[LeviathanBlossom]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s been a long day, it’s pretty late in the evening, let’s see what I’ve got in me when it comes to talking about this episode of Blade.

(Did I blow it on the last one? Didn’t feel great about that one. Felt like I came up short.)

Absolutely not, it was great. Your opinions and takeaways are always enjoyable Part of the reason I like reading how people react to media is that other points of view help me look critically at things that I like and why I think they do or don't work. You specifically talk about how elements of Kamen Rider fit together in a way that gives me a broader perspective. Seriously, whole new appreciation for 555 after your thread on it. Even when elements (or even large swathes) of a series don't work for you.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

This is a very Inoue episode, isn’t it? It has the trademark mix of teen melodrama that stays just this side of despondent, incredibly funny gags, slight misunderstandings that telescope into serious problems, and a sprinkling of random violence.

There's a lot of hilarity in this episode, particularly with the shoplifting gag (AMAZING), but one of the things that has always stuck with me is Tachibana and Kenzaki harassing a bunch of high school students looking for "Mutsuki" and just - how does no one bat an eyelash at two grown-ass men stalking a teenager??? (That and Mutsuki trying to climb on Kenzaki's finally-working bike and Kenzaki literally kicking him off.)

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Oh! His weird-ass belt! He pushes a little button on his belt and the dude he’s choking gets electrocuted! I thought it looked sort-of hilarious? It did not come off as a very exciting moment.

I'm 110% sure we are supposed to find that Very Dramatic and feel Some Kind Of Way about Kiryuu harshly meting out Justice, as Judge, Jury, and Executioner I felt like Kiryuu's actor sold it, but, uh. The little box, not so much. It looks v Showa to me, tbh.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

In today's lesson, the Strongest Rider finally makes his debut, and he... doesn't actually speak in Ondul. Like, ever. Even when literally every other main character on the show does.

Funny (?) story - around the time Mutsuki showed up when I was watching this during the original broadcast, I started to feel like I was getting a better handle on listening comprehension (not actually true, as I know NOW, but at the time it was a motivational confidence booster. I will always have a bit of a soft spot for Mutsuki for speaking clearly enough that I could actually look up what he was saying)