Kamen Rider Saber Episode 43- "The Values of Existence!" Discussion
 

Storius has compiled all necessary pieces for the Tome of Omniscience to destroy both worlds.

Getting Gaim Flashbacks of a major moment happening before suddenly! Kikaider!

In this case it's Suddenly! Twokaizer!

RIP Desast
You social media addict you.

Welp... he's actually gone (until Toei brings him back for something). Farewell Dezast, you weren't the best (or maybe you were? I dunno, I'll let Fish be the judge of that), but you were easily my favorite of the villain lineup.

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We also finally got the reveal of the villain headquarters(?) this ep and... It's just some condensed space/Tardis hanging out in the middle of a random park. Eh, sure why not.

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The Shindai's this ep were...

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The sudden turn with Storius feeding all of that stuff to Charybdis, only to then have himself eaten so all the powers fuse into him was a pretty clever way to create/introduce the Grimoire WRB.

Great episode Desast put up a good fight. Next is the special with TwoKaiser and the power up.

I never should have called out to you...

Yeah, we never should have met.


An impressive display of Kamihoriuchi! He's really one of Saber's best directors, paired up with Fukuda, the two can really make characters shine! The lighting, the symbolism shots, the near-absence of the jingles to avoid taking away the emotional weight, it's all so good. It seems Kami wrote the lyrics of the insert song, and were very hard on the actors for this episode.

This is the culmination of Ren and Dezats's side plot and My God, it's amazing. Admittedly, the side plot doesn't have much build towards this scene, hoping the Blu-ray special amends that, but the relationship of these two as per the Twitter posts and their small interaction are special that I still found myself loving every bit of this final fight.

Ren mimics Blades' style, a style of of focus and and finesse, something he is clearly not fit for, so he is immediately beaten after. We get one last squeeze of Ren's childish personality as he crawls away in terror from Dezast, he's still a child, he's scared of dying. Really felt for him in that one. This is until he remembers Dezast's words and fights back.

It's an amazing fight, showcasing both Fujita and Togashi's stunts. Honestly, Togashi can wear the Kenzan suit if he really wanted to. I'm REALLY impressed with Togashi here, and I'm looking forward to his future work, whether in Kamen Rider or somewhere else. He'd be a nice fit in Tokusatsu. See, when Ren's not screaming, he's really good. According to the production blog, Togashi didn't want to leave even after he was done filming, he wanted to watch Fujita and learn from him. Fujita taught Togashi some things, I think.

Can't forget Koki Uchiyama's performance of Dezast. According to the production blog, they specifically wanted an anime VA for Dezast and Uchiyama filled the bill, though he was hard to get to the studio obviously. May or may not explain his few appearances. My absolute favorite part of this is when Ren proclaims he's going to defeat him with his entire being and Dezast laughs in response, and it really felt like he was crying too. A megid with no purpose, other than the fight.

The two denying the meeting of each other was great, like it's as if they really meant it but you know they were telling each other the exact opposite. They really are alike.

The end-credits scene of Ren finally eating his ramen with the red ginger, Kyomu and Hayate placed on top of each other on the Bench was very good, too. I love the last symbolism shot of the empty garden. Again, I needed a wider shot of it, but I love the meaning of it. Dezast and Ren are gone from the garden, Ren has symbolically returned. A changed man. Free of obsession over others and instead staying true to himself. A Kamen Rider.

Ren thanked Dezast in their first and last battle, with different emotions from Ren. It's great.

The rest of the episode is some good fun. Ryoga trying his best to thank Mei, lacking the social skills to do it, with Reika being overtly protective of her brother. Seems they lack something of each other and need each other to complete it. Like the little callback to Kento's future visions and them going around to the locations of those. The part with Storious in the correct area of his vision was a bit contrived, but I guess if they put it in the first place, Logos would be diminished a boss villain.

Storious makes a pretty genius use of Charybdis, a kind of way of doing the ritual without actually using it. And now he has the grimoire. It'll be a while before we see him transform with it.

https://i.imgur.com/zqvm11M.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/DcclUa0.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/4SiPLsx.jpg

That was a great end to Ren and Desast's story arc. The fight, the emotion, the outcome were all done very well. And the end credit scene (when have we ever had an end credit scene?) was just bittersweet. Oh and the rest of the episode was pretty good too.

The insert song when Kenzan vs Desast, what is it?! I need it asap! Oh the emotion, its really enhanced with song. I don't know if I want the song to be played in another scene, nut its too beautiful to just used it once.

Ps : today's shoots of Kenzan's suit make me see the coolnes in its. Before this, I think that kenzan is a bit out of place from the other northern rider. Well, he is from the southern where the other two's sword crown is also placed flat, anyway

It's called"Will Save Us"sung by Mei actress. A short ver is releasing soon.
https://mobile.twitter.com/KR_avex/s...18600420089856

RIP Desast. Hope to see you in a V-Cinema with Kenzan if ever.

What if Desast somehow gets reincarnated as a human and fights alongside Ren? Just thinking about a Cross-Z Evol situation.

Hmm. I don't really know about this translation.

I mean, it's not inaccurate, just...

https://i.imgur.com/xVPZCtF.jpeg

Sayonara... Desast the Megid.

So my thoughts on Ren? Honestly, the later half of the series works wonders for him as soon as he starts hanging out with Desast. I always felt like there was a good spark between the two compared to Ren with anyone else. They always gelled together, especially during Kenzan's debut fight. That was probably the one thing I loved about Ren's debut.

The fact that the Kenzan Sword Chronicle was about him and Desast also made that one of my favorite Ren bits. Otherwise Ren doesn't do much for me, at least on his own during the late teens to late twenties. But the arc for Ren is clear, and it's honestly a fine one, even if it was stretched out fairly long. That being said, at the end of it all, Ren's alright. I don't hate him, I don't love him, he's just alright and that's fine by me. The fact that I don't hate him after this major conclusion is well... it's good honestly. I was worried, especially pushing through the second arc where Yuri was introduced, that I wasn't going to like him in the end. But he ended up in a nice spot. Here's hoping he gets to dual wield Hayate and Kyomu though. Or if they somehow find a way to do Santoryu style with Kenzan. The end with him repeating his line from his debut fight against Desast though... that hit absolutely hard. The song also helped immensely.

Desast, Desast, you have me kind of hopeful in the fact that your book didn't shatter completely. If Ren's mission in the end becomes trying to restore Desast? That would be nice and would elevate Ren's character for me. Regardless, you are probably one of my favorite pure monsters in the past several years of Riders. So I'm hoping whenever you come back they don't try to stick you in a human form because well, you being a full monster living your life however you want? That was your appeal.

Now of course the rest of the episode is carrying the plot but there are a few quirks that I actually really love? The fact that their piecing together all the clues that they have to try and find the base. Rintaro's little interaction with Luna, calling back to his introduction to Touma. And I think the most interesting touch, despite the questionable things with Reika, is one scene in particular.

When everyone see's all of the books lining the shelves of humans just screaming out trapped inside. I absolutely loved the look of guilt and pain on Reika's face. Because it hit her, absolutely, that had she not ripped the Northern Base apart, all of these innocent people might've been saved. Okay that's an exaggeration but a lot of these people could have been saved if it wasn't for her actions. And her expression of guilt absolutely showed that well.

Now I don't much about Charybdis' like story or inspiration but I absolutely loved his usage. He was clearly always meant to be a tool for Storious and we see now why exactly. Because Storious decided to just circumvent a big old ritual by turning Charybdis into a walking cocoon. I always did wonder why Charybdis had a larval-like look to it, so seeing it eat Storious and then crumble away to reveal him? Pretty good.

One complaint I'll say is that Storious should have kept his old look up until this point, that was when he gets his new duds it's a shocking reveal at how much he's changed. Overall fantastic episode.

Man, I don't even know where to begin with this one. Really, simply finding a place to start always seems to end up being the hardest part of these posts. Plenty of plot threads in this one, and I like 'em all so much!

I mentioned last time how much I love Saber's emphasis on having the characters goofing around even this late into the game, and that was something that came across strong here as well. It's all fantastic comic relief, because it's about more than simply making the viewer laugh.

Rintarou and Luna's little scene! Perfect example of what I'm talking about. It's Rintarou being a total goofball with such refined social graces that he loops back around into being graceless. It's a cute moment to breathe between all the drama, but it's so much more natural than somebody slipping on a banana peel or whatever, right? It's all drawn from his character, right down to Fukuda getting self-indulgent with just the *best* timing, referencing the whole "I'm not suspicious" gag from way back, and having him explain some of the logic behind what makes somebody an ordinary Homo sapiens or not. (Plus, he actively calls himself a Kamen Rider, which, like, how are you gonna go wrong with that?) It's amusing, but the Fukuda touch here is that it also highlights the humanity of the character, how imperfect and uncool Rintarou can be, and you can see that especially in how beautifully the scene wraps up, with Luna affectionately calling him a weirdo, finding it all endearing, and Rintarou chuckling, a little embarrassed.

It's honestly the same thing -- and please bear with me on this one -- but it's honestly the same thing in the scene right after with Mei and the Shindai siblings. Ryouga and Reika both acting like children is great. Him treating a simple expression of gratitude like saying "thanks" is the single most difficult trial a human being can face, and her massively overreacting to Mei's casual attitude towards her beloved brother; I genuinely love all that stuff. It's real exaggerated material, but just like Luna watching Rintarou being a dork, I think there's value in making this duo so hard to take seriously as a way to make them more endearing. It's a different side to them you weren't seeing at first, and once again, it makes them more human. They're not these stone cold prideful warriors anymore so much as they are people actively trying to project that image, and that is a very down-to-earth and relatable concept. They're now people who can one day be befriended, rather than heartless obstacles for the heroes to overcome. It's pretty similar to the treatment some of the Ganma got later in Ghost, and I like it for much the same reasons.

It also helps that Sabela and Durandal are still always so darn cool in the fight scenes? They make such a natural duo with their similarly tricky powers (I've read how Kaiji works and still don't know how Kaiji works), and something about seeing them together just feels right to me. The show is kinda doing a thing where every episode has Xross Saber swapping around various party members, so to speak, presumably to build up the excitement for when everyone comes together, and I enjoyed this latest team-up quite a bit. I was genuinely worried the show would just forget about the fact that the Megid turned a ton of people into books offscreen, so it was rather nice to have those stakes shoved back into the forefront, and then right in Charybdis' stomach! Lotta good dramatic turns with the villains in this one! Definitely very into how the overarching plot is progressing right now. Storious sells me more and more on his new shtick with each episode. Love how he keeps calling Touma his hero, by the way.

...Oh, hey, and there was kinda one other very major, important plot thread in this one too, wasn't there?

I mean, dude, how do I even approach talking about Ren and Desast's final confrontation? What words could possibly convey how utterly fantastic all of that was, and how much I adored it? The thought that a plot thread about Kenzan, that started as something frustratingly important to introduce in a spin-off short, could wrap up in a way *this* beautiful and emotionally impactful? That Kamihoriuchi and Fukuda would come together again to deliver this tour de force of a fight scene? It makes me insanely grateful to be a Saber fan. Like, even a part of it I wasn't that into at first can end up having a payoff this good. There was a new insert song that Kamihoriuchi helped write the lyrics for! He's a director! They really gave this one their all, guys!

It's... it's seriously every last thing about that scene. The editing, the choreography, the staging, the writing, the acting... oh man, the acting! Ren may have spent most of the last year stuck in a rut, but it's amazing to think how far Eiji Togashi has come as an actor since making his somewhat wooden debut as Kenzan back in 2020. There's nuance to his performance now that's genuinely impressive. He really sells the material he's given in this one, and that's good, because that material is all aces. So many smart choices being made. Little touches like Kenzan not splitting his swords until he's actually putting his all into the fight, even directly imitating Blades. More perfectly timed self-indulgence from Fukuda with the "maji nai wa" from Ren, and his dialogue after beating Desast being the exact same thing he said before he killed him the first time in 6. How the complicated emotions of the two of them admitting their whole relationship was not good for either of them are communicated by those Kamihoriuchi cuts to peaceful symbolism land, where they're saying those same lines to each other as mere casual banter. It's like they regret all this, and they also wouldn't trade it for the world, and that's the really the heart of why this was such a great conclusion for the two of them. Neither one really finds an obvious answer to their problems by the end, but, even if it wasn't a pleasant experience in so many ways, you can tell they've both grown from their interactions, and that's all solidified when they assert their names -- their existence -- to each other. Ren and Desast were brought together by how empty they both were, and they part ways maybe a little less so.

Just... just a real good bunch of emotions going on in this episode, all around. Saber is awesome.

I love this episode,the action is on the point.
Good end to the Ren-Desast's side story.
Next is Crossover Special? Hmmmmm

I complete forgot that "Maji nai wa!" was a thing Ren said during his introduction! Man, that and him thanking Dezast as the other callback, makes the scene all the better!

Oh yeah, Togashi just tweeted this with no other caption. Just wanted to show.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6Azo6BV...jpg&name=large

First Makoto's siscon moments and now Reika's brocon shtick. Is this Fukuda's fetish or something?

While I did wish Desast and Ren had some more moments together instead of just moping around most of the time, I'd say it ended on a satisfactory note. I certainly would've loved to see Falchion at least one more time but I don't think the subplot ended badly.

Like I say, Desast is the best Desast. Was, is, and forever will be. And I feel Kenzan's story is just beginning.

It seems to be more of a thing with the producer... he had similar stuff in Ryusoulger

I love this episode for a lot of the reasons everyone here already stated. Pretty much cried during Ren and Desast's fight.

I should do a "dolly zoom" counter for the next Rider show. They seem to be using the technique a lot nowadays and I love it.

There's only a handful of defining scenes from Rider shows that sticks to mind pretty much forever.

Kazumin's final fight in Build. Zeronos' last stand in Den-O. Date's last fight as Birth in OOO. Chase in Drive.

But Desast and Ren's fight is so damn good, it's up there. Most of the other swordsmen were about finding their personal wishes or goals so they could grow past the burdens they carried. Ren's was completely about growth, rather than being just about strength. The final scene with the light shining through, the look on the actor's face, all of it is so well shot, you can literally see the boy becoming the adult.

With material this good, I don't mind that the main plot became secondary for this episode for one moment. Totally worth it IMO.

Thank you!

So speaking of "Will Save Us" is it just me or did anyone else get Nier Automata vibes from it?

Not a Nier player, but i get gabriele aplin’s trough the ages vibe, from black buttler live action

Oh no, that wasn't just you.

It says a lot about how well done that fight scene was that it may go down as one of my favorite Saber moments and it involved freaking Ren.

In remembrance of a great Kaijin... Farewell, Desast... Of all the Desast's in the world, your Desatiest... Rest in Peace.

I know there were a lot of people who didn't like Ren, but this episode, heck, his whole arc is phenomenal, perhaps the best in Rider (as far as I've seen). Sure, I would have loved to see more of these two, but the way they execute this was just great, from the cinematography, lighting, atmosphere, the music, and the fight, all just really well done.

Speaking of fights, the Saber and the Rindai siblings versus Charybdis was really fun, warping to different locations (throwback to the early episodes!), the use of past Megiddo powers, and the display the siblings showed against the monster was really fun to watch.

There were fun scenes outside of the battles and emotional rollercoaster though, Reika getting jealous over Mei (looks like I was right about them having beef, though I'm still not a fan of her character), Rintarou introducing himself to Luna, it's nice to know they aren't all gloom and doom.

And Storius, that absolute villain, feeding a bunch of people trapped in books and the Sophia clone to Charybdis, and then getting eaten by Charybdis, then gaining unlimited POWER!!! What a play!

Also, since people are bringing up the insert song during the Ren Vs. Desast fight, Mei... Hecking MEI sang it!? That is really impressive.

Next Week: Slash just found some competition.

Man, Reika is at her most insufferable in this episode. Torturing Sophia was already deplorable, but now she raises a sword to Mei and punishes Touma for saving Ryouga from being eaten cause she didn't like how he copied his attack. There's just no hope for any redemption of this character anymore. I hope she doesn't come back from her trip to the World of Zenkaiger. Not that I want those poor guys to have to tolerate her presence either. Maybe send her to Kinokotopia instead.

Sophia, in the Northern Base: "I sense something from the south." Duh!

Red Sophia doesn't even have a line and only exists as food for Charybdis. And Desast is the one who laments his lack of story?

Anyway, everything else in this episode was pretty good, starting with a lack of narration to give you a sad reminder of what happened last time. The highlight is of course Kenzan VS Desast, Ren's resolution and Desast's honorable death, with a song performed by Kawazu that makes me wonder if it was made for a potentially important Mei moment that isn't going to happen, or less likely, foreshadowing for the next Falchion. It's a cool fight though, with Desast giving it all he's got cause he hasn't got long left and he wants to push Ren to his limit so he can understand the true meaning of strength. It's a moral only someone on the same wavelength like Desast could teach him, since Ren is a simple man who doesn't respond to the typical epic speeches about heroism and friendship, but he does understand the language of violence. His philosophy of "Justice is Strength, Strength is Justice" was never completely wrong, it just depended on his concept of those terms. They're subjective after all and his concept of them was rough around the edges. Ren lacked both, so he was neither strong nor just. It was only through intense battle that he was able to draw out those qualities and find his own meaning in them. He could've joined Team Saber, but what good would that have done? He never would've learned anything new about himself, understood what it meant to fail and become stronger from it. Before he could be important in a team, he needed to realize his importance as an individual, something that Desast was very familiar with due to his lack of friends to support him. I don't think Desast's story is over either, since his book is still barely intact. It seems like some kind of Ankh or Chaser setup for a future revival.

If MosaRex was his self-insert, that would explain a lot!

Fun fact, the staff blog actually talked about how that song existed specifically at the request of the director of this episode, Kamihoriuchi, with him even having contributed to writing the lyrics. And if you look at those lyrics:

...Mentioning things like scent, it was definitely created bespoke for Desast and Ren.

Eh, brother-thirsty little sisters seem to be pretty popular in anime these days, so it's not a surprise to see it cross over into toku. It's still creepy and gross, but let's just be happy that at least they're both adults.

That's good to know! The song definitely adds to the climactic and passionate atmosphere of Ren's and Desast's fight to the death and Kawazu has a pretty good singing voice.

I think there are some anime tropes that should probably stay in anime and brother-thirsty little sisters are near the top of that list. If her obsessive behavior was just disturbing, I could ignore it like everything else about her I ignore, but now it has started affecting characters other than Ryouga. I don't want to see Touma coerced in to apologizing for being helpful, when Reika has a long list of apologies she owes for serious problems she actually caused, especially to poor Sophia. I pity Angela for having to waste her talent on this.