[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

He's a complicated guy! It takes a lot of different words to describe him! For this story, it's less about Tendou being an asshole and more about him figuring out how to be friends with Kagami. There's a lot of friction in this story, and no small amount is because of Tendou not having Kagami as figured out as he thought.

(There's a bit from 03 that I really liked, where Kagami starts to tell his Tragic Backstory, and, like, halfway through you can see Tendou mentally go Tragic Backstory, Yep, Got It and check out. He's not used to people being more complicated than he predicted!)

This reply here is.. something resembling "he's only teasing you because he likes you" category again... happens when someone gets a hard time from other person (like teasing, harassment, or bullying. These aren't about Tendou but he did give Kagami hard time like being bankrupted; Kagami's zero-luck is one of the defining traits of him btw), the phrase pops up seemingly everywhere, including children's literature and movies.

Those words teaches people to normalize unhealthy relationships, that mean or aggressive behavior towards another person is an acceptable way to show affection. BTW, if Tendou's really trying to "make friends" and it's how he acts then, it does happen for those having social problems; and it comes not only in form of those aren't talkative enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER KABUTO - EPISODE 05

Truegami, Agito's The Real Shouichi Tsugami, is back on a Rider show, so that’s neat. He wasn’t ever my guy on the other two shows he was on, but it’s fun to see him back in the mix, playing a secretive scientist/soldier with no regard for the human cost of his mission. So, same old, same old. But I always like his hair! Positivity!

Wait... so he's not your guy in those 2 shows? I thought he is based on your jumped reactions of him returning to the shows.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I like spending more time fleshing out Hiyori. Her sullen nature could come off one-note, but I think the actor does a great job bringing little inflections to her various deflections. Hiyori’s someone who’s so terrified at being hurt again that she makes it impossible to truly feel safe. When Tendou reaches out to her, reaching back is the riskiest thing she’s ever done. That conflict, between her wanting to be happy and feeling safer being miserable, I think that’s a fascinating story to tell.

And, hey, it gives Tendou a chance to show the benefits of his limitless confidence. It’s just fun to be around someone like that, someone who can sell you Everything’s Going To Be Fine. It’s hard to have that kind of easy charm, and Tendou’s got it. We usually see him using it to remind everyone how great he is, and it’s a pleasant turn to have him use it to draw Hiyori out of her shell. That’s nice.

Hiyori is Tendou's most beloved person like Jyuka. Tendou's better side will be seen around Hiyori like to Jyuka. And good then to have these kind of performance more recognized, and other than that, while not a sullen one, also Asumu's from previous series for being more tranquil one. I'd actually expect similar reaction of what you did to Saya from Faiz... or Yuka at first, which I want to explain about louder eccentric isn't the sole way of acting (and having only that as your trait is equally one-noted) and those that aren't like that is cited as bad acting, monotone as in unable to emote (I've seen Hiyori's getting that as a flak), and bad acting or "no personality", which is just a lazy and egocentric view of people and a very superficial judgement.

And also, it's clear that Hiyori is seemingly currently blameless in her predicament, it's the type of People Have Bad Shit Happen To Them For No Reason, which you're against in Blade thread? Hiyori's so far is a victim and this shows the consequences for her; the meteor hit Shibuya and killed her family, and by that she seemingly got wreked, with her social anxiety, depression, grumpiness, obsession to her drawing, etc. and so far, by that she seems not to care much about surroundings, as she seemingly sees life as meaningless. And for her potentially feeling safer being miserable; this brings back to the drama article which talked about it in disastrous consequences (this is outside Hiyori or those in Kabuto); where another reason is that they become so accustomed to the negativity that positivity becomes alien.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The hunt for Kabuto by Truegami’s ZECT faction is… I mean, fine, ZECT is going to want to quantify Kabuto sooner or later, and it makes sense that someone up top would have less But He Gets Results equivocating than the regular cast.

Being open-ended is usually one of the ways of what showmakers do to try to hook up the audience to make them stay tuned for what's happening next. And I mean, "are they going to keep watching people die indefinitely?" that's probably not an episode flaw, it's intentional in the story, I mean, the goddamn characters are also constantly asking about it, be it Kagami or Misaki. And if I want to make a guess, their "plan" is only keeping an eye of the Worm and wait until Tendou inevitably comes and deals with that Worm. I mean, there's currently only 1 Kamen Rider weapon right which is Kabuto Zecter in Tendou's hand and by this, Kabuto will be very distinct that he's easily identificable, either in looks or activites. And honestly, it's all on Truegami's character, not whole ZECT! I feel like he's morally bankrupt one and doesn't belong in ZECT despite assuming HQ position. Other than that, how would you compare this series' Truegami to usual "monster of the week" characters?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And that’s not even getting into the random, one-scene appearance of Kagami’s dad, which is clearly setting up later stories without making its presence here feel necessary; how weirdly airless and basic Hiyori’s should-have-been devastating flashback was; the fact that no one on this show has a cellphone (AT LEAST HIBIKI CALLED IT OUT), which would’ve solved half the problems in the episode; and ZECT’s baffling hierarchy, which provides little to no documentation or coordination between divisions, treating a militarized organization of nebulous authority as something more like a collective of terrorist cells.

It’s a dull episode, and while I liked a few things in it (Tendou, Hiyori, the restaurant manager immediately kicking herself for believing in Kagami, the fact that Kagami’s dad asks him if he’s been eating because your parents will never ever stop asking you that no matter how old you get or how long you’ve lived on your own), I thought this episode was pretty forgettable.

There's a thing at the end where the show is trying (I think) to parallel Tendou stepping into ZECT's trap with Hiyori waiting at the flower show, but it's... I don't know. I can squint really hard and maybe see some connective tissue, but there's not much incentive for me to do so. This was all a big step down from last time.

The scene of Kagami's dad reminds me of Jin's in Blade. The character meeting his father and acting hostile towards them, regarding their lost siblings and the father's seemingly apathy or fault. With the father just nonchalantly explain/dismiss about it to their living son's dismay, pointing about their father's career. And what you say here... "no one has a cellphone which would've solved half the problems".... that's like what people complain about Faiz, with the series theme actually being cellphone, but in total ironic fashion, the miscommunication is rampant. It seemingly irks more to people if they have the tool but underutilized, rather that not actually having them (personally I think you can't blame those that doesn't do this thing because of not having the tools). Tendou and Hiyori really does have connective tissue, and probably the scene is more about that rather than Tendou's smugness being benefical for once.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

A QUESTION

Sally, the owner/manager/head chef/whatever of La Salle, tries to get Kagami to take Hiyori to a flower show. It’s an attempt to brighten the day of the otherwise withdrawn and monosyllabic Hiyori. Obviously, Hiyori has a (deeply obscured) fascination with floriculture, so she’s interested in attending. How would you feel about attending a flower expo? Fun day out, or a total nightmare? (NOTE: Hypothetical question! I am not inviting you to a flower expo! These tickets were already bought before I asked! It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to be a date!)

Wut?? Sally?? Name's Yumiko Takemiya. To me, I'd react in similar manner to Hiyori's response to most things in flower expo, being mostly apathetic.