Oh god, it totally is. I can absolutely see that.

I have to assume that Misaki cleared things up, assuming that the police were already in on her undercover role.

I love me a good ensemble - Hibiki and Fourze leap most readily to mind - but nothing beats a good double-act in Kamen Rider. So many of my favorite character interactions come from a dynamic pairing of characters: Ichijou and Yusuke, Ren and Shinji, Kenzaki and Hajime, Tendou and Kagami, Shotaro and Philip, Eiji and Ankh, Shinnosuke and Belt-san, Sento and Banjou, etc. When these shows get a good pair of characters who can really bounce off of each other, that's when the magic happens.

Yeah, Tendou's and Kagami's relationship is one of the best parts of Kabuto. the two really fit well together.

And yes, on the first glance the OOO's comparison feels fitting, though, I'd say only on the first glance. But that'll come in due time.

Really enjoying haveing my memories woken up like this though.

I assume it was the heist in this episode that had you feeling like you could get pulled back in for one last job?

Thanks for clearing that up! I genuinely did not know what the hell Tendou was talking about, but it didn't seem like it had a lot to do with the main plot. (Unless you would call Getting Juka The Promised Mackerel Miso the main plot, which it actually is for Tendou.) I appreciate the clarification, as always!

And I think that's going to be how most folks feel? Even in shows that are less two-handers than, say, OOO, there's going to be a major partnership/relationship that's memorable. (In Ex-Aid, even! Emu/Parado!) The only show I've seen that I don't know that has it... Fourze? I feel like Gentaro/Kengo/Yuki is the heart of that show, in the same way any other duo was for another show.

My top 3 Riders are OOO, Build and Kuuga, so... so I kind of think that speaks for myself? But following that up are Den-O, Fourze, Hibiki; so I like either when done really well! When it comes to these "what sort of set-up or premise or concept or theme do you prefer?" questions, I probably will have some kind of favourite, but I always come back to "anything, just do something cool with it"

Does Agito not have a core duo? I feel like the characters in that series slide in and out each other's circles too organically for there to be one definitive pairing.

On the other hand, I'd actually argue Fourze prioritizes Gentarou and Kengo's growing friendship over anyone else in the KRC. Major episodes in that show tended to put them at the forefront, and then there's the whole thing with the letter in the first and last episodes.

I kinda agree with you about Fourze, but I also feel it still leans a lot more towards ensemble than others. It's somewhere in the middle, I'd say!

For Agito... Shouichi and Hikawa is far too iconic to not think about constantly. Even if it doesn't line up formulaically, it will be -the- Agito Duo in my heart.

Ozawa's' foot x Hojo's' groin.

This is now canon.

Also, if Kuuga's iconic duo is Godai and Ichijou, and I spent a month calling Hikawa "Nijou", then Shouichi and Hikawa are Agito's iconic duo. Transitive property! I checked the math!

Also this sequence:

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/...awastreet1.png
https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/...awastreet2.png
https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/...awastreet3.png
https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/...awastreet4.png
https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/...awastreet5.png

ICONIC. DUO.

Always has been. :D

My favorite sequence between the two was later on in the show when Hikawa was taking care of a bed ridden Shoichi, and Shoichi asks if Hikawa would be willing to mash up some strawberries with milk and sugar. The absolute "Are you serious?" look on Hikawa's' face absolutely killed me.