[Kamen Rider Die]

Ryuki's a tough show, for sure. Shinji's idealism and certitude taking a beating for a year is sometimes hard to invest in. There's a real sense of fatalism to its arc, where it's less about heroism and more about self-interest/martyrdom. I'd be lying if I said it was one of my faves.

But it's a show that, for me, really improves in my memory. I respect more what it was trying to talk about: the difficulties in empathizing with others; the hard but necessary work of getting to know people; the value in taking on someone else's burden; and the idea that we can never, should never feel certain about anything, so always ask questions, always be inquisitive.

It's a show that has a bunch of flaws (Shiro had some of my least-favorite acting in a Kamen Rider ever), but there's some thematic stuff it's getting after that I keep rolling around in my brain. The execution may not be flawless, but there's a ton to unpack from what Ryuki wanted to discuss.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!