[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

SERIES WRAP-UP

It’s a series that improves in the memory, even with less than a day since I watched the final episode. So many of the early choices that annoyed me end up paling in comparison to the joy the final string of episodes delivered. It’s all one unit of entertainment in my brain now, and it’s almost all positive feelings and associations: the delight of a show dedicated to the almost biological need for storytelling; the warmth of a cast that only ever became more entertaining; the excitement of a stunt team that left it all on the field. It’s a hard show to dislike, when it’s all said and done.

I do agree with those who think that Saber is a series that got more improved in later parts (of which the next one, Revice, would be the opposite), though there are ofc, many who'd think Saber stays mediocre all around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s also a hard show to like in the moment, which is the one negative feeling I’ll probably keep with me forever, right alongside Rintaro’s charming guilelessness and Mei’s unstoppable support. So many decisions in the early-going (and even a few later in the run) prize narrative coherence over dramatic appeal, and it makes the Getting To Know You stage of this show more of a slog than it needed to be. Effects frequently debut before causes, as the show rushes to fill out its world and bulk up its roster. We’re left early on with the feeling that This Is All Important Somehow, rather than being swept away with tight plotting and relatable situations. There’s so little to hold onto, just as the show is throwing more at you. Eventually all of those things make sense, have a place, but it’s rarely when they’re first presented.

The show didn't touch upon it, but I think what sticks to me is that other than her main romantic interest, Mei becomes more tightly- with Touma since Kamijo's death, where they're almost never at odds with each other anymore, but it seems to be writing stuff rather than 'development' or something considering that the flashback of them first meeting with each other is more similar to the part post-Kamijo death. I'd still think that in this part Saber's mystery isn't really compelling to be followed with too, even though this is all important somehow is what mysteries do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Like, even in the late era of the show, when everything feels intentional and compelling: the Four Divine Sages. Isaac mentions them as a thing, but then immediately tells us that they were all killed off-screen. It’s, at the time, needlessly distracting information. A thing we never knew existed (or was maybe mentioned in passing once) was extremely important, but it’s also already dead and don’t think about it. Except, it’s crucial to drop that in the show at that point, because the show’s going to need those four to be outstanding sub-bosses for one of the best finales a Kamen Rider show ever had. It’s never pointless, even if it’s dramatically frustrating on your first watch.

But even with the improvements compared to the beginning, there are still shortcomings later like I think, for informations, the reveal of Sophia as a Luna clone, but it being something redundant and unused (or, minor part of Sophia's attempted sacrifice), and with adult Luna being played by different actress. There's also still arcs that lasted too long like Kento's fatalism. I'd still think that the finale fight scene won't necessarily need Four Divine Sages who are important part of SoL, of which it's also not touched upon in the fighting style they invented part in the series. I'd think that Xross Saber's power is used well though there are parts of it only using swordmanship, don't understand the people who find the form underwhelming.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s the cast, if I need to pick a favorite thing. I liked what the show was doing thematically, with how storytelling needs to be defended in a world that wants to either weaponize it or invalidate it. I liked what it said about belief and faith, even if those topics aren’t as exciting for me to explore as others. (Sorry!) I liked the setting of a bookshop, even if it was only Kento that managed to bring any customers in. (Another minor gripe: the show barely used the bookshop setting to generate stories. Maybe three times, over the whole run?) I liked the workplace dramedy structure, where the Sword of Logos and its goals were as big a threat to our heroes as any monster. But, no, it’s the cast that made this show for me.

Almost absurd that a cast this large, an ensemble this deep, should all be so integral to the show’s success. If you’d only given me Touma, Rintaro, Kento, and Mei, I’d still herald this show as one of the best casts. To then enhance it with Ogami, with Daishinji, with Yuri, with Desast, with Reika, with Ryoga, even with Ren… gosh, it’s hard to imagine another show topping this one for acting talent and cleverly-written characters. I’m going to be thinking about these sword-wielding goofballs for a very long time.

I'd also like for the story premise to be more directly used, but it's only done in specials like the Zenkaiger special of entering stories. I'm interested in how Touma solves problems with his knowledge of books and creative thinking, but even then I'd also think the later part focuses more of his friendship speeches rather than that, which is what people complain about him. I'd agree that Rintaro is a more enjoyable secondary Rider than I expect him to be, but Rintaro isn't that well-liked from what I get by people, for him being lacking in the series with even him being considered overshadowed by Kento in how significant they're and about Touma's relationship with them. Yuri and Desast are the most well-loved ones, but among fandom Saber has extremely polarizing cast in Ryoga, Reika, and Ren, while it also got some of the most hated characters in all franchise for Sophia and Luna. I often see you showing disappointment for KR's villains, and it seems that Saber won't (likely except for Isaac, or the Shindai siblings at the beginning), I wonder if you now, or long ago, has accepted the fact that KR is bound to have underwhelming villains, like the Book Club for Saber's cast.