[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s a choice, and, short of killing off one of the two main characters with fifteen episodes left to go, the only choice they could make. Fight’s got to end without someone dying. It’s just, I’m shocked that there was zero effort made into showing why the fight stopped. Did their time run out? Did Ryuki have Knight on the ropes and split? Were they both too battered to continue? To have a fight this big, this important, be left to the viewer’s imagination… man, I don’t get it. I don’t know why you wouldn't spend a few more shots tightening that resolution up some. Weird choice. Unfulfilling choice.

Probably this is a flaw yeah, but why do I feel that, from my replies on Kuuga rewatch thread, Kuuga also pulls this sometimes like in Kuuga vs Mebio fight. Surely it's disappointing not to see what Ryuki or Knight's take especially when one of them corners the other. Or actually neither corners each other and both are just critically injured as seen in the beginning of episode. Obviously Shinji wouldn't kill, he tried to prevent Ren becoming a killer and staying sane anyway. It would be plausble if Shinji won and just exhausts both parties so that Ren is too weak to kill (plausble because obviously Shinji wouldn't continue further if Ren is disabled, he wants both alive!) and Ren coming up to his coinscience, feeling unable/unworthy to return to Shinji and Yui and escapes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The rest of the episode was pretty strong, though. In contrast to the big Hero Fight, the rest of the battles had some thought put into them, some smart ways to leverage characterization to conclude a fight. The Zolda vs Ouja one, so great. Of course Kitaoka had a plan the whole time. Of course he wasn’t going to fight Asakura unless he had some advantage. Using the police to corner Asakura, in a specially chosen reflection-less alleyway, it’s a genius move. It’s nice to see that Kitaoka cunning brought to bear in non-murderous ways (although I’m sure he’s betting on Asakura being devoured by one-to-three monsters), to make his successes feel more laudable. I like not feeling a little conflicted about cheering him on. It’s good to have him winning in ways that aren’t completely scummy. Also, he didn’t murder anyone, which makes him more heroic than Ren.

The first display of Genocider Final Vent, it looks so deadly of absorbing everything in it, making the victim very dead and inescapable, my obvious favorite for Ouja's Final Vent. Even if the kick (which knocks down Magnugiga) is not the primary attack and just to send the victim to Genocider, I feel like the corkscrew kick's movement is cooler than his Veno Crash Final Vent. Yeah, I specifically cheered for Kitaoka in these situations, to keep Asakura in check (to send Asakura in particular rage). Using your privileged connection to defeat him, even cops submit to him, portrayed like his troops (when I was little I thought Kitaoka was a cop!). Surely can also ask the police to show no mercy like shoot him or something. And the thing is, bringing up previous stuff Kitaoka is more unafraid to bring up mirror stuff for police as he did to Megumi before like confiscate his Deck from 13 Riders before. It's actually murderous way, but it's benefical for society as it's Asakura. Why do you advocate indirect murders more? I feel like this stance can be applied to Shibaura too. He only indirectly kills and didn't actually have a direct murder so Ren is less human than him too? Ren is also appalled by Kitaoka's asshole moments (while Kitaoka is appalled to Shibaura and Asakura), means Ren's douche has his limits and him constantly calling Kitaoka out means he's still a better person than him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Ren’s a lot like Shinji at this point in the story. Shinji’s plan in this one is to maybe find Shiro, maybe fight Shiro, destroy the Mirror World, something. He doesn’t have a good plan, so he goes with his bad plan. Ren’s got that same mentality here. As Yui points out, there’s no pathway to victory for Ren. Even if he becomes a killer, there’re too many Riders left to kill and not enough time to save Eri. It’s pointless. But Ren’s like Shinji, he can’t ever do nothing. Ren can’t concede defeat, can’t abandon Yui to failure. He’ll attack his best friend, try to become a killer, even throw his life away fighting a nearly-all-backhand godlike Rider, just to feel like he’s doing something. He needs to try, always, at any cost. But, unlike Shinji, who more-or-less lucks into a way to save Ren by learning of the existence of the Second Secret Science Society aka Kamen Rider Tiger, Ren uses strategy and tactics to defeat Kamen Rider Boss. No, not defeat, murder. He murders him. It’s a point of no return for Ren. It’s the biggest decision this show has made, to spend 30-odd episodes telling us that Ren killing someone is The Line, and then crossing that line. It’s shot perfectly, with Ren’s triumph being framed as the eradication of his soul, of a psychic wound that’s likely fatal.

And, cherry on top, it was probably all for nothing, as a tear-streaked Eri opens her eyes in the hospital. Ren became a killer to save Eri, who didn’t need saving after all. All his efforts did was make him a man she’s ashamed of. So pyrrhic. So perfect.

Even if Yui is also partly, a catalyst for "no pathway to victory" for him. She forbids him for doing things a Rider supposed to do like preventing fights with other Riders and especially killing. Why do I feel now that both Shinji and Yui probably take Tezuka's stance at his beginning (knowing Shinji more) that he should just stop and give up on Eri, letting her die, which makes me wonder why she should be watched over. For Ren commiting a murder, it's revealed eventually that even Ren's adverse to murder is no greater than his will to actually survive. Odin forced him to choose only 1 and the latter is shown to be actually greater. Ren realizes that he wants to survive, and has no choice to murder Odin in self defense. And I again, want to talk about my favorite Rider Odin here. He's my favorite in every aspect; design, fighting style, and power. I like how nonchalantly he fights with him not taking even any stance, just armfold, and just slaps away Riders, knowing how overpowered he is that he doesn't need to take much effort. His powers like teleporting, levitating (to counter Knight Survive's Final Vent!) and the golden feathers also brings an omnious feel towards him, other than him being the only one to ragdoll a Survive Rider like nothing. He's also another Rider with long range with his feathers. But apparently, he still possesses other weaknesses Rider have, his Deck fragility being weak spot (Odin's attempt to kill Knight), which is how Knight kills him. I don't want Odin being seen as weak with how quickly he's killed, it's just Ryuki Rider's weaknesses. Eri being tear-streaked showed how strong their ties to each other are with her responding to Ren's pain.