[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

SERIES WRAP-UP

That’s my favorite thing about the show, I think – the pleasant symmetry of the ending. It all loops back to the beginning, a perfect circle of storytelling: Eiji on his own, some pocket money and tomorrow’s underwear; Shingo and Hina, living their domestic bliss; Ankh, reduced to Medals. Far from making things feel pointless, it’s like the show took the same state at the end as the beginning to make everything feel richer now that so much had transpired. It’s the lesson Ankh learns by the end, and that Eiji had forgotten at the beginning – a life needs more than just existing to be worth living. Giving all of these characters a new starting point is great, but giving them an old starting point with a new perspective is even better.

Tbh, I often expect shows to end in a completely different state than it was at the beginning, but often KR shows have endings that doesn't feel different from the beginning, other than perhaps some deaths, like Ankh's here, of which it happens too to series like Drive (Chase) and Gotchard (Lachesis). I don't know what kind of show, at least in your mind, that has the ending where it's the opposite of OOO, where it doesn't have pleasant symmetry and doesn't have similar state at the beginning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I love that choice. I love that we’re sort of back in the Ryuki mode, where the success of our heroes is all internal, and the reward is a blank slate for the future. This was a show where the main spine of the series was the evolution of a narcissistic avian asshole into a sacrificial and grateful avian asshole. Everything with the Medals, and Maki, and the Kougami Foundation… it’s all just the obstacle course that Ankh has to go through alongside Eiji, in order to understand why a life isn’t just something you get, it’s something you earn. For as much as the iconography and merchandising of the show has Eiji as the lead, and Ankh as his hilariously cruel sidekick, I don’t think that’s right? This season is Ankh’s story, with Eiji as, ironically, the angel on his shoulder. The journey of Ankh is everything this show is talking about, while Eiji’s story is the cautionary tale and example. It’s like… it’s like Hibiki. Hibiki is a show where Asamu (and other children; I don’t want to trigger anyone with a full cast list) go on a journey, while the Kamen Rider is there to struggle alongside of them, with a few lessons of their own along the way. OOO is that same thing: Ankh is the character with a finite story, and Eiji is the hero who helps him become a better person.

It's standard trope for KR to have a role model character, usually the main Rider, who is about inspiring others around them to be a better person. Though by this trope, I don't like if everyone else is lumped together as assholes who need the role model's guidance, more likely to happen in darker shows, but for OOO, perhaps someone like Date or Hina (Goto, while wanting to save the world, yes, he can be dickish too, so he needs it). Ankh obviously needs it. Otherwise, with Ryuki being there, despite being the asshole of the main trio, both Ren and Ankh are ironically the stabilizing force of them; Ren had Shinji and Yui constantly trying to find and stop him, and in the process, have Ren read them better, realizing that he needs to save them from themselves too, while for Ankh, where Hina fails to reason with him and Eiji after Ankh's betrayal, Ankh is the one that finally gets Eiji to reveal what he really wants, to never be powerless again to save anyone, and perhaps later indirectly solving Hina's issues by getting her to realize that she wants everyone together, by the help of Chiyoko.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

All of that is why this show always works, even during episodes or stories that weren’t my favorite. There were for sure some bum Yummy stories, same as any other show with their monster plots, but OOO has that Hina/Eiji/Ankh core to keep everything moving in the right direction. There was never a huge turn in the plot that felt forced or even inorganic. Everything for a year felt like a natural consequence of a car accident, an abduction, a heroic deal, and a chance to help others. You could literally watch the first episode and the last episode and you’d get the entire story of OOO. (I mean, I wouldn't recommend it, but you could do it.) Show’s just real solid in its framework.

Dunno if I'm repeating myself, but this can be perhaps why the MOTW-based shows are some of the more well-received shows (my thing is more the serialized stuff), despite how some fanbase are complaining if it's something formulaic (primarily happened during Wizard). There's less chance that these kind of shows will feel forced or inorganic, because the show is mainly about the core cast, while the plot elements, no matter how bad they're are all temporary, it only happens for two weeks. The MOTW plots are something rarely brought up in the fandom, from what I see. This might work for you as you're primarily about characters, though I forgot what were your take about this structure in a show like W (and Fourze would be likely your next talk for KR); you claim it's not your favorite while being the best, but your profile still has it listed as your favorite.