I guess it can be -- I don't read any yuri manga or watch yuri anime! -- but I definitely don't think that's happening here. I don't think that's what you're saying, but the Tamaki stuff... like, Tamaki was never presented as a romantic interest for Aguilera, in either direction. He worships her as a monarch, and she tolerates him as a subject. (Sometimes as her favorite subject, but still.) The Aguilera/Tamaki stuff is a completely different plotline from the Sakura/Hana stuff. If anything, Tamaki is rooting for Sakura and Aguilera to get together!

It's refreshingly progressive, and I'm not even going to give it the usual backhanded qualifier of For A Kamen Rider Series. If the romance doesn't go as far as some people would want: it's a children's superhero show. No romance goes much farther than declarations of affection and synchronized fight moves, regardless of the sexuality of the participants. I'm okay with that limitation, as long as there's parity in the couplings. This was a sweet, well-observed bit of teenage romance, and it was never treated as anything unusual or suspect. Happy Pride Month, Kamen Rider Revice!

You bet! I love the ability to converse with other fans, and I feel like these threads are both more fun and better reads when we're actually sharing our experiences with each other. It's my favorite part!

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 34 - “DEMON CALLING TO DEMON”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice34a.png

At times, I sort of appreciate the primal nature of the conflict against Giff, when applied to an anniversary season of Kamen Rider. He’s a blank slate, with nothing but his various acolytes to sketch in his threat, his objective, his very identity. What we’re told by the rotating collection of sycophants and psychopaths that bend the knee to a yonic sculpture and a mute costume is hilariously boilerplate: overwhelming power, enslaved humanity, capitulation or destruction, blah blah blah. It becomes a sort of Ur Kamen Rider narrative, where the lack of prominence to the threat allows other themes to gain prominence; there’s frequently some global tragedy, but our family will always be the most important thing in our lives. The villain this year is every villain, but fifty years of Kamen Rider series are defined by the stuff around that – the goofy uncles and mysterious rivals and wisecracking puppets and empty cafes. Giff sucks to make everything else more fun by comparison.

All of that is a very long and debatably-favorable way of describing how inconsequential this episode’s whole GIFF’S GONNA KILL YOU vibe felt for me as a viewer.

There’s very little thematically to hang onto in the fight against Giff, which is a problem when a vast majority of this episode is devoted to making the threat of Giff an immediate and undeniable danger. (That little date scene between Sakura and Hana, though! Adorable! And they hate having those two goofs hovering over them like overprotective brothers!) For a minute I almost saw a correlation between Akaishi’s decision to let humanity suffer and survive under Giff, and the idea of an overprotective parent diminishing the freedom of a child in the name of safety, but I couldn’t make a good case for it. There’s really nothing on the family side of this story to act as co-commentary, and Akaishi’s too gleeful of a maniac to make a good-faith argument of his actions as beneficial to humanity. He’s just some bloodthirsty prick that wants to survive, and be at the top of whatever dregs of humanity survives Giff’s imminent wrath. He’s hollow and pointless, which is all I can ever muster for the Giff story on this show.

The stuff with Vail is a little more interesting, if only for the more personal stakes it evokes. (Why this show landed its big emotional cliffhanger on Akemi, a character whose only memorable attribute is A Doctor Who Wears Distractingly Short Skirts, rather than on someone who has contributed anything to the narrative, is beyond me.) Vail’s manipulation of Vice is simple, and provable: Demons are inevitably cast out by humans. Vail was abandoned by Genta, Kagerou was destroyed by Daiji, and we’ve watched any number of people get severed from their demons over the last 30-odd episodes. The idea that Ikki might eventually see Vice less as a buddy and more as a sickness… it sort of tracks? We’re not there yet, by any stretch, but maybe some day? Especially now that Ikki knows that teaming with Vice is destroying his memories? There’s a kernel of doubt in Vice now, and it’s all Vail needs to render both Ikki and Vice less effective as Kamen Riders.

Mostly, though, I like it for how it’s getting back to this show talking about self-care and psychological analysis. The idea of whether we’re better off destroying or submerging the parts of ourselves we don’t like, or if they’re things we need alongside us in order to live honestly – that’s way more interesting to me than some weird speech about reverse evolution (???) ever will be. Revice showed its series-arc hand a bit with this Giff-heavy installment, and it managed to both disappoint on a narrative level, while spotlighting the incredibly smart thematic work that makes this series unique. There’s a bland villain, but a fascinating cast of heroes arrayed to defeat it. Tonight, I’m gonna call that a win.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice34b.png

She's a major figure in Fenix (apparently) and she has a close personal relationship with Daiji (I guess?).

Mainly, though, she's the only other character left at Fenix besides Daiji and Akaishi who isn't a random background goon.

Episode 34… aka, the point where the show fell off for me personally. Namely because despite promising to focus on Daiji and the FENIX plot, both of which have been massively under-utilised despite how important they logically should be, both are still not that important to the episode. Instead, we get a whole girls’ day out that takes up several minutes, and a scene where the Weekend kid decides he wants to become a Rider, apropos of nothing, with the reason given being fairly weak. On the plus side, the whole Vail subplot was interesting, even if I wish they’d done more with him being an evil dad, rather than simply saying he is basically one.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FSJakPOaMAA6YCW.jpg

As for why he doesn’t go after Lovekov, well…

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...C14F94AD8.jpeg
(Inside Lovekov’s room)

Vail: Love-chan, you’re a demon like me.

Lovekov: Don’t talk to me, Loser. Get out, Grandpa Demon.

(Later)

Vail: That devil!

And in terms of the infrequent Donbros updates, this was the point where their own female got her own new weapon (granted, it was part of selling a new set of Avataro Gears, but still).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FSY3Y07agAIOEKC.jpg

Talking of Donbrothers, said Episode focused on the fact that the non-Don-Donbrothers have a points system which they can cash in to get whatever they want granted (with a drawback)

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...80F4D6BA6.jpeg

And now, a brief snippet of what I was complaining about earlier being discussed by others…

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...CCAA5CAD3.jpeg

And what audiences thought of Vail’s appearances by now. Safe to say, whatever hype he generated had died down by now.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...A0AFBCCD9.jpeg

George: Hello, George Karizaki here for the Stamp Navi. But in the midst of all this chaos, I can’t seem to find anyone to co-host with me.

Vail: I’ll help do this.

George: You will?

Vail: Yeah, I helped your old man do the first of these back in the day along with Junpei. And since the big man in charge won’t let me kill any of these kids - Don’t ask me why, his reasons are fairly dumb - this fight’s boring. I need something to do.

George: Alright, in that case, let’s get started on today’s Vistamp.

Kajiki!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=vw2tllEw0pM

Nose Tip! Pierce! Splash! Swordfish! The Waves Decide the Ending!

George: This Kajiki Vistamp is to the sea, what Ptera is to the sky and Jackal is to the land. A form that grants enhanced speed, along with the additional abilities of strong swimming and slashing power.*

Vail: (snatches the Vistamp): How interesting. (He stamps himself, before delivering a slash that cleaves a nearby desk in half) Oh, this power is great. Now then, don’t you discuss the guy who you based this on at this point. “Legend Riders”, you call them?

Desire Driver: Saber!

Rekka Battou!

Touma: Henshin!

Brave Dragon!

George: Ok then. Kamen Rider Saber, Touma Kamiyama. The latest in a long line of inheritors to the Holy Sword of Fire over 2000 years. Last year, he fought and defeated the Megido in their attempts to destroy and remake the world into one of chaos.

Touma: I will decide how this story ends!

Vail: Sounds like my kind of place. I wish they’d succeeded.

(Desast appears)

Desast: Believe me, working for those guys is no picnic. You’re better off striking out on your own and finding your own path.

Vail: But I already have my own path. Torturing Junpei Shiranami by viciously murdering his family in front of him.

Desast: See, that’s your problem. You’re trying to be me, but you’re lacking in any of my moral depth. Start a blog channel or something.

Vail: Wait, how are you alive?

Desast: The answer is in Kamen Rider Outsiders Episode 2, streaming now on TTFC.

George: (clearly annoyed) Let’s just leave this here until next time.

* I cannot vouch for this being canon. I just made it up for this skit.

I was actually really excited for Daiji's proactive/reckless attitude in this episode, even though we're suposed to see it as Akaishi and Giff making him so stressed out and put-upon that he eventually snaps. It's nice to see that kid taking on the reins of leadership, even if the main lesson he learned from Hiromi was to sacrifice yourself and maybe get detonated off a cliff, should one be available.

But I don't get why -- aside from budget issues -- this isn't the sort of problem that would necessitate all of the other Fenix troops showing up to the fight? This is yet another episode where Fenix feels equally staffed to an organization like Weekend: 3 guys in two rooms, that's it. If we'd at least have gotten a line of dialogue where Daiji refused to enlist Fenix troops because they were possibly already corrupted by Akaishi (fair, but it makes Fenix look like an organization not worth defending) or that they'd be no use against Giff's powers (still fair, still doesn't make Fenix look particularly valuable) then I'd be okay with a Kamen Riders-only climax. But... wouldn't a squadron of troops at least keep the pressure off the Riders enough to accomplish their objective? Isn't Daiji a leader of men?

Despite all of the above, and my disinterest in what we were given by Akaishi, I think this episode did focus on Fenix and Daiji? This all of the Akaishi "subterfuge" coming into the light, and Daiji being a unifying force between every active Rider. They're not as compelling as Vail, but they're definitely important.

And thanks so much for the fun gags, and the fun skit!

So far about Akaishi, he's build up as someone with well-intentioned motive to keep the human race alive, by having them submit to Giff instead of, invoking Giff's wrath and have Giff exterminate everyone. That shows his intentions aside, Akaishi does have villain's typical outlook of humans, to make people fall into despair and crush their hopes, and he'd be someone looking down on humanity and their potential as a whole. His approach reminds me of Micchy from Gaim's, to face an overwhelming villain by pracfically cowardly way of just giving up and letting them win/be their lapdog so that they have a chance to be spared or something, though Micchy only did that for the people he favored while Akaishi's doing that for whole humanity. For now Akaishi has 'good' intention and isn't as bad as Olteca, but he still had the brutality he displayed so far to Akemi and Daiji (who for now... properly henshins..). Daiji bleeding heavily reminds me of Taiga in Ex-Aid nearly killed by Graphite. George here acted under Akaishi's order again to try to lure him into a trap, but now George didn't go giddy and excited anymore under Akaishi's orders, probably again showing how he changed, directly when interacting with Akaishi here.

The gag is probably about how the boys (Tamaki/Hikaru) are trying to be bodyguards to females who are actually far stronger/more competent than them (Sakura/Aguilera), but it'd be wasted if the boys, Hikaru likely joining, are only reduced into their lost puppies. Though there's Hikaru feeling down about how he's actually nothing compared to Sakura, as their previous karate sparring has shown, with even Tasuke pointing it out, and wanting to be Kamen Rider itself, while Tamaki has been like this ever since he got separated from his Giftex powers. Other bodyguarding part is what's actually necessary, Vice protecting Yukimi, who isn't a fighter, from Vail actually hunting the Igarashis, despite Yukimi's protest. I guess now Vice had fully atoned for his sins here against Yukimi and now their relationship has been fully repaired, protecting the woman he tried to eat at one point, and Yukimi recognizing that shooing Vice away was probably wrong.

And for previous reply, as usual, more like talking about fanbase reaction rather than actual yuri media (though the reverse can happen for yaoi pairing, especially r KR being described as "heated drama between men" and it being infamous of female characters not being handled well to them), and though it's true that the boys are being overprotective, still feel that there's "eww boys" move that's seen as getting in the way of females hooking up with each other which was what I refer here, more like because basing of how Aguilera is still haughty as ever, my worry was that she'd have the good guy status to get away with that behavior (o̶r̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶v̶i̶o̶u̶s̶l̶y̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶b̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶g̶o̶r̶g̶e̶o̶u̶s̶). Though her interaction to Hikaru is the first time she interacted normally with others. I don't know if actually her bitchy attitude is reserved only for Tamaki here, but it being played for laughs doesn't negate it being abusive though.

Vail's new psychological game now is about dictating others about how to live like a demon which is again, effective on Vice that got really shaken with Vail's mindgames, distracting him in fight and hindering Ikki (and apologized for that). Vail tried to invoke parental abuse/ageism with him being Genta's devil.... but... now Revice pulls something opposite to "X is X" some Kamen Rider shows pulled, like Inoues... by Vice pointing out that devils aren't the same as the human hosts thus Vail isn't a father that can abuse his position. Then obviously Vail tries to break Vice's relationship with Ikki with the latter eventually leaving him, now I don't personally see this as another question of "Is Vice actually evil", as what the series has pushed to the viewers before, probably it'd be actually Vail really underestimating the bond between Ikki and Vice and it'd be partly his downfall later or something.

So regarding my expectations before of Akemi being the show's secondary heroine, it got twisted around not only for Aguilera but for Akemi herself too. Aguilera was the main antagonist but eventually got redeemed to join Weekend, while Akemi was a female with larger presence (other than the Igarashis) on the main organization, but now got turned into Deadman. So actually Akemi wasn't completely immune either to the dark truth, though Akemi's still far less malicious than Chigusa was, she undergoes BSOD phase and apologizing to Daiji for seeing the truth, but it seems that as Deadman her actions are uncontrollable, l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶e̶p̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶D̶a̶i̶j̶i̶,̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶h̶u̶m̶a̶n̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶m̶.

Hana treats Tamaki about the same as Sakura treated Ikki originally, or how Daiji treated Sakura originally: like a sibling. It can come off abrasive or even cruel, but it's someone who is such a huge part of your life, and that can sometimes be a nuisance. Hana treats Tamaki like shit because he's pissing her off, and that's how brothers and sisters can behave.

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 35 - “THE UNKNOWN THREAT AND ROAD HUMANITY MUST TRAVEL”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice35a.png

It is a bold strategy to start an episode with a villain belittling the effectiveness of our heroes, and end the same episode with the villain being proven correct. It’s not… y’know, it’s not great, as far as watching these episodes to see heroes overcome insane odds and cleverly defeat terrifying threats goes. On that level? Sort of a miss. But its commitment to making our entire group of Kamen Riders look like ineffectual chumps is actually kind of neat!

I liked how much this episode nailed down its conception of Daiji as a guy whose inflexibility and righteousness is starting to become a drawback. He’s destroyed the part of himself that doubted himself, and now he’s a guy fighting to retain the honor of an organization that never did anything good for anyone. He’s always saying he’s going to get Fenix “back to what it was”, and it’s all anyone else – myself included – can do not to laugh in his face. Fenix was comically inept until it was hopelessly corrupt. There’s nothing in it to save, if there ever was. But Daiji lacks the flexibility and self-esteem to abandon the literal sinking ship of Fenix. Ikki’s in a story about Vice needing to look past a label that doesn’t apply to him in order to see the strength of his uniqueness, and here’s Daiji, clinging to his honor and duty when the guy who founded Fenix is laughing at his despair. Daiji’s so desperate to make things conform to his own sense of right and wrong – with Fenix being Right – that he can’t see how hollow and pointless those labels have become. He’s trapped himself in his own righteousness.

Alongside that, the whole Akaishi Hypes Giff battle was pretty entertaining, if only for how over-the-top Akaishi’s cowardly plea for humanity’s capitulation was. (In much the same way that Fenix’s military power and reach seems to ebb and flow alongside the budget for an episode, I sort of don’t understand its political power? How is Akaishi given carte blanche to commandeer live TV and beg all of Japan to surrender their free will to a mute deity? Seems like there should be someone in the Diet that’s like Could You Run That By Us First.) Akaishi has, appropriately, zero respect for the transparent stratagems of the Igarashi family, and he’s clearly having a blast watching Daiji get impotently apoplectic as the trap is sprung. It’s a dumb plan from Daiji, and it probably took Akaishi about eight entire seconds to figure out how to spin it in his favor.

It sort of helps the team that Hikaru shows up as Over Demons, and all of this plotline felt undercooked even by Weekend standards. Hikaru has never felt like anything other than a distraction in the Sakura/Hana storyline, so him proving his worth by taking two good suits and turning them into one okay suit… who was asking for this? This is a real Mihara Is The New Delta-level shrug of a plot, where the least-relevant character becomes the powerful new Rider. I’d rather it be Tamaki! Or Buu! Or Mom Igarashi! Hikaru is a weird imposition, and now I’m going to have to begrudgingly pay attention to him. I even had to learn his name this episode! That sucks!

All that said, I did enjoy this weird episode of Hiromi-esque failure and fumbling. I like the way Daiji’s decision to execute Kagerou – a thing I never enjoyed or agreed with – is now exposed as an error with dire ramifications for the entire world. We’ve got no real avenue to fight the evil running rampant, and the only glimmer of hope is that a group of revolutionaries with a troublingly large budget for gaming chairs and fishnet can find a way to emerge from a shadowy basement and protect humanity. I’m not feeling great about those odds, but I’m feeling pretty good about this show.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice35b.png

Yeah, this episode did not help Hikaru’s already non-existent popularity (he came dead last in a poll, and that was because someone typed in his name for the other category so they could vote for him). Neither did the Over Demons suit (for some reason. I think it looks fine) basically being Demons with Vail’s armour and a new helmet (what did they think a beatle themed upgrade for Demons would look like?), which led to some people propping up Mach Chaser (despite that not even getting a new helmet, and being a lot more low effort). Though it really doesn’t help that his debut scene comes right the hell out of nowhere and doesn’t really feel connected to the rest of the episode (and the producer said he intended it to signify everything good about the series, making it clear this was a series where the staff just plain had no idea what audiences liked about it)

As for me, I think the main issue with Hikaru is that the show wanted to promote him to a main character, without actually giving him any buildup. And what little he shows (wanting to protect Sakura, who’s spent 24 episodes trying to prove how capable she is with some success) makes him come off as an entitled chauvinist, which does nothing to make him likeable to the audience.

Anyway, time for the funnies.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...8A5DEEE39.jpeg

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...69/unknown.png

Hikaru: Its Hikaru’s Stamp Navi!

Daiji: It can’t be! FENIX can’t be gone! It just can’t!

Hikaru: And today’s Vistamp is… this one!

Vice: We never even got to see its cool mecha form.

Kuwagata!

Hikaru: Hey, Baby Karizaki-san. Mind helping me with this?

George: My expensive collection of CSM collecti- Did you just call me “Baby” Karizaki?

Hikaru: Are you gonna help me do this feature or not?

George: I will, but not because you told me to. It’s so I can get a complete archive.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=UOL7R72uNfc

Sharper! Double Cutter! Shape of a Flower! Stag Beetle!

Sakura: Isn’t that just Vail’s armour on Demons’ body with a new head?

George: Exactly. But there is a good reason.

Delete Up! Unknown! (Unknown) Unrest! (Chaotic) Unlimited! (Surpassing) Kamen Rider Over Demons!

George: It is a new phase of Demons that has improved the system centre and made it possible to transform by utilising only the power of the devil in the user! In addition to the various data obtained from Kamen Rider Vail, by effectively making the ability of Stag Beetle stamps effective, we have succeeded in enhancing the versatility by keeping the overwhelming destructive power of the former weapon. If this can be mass-produced, it will be expected to increase its strength significantly.

Hikaru: Wait, you plan to make more of my Rider form?

Sakura: Oh god, more of them.

Hikaru: Way to take away from the awesomeness of my debut, George.

George: Yeah, “awesomeness”.

Sakura: We hope you enjoy the next instalment. It has to be better than this one.

Hikaru: What’s that supposed to mean?

Things I always forget about Revice: Hikaru has a name.

Yeah, I think that about covers it. Hikaru having a triumphant moment where he proves his value and saves Sakura would only really work dramatically if:

1 - Hikaru had been given any conceivable spotlight before this episode (and the spotlight scene he does get is almost entirely carried by Tamaki; Hikaru's in the background, literally out of focus!)

2 - His character wasn't trying to protect a character that clearly didn't need his protection in any of the preceding episodes

3 - Hana and Tamaki somehow didn't exist

But who knows! Maybe Hikaru won some sort of yet-to-be-revealed Kamen Rider Make-a-Wish program! It's nice to let some of these kids feel good about themselves!

And thanks so much for the fun skit!

Remembering his name feels like I'm letting him win, and I dislike it.

This episode also apparently solved Vice's existensial crisis of being a demon, and this pulls the "Vice is Vice" reassurement seen in numerous Rider series like Inoue written ones. About how Ikki reassures Vice that he only needs to act according to Vice's wishes, to fight alongside Ikki and/or having fun by enjoying his freedom (including being free from demon's expectations too), not what's expected of a demon. While this is good for Vice and that acting outside of other's expectations can be used, this kind of invalidates other demons, as there are other demons that aren't malicious like Lovekov (though she's an asshole too like Vice). While this part of the story helps Vice, this won't help other demons against, for example, Masumi's racism towards them (also suggesting that separating Ikki from Vice is the best outcome regardless of their friendship now), as this is about differentiating Vice to other demons and thus, other demons still has the expectation of being evil and manipulative like Vail expects them be.

I get where you're coming from here, but I'd also like to differentiate better here between which one is actually a banter or if someone actually mistreats others.... including regarding when they regularly mistreat those they have personal connection with but can occassionally help them at peril, which can still only mean that they draw some lines in mistreating them. I thought this also based on Aguilera's general behavior to others (sans Sakura ofc) like how she reacts to Ikki attempting to save her, not strictly Tamaki, though it's mostly during her villain stint that, she does spent most of her time in that role, just recently redeemed.

Seems that this is the most appreciated plot for many people, to make the villain being proven correct, which will fulfill the favored "both sides have a point" plot they want (though I feel that many are just biased towards villains for this), and that these kind of plot will be considered a trend-setter that "tries something differently from usual cookie cutter generic shit", and many do think that realistically heroes will never win, and it'd be like, and bad guys getting ahead is what's realistic and reasonable outcome, thus making the story like that is the right way. If the villains aren't proven correct, people'd actually criticize the writings for being incompetent in handling them, instead of their actual actions or acknowledging the holes in their views.

Daiji now specifically doesn't want to sit and watch, but now acting on his 'righteousness', but not that it's a good stuff, as Daiji went completely reckless, acting without thinking, despite being told by various characters like Ikki to stick together as a family, or George to balance his 'good' and 'evil' side on his own without Kagerou. He ended up only playing into Akaishi's plans, though at least he realized. Contrary to popular opinion regarding Daiji and Hiromi, for me Daiji shows some similarities to Hiromi here, but about his flaws, Hiromi's someone who tried to act dutiful and composed, but is actually emotionally fragile and breaks down easily. While here, Daiji's someone who is the uptight, stern, and taciturn one in the family, apparently portrayed as the 'mature' one to the wackiness of other Igarashis (Sakura as the other exception, that she regards Daiji the highest), but turns out here that Daiji is more impulsive than outwardly and if pushed into a brink he'd be the most irrational. Ironically, it seems that the Weekend has similar case to Daiji for their inaction, to have Masumi announced that Weekend would move from its shadows this late.

As his plan was to plunge humanity into despair to make them submit to Giff, the only way he see for humanity to survive, expectedly it'd involve broadcasting Kamen Rider's failures to fight Giff or his henchmen (including Vail). But other revelations about it was that, Akaishi seems to be fine killing anyone else for his schemes other than the Igarashis, as seen in the unnamed Fenix soldiers. It's now explained fully here that Akaishi won't kill those he considered "family", where the Igarashis are Giff descendants, even threatening Vail to sever their partnership if he did that. So the Igarashi's special status, other than how they're the ones who can become a Rider, extends to even the current baddie as technically their family. But as for now, Akaishi acting to be hopeless here is too forced, has too much overreacting. And seems that, reckless as he might be, Daiji doesn't notice about Akaishi's obvious forced overreacting. I hope that there'd be more on Akaishi's overreacting other than just Revice declining in quality and treating Akaishi's acting as actual darkest hour situation, in-universe explanation btw, like for starters, about how Akaishi never felt hopeless (as Giff's partner) so he doesn't know what it actually feels like, or it's also a part how Daiji didn't notice as he went reckless.

Hikaru becoming a Rider, and a strongest one at that, does give me a Mihara-Delta vibe too (but it's Faiz so...), for someone who doesn't stand out being given one of the stronger Rider forms (though Over Demons only has slight increase to regular Demons). IIRC, the speculation of Over Demons before was about Hiromi's comeback or probably George, but it turning to be Hikaru instead seems to be purely done for a shock value. Though not fully as Hikaru does want to become a Rider before, but probably not something that seems to be really plot-important like Over Demons that has Vail motif in its design too, while Hikaru is nowhere near as plot important. Tbf, George too was someone who had one-time stint as Demons (so far), so Hikaru can be like that too as Over Demons, but it was also an important event to display George's change. And that Hikaru wasn't using the Rider form too bad, albeit not beating anyone in a fight but just saving anyone (and Akaishi won't kill them anyway). Tamaki now realizes about how useless he is so far, and the preview apparently has him transforming.... earlier than Aguilera, someone who has shown to be a fighter before does (still admiring her girlfriend, is she ironically the new Tamaki now but to Sakura only despite her disgust?).

Regarding George's ad-vice here to balance good and evil as rightneous alone isn't enough to overcome evil, I'd disagree to elevating evil (not literally) personally, as this can be (mis)used to further glorify cynical and cold-detached traits, disguised as right belief, strength, and effectiveness when it's probably spite and vindictive-based. You've said before regarding how you disagree with Hiromi's recklessness, which I do too, and, there are some people who claim at this point Daiji becomes "too heroic" here for his self-destructive approach and that gets on my skin. Even though it's true that Kagerou is needed here to balance out Daiji's traits, but if it's about Kagerou being calm and calculating, then it'd not be an evil trait, it's just using rational thinking, good or evil depends if it's used for strategy against bad guys or to scheme. And if it's about finishing off the necessary bad guys, killing a bad guy that has no other way out is different to killing innocents or even someone bad that isn't enough to justify killing, such as normal human criminals. It's actually one of the misguided takes that can be used to villify heroes to make villains look good with the reason that "they're also killers or such".

To be clear, the thing that Akaishi is proven correct about isn't that humanity is doomed or that Giff is all-powerful or that reverse evolution (???) is the key to survival -- the thing he's proven correct about is that the heroes as they're currently configured (and with Daiji coming with the plans) are of no consequence. He doesn't actually have a point, unless the point is You Guys Are Real Bad At This.

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 36 - “HUMANITY STANDS AT CROSSROADS, TO EACH THEIR OWN RESOLVE”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice36a.png

Daiji, as a character, is an example of that classic expression “Thirty-six wrongs make a right.”

The key to liking him, I think, is to just withstand his dedication to a binary and inflexible justice that renders moral complexity anathema to his worldview. The first few times, you’re like Okay. The next dozen times, you’re like Uh, Okay. The next dozen times, you’re like Ugh OKAY. But then you round the corner into your third dozen times where Daiji held fast to his belief that the evil inside all of us can be expunged and doesn’t need to be analyzed or embraced because that is the little death that brings oblivion, and you’re like Huh! Okay!

It makes perfect sense to me that he’d take point on the city-wide task of vaccinating everyone against Giff, as a way of preserving humanity. It’s a terrible plan, obviously terrible – but that’s not a factor in Daiji’s decision making. He’s out here all alone, the weight of the world on him, and he’s always believed that the Demons needed to be expunged. He’s the one who “solved” Kagerou. He’s the one that’s usually telling people to murder Demons, no matter the cost. Just like killing Kagerou was probably a bad idea from both a metaphysical perspective and a psychological stability sense, stamping all of Japan because a lunatic in a leather tie appeals to your sense of duty is a transparently bad idea. But it fits neatly into Daiji’s worldview of Demons as a thing to expunge, as well as his desperate need to buttress his sense of self-worth with unquestioned duty to Fenix. It’s a terrible decision, but it’s also absolutely a Daiji decision.

(Quick sidebar: The villains doing an evil vaccination program while the steadfast heroes team up to stop people from being vaccinated… not great optics on that in 2022! Maybe in 2032, but last year? Too soon! Poor taste!)

But Daiji’s the subplot to this episode’s big deal Get Outta Here Hikaru fancy new Kamen Rider: Aguilera!

Hana’s metamorphosis from Deposed Queen Of Evil to Sakura’s Concerned Girlfriend is… it’s not the most robust character arc on the show, despite it being the one I most look forward to. We hear a lot from Hana in this episode’s climax about how much she wants to atone for her sins as part of the Giffamilia, but it never really got any screentime before now. Hana quit being Aguilera because being Aguilera was a dead-end: she was the queen of a cult that no longer existed, in service of a creature that never cared about her. Joining Weekend always felt like a way to stay in her girlfriend’s orbit, and nothing more. Like, “defeating Giff”? When has that ever been anything Aguilera or Hana professed to care about? I’m not saying I can’t illustrate an emotional line that would connect those two characters, Aguilera and Hana, but I am saying that the show hasn’t really bothered to do that.

Still, I liked the debut of Kamen Rider Aguilera quite a bit. My favorite part was Karizaki tying together Hana’s shameful past with the various Demons of this show; a thing to use for good, and nothing to be eliminated or obscured. As much as the leap to Hana as a warrior for justice feels minimally motivated, I do appreciate the thematic coherence of her new outlook. Also, I like the suit! The stinger out of the mask is a good touch, and I like how the shoulders are doing a lot of the same stuff as the Jeanne suit. They’ll make a good fighting couple!

It’s weird to have an episode where the main plot is a thrilling, cathartic bit of adventure that feels like it’s paying off a plot this show never broadcast, and a subplot of a character making just ABYSMAL decisions for perfectly established and ingrained reasons. Confusing feelings at the end, but I’m still gonna say this one worked for me. But please remember to get vaccinated!!!

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I'm very curious to see your take on Daiji's journey at this point of the show with your daily (except on Tuesdays) episode viewings because oh boy, was this part of the show rough on a weekly pace.
Yep, that sure is a thing they did.

Great suit, especially for this late in the series. Nice repurposing of Gaim's strawberry knives, too.

Boy, we’re in for a long one.

First off, though I liked this episode decently, I remember Fish’s review suggested a way for Hana’s big moment to be better and more emotionally resonant than a speech from Jason Vorhees.

In other talk, Aguilera becoming a Rider was not planned. They were doing an all-female spin-off and decided to make her a Rider to justify her inclusion there, and rather than bog down that project with an origin story, they decided to use the show for one. Which is partially why I don’t agree with the wiki’s arbitrary placement of Girls Remix after 46 (that, and what little we hear of the current status quo in that special doesn’t match that point in the series)

One thing that was planned was the siblings increasing gulf. Though it was meant to be a three-way thing, they changed it, and now Weekend has become the “place where everyone goes to discuss advancing the plot”

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But while KR Aguilera wasn’t planned, someone did manage to predict it last week in this negative reaction to Hikaru (they avoided showing the suit in anything until it leaked three days before broadcast. People still figured it out due to the bee-like patterns on the Driver, Tamaki’s chosen Vistamp being a Legend Rider Vistamp and Nana Hyashimoto being on the cast list for suit actors)

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Hana: What’s Sakura’s stalker doing going out and transforming? Make my driver soon.

Karizaki: Of course. You must look cute when standing next to Jeanne.

And as mentioned, Aguilera’s suit is modified from Kanon Specter (which leads to a funny handwave in Girls Remix), while her weapons are modified from Gaim Ichigo Arms’ Ichigo Kunai. She was also shown in magazine pictures to have a second set retooled from Ryugen’s Kiwi Geki-Rin.

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And we have Akemi telling Ikki he needs Giff’s DNA to defeat him, which confused me on both watchings, since Ikki already has Giff’s DNA. That was established a few episodes back. As do Daiji and Sakura.

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And Donbrothers debuted the robot toy that week, but I was more interested in what was going on the next week.

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And now, here’s the cast’s reactions to this episode from Twitter.

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And just so you know, others noticed the whole “vaccination” subplot, and I think it might’ve coloured perceptions of the show, given I’ve seen it referred to as “the anti-vax” show a year on.

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And finally, the Hiromi fans were just plain getting restless at this point, even with a vague hint from a magazine that “that man” would return.

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And after this long rambling string of information and thoughts, here’s our highlight.

Tamaki: It’s Tamaki’s… Stamp Navi.

(George pokes his head out, it seemingly being where Tamaki’s pecs are)

George: We gave him this as an apology for his failed transformation.

Tamaki: Which means today’s Vistamp is… this one.

Buffalo!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S-V19EqXeE0&t=360s

Assault Guy! Prepare for a Shock! Buffalo! As Long as I have Tomorrow’s Guts, I’m Good!

George: Daddy tells me that Buffalo is a Genome that can unleash a powerful charge attack. It can also pierce through things thanks to some tech stolen from Yggdrasil after it went bust.

Tamaki: Ahh! I can’t believe I failed to transform with it.

George: Don’t be too sad. Be like today’s Legend and look on the bright side of your desire not working out.

Desire Driver: OOO!

Eiji: Henshin!

TaToBa! TaToBa, Ta-To-Ba!

George: Kamen Rider OOO, Eiji Hino. Using a belt inherited from a medieval king, he fought against the Greeed using the power of desire, Core Medals.

Eiji: As long as I have underwear for tomorrow, I’m good.

(Suddenly, light emerges from the side and Yukimi pops her head in, at a roughly equal height to Tamaki’s. The lighting now reveals that George is sat down on a toilet)

Yukimi: You may be staying here now, George-kun. But would you mind keeping your LARPing volume to a minimum? You’re disturbing the customers.

George: One, this is not LARPing. Two, I have a schedule for making these things that just so happens to coincide with me needing to take a crap this week. And three, can you pass me some toilet paper?

(A mysterious hand appears, with a bog roll)

???: Here you go.

George: Why thank you… Ankh!?! OOO’s partner who gave his life to ensure Eiji lived his? What are you doing here?

Ankh: Didn’t you see that 10 Years movie? Eiji died so I could live my life.

George: I’ve only seen the trailers. Thanks for spoiling the ending.

Yukimi: We hope you enjoy the next instalment. And that it doesn’t get my family business shut down.

Self production note: with the Skybase sunk, my plan was for every instalment afterwards to take place in increasingly absurd locations. But I couldn’t think of anything more absurd than Ikki’s toilet, so I nixxed the idea and avoided referring to where each instalment took place after this.

I also originally planned for George to respond to Yukimi’s complaints that he was annoying the customers with “what customers?”, resulting in Yukimi hitting him with a frying pan. This was nixxed as too over the top

I mean, I get it! I would not say I'm having the easiest time with it myself! Nearly every storyline is missing a dialogue scene (or two) that would help better illustrate why so many characters are doing what they're doing -- Daiji's dedication to a corrupt organization that is committed to beating the shit out of him, Hana's alignment with Weekend, Hikaru's... just, Hikaru -- but instead, we get scenes with Akaishi at Kamen Rider Stadium, mugging for the camera, or Vail fight scenes that go on forever, and I'm left wondering why no one making this show seems to know how to correctly budget their screentime for all of the characters it wants to service.

Ha ha, yeah, Weekend's dungeon seems to have a fairly Open Door policy to it, doesn't it? Folks just wandering in at all hours of the day to recuperate or exposit or request help... I miss the days where all of that would happen in the much more fun set of Happy Spa! At least George knows what's up!

And even the story painting those as not actually proven correct will still have some audience insisting otherwise and pull any kind of mental gymnastics over this.

Fenix's plan now apparently is about ViStamp mandate to remove demons from their bodies. Masumi's original plan, I hope the next episodes will flesh this out more, likely showing the consequences of Masumi's original extreme methods if fully done, especially if this is Akaishi's scheme. Or not as Daiji was actually doing his Fenix job here by guarding a Stamping site, and fought against what Akaishi actually did again by driving people away from Giff Juniors and also fighting against a Hell Gifterian, who apparently can speak. Daiji got heavily injured again, this time as a jobber to newer threat that can punch out Holy Live quickly, and has similar regeneration as Olteca in his final fight. Likely that'd be the one to spark Revice's final form. But overall despite a destroyed base, and George now residing in Happy Spa, Fenix's still operating. Regarding George, like above former Deadmans, Ikki accepts George here without (justified) doubt and animosity anymore, with George's change too now, hence 'everyone' being buddies now.

At first, Aguilera was still a cold bitch towards Tamaki, even if Tamaki's behavior to be overprotective for someone stronger than him can be grating. I guess the episode fleshed her more with how she's the type to run away from the past at first, using her Hana identity to forget the atrocities she has committed in the past. I wonder if she acted bitchy towards Tamaki before was partly due to this too, to reject anything related to the past (still no excuse). But the fact is, she did commit all those atrocities, and it can't be undone (as there seems to be no time travel in Revice for now, unknown if George can create it) what you'd do is not only claiming to change and atone but also proving it. It'd be better and more benefical to help out rather than being inactive due to being sealed or killed, if they have the capacity of redemption.

And she herself admitted now that she did those evil acts as a evil queen, like Tamaki before, so that shows that it's not that Aguilera did nothing wrong before as a Deadman and that all of the blame can be deflected away to others due to how there's a victim status in herself since Olteca betrayed her. Better than leaving her only being around I guess (even Kimiko appeared here!). Other than her debut as a Rider to help out, by taking back her old alias Aguilera as per Masumi's suggestion (I'd always call her that anyway due to Hana name already being used before as Den-O's female lead), and regarding you depicting Aguilera treating Tamaki as just sibling stuff, she actually starts treating Tamaki better in this episode as well, addressing her superiority to him by resolving to protect him instead, and even to Vice, she acted playfully towards him, not haughtily, now also integrating with the other main cast.

I didn't expect here that even Aguilera wasn't an official member yet here at Weekend and this was her final test, and it seems that Weekend still carries some extreme methods, to have Tamaki in his human form being plunged into danger as his test to become a member. Less so for Aguilera as an actual Rider (her shooting Vail wasn't a test but done on her own volition). Even Sakura here still calls them out on this to put Tamaki in dangerous situation, though she quickly submits on Hikaru's explanation of this being Weekend's test. She'd still later defend Tamaki when he passed. I guess if she's fully affectionate to Aguilera and stands up for Tamaki against a friend she knew longer, she'd also better view Masumi in better light, as she did bring up about how him trying to atone isn't enough to erase his previous sins, but said Aguilera or even Julio was more malicious than Masumi in her evil queen actions.

Other than Aguilera beating Vail in a fight here due to Vail not acquiring Aguilera's ViStamp yet, which is apparently based on Muhammad Ali's "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" fighting style (from what I catch, she targeted lower body parts a lot, and her finisher includes trapping their legs too), it's quite satisfying for me to have Vice get back at him, to mock his demonic life boast with Vail running away from Aguilera. Otherwise, as usual, Vice is still an attention whore despite that he cares more about people around him now, though not helped as Ikki joked about Vice being useless now in the face of Aguilera. Ikki pulled quite brutal joke right there still. His previous fight with Revi against Akemi showed a Deadman that can't be instantly cured, only temporary, but probably Akemi's brief conversation does show that Akemi is brainwashed, or likely went undercover against Akaishi. Either way, someone much more upstanding than Chigusa. Probably that'd also be used to show off Revice's upcoming final form's capabilities, with said using Giff power she claimed.

Other than her, to a smaller extent Tamaki too undergoes a change here, not as in successfully 'change' in 'henshin', but his goal and motivation now. They made use of Tamaki being forced to smile, in his bullying days and Deadman days, as a stock Kamen Rider goal of making everyone smile. This being Tamaki though, probably this is played up in parodic way, albeit this is one of his bigger role after being separated from his Giftex role, albeit at first was about his repetitive motivation again to join Weekend (yeah, at the early part of the episode both the former Deadman generals acted like previous self), And as expected, he failed to henshin, due to the Kamen Rider motivation boast leading to Vail acquiring his ViStamp. Still a derp.... or perhaps what 'realistically' can happen when the opponent acts against someone posing for a fight. He's also was useful as a hostage and bait here, quite as expected. Actually because he's joining Weekend, he should re-take karate practice again with Sakura and Hikaru, like he did when he tried to deceive Sakura before, but no two-faced stunts again anymore.

It's very funny to me that this episode's plot hinges on two characters needing to go to dangerous lengths to become full-fledged Weekend members... when Weekend members sit in a basement in gaming chairs while unaffiliated characters are coerced or bribed into doing the actual dangerous work. When did anyone other than Hikaru ever leave the basement? And Hikaru mostly gets yelled at for trying to leave the basement. This whole Dangerous Mission thing is new information, and it makes me feel like they were more or less just trying to get Tamaki and Hana killed.

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 37 - “INEVITABLE CLASH! THE DO-OR-DIE DEMON RECAPTURE MISSION!”

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I don’t want to jinx it, but I feel like this Daiji story is working out pretty well?

We finally slow the story down a bit, with a few deeply-needed dialogue scenes to nestle in alongside the now fairly standard wall-to-wall fight scenes. (This show really loves its action, way more than it likes providing context or nuance to that action. Sort of a big problem for the series!) Specifically, we get to spend a couple scenes delving into Daiji’s humiliated and hollow embrace of Akaishi and Giff. After a few episodes where Daiji’s seemingly-absurd dedication to being a Henchman With A Heart Of Gold to the show’s big bads was gaining clarity, it’s only here where it finally snaps into focus.

Basically, it’s because DAIJI.

For all the ways Daiji’s changed and grown over the last 30-odd episodes, what this story presupposes is: Maybe he didn’t? The destruction of Kagerou is emblematic of Daiji’s dramatically-rich failings in this storyline; namely, that he’d defeated his own self-loathing, jealousy, fear, resentment, and pessimism. The thing is, as literally every other character has learned over the course of the series, that’s not stuff you defeat, or destroy. It’s stuff you carry around with you forever, and treating it like some invasive organism that’s tricking you into being bad or weak – that’s just self-deception. It’s refusing to take responsibility for your shortcomings, and therefore refusing to examine the triggers that increase their potency. Daiji hasn’t grown by defeating Kagerou; he’s actually avoided the personal growth that everyone else has fought for over the course of the series.

Even joining Akaishi in service to Giff… it’s the exact same shit that led him to Fenix! It’s someone giving a structure to his imposter syndrome by telling him how to make the world comprehensible, so long as he fully buys into whatever he's told; it’s rules and morality that exist in their own continuum, where outsiders are simply unaware of the real threats; it’s crucially a thing that lets him feel power and authority over Ikki, because that rivalry never ever ever went away. All of the weird pragmatism Daiji leans on in this story is just the same mixture of righteousness and resentment that colored his character when the show started. Literally nothing’s changed, which is sort of great?

I can see that regression being a bummer for folks who either didn’t like the earlier version of Daiji, or really liked the newer version of Daiji. It can feel abrupt, or poorly-motivated, mostly because (as noted earlier) this show is not super great at budgeting enough time for scenes that enhance and/or explain character motivations. But I feel like it’s all there, his reasoning and recriminations? He’s weak, and his weakness was papered over by no one asking too many questions about the self-loathing, fratricidal psychopath’s sudden self-improvement. He’s tried following in the footsteps of this show’s former Fenix commander, by giving up everything to safeguard innocents, but he’s forgotten the last thing that dude told him before getting detonated off of a cliff. I don’t recall it myself either, exactly, but I’m pretty sure it was something about not trusting Fenix?

I don’t know, maybe we can ask Hiromi himself in the next episode.

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Episode 37. By this point, Ikki is pretty much a non-entity in his own show. Aside from Daiji and Sakura, he barely has any interactions with anyone, he lacks any real antagonism with any of the villains beyond “bad guy to blow up”, and as many were pointing out around this point, they show is simultaneously building up to the final form, but doing nothing to build Ikki up for it. This kind of joke was pretty much the show at this point.

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Now for some scattershot thoughts on the episode.

We learn that Over Demons inherited the Genomix system from Demons. Which I kind of felt was unnecessary, since its debut gave it a set of Genomix-esque extending legs.

The main plot of everyone trying to extract Akemi’s liver - I have to ask what was your plan here regarding Daiji? Since they refuse to tell him anything about it for reasons that aren’t really well explained (I doubt they think he’d tell Akaishi the whole thing, and even if they did, Akaishi seems to know everything they try anyway). Honestly, with the lack of context he has, his anger at Ikki and Sakura is pretty justified.

And talking of Akemi - she was a fairly last minute addition to the proceedings. She was meant to be a one-off, but the director of her debut insisted on her being a regular. And it was clear they didn’t know what to do with her, unlike Hiromi. She basically hangs around for a few episodes, gets threatened by Kagerou so he can get what he wants, stumbles up Akaishi’s secrets by pure dumb luck, changes sides and turns into a monster, then reveals that she only did that so she could tell Ikki how to defeat Giff and offer herself for getting the DNA, only to die before they can do so.

Anyway, now for this week’s skit, which features additional dialogue from dreamcastegirl. There’s not much to the BTS behind that. I asked her for a joke, she provided and I used that to write the rest of the skit.

Sakura: It’s Sakura and…

Hana: Hana’s

Both: Stamp Navi!

Hana: Tamaki took the spotlight last time, so today’s Vistamp is… this one.

Queen Bee!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=RyQpbgSM...fetqSW4jQlQH7j

Deadmans Up! Reward! Sweet! Aim for the neck! Queen Bee!

Hana: I received this Vistamp when I was still engaged to Giff. When I use it to call upon my demon in the form of a Deadman, it can control other demons using a special pheromone, create Royger Bee servants to share my power among them and inject my venom into anyone my talons cut.

Sakura: You had all those abilities and you never thought to use them to instantly kill us back when you were a Deadmans Executive?

Hana: I was also a pretty messed up woman. Anyway, I have a new use for it now.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=zk6GyvSP_zQ

Happiness! Loudness! The Ending’s Attractiveness! Queen Bee!

Subvert Up! Wow! Just Believe in Myself! Kamen Rider! Ah! Aguilera!

Hana: And to explain, here’s a video from Karizaki-san Jr.

George: A single flower blooming on the battlefield, that's Kamen Rider Aguilera! Transforming with the re-adjusted Queen Bee Vistamp and Week Endriver. It seems that she is good at flying brilliantly in the air with her anti-aircraft ability and can be operated freely. If the special stab attack is a critical hit, even if it is a strong opponent, they will surely be knocked down with a single blow.

Hana: And because Julio begged me like a puppy dog to do this, let’s see what happens when I transforms with what would’ve been his personal stamp.

Subvert Up! Ooh Wow! Kamen Rider! (Buffalo)

(We cut to a front on shot of Sakura reacting)

Sakura: Seems pretty… not that interesting.

Hana: (reverting to normal KR Aguilera) You’re right. Let’s see what happens when I use it the way you’d do it.

Restyle! Buki Buki! Buki Buki!

Hana: Let’s go.

Rebuddy Up! Yay! Buffalo! Woah woah woah woah!
(She generates a pair of discs identical to Kamen Rider Ryugen’s Kiwi Geki-Rin, only in OOO’s colours)

Sakura: You know, you don’t have to emulate me. We are different people with our own fighting styles.

(Hana gasps, before reverting to normal, revealing that her hair and clothes have changed to indicate her demon has taken over)

Hana: Why you! How dare you disregard my admiration for you! Just for that, it’s punishment time. (She removes the Queen Bee Vistamp, readjusts the Week Endriver and inserts the Vistamp again) Henshin!

Subvert Up! Don’t Believe Myself! Kamen Rider Aguilera (Black)!

(Dark Aguilera moves to attack Sakura)

Sakura: Wait, wouldn’t you rather explain to me about your inspiration behind your choice of Vistamp to begin with.

Hana: But of course.

https://www.kamen-rider-official.com...70f789437.jpeg

Hana: the Bee Woman, Shocker’s first attempts at creating a female monster. She used her hypnotic powers to control humans into pledging loyalty to Shocker, so that they could build a poison gas tower. However, she was defeated by Rider Ichigou’s Rider Kick.

Sakura: Not very girl power of him.
*
Hana: Nothing gets in the way of leg day, I suppose.
*
Sakura: That’s awful.
*
Hana: Too much of a stretch?
*
Sakura: You sound like my father. Am I dating my father?

Hana: Well I was almost his mother-in-law.

Sakura: (clearly disturbed) Let’s just wish everyone well until next time, shall we.

Hana: Okay then. (Reverts to normal) We hope you enjoy the next instalment.

I don't think this is a situation Ikki and Sakura could've done differently? They tried talking to Daiji about their plan earlier in the episode, and he basically calls them both naive fools who are going to make everything worse and also he's smarter than both of them -- is this a guy you're going to keep looped in on your plan against his new boss? Daiji fully opts out of teaming up with them at the beginning of the episode, and while this is all pretty incriminating against his siblings at the climax, we're not exactly in a story where key details have been withheld; Daiji is not on their side for this battle!

Oh, and thanks for the fun skit!

It's already teased, but Akemi too, actually a teased major character that is killed earlier. She was presumed dead when she broke into the ViStamp room, of which she was actually captured, but actually that didn't extend her for long. I guess she's killed so the Igarashi siblings can't get their hands on the Giff power she has? And as known here Akaishi also made a scheme to put a rift between Daiji and his family, particularly Ikki, by showing a footage of Revice fighting (soon) Dead-man Akemi. Though as said by others, it's also a severe miscommunication that Ikki and Sakura didn't properly tell about their plan, and that actually does grate on me, I kept yelling inside to explain clearly to Daiji before it's too late or before the conflict escalated. I wonder if Daiji here has some parallel with Sakura, while Daiji now supports extremist methods (Akaishi's) more, Sakura also supports extremist methods (Bon's, Seiko's) before she became Jeanne. Sakura loses that outlook (pointing out that Giff takes away freedom) while Daiji gains that outlook. Now Daiji's the one that gotta be handed this:

https://media.discordapp.net/attachm...06/extreme.png

Being the most rigid and logical of the siblings (other than his recent actions to fight off Akaishi), it's kind of expected he'd eventually take the easiest route to preserve the human race, by now siding with Akaishi. Siding with a nutcase like him would mean Daiji is now corrupted to some extent though, sharing some of his extremist views, with the logical part of him is directed into the mistaken belief of cynicism being an indication high intelligence, with how he insists that he knows best answers, and refuses to believe anything differently, forcing others to share their characteristics. And if they don't comply, the usual weapon is ofc mocking opposing worldviews, like it being 'naive', done against Ikki striving to create the best outcome.

From previously one of the cooperative primary and secondary pair, now Daiji and Ikki has standard hostile rivalry that is often done with primary and secondary Riders, he now has bleak worldview he forces to others and looks down on hopeful worldview, which is what many secondary Riders often do too. The family resemblance is also done this late, that Daiji is the one that resembles Junpei, being a pure raging berserker in his Holy Live fight. Daiji does have those self-loathing, jealousy, fear, resentment, and pessimism, but it's only now that he acts upon it, previously he was fine.

And by above, Micchi now has returned to the franchise. To be specific, I meant Hiromi-cchi. Daiji here is self-righteous, not righteous, don't actually consider this approach as righteousness. I wonder if Hiromi, also previously impulsive and reckless, has changed and would be the one to guide Daiji in his now reckless actions. Other than that, there's another complaint for Daiji here that, mooks shouldn't actually tire a regular Rider, let alone a huge upgrade on that. Peak humans like Sakura (at the very first episode) took them no problem and later Ikki too. But then again, are the Giff Juniors actually drastically buffed now (Phase 1 Deadmans like Kimura's Rafflesia are actually said as stronger, not this one)? Any Riders fighting them seems to be exhausted despite beating each of them without problem, either it Holy Live (if it's the reason he performed worse than Jeanne, depends on how much Hell Gifterian was toying with them), or also Hikaru (still as Over Demons) and Aguilera here. Aguilera got exhausted more than her debut against Vail?

I mean, he wasn't fine -- that's where Kagerou came from! All of this stuff was in him the whole time, and the stress of trying to be a source of stability for both his family and his job has led to a pretty major relapse.

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 38 - “A FATHER AND SON WEAVES! THE ULTIMATE REVICE!”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice38a.png

Aw, that was a fairly sweet story about dads… and a less sweet story about a sweet new suit. But first! Let’s talk about our three dads for this episode, and how their stories went!

Genta’s the main one, and his story’s success is almost entirely down to the charm of the actor, and the narrative weight of the Igarashi family. Genta’s actions here are… weird. He’s looking to atone for unleashing Vail on the world, as well as passing his Giff genetics onto his kids, so he offers himself up to Weekend to extract Giff cells for use in Ikki’s new power-up. It’s a choice that almost instantly comes across as short-sighted and selfish, since both Genta and Karizaki Sr don’t see any problem with hiding from Genta’s family the fact that he’s undergoing potentially fatal surgery to empower Ikki. Like, this is weirdly selfish for Genta, right? While he plays off the seriousness of this plan to Ikki, we definitely heard Karizaki Sr say that this was an incredibly risky procedure. This is not getting your wisdom teeth out, this is extracting demonic cells that currently act as your vascular system. It’s very weird that Genta doesn’t want to talk things over with his wife, at the very least! I could write it off as Genta’s newfound guilt manifesting itself as a particularly deranged protection for his family, but we find out at the end that he’s faking his serious new attitude. He’s the same guy he was in Episode 1, who ABSOLUTELY would not subject himself to a 50/50 medical procedure without talking things over with his family. Very weird plot for this guy!

And yet… I mean, it works. All of it, especially the dumb twist at the end. It’s cruel, and reckless, and eventually contradictory, but Genta’s the best character on this show. I completely buy his relationship with his family, and he locks in the Igarashi stuff in a way that no other member of the family quite does. (Mama's great! She's almost as good as Genta!) Every scene in this thing is almost criminally negligent and bafflingly insensitive, but I ended up really loving each individual piece. Even the dumb twist at the end is great, because I much prefer the goofy vlogging dad to the morose, tortured absentee father we’ve gotten more recently.

Speaking of tortured absentee fathers! The second dad story this time out is George and his Daddy, and it’s fine. It’s fine. The relationship between George and his Daddy is super straightforward: Karizaki Sr abandoned his entire family for decades out of guilt, and George (rightfully) resents him for it. There’s no real sense that Karizaki Sr needed to disappear – Weekend has been woefully inept at containing Fenix’s power over the last few years, and before that? Why did this dude need to vanish for so long, accomplishing zilch? It’s a confusing story, emotionally, because the show keeps trying to portray Karizaki Sr as a guy who regrets the time he missed, but not the choices, but the choices were all dumb. That all leaves George to rightly tell this dude to eff off, but then the Emotional Music comes up, and these two scientists set aside their past to build a future for all of humanity, and I’m like Fine. Fine!

(The story where a dad abandons his family to Do Science for decades at a time is so weirdly recurring in Kamen Rider, and I really hate it? I hate how it’s just an excuse to have your All Dads Are Dead cake and eat Forgiveness too. Why are scientists all acting like they need to divest themselves of family bonds to Do Science one day, and then sternly-but-vulnerably asking their sons to see past those actions and be a family again the next? It’s not cool!)

Lastly, we’ve got Hiromi and Daiji, and I really liked how these two tried to navigate Daiji’s slow spiral into mania.

There’s not a lot of meat on this one, but I just dig Hiromi showing up to be both Daiji’s Work Dad, and, like, a sponsor from a recovery program. Hiromi’s here to rescue Daiji from turning into, uh, Hiromi. It’s not an especially complicated plot: Hiromi shows up at Fenix and tells Daiji to take better care of himself before he ends up having to fight his family, and Daiji’s like I Have To Take This Call Goodbye. It’s more about establishing Hiromi’s new role on the show – Anti-Kagerou – and planting the seed for Daiji’s possible redemption. Crucially, this is only even possible because the advice is coming from outside Daiji’s family; Ikki could say the same thing and get punched in the face for it. It’s a nice way of illustrating how much Daiji’s defense mechanism is about treating Ikki as a nuisance, but viewing Fenix/Hiromi as On His Side. Again, not a lot here, but I liked the new developments.

I did not care for the introduction of Giffard Rex Revice or Ultimate Revice or whatever it’s called.

The suits themselves, great. A+ designs. I like that they’re the same; we’re no longer viewing Revi or Vice as in charge or subservient, they’re exactly the same. I like that being expressed across a suit design that says Revice more than any previous upgrade did. A thousand percent to this maybe being the Final Form for our heroes. But this story? For that suit? UGH. No. No thank you. No, the story all about dads where Ikki is the recipient of power should not be the one where Ikki and Vice get the Ultimate Friendship Suits. Nope! Absolutely not. A pair of suits like that need to be the culmination of Ikki and Vice’s friendship, or a sacrifice the two of them make for the world. It shouldn’t be a decision Genta makes, via the teamwork of George and his Daddy. That’s… boy, it honestly makes me really dislike the suits. Very disappointed in how this power-up got introduced.

And yet, I still probably liked this episode. Genta, back at home at the end! Hiromi, as a calm, smiling mentor to Daiji! Lovekov, very excited to have Hiromi back! I don’t know, you guys. This episode did a bunch of stuff wrong for me, but it also worked hard to earn back my love. Maybe I can let this one slide, in the name of forgiveness?

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice38b.png

I mean, I agree that this should have been a story about Ikki and Vice and not where someone else gets more development, but it weirdly encapsulates who Ikki is, and why I can’t stand him.

And that is not a busybody, that’s a controlfreak.

Because, it just shows him, again, like his entire family, make decisions that are not his to make because he knows best. Not because he can predict what will happen and how things work, but because he is sure he knows.

He knows he can tell Hiromi to keep on chancing his life because he will save him, he knows what is best for his dad, even if it potentially still kills him and wastes his sacrifice, etc, etc,

That he gets his final form like that?

Checks out.

Also, hey xD

I‘m back.

Also, favorite suit in the show! The stronger, more vibrant colors mixed with the spacesuit aesthetic real sell the suit for me.

Probably should also eventually give my opinion about the stuff I didn’t comment on till now.

So yeah, a lot of people agree this is probably the lamest debut for a final form. Between the lack of any real arc that’s being paid off (For comparison, 02 was the culmination of Aruto’s 40-episode bond with Izu, Xross Saber was the culmination of 38 episodes of Touma forming meaningful relationships with the Sword of Logos, Ultimate Revice is the culmination of… Genta not even getting heart surgery). And instead of any really impressive bad guy to play it’s abilities off against, such as Vail or Giff, we instead see it defeat an army of mooks, the same mooks that Revice takes down on a regular basis.

And we also get Hiromi trying to explain that Daiji’s problems come from having your demon getting destroyed, which drives you crazy. But, that doesn’t totally track, as this comment from Japanese Twitter points out.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...0598/image.png

And the Giffard Rex Vistamp is probably the most scummy final form, given that it’s two Vistamps stuck together, meaning you need two Revice Drivers to get the full jingle.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...0426/image.png

As for the form itself, I like that the “Final Remix” is basically a fastball special, which is thematically appropriate. Other than that, it feels weird to go from a fusion form to making Revi and Vice to almost totally independent Riders.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...3D7F63828.jpeg

And then there’s the surgery scene, which makes it clear that Kinoshita has never taken a medical class in his life. Aside from allowing someone in with a video camera (which would not be allowed in real life, since it could contaminate the room), both Karizaki wear some blatantly non-regulation clothing that would also not be allowed. This picture points them out, along with a basic summary of the episode.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...F59CE55A1.jpeg

Ikki: It’s Ikki…

Vice: Vice and…

George and Karizaki: the Karizaki Father and Son’s…

All: Stamp Navi.

Ikki: Today, we’re going to be discussing this two-in-one Vistamp.

Giffard Rex!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=8W-Ng-PoLHs

Ultimate Up! Overflowing hot passion! (Overflowing hot passion! The heck? Two sides of the same coin! The power of the universe is infinite!) Kamen Rider! (Kamen Rider! Revi!) Vice! (Let's go! Come on!) Giffa! (Giffa!) Giffard Rex!

George: It's the Ultimate Revi that has been transformed by separating the Giffard Rex Vistamp! Big Bang!! It’s good at a battle style that makes full use of the magnetic force paired with Vice’s. I believe that the only thing that can use this tremendous power is your combination now. Now, let me hear the shout of the counterattack!

Vice: (coughs) I have one of these too.

Giffard Rex!

Ultimate Up! Overflowing hot passion! Kamen Rider! Vice! Giffa! Giffard Rex!

Karizaki: Now that you have the same power as Revi with the cells of "Gif" and paranormal power and the Revice system my son created, you are no longer just a devil and a buddy, but a full-fledged warrior. Truly the Ultimate Vice! Hey, please use that driver carefully.

Vice: You probably have a whole crate of these babies. Why do I need to be careful?

Karizaki: The paints I used to make it belonged to my dead wife.

Ikki and George: Oh.

Vice: Well Mrs. Karizaki can rest in piece, knowing we’re about to beat the holy stuffing out of Giff and anyone who’s ever sided with him. (Turns to look at Hana and Tamaki, at which point it turns out that this whole scene is being watched on a computer) Uh, no offence guys.

Tamaki: None taken.

Hana: We’re long past our dependence on that stupid alien.

(The watcher of the video is then revealed to be Daiji, who smashes the computer screen to the ground in a fit of rage)

Daiji: Those bastards! They killed Akemi because she was turned into one of Giff’s monsters. And then they had the nerve to lie about it! Well I’ll show them, I’LL SHOW THEM ALL!!! (He then turns to face Akaishi) Didn’t you say we had a lead on Weekend’s primary shelter?

Akaishi: I did. Why?

Daiji: You won’t have to worry about finding someone to destroy it. (He holds up the TwoSiDriver) If Ikki’s trying to protect it, then I’m going to destroy it. Maybe then he’ll submit to Giff.

Akaishi: I admire your gumption.

I guess I'm not seeing that, at least in this episode? Ikki isn't really making decisions for anyone here -- Genta and Karizaki Sr decide to do the surgery, and Ikki's arrival at the end to stop is more about how he can't possibly use a power-up that was obtained through his dad sacrificing himself. Ikki's the one who all this is being done for; he should get a vote!

So, yeah, I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at, but I'd love to hear more!

It's the weirdest part of this arc for me, that Akaishi's plan is just Mook Attacks, and nothing more than spreading terror. I'm not going to argue it's an ineffective strategy, but it's not a very exciting one for a superhero show. Definitely makes the fights a real Quantity Over Quality thing.

Thanks for the fun skit!

It may just be the fact that I personally have a strong dislike for people who involve themself in someone's agency and take it for themself. And Ikki did this here, even if I actually agree with him that what his father did was dumb and selfish, but to a certain extent, that is still his choice to make, not Ikki's.

It's not like he was tricked, unaware of what he was putting himself into, or anything like this. He knew. He knew fully well that this could have easily killed him, but he chose to anyway, and if anyone could make that call, it was Genta, not Ikki.

He put his choice over that of his father.

And the only reason this is all fine is because he showed up at the right moment to save his father and get the power up. He won by simple luck/ the writers handed him his victory, but this could have easily turned out badly.

His dad could have died anyway, and the Stamp wouldn't be ready, or he saved his dad and lost the following fight.

It just rubs me such a wrong way, simply because people need to be allowed to make their own mistakes, within reason, as long as they don't carelessly hurt people with them. And while, yes, he would have hurt his family with his sacrifice, it wasn't really careless.

Again, I don't think he acted correctly, but I also think he has the right to make such a dumb mistake.

You know what I mean?

And that was simply the episode that really brought this repeated pattern of the Igarashi's to my mind and further soured me on them as a family.

I think I see what you're saying, but I don't agree with it necessarily happening here? Genta isn't making a decision about his autonomy or self-determination -- he's choosing to sacrifice himself so that Ikki can have the tools needed to defeat Giff. Setting aside the relatable emotional aspect of a son fighting to keep his father from sacrificing himself, Ikki's absolutely right to say that he could never use a tool his father died making, and that's probably a good enough reason to pull the plug on the whole thing.

Like, the important thing to note is that all this sort of stuff is in service of Ikki's heroism, so Ikki should be allowed to set the terms of that service.

Fair enough.

I personally see it differently, but I can totally see where you are coming from as well.

Simply a different perspective on this whole thing.

Absolutely! I really appreciate you going into more detail about your criticism.

This is the same franchise that once showed a dude performing two surgeries at the same time as a flex and where bandages and compresses can cure pretty much any injury. It's not like we're violating the historical standard of verisimilitude in depictions of medical treatment in Kamen Rider here.

Same here. It kind of undermines the whole message of individuality this show's going for when that dysfunctional family is always depicted as being right in the end, even when they're wrong. Maybe Daiji would actually be able to understand the value in Franklin's philosophy of preserving freedom over safety, if the people preaching to him weren't so incredulous and imposing with their ideals (or if the Weekenders weren't so unnecessarily shady with their aesthetic). Like watching a mirror with those siblings.

I'll also take this opportunity to say that Akemi deserved so much better. All the side characters deserved better.

I've talked about this long ago.... A story can make a representation of anyone else's darkest traits but not directly coming from them, like using separate entity in Kagerou who actually acts on those envy, albeit it does can end with the original person apologizing for what that entity do regardless (and as you said, there's a difference between just blaming yourself to being actually at fault). Jealousy can be a normal human thing and gets a bad rep, but there can be someone pretty well in control of it, which is admirable if anything. Daiji didn't act on those feelings (up until now), while Kagerou does. Kagerou should be considered as a separate entity, there's also a lot of other stories that involve duality and an evil half (including superpowered ones, you can make dark twist for anything too including "Rider sensibility").

How the form was created, there's 2 families with their issues involved, fitting the episode's title of Father and Son Synthesize, featuring both Ikki and Genta, as well as George and Masumi. For the Igarashis part, it's quite nice use of Genta, using what happened in the past to try solving problems as Subject 071 that has Giff cells, and dealing with his potential demise of bidding farewell but also planning to take a bath with the rest of family when it's over. What I don't like is though, ironically despite the accusation of Sakura being Kinoshita's favorite, Genta's "farewell" to Sakura was the most objectified one, only viewing her as who she is, the little princess, instead of her actual characterization like Ikki and Daiji. Like the ad-vice for Sakura can be like, loosen up (as a high strung girl) or something.

Ikki here showed that he still prioritized his family over anything else, in how he'd rather have the world where his family is complete, to not let Genta be sacrificed, even when he's ready. Though still he's not someone who'd leave anyone other than his family to their fate in the crisis, so he's still practically someone who'd look for best outcome if possible, and he did here to almost complete the Giffard Rex ViStamp and saving Genta, practically being a 'busybody' to intervene and interrupt something that can cause bad outcome. I still would want to know what'd he do if there's less best outcome and he had to choose between family or common people's needs. It's probably a bit easy other than Ikki needing to split the ViStamp in half, but Ikki being 'busybody' here did cause the best outcome to give humanity hope against Giff and saving Genta, so this'd prove Daiji wrong, but Daiji's mind still hasn't changed yet, and that'd just mean Daiji is the one who is blinded by the reality surrounding him, that humanity actually now have hope (though Akaishi dismissed them), and Daiji can be the one to ruin things instead if he keeps mad.

I'm not really into the Karizaki part in this episode too, the first part was decent, of showing how George trying too hard to condemn someone guilty can put himself in the wrong as well to be clouded by his judgment and not thinking rationally, but George making amends with Masumi was kinda rushed here, all it takes was Ikki giving a small pep talk, over being honest which somehow worked against lifetime daddy issues George had, of which George has been so headstrong previously like Sakura's attempt to get those 2 to make up.

Hiromi returns and, I'm quite glad he seems to have learned his lesson, as he said here, he acknowledged that now he can't participate in battle, but he can still perform heroics in other field. Him insisting to keep using Demons Driver was just purely being reckless, and him having self-preservance here doesn't make him any less heroic, if he's not apathetic like his Dear Gaga self. I do understand now what Hiromi embraces in Dear Gaga Part 2, but didn't think that he got a message about self-preservance, that now he does here. And as expected, he relates his previous recklessness with Daiji's now. But Daiji's different now, Hiromi's sense of justice was only endangering himself before, while Daiji turned himself into an extremist that'd bring misfortune to others. I didn't expect about Rex Deadman being brought up again now, of which turns out losing the demon was what made Hiromi even more impulsive in his decisions, that Rex Deadman was what balanced him as his demon. I'd see later if demons can re-manifest, either for Hiromi's Rex Deadman or Daiji's Kagerou though.

They're trying to flesh out Giff more here, that Akaishi claimed Giff was misunderstood due to being viewed as nothing more than a devil by humans when he sought peaceful coexistence with humankind. Which adds some tragic points on Giff and explanations of him starting his evil deeds. Of course, this can also be Akaishi's prejudiced views against humans and Giff, talking about humans being demonic ones, which can be true that some humans can be really vile. Doesn't mean Giff is faultless for 'retaliating' against humans though.

Though it'd be what's expected of me, yeah I'd say the final form debut is kinda underwhelming. Before elaborating, I guess the "Giff power" Akemi talked about so far was about them multiplying into huge numbers, just like how Giff Juniors emerged. But other than that, if the theme about 2 side of the magnets (N for Revi, S for Vice), then it's underutilized other than the finisher to some extent, they are mostly just fighting with energy powered punch/kicks or AoE attacks, red for Revi and blue for Vice. There can be a lot more creative use of magnet power, like they're fighting huge hordes of Giff henchmen, the magnet ability can be used to pull a chunk of the mooks in 1 place so their numbers don't matter, they can be killed in 1 attack or such. Barid Rex's ice and fire were utilized better. The Remix Rod, other than using Ikki's soccer ability, it kinda reminds me of GaoIcarus' Icarus Dynamite. What I'd like is that the trend of final form looking exactly like base form is put on halt here with Ultimate Revi/Vice's design being different, and I would put them above Revice's design, but still not Jack Revice's.

Over Demons has no hype anymore, other than Hikaru keep using it, it's now actually beaten by Giff's hordes along with Jeanne and Aguilera. Over Demons now acted just like a regular Rider, despite it being a combination of Vail and Demons, 2 previously big threats, albeit it only had slightly higher stats than Demons. And now Jeanne claiming to be invincible turns into embarrassing joke.

Boy, I really really really gotta push back on this interpretation. So much of the Kagerou/Daiji story is about how Kagerou comes from Daiji, and that viewing Kagerou as somehow separate from (and independent of) Daiji risks misdiagnosing Daiji's emotional issues. That's why things are real bad right now! Because Daiji's like I Defeated Kagerou, when Kagerou was only ever a manifestation of Daiji's deep-seated resentment and jealousy! So Daiji is unprepared for another descent into rage-filled judgment of Ikki!

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 39 - “HOPE AND DESPAIR, A SIBLING CONFLICT”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice39a.png

OOF. Rough episode to watch! I don’t think it’s a bad episode, but like a lot of Daiji-focused content: Your Mileage May Vary.

It’s a tricky part of any Fall From Grace-style arc, where a hero consistently makes terrible decisions in the name of selflessness. It’s almost always about a mix of self-loathing and lack of faith in their friends, and it’s a version of the character that asks a lot of the audience. It’s asking you to watch someone you enjoyed as a hero consistently and flagrantly do villainous shit, while grimly excoriating the other heroes that are begging him to, like, stop drowning so many puppies. We just watched Kento go through an incredibly similar story last season – The Only Way To Save The World Is To Destroy The Heroes That Are Stupidly Resisting My Violent And Grim Altruism – and Daiji’s third act descent into sweaty mania does not improve by comparison. It’s a tough version of the character to spend even an episode with, and an entire arc starts to get to be a grind to watch. It’s… I don’t know that I’d recommend shows go back to the well as often as the producers of these two shows attempted with this type of storyline. It’s a little too frustrating to watch.

I didn’t hate it, though.

I mean, I hate the Weekend Vs Fenix stuff; that stuff can get dropped into the same portal Giff is in, and then I can forget about all three of them. Asking me to care about Akaishi or Weekend Dad is a place I can’t get to, and I feel like I’ve given the benefit of the doubt to a lot on this show. As always, any shift away from family dynamics (even the weird-o family dynamic of Akaishi as the Igarashis’ weird uncle) inevitably disappoints, and squanders the special chemistry of this show’s take on Family. Neither Weekend nor Fenix have suitably articulated their appeal to the citizenry of Japan beyond survival, and that’s a theme that this show doesn’t do a lot to support. The way societies trade safety for freedom is a very cool concept for a show to explore… like in Build. Revice isn’t that show! It needs to stop trying to be!

It’s a show about families, and that’s where it can redeem a whole lot of content that otherwise actively grates. Daiji’s victimhood and self-righteousness are repellant character traits, but contrasting them with Ikki and Sakura’s aggravation and desperation instead make them pitiable. Daiji’s so sure he’s right that he can’t hear any other arguments – mostly because he killed the part of himself that’s able to question his choices when it comes to Ikki. As much as Daiji tries to frame his activities as For The Greater Good, he goes to the Weekend bunker to either steal away Ikki’s supporters, or just to murder Ikki. He’s couching everything in humility and necessity, but that’s only to absolve him of the responsibility for his actions. He’s not fighting Ikki because Ikki’s defending people’s right to choose, Ikki’s forcing Daiji to stop him from meddling. Giff isn’t a threat to humanity, Ikki is. This is all, like, Daiji 101 – nothing’s Daiji’s fault, everything is something Ikki has ruined for Daiji, but no one else sees it. It’s like when Sakura screams that Daiji’s changed, and Daiji replies that he hasn't, Ikki and Sakura have. I mean, he’s half right!

That sort of dedication to making Daiji as confused and oblivious as possible… I really like it as a story move, but I don’t think I’d ever recommend this storyline to anyone, or fight super hard to defend it. Even when it feels like a natural development, grounded in established motivations and actions – it’s still not super fun to watch. It’s repetitive, because it has to be. This isn’t one bad day for Daiji, it’s a systematic embrace of a lifestyle that lets him feel like the martyr that his brother always was. It’s Daiji being a radioactive piece of shit (he straight-up pulls a gun on his family at the cliffhanger!) for multiple episodes, with the faint hope of a redemption arc to make this all feel cathartic at some point. That asks a lot of the audience! Arguably too much!

So, yeah, I liked this episode’s spotlight on Daiji’s instability, but I totally get if – like Sakura – y’all didn’t.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice39b.png

It's just being human to feel things and emotions such as jealousy, happiness, sadness, anxiety, angry, etc. You're thinking that someone having self-loathing, jealousy, or fear means there's something wrong within them? Because it's not (inherently) and feelings/emotions aren't "not okay" to be felt. What's determines it is how you act and handle those feelings. It's not that having resentment is inherent problem in Daiji, but it starts becoming a problem when he starts turning into dictator's accomplice and self-righteously ignoring others' points of view. And for now Daiji's still a different person from Kagerou that, Kagerou was a malicious being enjoying others' suffering especially those he targets, though he can keep those that can give him enjoyment alive, while Daiji is self-righteous zealot who has with us or against us approach - as if losing Kagerou puts Daiji too much on the order side (chaos isn't inherently bad - which Kagerou provides). And would you think that if Daiji doesn't have these issues, Kagerou will perish not by him defeating them in battle? Unless you do take into account regarding what doses those feelings have in someone (it does sound that having feelings are inherent problem for Daiji before).

Other than that, can you give your thoughts to my older replies here?

(Mystery Episode 1 - even though Ikki does save the day by seeing the best in monsters too...)

(https://www.tokunation.com/forums/sh...&postcount=452)

Ok, funny enough, completely different take here.

As someone who likes family focused Tokusatsu, Magiranger is absolutely wonderful, I think the „Freedomless Peace“ vs „Peacless Freedom“ is what I wish the show was about, because I think it’s woefully unequiped for the family stuff.

Every time it that peace and freedom conflict is pulled up, the show finally starts to focus even the tiniest bit.

That said, 100% my most unfair criticism against the show, not being what I want it to be. I generally don’t think there is much worth in that kind of criticism since it ignores what the writers wanted to do, so it just ends up as wishful thinking.

But man, I‘d loved to see this conflict more.

I definitely don't think that, and I don't think that's what I was saying? I'm not trying to judge Daiji, I'm trying to point out that categorizing Kagerou as somehow outside of Daiji -- rendering him a villain that can and should be defeated -- is sort of exactly the trap that Daiji himself falls into. Daiji's negative emotions, expressed through the manifestation of Kagerou, are inherent to Daiji; he needs to confront and accept them, not refuse to take responsibility for them by "defeating" Kagerou. Hope that makes more sense.

As for the other stuff... I gotta be honest, I'm not ever that keen to chime in for or against what "some people" say. If you want to personally make an assertion or push back on an interpretation or complain about a story choice, great; that's the stuff I want to hear. But I can't respond to second-hand accounts or generalized conjecture. That's all personal interpretation disguised as objective reality, and I kind of can't put much energy into that sort of dialogue. Sorry to disappoint!