[DreamSword]

So uh, you ended up calling Akane "Akiko" multiple times in both of these past write-ups. Made me think I'd accidentally watched the wrong episodes or something.

Anyway, this two-parter was totally perfect for me, and are big contenders for my favorite pair of episodes in the show.

You claim it's the subplot, but really, with how everything is structured, I'd argue that Kirihiko is the main spotlight for both episodes as a whole, to the point he's the one who leads off the first part proper. Even the Kids Doing Drugs PSA is there primarily as a vehicle to get him to not only show some initiative in figuring out just what the heck is going on with the Sonozakis, but also actually taking the time to observe how Kamen Rider handles the city and its people.

And what a great turn out it all results in overall. Wonderful character development for Kirihiko, a great expansion of the lore the show has set up, great interactions between all of the characters and some of the best cinematography we've seen up to now. I actually totally agree with the wiki that this marks a proper end of Act 1 with not only the feeling of finality the whole thing has, but just how big of a push forward it has for the show as a whole. The atmosphere was all around on point!

And I guess now is as good a time as any to bring up something that always caught me by surprise and impressed me with W overall; The way in which the drug metaphor with Gaia Memories is used. Not only do these episodes showcase the usual dangers that people are warned about(withdrawal, addiction, etc), but it's noted many times that the only real protection comes in the form of Drivers, and that it's not exactly a secret that our protagonists use them as well. Which in turn makes the lesson less "drugs are things only bad people use" and moreso "Use drugs responsibly if you're gonna use them at all." Which in turn is a very mature message not just for a kids show, but for Japan as a whole, given how anti-drug Japan is in general.

It's just a really great time overall, and that shot of Kirihiko's' Japan Flag that he always wore around his neck floating in the wind gets me every time. Really wish he hadn't died here, but it's a great send off and, hey, it atleast eventually lead to Memory of Heroez!