Oh, I liked this episode when it aired, but as it went on in my head for long and a couple of rewatches, I kind of despise it now.

The hospital scene hurts me inside because of how it was handled. Fuwa learns that he doesn't have a very special life up until he was brainwashed and turned into an AIMs soldier, so in a logical sense that must mean Fuwa has to be worried about the people he's left behind, his friends, his family!

Yeah, uh, no. They used this scene for Yua and Naki to to actually MOCK him. That... angers me on a level I cannot explain with words!

Next one is a 50/50 deal. I love Horobi and Thouser's fight, it was Gai at his absolute best and he was surrounded by Battle Raiders which are a very cool team, mind you. I also really like the context behind it, it's one of the few times Gai steps up to the plate to clean up the mess he started, Metsuboujinrai. I.. Don't see what's wrong with that, he's actually going out of his way to clean up his mess!

This is Thouser at one of his bests, he beats Horobi by utilizing the fact that he has more powers than him, overwhelming him with just how much he can dish out so Horobi's learning wouldn't be able to keep up with him.

But then.. Aruto protects Horobi? And Gai gets interrupted by Naki to allow Horobi to get a shot in beating him? This sours Aruto for me, allowing a robo-terrorist to live just because daddy issues, I get it that he also had a humagear dad, but it just doesn't hit me right. He protects Horobi and lets him get away, disallowing Gai from cleaning his mess, but also allowing Horobi the pieces he needs for his master plan of bringing back the Ark.

And no, that line at the end "Maybe Aruto will be the one to change the Humagears' future" or something I forgot, you cannot convince me for Horobi with that. All I saw here was that Gai was denied of making things right for once.

https://i.imgur.com/ixbOcns.jpg

Rei pretty much summed up my thoughts on this episode more eloquently than I could. So I’ll just share this and move on.

I am an older brother to protect a satellite, There. Astronaut: Uchuyaro Raiden.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=n7YbqnW7iB8

Jin and Horobi's relationship is very interesting, yes! Which is why it was so baffling to have Jin vanish from the episode before the second half!

Thanks! I'll go with that. We'll try and burn through them all before Friday.

There... may not be a lot to discuss! We'll see!

The idea of Horobi being a father to Jin is definitely a character trait that was a real big deal to Jin right before he got detonated, then sort of was absent when Jin came back (Jin's reappearance being more like a kid who came from college with a different perspective than how he was raised, instead of Jin needing Horobi's protection and guidance), and now we're resurfacing the old father/son dynamic. The problem this time is that it's weirdly more about Aruto and Horobi, two characters who don't really know each other at all, so the dialogue over fatherhood is all Aruto's backstory and Horobi's confusion. They're talking past each other in ways that don't really feel as dramatic as if it were centered on Jin and Horobi.

Yeah, it doesn't feel like we've seen enough non-terrorism from Horobi to have Aruto protecting him. Horobi just destroyed Midori last episode! After a hostage exchange! For no benefit! Right in front of Aruto!

I'll mark this one down for later use, since I kinda missed this threat for a good while and now decided to comment on the show at the end ^^

I will always have to say something about this show somehow.

Through, I did actually enjoy this episode at the time, even if I find Horobi as interesting as a dishwasher. I kinda have soured on it over time, though, which is kinda disappointing.

Gai vs Horobi feels like it represents the human vs. Humagear conflict at it's most extreme...neither are particularly in the right or genuinely acting heroically, and Gai is basically cleaning up his own mess, but it just shows how far this potential conflict can go if it's not nipped in the bud and stopped. And Aruto's caught right in the middle.

I think I understand where Aruto is coming from with Horobi. It's kind of like when Aruto fought Jin where he can see what Horobi would've been if he hadn't been re-programmed by Ark, and he can relate to Jin in terms of Horobi being Jin's father just like Aruto's own father was a Humagear, and Aruto knows the solution to this conflict isn't just to keep fighting and destroying each other but through peace, conversation, and believing that humans and Humagears can be more together. And even if it doesn't make complete sense in the face of reality or Horobi's own actions, it's Aruto's earnestness that seems to still get through to Horobi like it did with Jin.

Fuwa reacted to his past about how I expected, but I actually kind of wonder how different he would've been since so much of his anger and passion seemed to have come from the programming of hating Humagears.

Naki with that Is-style Aruto humor.

Ikazuchi! Metsuboujinrai is making a comeback.

It's a subversion, but I totally called it during the first time watching. If Fuwa's fake past is about a really traumatic event, then to make the real past distinct, it's gotta be something like opposite, the boring average life. I predicted that real Fuwa would be an unremarkable man. So it'd be a smart choice for you (I don't know how's an investing secret past), as there are those who'd think it's the most terrible decision the show made instead. Regarding how Fuwa's emotional journey is done on fake memories, what I'd think here is about, the concern about how Gai's cruel action on Fuwa can seem validated here because at the end it turns Fuwa "better", as if "Gai tried to create a hero with his own methods" and that "the end justifies the means". Though of course for this case, it won't be done considering how hatable Gai is (and the show treats the audience with continuous Gai humiliation, though it's not for you).

It's now a changed approach from how Aruto rejected MetsubouJinrai.net's cooperation at the beginning, but now he extends the same approach to Horobi as what he'd do to any other Humagears. I don't know why do you think that it's because it reminds Aruto of his dad? Aruto's doing this for Humagears, and Horobi is also one, Aruto believes in how Humagears can dream and he's giving that sentiment to Horobi too here. But overall, this part is another one where Humagears are (sort of) won over by Aruto's compassion. Now Horobi had slightly joined the Humagears that provided data for Metal Cluster Hopper, and also to a lesser extent Jin. Jin and to a lesser extent Horobi are the ones who value Aruto due to viewing him as different from other humans, but that's why Horobi having no real remorse still makes sense here. Just because they value Aruto, doesn't mean they'd extend it to any other humans, or that it's a road to redemption (especially Horobi) as stated itself by Horobi that Aruto's different. Aruto isn't whole humanity, and people can treat various individuals differently.

Well yeah, Horobi vs Gai is an example of evil vs evil, there'd be no one to root for here, but it's a reminder that someone isn't good simply for targeting bad guys (not a few example in KR). About the combat part, it also showcases Horobi being a skilled fighter that can catch up to Thouser despite the power difference. And is a proof that Thouser falls behind not only because he's weaker, but because he's someone who only throws power around (and stealing powers from others), which probably due to him being a non-fighter CEO. Regarding Gai, I'd say that, I find this part to be the most satisfying karma on him, instead of him being beaten up in a fight, that even ZAIA Spec isn't safe either, like Humagears, and Gai is put on Aruto's position for once, to going out on a limb convincing the public of his products. Really shows that all of Gai talking about Humagears being dangerous, while technically right, was only his agenda to put out his competitors and get profit for his product. The hacking is also a part of Gai's downfall (as well as repaying Aruto), that Naki hacked his force to turn against him.

For this one I think it's just simple, why would Gai admit his wrongdoings at this point? If he did it, he's finished, for obvious reasons (that's just suicide). Though maintaining his good image is also very effective to carry out his goals with others having harder time to challenge him due to the public being on their side, they can have the heroes be met with harassment lawsuits, breaking & entering or assault charges, bad press, or even got them painted as bad guys. Villains that has good publicity is just one of the most frustrating opponents that can be faced. And yeah, many do claim that morality solely depends on what others claim as right/wrong or their perspectives (as in moral relativism), which I was never onboard with, with one of the reasons in villains with good publicity (or the opposite, of heroes that has bad image, especially undeserved).

About Gai not acknowledging Yua, "nobody asked for your opinion" is also one of the common excuses for people to be an asshole (other than "culture", culture isn't the only one due to its "disadvantages", which is more about various excuses people can pull), because people want to feel like what they say has worth (especially narcissists like Gai), and by uttering "nobody asked for your opinion" for disagreeable takes that they took offense to, by ignoring their feedback, they're telling others what they said don't matter, and therefore they don't matter, as a safety net, to protect themselves from criticism.

It'd be something that's expected from Aruto, or other characters similar to him though, to try seeing the good in others, and he did it when he learned more about Horobi's backstory, compared to him at the beginning. Though this part of extending sympathy to villains are often, frustratingly, as you said, done by letting them go completely. So personally for you what'd you think the series/Aruto should've done against Horobi here, while also keeping Aruto in-character of seeing the good in others?

I second this.

I guess that depends on whether or not you consider Recap City to be a good time?

I understand why you feel that way and I can sympathize with that. However, I thought this was one of those complicated scenarios where there's no perfect outcome. Horobi and Thouzer were both trying to murder each other, which Aruto in good conscience couldn't allow to happen when he saw a way for both of them to live. It just happened that Thouzer was winning, so Aruto had to take Horobi's side to break up the fight. Sure, protecting a genocidal terrorist was risky, but Aruto didn't want Jin to be orphaned like he was. He believed he was keeping a family together, so he made the choice he thought was right at the time. That's heroic enough for me.

I agree that Gai was acting in his clients' interest, after Naki hijacked the ZAIASpecs and endangered innocent humans. He was the offended party this time, so his retaliation was pretty fair and for once he didn't deserve to be punished. Honestly, I have to praise his combat tactics to beat the much more experienced and skilled Horobi and it's just too bad that Naki interfered when it wasn't necessary. Even though Horobi won thanks to that unfair play, we know Thouzer was the rightful winner. It reminded me of the duel between Patren 1 and Lupin X, where the former threw the fight on purpose.

Of course, there's no way Gai would spare any time to reflect on his behavior, when nobody's putting any pressure on him to change. As long as people continue to support his decisions, he has no incentive to change. He's like the ThousanDriver, designed to be perfect, no room for improvement. To need improvement would mean he'd have to admit being imperfect, which is a truth he's afraid to confront, that's he's not the 1000% perpetually perfect man he thinks he needs to be.

I think the one fun thing about this episode is... there is no right side or answer. Really my only complaint is someone not calling Aruto out (Sadly Fuwa was receiving burns for being normal lol) but this was definitely a situation in that there is no real person to root for here.

And you know, I'd believe Gai was trying to set things right... if he was actually the kind of person who meant that. See I don't see Gai trying to make things right or clean up his mess, that would involve him actually realizing he did something wrong. No, this is basically a publicity stunt because he knows he needs to keep the masses shut up somehow. He could've done this at any time but instead he only reacts to a very bad hacking because he needs to. He's not doing this for anyone, he's just making sure his sales go up. So it's very much a case in which... should you really root for him?

But also should you root for Horobi? Probably not. Though it's clear there's some semblance of something other than being a genocidal killer AI in his programming, no matter how subtle it is. But even then uh... yeah I'd rather not get genocided.

Granted, I knew who I wanted to win. I'm sorry Thouser, but Horobi has a really cool impact frame finisher and I'm glad he got to bust it out again.

Noted!

Yeah, like... I don't mind Aruto doing something dumb like defending a genocidal terrorist from a deranged plutocrat, but I need there to at least be an acknowledgement from someone within the show that is a real Hail Mary of a move from our main character. If Aruto's gonna be like Dads Are Magic, then I need literally anyone to point out that Horobi is not exactly gunning for Robot Father Of The Year.

Unless I'm misremembering, Aruto brings up that Horobi's the same type of Robot Dad as his own. The show's definitely trying to tie together Horobi's role as parent with Aruto's upbringing.

I didn't even see this as a "publicity stunt", so much as Gai being furious about MetsubouJinrai screwing with his company. Gai showing up to their hideout with an army was just for revenge.

KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE - “PRESIDENTS SPECIALS”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/zeroone/prez1.png

Better than I thought it was going to be?

Like, the only piece of new footage is of an upcoming Ark suit, as far as I can tell. Every bit of Aruto’s reaction footage is cribbed from other episodes, same as all of the Izu/”Izu” stuff from Satellite There. The rest of the two specials is just the main arc of Zero-One, from Aruto’s point of view. It’s a clip show.

And yet!

And yet, it’s both really amazing what they were able to accomplish just stringing together all of these segments, and kind of cool that they did it all in a way that pushes the main narrative forward. We’ve got the Ark running a con so it can get all of Aruto’s secrets and strategies. We’ve got an evil version of Izu that works for the Ark, which I feel like was a spur of the moment decision by the producers to make use of a random shot in the opening credits. We’ve got a peek at an Ark Kamen Rider, letting us know that the Ark’s plans do not begin and end with MetsubouJinrai. There’s so much clever storytelling to make these two episodes feel integral to the series, and not just the best the production team could do in These Unprecedented Times.

More than that, though, it’s just really well-written? Much like the Izu’s Lecture Room stuff, these two episodes get a ton of mileage off of how Aruto and Izu play off of each other, and that’s not even counting the fun quirk of Kinda Rude Izu. (She’s great, though. I’m very excited for her to join the cast properly, and see what that actor does with the part.) There’s just a lot of solid writing going on, giving the events of the past emotional weight and narrative context, until it feels like Aruto’s last 34 episodes have a new poignancy and energy. Nothing in these two episodes ever feels like a Wiki entry, which is incredibly difficult to pull off.

I don’t… like, I get why people would skip these specials. You’re gonna see “Izu” and the Ark Rider suit soon enough. Beyond connecting a few dots that aren’t crucial to your enjoyment of the series, there isn’t much relevant data. But the production team and cast honestly created something very fun out of an impossible set of restrictions, and that alone makes these episodes essential viewing for me. Really astonished by how fun this all turned out to be.

—

KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE SO-DO AI 09: BEROTHA MAGIA

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/zeroone/prez2.jpg

Since I just watched a recap of Zero-One’s career, let’s go all the way back to his first enemy: the Berotha Magia!

The body on this guy is just the Trilobite figure I did a few days ago, but with maybe a couple extra stickers. There’s a bunch of green added to the silver, but otherwise it’s the same figure. The second box (he’s a two-boxer, if you can believe it) has his gigantic noggin, a couple arm pieces, the pauldrons, his blades, a couple hands, and the base. Stickers for the eyes, headphone-ears, arm pieces, and weapons. It’s a super straightforward figure.

I like it, though. It’s a good, basic monster suit for Zero-One to detonate. He doesn’t distract from our hero’s first Henshin, but he’s still stylish enough to sell this show’s enemies. Kinda neat to have Zero-One’s first bad guy be a bug guy? I don’t really have any deep thoughts on the Berotha Magia; it’s just a good starter villain for our hero to take out in a very stylish way.