[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I just think it's weird that he was running for his life a few minutes earlier, and then he's like, what, Hey New Tea Shop? Why didn't he got to his home, where his ass-kicking manservant is? Why not, I don't know, go to a better tea shop? It's just weird, narrative contrivance. He needs to run into Shinji so he just walks into where Shinji is. It's not, like, totally unbelievable, but it was straining credulity in a setting that I already was finding insane.

Personally I don't think he's running for his life all the time in his life, otherwise it'd be hard for him to even doing anything to enjoy his life or even doing his job (well, he clearly has the best life without issues and has a good publicity), where him going to Atori is just another time trying to enjoy life. Shinji having to call the suits is an indication Kitaoka isn't continuously pursued.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I mean, honestly? Yui's smiling has been weird before. There's a scene a couple episodes earlier where she's telling Shinji that her parents were dead and she's got this big, beaming smile on her face. It's unnerving. Yui strikes me as a character who smiles to put people at ease, not out of sincere happiness. She see monsters all the time and has since childhood. That's... that can't be good for an emotionally healthy life! It wouldn't surprise me if she has to fake it a bit in social situations, and sometimes that stuff gets mixed up.

Well, what I meant for weird is that Shinji at that episode felt like it's the first time he saw Yui smile, not her situation. Regarding her situation/putting people at ease, can't discuss/explain this further without spoilers so... leave it.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I love my mom, but by the second day of a visit with her my face looks pretty permanently like Yui's

And that is conditional right, like only happening at certain situation? My pet peeve is that the episode described as "just her personality"/"kind of person she is", which would mean, all the time regardless of condition (ex: Ren scowling all the time, cuz he's just rude, no matter what's the situation).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

To my mind, any non-primary Rider, any Rider whose name isn't in the title, they're secondary Riders. I don't know that I'd rank them beyond that, since who's getting the spotlight can change a lot through the season. Like, if I was ranking them right now? Kitaoka definitely feels more integral to the show than Ren does.

And regarding spotlight, some thinks Ryuki isn't the actual protagonist....

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I mean, yeah, but a) it's not totally impossible that Shinji could be the kidnapper, considering only Ren and Yui are aware of his Rider powers, so he's got basically zero alibi when it comes to anyone else, and b) it's hilarious. I like that this show took a situation like it's hero being falsely imprisoned for kidnapping, and just went, "You guys know he didn't do it, he's definitely going to get freed soon, let's just have everyone dunk on him for a few scenes." Like, I think it's to the show's credit that no one really treats this a serious thing. It's like when Shouichi got arrested as a murder suspect in Agito. Don't insult the audience, play around with the inevitability of this going away.

I don't know if, at this point in the show, I've seen enough between Shinji and Kitaoka to get that impression. There's been some great discussions, but it feels more mentor/apprentice than anything more conflicting. Like, I think we get a moment of Shinji saying "But, what if greed isn't good," that Kitaoka answers with "NO, SCREW YOU! GET OUT! GET OUT FOREVER!" It... you know, it lacks nuance. I feel like we'll get to a real debate in time, but so far we're really in the Kitaoka Show part of it.

These 2 are covered a bit more in my full review for the episodes, which was in the "Kitaoka is the tertiary Rider" part.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

All of the Shimada stuff was great, yeah. ("Smooch!") I loved how the police carried her and the big stuffed doll out of the shack, like they were both victims. That's the kind of wacky I want from this show.

Glad to see you appreciate the comedy moments that aren't Rider/monsters related, that some toku followers will deem as useless and filler. Just that you have limits regarding that. It's a blessing that the police cares more about the victim, like their belongings too as bringing her stuffed doll.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Goro's great! That mix of thug looks, manservant presence, and asskicking skills? And he's got candy for sad children? He's fascinating in his complexity. Definitely want to know more about this dude's deal!

Unfortunately still loyal enough not to fully help the poor kid that gets attacked by Kitaoka. Though there's a bit of change in the next episode.