[Locke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComicGuy89

My opinion is that Urobuchi is actually making a statement of hope against crushing torrents of despair. Although this goes beyond just impassioned logic and into more philosophical or even religious debate.

And there is nothing wrong with this, but the Butcher seems to be trying (at least by toku standards) to make this feel like a real world, with fleshed living people in it. There is no clear good or bad, everyone has their own personal interests and everyone still has at least one more card on the table to play.

That is why I refuse to write off Yggadrasill as purely evil, we know in this show it isn't that simple. And similarly Kouta is a man to rally behind, but the show itself points out the naivety of his character and also the pitfalls of such idealism.

Although we may personally decide who are heroes, and who aren't, I think the show has struck a surprisingly complex balance of only condemning one side as much as the other. That is what I love about this show.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XW1n5t0nX

Exactly. I mean let's think about it, Kouta got his Sengoku Driver by chance, and became a Rider to help fuel his and his friends' own gain. Now he fights for what exactly? Against Yggadrasill? Sort of. He just argues with them mostly. He isn't fighting to stop them, or even inform people about what's actually going on. He just stands there with a thumb up his ass going "Durrr Yggadrasill is bad cause they lied, gave us a game for research, and came up with a plan to stop our world be destroyed." Is genocide a good thing? No it isn't. But it's better then walking around acting all sour because adult businessmen are acting like adult businessmen who have though about every option possible, and while the end result isn't ideal, it's better then nothing.

And he always goes in half cocked, too, never forget that. His battle is entirely reactionary, and he's fighting against an organisation that has all the facts, even if the audience may not. Your breakdown of his characterisation has hit the nail on the head, and minus fighting with the Energy Riders, what else has he actually done to try and tackle them? It isn't like he's creating a revolution. Because he believes that people are better off not knowing? Then he's no different from his enemy...