Can't speak to Faiz (not my experience, but a fairly common experience for others), but yeah, the plot is not exactly what I'd say I loved about Agito. Maybe the weakest part of the show, not counting every moment that was wasted by not having Houjou or Ozawa onscreen.

The images they use in that video... it's like, did they just completely miss the point of Tachibana? None of his indelible memes? It's like the Blade equivalent of those fake trailers that make The Shining look like a heartwarming family drama.

He's beaten Kings with that move before, though! Prior to that fight, he was 100% with walking up to a King and dropping a card on his broken-belt ass!

(It is a little contrived, though.)

KAMEN RIDER BLADE EPISODE 48

This time on Kamen Rider Blade: IT'S THE GODDAMN END OF THE WORLD!

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/blade/blade48a.png

Solid ep, but it felt very... methodical, if I'm being kind. Formulaic, if I'm feeling less kind.

The whole point of this episode is to force Kenzaki into having to seal Hajime in the next episode. (I'm not saying that's what I think will happen! It's just, that's the confrontation that has to be in the finale.) So a lot of what's here is about boxing Kenzaki in, taking away his allies, his options, his hope. It's successful in doing that, but it makes for an episode that's hard to be surprised by.

It doesn't help that some of the pacing is weird. Like, the episode starts with the Darkroaches already overrunning Tokyo. It's been a week since the end of the last episode, no one's seen Hajime, and Team Blade is barely making a dent in the monsters that are swarming the city. We get right into the action, with Blade taking down a dozen Darkroaches before collapsing, exhausted from what must've been a week of non-stop combat. They don't need to tell us, because the performance and staging have conveyed it quickly and accurately. Really great storytelling.

Until the next goddamn scene, where they flashback to tell us, out loud, everything that was already made clear in the previous scene. It takes the momentum and tension that had been established, and then, like, pumps the brakes? Takes us back to optimistic Team Blade, and Kenzaki's confidence that everything's going to work out just fine, nothing to stress about, don't be a Tachibana about this. (RIP Tachibana, the only counterweight to Kenzaki's blind optimism and faith, I guess.) It's an important scene, but putting it directly after the harrowing opening is... I don't think it was smart. All of the stuff that Kenzaki was certain of a week ago in flashback will get brought back up again later in the episode. Also, it's what Kenzaki's been saying for weeks, so I don't think we needed to hear it all again at the expense of the episode's pace. (Maybe it's not an important scene, after all!) Not great storytelling.

The rest of the episode does the work of getting Kenzaki ready to confront Hajime. He tries to finish Hajime off at the midpoint, but can't do it. Mutsuki ends up heading out to fight Hajime, trying to finish the battle for Kenzaki, but it goes as well as you'd think. Mutsuki is mortally wounded, leaving no one but Kenzaki to stop the apocalypse. And Hajime is with the Sealing Stone at the beach, all but assuring a Feelings Fight for the finale.

This was a decent episode, pacing issues aside. (The pacing issues are pretty huge, though! That flashback scene winds everything down to zero!) Kenzaki has been hoping that somehow, some way, he wouldn't have to fight Hajime, and this episode systematically funnels him into that inevitable conflict. It's not great as far as plot or character (there really isn't much in this one I loved, outside of a tiny Nozomi drive-by in the early part of the episode), but it's a solidly plot-driven penultimate episode. It did the work to clear the stage for the finale. I'm excited to see what choices the show makes for its ending!

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/blade/blade48b.png

Next time on Kamen Rider Blade: Team Blade HQ under siege! Hajime versus Kenzaki! It's the last episode, you guys!

It's the eeeeeend, of both the world and this show. There's not too much to say here since this episode is almost just entirely set-up for the next, but it definitely feels as finale-like as it gets. Reminds me of the penultimate episode of Ryuki, where everyone's just trudging forward despite the lack of any hope.

This episode could kinda be counted as Leangle's last moment to 'shine', but like, it's just him getting stomped on again for the umpteenth time. He got effortlessly downed by Garren in the previous episode and here Hajime doesn't even consider him a threat before trashing him. Poor Mutsuki! I know he obviously couldn't win either fight for story reasons, but it's not been a great showing for our strongest rider!

I still think he's better than Delta though, if only because I never had any expectations for Mihara in the first place.

Yeah, this episode doesn't really do anything for Mutsuki on the level of last episode's Tachibana stuff. I really like the scene in the beginning with and Nozomi, but, I don't know, I just like all of their scenes together?

(The thing she did that I loved is, as he's about to leave and go fight monsters, she blurts out "Don't Go!", and then she immediately puts her hand up to cover her mouth, like she can keep from saying the thing she just said. It's this nod towards her not being some typical scolding lady in a male-centric superhero story, refusing to let the man go be heroic because he might get hurt. She knows he needs to go, knows it'd be wrong to ask him to stop, but he just looks so beaten, so exhausted, that her concern gets the better of her. It's never treated as anything more than her being concerned, and I love the smallness of that.)

For Mutsuki, though, there's really nothing else he needs to prove or do? Tachibana needed the final moment of disregarding pragmatism in favor of hope, but Mutsuki? I mean, there isn't really a huge arc for him in this story. He's really just here to sell the stakes and force Kenzaki's hand. That's great for Kenzaki's story, but not so great for Mutsuki's.

I think this episode does a good job of making its events feel apocalyptic. There are a few Rider shows that go this far for the ending, and I think Bladevisvone of the more effective. Some questionable CGI aside, the Darkroaches really do feel like an endless swarm, much more so than Ryuki’s similar final wave of monsters.

One of my favorite moments is the attempt to use Remote to bring back Shima. It’s another good example of the show being very aware of its own lore and cutting off something that could be a huge plot hole if left unaddressed.

For sure! I think the thing that helps them feel more unbeatable and omnipresent than Ryuki is that we don't really see them too much? Blade and Leangle fight them, but it's always small groups. There isn't really a huge CGI push to sell us on THEY'RE EVERYWHERE that falls apart due to budget constraints. It's just a ton of small-scale fight scenes, and then the performance and dialogue multiplying that in your brain. It's more suggested than confirmed, and I think that works for the tone. (It's another reason why I hate that flashback! It's got a bunch of dumb Swarm CGI and folks getting attacked and it's totally unnecessary!)

Yeah, and, like Tachibana's plan from last episode, I honestly hadn't thought of that. It's a great plan by Kenzaki, and the show has a pretty great reason why it won't work. Like, they don't have to handwave Kenzaki's plan away. It makes total sense that, once the Sealing Stone starts spewing out Darkroaches, ain't gonna let anymore Undead mess around.

It’s it this point in my first watch of Blade that they started revealing details for the next show. So who am I to deprive others of that experience?

Since it’s the 6th Heisei series, I’ll try to share 6 facts.

1. It’s written by the same guy who did Wizard (at least at the start)

2. It’s produced by the same guy who did Kuuga (again, at least at the start)

3. The narrator is Kazuya Nakai (who was in a lot of things that year. Surprisingly less since then)

4. The episode titles will be announced, which is why I brought it up before.

5. It was going to be a reboot of He shin Ninja Arashi, but was severely reworked because they thought Toho had a similar show in the works. (As this toy video for that show demonstrates, they didn’t https://youtu.be/uG-2jXggn_U)

6. It’s one of the silliest Rider shows out there (and that’s mostly because there’s not much competition)

In hindsight, it's kinda funny/mean that even though everyone knew Shima was a good guy and probably liked him, nobody thought or cared to free him from card prison after Mutsuki got over his evil phase.

I'm looking forward to it! Even if I've got a love/hate thing going on with Wizard!

On the other hand, Mutsuki's ability to control his emotions enough to actually contribute is incredibly precarious. If you're Kenzaki, you don't know went on in Mutsuki's brain that led to Mutsuki defeating the Spider Undead. Maybe Shima's powers are continuously keeping the Category Ace at bay? If so, maybe don't take that help away unless you've got no other option. I'm sure Nozomi appreciates that Kenzaki waited this long to try that plan!

Wizard’s head writer was the secondary writer on Hibiki, not the lead. Hibiki was also a show that feels like a real passion project for the producer and less of a writer-led series like Faiz or Gaim.

I have a lot to say about Hibiki. It’s not only my favorite Rider show, but one of my all-time favorite TV shows in general. I’ll save most of that - and my traditional ignored warning - for its own thread, though. There’s still a lot to say about Blade, especially as you go into what is broadly considered to be one of, if not the, best Rider finales ever.

I think next one starts off good but then some stuff happened behind the scenes and a lot of stuff got overhauled like crazy(Trying to do whatever I can to sound as vague as I can cause on my hint about the finale I think I made what happened obvious, would you consider writers and staff changes spoilers)I haven't seen most of the late 2000's Heisei shows in fact only seen one of them it will be a while before we get to something I REALLY like again(Agito's the earliest Rider series I've seen going off of release date but it's not the first Rider series I've seen)

that's weird I think it's a good ending (though can understand why the people who don't like it think the way they do) but heard it was controversial

I'm in the camp that thinks this episode does feel solidly apocalyptic; even with the pacing issues (I didn't even entirely hate the flashback, if I'm being completely honest, although I would have ended it on Kenzaki's horrified expression at the deluge of O Hai New Undead sounds coming off the searcher), I think it sells pretty well how much Kenzaki has been boxed into a corner.

I am also in the camp that is ok with Mutsuki being fridged to sell the stakes of the story. He didn't get a Tachibana-esque hell of a finale, but I don't think he needed one - from the moment he tells Nozomi that he will definitely make it back to her, the viewer expects that he won't. He's a kid who's been through a hell of an experience (so much of which he brought on himself, ok, we know this) with his own personal triumph over his literal demons, and look what it's gotten him.

Watching these last three episodes a week apart Back In The Day involved a lot of "Are you freaking kidding me" that I couldn't actually shout at my television, because thin walls and neighbors, haha. Less stressful to watch them all at once, which I have done. A few times.

Also Back In The Day there was a fan trailer for the final episode that Appeared somewhere (where was it first? idk, it's been a long long time) that I remember really liking, and hey if it hasn't been hanging out on YouTube largely unnoticed for the last decade:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VNR176HmYk

Well how about this upload celebrating Dadi's appearance in Fourze where one of the top comments is "like if you got here by searching 'kara miso'" then?

I got there by searching for kara miso by the way. It's literally the second result


Eeh, not that part of it, I'd say. For the purposes of the narrative, even if Tachibana chucked the card like usual, the Giraffa Undead still would've slapped it away all the same. It'd just look way sillier/more awesome.

When I did my rewatch of Blade as a Mukki fan, I couldn't help but think it might've added a nice bit of closure to his arc to build off his long-standing one-sided rivalry with Chalice and maybe have Hajime cheesily note that Leangle is stronger than he was before or something. Obviously he still has to lose, but I feel like this episode is like 50% there when it comes to emphasizing how the Strongest Rider has actually become a hero at the end of it all. I always loved the idea that the show came down to Leangle and Blade versus the apocalypse for a bit. Like, of ALL the people to have Kenzaki's back right now, you know?

I’ve only ever seen one person have anything negative to say about the ending and it was grounded in a heavy bias - like, to the point of entirely missing the whole concept - against one of the characters. I don’t know how it ranks after the whole Neo Heisei decade, but I’ve always seen the ending get a lot of praise.

It’s certainly still my favorite.

And that actually would've been way better than what we got. Have him deflect the card off the cliff, then have Garren tackle him off in a further attempt to seal him. Not only do you still get the same end result, it makes alot more sense AND absolutely sells just how strong that particular Undead is. All in one go.

I'm honestly very curious about Hibiki. Not just for the potential car-wreck quality of the production change, but just... I don't know anything about it? Because of all of that production nonsense, it's a series that gets nothing in the Phase 2 stuff I've seen. (Agito and Kabuto were the other Phase 1 shows that I was just ??? about.) The only thing I know about Hibiki as a character is that he may or may not actually be a form-change of Wizard. (Medusa makes a really good argument in favor of Hibiki being Wizard!)

https://challengerscomics.com/images...aid/misa13.png
https://challengerscomics.com/images...aid/misa14.png
https://challengerscomics.com/images...aid/misa15.png

It'll be interesting, that's for sure! I tend to have different reactions to this stuff than is maybe typical? (Understatement?) I remember people suggesting that Blade took a while to get going, and I thought its pace was pretty solid from the jump. Dunno if I'll key into Hibiki immediately, but that's always the hope!

I don't think it was a big deal that Mutsuki doesn't really have a big moment before his fight against Hajime. Doing something where it's more about his history or his struggle... it would've pulled focus from Kenzaki at exactly the wrong time. This episode has to be about reducing Kenzaki's options, not coloring in Hajime's savagery or reaffirming Mutsuki's journey. I think they used Mutsuki about as well as they could!

Amusingly enough, the actor who played the third Mage - the new dad guy - was a regular on Hibiki.

Just about to watch the finale!

Here's my prediction: Kenzaki becomes a second Joker (through the use of King Form), which offsets Hajime's Battle Fight victory, saving the world.

Okay! I've got an episode to watch!

KAMEN RIDER BLADE EPISODE 49

This time on Kamen Rider Blade: Violence is temporary. Empathy is eternal.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/blade/blade49a.png

This is a story about empathy. It's a story about how saving a life can be more important than saving the world, but you might save the world anyway. It's a story about how everyone deserves a chance at happiness. It's a story that refuses the easy solution of violence in favor of the more fulfilling solution of kindness.

It's a story about Hajime.

Hajime knows what he wants. He wants a life of simple pleasures, of family, of friends. But that's not what he's meant for. He's meant for violence, for death, for the end of the world. An existence of combat never prepared him for the possibility of wanting more, and he can't square his desires with his fate. He is the Joker, but he wants to be Hajime. As long as he's the last remaining Undead, he can't be anything more than the Joker.

It's a story about Kenzaki.

Kenzaki was never going to seal Hajime. Never. That's fate, and Kenzaki hates fate. Fate says Hajime has to be sealed. Of all the ways this story could end, that was never going to be one of them. I'd've predicted Kenzaki being sealed before I'd predict Hajime being sealed. That's just not who Kenzaki is. He's someone who fights to give people a chance at life, at happiness. His parents died, right in front of him. His guilt drove him for a while, until he realized that his love was more powerful. He'd sacrifice anything to help people. Sealing Hajime isn't helping him, so it doesn't fit Kenzaki's worldview. He can pretend that he's someone willing to sacrifice a friend, but he really isn't. He's the one who sacrifices.

It's a story about heroism, of course.

Kenzaki isn't heroic because he's strong, or powerful. He doesn't prove his heroism by defeating an enemy. The real enemy of the story isn't even defeated. The Sealing Stone is out there, forever, waiting for a moment of weakness. It can't be defeated, only delayed, perhaps eternally, but never permanently. Kenzaki can't prove his heroism by stopping it. Kenzaki proves his heroism by sharing Hajime's burden. He lets the power of King Form fuse with him, turning him into an Undead. It's a stalemate, nothing more. Two Undead, prolonging an inevitable apocalypse at a cost that's both invisible, and heartbreaking.

It's a story about friendship.

Hajime and Kenzaki don't have a demonstrative relationship. Even in the final episode, there are no tears from either of them over the potential consequences of this Battle Fight. Hajime believes in Kenzaki, and Kenzaki believes in Hajime, but their bond transcends words, gestures. It's two people who understand the burden of protecting people. Hajime grew into someone who saw protecting people as more than just keeping them alive. He learned from Kenzaki, almost accidentally, that the thing worth protecting is the connection people have. Kenzaki didn't need to learn that, but he did learn to acknowledge it, to see what he was really fighting for. The two of them, they were never swayed by power or fear. They cared about people, and they respected that about each other. They started as enemies, but ended as friends.

It's a story about unbreakable bonds.

They can't ever see each other again. That's it. That's the consequence of saving the world. No one dies. Everyone's saved. Tachibana's back, and so is Karasuma. Mutsuki and Nozomi go back to school. Hajime gets to live his life as a part of Amane's family. It's a happy ending. Except, it's not. It's Kenzaki sacrificing his friendship to give his friend a chance at happiness. It's a sadness that feels bigger than a death, more permanent for its open-endedness. Kenzaki is everywhere and nowhere. On a park bench, smiling for his friend. And gone forever, saving humanity by living in isolation. But he's out there, smiling for his friend. You just know it. And he'll be smiling for him until the end of the world.

It's the end of Kamen Rider Blade. It's perfect.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/blade/blade49b.png

Next on Kamen Rider Die watches Kamen Rider Blade: Thursday is the series wrapup, Friday is the thread wrapup. We're not done yet.

I'll save my final thoughts on the show as a whole for next time, but as for right now, yeah, one of the few points I can personally give Blade is that the final episode is absolutely fantastic, and makes all the issues I have with the second half of the show almost entirely worth it. Like you, I saw the last twist coming, but really, I wouldn't've had it any other way.

You literally couldn't have done it any other way. Kenzaki would hate me for saying this, but this ending was inevitable.

I don't... I don't think this ending forgives the show's flaws. That'll be for tomorrow, where we'll dig into both the good (the thematic stuff! the characters!) as well as the bad (the villains! also the thematic stuff!). If today was a chance to sing the show's praises, tomorrow... that's more of an Are The Knives Sharpened situations.

This episode was beautiful, though. It's still making me cry. It's all built on the pure heroism of saying I'll Give You My Turn At Happiness. Just... Kenzaki. Carrying that weight for Hajime.

The ending is one thing that Blade really nails. It's the perfect ending, really. Not a happy one, not entirely, but perfect for the show.

The good guys don't win the traditional sense. The bad guy isn't really beaten, because there really is no big bad. It's the way the universe works in this setting. They can't really win. But they can't stall things forever and there a special kind of heroism in how it's done.

It was also well set up. This ending didn't come out of nowhere. I hate it when shows do that. The side effects of King Form were already established, in typical dangerous final form style. Using it in that way was very well written.

I love this finale. It’s such a gloriously triumphant tragedy that you rarely see in this franchise. Most shows try to end on a more upbeat, “hero saves the day and most or all of the characters are happy.” Blade has some of that, but it’s all wrapped around this core sacrifice - Kenzaki is gone. Not technically dead, but effectively as far as his friends are concerned. He gave up his humanity and all the family he has, just to ensure that Hajime gets to lead his own life. It’s a beautiful ending.

One thing that I like about this era of Rider is that we don’t get the sequel movies yet. Other shows with down notes on their endings all have an asterisk after them. Ankh is gone at the end of OOO, but he still shows up two more times. There are still scores of Bugster virus victims lost as data at the end of Ex-Aid, but that gets resolved in a follow-up film trilogy. Even Black, the most Pyrrhic victory in Kamen Rider, gets a sequel series that walks back Shadow Moon’s fate. Not Blade. Blade’s ending gets to stand. There’s no movie or miniseries that walks this back. That really adds to its power.

Yes, I know Zi-O undoes it, but I feel like that only lasts until the Ride Watches’ powers go back home. It’s a temporary reprieve, not a complete overturning. It was also 15 years later and on a show of highly dubious quality.

It's so great. Kenzaki saying I Can't Beat This But Together We Can Endure It by just joining Hajime. Not overpowering him, or diminishing him, but accepting the risks of walking in his shoes.

The Sealing Stone always being out there, I just love that metaphor. There's always something out there that you can't reason with, can't eliminate. Not everything can be defeated. But we can work together to keep the world spinning. That's heroism.

Did you already know that bench is an iconic shot even before you picked it as a screenshot, or is your knack for finding the right one just that good? Anyway, yeah, it's no surprise to me that this finale is exceptionally fondly remembered, both for how powerful it is and just how unique it is too compared to what's come before and after. I don't know if it'd make my top five or so ranking of final episodes, but it's definitely one of the most memorable regardless, especially since in this era without v-cinemas or winter crossovers, this was the absolute final note that Blade would leave on it's viewers.

Minor thing I feel like pointing out, but it sure was weird how Tachibana and, like, BOARD man just casually entered this episode but then didn't amount to much. You'd think the whole point of making us think Tachibana was dead would be to then have him make a dramatic reappearance, but nope, he just shows up and is like 'yeah i'm still alive no big deal'.

I know you're not done with the thread quite yet, but this was another nice one! Blade arguably didn't give you as much crunchy and thematic meat as something like Faiz or Ryuki did (and hey, those two shows are probably going to remain exceptional in that regard), but I can kinda just tell from your posts how this show (and especially Garren) has just been a whole lot of fun for you.

Since I watched Blade for the first time a few years ago, there's a lot of things about it that have stood out in my memory since then. The memes of course, the silliness that is so prevalent in so much of the show. The great suits, the fun characters. But above everything else, the one thing that has stuck with me the most is that single image of the empty park bench, and everything it stands for. The ending of Blade is, without a doubt, my favorite ending of any Kamen Rider season. None other even comes close. And I have to thank you for the great words you wrote about it, you so eloquently stated everything I love so much about it.

Ankh's return... I can defend that one. Ankh returning in the winter film is this beautiful moment that gives Eiji hope, lets him begin to bring back his friend. I don't think it diminishes the end of OOO at all. I think that return is done as well as you can do it.

This one, though, man. I can't stop tearing up when I think about it. You know why? Because you know that Kenzaki is happy. He knows that everyone's got a shot at happiness, and he couldn't be happier. Not just for them, but because of them.

Oh, man, I've got to wipe my face off. Getting a little hard to see the keyboard and screen right now.

That empty bench is an image that's exquisitely crafted to make me cry. Him smiling. Man. Man. I need another minute.

There's an alternate universe version of that episode's post where I spend a bunch of time laughing hysterically at Karasuma's dramatic reappearance and bullshit cover story. ("Oh, I really wanted to help you out, but, uh... Tennouji was trying to kill me! In Tibet! For some reason!") He's only here to convey Kenzaki's plan to Team Blade, and therefore the audience, but it's done so nicely that I forgive the show this one last stupid Karasuma appearance.

Tachibana... I honestly never thought he was dead. We never saw a body! That's rule #1 in Kamen Rider deaths! There has to be a body!

Thanks! I, uh, I definitely still got some thoughts on how this show (and thread!) went. But it's Kamen Rider, and Kamen Rider's always fun to watch. Always.

Thanks! I really like an ending that feels more about the relationships the show has built up, rather than some plot machinations. This one, it's got some trickery in it (Kenzaki's plan probably came as a surprise to somebody), but it's really just about how deeply KEnzaki cares for people in general, and Hajime specifically. And honestly, I feel like it's just the former? I think Kenzaki would've done the same thing for Tachibana, or Mutsuki, or Kotaro, or anyone. And I think he'd be happy to do it. He's a very sweet boy!

OH S--T I AM SO SO SORRY(I read this when you posted it but waited before you watched it)

EDIT Surprise surprise that last meme that I mentioned is the bench, some forums post it whenever something depressing happens in a rider series bonus points if it's the ending tbf I could have posted the image but not only can I not explain why it's a meme and/or the joke without spoiling anything but that might have been your queue that this is gonna have not a downer ending per say but quite possibly the biggest case of "good guy won but at what cost" ending I've seen

not blade related but spoilers for a future show Gaim has a similar ending to this but 1. Kouta knew if he didn't become the man of the beginning someone like Kaito/Ryouma would so he felt like it was necessary to ensure the safety of the universe ok Kenzaki did feel becoming the Joker was necessary to save the world but for different reasons, and 2. Kouta does kill Kaito tbf Kaito has pretty much lost his shit and chosen to destroy/recreate the world in his own image at this point and it's made clear Kouta doesn't like doing this but understands it's the only way to stop him, plus Mai becomes the Woman of the beginning and Kouta magically gets to become a human again for the crossover movies every year/Zi-O so it's not as big of a cost

another thing I prefer endings like this and Ex-Aid(disregarding the movies) because it feels like shit has consequences instead of magically getting resolved like in Ryuki, what other shows have you seen

Don't be sorry! If this is what you were hinting at, I definitely did not get the hint! This was mostly just looking at the end of 48, thinking about what little I understood of future Blade appearances (the Ex-Aid specials have his Joker powers acting as a stellar climax to the story, even though I didn't totally understand the significance at the time), and then just thinking about the characters. You didn't spoil anything!

Yeah, I can see that image getting around. I'm sorry for triggering other Blade fans by using it, but I had no choice! It's fate! You can't fight fate! That's the lesson of Blade!

I think what's great about Blade's ending is that it's super upbeat (everyone's doing great, no one died) while also being a goddamn dagger in the heart (Kenzaki is gone forever). I mean, if you wanted to look at it a certain way, nothing had consequences. The Darkroaches just disappear, Tachibana miraculously survived (being saved by Karasuma, which is the biggest WTF detail in the entire finale), everyone in the cast is totally fine. But the show bets everything on They'll Never See Kenzaki Again as being the most heartbreaking outcome imaginable, and they were smart to do it.

Well, you finally did it. I am glad you liked the ending and as others have said, myself included, it is like climbing a mountain when watching Kamen Rider Blade. You start with the rough patches of Karamiso Creek, go through the dark and murky Category Ace Forest, and after you free climb the monstrosity that is Darkroach Canyon, the view is awesome. It's lonely and a few scratches and bruises here and there, but the end justifies it all. So with that said, looking forward to your take on Hibiki.

Well as promised, here’s the post-show media and its various divergences on what happens next. Your mileage may vary on which is better.

But first, in honour of my recurring thread throughout this video, here’s a video for a collection of all the Rouse Cards in the show. https://youtu.be/h5p-VpA90Tg

Day After Tomorrow by Masato Hayase (Character designer for the majority of Heisei Riders and Shotaro Ishinimori’s former assistant)


It has been a year since Kazuma Kenzaki transformed into Navy Joker and everyone is throwing a graduation party for Mutsuki and Nozomi. It was supposedly to celebrate them for getting into university but Mutsuki didn’t. All of all sudden, Blade bursts in from the front door and attacks Hajime.


Everyone is confused but then Garren shows up in the window and starts firing at Blade. He explains that he and Chief Karasuma were conducting on a research on how to turn Kenzaki and Hajime into humans by unsealing the Chameleon Undead, an Undead with similar powers to the Joker allowing it to copy the form and ability of anything it sees, and tries to copy this ability to the Jokers. However, it escaped and transforms into an imitation of Kamen Rider Blade by using the the BOARD data that he had stolen while chasing after Hajime due to his nature of being a Battle Fight competitor.


Tachibana hands over Hajime and Mutsuki’s cards and the Leangle Rouzer as they fight the fake Blade, but it transforms into Jack Form. Mutsuki remains useless as none of his powers grants him the ability to fly.


Tachibana warns Hajime as the Chameleon Undead has all of the BOARD data making it easy for him to fight. The Chameleon Undead transforms into King Form and finishes off the Riders.
With all of hope seems lost, Hajime even forced himself to evolve into Joker Undead but the fake Rider itself outsmarts him leaving a heavy wound on his chest.
As the Rider about to finish Leangle, Joker steps in and takes the blow. At first he thinks that it was Hajime/Chalice but it has no slash mark and he was lying after sustaining the damage on its chest.
Tachibana quickly tosses the Joker the Blay Buckle, Rouse Absorber and the Suit of Spades Rouse Cards in understanding.


After the Chameleon Undead has been defeated and sealed, all of Blade's items were left neatly on the floor.
Nozomi arrives late for the party, and tells Mutsuki that a letter arrived written that he did manage to get into university after all.

The Whereabout of Trump by author unknown

Episode 1: Feelings That Can’t Be Erased


Set 10 years after the BOARD Riders parted their ways, this story tells us about aftermath of it.
Hajime Aikawa continues his job in Jacaranda Cafe, as new customer came in and asked for hot coffee. He then asked about what Hajime's friend doing. As latter explained, Haruka Kurihara and Amane Kurihara went to Amane's father grave, and Kotaro Shirai currently on his trip to find information for his new book. Hajime starts to flashback about his relationship with Kazuma Kenzaki and thinking about the way he chose to live.
As young man finished his cup of coffee, he asked for the second round. Suddenly, Hajime received phone call. There is no one answered on the other side. "Kenzaki?!", Hajime whispered...

Episode 2: What I Want To Protect


Mutsuki Kamijo, now working with his apprentice, young man, and trying to make children smile, walked down the road with colleague and discussed his life and work stuff with him. Young man wished him good luck on tomorrow's event, only to be answered to prepare umbrellas in case of sudden rain. Young man had no doubt in Mutsuki's weather prognosis as they are known as pretty accurate. Suddenly, there was a little girl in front of truck, who was saved by Mutsuki. Young man is amazed by Kamijo and walked with him to the office, where Mutsuki started to remembering his teenage years with BOARD Riders. Young man then smiled and told Mutsuki to not overdo with his job.
Suddenly, there was a motorcycle engine roar down the street. Mutsuki rushed to it, thinking about Sakuya Tachibana... only to remind himself that he need to meet his old friends more often

Episodes 3 and onwards synopsis unavailable.

Twilight by Sho Aikawa (Writer: Jikuu Senshi Spielban, Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger, Juken Sentai Gekiranger, Engine Sentai Go-Onger, Kamen Rider Wizard, Ressha Sentai ToQger. Head writer: Kamen Rider Blade (ep. 29-49), GoGo Sentai Boukenger, Kamen Rider Decade (Ep 1-13)


The story is about a dying old woman (Amane) who tells her grandson the story of the four*Kamen Riders. The story covered what happened to the four*after Kenzaki went missing after his fight with Hajime.
Hajime lurks around Amane, and stayed by her side during her last moments. He looked exactly the same as when they first met. Mutsuki Kamijo, Shiori Hirose, and Kotaro Shirai died due to old age. Kotaro's book about Kamen Rider was so popular that it later became a TV drama and merchandise, which made a lot of money for the Kurihara family.
Tachibana became the head of the BOARD. He kept on researching the Undeads and did experiments on himself. He gained long longevity from his research and kept an eye on the two*Jokers. He is also Amane's health insurance benefactor.
Tachibana found information about an unknown beast attacking an armed insurgency in Africa. The beast was trying to keep homeless kids safe from the war zone. That beast is likely to be Kenzaki in his Joker form.


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20180126061105

Kamen Rider Blade (novel) by Jun’ichi Miyashita (Writer: Kamen Rider Black, Kamen Rider Black RX, Tokkei Winspector, Tokyuu Shirei Solbrain, B-Robo Kabutack, Tetsuwan Tantei Robotack, Kyukyu Sentai GoGoV, Kamen Rider Blade, Engine Sentai Go-Onger. Head writer: Shin: Kamen Rider Prologue, Tokusou Exceedraft, Tokusou Robo Janperson, Blue SWAT, Jukkou B-Fighter, B-Fighter Kabuto, Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger)


This sequel to the TV series*takes place 300 years following the television series finale. It chronicles Kenzaki's quest to end his life as the Navy Joker*after three centuries. In one instance, Kenzaki is captured by a criminal organization and is tortured, but still does not die.
Later in the novel, he becomes a war photographer, all he sees is death. He then enlists in the army for a foreign country, steps on landmines and explodes. Also named are the new Garren and Leangle, Tachihara and Satsuki.
Also, the only returning characters are Kenzaki and Hajime. Kenzaki has a weaker personality compared to the TV Series due to living for a long time and seeing a lot of horrible things. Satsuki, the new Leangle's treated the same like the original Leangle, Mutsuki. He is left behind.


Kazuma's cynicism has overridden him. Having lived for so long through countless wars and battles without anyone to rely on, this Kazuma became hopeless and defeated, often trying to find ways to kill himself and failing every time due to becoming the Joker Undead. This Kazuma had lost sight of himself and the meaning of his actions as his own death would mean the end of humanity and other life on Earth. During the novel, Kazuma becomes an amnesiac due to the manipulations by the Stone of Sealing, helping him fight again as a Kamen Rider. Yet as time passed by, Kazuma slowly regained his memories and began losing his sanity once more. Before the final fight, the Stone of Sealing used Kazuma's diminishing sanity against him and caused him to turn into the Darkness Undead. It was only by Hajime's actions as the Crimson Undead that Kazuma broke free from the Stone of Sealing's influence, restoring his sanity in the process. Once the Battle Fight had ended once and for all, Kazuma no longer felt burdened as the second Joker Undead, as he was now freed from his Undead instincts.

Random tweet by Takayuki Tsubaki (the actor of Kazuma Kenzaki/Blade)


"Tachibana-san went to teach him (Mutsuki) how to count to 3!? Garren's Rider System is same as me, but it's much more beautiful. I'm [still] under the influence of Joker's power..."




https://mobile.twitter.com/toei_ride...561792/photo/1

And I’ll say this now. I won’t be doing anymore recurring threads until Kiva (maybe Den-O), so for now, I’ll just be a drop-in, voicing my thoughts and sharing random trivia.

The audio drama is fun; it's a 10 Years Later story with the first two chapters summarized up there. It describes Mutsuki as essentially being professionally successful and mentoring people, Hajime as still being at the Jacaranda with Amane and Haruka, Tachibana as inexplicably In Charge Of Things and good at it, and then Kenzaki is just riding around on his motorcycle with Hajime's photobooks in a backpack. There's a cute bit where he's getting the bike repaired and talks about how he loves the way the photographer sees the world.

There's also the bit where Hajime's professional photographer name is an anagram of Kenzaki's name. At the end of the drama, Kenzaki calls Hajime and then hangs up without saying anything, and Hajime just sounds wrecked.

Listening to the audio drama on the same day as watching the Blade series finale is not advisable, lol

Extra-canonical material aside, and as much as I like Blade overall, the finale is the one thing that I think it absolutely nailed. Seeing it get so much love today is fantastic :D

Blade is the third Rider series of the 2000's I've seen, after Decade and Den-O, and I wasn't ever sure what I was expecting. I've been watching since Wizard, I know how a modern Rider series works, with the new toys, new powers, and the occasional new twist they pull as things inevitably develop. But Blade was something very different. Occasionally weirder than it deserved, far more subtle in its story beats at times, and at times seeming worlds apart from, say, the concurrent 01. It was unsure at first, but I grew to love it, the characters, their bonds, and then you get to the finale, and the bench hits

https://media.discordapp.net/attachm...760&height=427

I may have cried a little. I'm told it's normal.

Also you gotta love Karasuma for coming back now, of all times, to sit around and do nothing. Typical management behaviour.

Oh man, I love the ending to that Ex-Aid miniseries. It is a fantastically clever use of Blade’s lore - “Nice pocket dimension you have here, sure would be a shame if the only Undead on it was a Joker...“ I always appreciate when psst Rider appearances honor the original show’s story, especially after so many years of Black and Black RX hanging out together despite the fact that they’re the same guy.

I was wondering if you’d seen that miniseries/how well you remembered it, but I didn’t want to say anything that might spoil Blade’s ending.

It's funny that you'd mention climbing a mountain, because I think I used "it's not like scaling a mountain" in a metaphor I used to describe one of the show's themes. (About 1/3 done with that post.) Totally coincidental, and we're using the metaphor for different things, so please don't think it's a shot or anything!

The series as a whole is a weird ride, for sure. It makes a lot of choices in production that are maybe not great, but it made a lot of choices in pre-production that keep it from ever being unwatchable.

I'm also looking forward to Hibiki! Might be a minute, though!

You did amazing work! Thank you so much for contributing all of these details! Don't be a stranger!

It's a truly excellent finale. Just dials in on what's most special about the series (Kenzaki!) and lets it shine. Doesn't try to do too much, you know? Knows exactly what it wants to say.

I don't know what it would feel like to see Kenzaki smiling for his friend and not want to cry.

I like to think that Karasuma never went to Tibet. He's been in Japan this whole time, monitoring Team Blade, waiting for the most crucial moment to help them... and then waiting another few days to finally show up.

I, sort-of unfortunately, watched the Goriders mini-series a lot more recently than I watched Ex-Aid. (I guess I never downloaded it?) Probably within the last year, so it's fairly fresh in memory. My protection against it spoiling too much (really any) of Blade is that I didn't completely understand the context of the climax. I mean, I got what was happening, that's why I liked it (Kuroto set the victory conditions and then Team Ex-Aid used them to beat him!), but I didn't really take a lot of it with me when I watched Blade. As the ending got closer, I think some pieces connected better, but it was very very minor. Nothing that gave the story away.