[DreadBringer]

The continuation of... Revice Legacy: Kamen Rider Vail! No wonder this one's so good. As that bit is one of the last good Revice stuff lately. Though that also opens up the series fault for putting those in separate media instead of being in the main series.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 42 - “THE FIERCE BATTLE! CRIMSON VAIL VS DESTREAM”

Not perfect, unfortunately; despite the wall-to-wall runtime, there’s still at least one plotline that fits uncomfortably beside the main Genta/Vail stuff. Mainly, I don’t understand why we needed Akaishi in this one, and also maybe have him get killed? It’s a distraction from the main themes of self-care and forgiveness, with Akaishi unconvincingly playing Work Dad to Daiji and screaming about humanity's failures to Ikki and Vice. Like, there’s a little bit of thematic resonance to Akaishi’s fatalistic outlook on humanity being in opposition to this episode’s thesis – acknowledging and forgiving our weaknesses helps us become better people – but it’s given too little space to feel looped-in on what makes this episode special. And, boy, if Akaishi dies here? What a waste! To be bumped off midway through a completely different character’s spotlight episode? I’d honestly hope for more for that dude.

Daiji had really few lines this episode, but it seems that finally the others rubbed off on him, with him having stronger reaction to Akaishi caressing him. Quite the parallel here that Akaishi is being the creepy dad that got rebuffed by Daiji, while the actual dad Genta is more welcomed by Daiji, and actually had his points considered. Probably because of how Akaishi and Vail are trounced by Ultimate Revi/Vice before with less problems than expected (and Revi/Vice doing it again to Akaishi here), which'd mean Giff's enforcers' opinions and views are less valid in how they're not the 2nd to Giff like how they see themselves as. Still kinda might makes right view, the process on how Ultimate Revi/Vice got on that level should also be acknowledged, when facing defeat.

This part continues about Akaishi's downfall, including being turned into dust at this episode, and Giff finally making his move cements Akaishi ending his role as central antagonist, though likely kept around by Giff in the previews. There has been some mockery of Holy Live being weaker than Jeanne due to the latter being writer's favorite, and... this is proven true in this episode in Jeanne besting Holy Live. This can be inconsistency (and bias for favorite) as before Holy Live swats away the girl Riders, or Daiji losing his will to fight (Holy Live still not invulnerable to attacks from weaker Riders). Good stuff for Jeanne using her fences at her henshin to block Holy Live's way though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Genta’s story is one that’s remarkably open to interpretation. He’s begun to see his life as a burden on those around him: children cursed, a wife robbed of safety, and a world imperiled. But Yukimi sees things differently: a loving and attentive husband, three healthy and vibrant children, and a home that keeps them all safe. The life that Genta feels like he needs to apologize for is the same one that Yukimi treasures. There’s no such thing as a normal life, because everyone’s life becomes something you could never expect. We grow and change and lose and win, and the end result is a life full of surprises. Valuing those surprises is healthier than regretting the expectations that went unfulfilled. It’s better to accept it all, than it is to force things to be a certain way.

The family, of which what Revice should be about, took center stage again. Due to how all families are involved, this had Yukimi actually taking a stand for Genta, directly praising his worth to others instead of just showing that she treats him nicely compared to the others ("she spoiled him too much"), though for this one the children don't look down on their father, but actually was concerned. And it seems that, Yukimi is just mandatory for events that actually involved whole family in this series, always had something to say that is, while small, it's impactful. Now her latest bit is about how everyone had different kind of life, and thus it's not set in stone and there's no such thing as definitive normal life. What's important is living the life that makes you happy, which Genta does for her.

This can be applied on more than just how you live your life, there are far more stuff that is deemed as objective in being "good" or "bad", but is actually subjective. Like how you'd want to write something lighthearted or dark. Though doesn't mean this is limitless though, like if something is poorly written then it is (and that should be the one used to evaluate something being "good" or "bad") though still not 100% certain, like how in life, if you live your life purposely at others' expense, that'd be the wrong one to do. Not that she's completely perfect though, like one time in her overprotectiveness to Sakura, and this also shows that parents can learn from child too like Genta's solution below...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

That’s the story of Genta and Vail, as well. Vail wants Junpei, not Genta, and feels abandoned by the person who used to be his partner; Genta wants his family, not the vengeance he once sought alongside a bloodthirsty monster. Instead of finding a way to build a life together, Genta and Vail separated, weakening each other in the long run. Genta looked at the evil inside himself and saw it as foreign, alien, a nemesis. In doing so, he gave it additional power, and let it run rampant over the world. Separation was only prolonging suffering, and destruction would be mutual. The only hope for Genta and Vail would be to find some way to recognize how much they each needed each other. They don’t have to like each other, but they have to find a way to literally coexist.

And later about Genta's debut as Destream to settle things with Vail, other than the even match and a nice use of his powerset (which sadly wouldn't be done again later, like Akaishi), at first was pretty bummed about just forgiving Vail like that and overlook his atrocities he had done before (perhaps the 2nd worst person behind Orteca so far in the series), but later it's actually more meaningful and well-thought when he approaches Daiji later. Continuing on how demons are inseparable part of yourself, Genta had to forgive himself, and it's done here by forgiving Vail, due to how, even if he wasn't malicious like Vail, Junpei was still someone with dark traits that he only desired revenge, and was someone destructive and unstable as a result.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

That concept is so unique to this show, and I love that it was given an entire episode to express itself. Not just in the micro sense for Genta and Vail, but in the macro sense for how it applies to families. Daiji and Ikki are basically just Genta and Vail: they want fundamentally different things, and they can’t seem to make the other see how insane they’re being. But they’re family, and they’ll always be in each other's lives. They have to be able to accept their differences, and find a way to live together in peace. They don’t have to like it! But they do need to do it.

Forgiveness actually should be applied on yourself too, which is self-forgiveness, and it's important to do so for mental health, such as someone like Genta who did have empty life as Junpei, and his life with Yukimi and the Igarashis are probably only temporary escapism from that, it's a matter of time until Vail returns, unless Genta finally make amends with himself, and thus includes Vail as another part of himself, and finally letting go from his past tragedies and dark traits which is the way to live a more fulfilling life he seeks. And don't know if Vail can be actually redeemed, entering the body of Genta who had forgiven himself despite his parting words, of which that'd mean for Genta too, the solution is as usual, is literally accepting the demon as a part of yourself, and likely would explain too how Vice became malicious at the beginning of Revice, of which Ikki was in a resentful and self-loathing phase, making Vice more untamed and selfish compared to childhood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I thought this was a remarkable episode, in almost every way. The use of Yukimi’s love song over the Vail/Destream fight! Yukimi’s comparison of fatherhood to a Henshin! Making room in the episode for a quiet dinner between Genta and Yukimi! Basically everything Yukimi, always, forever! I adored this episode’s firm focus on Genta’s attempt to heal himself, and how that message spread out to his children, and then out to the series at large. An absolute bullseye of an episode.

The men behind that fight (and pretty much any supplies as toku scientists), the Karizakis, other than them benefiting one another, is practically having their scientific abilities tested too which George wins, and is given a flashback about how they were like in the past as a parallel to their current situation too. Despite him being surpassed though, Masumi had improved himself too to create something that can seal Vail better, despite that it'd make Vail a stronger fighter, finally atoning for his vailures as he collapsed. So apparently Masumi was a good dad to George (with George returning it), encouraging him for his science's failures and successes. Still unknown how Masumi parted away from George that led for George to hate him, but this can mean there's unreasonable part in George's side, as no way he'd hate him for what he did in NOAH, as George only cared about his researches and violence or chaos before, and the hate continues after he's no longer shady. Still though the part of George being KR fanboy is still forgotten... give something on how he became KR fanboy too (and as usual, him rehashing KR's lessons as he became a better person now). Regarding George's past, it seems that there's some parallel to Sakura's too, who used to adore Genta in the past, but at the present series became mostly condescending towards him until crisis came.