[Kamen Rider Die]

TOKUMEI SENTAI GO-BUSTERS MISSION 46 - “OVERHEATING, AND A NEW UNISON!”



It’s interesting to do a late-series Ryuji/Yoko episode, maybe more so than any other Buster pairing on this show. No one’s really got the history of Yoko and Ryuji in this show (at least as far as just the human cast is concerned), and spending a little time with them to showcase how their relationship is changing and growing – because Yoko is changing and growing – feels like a smart move before the finale.

And yet, I didn’t love this one? I think telling it more from Ryuji’s perspective than Yoko’s perspective robs it of some really interesting angles, most of which don’t show up until the climactic cliffside sequence between the two of them. We get a little bit of Ryuji’s depression over his sister -slash- daughter finding him to be less of the beloved protector he used to be and more of an overbearing pest, and then a billion fight scenes with Enter, and then Yoko’s realization of what Ryuji’s going through as she’s about to leave the nest. Not getting Yoko’s perspective on things until the very end kept it -- for me -- from feeling like a story that respected her agency or intentions as much as Ryuji's depression; it’s just a story about Ryuji feeling bad for most of the episode.

But I do like how Yoko’s cliffside sequence feels like it’s in conversation with the first Ruji Overheats episode. That one is about Yoko needing to reconcile the loving older brother with the flawed soldier, while this one’s about reconciling her own autonomy with a need to respect Ryuji’s feelings. She had to learn how to see Ryuji before, and now she has to learn how to see what she means to Ryuji. All that, plus she has to physically confront the monster that used to terrify her, all to save him from himself. It’s as neat a bookend as you could get for that relationship, regardless of how the episode chose to get there.

I thought this one had its heart in the right place, even if the way it expressed itself was not as much to my liking. More fun for me to think about Yoko’s side of things than Ryuji’s, honestly, and I wish the producers felt the same way.



IT’S TIME FOR Enter and Escape!

I never really talked too much about Escape’s death, because it felt so hilariously inconsequential that I assumed she’d be back in some form before the final finale. (Although, I really did like her devotion to Messiah being of absolutely no interest to his howling hunger. Good note for that arc!) Enter’s destruction was of the same Question Rather Than Answer variety, so I barely mentioned it. And here they both are! Ironed-hair Enter and Flowered-hair Escape! I like the evolution of Enter’s powers to something that can alter plants and animals now, since it feels appropriately god-like. Should be fun to see what Papa Enter gets up to next!