[Den-O]

I thought this was overall a very well done episode if a bit slow. The torment Redue put Kouta through in the hypnotic state was awesomely painful. To see a character break down that way after experiencing such dramatic role reversals, to being the monsters he's destroyed or seen die in front of his eyes. It's powerful stuff.

Based on his own dialogue and the Mai/Sagara conversation I guess Kouta really could die. It would be dramatic, though not unheard of as the main rider of a show has died before, Ryuki. But the whole sacrifice yourself or rather your humanity to save the world angle is still straight out of Blade. Time will tell if this show can handle a plot like that better than Blade. For all the ways I faulted that show Blade did have a powerful conclusion.