[Locke]

Faiz 21. - Holy hell is this show getting good.

It's nice to see Takumi actually have an emotional response to the Faiz stuff. For about the first time in the whole series, the Faiz stuff doesn't feel like a completely disconnected sub narrative about a man in a rubber suit fighting monsters.

Secondly I like how this episode finally made the middle section of the episode worthwhile. Faiz has a tendency to bookend the important things during the cold open and the wrap up of each episode, leaving the middle to be almost entirely filler but with the twist with the pizza shop owner, that I probably should have seen coming but didn't, it was probably the first episode worth watching from start to finish.

Not to mention that the action was great, I'm a sucker for seeing Riders - and in this shows case, monsters - fight out of suit as it really adds to the believability of it all.

Also holy form change Batman, it is like a combination of Kabuto and Trial...before either of them existed! After Kuuga and Blade I was really ready to write of Heisei Rider in terms of action, so it blows my mind just how great this show is on a pure visual level. God Mr J's so called replacement didn't last long, though, did he?

Not to mention that I love Yuuji and Takumi's budding friendship, especially as an audience we're more knowledgeable of the two characters than the characters themselves are. Can't wait for them to find out the truth.