[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurona

I ultimately liked this episode; and what it was about; and where each character is by the end. But I'm not, like, entirely sure about the execution?

Oh, well, I guess you're just gonna take this one, then? Works for me. I'm a little exhausted from writing about Kuuga to put a lot of thought into this right now (and the legal system in this show is melting my brain; if Fuwa stole his ShotRiser, is Aruto harboring a fugitive?), but, uh, just pretend everything Kurona said is what I said too, because it might as well be. I do have a few original thoughts to add, though:

- Ryuuta Tasaki directed this one, and did a great job (dig the static clearing away when Naki says "I am not a tool"!), but with both him and Ishida having worked on this show now, it kinds of cements how much Zero-One ISN'T a new era for Kamen Rider, if there was still any doubt left. They're literally still using the same directors from 20 years ago. Not really a complaint, when they're putting all that experience to good use, but still, I find it amusing.

- Masaya Kakehi is finally back writing, and I think that explains why this one is so solid. Great character work, clear stakes to the fights (Protecting a HumaGear that isn't on a rampage. Why is that hard?), and unlike the last few, it didn't feel the need to milk my memories of how much better this show used to be with flashbacks to the early episodes.

- I haven't mentioned this yet, but I actually hated Yua a little from really early on! I remember someone pointing out in one of the more recent episode threads that her role early in the show only seemed more independent because we didn't see her directly hanging around Gai, but like, that actually just made her the scapegoat for me to hate for using Fuwa like a piece of equipment. So her current role has, in a bizarre way, actually upped my opinion of her by adding an element of pity, putting her firmly in what I've decided to call "The Tsukuyomi Zone". Basically that means I like her so little, I started feeling bad about it, and I'm now super ready for the next episode!

- If Zero-One transforms twice in an episode, please, please have him use two forms. This is the same problem shows like Build run into. When you replace varied, creative monsters of the week entirely with less than half a dozen recurring antagonists who never change their methods, the heroes never have any reason to try different tactics either. I like Metal Cluster Hopper, but man am I getting sick of seeing Metal Cluster Hopper.

- I keep trying to think of some terrible Aruto joke involving ドッグ and　道具 since they keep using that word too frequently, and Gai's tools of choice are a wolf and a jackal, but it's just not happening.