[Kurona]

On one hand, I feel like villains referring to themselves as “Kamen Riders” can often implicitly be read into as a twisting of that sacred meaning, especially with how long the show has gone on. You know how in W, Shotaro and Philip considered the name “Kamen Rider” to be an important thing that was granted to them, and would feel very offended when it was taken by the likes of Accel? That’s often the lens through which I view villains taking up the name. They don’t deserve it, they aren’t true Riders, but that’s the point. Evolt practically taunting the other Build riders by calling himself one; Cronus considering it his property; everything in Ryuki being a great subversion. I think it’s important we never truly take a villain at their word when they call themselves a Kamen Rider.

And since I’ve spent a long time here now illustrating my criticisms with this season, I might as well toss it a bone here — I LOVE how this season uses the name Kamen Rider! I think both Thouser and Ark using the term, for starters; is a great example of the above because in some way they are both a twisted parallel of Aruto, visually or mechanically. Thouser I especially love for how he’s making the name a brand. While everyone’s out here giving grand speeches on who they are as a Kamen Rider and why it’s an important name to them, Gai would love little more than to grab that term, trademark it and copyright it as ownership of ZAIA Enterprise. Kamen Rider, to him, is a product. But for the others? Fuwa grew into someone who’d protect others at all costs rather than using his powers to pursue a revenge quest; and it’s at that turning point he defines himself as a Kamen Rider, for instance! I also love all the MBJR members using it and it’s my favourite implementation of an antagonist using it — because they’re freedom fighters for the sake of Humagears. Whether you read into that as sympathetic or a twisting of the term I really really think they nailed the usage here! Horobi and Jin were used by their enemy before they escaped it and proclaimed themselves as saviours against that enemy in the name of their people. There’s something so, so good in that! Aruto himself is also a great evolution of Kamen Rider in expanding the scope of who they protect, I really don’t think I need to go into detail for Ichigata; and Yaiba...! ... she gets to be in the gang too.


On the other hand it’s, uh, all quite clearly for toy marketing. But I still think the writers do a lot with what they’re given!