I wanna add to Beyond.

It's baffling that the movie resolves the parent and child plotline with the father knowingly lying to his son. He knew he'd disappear and he boldfaced lied to his son! What an awful father!

I disagree there. I felt that the movie itself never shied away from how terrible Shocker's' experiments are, and that includes what happened to Hongo. This is even shown via Ryunosuke's' major regrets and defecting from Shocker.

Instead, to me it's more highlighting something else that Kamen Rider has always been about, ever since the original: That even if something bad happens to you, that good can come out of it and if possible, you should look to spin it into a positive. Hongo isn't saying that his life became amazingly awesome thanks to his modification, he's simply thanking Ryunosuke for helping him be able to do more good in the world, inadvertently or not.

The movie definitely felt like it was taking its subject matter with all the subtlety of a hammer, yeah. Least favourite Reiwa movie yet, but the 71 flashback was super nice at least

That's what I think as well. Hongo's existence is lonelier after becoming 1, but he was able to use his originally evil powers to bring happiness to so many people. Even though his human body was taken away, made to feel different from everybody else, he always held on to his human heart, which became even stronger through his endurance. He's not the only example either. Jo willingly signed up for Black Satan's remodification surgery, whereupon he revealed his true intention to oppose them, as he mockingly thanked them for giving him the means. Hiroshi even says the same "I'm grateful" line in the first episode of SkyRider. So there's no way it would be something that Ishinomori would be offended by, since he was right there giving the thumbs up.

As of now, I'm up to the 12th episode of Faiz.

I've never made it past episode 5 :lol

One of these days I'll actually finish Faiz...Maybe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2YneycIHjE

He kinda sums up my feelings on Over Demons and Revice's direction as a whole.

One day soon, I hope! :D

been working through Zero One some more, starting with the tail end of the competition arc, and up to the MBJR crew reuniting.

Jin and Fuwa are fighting for my favorite
Yua is alright

just like Naki has no gender, I have no care.

Gai is an inhuman monster that needs to go to prison.

Kamen Rider Revice Legacy: Kamen Rider Vail

Part 5

Other than how the Igarashis form a family, turns out this also revealed something more.

So how Vail was defeated and came into contact with Demons Driver was answered here, Masumi used the Driver both to seal Vail while also saving Genta to atone for himself. That also revealed how Masumi decided to wear a mask all the time, as he set himself on fire while doing so. Honestly, shows even if someone had committed unforgivable sins and genuinely felt remorse, better try to atone it even if it's not enough, rather than letting yourself die like what Masumi did at the beginning. Who'd seal Vail at that time?

After Genta chooses to live a fulfilling live (if he survived), Vail seems to be running out of ideas on what to do, likely the first time, he just tried to persuade Genta to rule the world together with him... as if Genta ever had a wish to rule the world lmao. That's Vail's weakest manipulation yet in the series so far, but it seems that Vail also has similar views on demons against humans, to think they'd be instantly tempted by stock villainous goals.

Agariyama met his end here as expected, but it was more brief than I thought, Agariyama just carries himself a gun to confront Vail, which predictably, had Vail just impaling him with his arm. I thought as someone in military who had several scientists (more shown here than Masumi) under his control, he'd have some trump card to deal with Vail, either supernatural devices like ViStamp or even military vehicles like tank, but no. That'd still mean Agariyama isn't a coward type to face Vail like that however, not that him being brave would reduce his wrongdoings.

So Genta's face was really altered, and while the reason is typical fugitive one, it makes more sense now to alter his face, so that he's harder to be tracked by NOAH, Yukimi wasn't the only one to 'change' his identity by naming him Genta. And at that time, I guess even someone as noble as Yukimi (had a bit irrational side at first, but it shines more in real tragedy), when she gets a shot at happiness after the tragedy ended (temporarily), took the opportunity to make a decision solely for herself too. The selfish decision, to put it bluntly, though it's a harmless and a deserved one, by stringing Genta along as her husband, done likely before their official marriage in credits, which'd mean technically still a lie albeit Genta would happily oblige.