[Sh Ranger]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 10 - ?COLLISION IN THE MOONLIGHT?

Like, I just love the Rabbit Hatch? I love how every episode it becomes less sterile (Kengo) and starts being more diverse and chaotic (the KRC). It?s maybe my favorite Heisei set, for how it melds the show?s sci-fi aspects with its hangout teenage premise. The point of the Rabbit Hatch is to visualize how all of these weirdos bring their own perspectives to a single place, to share their passions and idiosyncrasies with each other, and in doing so create a coherent attitude and viewpoint for the Kamen Rider Club.

Free convenient access to the moon and vista of Earth is a unique selling point as well! I think Rabbit Hatch is especially fun compared to the base of the show's second SHT partner, Gobusters, which is a dull grey place that looks like it was designed by Kengo. I'd say Rabbit Hatch is one of my favorites for sure, up there with Hikari Studio and nascita (coffee must improve after the first quarter, right?).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Tomoko?s a girl that?s always wanted to be accepted for who she was, but when that seemed impossible, she wanted to escape instead: to the moon, or into someone else?s madness and vengeance. But people like Ritsuko never saw her, never wanted who she was. And yet on the moon, she found friendship instead of desolation and isolation, with a group of kids that wanted her to be herself, and in doing so make them all better. It?s a sweet little message ? Be Yourself ? that?s delivered with the appropriate level of teenage pathos to make Tomoko?s embrace of it feel like the truest victory of the story.

I appreciate how that "be yourself" message isn't delivered in a trite way either, it's just Gentarou and the others opening up about their flaws to show Tomoko they're not overly creeped out by her and they (except Kengo but he'll come around soon) want to be her friend. They don't try and force her to take a linear path, but rather encourage her to decide who she is. The scene where Tomoko captures Altar's staff and gives the speech about the duality of the moon being cold and warm is a peak moment!

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

I also love the Rabbit Hutch, even if I always want to spell its name wrong? (like, it only makes any sense with the "u", but also, apparently there's a character in Kamen Rider officially called Gord Drive, so what do I know)

Well, they do have to use an airlock hatch to get in and out of the moon's low atmosphere.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Which reminds me! I've always loved that beat where Tomoko rubs mud on her face because she's so desperate not to be seen without her makeup? Because like, the whole point of the story is how she's terrified of being seen, in a larger sense, and you'd still get that from everything else going on, but that moment in particular really encapsulates the whole conflict in a way that doesn't need words. It's always really stuck with me from way back in the day.

I like that scene as well, although, it's not like Tomoko uses makeup as something to hide behind, as she is a goth after all. In general, wearing makeup is a common thing like wearing clothes, so I guess Tomoko is more afraid that being seen without it would make others perceive her as someone other than herself, that they wouldn't see her, hence the moral about looking beyond appearances to see the real self.

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Originally Posted by Switchblade

I still think saving Tomoko for last (-ish; we'll come back to this next time) is an odd choice but she's here now and that's awesome.

This is called saving the best for last.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 11 - ?THE LUNAR GATE DISAPPEARS?

I figured you would use this screencap.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 12 - ?DUTY AND NOBLE INTENTIONS?

But Yuuki gets him, even if she normally indulges him. We?ve gotten 11 episodes of Yuuki gently steering Kengo to variable success, while placating his wounded ego and sweetly suggesting some new outlooks to him, but this time she needs to have a talk with Kengo. Kengo?s trapped on the moon ? which is, you know, still a pretty big deal! ? but he?s lashing out at the people closest to him, whether he wants to admit it or not. He?s missing how they?re not only working to rescue him, they?re working to honor him by continuing to fight the Zodiart that?s menacing the school.

And that, honestly, is the only reliable way to connect with Kengo. It?s just like the first Kengo story with him and Gentarou about using Fourze, but now widened to include the entire KRC: You don?t reach Kengo by telling him you care about him, you reach Kengo by showing him that you care about his mission. The team putting the defeat of Makise over the safety of Kengo (because Kengo wasn?t in any immediate danger, despite being moon-exiled) lets Kengo know that there are people who share his dedication, and that?s worth letting them in.

Miu shows once more why she's president as well, as she stopped Yuki from organizing a moon landing that would surely have compromized the secret base and mission Kengo cares about so much. And it's thanks to Tomoko's ward, which Kengo probably dismissed as frivolous, that they were able to find the real locker and ultimately rescue Kengo. It's great how all the acquaintances Kengo has been complaining about were essential to solving his problem, resulting in a fitting conclusion for the first quarter with him finally accepting them as friends and doing the handshake to officialize his recruitment to KRC!

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Originally Posted by Androzani84

Anyway, beyond Makise and his surprise return at two separate points later on in and out of series(you?d think people would want to avoid him after this)

The inevitable misfortune of Gentarou's boast to befriend everybody at school. Makise should learn that girls won't respect him until he respects them, but self-improvement is difficult for narcissists like him.