[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

There's a great little character moment that continues to build on his recent struggles, where Baberu takes a second to compliment Kuuga's strength, saying his fists would probably be able to kill a ton of prey. Yuusuke is visibly shaken by this, and is about to charge at Baberu in a moment of anger, but he holds himself back for a second and lets Baberu come to him. It's a nice reminder of the conflicting emotions he's dealing with in-between all the exciting action.

So Yusuke has been holding it throughout the series before Jaraji comes, and now any mention of Grongi killing now just sets him off instantly from there on?

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

And the action is really exciting!

When Baberu changes form, is that a balanced multiform like Dragon, Pegasus, and Titan to Mighty, or the stronger one like Rising to base forms? And can he changes his tools into something other than hammer? Oh yeah, this is the part where Yusuke gets beaten up a lot to the point that it's horrific. This really gives a feeling of hopelessness in Yusuke. One of the moments where the Kuuga armor was visibly damaged with all the marks from the hammers. The police now have caught up with Kuuga I guess with the bullet affecting Go Grongis. And.... "If Yuusuke messes up too much in any one of these fights, he's going to die".... lol... "go die".... "Godai".

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Once he gets to a nice big open quarry, Yuusuke decides to try out, for seemingly no particular reason, something Enokida suggested to him.

The Grongi of the week is finished off in only 1 episode and mid-episode... why wasn't this abnormall mentioned? And can't Grongis just get off of Try/BeatGouram when they are carried by it? Like just jump out of them. Also even the Gouram finisher has an usual nuke explosion (or it's stronger Grongi's explosion?). I mean what do you expect of the attack name if everyone just refers to Kuuga's forms with their colors and refered to Grongi in numbers?

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

The main topic of discussion ends up being Tsubaki's work analyzing the corpses of Gooma, and all of the other Grongi killed by Daguva. Because they weren't blown to pieces like the ones Kuuga takes out, it was actually possible to analyze them thoroughly. The good news is that means the police might finally get some useful countermeasures against them out of this. The bad news is that, without any remaining doubt at all, the Grongi are functionally identical to Kuuga. They aren't monsters with human forms, like you might've assumed. They're basically just regular people who have magic stones in their stomachs enabling them to turn into immensely powerful, animal-themed forms... exactly like Yuusuke.

I was going to ask about the Grongi analysis if they're blown up by Kuuga! But as summed up here, there are Grongi corpses from Daguva too, and they're still in one piece to be analyzed. Then again why weren't Daguva's victims blown up too? And if Grongis are humans by origin, are they those who picked the belt and has become a living weapon like everyone afraid Yusuke's turning out as? Or that they were already bloodlusted for some reason at the beginning? If they aren't, why were they putting up the belt at the first place? Are there no ways to remove the belt at all? Because if there's a way, the answer of those may be found. And damn Tsubaki not joining the thumbs up. Also it's bad now not to trust Yusuke from Sakurako. If the meeting happens at Pole Pole, wouldn't it be irritating to have a serious meeting constantly be interrupted?

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

The resolution to the cliffhanger from last episode is another one where it basically just turns out it was no big deal at all.

Yeah the subversion, really thought that Masahiko's going to ram Mika with the cart. And Daguva beating Kuuga again with the presence! Or it was Pegasus' strong senses that becomes his downfall that time?

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

With things having calmed down so much now that Baberu is gone, everyone is enjoying the free time.

So yeah with Baberu lasting only one episode, this is the rare time to experience without Grongis, which everyone wishes to happen again. Though even if it's like that, Grongis (in their relief) never appeared in the places where they enjoy life like in Pole Pole, police headquarters (would like to see Grongis blending with human getting to know about human system like a group to ensure their safety called polices), Minori's preschool, hospital, etc. It'd be more impactful if they've felt hardship from even living out a daily life with their places being terrorized. I get it that they probably think Grongis can show up anywhere anytime like at their usual place but experiencing it may be a different (and much darker) moment. There's always Yusuke to beat

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Admittedly, he's not doing a whole lot to dispel that image as he gets ready. He's carrying out the task of cheering Mika on in his typically formal manner, buying a nice bouquet for the occasion, and generally being a little stiff in social scenarios. Such as when he gets to the building and happens to meet up with an old coworker of his who's currently acting as security for the event.

Mika giving up is her growth apparently. She was helping the team at Nagano for her father's sake? A source I read said that Mika caused problems when she ran away at her debut leading to problems, so she had to make it up by helping Jean in the research team. And talking about Ichijou smiling, he had attempts before for a small smile that he blatanly tries to hold off, and those doesn't count to the likes of Godai siblings?

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Right after this, Ichijou has to run off, however. That guy from earlier, Masahiko, was indeed coming to the building to get his revenge on the CEO.

I can just say the show finally shows Ichijou's maximum competence as a cop with him dealing with something that isn't out of his league, that shoot to his gun! The girl civilian's resistance can also contribute to give the opening window. Ichijou's usually dealing with the superhuman Grongis, can only shoot them where it's ineffectual most of the time (Baberu's one of the exceptions! But anyone can shoot with a gun), otherwise getting beaten the crap out by them. Here it shows his marksmanship, and also restraining Masahiko later until the other cops come.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Only a little bit before that, Ichijou was so jovial talking to her. He was friendly, and kind, and all kinds of words that seem so impossible to reconcile with the man in the street violently subduing that criminal. Yuusuke, who has been having this exact problem with himself lately, tells Mika something that's clearly informed by his own internal struggle. That side of Ichijou exists. It's real. No matter how unpleasant or scary it is, it's there, and there's no helping that. But Ichijou's smile is real too, and there's no getting rid of that either.

I mean yeah, he was all of that, even if he's serious, formal, and stiff, so that's ok. Yusuke's an idealist so he would tell Mika something like that. But a composed nature is required for work, to deal with something like Grongis. And Mika's reaction to Ichijou can be a problem for people itself, that if someone changes for the better (actually not changing for Ichjiou as elaborated above, but showing more of his best side), people would be uncomfortable about the changes and prefer your usual way even if it's unpleasant or scary.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Well, that just shows why this series is so beloved all these years later. This is a very complicated lesson to give to children, but it's also an important one, and that's why I respect this episode so much for tackling that head on.

Giving some adult morals is a good thing to help others grow up facing the world. Though for this series being beloved, I don't know if people look deep into these nuances as much, especially in a tokusatsu series where people are in it mainly for the fights and effects. They sometimes despise gimmicks in the new series and liked this one for not focusing on it, and the more "pure" fights that isn't filled with effects.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Framing it around the actual child of the cast was a smart move to that end, and I appreciate details like Masahiko's characterization, which further plays into that central theme.

Only later the characteristics of Masahiko would be implemented in more aspects of Kamen Rider, now even Riders can possess that characterizations.