[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Well, other than Daiji's siblings being poor advocates for freedom, I think this arc in general is ridiculous for how easily Akaishi convinced a significant majority that Gif is totally some lonely mistreated dude who just wants to be friends with humans. Instead of anybody asking for evidence or confirmation from Gif to support this, they immediately take his word for it! Daiji stands out for being a main character, but a lot of the characters here are too dumb to be reasoned with via normal means, when a basic value like freedom shouldn't be something you'd even need to advocate for in the modern day. The world of Revice is somehow like an entire society of gullible subservient Aguileras. The only good thing to come out of this contrived insanity is the Daiji Rage Quit meme.

I thought the public supports Kamen Riders by booing Daiji at ep. 39. Daiji's the one that does take Akaishi's words by face value, but other than Daiji's arc being actually controversial and to people, I wish that this gets more acknowledged by people in other, better-received arcs when a character feels villains are more rational, of which they can be praised or defended by people compared to idealistic nonsense. Though regarding people immediately taking villains' words at face value, that seems to be more commonly happen than just specifically dumb and gullible society, it seems to happen commonly among fanbase in many fictions that it makes the villainy downplayed and them being viewed as right but get shit on, though dunno if being fiction plays a part, though it can happen to historical real life far from present.

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Originally Posted by Deepsea

Also, as a person who often feels weak and that their life is out of their control Daiji is relatable on some level. It's hard to cope with and accept our internal flaws and demons. A lot of society shames us for having flaws and being hateful or resentful when those emotions are natural. It's easy to see why Daiji killed Kagerou, he wanted to feel like he'd overcome those emotions, that he had come to love his family, but no one actually addressed the source of the problems. I don't know what the Igarashi's could do to help Daiji, but it feels like no one, not even Daiji, has helped Daiji.

Honestly, though the show paints getting rid of their demons as refusal to face one's self and actually a wrong path, and while it's true, kinda felt that it's reasonable too that they dislike their demons around and want to get rid of them (also Ikki at the beginning, though at one point he does not acknowledge Vice's change), as how both Kagerou and Vail are uncaring psychos who tried to kill their hosts’ family, or performing other moments like ruining their family moment, and don’t show a shred of remorse for this, they're nothing but nuisance at best or actual dangerous threat to be around.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 40 - “FAMILY OR THE WORLD… A BROTHERLY BATTLE OF SOULS!”

Mama Igarashi gets it. It’s easy to read Daiji’s recent actions as intolerable, unforgivable. But Daiji’s not really battling on behalf of an alien dictator in a pocket dimension, or a leather tie-wearing despot in a cavernous office. Daiji isn’t warring on behalf of his commitment to pessimism or nihilism, nor is he certain that deference to Giff is the one possible path to humanity’s salvation. Daiji’s fighting with his brother because they don’t see the world the same way, and love each other too much to let it slide. They’re too squabbling brothers, and nothing more serious than that.

(In fairness, Ikki has neglected to mention the actual gun that Daiji pulled on his brother as part of last episode’s cliffhanger. I do not think she would be as serene about this storyline if she knew all of the details!)

Yukimi returns as the usual voice of reason regarding the family meddlings, this time about how siblings can regularly fight and it's normal, or in this case it can be better that they're letting each other know what are their feelings. Though the flashbacks seem to portray it in the most lighthearted way they can, it's not touched upon regarding sibling fights that can go out of the hand (outside of Rider fighting). Her fighting with Genta, admittedly, was something that surprised me as Yukimi's the only one to fully appreciate Genta between the family, but of course, it was just an acting, and shows that the other family members aren't any more reasonable for putting down goofy antics from Genta.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The thing with Ikki and Daiji is that they don’t rate problems the same way. Daiji values the big picture to a degree that misses out on nuance and individuality, while Ikki thinks small and lets that build big. Ikki would rather help his family than save the world, while Daiji would rather save the world, even if it lost him his family. They fundamentally view things differently, and that friction is the baseline of their lives. Daiji frustrates Ikki, and Ikki frustrates Daiji. That’s their whole dynamic.

I'm quite mixed regarding the Ikki and Daiji battle here, on one hand, I like it that, Daiji is established as unshakable in his extremist belief regarding Giff, and he still is not swayed easily here. Daiji should not be suddenly swayed easily only because Ikki had more resolve and is more prepared in facing a rogue family member. But on the other hand, I'm still disappointed about Ikki not giving full explanations yet. about how by letting Daiji talk, Daiji talked about how Giff is so overpowered and everyone had witnessed that. Like the Weekend against edited footage, Ikki should've countered with another power showing, about how Ultimate Revi/Vice did block Giff's beam (the very part Ikki knows they stand a chance against Giff). Instead he talked about the teamwork with his friends and family to overcome Giff. That still doesn't show to Daiji if they're successful or failed, so the proof is still not completely clear to Daiji. Even though I like that Ultimate Revi/Vice consistently clowns Holy Live in fight if he gets his shit together.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

But the conflict isn’t about a differing viewpoint; lots of characters on this show have unique views on the world, and they aren’t dueling in parking lots to settle things. The thing that keeps pushing Daiji is that he still loves his brother, and needs Ikki to understand that Daiji’s right. The fight isn’t about the problem, or the difference – the fight is about the other guy admitting he’s wrong and you’re right. Everything else in the narrative fades into the background as the primacy of the emotional stakes becomes clear. Daiji’s fighting because he wants to be appreciated, and Ikki is fighting to show Daiji that this doesn’t have to mean anything more than a disagreement. There’re platitudes thrown about, and a debate on Freedom Vs Safety, but that’s not really what’s going on here. It’s just two brothers having a disagreement, but with more special effects.

I guess Hikaru now deserves some credit in this episode. Though actually I rather like him telling off Tasuke more than his stand off against Giffdemos. Here Tasuke extends his ruthless approach to those outside his fake family, to force Ikki and others completely dispose Daiji as Weekend's enemy (and Ikki's not even an official member!), using shoot first ask later method with little regard. But as Hikaru stated, this 'professional' and 'task-oriented' approach is actually just being a control freak and imposing his decisions on everyone else. He's practically pulling stuff similar to Ikki's 'busybody' antics, but in a directly destructive way. But too often that, this type of approach by someone is handwaved away due to how said person has seniority or holding higher position (Tasuke is Masumi's right-hand man), where appeal to authority is often in effect to view everything they say as right, or inherent fear of displeasing your superiors (of which those can be about position abuse if they do that).

Tasuke's the more significant Ushijima, and he's the only one to have a bit of backstory with his real family, who is said to be lost to Deadmans, so he's not someone who never felt having an actual family (like perhaps Hikaru), which I presumed before to be the cause of him refusing to understand the meddling of Igarashis, but he's someone who refuses to look at the past, only the future. While Hikaru standing up to Giffdemos is nice, now it's disappointing that Over Demons is now really an ordinary Rider, not showing special power that can stand up to Giffdemos for a bit or such.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s one of the best episodes in this arc, for how it lets these massive conflicts – Weekend Vs Fenix, the armies of Giff against three kids – serve the overall themes of family. Daiji and Ikki aren’t two warriors on opposite sides of a philosophical struggle, they’re two brothers who can’t figure out how to stop annoying each other. Weekend Dad and Hikaru aren’t stern soldiers disagreeing about how best to withstand an enemy assault, they’re a dad trying to provide a better future for a son who has had too much asked of him. Even Akaishi is getting in on the act, weaponizing Daiji’s need for validation by becoming his new Work Dad. (Sorry, absent-from-this-episode Hiromi.) All of the fights and debates and explosions and transformations, they’re all in service of illustrating the humanity of the characters, and it’s a sign of this show’s inherent quality; quality that is so frequently obscured by opaque motivations and developments that lack build-up. Here, it’s the Ultimate version of this show: smart, character-driven conflicts that ask us to accept the people we love, even when – especially when – they make it hard for us.

Other than that, I kind of appreciate what they're doing with Akaishi here. Though previously he had been established as a well-intentioned extremist, the first one to try ensuring humanity's existence before Daiji (well he followed him after all), as well as not killing the Igarashis because of them being technically family to him (as Giff's descendant), they live up into said Akaishi's trait here, by being respectful and pitying against Tasuke, giving him his condolences about his lost family and putting his family photo on his chest. Of course, you can give someone respect while being evil, as Akaishi still killed Tasuke after all (attempted for Hikaru). And there's him showing more about how he sees the Igarashis as his family, specifically, the ones who reciprocated him back, like Daiji, by sharing his feelings with him (and puzzled at his show of empathy) and 'saving' Daiji away. This now makes more sense of why Akaishi doesn't finish off the Igarashis. I already thought this before, but this cements more that, power threat aside, Akaishi's relatively better than Orteca, other than his proposed noble intentions, though he'd kill those who are obstacles in his ways. But... turns out that while it's good he's not turning into a Rider, Akaishi still got full monster form instead of keeping his human form like his first fight with human Daiji.

Of which Akaishi 'comforting' Daiji was the one, of all scenes, parallels with Aguilera comforting Sakura. I guess often than beating up those on Giff's side, Aguilera should also try interacting with others better, starting with Sakura here (to be specific, talking to someone who's downed), as well as returning the favor to her. Actually she's still rather stiff and the hug feels rather forced, but it probably makes sense, considering who she is formerly (she still had some harshness to Tamaki before, but not abusive anymore). But it's not really seen on how she consoles Sakura, after allowing her to talk to her as much as she likes.