[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER OOO EPISODE 20 - “BAIT, SUITABILITY, AND THE FLAMING COMBO”

It’s a little similar to Episode 15, in that everything here feels like a red line for the Eiji/Ankh partnership. Ankh counterschemes to wrest one of his precious Core Medals from Kazari’s grasp, but in a way that flings Eiji off of a roof and requires threatening Hina. Meanwhile, Eiji has kept one of Ankh’s Medals from him, fearing *see the last sentence*. These two are firmly in opposition, and yet… it also basically doesn’t matter?

It could seem a little flippant, how much Eiji doesn’t care about Ankh’s rapacious self-interest, or how much Ankh was never really going to hurt Hina. (It’s all threats, no real violence.) But there’s another plot in this episode, and I think it’s instructive in how to read what’s really going on with Ankh and Eiji.

It's not like Ankh can actually defeat Hina if he wanted due to Hina's super strength. And guess like Eiji, Ankh needs Hina alive. Just being all threats doesn't mean they didn't really mean it or have the heart to go through it, one can fail in carrying out that like because they're too weak to do so (Ankh also pretty much kidnapped her). What Eiji fears is Ankh abandoning Shingo's body when his revival is complete. This part also highlights Hina's loyalty to Eiji to never give up the medal to Ankh no matter how long Ankh held her captive so Ankh'd save Eiji.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

We get the first part of one of my favorite long-term sub-plots, which is the Date/Brotou stuff. (I’m sure other subbing groups stick with “Gotou-chan”, but I came up on this group's “Brotou”, and that’s the hill I’ll die on. It just feels truer to Date’s affection for this skinny child!) Gotou’s been tying himself in knots about whether or not he’s the right man to be Birth, and if his principles and pride are an obstacle to helping people. But Date makes it easy for him – he can’t even fire the Birth gun. All of the high-minded morality and ethics are missing the main point that Gotou can’t even do the job he’s worrying about, which is putting the philosophical cart in front of the tokusatsu horse. Date suggests that Gotou should maybe dedicate himself to being able to do his dream first, then decide if it’s a dream worth doing.

In contrast to Goto being unable to handle Birth at this point, I wonder if Satonaka, who has her action debut this episode (and not only ranged but also physical one in kicking the jellyfishes), is able to become Birth, but she just chose not to, as she just does the bare minimum of her job and doesn't care much. Otherwise, while for my experience, I do see some people praising characters who risk/throw away their life standing against threats they have no capability to stop, hailing them as more of the true heroes compared to the superheroes (e.g. German old man in The Avengers standing up to Loki), results still need to be considered to actually save people, and this part addresses one's technical capabilities in standing up against threats.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

That’s sort of the zone that Eiji and Ankh find themselves in at the end of the episode. Eiji can’t trust Ankh to do what’s right, but he can trust Ankh to do what’s right for himself. Ankh hates Eiji’s obtrusive morality, but that obtrusive morality is the only hope Ankh has to rebuild his body. The arguments about the why of it all… that can all come after the immediate concern of what needs doing today. Despising each other for the ways their worldviews don’t align misses how effective they can be as a team. You can disagree about motivations, but that’s okay – the end results are what sometimes matter most.

Though the victim of the week, although there's a comparison between Yamagane mistreating Yasu and Ankh mistreating Eiji, didn't really get a proper conclusion, like perhaps Yamagane's actual goal or such, in comparison to Eiji knowing what Ankh wants. I do think that one can, for the lack of the better word, take advantage of someone of any kind of morality, getting them to achieve what you want. It's a smart move, though likely can be risky if they can wreak havoc to others if not stopped, including also Yamagane and Yasu being free. By this, even someone as depraved as Kuroto Dan can also be taken advantage to save the day, but doesn't mean that Kuroto turned into/was being a good guy by this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It makes for a story that honors both characters' individuality without compromising their bond. The little bit of swagger Ankh has when Eiji turns up for their battle against Kazari and the Yummy! Eiji knowing that Ankh will be there with the Medals he needs, even though Ankh flung him into the river! Ankh trusting Eiji with TaJaDor – here given so much more weight and significance than Movie Core’s whole Hey I Randomly Found This Please Use It In A Fight thing – even though Ankh has schemed for the last two episodes for this shot at resurrection! It’s all brilliant in how it leverages the tenuousness of their partnership, as well as the inevitability of their reconciliation.

Man so this is the difference between KR TV series story and KR (particularly crossover) movie story. And so, OOO's mid-season upgraded TaJaDor has an earlier debut than ShaUTa, TaJaDor's body language copies the majestic type of Rider/kaijin from Kobayashi's previous serieses, Ryuki's Odin and Den-O's Sieg, with Taja Spinner resembling Ryuki's Drag Visor, and the finisher being a Rider Kick on fire like Ryuki's Final Vent.