[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

To the real point, though, killing the other Riders wouldn't've helped Toujou be a hero. That's the whole point of the episode? Taking those steps, acting out of rage and hatred, trying to become a hero through villainy, it's never going to work. Even having a wish granted by Shiro, it's not real heroism, and it never will be. Heroism is selflessness, and wanting to be a hero is selfish.

Oh yeah I was refering to the "wish granted by Shiro" part for Toujou killing other Riders, winning the war and gaining the hero wish, but if you think that isn't actually real heroism for him go ahead.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I see what you're saying. Shinji's story is tough to tell without the constant interference of Shiro. And I don't know if the Mirror World plot would play better to me if it'd just been a title-sequence voiceover, or if they'd made the investigation into Shiro's plans more of a going concern.

Yeah interferences from main antagonist to the protagonist though I also mean something else for it being put at the end. What if the pieces of backstory are actually a part of peeling the back layers of Shiro's strategy?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s not easy to do a storyline like Shinji’s. He’s got an impossible choice to make, to kill Ren or let Yui die, and his only real option is to not make the choice.

Stalling for time.... yep, that is how Shinji actually stops the war. The first step of that is uh, well, the event that makes Shinji almost turning evil throughout this, which is Yui's disintegration (death systems cannot refute). Shinji stalls the war long enough for that to happen. With it being known, Shiro opens up about the war's true nature to him, after this, Yui noticing others (Shinji here) trying to save her in a bloodshed way, and also because of that, with the series being so against reveals, her in that condition forces the avoidant Sanako to reveal the truth about the past here (parents are better off dead if they're like that). Otherwise, yeah eventually Shinji also breaks down over all the tragedies happened in the war.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And it’s totally Shinji’s episode. Ren exists on the sidelines, worried about Shinji but unable to convincingly muster an argument against killing. (I’d love to see it, though. It would either be poignant or hilarious, and I’m good with either.) Yui’s around, typically marginalized as others fight and suffer on her behalf, but she serves a crucial role in the end. Everyone else is in little bits and pieces, asking questions that’ll be answered later.

Here Shinji and Ren's role is reversed. Shinji is the aloof friend who pushes people away from him, while Ren's the pushy friend who drags him around, away from Shereghosts. Well, it's because the trip to Mirror Mansion is a Mirror World topic right?

Okubo now becomes the latest to wear the apron and watch over Atori (oh, or others never truly watch over and only him? truly a chief everywhere), fully repaying Yui who took his place when he went away for check-up before. And the only one to be unwelcome at Atori due to Reiko, finally getting the documents but discussing it (Shiro Takami's death.. again, why go back there, you have learned "Shiro Kanzaki" right?) inside Atori where Sanako's there.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Every time Shinji gets Ren on the ropes, he hesitates. The consequences of his choices overwhelm him, cripple him. So he opts to stop overthinking it, stop torturing himself and worrying his friends, and just go with his gut and murder the other Riders to save Yui. Easy peasy!

Except, y’know, Shinji’s not really a killer deep inside, this is not a snap decision, and he’s coming apart at the seams because of it. His enthusiasm is too forced, his casual way of challenging someone to a death-duel is wildly out of character, and it’s all so uncomfortable to watch. It’s classic Shinji but inverted, broken.

Oh the over-the-top cheerful act he pulls. Remember at the beginning when Shinji's described as someone who acts before he thinks? Now he thinks too much, full of hesitation, as he attests. Okubo doesn't really notice and Ren somehow thinks he's the same (despite being the one to take care of Shinji here). But Yui you confront Shinji about acting this way and insist him to not lie... when you also pretend to be fine in front of him before??

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Even when he wants to fight, the universe pushes back, refusing to give him an outlet or an excuse. Kitaoka won’t fight him, dealing with his own nagging conscience, and tips off Ren and Yui to Shinji’s slow collapse. A quick monster wrap-up later, It’s time for Shinji to see if he can choke down his misgivings and save Yui.

And Kitaoka here shows a bit of care to Shinji, where he glances at him briefly before returning to his house. He feels that there's something uneasy on Shinji, and he pays back to Ren like he insists by informing him about Shinji's condition. Kitaoka's been thinking about retiring from the war, especially in that condition (everyone in his house mourning for him!), so you actually do get through him at the end, Shinji. Also continuing from before, here Kitaoka is the one to drive Goro home. There's also a display of irony, stated by Shinji himself, where previously Shinji would insist for other Riders to not fight, where he's ignored, considered stupid, and others insist him fight for real, but now, Shinji asks to fight other Riders, but also ignored, and gets called stupid (by Ren) for this. Thankfully Shinji's rant also sunk deep into Ren for this time who also breaks down for him in this situation.

That monster was Destwilder, Tiger's Contract Monster. I mean when Tiger dies his Deck wasn't destroyed right? Yet the monster also went... well, wild. Also again Shinji Rider Kicking the monster (along with Ren).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I love the ending to this story. It’s 100% Ryuki and 100% Kamen Rider.

And this also goes both ways. Like Shinji there who wants to protect smiles and can't break other's heart, stopping for her sake, regarding "it’s not heroism if Shinji obliterates his soul to save Yui", Yui also implements it here. She wants Shinji to stop for his sake too because like you said there, he'll obliterate his soul doing this. Yui doesn't want to see others suffer, especially not for her sake. Also ironically Ren is the one ceases faster, he goes on defensive immediately after she begs to stop.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Centering the final string of episodes on this dilemma for Shinji, I think it’s the best move the show could make. The machinations of plot, some dumbass Time Limit from Shiro or whatever, I don’t care that much. But basing your finale in character, grounding it in moral choices, I love it. Super compelling.

Oh lol, that "lovely ending"? Are you sure it's not connected to the Shiro Time Limit with Shinji acting that way?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Yeah, there's a real question mark over Shinji's quandary if he'd fought someone more evil, rather than a close friend. It's nicely open to interpretation. (I'm going with He Wouldn't Kill, because that's my belief in Shinji's goodness.)

Like I said before, Shinji's not someone biased, in contrast to Ren ("So even if it's for Yui, you are against fighting?"). He doesn't give more to someone just because they're closer. So yeah, Shinji just wouldn't kill other Riders, not necessarily Ren as close friend.