Pretty much.

I appreciated Kento's death scene (mostly the fake-out one from Episode 12), but Desast's is a different type for how there's a feeling of inevitability and acceptance. Ren and Desast both know what's coming and they're both trying to get the most out of the situation. Desast wants a climactic fight worthy of closing his exciting life, while Ren wants to understand what makes him so strong yet so different from the other Swordsmen, which Desast also wants to help him see before leaving him. Honestly, I just love honorable fights to the death, so this fight scene in the ominous dimly lit warehouse with the simultaneously melancholic and glorious Will Save Us by Kawazu Asuka definitely sold this episode for me.

(shiver)

Wow, I didn't need Reika to be more creepy in this episode. If that was your intention, then you nailed it.

Unfortunately for Fukuda, a lot of his critics were out of loop about the actually sensible reason for his absence, so they jumped to the conclusion that he had forsaken the show and started talking even more trash about him. Makes me feel bad for that guy always getting scapegoated for circumstances beyond his control.

Nicely said, that his lack of backstory is his tragedy. Desast wasn't a man who cowered from danger or difficulty. He embraced the full spectrum of life, all its pleasures and pains. He didn't waste time dwelling on things he can't control or change. He didn't complain about how hard his situation was and met every challenge he faced with bravery. He lived in the present and turned his dying moments in to the most exciting moments he's ever lived. He wasn't a good guy, but he was a good mentor and more important than that, he was always true to himself and let his life burn bright until the end.

Reika is totally at her most toxic and obnoxious here. If some people thought the infamous Sophia slap wasn't severe enough to call her out, then I'd like to hear their defense for trying to cut Mei, or harassing Touma mid-fight for using Kaiji, even though he literally just saved her beloved big bro! She demands gratitude, while refusing to earn it or give it back. All her behavior here was infuriating for me to watch, as she's a serious liability and could've potentially caused so much more harm for such deranged petty reasons.

Once they realized they could make Ryoga and Reika fun, they just got drunk with power.

It wasn't not my intention, so... thanks!

To quote one of the people behind the show after this episode aired, ?Desast is too popular?.

Notably, Ultraman Trigger, the Ultra Series instalment around the time this episode aired, ended up having a similar outpouring of love towards their secondary villain Darrgon after his own tragic death. Though in that case, he had readily available merchandise for people to buy to show their support, plus they made a call for his resurrection in a later instalment.

The culmination of Ren and Desast's arc which is a beautiful end.

Both were people who like to fight strong opponents just to show off how strong they were. The abandoned their allies in order to prove that, and in the end, one of them had to overcome the other.

At this point, I was pretty much in favor of Saber over Zero-One. Just the theming and story found its footing after the first quarter that just worked for me. Sure, it's not perfect, but I still think it made the best out of what it was going for.

The fights like this one, were just magnificently done (other examples I can pick off the top of my head are Touma's Hinokami moment against Daishijni, or Xross Saber's debut. There are others, but these were some that stood out to me) from the music to the choreography and the imagery, just all worked to make this one of the best moments in Saber and maybe the best in Reiwa so far.

Now to talk a bit about Storius for a bit, I thought he was a pretty simple Villain in the early stages. Not someone I'd be surprised to see as the main big bad, but not someone I'd be disappointed in seeing go out early. But when he reaches this point, I was still making fun of him like his newfound Batman impression voice, but I do think he's a fitting villain for Touma, which I'll talk about more later, since I don't want to get too far into him, but I can say, that I actually think he's a good villain for this show, while Isaac was kind of just a meme and Calibur #1 was an unsurprising obstacle.

Also, RIP Tassel. The man who worked as a narrator and character within the show honestly quite well. Just from how empty it feels without him appearing at the start of every episode to greet us is a detail I think is quite nice, and like Zi-O where Woz recapped alongside the cast in the action, it shows how it's no longer someone telling us a story, but that the story is already in motion and it's up to the heroes to bring us to the ending.

KAMEN RIDER SABER EPISODE 44 - “OPEN THE BOOK, TO THE LAST PAGE”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/saber/saber44a.png

There once was a group of friends.

Touma’s story of a childhood shattered by the loss of Luna, memories diverted and regained, has haunted him as much as it empowered him. His drive to find her was the guiding light in his darkest days, but it’s also an original sin that can never be expunged. Finding Luna was its own penalty, because every visit with this unchanged girl was a reminder that he’d broken a promise. There’s no Getting Her Back, because Touma isn’t that little boy anymore. He’s an adult, just like Kento. The group of friends that existed as children can’t ever be returned to how they were, because that story’s over – no matter how much Touma would rather write it differently.

There will always be a group of friends.

The benefit of a story being over is the chance to start a brand new story. The old one was tragic, and its resolution bittersweet. An eternal child was keeping Touma lost in his past, endlessly suffering for his error. But that’s Touma’s story. Luna can write a new one: a story about a young woman who brings light to her friends’ dark days, and allows the mistakes of the past to become just a tale shared between old companions. This story is one of clean slates, and better endings.

Everything in this episode’s post-Kamen Rider Storious fight was as emotional and beautiful as you’d assume, with a cast this exceptional. We’re in the last good day before a climactic battle, and we get to see all of our heroes at their best, their most vulnerable. It’s all them connecting with the world, and the people within it, since everything’s at stake. Daishinji works on swords. Rintaro and Mei share a sweet moment on the Brooding Roof. Ren declines Kento’s offer to rejoin the team, but agrees to show up to the fight for his own sense of justice. The Shindai Siblings train together. Ogami spends time with his wife (!!!) and son. And Kento meets Touma at Promise Park, because there’s no other location these two would spend their last moments at.

There’s a fight at the beginning of the episode, and a brand-new(-ish) suit for Storious, but I don’t really care about that. The Divine Sages and Kamen Rider Storious are what’s next for our heroes, unavoidably, and I don’t want to taint their last chance for emotional closure with something as tawdry as supervillainy. There are battles to come, but I don’t want to think about that right now. I want to remember them all in their happiness, and in their bond with each other. I want to remember them walking together at dawn, towards the last battle, as a group.

A group of friends, perhaps. That'd be a nice story.

—

THE TIME BEFORE THE LAST TIME

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/saber/saber44b.png

She’d miss this roof. God, how she’d miss it.

Everything was ending soon. There was no avoiding it. Storious was practically a god now, and he didn’t seem to be a particularly forgiving or kind one. The guild was readying for a final strike against him, and no matter the outcome, this time in her life would be over.

It was strange to think about it, as a time that could be past tense. The insanity had never become routine, but it had ceased feeling new and unusual some months back. There was a rhythm to it all, the sword stuff, that allowed for some slight complacency. Touma and his friends would find a monster, or a book, and within a couple of weeks, it’d all be wrapped up. Every new challenge was assessed and dispatched, with a commitment and expedience that Mei wished Touma could apply to his writing.

(That was a little mean. He’d certainly been distracted this past year, but… it had been a year! No new book! He’d said he was writing it six months ago, and she hadn’t seen even the hint of a first draft! Her job was maybe at stake!)

This all felt different, though. The tension was palpable; the finality as unmistakable as the red skies that hung over the city. She’d assumed the end of this adventure would come in a rush, or by surprise. Instead, she felt herself lurching towards it, slowly pulled along with her friends into an ending that felt impossibly distant just a few days earlier. She couldn’t believe she had this one last day before the ending arrived.

She came to this roof, surprising herself. She thought she’d go to her favorite cafe, or spend time at her office. None of that felt right, though. Her world had grown so much as a part of the Sword of Logos, and yet it felt like it had shrunk down to nothing. The Northern Base. Touma’s bookshop. This roof. That was her world these days.

She gripped the railing tightly. It was her world. It was worth protecting. She’d have today to remember it all, before the finale was inescapable. She was happy to be on this roof, one last time. To remember this year, and take that with her into the ending.

Kamen Rider Storious is a cool suit, and is very much the Solomon suit with Storious' monstrous head and a new mask with a fresh coat of paint. I think my favorite detail that I believe only the Detail of Heroes ever points out is that Storious' eyes can glow behind the book mask he has and it makes for a really cool demonstration.

The Four Sages are also a neat concept, bringing back the Augustia Base Guards from Senki but elevating their role to that of a proper mini-boss squad. Especially when it comes to the fact that 9 Kamen Riders are about to march onto their doorstep.

That being said. The real meat of this episode, the real fun stuff is our calm before the storm. Everyone readying and preparing themselves for what's to come as they spend what could be their last peaceful day doing whatever they want to. There's a lot of nice little moments, and we get some fun stuff, like Adult Luna's actress getting to reprise her role in the series now, Ogami's wife being shown onscreen in the show itself and not just in the prequel Manga... just a lot of nice little touches.

There's a real big weight to this finale that's being set up here. The fact that we don't get the credits like usual being one of those. Instead of dancing we get another beautiful song being sung where we see everyone spending their final hours doing whatever they need to before they all slowly but surely meet up. It gives me such chills whenever I hear it, and it's a scene I like to replay a lot... both physically and mentally.

If there's two particular scenes I'm always thinking about in the back of my head for my Saber crossover with Symphogear, it's Episode 43's Desast Fight and Episode 44's ending credit scenes. It's very much running those two scenes through my head as I hope that whenever I do get to them, I manage to sort of match what the show was able to do in my writing.

Very solid final lead up to our finale set of episodes if I'm being honest.

Also a nice solid introspection from Mei for our story this time, and our potentially last time seeing the Brooding Roof in one of these stories. I'm going to miss it.

The whole book motif on the face was surprisingly good. :rock:

And after two random throwaway lines introducing and killing off the Lords of Wise, here they are as an unbeatable mini boss squad. (To tell them apart, Spartan has the sword and axe from a Fangire and a Ganma respectively, Highlander has a scythe from a Sentai V-Cinema villain, Diago has the rapiers from the Fourze/Wizard movie’s villains and Kuon has Asmodeus’ weapons from the movie)

Also, Luna is now an adult. There is a reason, but I don’t remember it and when I shared it with someone, her response was that, in much more polite terms than I’m putting it (probably), was “bullcrap”.

And finally, we get to the last book to feature two separate announcements, and by extension, I get to show off Omni Force, since they’re joined at the release.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hYe4zPZXVCo

When the Legendary Swords and the chosen books intersect, unleash the power!

The ten swords and 19 Wonder Rider Books’ power comes here!

And since Grimoire’s announcements are in English, I’m gonna put them here in Japanese as well, as a joking inversion (though translations are provided)

聖剣と本が交差するとき、世界を書き換えてください。- When the holy sword and the book intersect, rewrite the world!

すべてを破壊する禁断の物語! - A forbidden story that destroys everything!

It's more literal way for Luna here of Luna isn't that little girl anymore (due to being stuck on Wonder World), she's an adult, just like Kentouma. Adult Luna has appeared in Superhero Senki, but for Sophia being revealed as a Luna clone, likely indicating how Luna can look like as an adult, yet actual adult Luna is portrayed by different (younger) actress Mayuu Yokota, instead of Rina Chinnen. Other than her early angst, adult Luna's personality is surprisingly to me, not that different from her child self, being a cheerful carefree types to the point of being open to physical affection from her friends, not the dignified type like Sophia. If you're considering this as a better ending, it's not that you'd rather for Touma-Luna stuff in earlier series (e.g. the flashbacks) to not exist but just executed better?

Do you think that, Rintaro kinda fridged Mei here? To tell her just to stay and wait, as she's not a fighter who can contribute much. It's explained that Rintaro wanted to say something, and obviously Mei won't survive going directly through this one of battlefield, but still. Desast may be a bad guy (and wouldn't say he's redeemed only because he "helps" a good guy), but good influences can come from various things (as well as bad influences from someone good), like Ren turning into a better, less uncaring person due to their time. The Shindai siblings wouldn't say are at most vulnerable here, as they're still on training rather than tender moments, other than coldly rebuffing Rintaro.

As a lighthearted show, the Northern Base of Saber bonded more quickly, but even Saber still has, the actual full cast of those swordsmen, finally coming through together after this long. But for Divine Sages though, they're an important part of the SoL and the cast, but it'd be wasted (first-time watcher) if they're only used as some muscles for the final villain. It's actually nice when the cast can get their relaxing moments, but I wonder how long it is taking when there's a greater danger at the beginning in them being unable to intervene.

Actually there isn't many fan of Ryoga simp, but for these kind of moments it can be dismissed as just a gag stuff and not a serious stuff. This is the reason why I talked about how comedy isn't always lighthearted, it can be about schadenfreude too. Some shows also feel this way to have even nice characters partake in domestic abuse for comedy, but got these ignored narrative-wise and still treated like a saint (and audience buying it). In fiction it seems that it'd be also easier to overlook bad behaviors if it doesn't cause bad consequences, attempted maiming or murder can be ignored entirely if it ends with no harm at all to the would-be victim.

Yes, this is exactly the calm before the storm and preparation for the final battle. However, I must note one point from the unfortunate skirmish with the quartet of sages. This is when Saber, in order to teleport the losing riders, does not just press the button on the sword, but hits it with his fist. A trifle, but how enlivens the battle.
It was also great to see an adult Luna and a trio of childhood friends reunite.
And of course the end credits. The best moment like this for me even outside of tokusatsu. The perfect combination of heroic epic and human emotions. We know these characters, we know the path they came from, and we understand how important and serious this battle is for them. And the end of the episode at dawn in front of the enemy tower is just great.
Your fanfiction, by the way, conveyed this atmosphere very well.

Fish Sandwich also watched Kamen Rider Saber Episode 44

https://i.imgur.com/BtcJeAO.jpg

That last scene in this one man. Oooh, that last scene. I could talk about so many specific things from this episode, but once again, I'll leave most of that to the post I already wrote at the time (which is very long, so you know how much I liked this one!) Right now, those final moments are all I can think about, because it's a real culmination of everything Saber as a series has built over its run. Nine heroes walking together at the end of the world, not towards the fall of night, but towards the dawn of a new day. Simple, beautiful, cool, and just an all-around insanely well-executed moment leading into the climactic action of the next couple episodes. Grandiose yet understated. I love the song, and the direction, and all of that stuff, but mostly, I think I just love these characters, and that last fact alone probably gets at the real core of why this episode is so good.

(The picture I'm using here is also not from the actual episode, but one a bunch of the actors all tweeted out after the episode aired. I feel like this photo's existence is a testament to how into the moment they all must've been at that point. Like I said -- it's a culmination.)

Yeah, it... I like how it's a scene that accumulates power as it accumulates people. It's not this big cast walking for thirty seconds, it's a trio becoming a group becoming an army. It's a nice reminder for how this story's escalating stakes have provided Touma with a network of allies that he never could've predicted.

Oh, man, I love Luna turning into an adult in this episode. Maybe the smartest decision this show ever made. It's Luna taking control of her narrative for the first time ever, and changing her role from Helpless Victim to Integral Ally. And she does it herself! With no one else's suggestion or input! It's a fully-actualized Luna, just when Touma needs to put the past behind him and fight for the future. I love it so much.

It's a lot like the Ren stuff from last time: it needs to be sort of opaque and shallow earlier, in order to be deep and affecting now. If you like this resolution enough, maybe that makes it worthwhile, but it doesn't retroactively make it fun to have watched.

I mean, fridging is... sort of a different thing? Mei isn't suffering here to motivate Rintaro, she's just being set aside from the action. I wouldn't fight back against someone who disliked it -- it can easily be read as patronizing, if you're feeling ungenerous -- but I think Rintaro's right to suggest that Mei's plucky optimism isn't going to serve her well in an assault on a mystical fortress with two worlds in the balance. Mei's power is in how she shapes and supports the Sword of Logos; this is frontline battle stuff.

Thanks! I always get a little melancholy at this point in a series, where we've only got a couple more hours with these characters. Shows rarely seem to address their imminent endings this directly, and I wondered how it all might look to someone like Mei. It's been this bonkers year, and now it's all definitively ending. Is that a relief? A sorrow? Both?

They're absolutely one of the best ensembles in Kamen Rider history. Recency bias keeps me from really ranking stuff objectively or comprehensively, but they're definitely in my Top 3.

Going to make a belated note that I loved your writing on Desast's final episodes, the visual gallery for 43 was particularly great, I love taking the time to appreciate the direction like that. Red Pickled Ginger <3 (which i did not like at the time but have since gotten Used to.)

I will say that, yeah, the 'stay behind Mei' did strike me as a little patronizing at the time, but I think mostly in comparison to a similar moment Akiko and Ryu have in the W endgame where she ultimately gets to come along. We can't all have what light of my life Akiko got, I guess!

Older Luna... man. It felt weird to me to age her up at this point, but I think overall I just would have wanted her to be this age the entire time. Maybe she could have been a bit more of a character along the way with an adult actress? Or she easily could have been the same abstract goal. Well... whatever.

For the rest of the episode, I did particularly enjoy getting to see Buster's wife on screen, given that she premiered in another medium that was really sweet.

Now that the Sophia spoilers have passed, the way I understand it is that Sophia is specifically a clone of the original Wonder World maiden who met Tassel, while Luna is the latest incarnation born from the Omniscient Tome.

A person whose mistakes and wrongdoings go unpunished is a person who'll continue to be a problem for others until they do. Unfortunately, Reika never gets called out for her destructive behavior, not even by her disciplined brother Ryouga. Schadenfreude can be a source of comedy, but usually it's selective as it depends on the viewers feeling like the target is an acceptable punching bag. I mean, does anybody actually think Sophia, Touma and Mei deserved to be treated this way? I certainly don't.

I have to side with Androzani on this one. Maybe you can argue from a symbolic perspective, but from a logical perspective, it just doesn't make any sense in the story. Like, how does Luna become an adult? A kid can't just decide to become an adult, not even a 25+ year-old kid. I think it's especially ridiculous for this to happen in the fifth last episode of the show. I was way too used to Okamoto's portrayal of Luna at this point, so this new actress wasn't going to make me care about her portrayal in less than five episodes.

So yeah, with this, I can confirm that my 3 main Saber beefs are Solomon, Reika and Adult Luna.

There is something about the whole cast gathering together to prepare for the final confrontation that just hits just right here. It's such a powerful scene that I can't help but love it.

Every one of them has walked their own path throughout this show, whether it be for personal reasons, alongside friends, for tradition, they all shine here as they walk towards this story's end.

Sure, some of them (looks at Reika) still aren't as liked as some of the other cast, but even so, all of the swordsmen gathered gives off the weight of their journeys.

Storius' Kamen Rider form looks great, like Solomon, but Storius just beats him out with the fusion of him monster form and the open book mask. I just enjoy it. And the bodyguards also have great designs!

At this point, I'll probably just make big, long-winded posts about a bunch of things as we slowly but surely finish this season.

Thanks! It was really fun to think about Ren's personal growth... which is why I haven't stopped? Sort of realized today that the show set Ren and Kento up to talk about the pros and cons of looking to stories for guidance, which is a fun topic for a series like Saber.

Kento needed a story to believe in, and eventually he found Touma's. Kento was adrift in his own guilt, and suddenly there was a story that told him everything would be okay. It was a lifeline for him, and it proved that stories could help people find a happiness that eluded them.

With Ren, though, he was trained to see strength as the only metric for success, and Touma's story ended up destroying him. Ren didn't take the story as something to challenge his assumptions or process as allegory, he was stuck in a story where everyone gets more powerful except him. He looked at a story and found himself unable to live up to the characters in it. The only solution for him was to stop caring about the story, since it was hurting him.

Like, they go on this similar journey -- trying to fill a void through a better narrative -- and they experience it in completely opposite ways. Kento's saved by Touma's story, and Ren's almost destroyed. It's a neat way of telling kids that it's okay to learn lessons from Kamen Rider shows, but maybe don't take them too literally.

I mean, Luna is literally a symbolic person. She doesn't have a fixed identity or biology. (She... probably doesn't even have a biology?) She looks like a kid to interact with Kid Touma. If that's not where the story is anymore, she can and should change to meet it. Which she can do, as the imaginary manifestation of a fairytale dimension.

Like, I'm not saying the show dotted i's and connected t's, but there's plenty of expository scaffolding to say why Luna could be an adult all of a sudden.

People don't like Reika? Scandalous! I won't hear of it!

KAMEN RIDER SABER EPISODE 45 - “THE TEN SWORDSMEN, WITH THE WORLD ON THE BRINK”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/saber/saber45a.png

Oh, sure, we can spend a few episodes on the collateral damage of personal growth and the redemptive renewal of friendships, but let’s not forget what pays the bills around these parts: a squadron of swordsmen attacking a villain’s towering fortress!

If last episode was The Calm Before The Storm, this episode is STORMS ARE AWESOME. Every single Kamen Rider gets a thrilling action sequence, and the entire cast fights from bell to bell. There’s a little bit of non-action in a riveting Storious subplot and a melancholy Mei subplot, but those only amount to the show catching its breath between bravura combat sequences.

It’s… it’s almost hard to talk about it, since its merits are all in the fighting? Every fight scene gets a button of character development to it – Kamijo (who has grown out his hair in the afterlife) and Hayato appear to give Sophia a hand, reuniting that group of friends; Ren uses Desast’s book to finish off a foe, giving Desast one last posthumous victory; the Shindai Siblings simultaneously call out their identical motivation; Daishinji probably dies – but the meat of this episode is the guild acting like a goddamn guild. This is the reason for their existence: to war against villains like Storious. This is them literally going to work for an entire episode.

Obviously, it wouldn’t have the same impact without being the culmination of so many character arcs (Ren speedrunning to the last boss and telling Kento not to hold him back!), but the success or failure of this episode was really down to how well the stunt team did. And, y’know, they did great! There’s a wonderful logic to every fight, where the teamwork of each set of heroes leverages the strategy of different styles, different elements. It’s got that movie climax thing of feeling like there’s thought given into how X and Y can stop Z, rather than just spamming attacks or wiping the floor because of some random power-up. The Slash/Kenzan fight is one of my all-time favorites, franchise-wide, and not even because I like those two guys. (They’re good characters, but they ain’t my faves.) It’s because it weds fantastic camerawork to inventive attacks, and it all feels in continuity with how those characters think and behave.

Killer action, grounded in character. I don’t think a Kamen Rider viewer could be disappointed by this one.

—

WATCH ME JUMPSTART

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/saber/saber45b.png

Zooous had been resurrected, and his heart flipped tentatively.

He knew he was only a ghost, and his thoughts flipped towards Storious’s fall from grace. Zooous was here to reach out to his friend, to remind him of the ways they’d flipped together at the start of this journey. Legeiel had flipped from the grave as well, which warmed Zooous’s heart. He almost flipped tears from eyes, but stopped himself.

They had a mission. They needed to flip Storious’s dark outlook.

It would be difficult, flippingly so. Storious had dedicated centuries to the pursuit of a flipped version of storytelling, and it would be hard work to flip him back to the man Zooous once called a friend.

Luckily, Zooous was ready to flip. Zooous was always ready to flip. This would be the flip that saved the world.

This episode is Cool Action Scene, after Cool Action Scene, with some fun stuff as you mentioned that Storious and Mei get.

It's also why, as taciturn and lifeless as they are, I enjoy the Four Sages purely because they're there literally to show how far everyone has come. They can't be brute forced so easily and they need to be taken down after harrowing fights.

The combo attack from Daishinji and Ren, to Ren pivoting into an Omnislash inspired Calamity Strike between both him and the last fleeting remnant of Desast. Probably one of my favorite Rider Finishers of all time.

We also get Sophia as Calibur and really... when it comes to who would take up the mantle, I'm glad it got to be her? She has a deep connection to both prior Caliburs, so her getting to wield Kurayami feels right. And I'm glad she did end up wielding Kurayami purely because there were a lot of people who would've been fine with Yuri dual wielding Saikou and Kurayami and to them I say... "You guys are boring".

It was that potentiality of Yuri dual wielding exactly why I was never fully comfortable with Kento sort of giving up Calibur even if his return to Espada was greatly appreciated (especially with the alternative who could've been Espada*). It was mostly because of Kento's actor's post that Androzani posted a while back that made me turn around on him being Calibur. The idea that Kurayami is very much his father's sword, and it being his sword in a way. The idea that Kento could push past the darkness of Calibur and turn it into something that isn't evil... I just really like the potential of that idea?

*The alternative for bringing back Espada but keeping Kento as Calibur was an... interesting idea the staff had. And that was basically a new character with no prior buildup. So while I do feel a bit sad that Kento doesn't own Kurayami anymore, I am glad that Espada isn't being ridden around by a newbie who likely would've bloated the cast just a bit too much.

Anyway, slight rant aside. Very solid beginning of the final battle episode, which sets up how things are likely to go for the remaining episodes we have.

As for the story... I am glad to see that Zooous' flips are as much a meme to everyone as they are to you. Splendid flipping good job here. Flipping in the best ways possible.


Desast Walk #18:

"See you"

https://twitter.com/saber_toei/statu...011769857?s=20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTh6E3fblw4

Calibur's this hilarious thing of... like, Calibur was just One Of The Gang for hundreds of years -- everyone's favorite Evil Dragon Swordsman with a Wonder Ride Book that shouts about Evil Reads and Getting Under Keen (?) -- and then the last three guys went and made it weird. It's really delightful that Calibur being some terrifying force of malevolent evil and inhumanity... like, that's recent, and he used to be a really cool guy! Hayato was the upbeat, goofy one!

It was nice to get one last moment to remember Zooous in flippier times.

I just want to point out the beginning of the episode where all 10 Riders were together was punctuated by the insert song "BOOK OF POWER" by WAЯROCK but for some reason it's the only instrumental?!?!?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w8tt6qTjfa4

It's a shame too cuz this is such an amazing song that was only half-used really.

And thus we get Desast’s actual final bow (as the actor was brought in to do a voiceover for Ren using the Calamity Strike), destroying Spartan by invoking exact words on “the Lords of Wise know all of the techniques usable with the Seiken and Wonder Ridebooks”. And also his book gets dusted, meaning Ren won’t be going the way of Eiji and Gou, and will be getting on with his life.

And speaking of Desast’s book, also thought this set came out earlier in the show’s run, it’s time to present the video now, as my final bow for this thread’s running feature.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=8P4ommwFXEM

Awaken, the Legend Megid with armour of stone!

Rampage… you who holds the three attribute powers!

“Calamity Strike!”

Awaken, the Story Megid grouped together!

Villain Rider! Villain Volume 1! The malicious book draws more power from the sword!

The power of fear is imbued in the sword! Villain Rider! Villain Volume 2! The malicious book gains further power to attack!

When the three books of malice are full, the sword of fear attacks! Villain Rider! Villain Volume 3! The horrifying sword imbued with malice is now here.

And our second big development, Sophia becomes Calibur. The actress semi-requested this, because she’d been watching the show with her son and he was slightly disappointed his mother was only on the sidelines. The producers agreed, but they had to remake the Calibur chest for the one female suit actor on set, since the original was designed for a much bulkier male suit actor.

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Luna's biology is a part of Wonder World itself, the same way Yuri's biology is a part of Saikou. However, nobody really has a fixed identity or biology, symbolic or otherwise. People are always changing and it's the purpose of stories to effect that change, but I prefer that to be depicted gradually (or through new DX merchandise for Riders), rather than instantly aging 15 years without explanation. Really feels to me like the staff were marking an item off a checklist.

Zooous Flips Forever!

I mean, someone had to be Calibur, that shot from the OP with big glowing purple guy heavily implied it was going to happen. I do like Sophia taking the extra step to support her Swordsmen by becoming one herself with the only vacant Seiken Sword they had. Aesthetically though, I think the evil dark suit clashes with her white civilian outfit, but that's just a minor issue. I definitely appreciate her getting the action focus she deserves and proving once more that she's a competent and brave character.

(I would've liked if it was Mei as well though....)

Huh, I don't recall that I heard that before. On one hand, it might've been a deterrent against scrapping Jaou Dragon. On the other, some new guy showing up out of nowhere to become the new Tertiary Rider would've undermined the dynamic that the core 3 Swordsmen have.

This is an episode of spectacular battles in a show that has already set the bar for spectacular battles very high. And even though a similar level-based tower assault was implemented not so long ago in Build, and has been used in tokusatsu since 97 (Kabutack's Christmas movie), Saber brought the scope and epicness to a completely different level. Yes, Ren and Daisinji's fight is especially standout due to the tricky shooting technique and Desasta's punch, but the rest of the action is up to par. And do not forget that the most important battles are yet to come.
The emotional moments of Mei, Luna and (suddenly!) Storius also only emphasize the importance of what is happening and remind you that not everything is decided by the sword. Although, of course, one cannot do without the final battle between good and evil.

Yuri, after all, said it seems in an episode of the clip show that Kurayami was originally created in order to seal Saikoy in case of emergency. By the way, I really liked this logic: in order to neutralize a powerful weapon that can be used for evil, we will create another, even more powerful and prone to evil. It seems to be nonsense, but very real. Perhaps, by the way, in the past, Caliburs played the role of the internal investigation department Sword of Logos and sealed the swords of unworthy swordsmen more than participated in battles to avoid the side effects of the sword of darkness. But something clearly went wrong with Hayate, I think, not without the help of Isaac.

While I would like to see Mei as a rider, Calibur is one of those cases where I am against it. Kuraiami doesn't suit her aesthetically or personality. At the very least, Sophia has a connection with Hayate and Kamize, but Mei would be much more suitable for Espada or Saber (given that Touma has a Xross Saber, Rekka could be shared).

I agree, Espada or Saber would be more fitting for sure.

Spoilers for ToDS

Each of the main trio get a second element for their final forms. Touma gets... uuuuh... creation, Rintaro gets ice, and Kento gets what I'm guessing is darkness. To me, the second element shouldn't count in determining an occupied slot. However, I decided to use Tategami to aid in the creation of an ice Seiken for Mei, the Hyogaken Shohyo (氷河剣霜氷).

Hi! Please don't post any spoilers for a thing I'm watching next week! Thanks!

It was solely to help make a point that the second element shouldn't count for whether an element is taken. I didn't know you were planning to watch it. Anyway, I decided to use Tategami to aid in the creation of an ice Seiken for Mei, the Hyogaken Sōhyō (氷河剣霜氷). The reading of the ending part is taken from 総評 (overall comment)
Books in order of obtainment

• Panther Denki
  - Kono yoru no ryoshu wa darenimo hantai sa rezu ni kurai tochi o ido shimasu.
  - Sohyo Battou! Panther Denki! Sohyo Issatsu! Yoru no seizon-sha to Hyogaken Shohyo ga majiwaru toki, asagi no tsurugi ga samuke o kaiho!
  - Sohyo Battou! Yami ga riku ni hirogaru to mangetsu ga yozora ni kagayakimasu! Midnight Panther! Sohyo Sansatsu! Asagi no tsurugi wa sekai o kora se, subete no teiko o kuzushimasu!
• Kabocha Pursuit
  - Toaru kishu wa kare no shi e no fukushū o motomete inaka o kakenukemasu.
  - Sohyo Battou! Kabocha Pursuit! Sohyo Issatsu! Obakeyashi to Hyogaken Shohyo ga majiwaru toki, asagi no tsurugi ga ihan-sha o jikko shimasu!
  - Sohyo Battou! Hijona Panther Pursuit! Sohyo Nisatsu! Hashiru! Kakureru! Fuyu no tsumetai yami ga asagi no kenshi ni tsudzuku yo ni narimashita!
• Chika no Troll
  - Katsute nikko o sakete yama ni sumu shinjuu ga imashita.
  - Sohyo Battou! Chika no Troll! Sohyo Issatsu! Ishi no kyojin to Hyogaken Shohyo ga majiwaru toki, asagi no tsurugi ga jishin o hassei sa seru!
  - Shohyo Battou! Kokuyoseki Panther Troll! Sohyo Nisatsu! Pansa wa kyojin to chimu o kumi, teki no unmei o tsudzurimasu!

Mei’s Rider name is Kamen Rider Ricasso, named for the unsharpened part of a sword’s blade, just above the handle.


The Megid trio also end up with newly-designed Rider forms and Seikens.
Legiel has the Seiken of glass, the Hariken Kaiha. (玻璃剣壊玻) Kaiha is also the reading of 会派 (faction). His books are (in order of obtainment again)

• Moonlit Vampire
  - Katsute ningen no inochi o ubatta awai otoko ni tsuite no kaidan ga arimashita.
  - Kaiha Battou! Moonlit Vampire! Kaiha Issatsu! Shingetsu to Hariken Kaiha ga majiwaru toki, shojohi no tsurugi ga kami sori ga surudoi!
  - Kaiha Battou! Mangetsu wa meikai o shihai suru kare no igen o akiraka! Imperial Vampire! Kaiha Sansatsu! Shojohi no tsurugi ga kami sori ga surudoku, subete no kaijin no chikara o seigyo shimasu!
• Saru no Noroashi
  - Toaru otoko ga kogakuna hiyo no kakaru negai o kanaeru teashi o tenitoru.
  - Kaiha Battou! Saru no Noroashi! Kaiha Issatsu! Jaakuna maho to Hariken Kaiha ga majiwaru toki, shojohi no tsurugi ga ugokanai koto o shomei shimasu!
  - Kaiha Battou! Fusei Vampire no Ashi! Kaiha Nisatsu! Chi wa jomyaku o nagare, unmei ga ugokanai koto o shomei shimasu!
• Full Moon Owl
  - Kono idaina ikimono wa, subete no hantai o koeru chie o motte imasu.
  - Kaiha Battou! Full Moon Owl! Kaiha Issatsu! Yako-sei no kenja to Hariken Kaiha ga majiwaru toki, shojohi no tsurugi ga shori senyaku o shigeki suru!
  - Kaiha Battou! Nisshoku Vampire Owl! Kaiha Nisatsu! Tsubasa no aru akuma no chikara ga kumiawasatte hikari no seirei o hakai shimasu!

Don’t worry, he’s making stuff up. None of this happens in Trio of Deep Sin. And frankly, I’m not sure how he came to the conclusion that it did.

*smirks* Nice save there, Androzani, but the second element part is semi-legit. Everything else is just my fan creation.

Group Henshin! Big fights! As Saber has proven evey now and then, heck, Reiwa for that matter, is all about making the flashiest and dynamic fights.

I remember there being sooo much hype around Sophia becoming Calibur, but I was more excited to just see everyone all together to fight. Well, everyone except Desast and Falchion (which I loved how Falchion returned and then Desast took his place, really enjoyed seeing him again along with Emotional Dragon Saber. Also, Bacht fixed his face too!), but we got everyone else fighting Storius.

Again, I'll probably talk more about Saber as a whole a little later, so we have the whole picture before I start running my mouth, since my mind is busy with other things over what happened in Saber, unfortunately.

Also, it's come to my attention there are Reika fans, not that I was knocking her down or anything, but she's still a bit of a sour grape in the group, but I don't think that's a bad thing. I don't dislike her, but I don't really like her too much either, or at least, not as much compared to the other characters (BUSTER!!! Buster fan quota fulfilled for not reading his Manga).

Fish Sandwich also watched Kamen Rider Saber Episode 45

I feel like I kind of have to restrain myself from writing too much here, because this is such a hype episode of Saber it'd be easy to get carried away and go on some huge disjointed rant like I did with Super Hero Senki where I say way too much and yet still only say like 1% of all the nice things I could say about this particular Saber thing. Which I guess is maybe the story of every post I've made in this thread, but...

It's just, this episode and the last one, it feels to me like Saber hitting another sort of level-up moment like it did around Primitive Dragon's debut? I'm not sure if other people see it that way too this time, but the execution of both that calm before the storm and the start of said storm feel like they're going above and beyond what the show even seemed capable of up until now, and those standards were already raised high up by this point.

For 45 in particular, I mean, it feels like an event, for sure. It's a fundamentally well-structured script brought magnificently to life by a director who always seems to forget his job is directing tokusatsu and not drawing anime storyboards -- which is a huge compliment, because I love that about Teruaki Sugihara's style, and this episode is peak Sugihara. (I skimmed through just enough of the episode to be reminded of that bit at the start where we transition to Blades off of a reflection on Espada's sword, which is *exactly* the kind of not-traditionally-live-action sort of thing I'm talking about.) Not to downplay how much I like Hasegawa's writing here, of course. On top of how nicely it puts all the characters in place for all the cool action, there's still plenty of great drama in there, and as you can tell from my old post, this is where Storious truly, fully clicked as me thanks to his chat with Luna here, but like I said, I should probably not try and get too deep into every last thing all at once! There's a lot to love about this episode!

Aw, that's cute. Everyone should get to be a superhero for their kids.

Yeah, I mean, it's a little diminished by happening entirely in the Toku Caves (ask about their group discounts!), but Saber's version is tightly constructed and kinetically designed. I liked it a lot!

Oh, for sure, Reika being intensely off-putting and weird is sort of the charm? Once you're outside the She's Up To EVIL... Or Is She? part of her arc, Reika's a blast. She's just some weird, awkward lady that's a dynamite team with her weird, awkward brother. They're like if Touma and Mei sucked, which is a fun addition to the group dynamic.

There really is! Like, Mei! I didn't talk about it, because it felt like a cliffhanger that was about to resolve, but I love that Mei's contribution to this epic battle relies on her skills as an editor. She read Touma's story, figured out something important, and rushed out to help. She never needed to be a Kamen Rider! She's already got powerful abilities that no one else on the team has!

Zooous and Legeiel makes another appearence here apparently as a spirit who tries to talk some sense to Storious. Storious is now revealed here that he's the one who already had ulterior motives even back in the past, compared to anyone else, though actually there's a trigger why he got that motivation, he's the "truth revealed" part of villain origin. While actually Zooous and Legeiel were established as good people before being corrupted and here they seemingly act that way towards him, but that is the reason why they're exposed as fakes here created by Luna. The fake isn't because they used to be good but because they aren't corrupted here? From what the audience talked, didn't expect here for Luna to try making a confrontation. Also it's something nice for Mei to be concerned of a random woman who she didn't know was Luna at the end.

Yeah, here Sophia fights as the next Calibur. A really contrasting one where she's a woman in white with , embodiment of lightness like Yuri, but she became a dark-themed Kamen Rider, though she's the only one who is always straight up good as Calibur unlike the previous users, but she's doing that only for brief time here - like usual that non-Reika type of female got to be KR for only one occassions (even major characters like Poppy or Tsukuyomi before). And regarding the spirit of previous villains turned allies, those are likely not metaphorically, but them actually being there and assisting the swords(wo)men, also including Desast helping Ren here. The Shindai siblings are better off isolated like that, to only work with each other as they only value each other (though Ryoga may be making more effort for others), while others (even Ren) actually take not of each other's condition like Buster holding off by himself or Rintaro arriving to Touma's place.

This part shows Ren's change to become a better person by actually being concerned about another guild member not named Kento, Daishinji here. M̶a̶n̶,̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶"̶S̶h̶i̶n̶j̶i̶"̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶n̶a̶m̶e̶ ̶s̶e̶e̶m̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶b̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶p̶a̶i̶r̶e̶d̶ ̶u̶p̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶"̶R̶e̶n̶ ̶A̶.̶"̶. The SoL doesn't seem to hold grudges to the ones who strayed from them, except Shindai siblings, so here it's Ren opening up to others, though he still tells off Kento to not hold him back (wonder if that's just banter as it's Kento we're talking about).

Unfortunately, Ryoga is the similar kind of aloof jerk who only cares about fanatically following SoL's missions (still sort of for now too), other people being victimized by his sister is none of his concerns. Medias often deliberately not call out these kind of actions so that they can keep continue doing that as a source of comedy for audience (and not losing profits for the producers) - also bringing this up can get that person accused as having "no sense of humor". I thought other source of comedy is selective too like the goofy ones can come off as cringe instead of funny (the Sophia one isn't comedy though). Many of the audiences measure character sympathy by how entertaining or interesting they're, those who deserve to suffer are those who fail to entertain them or being too lame (being a loser, though there's a limit or that they can be liked due to their misfortunes).

She's not a normal human anyway, as she suspected herself. I'd rather that a non-human species to not be complained off regarding how normal humans work, but for someone like her, should be viewed similarly to, outright Kamen Riders or Megid themselves, in "logic".

Oh, I think it's just banter. It's Ren lightening the mood a bit, so that Kento can stop worrying about him and concentrate on the fight.

Narratively speaking, that exchange is also there specifically to illustrate Ren's growth as succinctly as possible, since he's speaking to his beloved Kento-kun like a person now, and not revering him as some idealized figure. There's really not a wasted moment in this episode. Did I mention I love how they're so dedicated to giving everyone a role to play that even the dead guys all get to show up? This show, man.

KAMEN RIDER SABER EPISODE 46 - “FAREWELL, MY DEAR HERO”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/saber/saber46a.png

Writing these posts and threads the last few years has been incredibly strange.

It wasn’t ever supposed to be a thing. I didn’t write a lot, generally, or participate in fandoms. I’d lurk, but I didn’t really post or discuss. Ghost was giving me trouble, and – I don’t even remember why – I decided to post a thread about it here. And then I never stopped. Three years and six months later, I’m still at it.

I write these things for me, is what I always told myself. I’d write them just to get these ideas out of my head. I don’t know how true that is, really. I like the discussion, probably more than any sense of pride or achievement in an episode post. I like being in a space where stories are being celebrated, and feeling like I had some small part in shaping that experience. It’s never about definitive statements and unimpeachable arguments, but about sharing perspectives. Getting to see the different ways these shows affect people has been a daily delight, and one I’m careful to never take for granted. I like being around you all, when I'm writing this stuff.

It’s important, in any writing, to consider the audience.

Not… not in a sense of catering, or indulging, but in an awareness of the collaborative nature of storytelling. There’s what someone writes, and then there’s what the reader does with that writing. A story told to no one is just an idea; it becomes real only when it's shared. But the audience gets to decide what that story means just as much as – maybe more than – the writer. Stories get to change and grow with the size of the audience, or with time. You write something, and if you’re very lucky, someone else will read it. When that happens, your writing exists on its own, independent of anything else. It’s the best gift a writer can receive.

Touma and Storious are both writers. They’ve got similar origins – talented writer gets touched by the cosmic and gains power. They’ve got similar catchphrases, which I think is perfect. They both talk about deciding how stories end, but they’re saying opposite things. Because only Touma cares about the audience.

Storious wanted fame, notoriety, acclaim. When he found out that he couldn’t call himself the genius behind his poetry, he turned his back on the idea of human curiosity and endeavor. All creation was pointless because no one could receive credit for it. He wants to decide how the story ends because it represents regained control, and the chance to create something all his own. He’s an author who only writes for applause, and despises a world where he can't claim greatness.

Touma only writes for his audience, to make people happy, to share a piece of himself with the world. He doesn’t care about accolades; he cares how his stories make readers think about each other, or understand themselves. His writing is a bridge between people, and he couldn’t care less if the materials of that bridge come from some magic book. The point is only ever the reaction from the readers, and the chance to see what they do with the story. He wants to decide how the story ends because everyone should get a say in storytelling, and no one should get to decide that for others.

It’s a lovely way of weaving this franchise’s empathy into this show’s exploration of fiction. The brilliance of fiction, of any writing, is in how each reader gets to decide what to take away from it. Storious calling Touma “my hero” is insulting to Touma, because it diminishes him to a character in Storious’s narrative; it robs him of agency and perspective. The point of storytelling is to allow for endless possibilities and interpretations, not to flatten everything into your conception of the world. It doesn’t matter where a story began, because every time it’s told to someone, it changes. Where ideas come from is pointless to consider; what an idea means to you as a person is much more compelling to talk about.

I like this show taking a beat before the end to really delve into the concept of storytelling, and how different storytellers feel about it. Just a refreshing, unique bit of business, right up until Touma gets kicked into a pit and falls into the void, never to return.

See you Wednesday!

—

ALL I ASK OF MYSELF IS THAT I HOLD TOGETHER

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/saber/saber46b.png

If there was one thing Mei could do to help Touma – aside from why she left the bookstore – it was yell at people.

She’d always had a knack for motivating people. It’s what had gotten her the job as editor, and it’s what had made her an integral part of the Sword of Logos. She’d yelled at monsters, at evil Kamen Riders, at sulking swordsmen, and at sentient fictions. She’d cajoled, coerced, commiserated, confronted, and consoled. She’d found a way to get nearly a dozen super-powered strangers across the finish line, and she was certain she had more left in the tank.

She wasn’t entirely sure how to motivate a magical girl from a fairytale world, though.

For all their similarities in age now, Mei couldn’t say she related to Luna. Luna was the manifestation of imagination and embodiment of a dimension ruled by storytelling, and Mei was a couple purchases away from a free boba tea at her favorite cafe. (Next week she’d get it, assuming the world didn’t end first.) They weren’t really alike at all, except for knowing Touma.

Touma. Right. Of course.

As Mei looked down at the fading girl, she knew what Luna was thinking about. She felt weak, and unable to do more than fade away while Touma battled and lost. She didn’t have the strength to help, and so she wanted to spare him the sight of her death. She pitied herself, and cursed a world that would let things end this way.

Mei had been there before. But she knew that this was only the end if Luna stopped believing in Touma, and stopped believing in herself. The trick to winning in this world of diabolical masterminds and apocalyptic clouds was to get up, and push forward. Defeat was a certainty if you stopped fighting. If you kept fighting, anything could still happen. She’d seen miracles, after all.

Luna’s miracle was that she needed to get yelled at, and Mei had found her just in time.

This is such a good middle chapter of our final battle, everything is going to hell further, our heroes are slowly pushing their way through the Four Sages, everyone is just pushing themselves as hard as they can even if they've fallen down before.

And we get one of my favorite conversations in the series and the reason I believe Saber does its best when it puts the ideas of storytelling at the forefront. It very much was why I loved Primitive Dragon's ending, and them sort of cycling around and interweaving the concept of storytelling at the end here as much as they could... it really helps this final arc resonate as one of my favorites in Kamen Rider.

Touma and Storious' conversation before their big fight where Touma calls on everyone's Seiken in different ways... it's one of my standout interactions of the series. I know I talked about how I sort of commended Storious when he started up in Episode 41 as the final villain, but even I wasn't that convinced about him... until Episodes 45 and 46.

Of course we still get our cool moments, what with Daishinji and Ogami pulling a Piccolo and Goku on their opponent, Reika desperately using her brother's broken blade alongside her own sword to skewer their opponent as much as she could to kill him. While I don't think both are spectacular as Ren's finisher in the prior episode, they still hold a tremendous weight to them.

Though one of my favorite aspects is what Mei's doing. She reads what Touma left her and while making one small but important detour, does what she does best. She goes to her office and gets to work on something, making use of all of her strengths just as everyone else is doing themselves.

But yeah, certainly a cliffhanger to leave off on until Wednesday, huh?

Speaking of Mei though earlier, the story this time was rather nice. Glad to see Mei's point of view come in again in which she tries to figure out how exactly to motivate Luna, because Luna is also just as important to this fight as she is.

I always wondered why Mei wasn’t disappearing as well, considering that she got turned into a Megid once.