[Kamen Rider Die]

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Originally Posted by FreshToku

Gosh, I really only remember Missing Ace for all the parts that bugged me. Like it's amusing to me now with the knowledge of the New Generation Special in mind, that two of the three thirds of this 'New Generation' are just unceremoniously killed off by the last one who turns out to just be an evil monster.

I feel like that's a common problem for a lot of these Before We Had Legend Rider Appearances movies. There's this fun new status quo, complete with new characters and conflicts... that basically get abandoned halfway through for Your Old Favorites. I expected the New Gen Riders to not really matter, and therefore I was not disappointed!

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Originally Posted by FreshToku

The thing that bugged me most honestly was the stuff with Amane. It's a reasonable conflict, that after these years, she's still upset over Hajime disappearing, and nobody else have it in them to properly explain what happened to him. But like... Maybe at least let her know that he's very much 'gone' or 'dead' instead of making her think he just up and left? Also there's like no actual resolution to that? She doesn't ever actually see Hajime, but just vaguely thinking she heard him while unconscious is not enough for me to come off like this plot thread is sufficient.

I'm just really into the Hajime/Amane relationship, I guess, because I love that that was the story Inoue wanted to tell with this movie. Like, her loss, and his sacrifice, and that's it. That's the whole story. Everything else becomes fan-service.

For her never seeing him and still changing, again, loved it. I love that their connection was that deep? That she knew he was there, even if she never saw him. I found that all very sweet and touching.

The whole gang never telling her what happened with Hajime... tougher to defend! Some of it is 100% artificial conflict, where It's Safer If She Doesn't Know is a gigantic cop out. Tough plot point to defend, and not my favorite writing choice.

On the other hand, I've got to assume that telling a 10-year old girl who is intensely protective of her surrogate father that he was actually a monster from eternity and Kenzaki trapped him in a trading card to keep the world from ending... maybe it's better to just say he left and roll the dice on her needing therapy as a teenager? Clearly, this is a No Good Options situation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreshToku

Otherwise, I find the film just 'okay'. Compared to the big spectacles of Paraidse Lost or even Episode Final, Missing Ace feels a lot more low-key, but there were plenty fun action bits too. I do still laugh a little at the end of the climax, where the three remaining Riders transform and pose side-by-side all triumphantly before rising up towards the giant super-Undead... before getting immediately smacked down, and Blade then just goes and does it all by himself anyway.

In their haste to win they day, they all forgot that Blade hadn't debuted King Form yet, so all their efforts were wasted. It's that classic Kamen Rider Blade enthusiasm, getting them into wacky scrapes!