Though this type of discussion isn't favorable, this is secretly a mistake for a Decade being a tribute to past serieses, Faiz Axel was something that goes on a speed of sound, while Clock Up is something on speed of light (though Diend didn't use Psyga for super speed, where in the movie he can outrun Faiz Axel). While using 'comparable' arsenal that you currently have to counter identical opponent is a good idea at paper (of which I'd admit this too, the "adjust their game plans"), consistency should be taken into account too. For Kuuga Pegasus against invisible enemy, that'd remind me of Tendou's very first Kabuto fight where he reflects laser beams everywhere to catch a speedy enemy, but at first I thought it wasn't that flashy, but this talk reaffirms the scene's meaning of it having heightened senses, thanks. Psyga and Ixa here actually talks.. now I wonder what's going on in the Riders Diend summoned, especially for the destroyed Riotroopers.

Don't know if this is a typo or intentional. Either way new nickname for Tsukasa other than Dickeido.

So there's 2 contrasting complaints here about Kabuto tribute being 'unimaginative' to feature mostly similar beats from a part in Kabuto (Tendou/Hiyori), but it's not actually faithful to the series due to a different message conveyed here. If Tsukasa's a stand-in for Tendou, yeah he could've been used to enforce the message of not measuring yourself to others, which is obviously using Tsukasa as the unbeatable benchmark, as Tsukasa too is a hypercompetent braggart, except at photography. Probably making him a recipe where Mayu and her grandmother tries it and that they find it too delicious and cannot replicate it. But still Mayu is a contrast to Hiyori too, as while Hiyori is closed-off and gloomy, Mayu is a livelier character, being ecstatic to have herself got photographed, or checking out the results. Though probably including obaa-chan isn't the best idea, admittedly I'd like for them to try involving her onscreen (Kabuto's grandmother stuff seems to possess cold detached traits too, where Tendou does have some speeches that degrade friendship or about social darwinism). The part also sort of had (Toshiki) Inoue's typical message of "you are you" delivered by Souji to Mayu. For Natsumi... she did kinda expose the fake Tsukasa who's a Worm in disguise using her tickling.

Well true for confidence Tsukasa more easily loses his cool compared to Tendou, but Tsukasa is highly arrogant like Tendou. There's also both of them being aggressive to cops to save the day (in ep. 4 of Kabuto and ep. 3 of Decade), breaking several laws. The Twokasas stuff is great yeah, but that's what can happen with the Worms having imitation powers, despite Worms getting criticism due to their lack of information of who they are. Like you said below, you'd want for the Worms to copy more of the original casts? Yeah that'd have potential to be used for many genres other than comedy too. The Den-O one... I'd wish for the gag to have Decade winning in a weird way... the villains not beating the shit out of Decade, but have them got distracted so they're easy target for other Riders... or actually for Tsukasa to think fast and take advantage of this, attack as those speedy fighters are standing still.

Nah, there weren't Godai, Ichijou, etc. in Kuuga arc, there weren't Megumi, Nago, etc. in Kiva arc, there weren't Kido, Akiyama, Kitaoka, etc. in Ryuki arc, there weren't Kenzaki, Tachibana, Hajime, etc. in Blade arc, there weren't Takumi, Mari, Kitazaki, etc. in Faiz arc, there were only Shouichi/Ryo/Hikawa chimera, etc. in Agito. Only Den-O had returning cast! So no original cast for Kabuto either!! For Worm Souji... there were no Dark Kabuto either.

Tsukasa and Kaito is easily one of the most fun relationships in the entirety of Kamen Rider for sure

I definitely have thoughts about this, but I'll save them for another Kamen Rider Die Watches thread.

I too have thoughts about Tsukasa and Kaitou that are perhaps best saved for another time.

These episodes about Kabuto are pretty good, though? Going back to them, the thought of "they forgot to put a spin on this" was definitely nagging at me the whole time, but, as far as Digest Kabuto goes, I think it's a very solid story. I've always really loved the high concept of AR Kabuto as this tragic hero, forever separated from the world he protects, and while Tsukasa has to pick up the slack on the attitude and the entering-rooms-while-bathed-in-heavenly-light, these episodes do show a strong grasp on Souji as an impossibly stalwart guy who does it all simply to protect his family. (They even included everyone's distrust of Kabuto!)

It's not exactly a holistic look at Kabuto the series, sure, but that's always been the struggle with these Decade two-parters. They picked their thing for this one, and give-or-take a messy food metaphor, I think they did an alright job of it. It was especially smart of them to make Hiyori and Juka into one composite character, because I might not be this nice if there was some lame Discount Hiyori I had to deal with for two episodes! As Tendou once said, those who know the real thing won't be fooled by an imitation. :p

Although, on that note, I also feel like Tendou would not be very forgiving of messing up a food metaphor, so... Hm... Definitely not Decade's best work ever! (I was also starting to notice the way Newsuke and Natsumi continue to be bit parts in their own show, for sure.) The parts of it that do work are ones I think work really well, though, which naturally includes the action.

(It was also cute of the show to have Chou Den-O playing on a TV in the first part.)

A few of Diend's other summoned Riders have had dialogue, I think. Kaixa and the Hoppers, right? So there's a real question mark as to what it means for these Riders to be defeated/destroyed.

Only a typo! That said, if you think it works, keep it!

It's two different things being discussed, though. There's the structure, and then there's the theme. The structure (or aesthetics or world or whatever) is too identical, so it doesn't have the spark necessary to feel like a story worth telling. But the theme is too different (to me), where it's not talking about the topics that Kabuto spent a year talking about.

This is a series that's alway better off changing the exterior, but honoring the interior. If they'd crafted a story that honored what I loved from Kabuto, but changed around all of the players from it, I'd've been thrilled.

This was a part that... I feel like I latched onto Mayu being Hiyori, and that's maybe not the dominant aspect of her personality? There's the Worm identity, and her grudge against Kabuto, and her working in a cafe, but pretty much everything else is Juka. Mayu is upbeat, and outgoing, and excited to interact with people. Those aren't even briefly Hiyori things! Juka's the one who can't stop gushing about her cool brother and the cool things he does and gosh did she mention he was cool, while Hiyori's highest praise is not ignoring someone.

I don't really know where I'm going with all of this. Just something that sprang to mind.

Those guys didn't have anything to do with Diend though. It was Narutaki who summoned them.

Good point! I forgot about that.

The way I always saw Diend's summons is like... well, Decade's cards give him the suit, right? So it's the same thing here -- it summons the suits and the Diendriver is powered in a different way that lets them be autonomous drones. Though obviously Ixa and Psyga here have a lot more of their personality, and we'll see a waaaay less ignorable example towards the end... so I dunno! It's weird! One of those Tokusatsu things where you just gotta stop thinking about it and enjoy the fact we've got the Paradise Lost dude here yelling at the top of his lungs.

Yeah, I can't say I ever gave it much thought. It's a Kamen Rider that got fired out of a gun by another Kamen Rider to fight a different Kamen Rider. The existential questions of that gun-fired Kamen Rider's soul... I mean, Diend would have to be a lot more nuanced of a character (and a lot more integral to the story) for me to get tripped up by his magic powers.