[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deepsea

I thought we just had a big discussion in the Die watch's Ryuki thread about how Kamen Rider isn't about Justice but about protecting people and their freedom.

I only write that stuff up, I never meant to give people the impression that I remembered any of it. I have a terrible memory. There's a bit of a joke I have with a friend, where whenever he goes, "Do you remember -" I immediately say, "Let me stop you right there," because the answer is always No.

To get this thread back on topic, I don't know that I agree with a lot of the OP's assertions (they all seem minor at best and misrepresentative at worst), and I'd never use the word "rip-off", but there's one key thing that I think has some similarities.

The way the Gaia Memories and Astroswitches work, it's got that same vibe, for sure. A villain gives it to a victim, they wreak havoc, and the Rider has to solve the victim's core dysfunction in order to keep them alive. The collectible becomes not just a problem to overcome, but a way into exploring a new character, of expressing their dilemma. It's different from, say, Ex-Aid or Wizard, where a victim is just a victim. With Double and Fourze, the victim is the monster is the victim. It's (to my mind) fairly unique to those two shows.