Thanks. I'm trying to figure out the significance of Blade Jack Form though. :lol

14th season of kamen rider.

A surprise early elimination for Keiwa and some really nice characterization this episode! I keep thinking about this show's character drama in relation to its predecessor, Revice. Revice had a tendency to put its emotional weight in the wrong places (at least for me), but this show is REALLY good at doing it right. Keiwa's hypocrisy being called out by the other Riders is spot on, but the show still allowed him to have a properly heroic showing by being willing to lay his life on the line to get what he wants. Michinaga is petty and fights Geats just so he doesn't win. Neon shows hints of jealously towards Keiwa's loving family dynamic. It all feels so right! I also have to say, one thing I really like about this show is how it tries to clearly establish its mechanics. A lot of Takahashi's shows can be a bit impenetrable, so details like the rules at the end of each episode really help clarify things.


Still don't know about the Ninja Buckle just flying off because Keiwa has a super awesome ninja spirit, but whatever... I think I'd have preferred it if what happened was Geats couldn't use his Ninja Buckle because he was being penalized for fighting Buffa earlier, so he had to pin his hopes on Keiwa instead.

Surprised to see the early elimination for Keiwa! I don't expect it to be permanent, but now I'm wondering what things will be like for the period of time that he's gone, given that he's pretty much been the main protagonist of the show so far, even more so than Geats himself.

EDIT: Or alternately, perhaps his retirement will be permanent and we'll see a new protagonist take center spotlight after this iteration of the DGP wraps up? Maybe even a new Tycoon, so as to maintain the tanuki-kitsune contrast that Keiwa's Rider identity had with Geats.

It may be less annoying, but admitting it shouldn't be considered as something inherently giving the moral high ground. One shouldn't hide their colors behind veneer of righteousness, but one also shouldn't wear their sins like a badge of honor. Acknowledging a fault yet continuing to do so implies choosing not to improve himself and also can come off as a hypocrite (though tbf KR often show these type of characters improving, still not 100% guaranteed).

Otherwise, dunno if I'd be wrong for this, but yeah, I'd think selfish is a derogatory term, not merely about looking out for themselves, but when they're shown lacking consideration for others. So I'd personally use selfish in situations like when someone has no qualms doing horrible things to other people in favor of personal wants, because it's clearly shown they'd greatly favor themselves when the situations overlap with others, also not something like only giving yourself an advantage while others are still in fine situation. What'd be the term for merely taking care of themselves... self-preservation?

Technically, laying one's life to get what they want already applies to other contestants, even the selfish ones like Morio (who stated he'd lay his life to get for example loads of money). What'd make Keiwa heroic there is his focus to save the captured people as well as him being the 'bait' for the other Riders, which they likely presume they're acting as the bait for Keiwa in the teamup previously.

Tanuki/kitsune isn't only about Rider motif/name, it's also the personality of the Riders using it. Ace is a sly manipulator befitting kitsune, while Keiwa is simple-minded befitting tanuki. To keep the tanuki motif, the new one would still be simple minded... why create a Keiwa with different name?

The way you phrased this made something finally click for me. I'd focused so much on the "Squid Game for kids" element of the show that it hadn't occurred to me that the show is also leaning hard on elimination-based reality show tropes.

Just a couple of episodes ago, we saw the players faced with a team challenge intended to cause interpersonal conflict; that's definitely a reality-TV clich?. Michinaga is the contestant that gets cast as the villain, which is why he's such a heel rather than feeling like the secondary Rider he appeared to be in the first official poster for the show. (Sadly, this also means we may never be rid of him.) Keiwa being eliminated - in the same episode that "just happens" to demonstrate that someone who's lost their memories after being wiped by the DGP people can regain them - falls squarely into the "shocking early elimination of an audience favorite" trope, which I've often seen followed by "shocking return to the competition of an eliminated audience favorite or villain" trope. (Thanks, Drag Race...!)

I fully expect Keiwa to be absent from the competition - but possibly not the show - for at least two episodes, but I'll be surprised if he doesn't return as Kamen Rider Tycoon. This episode also left me wondering if his sister will get roped into the competition. (Well, assuming that the DGP continues as a framing mechanism.)

I'm loving this show so far, I feel probably due to the absence of an obvious formula, which feels very much like the show Kamen Rider Gaim turned into after the first quarter or so. It's got an "anything can happen" vibe. I hope it can keep it up.

Well, I'm sure the writers can create completely different characters if they want to with the same initial data. Suffice it to recall that in Kiva, Yuri and Megumi are both tough but vulnerable monster huntresses, avenging their mother and giving in to IXA to their love interest. But with the same description of the characters, when watching the show, they are perceived as completely different. I think the same can be done here as well.
As an example, the new rider Ranuki (quite a logical name after Tacoon, isn't it?) can be just as naive, but instead of confronting Ace (ideological, because Michinaga is responsible for the physical), admire him and try to imitate him. This will create a completely new and different dynamic. By the way, what do the three bears have in common, besides a quick departure? Maybe a clue can be found in their example.
But in fact, I would be very surprised if Keiwa was removed forever or even for a long time. If only because the show left a plot hook in the form of the cause of death (or rather not resurrection) of his parents. This will most certainly be revisited, so either Keiwa will be reinstated for the next DGP; or Sarah will be made a rider instead.
As a completely crazy option: Boost and Ninja buckles will fly to the civilian Keiwa, restore his memory and return him to the game.

As for me, the only option why he can disappear for a long time is the actor's employment in other projects. It's time to remember Drake from Kabuto, who for this reason was absent for most of the show. And, given the specifics of Kabuto, then it even benefited the character.

Agreed. I feel like Takahashi's previous works sometimes play loose with the internal logic whenever it's convenient for the narrative, so having the DGP's rules laid out plainly for us imposes an expectation of better consistency, with contradictions like the Sakurais' disappearance being pointed out by the characters, which provides an intriguing mystery for both them and us to speculate about.

Keiwa's function as a viewer perspective was necessary to introduce us to Ace and the DGP. That function has been fulfilled, so whether he returns or not, I fully expect the show to start focusing on Ace more as the true protagonist.

We discussed this before, that selfish is often used in derogatory context, but that doesn't make it an inherently negative adjective. Literally anything that directly benefits the self is a selfish action, but only actions that neglect or damage others' welfare are typically called out as selfish, in contrast to alternative selfless actions. Neglecting or damaging your own welfare would be selfless, but that doesn't make it good either. Like in Kamen Rider Ghost, how Takeru considered letting Makoto sacrifice him to revive Kanon, without considering his friends' feelings. This would be an example of negative selflessness.

Too bad the same can't be said about Hiyori. Her absence left a big hole during the 30s episode range.

It's true. On the other hand, I somehow feel like she was assigned a role similar to Yui Kanzaki anyway.