As okay as I am with Karizaki's dad potentially being a larger player in this story about families, I laughed pretty hard at Weekend's whole Let's Finally Level With Sakura thing of introducing their masked and vocally-altered leader. That is, hilariously, the most transparency any group has offered thus far in Revice, and I salute them for it.

The preview did quite a good job to deceive that Vice is a traitor to Ikki as he's the one to gain control of the body now, and I did thought that Ikki and Vice's relationship would regress back due to Vice's behavior here (or his evil laugh at his body control previously), but cruel to be kind thing aside, this does actually show how Ikki and Vice has become much closer than the beginning. Ikki deals with Vice's hijinks more patiently compared to the beginning where Ikki would lash out at practically everything Vice does, despite that Vice caused Ikki disadvantage by spending Ikki's money for Vice's own behalf, learning it from watching Doraemon as per his voice actor (or probably it could be an idea for both of them to enjoy their time together later, releasing Vice to play arcade games together). He's also relatively patient when he calls out Vice for meddling in his affairs... hypocritically as Sakura and Daiji pointed out. Probably that should be a lesson for Ikki to not be a busybody... as in him receiving that himself (and hypocritically calls Vice out). And as the twist of the preview, Vice does care for Ikki that he'd want to return Ikki back (and likely it did as shown in the preview), giving up his freedom. Vice also likely has shown to be better demon as well that he didn't eat humans while being in control of his body, though Vice is still attention seeking with the new promotion in #IkkiInMyEar and #NiceVice. Still other than the cruel to be kind approach causing problems, it's not necessary either for Vice to waste Ikki's money either to keep him away from George.

Aside from that, does this episode show that Sakura is less pretentious (not completely as what she did to Genta) as in agreeing and supporting pragmatic methods. Previously she's onboard with people like Seiko robbing banks to cure her child. But now she tells Mayu to stop her schemes, and also sympathizing with her after Shark and Elephant Deadmen's defeat. That's actually the most diplomatic approach someone can do to people like that, and is actually similar to the approach most main Riders will do. And on her behalf, a new Evil (the Rider name too, y'know) vs evil scenario had happened in form of Kagerou fighting Olteca (as usual, Kagerou will appear when Daiji as Live is beaten), and the reason is both funny and in-line with his character, to save the person that can make him his favorite food, the ultra spicy curry. Demons vs Evil rematch in the opposite scenario to Hiromi's debut, Demons as the powerhouse here and Evil has to stop Demons while defending the Igarashis. Kagerou seems to be... better than both sibilings to be able to drive away Olteca despite being overwhelmed too. Still doesn't mean that Kagerou has become good or something, it's a specific person that pleases Kagerou that he saved.

You said before that how Tatsuhiko communicated about Hiromi's problem was sort of bad actually, but I'd want for that to be acknowledged on people like Aguilera as well (who is, an actual villain, even with minor soft spot). This episode has something that I'm really opposed against. After Tatsuhiko (to Hiromi) before, now it's expanded to Vice (to Ikki), Aguilera (to Tamaki), and the MOTW stuff that is also related to this, Mayu (to Kuuki Kaidan, already expected to be her for the one behind the Deadmans) for doing the cruel to be kind thing, and they're quite glorified in their approach in this episode, other than Sakura being exasperated why everyone hides their feelings so much. And it's shown that sooner or later they'd reveal their actual intentions anyway when they're actually confronted.... it just shows that this cruel to be kind thing would just add up unnecessary fake drama and conflict (and it did happen to Tatsuhiko and Hiromi before too), or outright villainy in Mayu's part, and actually the best way of showing care to others is being plain straightforward. Those 3 people are expected to pull a cruel to be kind approach yeah, but to glorify those (except Mayu, still taken to Fenix rehab).... yeesh... what's next? Tamaki's (and Yosuke's) bullies are excused as only trying to "toughen him up"?

Other than her reason of behaving that way to Tamaki, Aguilera now also seems to have trust in Sakura as well to rely on her for taking care of Tamaki like she did to Lovekov (without someone to protect her, she acts as a weakness to interfere in the fight while can't do anything...), and not finishing her off (and it's also in-line with her characterization to be really bossy and hates being ordered), while she goes to achieve her own goals. Still Aguilera only benefitted 2 people so far, Tamaki and Sakura, and her schemes to bring forth Giff can doom others while also working with Olteca (acting bossy as usual), she picked favorites (dunno if she'd sacrifice Sakura for Giff like before) to be spared and it's only 2 so far. Though her behavior is useful in this episode to advance the plot towards solving the Kukki Kaidan incident, with Daiji figuring out that Vice is also pretending to be an ass to defend Ikki while Ikki figures it out too from both to discover the perpetrator behind Shark and Elephant Deadmen, as usual with his deductive skills.

So Weekend's a bigger organization than I expected, the apparent head of it is Prof. Karizaki, George's father who wasn't actually dead (or it's male Shroud). Now this actually does make me suspicious of Weekend, as Prof. Karizaki was an extremist that launched the idea of separating demons from humans (and turned them nuisance/threats like Vice at first or Kagerou). Unless Prof. Karizaki has changed his ways now, but dunno. George too has learned Weekend by spying on Hikaru (who now Genta asked instead of Sakura, and likely Hikaru wasn't kidding of it being nothing between them if he only wanted to get Sakura to join Weekend and... meaning their friendship would be fake), and previously before that, George orders Fenix soldiers to capture Vice and experiment on him. Now I guess it's the first time that the Fenix soldiers are used for morally questionable deeds by the authority of the higher ups. I thought before the bad thing regarding Fenix is the higher ups and that other members are actually usually good (including rehabilitating Mayu at the end).

You weren't suspicious of them before, with their hidden base at the end of spooky stairs, or their weird cult robes, or their whole vibe? You are a very trusting Revice watcher!

I should watch revice, I've been not watching much kr lately.

Weekend is a) really good at coming across as sinister no matter what their current intentions and b) a motherfuckin' Starboy.

It's reasonably fun!

Do you know how often I have to stop myself from typing The Weeknd when I'm talking about this show?

Seems like it's got a lot of heart. Might motivate me to finish more sodos.

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 24 - “DOCTOR KARIZAKI RETURNS! OPERATION INVERSION!”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice24a.png

Sort of a boring episode, despite an emotional and warm Ikki/Vice main plot. As always, the character-based elements shine, but there’s just too much weird Series Arc stuff to address in this episode, and it distracts from a core premise that’s decently enjoyable.

It’s a conclusion, of sorts, to the dilemma of Ikki and Vice switching places. The fun twist is that George has figured out how to easily and quickly reverse the process… but Vice doesn’t trust George enough to try it. I like that we’re not in a story where the solution is inherently dangerous, or difficult, or mysterious. It’s just that the solution is coming from George, and absolutely no one should trust George right now. George was responsible for Hiromi’s deteriorating condition! George jumped at the chance to do some mad science on the Demons Driver for Olteca’s possible benefit! George is probably slightly more clued-in than the rest of the cast about what Akaishi’s up to! George is a morally bankrupt mad scientist – no one should trust him!

But Ikki does (for, uh, reasons; it’s never really stated or implied why Ikki trusts George, beyond there not really being any other options), and Vice trusts Ikki, so we get Ikki back. It’s a cute story about how much trust Ikki and Vice have in each other now, but it never really rises above the level of Cute. There’s nothing here we didn’t already know, and no new shades to the Ikki/Vice partnership. It’s sweet, and well-acted, but still fairly minor in its scope and accomplishment.

Meanwhile, there’re what seemed like six million scenes of the overlapping Olteca/Giff/Fenix/Daiji/Weekend struggle to address, and they all felt like they were in a completely different, less compelling version of this show.

It’s too much, too many moving pieces. If we only had to deal with two of those, I’d pick Daiji’s single scene of pushing back Kagerou, and maybe Olteca scheming to upgrade the Demons Driver. But we get those AND multiple scenes with Weekend AND a couple sequences about Giff (including more hints about Dad Igarishi’s connection) AND a bit with Aguilera that goes absolutely nowhere… it’s too much for two episodes, let alone this single installment. As a result, nothing feels like it moves ahead (the Demons Driver just Nopes out at the end!) and the main plot feels like it gets 75% of the space it actually needed to be great. It’s a messy episode, and an unfulfilling one as well.

Wish this one landed better for me! I think most of the elements of this episode had promise, but the show needs to pare them down to just two or three at a time. At least this episode had a bunch of cute Lovekov stuff, though?

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../revice24b.png

Yeah, there’s like too major things I remember from this. The first being Vice and Ikki finally getting in on that Imagin action (though given that all of Vice’s dialogue is unscripted, many noted that it doesn’t work quite as well dubbing wise, since it’s clear Ikki’s actor has no idea what he’s going to say next). But once again, there seems to be one instalment missing from this trilogy.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...CEC4EAA6D.jpeg

And after weeks of being referred to as Mr. Demons, or Crime Steinbelt, we learn that the creepy voice in the Demons Driver is named Vail, as he returns to a Demons Driver retool. More on that next time.

Ikki: It’s Ikki and…

(Shifts into Vice-possessed Ikki, hereafter referred to as “V-Ikki”)

V-Ikki: Vice’s Stamp Navi. Doesn’t work as well if we can’t both say it.

(Shifts back into Ikki)

Ikki: Well, never mind that now. Until we can fix that, today’s Vistamp is… this one!

Condor!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=kxWAMIG2mag

Spread your wings! Dancing! Colouring! Condor! Let’s finish this, bird wild style!

https://www.kamen-rider-official.com...8/rider1_image

https://www.kamen-rider-official.com...8/rider2_image

Ikki: Condor Genome is created primarily for aerial combat. It also possesses keen vision to sight enemies and strong hands that serve as a trump card.

(Vice takes over)

V-Ikki: Hey, why is this just Eagle Genome with none of the green? It’s just a load of unbroken purple and pink.

George: That’s simple, this doubles up the left half of Eagle in deference to this guy doubling up the left half of W.

Lockseed: Joker!

Shotaro: Henshin!

Joker!

George: When the evil terrorist group Never attacked Futo and disabled all its Gaia Memories, Shotaro Hidari took the brand new T2 Joker Memory to fight alone with a power inherited from his mentor, Kamen Rider Skull.

Shotaro: Let’s finish this, hard-boiled style!

V-Ikki: So, Skull was kinda like Shotaro-sempai’s father figure, right?

George: He’d have to have been better than my Daddy. Lying to me about being dead.

(Ikki regains control)

Ikki: Well, I know my dad is a dependable man. Nothing shady about him.

(Ominous laughter can be heard from offscreen)

Vail: (OS) Don’t be so sure, boy.

(Everyone looks scared)

George: What? Is that… the Demons Driver?

Ikki: It sounds familiar… but I don’t know why.

Vail: (OS) Oh, you’ll find out soon enough. And believe me, it won’t be pretty for anyone involved.

Huh! I don't remember the Demons Driver getting a name in this one? Must've missed it! Thanks for the info, and for the fun skit!