This very one, in fact! The wiki doesn't state it here, but Episode 45 of Super-1 featured a monster designed by children in a contest; ShokaKing (no relation to Shocker. Or Zi-O). They even featured a BUNCH of other kids' entries in the opening scene of the episode where Super-1's actor is going over them all; I gotta imagine the kid who won this was riding this high for months after!

https://kamenrider.fandom.com/wiki/ShokaKing

I believe I said "garish design", and ShokaKing's design is awesome. (He's like an elephant/turtle who shoots acid!) Good on some kid for coming up with it, and good on Toei for choosing it.

And good on you for the heads-up! Thanks!

As someone who saw Super-1 fairly recently, the ShokaKing episode was awesome. Very fun watch, and Toei definitely did a good job at making that kid's' creation look cool.

KAMEN RIDER KIVA EPISODE 32 - "NEW WORLD: ANOTHER KIVA”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva32a.png

One of the things I like about Inoue's Kamen Rider shows is that, for an endgame, they're really less about villains and schemes than they are about systems.

Which, y'know, not to say that there aren't villains; this is still a superhero show, so there are obviously going to be supervillains. It's just that the threats that need to be overcome are indifferent systems that the heroes and villains alike both chafe under, where individual choice and self-determination become death sentences.

With Kiva, it's a show about love. Romantic, familial, platonic. It's about one-to-one affection. So the systems that are working against our characters are ones that don't value love as a concept. They value patriotism, or fidelity to a culture. Suggesting that love conquers all is tantamount to treason.

It's here that we find Mio and Wataru, caught in a very familiar interspecies battle that tests their ability to follow orders when they want to follow their hearts. It's a lot of what we'd seen in Faiz, with Team Faiz and Team Orphnoch getting all hornt and then questioning the inflexible edicts of the previous generation. Mio likes Wataru, but she's destined to marry the Fangire King. Wataru likes Mio, but he's also trying to stop the Fangires, whose Queen is Mio. It's a very tokufied Romeo & Juliet, and it works better than I'd've thought.

I think it worked for me because of how ground-down and boxed-in Mio is by her role as Queen. She's got these rules that she has to follow, a society she's now beholden to, and none of it's making her happy. We don't get to spend a ton of time with Wataru and Mio lately (some cute bandaging in this one, that's about it), so an episode that adheres itself to Mio's duties and the cruel indifference of the culture that supplies them really makes her affection for Wataru seem like an oasis worth hiding in. It draws strength from how shitty she feels in every situation except being with Wataru.

She's even glum in her first meeting with Taiga, and I imagine that he's all anyone's going to want to talk about from this episode. For my money, it's a good one by dint of treating Mio's concerns as worthy of documentation. It's a great one for Taiga's debut.

Does any creator in Kamen Rider land a debut as reliably as Inoue? Taiga's premiere is a goddamn riot, starting with Wataru being forced by Nago to "train” by acting as a bounty hunter. It immediately goes sideways, since Nago's instruction to a very sweet boy who barely interacts with strangers and weighs about 100 pounds soaking wet was Go Arrest That Criminal. I get that Nago's unable to see his own flaws, but he is able to see Wataru's flaws, right? There is no way this mission is going to end in Wataru succeeding, no matter how angry Nago gets at Wataru's polite attempts at hunting bounties. (Nago gets SO MAD, and it's a highlight of the episode. He's shouting across an outdoor restaurant at Wataru, waving a chair around to motivate a foot chase. It's terrible, terrible mentoring.)

So Wataru chases after the bank robber, and catches a beating for his troubles. As he's getting a beatdown in a playground, as if he were a child, who should return but his missing childhood friend, Taiga!

It's an absolutely memorable reintroduction, with Taiga saving Wataru, admonishing a criminal for spoiling the tranquility and safety of a playground, absorbing a beating, staring down a criminal with such inner strength that the criminal flees in terror, and then celebrating his reunion with Wataru by building a sandcastle with him. It is incredibly sweet, which is why it's a mild bummer that Taiga is both trying to woo Wataru's girlfriend, and also King of the Fangires. Pretty big step down from Kengo!

(With this episode's debut of Taiga and last episode's emotional scouring of Kengo, along with Shizuka's disappearance post-Kengo, I like the subtle sadness to the way Wataru is only ever allowed one non-work friend. No wonder he's so psychologically fragile and prone to moping! The only way he gets a new friend is if an old friend abandons him! OH MAN!)

A lot of what we get from Taiga this time is... I sort of like how it doesn't pretend he's going to be a great guy? This isn't Nago or Kusaka, where we need to wait a couple episodes to figure out he's a villain and/or a lunatic. Right away we're shown that his friendship with Wataru is exactly as Wataru remembers it, but that he's also fully dedicated to his role as King. He's going to make the best of his marriage to Mio (he's trying to impress her, but it's more about him bragging than it is trying to understand her), and he's definitely going to keep murdering any humans who could be a threat to the Fangires.

He's got a real interesting energy, for a villain. (I'm assuming he's a villain? He seems pretty villainous, but on this show, what does that even mean? I'm pretty sure Jiro slots in as a hero in the '86 stuff, at least from how the show portrays him.) Unlike Mio's barely-hidden despair at executing Fangire traitors, Taiga seems to view his role as, like, a hero for the Fangires. He's confident and fulfilled, giving his kill orders with an air of nobility. He's able to have affection for Wataru, and even to save a stranger from a beating, while still working to keep humanity from becoming a threat to his people. It's a very neat way of approaching a story about indifferent systems, to have the face of them be Kamen Rider Privilege, basically. He's benefitting from an unjust system, so he can't see its injustices. He only sees justice.

Besides Taiga and Mio, there's a little runner with Otoya, and it feels like something that'll matter more next time.

Yuri's going full-on domestic in the aftermath of Rook's defeat and she is terrifying Otoya with statements like I Am Going To Quit My Job And We Should Get Married. Otoya fell for a warrior, and he became a warrior for her, but now it's all just ironed shirts and matrimony? Is that who he is? Is that who Yuri should be?

But then he runs into Maya, who plays his violin just like he would. (Oh, she learned to play the violin 300 years ago from Vivaldi, nbd.) She has a connection to Otoya that's maybe deeper than Yuri's, and she blows on his fingertip with such erotic force that the soundtrack drops out. She's got Otoya's number, which is a way bigger problem when he discovers that she's also a Fangire. I'm sure that'll be a front-and-center problem for next time.

Incredibly solid episode of Kiva! I loved the exploration of the forces that pin in our heroes and villains, and thought Taiga had a perfect debut. There's even a new Kamen Rider coming up, maybe? Pretty good time to be a Kiva viewer!

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/kiva/kiva32b.png

So yeah, as I said before, this episode has what is probably my favourite exchange in this show.

Nago: Do you know why I am a bounty hunter?

Wataru: Is it to collect buttons?

Nago: NO!

And you find out why I referred to Mio as “Pearlshell Fangire II”. Because Maya was the original.

And, onto this week’s Fangire. (I’ll wait until he gets a fight to do both the new Rider and his MV)

Moose Fangire

True name: The Sun, or a Furrow Carved into a Fisheye (太陽、あるいは魚の目に刻まれた轍 Taiyō, Arui wa Uonome ni Kizamareta Tetsu)

Human identity: Kurosawa

Class: Beast

Rank: Pawn

Actor: Kazuoki

And my reprise of the Shurikenger joke on the previous episode comes back to bite me here, as Kazuoki (surname Takahashi) is a Super Sentai alumnus, better known as Shou Hayate/ Change Gryphon in Dengeki Sentai Changeman. If you were into Sentai, I’d recommend that series more for its plot than its length (its 55 episodes).

Except here, the thing stopping humans and Fangires from co-existing socially and romantically is hierarchical rather than biological. It's all due to the evil Fangire law that believes they're the ultimate race that will dominate all others, including humans and Arms Monsters, even going as far as to try and wipe out those races who resist their influence. It's a lot more despicable than Smart Brain, who were also fighting for their own survival.

In that case, Paris got a serious upgrade here!

I think Taiga's official introduction is pretty good and I like how he brings out Wataru's Kiva side more often, since they have a history and a special connection that allows Wataru to act less restrained around him and more honest about how he feels. Unfortunately, their friendship is going to become difficult due to a new love triangle appearing in 2008 between them and Mio who they both love. But while Wataru's love for Mio is genuine and requited, Taiga believes she must be his wife since Fangire society demands it. He tries his best to act like a good partner and accommodate her, but doesn't consider her feelings and insists that they must be together due to his upbringing. It's a shame since he does have an honorable side with his willingness to co-exist with humans and how he considers Wataru his best friend, as long as the humans stay inferior to the Fangires.

So now we have all members of Checkmate Four and the chess motif continues to make no sense. Like, you have Bishop, of whom there is one, who is clearly manipulating events behind the scenes and now you have Taiga, the King, who looks intimidating and can probably move a lot more than one space at a time. While he does delegate to his pawns, he doesn't consider himself above getting his hands dirty either, quite literally with the sandcastle building. So much for Kivat saying the Queen is the most powerful piece, you wouldn't think so by watching this show.

Otoya probably would have been less surprised about Maya being over 300 years old if he found out she was a Fangire first. Unlike Yuri, who thought that Ramon casually saying he was 105 years old was just funny and not even questioning it further. It's got to suck for Yuri though, she finally got a chance to be happy for a while and then Maya immediately reappears to continue charming Otoya, who is constantly finding her more and more intriguing due to her mysteriousness and the feeling that she truly understands him.

Yeah, that's totally a new Kamen Rider walking dramatically in to focus after the most forced use of the admittedly awesome Supernova so far. And his name is Kamen Rider Saga.

Obviously he's not as severe as he was in the very beginning for his shyness, but it still shows (good thing) when he introduces himself in the class.

I won't know if this part of Kiva is already its endgame. And before there's a part of Otoya and Yuri acknowledging that "love conquers all". The new stage of Fangire here is typical villainy to human stage here as the Fangire had to execute those who aid humans. For villains I mean, Kiva has multiple irredeemable villains, like all the Four Checkmate except Maya, and the one Wataru is enraged to (Rhino Fangire, the one that lures Kengo), so even with the necessary existence of villains, it's not that Kiva's "lacking" in the ferocity. I guess for both heroes and villains alike chafe under, it's about Wataru having to love someone who has Queen role (I guess by her rule, she'd had to kill herself, but ofc it'll be despair for Wataru), and for villains, it's about other Fangires under Queen's thumb to not love humans (though most Fangires who love human seems to live normally)? I guess for that it applies to other shows too as the hero wouldn't only deal with villains (and for example, to Rook, the heroes only fight him off) for instance, and villains would have a hard time if they had an abusive boss for any reason (for Kiva here, it's love).

Well, Wataru is trying to stop the Fangires, but not all, even not talking about Mio here, he did before to Oomura and Shinji (at first). Mio can be easily given that same treatment as those 2, the problem is the other Fangires, which Wataru likely would fight, regardless with or without Mio involvement. For how the Queen here is forced to obey Fangire standards, it seems that the title Queen isn't what it means to be, the Queen is more like puppet ruler for the Fangires, likely to prevent Fangires being 'weakened' by marrying inferior creatures. A ruling role should be actually...benefical to... influence Fangires like dropping their opposition to humans, if they actually treat her as actual Queen and serving them, though I won't think Mio does that, she's focused on Wataru.

No offense but, I'd think you can't put "land a debut as reliably" as if it's a fact, it's subjective and can be pompous for doing so. Nago breaking down other's flaws, I guess that's how his character is to keep himself at the top above others especially before. Nago doesn't deserve to be a mentor if he views himself as high and mighty, a mentor had to know both of their strengths and shortcomings, like you said terrible mentor. But for Taiga letting the criminal flee in terror... isn't that just the same letting him escape (which Wataru is tasked to capture)? Taiga helps Wataru but didn't seem to help his case. For Taiga's other parts, can't say much about it. Though Taiga not pretending to be a great guy by how his friendship with Wataru is the same, well, this is why, I think character's morality is better judged more on what they do/or will do to people less related to them. Taiga is a close friend to Wataru, but what would Taiga do to the people who aren't friends or family? That's the thing to judge for his morality.

Regarding Otoya only wanting her as a warrior, that'd mean Otoya is in love with the idea of someone rather than the actual person, which is a flaw for loving someone. This'd mean Otoya fails to actually comprehend Yuri beyond the warrior trait, and it's common for someone to fall in love with a girl because of being incredibly beautiful, or brilliant fighter, or incredibly smart, etc. but only for that reasons. So I realized here Otoya didn't realize that Maya is a Fangire.

This whole scene with Nago and Wataru is, like, textbook Inoue. Nago's such a memorable collection of quirks by this point (psychotic button-enthusiast who can't admit a mistake decides to train former sworn enemy because he had a crush on a monster girl during a time travel adventure) that you couldn't ever play this moment as anything other than comedy. Nago's ridiculous, and Wataru's sweet, so we get this hilarious moment of honesty that Nago is infuriated by. It's great.

I also really like how unhelpful Nago's instruction is for Wataru. Nago, as full of himself as always, is very good at talking up his philosophy, and how the unerring truth of his worldview created the great man that Wataru is currently basking in the glow of. It's just, Nago's sort of terrible with the nuts-and-bolts of training? Like, how to get better at a task? He gives Wataru absolutely no direction (other than Go Over There), and then is furious that Wataru didn't do a job he wasn't trained for as perfectly as a pro like Nago would have. It reminded me of this old Penny Arcade strip, which made the scene even funnier to me.

I feel like Taiga views what the Fangires are doing as ensuring their survival, just in a more proactive way.

And it's... there's always some assumption at the heart of all of these systems in an Inoue story, a zero-sum reason to be adversaries. In Kiva, it's not even necessarily only the Fangires who are keeping humanity at a distance, it's also people like Shima and Nago who are executing Fangires. (Nago's changed maybe a little, but we haven't seen him spare a Fangire in 2008 yet. He's still killing every one he meets.) It's obviously a greater focus from the Fangires, but humanity isn't exactly a bastion of understanding and acceptance in this show.

Yeah, there's a neat tone to their date, where it's ostensibly Taiga charming Mio, but his emphasis is on explaining his hopes, his goals.. he's obsessed with himself. This is his grand story that she's now lucky enough to a part of, and he knows that she's going to be fascinated by him as soon as he talks about himself for hours and hours.

I sort of figured! Haven't gotten a great look at his suit yet, but I do appreciate some of the theming, and how it fits into the story the show is telling. Like, for a show as horny as Kiva is getting to be, I like that Saga wears a birth control dial on his belt? That's a good lesson for older kids, that contraception is the responsibility of both partners when there's a risk of pregnancy.

You're right, which is why I phrased it as a question! With a question mark and everything! It was to promote discussion! I am excited to hear about another creator who does reliably good character introductions!

Yeah, maybe? It's not clear, at this point in the story, if Otoya's to blame for what's happening in their relationship. He might find less to love in a more domestic Yuri, but we could also be seeing a Yuri that's overcompensating in her interpretation of being a good partner. Maybe Otoya is getting cold feet after realizing Yuri isn't exactly who he thought she was. But maybe Yuri's changing herself in ways that aren't true to herself, and that's making Otoya uneasy? It's a complicated sub-plot.

I don't think I'd fully realized it until I watched this episode, but in continuing my thesis of "Kiva = Recycled Inoue Tropes" this episode made me realize that there is a definite subset of Inoue-penned character debuts that I'm going to start referring to as "peacock intros." I hadn't connected the dots before, but going back through so many of these shows again has helped me start seeing some more patterns.

In particular, the Taiga portions of this episode reminded me a lot of the alleged 30th episode of Hibiki and the introduction of Kiriya. But it also got me thinking about the first appearance of Kusaka and, after double-checking some writing credits, the first appearances of Kitaoka in Ryuki and Tsurugi in Kabuto. The thing that all of these peacock intros have in common is that not only do they add a new character to the show, but they do so in a way that's designed to make them look impressive as hell from the outside. A lot of Taiga's scenes as president of Fangire Inc., LLC are all about this, but the one that really clinched it for me was his dinner with Mio, where the two are the only couple in the expensive restaurant and the entire wait staff is standing in orderly rows to watch her eat a fancy gourmet meal. So many of these episodes are about really highlighting a new character's wealth, prestige, success, and authority in ways that are meant to make them appear really intimidating. But again, that's from the outside.

The other thing about peacock introductions is that Inoue uses them on characters who are all about putting up an imposing front to mask their real insecurities or failings. Again, Kiriya would be the poster boy for this if I acknowledged his existence. He looks like the successful golden boy but it's a cover for his real self-doubts and need for attention. Kusaka is really a sociopath, Kitaaoka is a narcissist, and Tsurugi is barely functional manchild. They look like they have all the accomplishments that anyone - especially the protagonist - could ever want, but it's shortly revealed to just be a mask for their inner failings (or delightful wackiness, in Tsurugi's case).

Taiga's introduction reminded me so much of these other peacocks, but with a little bit of a twist. That twist is his interactions with Wataru and his obvious joy at seeing his old friend again. There's an honest happiness to him that wouldn't fit with many of the other characters that Inoue has highlighted like this. I actually think his meal with Mio came off as far less controlling and creepy than a Kusaka or Kitaoka could have pulled off. The character seems more complex and less potentially douchey than many of his predecessors, basically, and I'm excited to be reminded of what his whole deal is and how it plays out (I'm finding that on a lot of these shows that I haven't seen in years, I've forgotten a lot more about the back halves).

That feels pretty on-brand for Otoya, though. His entire pursuit of Yuri started because she was a hot girl who randomly hugged him. He didn't really have much sense of who she was as a person and he blatantly ignored her when she said she wasn't interested, but often felt like he had the right to decide what was best for her himself. I'm not going to say he hasn't gotten better, but I think one of his big flaws is that he's still very much a romantic. Not inherently bad, but he's the kind of romantic who creates an idealized version of the person he's interested in and then expects her to live up to that ideal. One of the biggest reasons why he and Maya click so much more strongly is because she has a very similar perspective on the world, especially compared to the far more pragmatic Yuri.

For sure, which is why I was so gratified that Inoue cut to the chase. We've all seen this type of intro from him, so why not just reveal that, yeah, Taiga is an evil Fangire who is totally fine with his role as Humanity's Conservationist/Gamekeeper. I assume there's more left to learn, but Taiga's debut here is so multi-faceted (we see him with Wataru, with Mio, with Megumi, in the boardroom, in an action scene... it's a buffet of Taiga scenes) that it doesn't feel repetitive or one-note.