My two main thoughts from this two-parter.

So, did no-one think to dispose of the Gene Memory after Toru agreed to surrender? Sure, Wakana’s upgrade would otherwise be significantly improbably, but still…

I recently realised why they specifically went with Wakana’s as the evil Phillip over Saeko. Their Memories (Cyclone and Claydoll) begin with the same letter, but embody opposite elements (Cyclone = wind, Claydoll = Earth).

And now, the regular feature…

Sentai-lert!

Naoki Kawano, the guy playing Toru, seems to be a more versatile actor than he is. He previously appeared as the Infinity Dragon Long in Juken Sentai Gekiranger, the show’s big bad. He was later in Kamen Rider Wizard as Section Zero guy Kizaki.

Man, I hope Kawano returns to the genre for any kind of role be it big or small, hero or villain. Heck, maybe the next Ultraman show since he hasn't done one iirc. Fun fact, Ray Fujita who played Kitazaki/Dragon Orphenoch in Faiz and Rei/Zero in GARO is the vocals for a band called DUSTZ and Kawano was the drummer at one point.

Philip is so upset that he stayed up all night, as Akiko wants to take photos again, but due to familial-like bond (against Philip's family issues) between the main trio, which convinces Shotaro and shortly after Phillip. Not waiting for Terui too? Akiko only sees Wakana as one of the evil Sonozakis to convince him not leaving, but Shotaro implements Sokichi's teaching about 80% of man's job is being decisive. Finally brought up again from very early part of the series in ep. 4 (Philip's freezing at 'family' word, treating Shotaro and Akiko as substitutes), Philip does treat the other 2 like a family, but it's also Wakana asking him, thus he's still indecisive... earning a slipper smack from Akiko (hope it's intended as a get a hold of yourself technique for his blabbering around), so they decide to take Philip to Fuuto Station.

Neurotaki? Is that Yamashiro? About said family, the son's name as Tsubasa and the mom's name as Yoko, but unfortunately Grasshopper Woman appears beside him. Ironically, Yoko would be the name of Grasshopper Woman's next acting in Kamen Rider. Yamashiro admits his actions and claims he erased the memory about Philip's family. Shotaro continues the question to Yamashiro regarding being forced to work, where it's actually Yamashiro being tempted to Ryubee's funding and resources. Philip just asks him again if Yamashiro knows his family, which he doesn't as he didn't touch the specifics. I guess Philip being mostly logical leads him to straightly ask the needed information instead of doing 'unnecessary' retribution to him.

Indeed, Philip is Raito and the Wakana's comforting little brother he referred as. So Phillip and Wakana being comfortable with each other isn't an incest build up... but an actual family bond build-up, even the show didn't intend to use it as shipping. With Nobody's Perfect playing once more, Phillip's decision is clear now, to be together with Wakana at the outside of the city. Shotaro only warns about his path being difficult one.

Otherwise, here's finally revealed what are the Sonozaki's (supposed to be) up to, feeling that the Museum caretakers hold a big responsibility for the world as the planet's fate rests on them, thus Wakana cannot be 'selfish' anymore. So Ryubee got a sense of being a well-intentioned extremist in his Museum control for the planet's sake, though of course it won't justify the means to achieve that. And now, Saeko had lost everything. The cold, ruthless, and manipulative villain is finally, broken by circumstance, but the audience being satisfied or not depends on their view (Saeko brought this to herself though), albeit Kazu offers a chance for her to rise back, but she's turning into his servant. Another crushing position for someone's usually dominant like using Kirihiko as her lapdog... including him taking her family surname.

I agree for this, where though yes as Akiko said she's one of the evil Sonozakis, this kinda feels 180 from setting her as different from others after Philip got through her like saving Kirihiko (though I also thought Wakana's keeping Philip to herself before too, to selfishly take him away regardless of others who also value him), as she's clad in an all-black outfit, and underwent a personality change, calling Phillip Raito and tried to kill him as Claydoll. Philip calls Shotaro to henshin, and due to Philip alone being there, FangJoker returns. The only explanation she gives to them is that she understands her duty and Raito should do as well. The woman in black then insists the man in white a.k.a Kazu to talk to her instead of Ryubee for business needs. Another emotionally devastating moment for Phillip, though that'd mean Philip surely stays with the main cast.

Makura throws his weight around against a powerless suspect by yelling. He's not nearly as cool as he thinks however, as Jinno sends him to buy tea. And after this, Yamashiro actually talks, where he was kidnapped in his son's 7th birthday, but he abandoned his family for research, thus now he wants to apologize but he feels he had no right to see them. So despite Jinno being a joke at times, he's still more sensible than Makura, and again, a showing about how mean and strict ways don't always work if you want to get something out of someone, contrary to the belief of how success can only succeed if they're built in strictness, meanness, harshness, etc. It can instead make others less likely to listen to you, shown in Yamashiro only talking when the yelling Makura's out of the scene. And second time Jinno got beaten up by another female "cop" (disguised Grasshopper) using kicks, and being choked with her thigh as she changes into Hopper.

Touru is basically Peter Jackson, all he needs to do is cut the 7 hour movie in to a trilogy. :lol He also reminds me of the writer Sanjo, with how his vision tries to force a romantic subplot without the necessary development. Which is, uh, ironic considering how this arc is written by Sanjo.

Furthermore, Nazca and Smilodon start with polar opposite letters, but they're both earth elemental.

How unfortunate that Jinno was the only one willing to eat the hopper, but he still gets beaten up anyway.

So, yeah, them keeping the Gene Memory around is clearly so Wakana can get her Xtreme power-up, but I like to think that Team Double kept it around because destroying the Memory just solves Tooru's problem for him, rather than having him work to overcome his addiction. If they'd known the Gene Memory was crucial to the Museum's long-term plans, they'd've probably gone ahead and destroyed it first thing.

Tooru just wants to make a movie about a cool, dark warrior! It's not because he wants to date anybody! WHY CAN'T SOMEONE CAST A CO-WORKER AS A BEAUTIFUL WARRIOR THAT'S SUPER AWESOME WITHOUT HAVING PEOPLE MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

I think I remember why this two-parter stood out to me at the time. I think this was the point where Akiko officially won me over. Excellent showing for her; still silly and hyper, but in a way that didn't overshadow her role in the plot or feel like it was all she was doing. This might be peak Akiko.

And the debut of Claydoll Extreme! That is something I totally remembered existing and did not completely forget about since the show ended!

Wakana is later shown as an abusive boss, berating and yelling at her employees. One of the employees, the janitor who she berated turns out to be Saeko, looking for the Nazca Memory. That'd be more like Wakana reverting back to her personality pre ep. 13-14. of being a mean girl, where her father seems to be the exception of this. but I don't know if that'd help her being intimidating as a head villain, she'd be more like a brat throwing tantrums, without class, despite how Kazu notes that the Museum has grown with her. Ryubee presents her the Gaia Progressor as present, with the same glow that Wakana witnessed in W Xtreme debut, to make Wakana perfect, and they track down Gene Dopant to accomplish that. Wakana explains the reason of fighting Raito to make a break from her previous habit, which Ryubee approves, and both family members are happy with each other and Philip claims there's Gaia Memory influence in her, that feels turning her into plot device as perfect enemy (Claydoll Xtreme who can take on CycloneJokerXtreme) though.

Phillip's still sulking on the revelation, though Akiko points out that his attitude won't help either with him not saying anything regarding it. A mostly cold and logical person, now is experiencing the opposite of being pushed down by emotions (not that he had never felt emotions before though, but this one should be the most severe), which proves his human side. With Akiko pointing out the flaw in his behaviors, this can potentially reaffirm Phillip's view of emotions being weakness, with him as direct proof. But emotion can be a weakness or a strength depending on how the user manages it. Emotions managed poorly is weakness, but emotions managed well is a source of strength.

The Gene Dopant can alter genetic codes of something he touches to change it to anything he wants, including his own body, like disguising as the manager. It's frail though as some strikes from LunaJoker's stretched hand reverts him back to the human form. Ai on the movie being revealed to be Tooru changing his body to hers, thus making him one-man movie producer, and the one forcing people to watch his movie and trap them there. Aki-P's change is shortening the duration to 90 minutes, the title to Holy Warrior Jessica, adding some action, comedy, and fanservice cliches, and Shotaro remarks that the movie did improve from the changes, which makes the 7 hours length unnecessary. Akiko got the wrong idea though to think Tooru and Ai together where Tooru disagrees with Ai's portrayal as energetic heroine but can't express it, and Tooru said he still didn't like the movie. Tooru's quietness is not an ordinary one, as he outright communicates only using a notebook, extreme level of social awkwardness, something Sabi from Gotchard reminds me of.

Kazu and Saeko has a dinner, with Kazu explaining that he helped her as he apparently liked her. For those who views Kazu like how Shotaro views Jessica, Kazu's expressionless demeanor is noted in-universe too, as Saeko notes that for a confession it's so unenthusiastic. Kazu also reports that the Museum's operations have accelerated in Wakana's control, thus Saeko can't strike back anymore, with Saeko losing his cool as she vows to prove herself. Meanwhile, with no Driver, Saeko injects a Living Connector for Nazca, becoming another one to possess multiple one like Isaka (and that was his demise..). The evolved version is named R Nazca Dopant (R has "Double" meaning too; Red and Revenge), the lv. 3 power of the Memory, giving her greater speed than previously.

Though it feels common with toku, there'd be the movie version of TV shows (and for KR now, it's yearly). I did wonder before how would Shotaro react to Kaze no Saheji in front of others, I thought that he'd treat it as a guilty pleasure due to his disinterest to historical stuff otherwise, but actually no, he displays it openly, as he invites Akiko to watch it together. Akiko at first smacks Shotaro with a slipper for not focusing on the case...but of course she'd be tempted too, being the one to 'introduce' the jidaigeki series to Shotaro after all. It also had a little advantage for the case that the manager can't kick them out as they're now the customers (as Akiko says.. a payback to the unreasonable manager). The roles have reversed here, now Shotaro's the one that had attention deficit while Akiko's the 'sensible' one who tried to get him back on track, only for Shotaro's antics to unwittingly move their case forward.

This one's really great for her character. Hitting Clay Doll with the slipper is a perfect moment for Akiko, at least as far as where my head is at by this point in the series.

Shotaro cares about his image, but he's also incredibly bad at looking cool. I'm sure he didn't mean to completely geek out in the lobby, but nobody's perfect.

SHOTARO HIDARI HARDBOILED DELUSION DIARY EPISODE 10 - “WHAT IF AKIKO WAS AN ASSASSIN?”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/w/hdd10.png

oh my god it’s so laaaaaaaaaaate

This was a nicely-straightforward Delusion Diary, with something nominally approaching a beginning, middle, and end. I honestly maybe liked the bookend stuff better, with Akiko trying to find her lost DVD. The assassin stuff was cute, but it’s really just a few costumes and the Gene Dopant, the end. The part where Akiko can’t find her DVD gives us Philip declining to use the Gaia Library on trivial matters, Shotaro rapidly escalating a situation, and Terui canonically enjoying the same samurai drama as Shotaro and Akiko. (I assume that Terui enjoys it in a better way than Shotaro.) It’s a fun little hangout story, and I like seeing the cast like this. Good short! Sorry this is posting so laaaaaaaaaate!

This was a fun one, purely because it's one of the few where the non-delusion part seems like an expansion of the "lore" of the Narumi Detective Agency. Compared to the others which were more Akiko gags.

That being said I did love the twist that the Shotaro we first see in the delusion was actually Gene. When he got all scary looking I was caught off guard and then suddenly, there's a Shotaro behind the desk and next thing you know, Gene! Really clever usage of the Dopant Suit this time around honestly.