[Switchblade]

So I get where you're coming from, Sh Ranger, but I'm 100% with Sakura on this one. Hana's dealing with depression and the only way she sees to get out of it is to commit suicide by Kamen Rider. This is the kind of situation where I feel like the right thing to do is not to go along with that plan but to find another way forward. It might mean going against what Hana wants in the short term, but in the long term it means that she's still around.

Anyway, I freaking loved this episode. I never expected Kamen Rider, of all things, to go this far into incorporating a queer relationship. Maybe on a grimdark adult spin-off or web series, but definitely not on the main show itself. And yes, it stays at the level where there's at least one person reading this paragraph and thinking to themselves "what is Switchblade talking about, they're obviously just a couple of gals being pals" but it's still a lot more explicit than I ever thought the show would go (and honestly, I didn't pick up on the flirting anywhere near as immediately as Die did). I think the show did a really good job of developing it, too, given the admittedly low bar set by stuff like "I guess Megumi and Nago are getting married now?" that has been most Kamen Rider love stories (most, not all; please put down your pitchforks with windshield wiper blades for tines, Drive fans).

There are two moments in this episode that always stick with me. The first is the end of Sakura and Hana's date and the tension in that mood shift from "this was so much fun, I love this ice cream; okay, let's go fight to the death." Great moment. The other is what I listed as my favorite dramatic moment of the year in my annual recap thread. I have seen a lot of characters discuss their feelings with each other in a lot of different forms of media, but there is something about "I loved you." "Don't use the past tense!" that just really stuck with me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

Also, Sakura gets a new weapon. It?s at this point that Toei figured they could reuse weapon props from old seasons that would probably never see use again.

Also the point where Bandai said "We're not making any more merch for the girl Rider. If you want to give her anything else, figure it out on your own."