The simply insane and furious Dаwn as the antagonist rider brings more dynamism to the plot than the mysterious sufferer NOX. The main thing is that the show doesn't lose its momentum too quickly.

Kamen Rider Blade was my first toku series and KR Garren was my first belt I purchased.

It never fit me, but I saved it for my kid.

So, I'm always excited seeing Kousei Amano, and seeing him being a big freaking problem for Baku and the gang made me even more excited.

Baku's plans have become more complicated with the introduction of a menace that not only witnessed your premonition, but can also do a stage change with the greatest of ease.

Speaking generally, because this show seems to have a particular fascination with using jewelry to symbolize things about its characters. As for what that means in Minami's specific case... I guess we'll probably get clearer hints later.


I wouldn't get my hopes up for that at this point personally, but then, I also didn't expect to see Plasma Booster again. It would definitely be a perfect excuse to finally use that sound in the show.

It's definitely supposed to just be Baku, even if that shot itself still isn't something happening literally. On top of his appearance, you can actually compare how he pronounces "good luck" to the start of 18, and see here he's distinctly just sort of speaking in katakana (if that phrasing makes sense) in a way Seven doesn't. I think I gave Ryuutarou Imai similar credit when something similar happened in the "real" world back in episode 3, but even now, I'm consistently really impressed by how well he handles playing this character that's also kinda two characters, or even three if you consider that dubbing over ZEZTZ in-costume probably also requires a distinct approach.

I'd wait a little more than one episode to make that judgment myself!

I agree that Dawn seems promising as a character who can generate exciting chaos through his mere presence, but I think people have a habit of underestimating just how effective NOX actually was in a narrative sense, as a character whose incomplete answers to questions constantly prodded Baku towards thinking more consciously about his situation. In a way, he's pretty directly responsible for the more proactive hero Baku has grown into, despite also being the villain for that entire half of the show. I don't think it's a coincidence that we've also literally seen him as Baku's teacher. Like there's a basic visual impression the show created there that's almost as important as the more complicated story context of what that weird class was actually about.

The really crazy part is that, as cool as it is to be like "oh heck yeah, Tachibana-san is back!", Amano is actually a *really* good character actor too? Dude was basically unrecognizable in King-Ohger, and here too, I'm not sure a Blade fan would immediately notice it's him as Sieg without reading the credits or just being really good with faces or something?

If this was an Inoue show, then I'd expect to not see it. I don't usually associate that problem with Takahashi though, like, Zero One had 6 Rise attacks which was probably too much to include all of them but I recall we at least got to see Mega Rise. Zeztz only has one more, which makes it sound special, so it would be a shame if we never get to see it!

Imai is talented at distinguishing the two sides for sure, so I agree that any contradictions are probably deliberate, perhaps to show that even though they appear different, they are the same deep down. Baku may not have conscious English fluency, but I think he was totally in touch with his Seven side in that moment, in the same way he was in the Bomb Nightmare climax of Episode 3.

True that Nox was an important opposing influence for how the premonition concluded. Makes sense that the dream scenario of Episode 15 is the one that returns here, as Seven's critical choice to spare Nox ended up having dramatic consequences. Now, he still intends to spare him, but this time with the knowledge he needs to take advantage of that choice, instead of letting that choice become misfortune. But yeah, in terms of who is more entertaining and intimidating, I think it has to be Sieg. He already made the usually cool Seven say, "Don't get in my way!" Hopefully he will give us a strong plot as well.