[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Like, Keiko’s whole motivation and attitude, it’s no different than arcs we’ve gotten with Yuka or Takumi.

Problem with extreme behavior? When? This is probably a flawed view, but from my experience, extreme behavior is like, the one acceptable way to write a character, the only way to give a shot for an interesting and memorable character (keyword: give a shot, because this is fifty-fifty, they can also be hated for the exaggerated behavior, but...). This is also something that is more prevalent in Neo-Heisei serieses. Continuing from the acting topic before, you're talking about this episode having more realistic take of those, but people thinking of characters who doesn't behave in an extreme way as having no personality or is a bad actor, the reason they say that? Because they think non-extreme characters are robotic and not like humans at all, and thus unrealistic... (and more unfair jabs to introversions). So that'd mean, making characters not extreme is the problematic one. Anyway, Keiko's sthick of dirtying others' clothes because she can't be happy anymore... this reveals the root of her problems, that's the standard toxic behavior of "people putting others down just to make yourself feel better" coping mechanism, within the old maxim of “stand on other people’s toes to raise themselves”, commonly seen in internet trolls. This is not a healthy one and when it seemingly works they will just feed off of it. Also there's a part where she pushes people away, but about her being a spoiled brat to others like Keitaro? Where apparently she wasn't that way to her parents, but were her parents didn't teach her to behave?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Boy, pretty fun to see all six members of the classic cast, though, right?

Mari had visited Team Orphnoch HQ (Speaking of Team Orphnoch, I've just checked the series outside again, they're refered as The Renegades) before, more than once.... where did you think that Kaido's love sthick came from?? Also I don't think what people complained was about folks running into each other (I don't know how did you assume that's the part of "misunderstanding" or "melodrama", honestlly). Otherwise, for Mari regarding Keiko Noguchi or Kurata... this just reminds me (and probably her) back when she mistook Ichiro for Masato when looking for Kusaka... partly same name with different first/surname. Probably that's the reason why she didn't talk about it before, she (and I also thought this way) thought he was coincidentally talking about the other Keiko, right from Ichiro & Masato experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The return of Fungus The Clown makes a little less sense, if I’m being honest. It’s a part of this story that never really connects, thematically or plot-wise. He’s just a monster clown who scares a little girl, but he’s not really relevant to the story.

I agree with this. The Toadstool Orphnoch being heavily emphasized between these 2 episodes with Keiko as the main target and also her main source of fear.... that'd make you think it being influental in this story, but yeah, it was big time nope, unless somehow Toadstool's the one who caused the gas explosion. Because he's not related to anyone's problems here, if Keiko was just played as the victim of the week, Toadstool's sthick would play exactly the same. Regarding protecting people's smiles and a monster, it'd make a point if the monster actually attacked Keiko's mom and putting her in amnesia and hospital, thus sending Keiko into this unhappy state, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The fight against Fungus The Clown isn’t even the memorable fight from the episode! Faiz’s fight against Horsepower was pretty great (with Horsepower going to Four-Legged Drive mode), but the final Faiz Fight against Mr. J had one of the coolest finishes this show has had yet.

I also agree, while the finisher attack isn't a good one to me, the choreograph and maneuver here is superb. To have Faiz being thrown up to air after Crimson Smash only to still fight back while airborne the whole time by using Grand Impact attack. It's all smart, cool, and smooth.