[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: Instead... like, the goddamn BRASS BALLS it took to do a moral about Shitty Endings Can't Change A Good Journey, in a story with an intensely shitty ending.
It's a kind of critical aikido, where complaining about all of the series-long flaws that cripple this two-parter is also missing the entire point of the two-parter.
The madder you get, the more valid the story's point becomes.
I hate it so much!

ZATYME: yup they legitimately went "the journey is more important than the ending.... oh and be sure to catch the TRUE ending of the show only in theaters this Christmas!!!!"
there is a reason that the following movie wars have the retuning casts plot be a post script story and not you know the ENDING of their show

KAMEN RIDER DIE: Like, honestly, I love the idea that Photo Studio Hayao Miyazaki lays out here. I never felt like Decade The Series needed a resolution. The opposite, actually! I liked the feeling that it'd never end for these kids, the post-Nine Heisei Worlds thing where they just keep having adventures forever. So trying to get Tsukasa to realize that a reward or whatever is irrelevant when it's literally The Friends He Made Along The Way that matters, I do love that.

I already heard about how people criticize Decade's ending, and so for me it's more about how it doesn't seem like an actual ending, clearly not as diend of the episode had Decade facing off against all the Riders going after him. I'd think that a series ending shouldn't stick into only a type that is more prefered, like should always make it with a sense of finality and treat the adventure continues kind as bad, but I get it now that the series didn't really have a proper conclusion for the TV series, and I kinda join in the one that criticizes its ending. Don't know the ways to fix it but probably only add more episodes like what Zatyme thinks of Decade being probably intended for more than 31 episodes. Lol, the irony though, Rider serieses can be criticized for being too long and drag things out but here, it's about being too short instead to give proper conclusion. I guess the ending is a "book end" kind (other than cliffhanger); an event at the beginning of a story is repeated or referenced near or at the end of a work, the ending about the same event in Natsumi's dream at the beginning, but made reality. I wonder what did Natsumi think about specifically the fantasical element in her dream (if it's too ridiculous to exist or such), as Tsukasa became Decade at first episode instead of Natsumi already knowing that he's Decade. For the moral part about journey... yeah it makes sense about Tsukasa delivering it.. but probably it's a case of a main character temporarily losing their way, but later another got them back on track, such as, mostly moral for other main characters, like in Ghost Takeru declaring that Ganma World should be sealed but got reprimanded by Makoto.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

ZATYME: it kind of did
it showed that he was truly hurt by Kazuma and Wataru not wanting to join forces with him to defeat Dai-Shocker
showing that he truly does view the riders he helped out as his friends and the fact that they rather continue fighting on the slight chance of survival instead of what (decade and crew think) will actually solve the problem has to hurt and even if they view him as their enemy he'll still fight in what he thinks is their best interests
and when Asumu and Wataru attack him he doesn't bother defending himself

KAMEN RIDER DIE: I still think the Inoue episodes best defined Tsukasa's But Why Heroism, where it's about protecting people's journeys, allowing them to find a place they fit in, just like Tsukasa is trying to do for himself. With this story, it sort of zeroes in more on Tsukasa's isolation, and how his lack of a world to protect means he'll risk anything to protect his friends because they're his world.

Tsukasa is clearly more sentimental when compared to people like Tendou, shown at the beginning of the series too, he'd crack more under distress. For the part of him saving Natsumelon (it's only 'melon', due to her assets), it's conflicting, sort of having an expectation that he'd contemplate on letting himself got killed by other Riders so Natsumi can have a world to life. That'd be the most definition of guaranteed to risk or sacrifice for them, in this case, sacrificing himself to let his friends keep living in the world. Though he does have the loyalty part, still wonder if he'd keep them alive, but is ok with making them.. miserable, like how Tsukasa can drain Onodera's wallet and/or prolonging Natsumi's misery when she's framed in Ryuki world... or Dai-Shocker leader. I do think that Tsukasa's comeback of having no world speech is clever one, which'd mean he can make anything his world. I do think that, I'd want for the Riders who chastise Tsukasa for having no world and not understanding what it means to fight for their world like kid Wataru, to have more meaty reconciliation with Tsukasa though, such as understanding how Tsukasa not having a world mostly pains him, and that it's them who didn't understand Tsukasa's feelings, which is also selfish (though they're pitted in situations with no way out yet) to only concern their world, but not others too like Kendate's.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

ZATYME: Kaitou went from a complete asshole rival to Tsukasa's friend and it doesn't feel forced
especially as Kaito did lament that he feels he doesn't have any friends in part one before affirming that he does in Tsukasa at the ending of that part

KAMEN RIDER DIE: When he shoots the Apollo Geist Formally Requests That You Join Him For Not A Trap invitation after Tsukasa says he's going to go even if it's a trap, and Kaitou is tearfully telling Tsukasa that he basically can't lose what he's found in his relationship with Tsukasa, I was as energized as I've ever been on this show. Kaitou's... the actor is so good. He's probably the best actor in the cast, and he imbues this weird treasure-hunting Terrible Boyfriend with so much pathos and regret. I loved that moment more than maybe anything else in the run of this show. Holy shit.

Personally for me though there are some factors of this part feeling forced, even if I also got emotional watching this. Or at best, it's about how impending disasters can inherently force one's softer side to come out, likely due to no other chance to convey it to others, and that I've seen what I think is similar in other series such as Ex-Aid, in Parado's change of heart, where it's done by a little glimpse of him caring about Lovelica's death, but got left out in the characters doing their usual stuff, then brought up again when needed, where in this case, it's Kaitou's relation with Asumu and also Tsukasa talking about friends being treasures, but it got mostly neglected until the needed one in this part of the story. For this one, it's more convincing that Kaitou's declaration of Tsukasa's rival (the one who got to beat him) is more of a banter, as Kaitou visibly cracked before when stopping Tsukasa on his way, shooting off something in his hand, though still, being straightforward is a more optimal approach than pretending to be a jerk. I guess even if Kaitou reveals his soft spot to Tsukasa here, he should learn from here (and about the value of friends as treasures) that knowing that Apollo Geist, and by that, instead of preventing the fight, then join him up knowing that Apollo Geist didn't live up to his words of it being 1-on-1... and that there'd be others joining Tsukasa too, that'd be a real proof in his very eyes of friendship being treasures, others who will fight in your side and save you. His actor Kimito Totani did state that Kaitou is gay and "likes Tsukasa", but only feeling it now here... or I guess, it's Kaitou who had similar trait to Tendou in how he expresses his interest to certain people like Kagami for Tendou.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

ZATYME: I feel like there the morals of those arcs are the reasons that they were chosen for this story

KAMEN RIDER DIE: Absolutely.

ZATYME: as Blades was about fighting for your friends and Kazuma remembering that speech was why he and Garren went and helped Tsukasa out in the end

KAMEN RIDER DIE: And, really, these three A.R. Riders all brought out the best in the Team Decade Riders. Wataru was the one who connected with Onodera in his first mission with the team. Kenzaki was the one Tsukasa was closest to, the one he got most invested in helping. And Asumu was the character Kaitou inadvertently developed a friendship with. Of all of the A.R. Riders, these three mean something to our Riders.

This'd be spoiler to talk about further... but be careful with the typing of Blade as "Blades" here! Otherwise, for the 3 Riders chosen here being the closest, it's purely subjective, like there can be someone like Amazon who were closer to Decade of their resemblance, or also probably Agito (Shouichi Ashikawa) who are on same level of closeness. No one holds a candle to Onodera though, who is one of the AR Riders, but becomes the tertiary Rider of the series, always tagging along in Tsukasa's journey instead of occassionally. I still want to know what does Onodera think about his original world now. Though apparently to implement a world ending scenario, the 'proper' way is only focusing on the major characters and their emotional vow to save the world? (well not really there are short parts of the world merging) Kinda can mess with some audience's perceptions that way, or them just downplaying the stakes or even the atrocity of the perpetrator (not this one as Decade does it just by existing), if it's focused on characters talking about it rather than showing them can mess with a reader's. Even though I also feel the determination of the people to keep the world alive to the point of becoming unreasonable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: I get why he's here. If you need to sell Tsukasa on the idea that sometimes Riders need to abandon everyone they care about to protect both the world and the people they care about, Kenzaki is the best character to try and sell that message.
I can see the edges of how that could work in this story, but, man, I don't think this story got there!

ZATYME: he did become suicidal and wanted to die in that one novel and didn't care about the apocalypses that would happen if he did die and there was only one Joker left

KAMEN RIDER DIE: He zero percent tries to convince Tsukasa! When he is the one most capable of doing so!

ZATYME: I think he had to be introduced a bit earlier or lean into the fact that Decade fucked up in a previous arc

KAMEN RIDER DIE: Or just create a little room for Kenzaki to appeal to Tsukasa's guilt and fear.
The ending could still be everyone choosing their friendship over the safety of isolation, but there could be a little bit more weight to the counter-argument.

Kenzaki didn't really got a flak for his morals iirc, though Blade is more obscure albeit cult favorite in discussions, but I wonder what'd happen if a character who can be criticized for their moral like Shinji, got adaptated in similar way like Kenzaki here... like if there'd be a reaction like "they actually improved that character here" or such. Kenzaki is quite OOC here, albeit as you pointed out, he's dressed like Tachibana... but then again he's the same Kenzaki with the full name or such, unlike AR Shouichi who has full name of Shouichi Ashikawa, which is meant to be the combination of the 3 main Riders. Sorry but using the same full name gives me OOC vibe for Kenzaki here... where if like you said, it's Kenzaki from Missing Ace, as a combination with Tachibana and the name that indicates that, I'd be probably more onboard, with also the possibility of another alternate Riders of certain series in other worlds, probably the ones who fought in Rider Battles or such. Like you said, Kenzaki didn't even try to spare Tsukasa, which is how it's OOC adaptation to me with him having his original full name and Kenzaki being someone who'd search for the best option. Unfortunately, I can't talk about this further, but this is not the end of Kenzaki's portrayal here. The name of Yuria Haga's role in Decade though is Yuki, and dunno what'd fit Mari in that situation if you think that she's significantly better than Mio (as I didn't see much criticism for Mio in your talk other than the beginning or her death), but I feel like the Queen battle is quite anticlimatic, and Apollo Geist wasn't that spectacular either (Apollo Geist is Decade's main antagonist, not Narutaki).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

ZATYME: that it isn't something that come out of nowhere in the final episode
to show that our heroes failed due to something contrived
that Tsukasa screwed up due to the type of person he is

KAMEN RIDER DIE: It's definitely there in the start. The visitation Tsukasa gets from Wataru explicitly tells him to destroy the other worlds. But there's an explanation that what comes from that destruction is a fresh start. It's a metaphor for how stories should end, to allow new stories to be told. It's about never getting so wrapped up in your past that you can't open yourself up to new possibilities. It's a thousand percent the lesson Tsukasa will learn as the series progresses.
Here, it's all I TOLD YOU TO KILL, and no one's trying to explain why that might not be a bad thing.
It's reframing something subjective into just another villainous threat.

So it's not me being slow of not understanding Decade being destroyer of worlds... Me too, didn't really get a sense of how it worked, I guess it's about how travelling through the worlds would pull the world towards each other more? As the Dai-Shocker movie revealed Tsukasa started travelling within the world after Sayo sees the world? Tsukasa travels through the world, and the friends he made along the way in the series also traveled, further increasing the pull of the worlds against one another. Though still even if you won't care about the apocalypse, leaving the series to end at Tsukasa being content with his friends is still a bad management of the story, you not caring about it isn't an excuse to suddenly make it go poof... albeit without an explanation again, the solution to me is still to extend Decade's length.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

ZATYME: they should of from the Dark rider arc onward played with the idea of maybe Tsukasa is going about it the wrong way and maybe he's an actual threat and problem instead of just having it all shoved into Narutaki a joke of a character who we NEVER learn the shtick of an the final 2 episodes of the show
it honestly has the same problem as the 2020 Digimon Adventure reboot
the show is so obsessed with showing off the budget in action scenes to help appeal to kids and sell merchandise that it never slows down and properly explains what's going on with the main plot until the final few episodes and still has trouble explaining stuff due to waiting until the end of the show to explain what's going on

The special effect lives up to the show's focus like the first episode's world shuffle, but even in this episode, albeit not a true end, had the Apollo Geist fight being rather unspectacular for me, other than Apollo Geist bringing his monster army, not much happened in the fight other than Decade and Diend teaming up, though the all out war in the end is really visually appealing, like in the first episode. And even with it being shoved into Narutaki, there should be something to learn more from him and what's his proofs or such, the Tsukasa being a problem also can be conveyed within Narutaki if he's not made as just Decade-hating spouting machine.