[DreamSword]

If the Ryuki arc in Zi-O proper was operating on the basis of Ryuki's' TV ending being the canon they were going with, then this entire mini-series already makes no sense right off the bat, so it's already got something working against it.

But throughout this, I think the main thing that got me hating these episodes so much was that there is a ton of missed potential, any way that I try to slice it.

Like, if I am to give this special my absolute most charitable interpretation, this is a tale about how memories are important, and are what ultimately make us who we are as people and help to shape the bonds we create. This premise in and of itself is something that I could easily see Ryuki proper doing. Heck, it kinda already had, but still, I could see it working out.

The execution of that idea, however, is awful, because it really feels like this special tried to have its cake and eat it too.

See, everyone having amnesia seems to be the justification used for why so many of the cast are out of character: Tezuka being a backstabbing murderer being the biggest and most obvious example. And here's the thing, I actually would've been okay with that idea had they actually gone all the way with it rather than only go halfway, thus undermining the entire idea. Shinji and Ren still act like hollow versions of themselves, Asakura and Goro don't get memory wiped, Abyss is still an absolutely nothing character, Tezuka still does fortune telling, etc.

Again, feeling charitable here, it feels like the idea was to show "another side" of alot of the characters via them acting different, but unfortunately the short run time and way it's handled instead makes everything come across as incredibly mean spirited. Going back to Tezuka, we're never given any sort of motive for his actions other than simple lust, which not only makes what should be an otherwise nice moment for the franchise into a total farce, but also makes it seem as though that were the primary motivation for Tezuka all throughout Ryuki proper to begin with. I don't care if it's realistic; It's annoying at best and renders alot of Tezuka's' character throughout the show in a bad light at worst.

There's also a ton of aspects of the plot that make no sense(why is Kanzaki acting as Odin directly when he can possess whoever -- hell, how is he even still alive?), but that really isn't the important part to me. What is most important is that, ultimately, it feels like alot more emphasis was put into getting the actors back rather than the characters, and that goes against the entire point of reunions like this, I think.

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but really, the Decade two-parter felt alot more in line with Ryuki than what this special did, and I didn't even like those episodes! Atleast there I could clearly determine the themes and ideas they were gunning for in regards to Ryuki proper.

This... this was some of the worst tribute episodes, heck, some of the worst Kamen Rider I've seen in awhile. And I know I have a small reference pool compared to most of you, but as of this writing... yeah, yeah, fuck this entire thing. Complete waste of time. There was so much potential that was absolutely wasted.