I always viewed this as less it's the Kamen Rider fault and more well if the main protagnist isn't here there is no story to be told type of deal. And the show makes a story about why the Rider matters so I can't see them as villians. And even if they are dosen't that ties backt o idea of Kamen Rider in the first place being born from evil but trying to do good.

I really don't remember much about these episodes, to be honest. We'd gotten so much post-show content that seeing Hiiro and Emu again didn't feel as special as some of the other cameos would. Both felt like themselves, too, unlike what we got with Sento and Banjou. That left the episodes without a lot to stand out on the tribute front and the main plot was still working on developing the main characters. I don't dislike these episodes, but when I look back on the show they don't leave much of a lasting imprint on me.

And now I’ll mention something I didn’t mention in last episode’s compare and contrast. Emu respects doctors because they saved his life as a child, while Ida hates doctors, because they failed to save the life of his child. But, that’s what happens when you infect every available donor with an incurable disease. They become unusable (He clearly didn’t think this through).

Also, we see Heure’s Time Mazine. If it looks unusual compared to the ones used by our main duo, it’s because theirs are bikes that turn into Riders, while his is a pirate ship that turns into an iguana (I’m sure you can figure out the reference there).

Join us next time, when we go to high school and… something about Leonids… Oh, I’m sorry, I’m recapping too far ahead.

The Ex-Aid Armor looks cool... That's about it.

To be honest, while I don't think this arc was particularly bad, it doesn't stand out to me as much. I liked seeing Uuru's (Weure? Uolu? Whatever!) Time Majin, The Ex-Aid Armor, especially the neat little detail of the "Hit!" effects being in Katakana, as is Zi-O's motif, or that he has Gashacon Smasher fists, but nothing I have much to talk about here.

As for the Rider Erasure thing. It's as you say, I don't really like it much, nor does it make sense for Brave to be erased. Sure, you could chock it up as "Sougo inherits the powers of all the Riders, connected or otherwise," but that's still going to have problems down the road. I get they didn't want people to assume "then one of the other Riders could fill in," and yet even that doesn't work, especially for shows where the central protagonist is relevant to the plot.

Sorry I don't have much to say about this arc but given how long it's been since I saw Zi-O, and how little this arc stands out to me, there's not much I can bring up. But on another note, I love the design scheme for the Ridewatches, which are very clever and aesthetically pleasing, with some great sound effects. I also really love the Zikuu Driver and how it spins for the transformation, I don't know why, but I love it.

I mean, it doesn't really? It's the show explicitly stating that every time a Rider gains power, they're creating and sustaining evil. That's, like, the opposite of the central theme of Kamen Riders?

This was from the dude who brought us Gorider, right? So it makes sense that he'd nail the voice and tone of Ex-Aid.

Man, I really like Woz'z opening recap, and him skipping ahead a little bit into the upcoming episode. The first time he did it, I totally fell for it. I was super confused, thinking I'd completely forgotten the end of the previous episode. (It's not impossible! My memory is real bad!) It's a good gag.

It's okay! Despite this being a real important story for me -- the good introduction to Kamen Rider Zi-O -- I can see how it might not stick in the memories of most viewers. It's not a huge story, or particularly clever in its plotting. But I love Ex-Aid, and I loved how this story defined its recurring cast. Hopefully I'll remember it!

I've been a little busy balancing five different Tokusatsu shows to post much in this thread. But I definitely intend to give my thoughts on the next arc!

You've probably come to this conclusion in the recent episodes you watched, but Sougo has a lot more strong feelings on the inside that come out in certain situations. His academic failure in everything but history also makes him easy to underestimate as a moron, which in conjunction with his natural charisma, allows him to easily bring others to his side. It's a subtle sign of the potential he has as the future Oma Zi-O. He's kind of like a nicer version of Tendo. Apathetic on the outside and sweet on the inside.

Just one of many reasons why many people, myself included, cite Woz as the best character in this show! We celebrate this walking meme with the same passion that he celebrates his Overlord!

If it's any consolation, I got that reference. Mostly due to my main in Battle For The Grid paraphrasing it in her victory animation.

That's actually an unpopular opinion?! Uncle Tokiwa is the MVP of this show! He's such a nice dude who is always trying his best to help those dysfunctional weirdos living in his house.

Yeah, nothing against this arc, I just don't have any big highlights on it. And for sure, the Ex-Aid cast was great in this, even though I feel like for a good portion of Zi-O, the cameos are likely some of the best moments.

Ok, second arc.

Still not one I generally like, but it is an improvement and I do agree, these three dinguses are a joy to watch. One of the reasons why I love this cast so much. The other bits I still keep to myself until they become relevant, which I very much look forward to.

As for the erassure thing. It doesn't just erase all the bad that happened in the show, it also erasses all the good they have done. All the people they helped, changed and affected. While yes, a lot of suffering is erassed, a lot of good is also removed. Like in any history, people lose and people win. And the world is left a it less for its removal, but at the same time, that removal is preverable to its perversion through others.

At least that's how I see it.

I've always interpreted the whole Kamen Rider powers thing as one where the events are erased since the most necessary rider no longer exists. Brave may have been one of the first Kamen Riders to combat the Bugsters, but it wasn't until Emu became Ex-Aid that we would eventually learned of the truth behind the Bugsters, and actually managed to defeat the main antagonists who would of perpetuate it.

If Eiji hadn't become OOOs, then there wouldn't be anyone suitable enough to fight against the Greed in part due to Maki's interference. If Ryotaro hadn't become Den-O, then the Imagin would have been able to continue wrecking time at their own pace. If Gentarou never went to Amanogawa High School and became Kamen Rider Fourze, then there would never be that high-spirited kid who would manage to gain power via friendship and defeat the Zodiarts.

The main Riders are the ones who end up setting up the events that would lead to the defeat of their main antagonist groups, in part due to their outlooks and capabilities. Without them around, chances are victory wouldn't be as high against these villains.

I figured you would! As soon as I saw Them Eyebrows in the teaser for Episode 5, I thought you might have a couple things to say. Looking forward to it! I hope you don't get kicked in the head by a horse in the meantime!

These are good interpretations! But I sort of resent that these interpretations aren't additive to the experience of watching Zi-O, but integral. We're not talking about hidden character motivations or visual motifs; this is some top-layer Plot Mechanics stuff. The fact that the text of the show is so miserable in its heroic outcomes -- that it requires mental gymnastics to not be a total bummer or retroactively cast heroes as the root of all suffering -- is not a great situation to put your audience in.

It's an unnecessary and preventable problem. The rules of time travel and causality are unprovable, so the show could've come up with any number of conclusions where Sougo and pals aren't eliminating fan favorite characters or opening a narrative can of worms and then walking away with a sense of accomplishment.

And, like, that's the weird way this show could have its cake and eat it too: just acknowledge that this is a bummer outcome. Have Sougo (or Tsukuyomi!) talk about how horrible this is for the Legend Riders, and that you'll eventually put things right. To ignore the consequences is to negate the consequences, and that super sucks.

I don't know! I got a lot of problems with this stuff!