[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurona

Oh, shoot, I've found something in Ryuki to defend!

So honestly, I really liked what Episode 4 did with Shinji because it feels like a natural response someone would do if they're trying to help but had given it zero thought. Maybe the leap to 'the guy kills children' seems a little far, but also Shinji's ran into Ren about... four times by now, and half those times Ren's tried to kill him without remorse, so y'know. Don't think that'd give me the best of definitely-doesn't-kill-children vibes either!

He sees a dude that's not just an asshole but an asshole predisposed to murder, and he's not comfortable with someone innocent being around him. He went about it clunkily, but that's what made it so natural to me; this whole episode was just really nice at tackling something ("Ren What The Fuck") that both Shinji and audience would be feeling and dispels those assumptions well.

(folks got posts on posts right now)

Goddamnit, I knew that quote would get someone defending Shinji in that episode. I just assumed it'd be Fish Sandwich?

I guess it says something about where my loyalties lay on the spectrum of Tortured Rider to Earnest Friendly Rider that I didn't see Shinji's side of things so much as I thought he owed Ren a thank you for not killing him every time he had the chance. Ren didn't feel proprietary or cruel in those scenes, he seemed like a dude who wasn't going let some Level 0 jerk-off tell him how to detonate monsters.

The joke is, like I posted elsewhere, it's completely in character for Shinji to stick his nose in where it doesn't belong. Like, my goddamn signature image right now! It's about how Shinji can't keep out of other people's business! I just didn't think it came off at all cute or charmingly misguided here. It felt invasive, intrusive. I didn't like that look on Shinji, because I know he means well. This one maybe warranted a stronger response from Yui and/or some legit regret from Shinji.