[Sh Ranger]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 37 - ?SELECTING THE STAR PUPIL?

The other problem is, uh, Yuuki. I know I just said that Yuuki isn?t annoying enough to warrant Erin?s immediate and blazing enmity, but Yuuki is still pretty annoying this episode. I think she acquits herself well enough over the various tasks, and Kengo?s right that Yuuki has a great sense of when to lighten a mood (always, around Kengo, which is why she?s so good at it), but she?s rolling around during a presentation and screaming fealty to a rocket. Again, I get that she?s also under pressure here to realize her dream, but the stakes pale in comparison to how wacky Yuuki gets in this episode.

The sad thing is that I think Elleen was sincerely offering Yuki helpful advice at first, but Yuki responded with even more ROCKET GOD which could easily be taken as dismissal. This does seem like an example of Yuki being rude, not only deranged. It's a plot that only works due to Yuki acting like this and hiding the camera parts for a reason she cannot explain. Gentarou and the audience know that Yuki isn't a bad person, but Yuki sure gives Elleen a lot of reasons to think poorly of her, all snowballing from that first impression.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And, y?know, there?s also the rest of the cast who? are present! It?s not a story for them, sadly, so we get yet another episode that JK, Shun, and Miu can?t directly participate in; Tomoko is dragged along, without really having much cause to be there; Ohsugi gets a single scene, barely; Kengo?s Cosmic Illness pops up again, after, like 20 episodes of not mentioning it; and the Zodiarts continue to collectively make Hayami feel like garbage.

I don't mind Tomoko participating in the space cadet training while being irrelevant to the plot, since I thought that worked okay for the Hound Zodiart arc. Shun, Miu and JK really are just there in Rabbit Hatch though.

Congrats on your 7000th post!

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 38 - ?AND THE WINNER IS??

And if that were the only problem, fine, whatever, I got other stuff in here to enjoy. Erin and Gentarou continued to be a charming couple, exhibiting enough chemistry to fuel an actual rocket. Erin?s arc in this one is a compelling exploration of how finding the best in someone can still not get you what you want, and Erin?s character-defining dedication and commitment gets a melancholy finale, pitting her allegiance to Gamou against her newfound supporter in a rain-soaked duel. It?s sad, and inevitable, and avoidable, and sweet, and beautifully shot. It?s Erin?s whole arc, concluding perfectly, after two episodes of growth and examination.

Gentarou is a true friend for honoring Elleen's wish to settle her fight with Fourze, even though he knew it would be a heartbreaking conclusion. He always cares about people's feelings, even when they're misguided and I think this is a rare bittersweet yet important message for the show that sometimes the help your friends want isn't the help you want to give. As Fish pointed out, Cosmic States has the tears that Fourze's previous States don't, so this is pretty appropriate to show that Gentarou has moments of suffering like other Riders.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It is! There's a thing I loved from 38 that I didn't find a place to talk about before, and so I'm going to just toss it in here.

Erin is fuming about Yuuki as she walks along That One Kamen Rider Pedestrian Trail, and she gets so furious that she turns into Aquarius and goes on a rampage. She starts attacking innocent people, including this one guy on his phone, and it cracked me up:



If I was still doing fan-fic like on the Saber thread, y'all would've gotten a few pages about that dude's day...

What was that dude even looking at on his phone to be so distracted?!

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Originally Posted by DreadBringer

I feel I don't want if any of the main characters would just be given victim position of the story which can be easier to view them as innocent and only blame the society around them, even if their action would be like what JK did, particularly if it's done early on. If one is seen as completely innocent, then Gentaro befriending those is viewed as something ordinary and expected. Of which, the JK backstory here does have victim position unlike the introductory part, of him being laughed upon here for trying to reach his dream.

I wouldn't say JK is a victim here though, as the mockery he received did help him realize early that he lacked the talent for his dream and led to him finding small success as Gene in a "so bad it's good" kind of way, just not how he had envisioned like his father. His motivation is sympathetic at best and his decision to sacrifice his captive fans' and friends' health for hollow fame is rightfully called out as wrong and something that a KRC member without Switch influence should know better.

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Originally Posted by DreadBringer

I see this as a weakness, of which it may include me though I don't know. Like how many things would be viewed as better if they're more all-rounder, someone would be better in socializing or making friends if they're more versatile, as in, being able to make friends without being limited to those having common hobby. And I know there were two school friends who's really into Kamen Rider, and their main group circle is the type who mainly talk about politics (what they claim they do).

Yeah, an extreme aversion to boredom is surely a weakness in many situations. If a tedious topic drags for too long, I start looking for tangents, which depends on how fast I can react. I also get irritable if my environment is too quiet or still.