Ha ha, amazing!

HE GOT HIS OWN MOVIE.

There's the power of "being popular" these days. You don't see Scissors getting his own movie, do ya? Check and mate.

Although Scissors did get that Ridewatch made purely by meme power alone, so that might count for something.

An actionable way that will singlehandedly end Ryuki. This happens at the end of Ryuki, but if the truth is known much earlier she would likely also do this, and only repeated attempts of this if it fails, but overall it'll be very easy for her to die this way quickly ending the series. I can't think of other things she can do, because I can't think other ways to actually stop the war (which is her goal like Shinji and Tezuka) other than this, which requires the infos from backstories, which is taking away the reason for Shiro to continue the war by force (with 2 options; her rejecting the attempt and/or prematurely dying so the wish cannot work).

I'm (just) currently taking for what's already established in the series. And it's not a defense that I'm explaining the wrong part about that, which means it's a fact; like explaining to someone who thinks it's stupid for Eiji not to spam PuToTyra unlike Kiva Emperor as it's the strongest form, and explaining PuToTyra is a risky form to use. (I'm hurriedly talking about this because I try to correct before it got worse for you to the point of denying any explanations just to avoid that topic).

But it's ok if you're gonna talk about this on a greater length after the series is over, because I thought you'll leave the series for good after finishing it. I'd like to see the presumed other choices, because I'm also confused myself about the other takes based on the show's hopeless premise. And sometimes this discussion about different takes they wish can significantly diverge from the series' setting (even ignoring pre-established something there) which IMO would turn into different series.

Yeah coming from Shinji... the only person who is not a pawn for Shiro in the war (only briefly before to save Yui). Every single person related to the Rider War are pawns to Shiro. While Shinji is the only Rider besides Tezuka who refuses to play Kanzaki's game, and wants to stop the fighting and protect even his enemies (but Tezuka entrusts this destiny to Shinji). The Rider War is hopeless for everyone, where even after previously, Odin was distracted by Yui's scream (to see his sister complex to be his downfall...) and got Final Vented, he still insists Ren to fight Odin at the end. The fact is, no one will ever win the Rider War except Shiro, Odin is much stronger than everyone else, and even if you're lucky enough that he's distracted to kill him, he could just replace him with someone else. Not even Asakura, for he was the god of "Big Bad Wannabe" in TVTropes Pantheon, still largely Shiro's pawn.

A̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶r̶s̶t̶ ̶p̶l̶a̶c̶e̶ ̶S̶h̶i̶n̶j̶i̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶a̶g̶r̶e̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶Y̶u̶i̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶,̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶b̶o̶t̶h̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶R̶i̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶W̶a̶r̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶t̶e̶c̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶n̶o̶c̶e̶n̶t̶s̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶c̶t̶ ̶b̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶ ̶d̶e̶f̶i̶n̶i̶t̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶y̶.̶ And he does in ep. 49, though also for Shiro being unhappy.

Not trying to make you change, but want to correct some. Their parents are simply horrible people (which is harshly.. realistic), what do you expect from abusive parents? They are obviously going to leave them to die, if they are cold and uncaring enough to lock them up in the attic permanently, and Shiro's pleas (about Yui being sick and dying)? Just ignored and lock them again, likely because they thought it was just their whining daughter and snivelling son going on again. Also actually it was their parents who were killed by that explosion (and also freeing them from the room they locked them into), which is caused by the first mirror-breach of Mirror Yui entering real world. Also why there are Mirror version of Kanzaki siblings? Because Yui and Shiro also draw themselves... like them drawing the monsters. Mirror version of Yui and Shiro exists the same way as all the Mirror/Contract Monsters do, and like humans in Mirror World, Mirror World humans also can only exist for so long in real world which is why she'll die at age 20.

Well, anyway, this scene is meant to tease the real way to stop the Mirror Monsters threatening humans, brought by Yui at the time of her disintegration, about the pictures. What differentiates Yui's performance here, compared to when she was "on the verge of tears" before? Also regarding "just misery until we die", nope, Shiro went under complete breakdown now, Yui disintegrates before her birthday, means he thinks she can still be saved, but he has completely lost it as the time left for her birthday is very short now, losing the echo on his voice. Probably intentionally made as it's "unconvincing" as he has gone insane. Shiro talking about there are no times left at the end of the episode? The time is exactly Yui's birthday at 19th Jan, the last day for his chance.

Literally episodes ago Toujou dies not in Rider battle but by a truck accident... And do you forget that Kitaoka is... incurable without winning the war? Kitaoka will also soon die, and like Toujou, Riders don't need to die via Rider battles, or them dying in Rider forms. Shiro only wants those Riders to die, and Kitaoka will also soon get that fate. Where do you get that Asakura conceded in the first place? OK, probably I have to explain the wish, the best one I can find, from the TVTropes page, and the reason why Shiro really wants the Riders to die (also, "Riders Can't Quit" is only to make sure any Riders that fight in his game dies, either by getting killed by other Riders or eaten by Contract Monsters)

The wish is created from the lives of 12 Kamen Riders (yeah, like collecting all the Dragon Balls, or in KR Ghost; collecting Eyecons, here you collect the lives of 12 Riders for the wish). That is why the Rider War exists, and why Shiro needs the other 12 people to fight and die. Everything that Shirou creates - all of the powers and magical abilities - is a phantom that only exists in (or in connection to) the Mirror World. To create a true "wish", he needs 12 people to die as Kamen Riders.

Finally Shinji also learns about Kitaoka's condition, from Shimada, and obviously, now it's all clear to Shinji, who sees the best in people, that it makes sense for Kitaoka to fight and become immortal, to save himself. Also it's official, Kitaoka has gained an important lesson, that is, his life's already been good enough, so now he only wants to fight as a Rider to settle things with Asakura, before finally dating Reiko, because he's also partially responsible of Asakura becoming a Rider (definitely when Shiro restarts the war at ep. 28). And good, now polices will show no mercy to Asakura. And no, what Shinji does will finally matter, the Mirror World stuff is connected to how Shinji's doing is relevant. No one, not even Shinji himself realize it.

Well yeah, all the time Shinji's not telling this stuff to Okubo, because he thinks Okubo would get mad... why would you think that? You are supposed to be a shortcut to what ORE's been looking, oh, and also Kagawa's notes. Ironically below you say that plans, process, it's not Shinji's specialty, but Okubo encourages him to be like that because he praises him to actually start thinking here. How do they finally

Yeah, the main character dies. This is actually the (quite petty) reason why people think Ren is the main protagonist, because Shinji dies and Ren is the one to face Odin. Also, even Shinji has a death by irony; All the other Riders berated Shinji for not having any desire, and Ren mockingly told him that he would die without finding one and that he didn't deserve to be a Rider. Somehow, Shinji survived long enough to become one of the last five Riders... And died after finally finding his desire to close the Mirror World. Even at the end, after all his character journey, his wish comes full circle, and you accept that? Though to be fair you get the difference (well, me too), now he has to make sacrifices like hurting other people by denying their wish, even if at first glance, it sounds like a dramatic rephrasing of "I want to stop the Rider War".

Other than that, how strong are the individual Raydragoons (the name of the monsters)? Seems like what they got is numbers (of course humans are still powerless to it), where even critically injured Shinji still wins the fight with them. Oh, no, not just that. Right after they stabbed Shinji, he easily swats away the monsters from him. He can't pose anymore for his base Ryuki Final Vent... just instantly kick.

I would like to know... that here she can get the Shiro's documents at the first place... Shiro didn't sic monsters on that person unlike what he did to the professor before? (except when she does naughty thing and just stole it). This is also related to ORE Journal which keeps following dead topics like this. Her question to Shinji being a Rider is confused and distant as if Shinji's a new person to her. Also (sorry) there's bookends:
https://media.discordapp.net/attachm...426&height=475

I mean, that's one thing that could occur, sure. Or the writers could come up with some reason why she doesn't keep throwing herself off of a building for 40 straight episodes? I think they could manage that.

Like, and maybe this is going to come down to Agree To Disagree, I'm not really arguing the internal logic of some of the show. (at least, not this part right this second.) I'm arguing that I found it creatively unfulfilling.

Current plan is the final episode and the movie-or-whatever in the next day or two, then a series retrospective, then a little postscript. All done by the weekend, probably.

Honest to god, I don't have any. I don't process stories that way. I can only tell you what did or didn't work for me., or where I thought a story might be headed. It's way above my paygrade (in that my paygrade for this is nothing) to try and fix Kamen Rider stories, especially ones that came out 17 years ago. That sort of fan fic correcting, it's completely not my thing.

I'm not sure if I'd describe anything going on with Yui and Shiro's backstory as "simple". Maybe "cartoonish"? The level of evil from the parents is beyond ludicrous to me. Are they just torturing these children? That seems like a way bigger story element that this show built it up to be, not least of which because Yui And Shiro's Childhood is sort-of a moving target on this show. These kids were clearly sent to school, dressed, fed, but also neglected and imprisoned? They took family trips to the beach that Yui clings to and retreats to, but also that was all a lie they told themselves? They had family that took them in, but also family that was okay splitting up two horrifically abused children? Like, the abused backstory is.. it is incredibly problematic to use in such an offhand way. That is fraught thematic material and using it to paper over gaps in backstory is... I would not recommend it!

But why does any of that stuff work that way? A show, even a Kamen Rider show, can't just say stuff like that and move on. These two kids just drew a magic world of monsters and duplicates into existence? How? Are they magic? Is the mirror magic? Is the mansion magic? Did the Mirror World exist before they found it? Why was there only a duplicate of Yui? Why did the duplicate forget she was a duplicate? These things, they're so random at such a late stage that they're more distracting to me than they are insightful. It's like if I had an ice cream cone, and you asked me where I got it, and I said, "Oh, I got it as a prize from a trio of mermaids for demolishing an entire building with one punch." Like, I answered your question, but you are probably going to have so many more questions now.

This was a good time for her to cry! It is okay to cry when you are evaporating! Free pass!

Also, I just felt for her then. A death scene's tough, especially a special effect-y death scene like hers. It's tough to get to that primal emotion, and I thought the actor really delivered. Super subjective, but I thought the performance was aces.

I was mostly talking about the hero Riders, specifically Ren and Shinji. I, uh, I wasn't super into caring about how Shiro felt at that point. He's a monster, and I couldn't muster much sympathy for him then. (And I thought the actor botched his part of the Yui death scene, so double eff that dude.)

I don't remember Shiro handing out sick days before! Kitaoka's been dying this entire time (and been hospitalized before!) and there was never an indication that his participation was optional. And, yeah, Shiro needs them to die before he can end the Rider Battles, but neither Asakura nor Kitaoka are actually dead by the time Shiro declares Ren the final competitor. Even when Kitaoka was definitely still alive in the previous episode, Shiro was just like Three Is Enough. If the number doesn't even seem to matter, why have so many competitors chewing up the clock?

That's a neat take, but I don't recall a word of that actually being stated in an episode of Masked Rider Ryuki. I'm not saying it's wrong, but it's nothing that's been on this show, so I can't really speak to it. I certainly don't feel like it's irrefutable proof of anything.

The bug guys, it seems like they're mostly just Strength In Numbers, plus an early edge from jumping Shinji. We'd already seen Asakura take on a legion of them solo, so it's not like they're super tough. I like that better, thematically. This is an episode all about an unstoppable wave of loss, about an unavoidable fate. That's better represented by a ceaseless onslaught of foes than one unbeatable bad-ass.

Now that we're so close to the end, I must ask you, Die... Which Rider would you most want to transform into? I purely mean when it comes to their suit, weapons and monster, not anything about their actual lives. (Imagine becoming Ouja and needing to drink eggs out of a glass.) Odin not counted but I assumed you wouldn't pick him anyway.

Tough answer, because my favorite suit/powers/monster gimmick is Ryuki, but my least favorite suit by a mile is Ryuki Survive.

I hate... basically everything about Ryuki Survive? I hate that he's got a gun, which takes the Charges Into Action character of Shinji and makes him a long-range combatant. I hate the whiskers on his helmet that become antenna. I hate the gigantic shoulders. I find it an enormous downgrade from the basic Ryuki suit.

And I love that suit! I can't believe Medieval Plugsuit was an aesthetic that someone came up with, and I can't believe it works so well. The red base suit is vibrant, the silver chestplate and helmet make it seem resilient and powerful, and the card slot on the forearm defines him as a fighter, a brawler. It's a great design.

That all said, my favorite Final Vent is probably Zolda's. Dude's contract monster is a Gundam, who launches a thousand missiles at his target. Is there anything cooler than that? If there is, it's probably not a manta ray. Sorry, Tezuka and Asakura!

For me, the worst part about Ryuki Survive is how his 'sword' is gripped, I can't stop thinking about how awkward it is for his wrist to swing it around. The best part however, is how his dragon turns into what might be my favourite bike in all of Kamen Rider.

I mean, it's hard to argue with turning a Contract Monster into a bike. Both Survives do it, and Alternative does it at one point. It's incredibly cool. I'll be honest, I still think I like Knight's Survive bike better. I think it's Knight's cape? Capes on bikes are totally impractical, which makes them awesome. It's like one better than a scarf, which is the minimum required neck attire for a motorcyclist.

This was all I had to say.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2jJ5A-geQo

Ryuki Survive I'm split on... but Dragranzer is genuinely one of the coolest designs I've ever seen. Of anything. It's just this huge mechanical dragon with bike parts and it owns that aesthetic; every time I see a picture of the SHF I adore it!