[Blade Raider]

Wow, a part 2 that doesn't have a Gate telling a sap story to pad out the time. I'm kind of surprised. Then agan, I have a bad feeling she'll still be there next week.

Just like the last 2 parts, I feel like part 1 is written by someone different from part 2. They feel mismatched. In this case, part 1 wanted to do just another predictable story while part 2 wanted to actually have something happen. Plus, part 1's ending is still terrible. Seriously, I would've be looking forward to this week's episode if they had cut Haruto off mid-sentence and left on White Wizard showing up. Instead, there was no build up or prelude for the main events in this episode at all.

And the upgrades are becoming more predictable than the Gates. Seriously, almost every other episode has an upgrade with them breaking for Xmas and Beast only. I'm aware there's other Rider shows that do this, but none of them have been this mind numbingly predictable about it.

On the good side, the Rinko and Phoenix subplot wasn't bad, but could've been much better if we didn't know he was Phoenix. I am happy with Phoenix's resolve though. They build that as if he was going to stop being a villain, which is out of character. Thankfully the result of Rinko's words was Phoenix going rogue instead, which is in character for him. Sadly, Phoenix is probably going to die soon since he's becoming a full character.


Man, I had high hopes for this show, but it's quickly become a let down every week.