[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Well, Kaido's still around, and that dude became a much better person by the end of the show. He became a hero!

If you found the characters unlikeable, I can't really argue with that opinion. I will say that you are definitely supposed to dislike Kusaka, so the flaw in the storytelling is more that Yuuji's actions don't feel that conflicted in the moment, and that I can't really dispute.

Overall, though, I guess I just found the cast, flawed as they all were, very easy to invest in emotionally? If they don't click with you, they don't click with you. For me, I cared a lot about the decisions Takumi and Yuuji made over the course of the show.

And, I don't know, I don't think it was that morally grey by the end? There's a lot of the show that is building Takumi into a Kamen Rider, and that means that he has to learn all of the empathy, patience, resolve, and dedication that seems more innate in other characters. This series was more like a prequel for a Faiz Year One that never got made. It entertains a lot of different ideas, but it definitely lands on morals like Help People, Care About Your Friends, Allow Others To Feel Safe, Don't Judge Others, and so on. It's a show about exploring those ideas, not suggesting that they're irrelevant or optional.

Isn't it generally easier to invest on flawed characters? Because they're more relatable. Though what infuriates me in fandom is that this (harsh) double standard, toxic flaws (ex: rude, greed) are glorified, but ordinary flaws (ex: clumsy, timid) aren't. With an IMO hypocritical reasons (for toxic flaws - I relate to him better because us humans aren't perfect!, for ordinary flaws - get this loser outta here I don't want to be reminded of my own weaknesses!), and it makes me actually wary of those kind of people (which to my experience, aren't a few) tbh. Want to do a joke here; Kaido becomes a "hero" that he's hailed as such by public, but so does characters like Mysterio in MCU! Otherwise, didn't you say that you don't want for a prick to change for the better at the end? That it's a smart choice of a show to keep characters still being an asshole?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I wanted to start this off by talking about how Faiz is a hard series to love.

Something I heard from other, but not the usual complain like "miscommunitcations" is like this: The problem is the difference between standard KR shows and the way characters are in Faiz; From the start you have the MC helping people and the story is usually about hope or optimism, where you said there, Takumi is the exact opposite of that; the only character who embodies those standard traits is Keitaro (well, it's something you like earlier so yeah...), a side character. That means Inoue was on the right track for Faiz as a concept, but sorta forgot what KR meant for kids, that Faiz probably would work much better as anything else except as a Rider season, for those that watches KR for the hope and optimism in humanity; while Faiz is much more realistic approach as a hero genre (not everyone wants to do things) it leave a bad taste for those.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

A ton of that is in the characters and casting, though. I started with Ex-Aid, so Highly Charismatic Yet Insufferable Assholes? Uh, yes. Every cell in my body is saying yes to that. To quote the queen of being a monster that I can’t stop watching, Kageyama, “I have a weak spot, after all, for troubled young boys.”

"Highly Charismatic Yet Insufferable Assholes"? But ironically your favorite is Yuji (the old one).... But for that, coupled with the decision of turning Yuji the same like them being bad, I will say this; While for above you said, keeping characters being assholes is a smart choice that I can agree too, and is a preferable/better choice, I also don't want for the existing non-asshole characters to be turned into assholes as well (for example: if their stance doesn't work like above Keitaro was a joke at first, where they would want for those type to realize their ideals don't work, and actually "mature up"; read: becoming angry over the world and lash out), or just simply because people don't like that they aren't assholes, or even "not villainous". I'm probably judgmental on this one, but I'd be wary of people like this (not those that can like/dislike any type of characters, but those who only like assholes/villains and also shit on anyone not like them, even giving the asshole/villains double standards over a trait shared by non-asshole ones), I'd say the more asshole thing you did instead of not liking episode 47-49 is your comments on characters like Saya, which to me, gives the quiet-shaming vibe, or above, "only tolerating toxic flaws but shit on ordinary flaws". But this is what'd be fair to the characters.

For Faiz' reputation, it's not all about Kusaka, but for Takumi and Yuji too, for the miscommunications like Takumi just acting without explaining the reasons why (ex: forcing Mari to give up on Yuji), piling up the problems. Yuji isn't impulsive like Takumi, but him not talking things through probably also considered by them. Kusaka was a big part of their (and others to a lesser extent) animosity yeah, but for the non-Kusaka characters not actually improving things up when they can are probably what also contributes to the reputation. But finally... you consider him a villain, like I hoped you will (and what I told you to with his early bullying ways), and not like, treating him as good because he accomplishes things that can be benefical to others like killing Orphnochs, or like you said, several times being on the right. He's part of protagonist, but villain protagonists exist. Mari's plot with Kusaka is meant to provoke hatred reactions to him, so the problems are probably intentional? Can you explain about Keitaro ("the show is too cruel or too bleak or too nihilistic or too morally bankrupt") to Kurona, or just recently, those who comments that they think all characters are assholes?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

When the characters lead the story, this show was powerful and smart. When it let the plot lead the story, it was poorly-justified and insincere. I guess for me, the character-driven parts outweighed the plot-driven parts. I get that not everyone will make the same allowance.

For Orphnoch King, I would like to know, what's your thoughts on those like Sigma in Drive or Gamedeus in Ex-Aid, because Orphnoch King is Faiz' answer to them. For Hanagata, he's more like instigator type for the series (found Smart Brain, wants to evolve the humans, creates the Belts, but realizes the error of his ways with Orphnoch's biology and tries to save humanity by kickstarting the whole plot by giving the belts to stand up against Orphnochs - you know the reason why all the Riders/Orphnoch stuff happen, this is a Kamen Rider show after all!), but at current time he's more of a social father figure to the cast. Though for you, I guess he'd matter more if he interacts with more than just Ryusei School alumnus like Team Faiz or Orphnoch (except Yuji at the end)? Also if you think there's too much time digging into Ryusei School, would that contradicts with Hanagata not mattering much? For Minami he matters though not in the way we like - his cruelty indirectly turned Yuji evil. But Minami isn't meant to be major, he exists solely to show that Humans Are the Real Monsters.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Real talk for a second though, since I don’t remember anyone bringing it up and it is a plothole that has been driving me crazy. Did Kusaka just quit college to hang out at the dry cleaners and wash his bike? That dude was in a million clubs and then we never ever see him go back there once. I know he wants to protect Mari, but he can probably do that and take some classes, right?

For Faiz being a show for you, you can join forces with Fish Sandwich to stick up for it. Bruh did you forget? Kusaka was a Delta too! Obviously he's going to be too awesome for colleges and he can do whatever he wants without a fear of becoming a washout! Even if dropping out he's still highly successful unlike even those graduating!