[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I’m not sure if I’ve brought this up before (I never remember what I talk about in these threads), but I love the central irony of this show. Faiz is a show where the core gimmick is cellphones, and it’s about the impossibility of communicating with people. It's like making a show with a ton of doors where the main theme was about keeping people out. It’s kind-of perfect.

And for some others, the one you talked about having problems with miscommunications and misunderstandings? This irony is the main reason, because this show's main motif are phones, but they are so underutilized that they have all these drama.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

So much of this episode is about how hard it is for Yuka to communicate what she’s going through, to feel safe, to feel free.

Because one of the show's theme song lyrics are "the dilemma won't end even if you keep running". Also there's the Takumi trait of her story about dreams, but the different answer is obvious because Yuka isn't a major asshole like Takumi (even if Kusaka is a monster, being hostile to him because of being jealous, before knowing him more is a common bully or similar kind of asshole's trait) but instead supporting them and wants to be like them. And this finally happens after you summarized her situation as a cage, but in this episode it's summarized as balloon instead. But one thing that I'll never ever understand, how did they only know their surname all this time, but didn't catch their full name? I actually would understand more if they don't know their names at all, but they call each other "Osada-san" or "Kikuchi-san", but never knew the "Yuka" or "Keitaro" part.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The thing that makes Yuka so certain that she can’t be happy, can’t be accepted (there’s that word again), is because she’s an Orphnoch. She was tortured because she’s an Orphnoch. She can’t let Mari or Keitaro know she’s an Orphnoch. Lucky Clover wants her because she’s an Orphnoch. It’s key to her identity, and it’s her main impediment for happiness.

Why do you even consider about the words from horrible people like (both Kyoji and Kohei!) Murakami, and especially Minami? Those words are their foundation of them doing their villainy, and obviously you aren't meant to side with them, because even those with right goal but wrong methods aren't one to be sided either (although some people will ignore the methods and only see the end goal, and cementing them as similarly good as the pure heroes - but the end doesn't always justifaiz the means). Also for Yuji, where everyone seems ready to fight, it's not only trait in Orphnochs, but also in humans, as he has painfully experienced in his revival, especially in a dark world such as Faiz's. Also you talk about how the world hates and fears Yuka? I don't know if she has that as an Orphnoch, but she has been hated since she was human previously, in every environment, by her family and classmates (I can't call them her friends if they bully her), and I don't recall her utilizing her Orphnoch form except against those she deems as bad (and they're killed so she's still unknown) so I don't know about fear.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I don’t want to make it sound like this whole episode was a grim meditation on one woman’s tortured existence. (I mean, it was, but it wasn’t just that.) It’s also a pretty thrilling action-adventure episode, with some fantastic fight scenes.

The Yuka/Kageyama fight was exceptionally well done, with some dynamic camera moves. I already posted it, but that single shot where they switch out Kageyama for her Orphnoch form? Insane! That’s all done in-camera! But it’s also key to the storytelling, where the danger comes from how quickly these things can happen. It’s not Kageyama showing off, declaring her actions. It’s an example of how quickly and easily she could kill Keitaro, how important it is for Yuka to defend him.

The other clever choice in their fight is how little fight music it uses. It gives a weight to the fight, makes it seem more brutal. It isn’t… it makes it feel like Yuka’s struggle is never-ending, that her fights don’t ever stop and start. It makes the combat grueling, eternal. Really smart move.

How's the choice is only for her to reveal herself to protect him. The only thing that would be better is to let Takumi witness this, because he constantly forces Keitaro and Mari to give up on Yuka and Yuji because they're Orphnochs, and never explained them even after Takumi warmed up to those 2.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

OH MY GOD THIS PERFECT BEAUTIFUL SHOW.

Another high point for the series, at least in how it worked for me. I generally don’t care that much about world-ending plots or whatever, but centering the idea of whether two lifeforms can coexist peacefully on one sad, broken teenager? I could watch a million more hours of that. I don’t know if I’d ever get tired of seeing this show peel back the layers of Yuka’s character, at least when it’s done this well.

Well you did at episode 15 (and I defended her too, by making it confused if it's truly bad or just the non-tolerant audience), but not anymore, but this also proved your sentence wrong that because this is art, opinions can't be changed. I wonder what will you say to other people regarding Faiz outside this thread because this is perfect beautiful show, scold and chastise them? Cementing them as having sh*t taste?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Like, I think Keitaro is very sweet. But I like his sweetness more as someone who wants to help a friend, rather than someone looking for a romantic partner.

This is something that needs to be acknowledged more in fandom discussion. Don't demonize other's kindness acts as only done for their inner self-interest more because it's "more realistic", "more relatable", etc.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Accepting people is pretty much Keitaro's superpower? I think that's why when he was scared of Takumi, it felt especially brutal. Keitaro cares for everyone. He wants the whole world to be happy! If that dude can't care about your comfort, things are in bad shape.

Anyway, yes, Keitaro and Yuka, it's an incredibly lovely scene. I love the small gesture of it, how he doesn't do a whole Yuka Is Yuka speech or whatever. He just stands there for a second, hugs her, holds her, and it's a cut to Open Your Eyes For The Next Faiz.

This episode was sad and solemn, but it made me so happy.

Superpower? (I'm onboard with you on this but...) This episode just yet again, portrays it as weakness, when Mari made fun of him for having that kind of wish/goal. There's also multiple times that goal is talked down upon by her, Takumi, or iirc Kusaka (lol this one is obvious) in the past. Also as always, obviously real life people also can see that trait as weakness in someone, like for this series, probably point up to the Mari/Sawada moment which gets her killed.