[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 48 - “PROOF OF RESOLVE! THIS IS JAPAN’S BIGGEST BUSYBODY!”

Like, the only part of this episode that worked for me, emotionally, was Ikki’s need to show George that his relationship with his father ended up being a positive for the world, and brought out the best in George. The way that it becomes Ikki’s personal responsibility, as one half of Revice, to show that Ultimate Revice is the superior technology because it was produced by father and son? That’s a fun hook for this show, and it helps make Ikki’s sacrifice more integral to the plot. It also lands a gut-punch of a climax, just off of that continuing need of Ikki’s to insert himself into any problem where he might even minimally be of use. I love that, just like the cast of this show loves it. Best part, by a mile.

I guess, as said here, this actually fits Revice's theme about families, and Ikki's someone who values families and tried to keep their good relationship, whenever if it's his family or others. For example, the recently appeared Bon here, tried to make him get along with his grandfather. He was someone that also uses good family relationship as his guide for others to improve, starting with them first. He didn't use his family's well-being as an excuse to ignore, though he can be occassionally oblivious of other's needs when his family is happy, such as prioritizing Happy Spa over being a Rider, or their onsen moments. And now, he does it to the major dysfunctional family, the Karizakis. It fits the show theme, but like many other things in Revice, wish that the idea is executed better...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Nothing in their idiotic backstory has ever even transcended I Hate It But I Can Ignore It. Karizaki abandoned his son to do mad science, but he felt so bad about it you guys. He stuck a devil inside his son to “watch over him”, despite the best case scenario circa 20 years ago being that it’d be a homicidal lunatic like Vail, and there’s literally no reason for Karizaki Sr to think that what he was doing would yield anything better. (It also, hilariously, never amounted to anything other than Chic popping out for a Summer Movie? Thanks, Daddy!) George has been motivated by his Daddy's legacy occasionally, but the show rarely seemed to make it a focal point of George’s motivation. (George’s character and motivation being a perennial moving target for this series did not help things!) Surpassing Daddy as a coping mechanism… it’s fine, but it’s Around Episode 36 Fine, not something that needs to occur over two of the last four episodes.

George's cause of world peace is only a front that he only wanted to spite on Masumi beyond the grave by proving his creations superior. Well, his prejudice towards demons would remain, so he'd destroy ViStamp-based (invented by Masumi) Rider system, and it's an irony as Masumi was prejudiced against demons before, like when he observed Ikki and Vice's growing relationship, and George took up that trait now. And as Juuga is purely human-based Rider system, now Ikki counters with how Giffard Rex ViStamp was a collaboration of George and his father, and thus if Ikki beats him, it'd prove that his father is important to George.

But, after Juuga's showing before that surpassed Giff, Juuga just got beaten by regular finisher by Ultimate Revi/Vice? So taking down Juuga is still anti-climatic too, despite (and especially) Juuga consistently gaining upper hand before like he should. Technically before Ultimate Revi/Vice didn't fight together against Juuga, is this something like W to show off teamwork? Final bosses are beaten without much problem when Shotaro and Philip got their act together (against both Terror and Utopia Dopants), and now, Ikki and Vice are complete, thus they're unbeatable. But W had W (and Accel, for Terror) being constantly in the upper hand in the boss' defeat, so the fight is consistent, unlike Revice here that had Juuga being on upper hand before finisher.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s just… I do not give a single shit if George forgives a man who was absent by choice, and regretted it on his deathbed. I think it’s healthier not to hang onto hate, but I don’t think George is harming himself by telling Ikki that one positive outcome doesn’t mean everyone needs to let parental abandonment roll off of their backs. Karizaki Sr loving the son he abandoned by choice doesn’t absolve the trauma of abandoning that son by choice.

Other than that, to convince George that his father loved him, Ikki... absolved Masumi from his wrongdoings by glorifying him injecting Chic on him? What?? This is the type of solving parent-children conflict that should be avoided, like how Zi-O solves the Kamen Rider Quiz's problem with his father. It should really be emphasized that even if parents genuinely love their children, they can be misguided in showing it. Masumi injecting Chic on him shouldn't be condoned because Masumi loved him (which is true, but often used to absolve parents from their mistakes), it'd be better if what's used to remind George, are the flashback moments where Masumi was shown clearly getting along with kid George, helping and encouraging him to be better, and make it a case to not look past all the good things someone's done and only focus on one bad thing they've committed, countering the saying of “Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water.”. Not only to remind George that he had received love from father in other times, but also to differentiate better which action is a genuine mistake and which one is actually malicious.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s such a shitty story to tell, even if this episode had miraculously found a way to tell it with sensitivity and nuance. (Which it did not, for me at least.) Why in the world are we supposed to care if the flip-flopping mad scientist gets over his Daddy/daddy issues with his deceased deadbeat father? Beyond serving as a way to further illuminate Ikki’s character, which was incredibly welcome, why did this particular story need to be told? Why hinge Ikki’s greatness on the most reprehensible characters? Why not create a better story for Ikki to lose everything in?

After neutrailizing the threat of Juuga, the solution is done by giving George the picture he draw with Masumi together when he was a child. And George finally acknowledges that Masumi loved him due to realizing that the ViStamp idea was inspired by those pictures, which he then breaks down in the regret that he can never make up with his father now. Realizing The True Value Of Something When You Lose It type. And seems that the pictures alone are enough, not the entire room Masumi kept for George. For their methods to try calming George back, surprisingly the comedy is involved here with Hiromi's frantic behavior, as well as once more his serious demeanor being played for laughs in something as simple as looking for documents. Then Vice using open sesame to try opening the door, and later of Vice inadvertently easily opening the door.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Because that ending! So good! The polite smile on Ikki’s face as he wonders why these two strangers are calling him Brother and crying! HOLY SHIT! Gangbusters finale, and it walloped me in a way that George’s histrionics resolutely did not.

Regarding Ikki's busybody traits, this seems to be the kind of journey that comes full circle, both for Ikki and the other characters, though this doesn't mean they have something in them tested. Like for example, Shinji in Ryuki that had him being conflicted on stopping the Rider War or not due to the Rider's mortality or wishes, but ends up choosing to close the Mirror World even at the cost of their dreams (lol Ryuki comparison, after child doodling part here). Now Ikki's busybodiness is recognized as something benefical and admirable, with testaments from Tamaki, who acknowledged that he still lives due to Ikki. Though it's not only from Ikki intervening alone, it's also due to Ikki's sense of justice to try looking for solutions that doesn't involve killing. Ikki hasn't let go from his busybodiness completely, though he did get better at letting others handle their problems, but now, Daiji and Sakura supported Ikki's busybodiness due to the 2 reformed former villains being among the benefical effects of it. And not only the characters, I was puzzled too at Tamaki's impression of Ikki, but yeah it's still worth laughing over, it's harmless even if wrong.