[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Well, Shotaro isn't looked down on because Philip's abilities are cooler or more useful -- he's looked down on because he's a cosplay detective that can't stop trying to sound cool. It's probably not as entertaining for the other characters as it is for the viewers!

I know about Shotaro being a tryhard, but I think the half-boiled insults usually refer to Shotaro's emotional side to consider about the others' well-being which made him hesitate or putting trust on clients, this one would be about the moral decisions, where Philip mocks him over consistently. Being genius is an obvious strength, clearly bringing something to table with their knowledge, rather than this half-boiled stuff only carrying hidden strength on special occurence to people's eyes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER W EPISODE 14 - “Q ON THE RADIO - LIVE BROADCAST AT THE RIOT”

It’s a solid conclusion to the first chunk of Double, all the introductory beats. The only really unresolved conflict at this point in the show is Philip’s backstory, so it’s nice to get a two-parter that introduces the deep, inexplicable connection between Wakana and Philip, while also making it all but stated to Double that the Sonozakis are up to no good. There’s almost nothing else you could do that would feel like the show was accelerating its storytelling (*wink*), and the result is a two-parter that tells you the questions you should be asking, while teasing the answers to come.

The Sonozakis, including Kirihiko, got various things wrong about each other. Kirihiko thinks Saeko is holding back and that her fight with Wakana is just sibling squabble about her blasts not killing Wakana, but it actually refers to Claydoll's ability. Kirihiko looks up the purchaser of the Violence Memory, and claims Saeko actually cares about Wakana due to having him look for it, though she denies it, but it's done to protect the Museum's secrets by having him kill Motoko. Saeko notes Wakana being happy, thinking it's her sticking to business, but it's due to her becoming true to herself, sticking to entertainment instead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

(It is, honestly, weird to me how little Shotaro has any particular arc or goal at this point in the series. Akiko’s curious about her father’s absence, and Philip’s got his whole character description to worry about… but Shotaro’s just, like, hanging around. He’s solving mysteries, and helping his friends, and protecting Fuuto, but there’s only his Begins Night trauma to color that all in. It’s not like the show would work great with both halves of Double dealing with season-long mysteries, but it’s maybe helping me understand more why the Shotaro-heavy episode was such a miss for me.)

There are new kinds of gag from Shotaro and Akiko, about Akiko also pulling his ear. And when Shotaro notes that Phillip is spacing out after this case, he gets to retaliate to Akiko.. by slapping her with her slipper when she doesn't leave him alone (but by being concerned about him.. which is insensitive in Shotaro's eyes). Akiko gains upper hand in the slipper fight though by blocking the next attack and disarming it back. But both scenes aren't censored on my TV that time!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I really dug this episode, especially for how visually dynamic the show got for all of the Philip/Wakana stuff. When they’re having their cute moment in the doorway, the lights drop out, and we’re on a stage – the reality of the moment is traded in for performance and theatricality. It’s all heightened and metaphorical. Philip’s connection to Wakana is borne from something more primal and unshakeable, so it makes sense for those moments to become iconic inside the episode. Show didn’t need to get that smart, but I’m glad it did.

Saeko's name means cold child and it's meaningful for her behavior to bully Wakana to vent her childhood, which is Wakana's answer about being hunted by others, which she claims she feels it from her older sister, due to Ryubee tightly controlling Saeko's childhood but not Wakana's. Wakana had another sibling, a younger brother, who calms her down when she tries to retaliate, making her "kind again". Philip notes that there's kindness in her words just now and her true self is the kind little girl underneath, which means the bitchy persona is the fake act. Like fanbase propping up assholes as being kind inside when they show soft side on occassion on certain people (just selective treatment), I'd just disagree with this so far, she's acting that way solely to Phillip, the one that meets her standards (and the only one that claims she can be honest with), being nice only to certain person is hugely different for being nice person overall. Though there's a glimpse of her running over towards the knocked down Violence Dopant due to him being a pawn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And, y’know, it’s not just beautifully-shot imagery and thoughtful examinations of human connection – we also get a bonkers Dopant mystery that involves both a Lovestruck Patsy and a Femme Fatale, because this show is now going for broke on its noir tropes. The Motoko scene near the end is hysterical for how quickly she goes from perfectly inconspicuous to screaming about her intricately plotted vengeance. It’s like the episode realized that it had a whole Dopant fight to finish (not my fave, too much CG) and an epilogue with Philip and Wakana, so she just WENT CRAZY, the end. (That flashback! Over the top, even for the show with both a Santa Claus and a cat monster!) Still, it’s a layered objective that kept the plot moving at a reliably fun clip for two entire episodes, so I’m not that mad at some finish line shortcuts. Fun mystery!

Motoko suggesting to put off Wakana's show in her news report before was a red flag, she's the real bad guy of this 2 parter driven by pure jealousy that Wakana's radio show is more popular than hers, should be obvious now why she asks to put off Wakana's show. Motoko is also utterly batshit insane, even the guy who sold Motoko the Violence Memory had doubts about that due to how crazy Motoko is, and she'd have no qualms to let a Dopant loose on the city in form of Ageo, who is a yandere himself to turn into a monster to make her like him. Philip's analysis about her is proven here as Motoko gives similar vibes to Saeko to Wakana, but said brother's words refrains Wakana getting even with Motoko, just leaving her be. I just disagree on why the display of being the "bigger person" has to involve them leaving their enemies be, never addressing her behavior, which W also did here, which of course, Motoko would expose Wakana's true nature as a monster afterwards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

But the meat of this one is all Philip and Wakana, including my favorite beat in the whole story. Philip has the opportunity to find out every secret Wakana’s hiding through his access to the Gaia Library… but he doesn’t take it. Philip’s whole thing is insatiable curiosity, to an absurd degree (HEAVEN’S TORNADO), but he decides against it for Wakana. He’d rather get to know her, rather than learn her history from a book. He’s seeing the advantage of human connection, thanks to Shotaro’s influence. As far as ways to signal the end of an Act, that kind of character growth is ideal. Great end to a great episode, and a great first chunk of episodes.

Philip gains a growth and humanization as well here, growing out of his self-proclaimed 'little devil' persona, learning about emotions like feeling here, by asking Wakana to provide him keywords, like if she's been asked for her favorite scenery, which happened when she auditioned for Healing Princess show, discovering the culprit and Wakana gets back to work, but promises him to meet face-to-face later. Philip searching about Wakana's book in Gaia Library, refusing to read it, is played as dirty mind-like, but I thought, for being a "search engine man", searching the book would be like public figure's article on Wikipedia.