[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I don't know if I'd call it "deep hatred"? He certainly vacillates more between anger and forgiveness than Kusaka every does. A lot of Takumi's story is built around finding something to protect in some Orphnochs (he lets his pizza boss go), and when he does swear them off as a species he doesn't really mean it. Like, after Saya's death when he's gritting his teeth and swearing that All Orphnochs Must Die, Mari immediately says that doesn't sound like him.

Yeah, probably Takumi's claim of Kusaka-like Orphnoch hatred can be his usual outwardly asshole ways, though I got caught off guard more with his claim regarding Orphnochs. Probably because of him forcing Mari and Keitaro to give up on people they like that are Orphnochs. For simple description to Kusaka, he's someone downright racist to Orphnochs.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I’m sure I’m supposed to find Kusaka impossibly villainous. I’m supposed to be booing him when he enters a scene, hissing at his self-satisfied smile, longing for the moment when his treachery is exposed.

To me it's not how Kusaka's villainous but, the way he acts in his villainy.... so (my country's) soap opera-y! Not all villains act like Kusaka. But there's something not good with Takumi here yeah. For all the crap he gives to other people.... he's more lenient to Kusaka here, even compared to Yuji, probably only because Kusaka turned what happened into his advantage, with Kusaka holding the Faiz belt to give to Takumi, successfully deceiving him.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And that dude is working overtime this episode to keep everyone apart. He’s gaslighting Takumi, sure, but he’s also worried that Mari might end up redeeming the actually-sort-of-cute Sawada. (Kageyama was right!)

You mean that Sawada is someone who's like the arc done to the Orphnoch Trio? The thing is Sawada is actually villainous, even if he has to grumble inside himself about his humanity, unlike them (Kaido's an asshole but not a bad guy). Kusaka is a yandere, obviously he gotta fear Mari redeeming Sawada, and have him got in his way to possess Mari. While Sawada is an another case of feelings to her, Kusaka goes downright destructive on any implication of anyone taking Mari, like, just conversing or standing next to her. Kusaka convincing Mari that Sawada is irredeemable now got some right points, but it's also partly to keep her away from him too.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Again, I get it if this all feels forced. It’s a bit of a clunky device to have a misremembered message make a falling-out worse. But, for me, this isn’t wacky Kaido and Keitaro screwing up. This is confirmation bias. It’s Yuuji assuming he’ll get hurt, so he keeps Takumi at a distance. It’s Takumi waiting to be hated, so he responds with hatred. It’s a frustrating spiral, these two people abandoning hope for sadness, letting their worst instincts lead the way. I get that it can feel exhausting to watch. I really do like how it’s all rooted in character, though. Great story for that.

Yeah, the blame doesn't go to Keitaro or Kaido, but obviously to Takumi and Yuji themselves with their issues (actually, it's obviously Kusaka). It's also probably coming from Kaido who is the one misinterpreting/misremembered the message but Keitaro was all just catching what he tries to say. Keitaro claims that he wants to live powerfully, I wonder what's the definition of powerful to him. O̶r̶ ̶i̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶ ̶a̶t̶t̶e̶n̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶t̶e̶s̶t̶s̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶T̶a̶k̶k̶u̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶K̶u̶s̶a̶k̶a̶ ̶(̶I̶ ̶m̶e̶a̶n̶ ̶o̶b̶v̶i̶o̶u̶s̶l̶y̶!̶ ̶K̶u̶s̶a̶k̶a̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶e̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶o̶i̶c̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶n̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶K̶e̶i̶t̶a̶r̶o̶)̶ ̶d̶o̶e̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶e̶.̶ True, this is the part people got problems with for "misunderstandings" or "miscommunications", but I generally say less about plot qualities ("good/bad", like that), because it's arguable for everything, if that's a writing flaw, or intended character flaws.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Similarly, A++ episode for Houjou being a terrified coward! The way that nightmare sequence was shot, with Kitazaki going for the handshake, glowingly lit from below, all smiles. Houjou smiles back, glad to be done with this anxiety-inducing rivalry. His hand dissolves, that over-the-top reaction, big and broad and so funny. And then he wakes up, leaving Kitazaki hanging. Fifteen seconds or so of pure joy.

There’s a brief discussion about Lucky Clover getting back in synch, working as a team, but we don’t really see it in this one. It’s that goofy-ass Houjou nightmare, and that’s about it.

Takuma suddenly forgetting who asks for the handshake?! Also Kitazaki doesn't specify about how long they must do the handshake so that can be used to talk back. I wonder what will happen to Orphnochs that is dusted by Kitazaki later, Takuma lost his hand, but as I've said before, it proceeded much slower on Orphnochs than humans so I guess Kitazaki's ability to turn things into ash also depends on the strength of something he touched? And I wonder if the more force Kitazaki gives in his touches (like for example, punching), his ability will be even more dangerous.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Yeah, it’s pretty much all about the Mari/Sawada plot (which is not the most robust story when they don’t even share a scene until the end) and the Yuuji/Takumi plot (which, hey, they also end up not sharing a scene at all).

It’s an episode about trying to kindle some hope, to allow for reconciliation despite everything that happened. It’s all pretty tentative, folks dealing with their feelings first to understand what outcome they want. It makes for an episode of good scenes that somehow feels incomplete. I didn’t dislike anything in this one, but it feels like it’s more about mood than content, if that makes any sense.

Great mood, though.

But are you ignoring Mari pushing Sawada away from Kaixa's Gold Smash?