[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 41 - “THE FATHER’S TRUE MOTIVE, AND THE SON’S DETERMINATION!”

Like, a whole lot of this episode is spent delineating the various feuds and stakes of this late-series arc: Ikki vs Daiji, Vail vs Genta, Weekend vs Fenix, Hikaru vs Akaishi, and Hana vs Anyone Who Would Make Sakura Sad. Toss in Tamaki’s desire to be a Kamen Rider, Karizaki Sr’s deteriorating health, Hiromi’s new/old job as commander, and you’re going to find yourself in an episode that struggles to move any one element into a spotlight position. It’s a lot of stuff happening, but no room to sculpt all of that into a compelling or memorable episode. Certain series-wide themes are touched on, and character traits are exhibited, but it feels almost like a clip show. We’re talking about Kamen Rider Revice the TV show, instead of saying anything new or different about our cast of characters.

Turns out that Demons Army isn't the same as Demons, so at least Demons isn't nerfed. If George created it, disappointed that there are no in-universe Kamen Rider references from him like Riotroopers, Kurokage Army, Ride-Players or such. And about the assault on the shelter, Revice quite takes a spin that, the ones who are using guns here are also the major characters, like Tamaki or even Hiromi, and the Riders, even when 'fodders' are the nameless ones. Usually the ones using guns are shown to be ineffectively holding off monsters, and is restricted to nameless ones (though there's probably bodycounts in this scene too, even female ones). For this fight, actually I liked that Ultimate Revi/Vice used their magnet powers to take care of the hordes, so they can attack (use Giffard Finish) on them all at once. However later...

Turns out that Akaishi is not the biggest fish in the pond either. I guess it was a good reason why his Giffdemos form debuts against the other Riders, instead of fighting Ultimate Revi/Vice before. Ultimate Revi/Vice is clearly superior to Akaishi, perhaps as direct Giff power. Actually Akaishi can feel anti-climatic too to be one-upped this early, feels like W's final bosses, Terror and Utopia, of which was dispatched by W (and Accel for the former) without many difficulty after everyone gets their shit together, and here too, Ultimate Revi and Vice dispatch both Akaishi and Vail in a teamwork style. I wouldn't complain about Akaishi being one-upped this early, but the fight is disappointing, after Akaishi's previous showings, either as Giffdemos or even human, to make use of his powers, as per Sun Tzu's The Art of War quote, like invisibility, super speed, thunderstorm, duplicates, etc. As expected of KR fights, the power showings are often neglected including Akaishi here to rely mostly on hand-to-hand, augmented by energy for Revi/Vice. And Ultimate Revi or Vice can still trounce him like countering with their own duplicate powers. But actually, Aguilera's showing in this fight is quite good to try holding off Holy Live, with that high altitude fight, flight, and maneuvers.

Character wise, so now Akaishi has been valuing Daiji even more, after trying to constantly groom him up, he now changes his mind to instead finish off the Igarashi families. This is in line with his usual character, that he normally acts affable and actually not two-faced for that (other than Fenix's public reputation), but he'd be ruthless against his obstacles, but not necessarily. Akaishi also still helped Vail's deteriorating condition with the ViStamps, despite mocking him before, or more about shilling Giff... giffing Vail extended life. Only that his love for Daiji now has overshadowed even his sympathy for the other Igarashis. Turns out that even Daiji is a bit shook by Akaishi's treatment of him too, not only Vail, that he's only acting on what he thinks is right. That can be either Daiji still being relatively better than Akaishi or especially Vail, but also can be him refusing to be influenced by anyone, good or evil (but he's doing bad now). The good thing in the fight is Akaishi finally letting out his cause and motivation against Revi, even if obviously Revi would reject it, as it's heavily biased against Giff. An actually benevolent force of nature would endure the misunderstood and not turning batshit crazy, like for example Kouta in Gaim still trying to help even knowing that him becoming an Overlord could have the world rejecting him.

The other one with deteriorating condition is Masumi, probably due to his burn injuries, yet he later jumps into the fight. Seems to be the most irrational decision he can make, as he's all about scientist, contributing in creating devices, and isn't about fighting, probably not in his youth too (unlike George who did work out), and now he has been even in worse condition physically and going fighting? But let's see what happens next.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

That said, it wasn’t like I hated this episode, because I still like that cast of characters a whole lot. Ikki talking to his mom and dad about the cost of being a Kamen Rider isn’t new information in any way, but it’s still a touching and well-acted scene. (Genta and Yukimi! Always! They make this whole show so much better!) It also ends up slightly altering the trajectory of Genta’s character, pushing him to confront Vail, and I’m cautiously optimistic about where that’s heading. There’s a way it’s all phrased – “I can’t afford to lose anyone in my family” – that makes me feel Genta’s version of settling things with Vail is more about reintegrating Vail into Genta as a way of honoring the life that Vail helped Genta gain, rather than Karizaki Sr’s whole thing of I Must Defeat My Original Sin. Not sure that’s where we’ll end up, but after an episode that also brings up Kagerou’s mistaken execution around Genta, I am hopeful.

One of the internal reveal is about how now Ikki's parents learned about Ikki disappearing on the photo. With Ikki telling the (almost) full story regarding his contract and memories to them right now, this'd be actually a good move considering now the family knows about Kamen Riders, Deadmans, and demons. Gotta tell them before Ikki fully forgets about his family, so that the family who isn't affected can act on this later. So they're continuing to work on Ikki being the one to lose his memories, instead of others forgetting Ikki. But even by that Ikki still strives for the best outcome, to keep fighting the world's threat, and also to ensure that the Igarashis are happy together. Unless Ikki feels confident that it can end soon with Ultimate Revi/Vice's power, how would the family being happy with Ikki forgetting them later? That'd be some contradicting from Ikki, unless Ikki doesn't discount the family's attempt to try getting Ikki back to them (of which it'd be problem, if Daiji returns), without threats ofc. The family is equally optimistic to Ikki's drive here, with Yukimi hugging him, but if the worst scenario came, wonder how they'd deal with this.

Another internal reveal would be Ikki realizing that Kagerou's existence is actually good for Daiji's balance, though George already said that before, but it's when Daiji's still good but reckless. Now there's nothing holding Daiji back to his twisted sense of justice added with his inculpability. Not as in Kagerou being Daiji's moral compass or such, because Kagerou by himself is evil (literally too) and selfish (including only saving the person due to benefical to him personally), Daiji too is needed so Kagerou won't act on his schemes, or being restrained, and had Daiji make use of Kagerou's calculating traits for good, but Daiji with Kagerou would be inherently more conflicted and hesitant, making him one of the more cooperative secondary Riders before as there's some chaos inside him, not strictly order. This situation also pushed Genta to settle things with Vail, asking for George's favor, and probably him returning to fight as Kamen Rider.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Beyond that, I thought this episode was entertaining, but not really anything to love or hate. It’s another assault by a bunch of Giffterians and Giff Jrs and whatever, it’s another assault by Vail, it’s another evacuation of Weekend bases, it’s another etc etc etc. A lot of the same set pieces and action sequences. Competently done, but nothing that’s emotionally engaging. Hikaru gets a scene where he’s trying to process Weekend Dad’s sacrifice, but it’s Hikaru, and asking me to care about that kid’s emotional turmoil and shaken resolve is asking too much of just about any viewer. (Again: Mihara from Faiz. Do not spend precious minutes of an episode late in the series asking me to care about the youngest, dopiest Rider! It will never be time well-spent!) We’re setting up for a whole string of shocking developments and final battles, but none of ‘em are happening yet.

I thought as a part from Faiz you appreciated Mihara too (which'd be similar to Fish)... The dojo has returned, with Hikaru training and Sakura joining him, like the old times but without secrecy anymore. There's also Hikaru processing Tasuke as a person overall, between him saving Hikaru and his ruthlessness. But what Sakura said would be right there as humans don't always make sense, like contradicting themselves, no matter as much as someone like Tasuke tried to discard that, humans can be more complex than what's outwardly seen of them (though doesn't mean that the bad part disappears due to this complexity, or that complex is about having both good and bad part only). Though ironically, it's a waste that Ushijima family wasn't really elaborated before, unlike other families, to show how a fake family lives. Tamaki should actually return here, if he wanted to be Kamen Rider too, training with them but now without the two-faced approach, but still as white belt and "Sakura's junior".