Originally Posted by Switchblade (Post 770703)

They're good, but they aren't the takoyaki episodes.

Originally Posted by Switchblade (Post 770703)

So Blade doesn't have nearly as many high profile past and future tokusatsu actor guest stars compared to Faiz.

Originally Posted by Switchblade (Post 770703)

Second, I'd argue that these aren't even his best Blade episodes. They're good, but they aren't the takoyaki episodes.

Originally Posted by LeviathanBlossom (Post 770716)

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

Anticipation of the takoyaki episodes aside, I do think Inoue really brought his A game here. Leangle's introductory arc is the first part of Blade that I really, really love.

Edit: wait wait wait wasn't it taiyaki?

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich (Post 770710)

This scene has one of the best uses of an insert theme in Kamen Rider ever, by the way. Tachibana fighting his way through a bunch of Undead to grab the belt and then leaping clean over Mukki to transform is already as hype as it gets, but I mentioned earlier how precisely Kakusei's lyrics fit the show, and nowhere is that more true then here, where the first line of the chorus about diving into the storm without wavering kicks in literally exactly as Tachibana turns into Garren, literally diving into the fight against Kiryuu. It's absolutely amazing, much like the rest of this episode.

It's kind of interesting to me that Leangle's introductory arc is both written by someone different than usual, and also more about Garren, but I think it turned out to be a highlight of the show. These episodes are really good, and they do a great job in particular of taking the things that were lightly implied about Tachibana's character and bringing them to the forefront, pretty effortlessly using his past to give him direction for the future.

The thing I love most about Tachibana as a character is actually the exact same thing I love most about Kenzaki. He kinda sucks. He wasn't even the first pick to be Garren. He's not some kind of warrior by nature. He's just some random egghead from BOARD who is at least pretty smart... which mostly gets in his way, because it means he has a tendency to overthink things, and is also racked with self-doubt.

The difference between the two of them, and why I think Tachibana is kind of an inspiring character despite all the gags, is that Kenzaki at least has a super strong instinct to protect people keeping him on track, and a sort of chosen one style inherent compatibility with the Rider System. Tachibana makes a ton of dumb mistakes, and we actually see him work to get past his issues. It's a lot of work, and not something that happens over night either. It was an insanely smart plotting choice to not just have him be fine forever immediately after Sayoko dies. Again, it takes time, but when Tachibana is bringing his A game, he's arguably the most skilled fighter in the whole show. It's fascinating to me that a character can simultaneously be so comically pitiable and yet so genuinely cool, but Tachibana pulls it off.

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die (Post 770580)

The big theme for this story is weight of power. Kenzaki has seen the cost of a Rider’s power, and would rather spare Mutsuki from that. Tachibana broke under the weight of Garren’s power, and he doesn’t know if he needs to be stronger, or just let someone else carry it. Mutsuki thinks power comes without a price, and realizes too late that he’s opened the door to something dangerous. And Kiryuu…

We spend a few scenes with Kiryuu, and we see what power means to him. Unlike Tachibana, Kiryuu is a man of ambition. He doesn’t view a Rider’s power as some solemn obligation, he views it as a tool he’s destined to wield. His goal is to destroy evil, and he deserves the power it would take to accomplish that goal. His determination, his will, should bestow that power upon him.

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die (Post 770580)

It’s maybe no surprise that Leangle would find that mindset appealing. Leangle is all about the unapologetic application of power. (I love that the belt says OPEN UP. It’s a demand, an instruction to let the will of Leangle inhabit the user.) Leangle and Kiryuu, it’s two warriors who’ve been held back by others, handicapped by misfortune, unable to fulfill their purpose. Together, there’s maybe no stopping them.

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die (Post 770580)

Except for Tachibana, maybe?

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die (Post 770580)

Meanwhile, Mutsuki slowly falls apart as he sees that Leangle’s power doesn’t have any limits, and it also doesn’t have any humanity.

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die (Post 770580)

Hajime’s back this episode, and there’s really only one thing about him that I want to talk about. I honest-to-god don’t know if it’s Inoue making a joke or not, but there’s a scene where Amane makes a cup of tea, a new recipe, and asks Hajime to try it. She says it'll warm him right down to his heart. He takes a sip, and then wonders what the warmth in his heart means. What it means. It’s such a bizarrely introspective thought to have when drinking tea that I couldn’t believe it. It is a corny-ass piece of writing, and I’d totally believe you if you said it was Inoue pranking the audience. I would also believe you if you said it was a corny-ass piece of writing from a dude who was worried that this episode of vengeful ghosts and humiliated teenagers somehow wasn’t melodramatic enough. I’m not certain how Hajime fit into this story, and that scene sure as shit didn’t make it any clearer.

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die (Post 770653)

I think it was because he was afraid he'd be in trouble, or that he'd lose the Leangle belt. And, that is exactly what would have happened, because that's exactly what did happen when Kenzaki learned the truth. Mutsuki just didn't want to lose being a Rider.

Originally Posted by DreadBringer (Post 770736)

I wonder what's the criteria required for being a Rider here.

Originally Posted by DreadBringer (Post 770736)

I wonder what's the criteria required for being a Rider here. That it seems to accept people like Kiryuu to be one of them. Though in Mutsuki's case, it seems that Leangle has its own will, therefore it's truly dangerous for others, but still Kenzaki thought it's dangerous before he knew about Leangle's other self....

Originally Posted by Sunred (Post 770739)

Yeah, they never really explained it in depth come to think of it. Best answer/guess I have is for Blade and Garren it is the will to fight that is converted to those numbers Isaka was so concerned about, Leangle it's more of does Leangle like the person for whatever purpose/potential Category Ace sees in said person, and Chalice I am not sure.

Originally Posted by Kurona (Post 770746)

Kenzaki and the Beetle Undead, you know, they're just a best match.