[NGW]

Up to Episode 40 of Faiz now.

So this last little arc regarding Takumi as an orphenoc and him doubting himself and a big series of misunderstandings and misleadings and all that...well, I did LOVE the twist. It was almost out of nowhere, though there were a few things leading up to it so it wasn't a complete "pull out of the ass" twist, but done really well. I wasn't super fond of how long they dragged on Takumi doubting himself, and questioning his humanity. I mean I get that he was misled by Murakami and that was a big part of it, but even after Mari explained to him what really happened you'd think he'd come to. Yeah yeah, Sawada lost his humanity, but he wanted to give it up. Still, it wasn't a bad arc, and being that this is apparently the arc that was leading up to Faiz getting his final form, it's one of the better final form arcs we've had.

Speaking of forms, Accel form was pretty cool but uh...it wasn't really all that well used. We've only really seen it a few times, and the last time it was used by Kiba it didn't even DO anything. I get it was meant to show how powerful Kitazaki is, but what a way to waste an upgrade form. I'm glad the concept was revisited as Kabuto's main gimmick at least, since it was just completely underutilized here.

Also, my God is Mihara useless. Delta was built up for so long and made out to be so powerful and so badass and...one of the most worthless possible characters ends up with the belt. I would have so much rather have had Keitaro or even Kaido or Kiba end up with the Delta gear.

I'm also rather impressed that the show has managed to defy my expectations so often. I was seriously expecting something to happen and completely set Kiba off, that he was going to end up being our big bad this season and there would be a huge conflict between him and Faiz, with them finding out the other's identity either being the setting off point or being the big "oh my God" moment when all is said and done or something...I really did expect there to end up being some big conflict between the "hero" orphenocs and the main cast, I mean they definitely fought but they've managed to stay friends through it all. And as I've said before I really do like the drama that dynamic gave the earlier half of the season.

Something else I've enjoyed was the passing around of the rider gear. While in most seasons it would just feel kinda wrong, being that there is usually some connection between the belt and the rider, with the techy theme of this show and the belts having their own purpose and not really being something meant to be tied to someone, it's a nice element and we get to see a few different people don the suits every now and then, and hell we even get to see a girl in the suit at one point, even if she does just get her ass kicked.

Getting down to the wire, with 11 episodes (counting episode 40) to go. The plot really hasn't been much of a thing really though. For the majority of the show it was Smart Brain trying to get the Faiz belt, then the Faiz and Kaixa belts, then it was "who has the Delta belt", then it was getting the belts back from Smart Brain, and Smart Brain trying to get a fourth member of Lucky Clover, then it was all a big misunderstanding. We're entering the endgame or at least getting close to it and there isn't really much of an overall direction at this point. We've had a few twists and some mysteries solved/revealed, but there are still quite a few unanswered questions and it just doesn't feel like this is all leading up to something.

I know Hibiki gets a bad rep for having a similar problem, but that season wasn't about the conflict (and I've said this before) but the show was about Asumu and coming of age and etc. Whereas Faiz has basically all been about the conflict and defeating the orphenocs and..I guess that's where it's heading, trying to take down Smart Brain?