff you've done in part of contribution to others! (like for example in heroism too, like overlooking for example, them doing it only to get paid, etc. because "the result is them saving the world")

I think there's something that relates into both archery and violin, that both involve the use of bows and has a string that you pull it with. Though dunno if I'm wrong, I'd like for archery and violin to be touched upon in the story. Though the kid Mami before seems to be portrayed as severe as Keiko in Faiz or Amane in Blade in brattiness, the solution seems to be simple here, or that her brattiness in this episode is toned down, that it's just Otoya sharing his way of life to her, doing anything that she wants only (though Otoya's "The Worst" part is him doing anything what he wants...abusing freedom with little regard to others).

Nago's other quirk is being obsessed by button and collecting them as memento yeah. Nago's self-righteousness gets into his head too much for letting Fangire escape. He'd ought to beat himself up for doing that, as he's been doing that to the other people who do that like Wataru to Oomura.

The part of him quitting to play bass didn't really get to me that time, it's probably Wataru being a follower to others, or also being desperate to bond with Keigo. If being Kiva brings pain to Wataru and he feels guilty for him not being there to save others, I guess Wataru should try to make someone a Kiva successor, so he's out of it but there's still someone fighting off Fangires (he briefly thought to leave the fighting to IXA). So from your insight here, Wataru's hatred of Kiva is the violence (I know he said he wants to stop fighting, but didn't really get of it being about violence), but he loves to help people... I'd also think for Wataru, though he's painfully shy, to work this way out by helping people not in fighting way here.

Yeah, the semi final form of Kiva, DoGaBaKi Form. The Kiva's equivalent of Agito's Trinity Form (Kuuga forms with Agito's semi final form), changing the color of your hands and torso with the respective form colors. I'd think how Kiva uses Bassha Gun is the best here, maximizing the use with turning the surrounding landscape into water for more flexibility in movement, and if the form allows to use all the weapons it has, maximizing it would be using 2 or more weapons at once (if he only use 1 weapon at once, then it can be done by just usual form change). Although I find the weapon usage good, the finisher's kind of underwhelming... it's just an usual kick like base Kiva... but without even changing the sky into night!

Oh, I see where the confusion is coming in. I was talking about the Wataru/Mami story, and you were talking about the Otoya/Mami story. Yeah, no, the Otoya stuff is zero percent Hibiki. If anything, it's more Ryuki, since I can see the exact same story happening with Kitaoka forced to teach some kid a lesson.

Yeah, that would've been a nice touch!

Seems like a weird oversight from the production team. I think this is the first time Kiva's done a finisher without it being at night, either natural or supernatural?

And at the start of the episode, Wataru was all like, "I don't need to fight, leave it to IXA." He has way too much faith in Nago, who is at his most unreliable in this arc and only cares about getting his button to the point of insanity. His buttons are supposed to be trophies for capturing criminals but here he takes the trophy without capturing him and still deems that a success. The dude's crazy and a caricature of himself! Totally not the kind of person who can be trusted with protecting people, although it is pretty humorous to watch how pathetic he acts when his crusade stops being about fighting evil and just becomes about Button!

It's nice that, after only a dozen or so episodes on the show, Nago is basically irrevocably broken. The last time he went on a Button Bender and got hauled off by the cops, Shima and Megumi were like Okay This Dude Just Needs An IXA Win. And now, in the very next story after IXA gets a new toy and a big win, Nago is completely obsessed with getting a button, to the degree that he lets a Fangire escape.

He's just... like, what is his value to any organization? I know that Shima's a fan of quirky team members, but this is just absurd.

Today's track gets used fairly regularly during the opening narration from Kivat, including for episode 18 of course, and probably because of that, it's... I mean, I don't even know how to describe this well. It's just one I hear and instantly go "oh yeah that's music from Kiva?" Anyway, it's really tense and cool so maybe give it a listen the next time a bat is lecturing you about music history or something i don't know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=039HRLn45t4

I kinda think this is a scenario where it might be because of it being a fill-in story that it turned out so good? Like Yonemura realized this was his one shot to write Kiva and tried to essentially put the entirety of the show as he saw it all in that single script. Hence all the characters being peak themselves, and the narrative structure that makes such textbook use of the dual time periods.

I've mentioned that I'm skimming back through all these episodes to pick out music for them, and these two ended up being a lot more gripping than most so far? I can't remember much about my initial reaction to this two-parter; I'm pretty sure I liked it quite a bit because Kiva as a whole was still very much riding high for me in this stretch, but nothing about the plot stuck too much with me. While I basically got the highlights reel version jumping all around from scene to scene, and haven't rewatched it in full, I have a feeling I'd be echoing a lot of your thoughts here, because many of those isolated moments I was catching really commanded my attention in a good way. It even gave me a new appreciation for the overall themes of the show, in fact!

There's a lyric in the first verse of Break the Chain that's rather cruelly cut out of the TV-Size edit despite summing up the nature of Kiva's plotting so perfectly: "everything that surrounds you in the present is a message from the past." And that's so much of this show, of course, from the scars left on bits of the environment from battles in 1986, to something used to great effect in this episode, which is Wataru being taught something by someone who learned it from Otoya. I don't know why it was looking back at this particular episode that convinced me of this, but I'm starting to guess Kiva's whole thing about connections is something I would appreciate significantly more on a rewatch in a post-Ghost world.

There's stuff about that central gimmick of the show taking place across two years so far apart where I think people like to look at it very literally and poke fun – the constantly escaping '86 Fangire being a particularly popular subject for that – and while I'm always down to poke fun at Kiva, it's becoming apparent to me there are genuine thematic strengths to emotional parts of that gimmick I feel like I've been underestimating. There's this real beauty in the idea of Wataru as a character desperate to connect with his father as he makes his way through a turbulent life, scarcely realizing how often the love of that father keeps finding its way back to him when he needs it most. Otoya looking out for his son without even trying. Being there for him without being there at all.

I don't know. Whatever point I'm trying to make, it's obviously underdeveloped having such an incomplete recollection of the series, but there's something very poetic going on here that I'm pretty sure I like.

I'm pressed for time, and I'm trying to get 19 done before I've got non-Kiva stuff to do later tonight (it's a very busy night!), but I wanted to post real quick for two reasons.

The first is to basically agree with everything Fish said. I love all of this post: the idea that this random two-parter is another writer aiming for their perfect Kiva story; the perspective on certain heightened attributes working as idealized versions of the characters, touchstones and thematic representations; and just someone else besides me linking Kiva to Ghost. Thanks for such well-stated praise for this story!

The other reason is OH MY GOD:

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/...engohmygod.gif

I thought They Did Trinity Form Again was going to be the happiest Kiva made me this week, and I was wrong. I audibly gasped when I heard Kengo shouting at bullies, and then it got better from there. In fact, I'm pretty sure I reflexively shouted GASP to the screen. So thrilled. You guys.

Update:

!!!!!!!!

IT

!!!!!!!!

GOT

!!!!!!!!

BETTER

!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KAMEN RIDER KIVA EPISODE 19 - "FUSION: AURA STORM”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva19a.png

I don't know if I've enjoyed anything in my life as much as I enjoyed this episode of Kiva. It is a perpetual happiness delivery mechanism, using every frame to generate endorphins in my brain. I am a grown man, and I was bouncing in my chair as I watched this TV show designed to sell toys to Japanese children. I was Jirou getting a girl group autograph, losing my detached and critical eye to just squeal in delight at whatever Inoue thought up next.

(One of an infinite number of laugh-out-loud moments was the joke in the beginning that Onyanko Club was beloved by middle schoolers, when it's literally only two grown men that we've seen stan these girls on Kiva. It's a joke that works great from what we've seen before, and then explodes later in the episode.)

There's absolutely no way I can do justice to either this episode's wall-to-wall brilliance, or to my own love for it. If you do nothing else this weekend, please rewatch Episode 19 of Kiva. It's exceptionally funny in a way that maybe only Inoue is capable of. It's a type of logic he uses in his comedy stories where... it's like everything in the plot sounds like a parody of a Kamen Rider story, but not only is it 100% true, it's riotously funny and totally in-character. He makes insanity seem sane, and I love that wavelength.

What this one's about... harder to talk about than why it works? It's a story where Kengo is trying to figure out what Kiva means to the rest of the cast (KENGO IS BACK!!!), while Yuri and Megumi are feeling some massive pressure with their connection to the IXA System. The way those two threads connect, I'm not completely seeing it yet. There's bound to be some relevance to Yuri and Megumi freezing up at the exact same time that Otoya is taking over as Kiva, but I can't get there in my brain.

(I am giving the Yuri And Megumi Freeze Up plot a pass in this story, even though the concept sets my teeth on edge. I desperately want to believe that they're going somewhere worth going with this plot, so I'm holding off judgment until after 20. For this one's part of it... I think there's some value in showing a potential weakness for both women, especially if it's a connection between them. I just wish part of that weakness wasn't easy to read as Girls Shouldn't Be Kamen Riders!)

It's possible that my brain is too unbelievably jazzed at Otoya's spirit possessing Wataru's body, though. Because, THAT IDEA.

If there were no other great moments in this story, seeing Wataru play Otoya would make this episode unforgettable. The only real bum note in this episode is Otoya announcing his presence in Wataru's body at the end, because Wataru's actor nails Otoya's delivery and mannerisms from the jump, and any announcement is unnecessary. The very first scene, where he's swanning around the room and flirting with Megumi, it's so on-point it's deadly. I could've died watching that performance, and I wish the producers had been more careful in deploying it, so as to save lives. It's as unexpected as it is excellent, and I did not know that kid had it in him. Seeing him hit those notes, after eighteen episodes of bashful anxiety, it's epic.

The rest of the episode is full of tiny little moments of insanity, the overriding logic being What Is The Most Insane Thing That Could Happen Next. There's a blinding pace to this story that never lets you dwell on the minor details (why were Kengo and Nago wandering through a forest?), because it's always there to distract you with a terrific joke (Nago's anguished plea to stop being called "Gramps” by Kengo, a man who is only one year younger than him), as well as some clever, character-based action.

The action in this one! So great! Yuri's multiple stand-offs with Rook (who is also back, at least in 1986!) were tense and beautifully shot, with his passive demeanor ratcheting up Yuri's fear. Kiva's quick take-out of the Moth Fangire, where he just walks away because the Fangire drops BUT WAIT now he's being attacked from behind because Kiva completely forgot to do a finisher. (My assumption is that Otoya is Kiva at that point in the fight, and since no one in 1986 ever finished off a Fangire, he didn't think he needed to do anything special to kill it.) The breathtaking (and rocking!) Megumi/Nago team-up; a fight that's so badass that Nago completely forgets to Henshin, he's so into kicking ass.

It's... yeah, it's not the most logically sound episode. There are a bunch of little details that get glossed over or contradicted in order to keep the story moving. But none of them rise above the level of nitpicky for me, and they're all overshadowed by how awesome this episode was.

Even the stuff I was initially not too thrilled to see eventually won me over. Like, man, was not hopped up for another story where Yuri wants revenge and the boys don't let her! Even if we can see more of Jirou's reluctance to part with the IXA Knuckle as being about his own selfish need for vengeance (plus some paternalism), it's still tacky to trot this plot out again. But then the episode swerves away from theat, having Otoya hilariously lift the IXA Knuckle from Jirou (while infuriating him as a bonus) to give it to Yuri so she can get her revenge. It's a huge moment of growth from Otoya, with him letting Yuri do what she thinks is best, while doing what he can to support her. It's a genuine moment of kindness from Otoya, and it's best punctuated by Yuri thanking him for his help and then punching him in the stomach because he completely had that coming after knocking her out before. It's these weird people finding little moments of empathy amidst hilarious and poignant emotional struggles.

The whole episode was like that, and I adored it. This thing was overflowing with memorable nonsense, and I never even talked about Otoya finding his heaven in a 2008 maid cafe. World's Greatest Kiva Episode, right here.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva19b.png

All this talk of Kiva got me googling Japanese commercials of the 80s. Interesting nonetheless.

I screamed the like two times Onyanko Club get mentioned in this show. Such moments were what really made me warm to the 1986 narrative, and I really think it's wonderful whenever they ground the story in the setting like this, and it makes me faintly regretful that these moments aren't more prevalent.

I say all this like I have this grand critique of the story, but really I just like Onyanko Club, and wanted them to get mentioned more, lol.

I’ll mention that there’s a deleted scene from this episode wherein Otoya discovers the internet. I haven’t seen it myself, but I’ve heard slightly glowing praise about it.

Also, a bit of a pun that might be lost in translation. When the old man passes out before he can reveal who Kiva is, he makes the sound of straining yourself, which is written down as “kivadearu”. I’ve no idea how well OZC gets that joke across.

And of course, we’ve got our main highlight of Koji Seto impersonating Otoya for the episode, even dropping spoilers for later ones (there’s a Kivat-bat the 2nd?).

Anyway, I’ve ranted long enough, here’s what I’m here for.

Ladybug Fangire

True name: Any Casino has a Drying Vanity (どのカジノも虚栄に乾いている Dono Kajino mo Kyoei ni Kawaiteiru)

Human identity: N/A

Class: Insect

Rank: Pawn

Actor: Ryusei Nakao (Frieza from Dragon Ball) (voice)

It was definitely humorous to see Jirou and Master get so excited about a fake autograph from a teen idol group. This episode was full of classic Inoue comedy like that though and I guess it's a nice break from the heaviness of the last few episodes. Otoya possessing Wataru isn't explained outside of the implication that the psychic summoned him, but who cares, it's perfectly chaotic!

Oh, that's not a deleted scene. That's a scene from Episode 20.

It's a very Inoue joke, the Onyanko Club stuff. It could've just been some way for Jirou to insinuate himself into Mal d'Amour and, subsequently, W.A.K.E.U.P. Or it could've just been a way to ostracize Otoya at the start that little extra bit. But, like, no. Jirou is a legitimately card-carrying fan of Onyanko Club. He absolutely loses his chill when he thinks he's gotten an autograph from his bias. And it totally works? Hilarious, but also genuine and charming? And slightly humanizing?

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kivais1.png
https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kivais2.png

I think they get it across great? Like, it's this weirdly specific portmanteau that also serves as the linking tissue for the Otoya possession. Wataru is incredibly anxious about being Kiva right now. Kengo thinks Kiva is a rock god. Nago thinks Kiva is a mass murderer. Megumi thinks Kiva is a friend to humanity. But Kiva's really a young man who's afraid that his friends are going to find out his real identity and everything's going to change. What better time for the boy who wants to run away to have his soul literally escape his body?

See above, but also, I am totally fine with the explanation being A Wizard Did It. Why shouldn't a crazy soothsayer accidentally draw Otoya's soul forward 22 years? I don't really know how soothsaying works! That could happen on a twice-weekly basis! It might've been in the disclaimers when they booked on this guy's website!

This is what I like about the moment too, beyond the fact that I am naturally inclined towards Onyanko Club; I think it is a very fine art to add in these little human foibles to the portrayal of characters who are very notably inhuman, it grounds them and makes them believable in that we can see the connexion between us and them and that's a very powerful storytelling tactic.

And, yeah, you know, it's also really funny, agreed; it's unexpected and silly, and it works really, really well.

Yes, the 1986 story is like that part of Ryuki. "I don't like kids" and Kitaoka immediately jumped on my mind there. Both are also done by someone who constantly flirts with a hardass woman who mostly wears pants and ankle strap pumps as their primary footwear.

Probably the root behind my disappointment of many KR finishers, likely budget played a hand in Kiva's finisher right here.

No offense, but if you or anyone else is pulling this shit for shilling someone/something (Inoue in this case), I kinda will think that your credibility is reduced in your pursuit to give more "deserved" (if bias is involved, it can be kinda overboard instead, going likely to undeserved credit territory instead) credit to someone, not to mention of not knowing Inoue in side-medias (his TV contribution is kept on the leash by the TV production team). In this case, this is more regarding others not being given deserving credit where while what you said regarding Inoue may be right, this can be demeaning to the others instead, seemingly like personal agenda to degrade others to elevate who you defend instead of a defense (I like to hear plausible and nuanced defense of many things btw). This is something regarding clear bias before, which can happened on internet if someone has a love for something, where it can make someone be blinded regarding that, and those who had bias usually is not taken seriously (saying if you want for what you said regarding Inoue to be listened) for good reasons.

I think, the new stuff of Otoya's hijinks that can be added by possessing Wataru is so far, him reacting to the new era of 2008, like being confused of people calling him Wataru, and realizing that Fangires still exist now. Otherwise it's him pulling womanizing moves so far? Like giving free pass to Megumi being accused as a thief in his house. Otoya not realizing that he possesses his son may be an indicator that Otoya... may not live long enough to raise Wataru. Before you ran into undeserved credit territory here, I'd say there are many other example in media where someone calls other who is much younger than they think as old people term like gramps or old man here, either because someone is rude or innocently insensitive. For the "dwell on the minor details", personally I'd clarify that I'm also into the part that didn't dwell on this, I think it's likely due to Nago and Keigo being more curious about Kiva that it ends with them on forest. What I don't like is spreading misinformation, and using joke as an excuse for it (like one of the ways meme is used).

It's an unusual take that deserves appreciation yeah, for Otoya as Kiva walking away from a fight, but due to neglect and thus the Fangire can resume their rampage. And for Megumi and Nago teaming up, this probably relates to the fact of how Nago can stop a car with his leg. For Kengo to praise the moment as rocking... I get the vibe that Kengo is (dark trait) bloodlusted instead, thriving on violence, while refering to great moments for him as rock.

Well, this is something not only you that isn't thrilled, and that this episode being enjoyable has to do with the opposite of it for Otoya offering Yuri to become IXA instead., I guess the Kiva being sexist claims that others do, you need to consider what they say regarding this if you think you're not thrilled. Though for the Jirou having selfish need for vengeance and becoming IXA, I guess it's rectified some time ago for IXA being incomplete and can put burden as the real reason, and that a monster is more suitable to test out IXA without it killing the wielder. Still wouldn't glorify the moral too much here for Otoya doing this to women, as womanizers care deeply about women (including them not letting woman being put on dangerous stuff, it's misguided but a form of care), but not for the rest.

I mean, I don't think we need to read too much into it: it's two badass fighters coordinating brutal attacks on a monster. It does rock?

I think this one of those It Can Be Two Things situations. Is Jirou unwilling to give Yuri the IXA Knuckle because it could potentially kill her? Yes! Is Jirou unwilling to give Yuri the IXA Knuckle because he needs to get revenge personally on Rook for the death of his pack? Also yes! I'd argue it's a little more the former in this situation (Jirou is pretty in his own head during that scene, and it doesn't seem like he's trying to explain his views to Yuri more than he's just refusing her), but, yeah, there are a few motivations at play.

Well, this episode definitely solidified the idea that I'm in a different place mentally with this show than I was back when I first watched it. I have been low-key dreading this arc because I remember really actively hating Wataru randomly waking up one day possessed by his dad's ghost (as one so often does). I found it incredibly cringe-y at the time and I wasn't looking forward to seeing it again.

First of all, I clearly forgot some of the major details. The show actually did kind of justify it, so my big issue with the plot being completely random isn't really there. Not that this episode wasn't kind of random, but it's an Inoue comedy episode and those always have this kind of heightened reality around them to justify some of the more aggressive wackiness (side note: did that psychic die? Did Megumi and the others just leave his body there?). Second, the stuff with Koji Seto playing Otoya is mostly a lot of fun. I feel like the physical side of it is maybe a little exaggerated, but that may just be the difference in actors calling more attention to stuff that Kouhei Takeda makes look natural. Honestly, the only part of the episode that I still found kind of creepy was the maid cafe scene and that is 100% the fault of how fucking creepy Japanese fetish cafes are by nature.

The other part of the episode that stood out to me is something I had forgotten: Yuri and Megumi freezing up when they both finally get the chance to use Ixa. I can kind of rationalize it with Yuri: this is her mother's killer, she's fought him before and failed, and she was unconscious nearby both times he already proved capable of defeating Ixa. I can buy some "is this even going to work and what if it doesn't?" trepidation on her part.

Megumi is a harder sell for me. This isn't Rook or any other noteworthy Fangire, it's just some random Kabuto-ass nameless Fangire that appeared out of nowhere and has neither a human form nor personal story. And Megumi knows that Ixa works well enough that any unhinged, button-obsessed yahoo can use it to defeat a Fangire. This one definitely feels more like the show being unfair to the character.

Final comment: I will always enjoy how increasingly "Okay, I guess that kind of ties into the episode if you squint a lot" Kivat's opening trivia lines become over the course of the series.

Hilariously unclear! It wouldn't surprise me if a psychotic button-enthusiast, a hot-tempered fashion model/monster hunter, and a rock-obsessed Kiva fan didn't decide to just high-tail it away from a dead body. The only real variable would be Nago's whole No Sins Allowed lifestyle, but the soothsayer pretty much dropped dead of natural/"natural" causes. It's impolite to leave the dead body there, but it isn't a sin.

(Also, I love the way Nago invites himself along on the flimsiest of pretenses. Sometimes Psychics Solve Crimes is a hell of a limb to go out on, even for a superhero. I think he just wanted to hang out with the gang for this adventure?)

I can see this plot being less about Megumi freezing while trying to take down a random Fangire, and more Megumi freezing while trying to use IXA to take down a random Fangire. This is where I'm really holding out hope that the conclusion to this story gives that scene some psychological context, because as is? It is not great. I want to see if there's going to be some aspect of Megumi's connection to her mother that spells out why she couldn't pull the trigger on the IXA Knuckle. I am prepared to be let down, though!

This episode is where the music picks start heating up rapidly, but please try not to pay too much attention to the mysterious(?) figure on that album cover for now, Die! Because today we're talking about the Arms Monsters' theme songs, starting with the one played in this episode, Basshaa's tribute, Innocent Trap, which is, uh, a jam!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip__gTDnhVw

...Yeah, my descriptive powers are miserably failing me here, but this one meets all the usual criteria for a sweet Kiva song. I'd try to analyze the lyrics, since that's the one thing I ordinarily could do, but I can only kind of figure out what they're on about, which I promise is a compliment! Usually these types of insert themes are just talking up how cool whatever toy is, but Innocent Trap does it in a weirdly not straightforward way, and I appreciate how overachieving it is.

(And that piano that bookends it is obviously just amazing, of course.)

Moving on to the episode itself... is what I would say, if I weren't moving backwards here! :p

I remembered why! It's that the entire two-parter both starts and ends with Otoya's influence on the people who help Wataru. Before the theme song even starts in 17, we see Jirou reminding the other Monsters they can't just eat Wataru because of an unspecified promise to Otoya, which a barely conscious, injured Wataru ignorantly interprets as a dream, and the very last thing in 18 is Wataru wondering who it was that said the thing about listening to your heart, ignorant of the fact that this too was thanks to his dad. I meant to directly mention how much this bit of structure impressed me, but it slipped my mind somewhere in gushing about the show as a whole. Again, really nice set of episodes!

Actually moving on to 19, yeah, Kouji Seto makes a surprisingly killer Otoya. I think what's most impressive is how much he sounds like him simply thanks to his delivery; you'd almost expect his voice to dubbed over by Kouhei Takeda all Den-O style, and I respect that they trusted both Seto's acting and the audience's intelligence enough not to do that!

No, no, rest assured, there was totally a deleted scene with Otoya using a laptop in that cafe.

https://i.imgur.com/PIpLFwh.png

(Honestly, it's not anything important or funny enough to be a huge loss, but thanks to Androzani for calling attention to it, because I might not have looked at those deleted scenes otherwise. There's also an extended version of Kiva thinking he killed that Fangire where he gives the body a little tap with his foot before walking away. It's pretty cute!)

Whoa! My apologies to Androzani. Out of curiosity, where did you find those deleted scenes?

As much as I call Otoya unintentionally being an imagin by possessing Wataru a poor attempt at cashing in on Den-O I love how Koji Seto gives us his rendition of Otoya. Especially when he goes Exorcist on everyone and starts off with WHO THE HELL ARE Y'ALL. :lolol

KAMEN RIDER KIVA EPISODE 20 - “NOCTURNE: THE MESSIAH OF LOVE”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva20a.png
https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva20b.png

This is one of those Inoue stories where… I’m not sure how generous I want to be to it.

There’s definitely a positive interpretation of what’s going on with Yuri and Megumi in this episode, a way that it’s not just conforming to regressive gender roles. It’s all in what IXA represents to both women, and how that reflects the larger themes of the series.

The positive interpretation is that IXA is a burden, and their happiness depends on freeing themselves from it. Yuri views IXA as retribution for her mother, the physical embodiment of her grief and rage. It suffuses her desire to destroy Rook with obligation, with expectation, with pressure. It’s no longer just her needing to gain control of a horrible outcome, her loss of a parent. It’s a weight on her back, needing to follow through on her mother’s work at the cost of her own identity.

Megumi’s in a similar boat. She needs to be IXA because she expects to be IXA, because it’s woven into her family’s legacy. Once it’s literally in her hands, it’s fraught with decades of regret and disappointment. It’s not a coronation, it’s a poisoned chalice.

Viewing their story - and it’s really their story, singular - in this way, it makes their eventual rejection of being IXA into something heroic. It’s them breaking the chains of fate (or whatever), choosing to fight on their own terms, in their own way. Megumi isn’t any less a warrior for fighting without IXA’s abilities; if anything, her heroism is more unalloyed than Nago’s psychotic need for power and control. Yuri’s tears at her weakness… it isn’t her being some weak woman, unable to fight; it’s her feeling some small despair at how liberated she feels from her self-imposed vows to her mother. It’s a story that’s really no different from Wataru’s. These were two women who were crushed by legacy and obligation, and they found a way out of it, into the light.

That’s the positive interpretation. The negative one is that this episode bends over backwards to contrive a reason why not one but two different badass women find themselves psychologically unable to fight in the same manner as a bloodthirsty Clawolve, a psychotic button-enthusiast, and a lothario with a heart of gold. The optics on that move. Just… I don’t want to say “indefensible”, but it’s an episode that is only rewarding if you can make your brain tilt to a very specific Inoue degree. Mine can, but, shit. I don’t begrudge anyone who finds the justification for Yuri and Megumi’s crises unappealing-to-reprehensible.

Putting aside the, uh, point of this story, I think there were plenty of things that are less controversial and more incredibly awesome?

For one, there’s Otoya acting as a guide to Megumi because he is in the middle of the exact same story with Yuri. The way the ‘08 Otoya immediately diagnoses Megumi’s fixation on her mother’s legacy because he already watched Yuri’s deteriorating mental state due to her fixation on her mother’s legacy… perfect. Terrific, terrific use of the dual timelines, and it made for an episode where Otoya’s relationships with both women flipped around in fun ways. Megumi was classic Yuri, consistently telling Otoya to get away from her while he flirted shamelessly and refused to treat her deflections seriously. Meanwhile, Yuri was less guarded around Otoya, more willing to open up to him about her fears. She’s vulnerable in a way that is incredibly sweet, and it’s another step forward in making Otoya seem like not a gigantic mistake Yuri could make.

But wait! A new challenger arrives!

Holy shit, Maya. What a debut! Absolutely gorgeous from her reveal, I was probably as gobsmacked and awestruck as Otoya was. That face. Jesus. And then everything after that was a TV show that just wants you to feel previously unreached levels of desire and terror, with her detonating a rogue Fangire for the crime of loving a human while looking impossibly perfect and regal. The blood red moon, the thrown-back hood, that face… it’s an unforgettable sequence, and it’s such a stunning debut. In just a few minutes, Maya’s established herself as both a force to be reckoned with, and a #1 suspect for Wataru’s Real Mom. I mean, who knows what could happen in the next few episodes, but her and Otoya had instant chemistry, and the notion of her falling in love with Otoya when her first appearance is her detonating a Fangire for falling in love with a human? I can’t tell if that’s perfect, or too perfect. Very excited to find out which it’ll be!

(There are also a whole bunch of other things that are pointing very emphatically in the direction of She's Wataru's Mom. There's her Kivat, which is probably Wataru's Kivat's predecessor. There's the fact that the first meeting of Otoya and Maya is intercut with a wedding. It's, again... it's so unsubtle about the connections it's making that I can't tell if it's a red herring or not.)

While nowhere near the highs of the last episode, I did like this one. I think the Yuri/Megumi plot is more complex and considered than it appears on the surface. I loved a full episode of two different actors playing Otoya. (I laughed out loud when Real Otoya showed up directly after Wataru’s Otoya, because it was a weirdly seamless transition. It was like they switched actors between shots in a scene. Bizarre.) I liked seeing Yuri’s vulnerability and Otoya’s quiet support. (That shot on the riverbank!) I was thrilled for Megumi to kick ass in a fight scene again. And Maya! Oh god, Maya. Not an easy episode to defend, maybe, but one that worked for me.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva20c.png

What I liked about this one the most is that it was an episode that really zigged when you expected it to zag. After how the last episode ended, it really seemed like this was set up to be a two-parter that was all about wacky Watoya shenanigans. Instead we get a dramatic episode that's all about Yuri and Megumi confronting their insecurities about using Ixa, the latter getting some tough love from Ghost Dad. It's really good, but

This. In a better world, this episode ends with Megumi resolving to be a warrior and taking up the Ixa Knuckle as her own instead of just kicking a considerable amount of ass alongside Nago. It's still a cool fight scene, but definitely not the way I'd like to see it play out (for the record, I'm more okay with what happened with Yuri because it makes more sense to me that she isn't ready yet).

Yeah, Maya makes a hell of a first impression. Not just because Saki Kagami is, yes, absolutely gorgeous, but her confrontation with the Fangire bride is very stylish and dynamic. Excellent way to introduce the next high tier Fangire.

My one big non-Yuri/Megumi regret for this story was that we never got to see Otoya's actor play Wataru for a scene. Feels like that could've been really fun!

Sure, it's a bummer. I think it vaguely works as a way of getting at one of Kiva's big themes, that you can draw strength from your parents without shackling yourself to their choices, but... the optics! Very difficult to not feel let down when Nago triumphantly henshins.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/...s/mayaohmy.gif

How long does she stare down the barrel of the camera in this sequence: a hundred years? A million? It feels like the director needed to be assured that he'd be able to shoot more with her, so he could end that shot. It's scorchingly epic, that whole thing. She even has a badass Dealing Justice catchphrase!

Friends, we have arrived. I have been sitting on my hands for 20 episodes waiting for the arrival of Maya. I don't want to increasingly lean into play the caricature of myself that I am becoming and declare, "Yes, actual, literal Queen", but I adore everything about her character, about what she represents.

I also don't want to confirm or deny any speculation, but, for me, she is the best thing about Kiva. As much as the narrative involving Yuri and Megumi really had an impact on me, as much as I deeply care about this storyline of the distance and circumstance between them, I cherish every scene Maya is in because she represents that archetype of the wild woman, the woman who has gone so far the limits of her constraints that she is almost oblique to us as we look towards her; she is Medea, she is Lilith, she is Yodonna, and just... every moment she is on screen keeps me setting fire to Inoue's house.

And now, we come onto the introduction of the show’s (arguable) main female MVP. And I’m saying this because a) she’s this show’s representative in that figurine line I keep bringing up in these threads (other representatives include Tackle from Stronger, the rose woman from Kuuga, Sumire from Agito, Miho from the Ryuki movie, Mari and Smart Lady from Faiz, Akira and Hitomi from Hibiki and Naomi and both versions of Hana from Den-O), b) she’s the only female character with a song on the show’s reunion album (which is covers of the songs from the show, credited to the in-universe characters) and c) everyone’s pretty much said everything I wanted to say.

Anyway, like the Rook, she has a song on the album, but not in the show.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qoi1fYQbtZg

Sorry this is sparse opinion-wise, but as said, everyone already said something I wanted to say and I’m unsure whether doing Maya’s “Fact Fangire-le” constitutes a spoiler. Though I will say, as a call back to my last post, there is another deleted scene from this episode where Wataru has to pay the bills Otoya racked up in his body (with Shizuka and Megumi wisely deciding to leave the room).

I mean, pretty great? Maya is pretty great.

One other little touch about her debut is that, when Otoya mistakes her for Yuri (from behind, because again: that face), she gives him this I've Never Been Mistaken For Someone Else Before And I'm Not A Fan Of It line that is so complimentary-energy to Otoya's flirty demeanor that I get why Otoya was left speechless. The two of them are just perfect together, without really even having a scene. It's immediate and electric and I feel a little bad for how this is going to push Yuri out of my mind a lot.

No, for sure. When I bring up speculation like that... I try to do it sparingly. Some of it is because I don't really go in for a lot of that puzzle-box stuff for Kamen Rider (generally feel burned by half or more of the big reveals on these series), but most of it is because you guys all know what's going to happen, so there's really nothing to discuss. When I bring it up at all, it's more just to plant a flag that says Here's Where My Head's At than anything I'm expecting to talk about in greater detail.

I can see why she got a figurine! I can see why she'd get a hundred figurines!

There’s something about the phrase “a face that launched a thousand figurines” that is both inspiring and uncomfortable at the same time.

Agreed, the scenes they share together in the series are some of the most memorable for me, and some that I still think about. There's a lot from this later half of the series that I've been brooding on since I finally watched it all earlier last year/this year—and I found myself very much in the same position as you with the big reveals, in that I knew some of what happens but didn't really know how—and... I think that some thought was put into how these events that led up to 2008 were portrayed, and whilst not all of it worked in my opinion, some of it I found really haunting.

Gosh, I'm so excited you've reached the Maya episodes though. Not that I am big-headed enough to assume that you pay avid attention to a lot of the nonsense I write, but I've had this Maya fic sitting here that I haven't published just on the off-chance that you did notice and saw the picture and the Kiva setting, and were suddenly like "Who the heck is this Autobot?" I'm really pleased that no one spoiled her arrival for you. She's just a genuine delight of a character.

Honestly, I'd say that the Inoue turns and reveals are ones I've had less problems with, so I am cautiously optimistic about how things are going to go down on Kiva. Agito had some sort of uncompelling stuff about the Akatsuki-go that was a gigantic and stupid shrug, but I don't remember feeling like the series lived or died by that part. Faiz, on the other hand, perfectly revealed its big secret, and it was one that locked in and elevated literally every thematic element of the series.

I feel like we're in a good place right now with the series arc stuff?

Aw! That is very kind.

I don't... if I really wanted to stay completely unspoiled on every aspect of a series, the easiest way to do that would be to not interact with the rest of the fandom. If I'm here on the boards, there's a certain amount of background noise that's unavoidable. (Like, Seihou Dark Kiva! And the possibly imminent Seihou Emperor Kiva!) So I try to separate out the spoiler things that'd adversely affect my enjoyment (here is the entire arc of a character) from The Cost Of Doing Business context-less stuff that I'll forget long before I end up experiencing that story (I've seen every Saber suit without watching Saber). I can still exist in the fandom with all that other stuff swirling around me, with folks loving parts of the fandom that I've not gotten to, them gushing about toku. I just skip out on threads where it's more about digging into story than appreciating aesthetics, and it works out okay.

All of which is to say that seeing Maya and Seeing Maya are two different things, and I'm sure I don't need to explain the difference between those two things to you!

Going with the track from Otoya and Yuri's big scene by the water today, which you might note is basically a slower, more moody version of the track I picked for episode 10. (Which also plays here again when Otoya dumps the Ixa Knuckle into a fire in front of Megumi, which nicely helps make the plots parallel each other that much more.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdWSMP3tyr4

While this comes with the caveat that, again, I haven't sat down to watch the full thing in a while, I think there's definitely a very touching, emotional story going on here with a focus on personal weakness that fits perfectly with Kiva's overarching themes... and, yeah, if you stop to think about why this particular version of it is being told, it's also pretty easy to draw some unflattering conclusions. I think I'm also of the opinion that it works better for Yuri, but then, Megumi gets to slice up a monster with the Ixa Calibur in the end, and I can't pretend I don't find that awesome.

I was also looking forward to you getting to this episode in particular, because back in April, when it seemed like almost everyone who ever worked on Kamen Rider was coming together on Twitter to express their gratitude for being part of the franchise on the 50th anniversary, Megumi's actor made a post calling out a quote from it that sums up the moral. First of all, it's just kind of a nice statement ("Accepting your weakness leads to true strength"), but why I really wanted to bring it up is that, from what I could tell, the exact words she used weren't actually used anywhere in the episode, which I took as a sign of how much that was all coming from the heart, all these years later, and I just found that rather touching.

Yeah, that is really sweet. Say what you will about the intentions or results of this particular two-parter, but it led to some fascinating and brave work from both Aso ladies. Yuri's vulnerability was huge, and a very nice place for the series to go to, but Megumi's arc in this was... that actor put in so much work to get that plot to come across. Wataru's actor got the flashier material, but, as always, I bought everything Megumi was selling, and she always had an unexpected angle on her lines. I find it really hard to be down on an episode that's as much of an acting showcase for Yuri and Megumi as this one was.

But, yeah, it's nice to see that an episode she gave so much of herself to ended up being one she drew meaning from.

So, this is quite a generous take of, how a woman moves on from a temptation of power, where this can get a reaction of disappointment that they won't get to be elevated on male's position here, a Rider. While I'm all in for females getting that, still it's wrong for action's view of "female equality and empowerment" being inevitably portrayed as females being good and badass at combat and fighting. I wonder if the fear of Yuri wearing it would be what she heard of IXA placing a burden... but I don't understand about the Megumi one... if you can fight Fangires head on without fear, you should be able to do more if you got enhanced by Rider's superpowers. Though I'd also give objections for both of your Megumi and Yuri's take here:

1) Though it's needed too at certain situations (and it's definitely true that Megumi's way above Nago in this category), I wouldn't want to measure heroism by bravery and resilience alone, this way, this can be misused to paint for example, bad guys as good when they're really determined to work towards their goal, and also, people can dismiss heroic acts that has no stakes, like little acts of kindness ideal heroes do such as characters like Yusuke or Shouichi to civilians. I'd think courage or such is supporting trait, the primary needing for heroism is moral, as the primary meaning of it is saving, protecting, or improving others' lives.

2) Of course Yuri's crying here isn't her being some weak woman, but I also wouldn't want for the notion that, to be strong, your demeanor must be mostly always-on-guard stoic hardass (where anger is the only allowed emotion if able), and you can only be emotional like crying if you're put in the most dire situation. This is also a form of double standard if it's only those who have been proven themselves as "bonafide badass" (which means generic term; the ones who are unstoppable fighter for example) tfiat are ok to get breakdown moments (which means "humanizing and developing" if it's those characters who got that, those who aren't are deemed as weak, incapable, waste of space, or other derogatory terms).

They do say experience is the best teacher after all. Otoya is making use of his experience of dealing with Yuri against Megumi. Otoya also seems to be more on point with his guidance here, jumping straight to the point of refering Megumi's situation as pseudo illness, just that it sounds bullshit to Megumi that this one's truly her not getting the point of what Otoya said. Otherwise, how Megumi got through her seemingly cripple leg, by Otoya burning the IXA belt to make her more determined to keep it, is something commonly seen in Japanese media (like shonen anime) from what I feel, the Japanese Spirit/Yamato-damashi trope, where it's the answer to win against something that all logic says should kill you, using traditional Japanese philosophy like persistence (hard work, hope, and spirit)and Resolve. This isn't entirely acceptable plotting though, can be controversial due to how this can feel like deus ex machina to some.

I'll admit she is, though I'm someone who is cloth-oriented (so yeah my agreement is related to her including her outfit too) I gotta post a pic for her debut from lower to upper part:
https://media.discordapp.net/attachm...11394866/1.png
https://media.discordapp.net/attachm...57027339/2.png
https://media.discordapp.net/attachm...80435270/3.png
But otherwise still, at least for now (emphasis on for now), I don't want for her to be given free pass on anything she do and treat her as being unable to do wrong (defending and rationalizing everything she do), solely because of her looks (the "halo effect"). The Checkmate group is named after chess pieces, Maya's someone on similar league as Rook with the term Queen for heres, what Maya (how did you get her name??) did here is something... similar to the likes of Smart Brain in 555 or Uca Worm in Kabuto to kill Fangires or Worms respectively who are "rogue" like siding with humans. The one that I'd wonder too there is the fact that a Fangire can be completely normal to wed a human there though, even more than Oomura. Otherwise yeah... there goes your prediction about "secret siblings" for Wataru and Megumi.

Yeah, not my favorite part of the story. It sort of works, with the entire issue being that Megumi's body is sabotaging itself to keep from dealing with her feelings about IXA, but still: psychosomatic leg failure? Okay, Inoue, whatever.

Rook calls her Maya! Right when he sees her!

And, yeah, Maya is definitely similar to the original purpose of Faiz, to police a monster group for deviancy and dereliction. It puts her in a really interesting role, where the first thing we see her do is detonate a monster (that's good!) that's only trying to live a normal life (that's bad!). She hasn't harmed any humans (that's good!), but she's so insultingly dismayed that a Fangire would choose to love a human that it doesn't seem like she's against killing humans (that's bad!). She's got immediate chemistry with Otoya (that's good!), but then there's her potentially choosing to be in a relationship with Otoya (...that's bad).

Absolutely! I know a lot of people maybe don't have a good opinion of Paradise Lost, but I saw that long before I saw the third act of the series, and I felt the resonance of that reveal throughout the later arc with a real intensity. This comes dangerously close to me praising Inoue, which I am forbidden from doing by law, but considering the circumstances, credit given where credit's due.

I honestly couldn't agree more! She is a wonderful source within the story, a genuinely supernatural force and I love that the actress is given the freedom to express that in those moments.

I think there is a fair amount of sacrifice we make when it comes to participating in a community whilst trying to remain vague about the future of a story. I approach things in a similar way, but I also don't want to be the reason anyone discovers something before the story is ready to share those details so I've been trying to tread gently regardless.

Don't worry, DreadBringer, I just gave her like a million free passes, she's good. :p

In every heart, there's an Inoue fan waiting to be born. You just have to break the chains of fate and open your eyes and count to zero! It was there in the theme songs and you all missed it! INOUE FOREVER!

I heard the sound of the explosion behind you from here!

I don't know whether to laugh or cry! (>_>)

Honestly, I have softened my stance on him a lot after going through Faiz and Kiva again and not the apocryphal chapters of Hibiki. I'm a little tempted to take another go at Cutie Honey the Live sometime, if I can still find it.

KAMEN RIDER KIVA EPISODE 21 - "RHAPSODY: THE FATE OF THE RING”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva21a.png

I mean, hoo boy, this show ain't making it easy to defend its treatment of Yuri!

I get that it's A Different Era and A Different Culture or whatever (no idea to what degree that's true versus an easy way to not confront the story choices), but to have the very next Yuri story after her realizing she can't/shouldn't be IXA, to have that story be Jiro Claims Yuri... you guys are not making this easy on an Inoue fan! This tough stuff to excuse!

Like, that Shima scene! It'd be cringy if that were Yuri's dad and it was the 1600s. But for her boss in 1986 to be like Yeah I Told Another Employee He Could Marry You is... I mean, holy shit, I don't even know what to say to that. It's insane. And when Yuri is apoplectic that he'd not even consult her about it, Shima's just like, It'll Do You Some Good? WHAT?! In an episode where Yuri is treated like a prize to be fought over, having her boss arrange her marriage is a shocking low point. Baffling and humiliating.

(I get that maybe he's supposed to have looked after her after her mom died, but, like... one, the show doesn't really hit that button more than once or twice, so it's not like this is some tight-knit found-family thing. Second, her mom died just a few years ago? Shima didn't raise her or anything. Why the hell would Jiro even ask Shima, and why would Shima's acceptance mean anything to Yuri?)

It doesn't help that the show treats it as a forgone conclusion, Yuri choosing between Jiro and Otoya. She spends the entire episode alternately despising them both and being jealous of other women that are around them, making Yuri just as weirdly horrible as all of the men in the story. It's a horrifying storyline, the 1986 one. It's Otoya and Jiro at their most territorial and toxic, assuming that they're both owed Yuri's hand in marriage. Meanwhile, Yuri is unable to either articulate her independence or, worse, even value her own opinion. It's a story that starts with Jiro claiming Yuri and rubbing Otoya's face in it, then somehow gets worse from there.

It made me sad, on a deep level. It's disappointing to see Inoue do a story this hacky and cringe-inducing and sexist. There's a way to steer out of this, where Yuri finds her spine and argues for her right to self-determination, but it's just digging itself out of an unnecessarily deep hole. It's no triumph to put a plane into a nosedive and then manage not to kill any of the passengers.

It's just, there are still a bunch of funny jokes at the 1986 group date? It is stupidly funny to watch Otoya and Jiro both preen like animals, taking any opportunity to show up their competition. Those two actors are demolishing the jokes, making a meal out of everything they're given. It's absolutely destroying Yuri's character to have her ringside for this bullshit, but fighting for the show to treat her better is beginning to feel like a lost cause. If this is where Yuri's story is going to go, at least I can laugh at the farce of it all.

The 2008 stuff turns out miles, miles better. A bunch of smart ideas, and none are smarter than bringing in Mari from Faiz as a new woman in Wataru's life.

She's such a great actor. It's a nothing part so far, but she imbues it with the same Wataru-levels of shyness and awkwardness and longing and trepidation. She's a character who's hopeless in the same way Wataru is, completely unsuited to interact with a world full of people like Nago. The little scene she has with Wataru, where she confesses to the same inability to say no to strangers, it's incredibly sweet. It's the 2008 version of Maya's introduction, just calibrated towards Adorable instead of Raging Inferno Of Sexual Tension.

The whole 2008 group date thing was a blast, with Kengo more fully integrated into the group dynamic (of course Nago is going to find value in a young man who is constantly telling him that he is awesome), Megumi immediately realizing the flaw in a group blind date where the only three men are guys from her work and then her just ordering a ton of food to find a victory, and everyone talking about what they're looking for in a partner.

Like, that's what the whole episode is about, but the 2008 part does it in a smoother, more even-handed way. The 1986 version is about ownership, the 2008 version is about partnership, you know? There's Wataru and Mari discussing their similar flaws and coping mechanisms. There's that girl from the date pressuring Wataru about whether he wants someone to give him structure, or if he wants someone that will let him be weak. There's even the Nago/Kengo stuff, where it's all about Nago seeing more in someone who'd praise him unceasingly, even if he didn't respect them before. (I like that what Megumi's looking for in a partner is None Of These Guys, For Sure.)

The 2008 side felt like a celebration of its characters, while the 1986 version felt like a deconstruction/destruction of its characters, but in a funny way. It was dire, that Yuri stuff, while still feeling spry and goofy. I don't know. I'm not sure I've ever laughed at the same half of a show that I found spiritually eviscerating.

Mixed bag, this one! Glad to see Mari around, though!

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva21b.png

PROGRAMMING NOTE: There may be a slight delay in the post for 22. It'd normally be Monday night, but I've got last-minute plans, so we'll see if I'll end up having the time or the energy to watch some Kiva and write about it. I'll give y'all a heads-up if I'm skipping a night. Thanks for your understanding!