[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I'm not seeing any specifics to respond to, though? I guess he talked about "taboo" things in his stories, and people got upset? Without knowing who got upset, and for what reasons, I'm not sure how to respond. I mean, it's art? People have a lot of different reactions?

In TV shows, Inoue's better part shines there, as he's restrained; he's on a leash and not left to his own devices, albeit still controversial with his edgelord tendencies. But there's remake/adaptations on Rider series in other form of media such as novel, which I don't know if you follow, talking about that will spoil. There, Inoue is free, and his infamy really shines there, the edgy stuff is off thee charts, with him outright crossing the disturbing, taboo, inappropriate, offensive, etc. stuffs, being normalized. Like I said, was more refering to Inoue as person. Those aren't seen much on the TV shows (at least for now).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Yeah, but, conversely, having characters always be blameless in their predicament is boring storytelling? Say what you will about Tachibana's effectiveness as a hero (very limited!), but his ridiculous amount of flaws made him one of the most compelling characters on the show, if not the most compelling. And, honestly, the more a story is Good People Have Bad Shit Happen To Them For No Reason, that shit irks me. I want to see character growth. I want to see flawed characters get better. That can't happen if they don't get to be flawed.

Obviously flaws are the prefered character for obvious reasons. However, this (having them cause bad shit all the time) is not the only way for story to express flaws. It's probably undeniable that being blameless in predicament is it's thing, but I want to let it be known that, flaws can be shown in other ways, probably also something you neglect/forget as actual flaw. Talking about Tachibana also brings out the "turning existing non-asshole characters into assholes" topic, something I don't want to happen (and in inverse I also don't want turning any of assholes to nicer one like you), including characters acting OOC just for the sake of being responsible. Things like lack of confidence, fearfulness, inflexible thought, over-honesty, etc. are also flaws, each of which can manifest without meanness or abuse and still be a shortcoming. Being non-morally grey doesn't mean you're flawless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Sure, but the Leangle belt is also an asshole? The story currently seems to suggest that the Leangle belt is just torturing Mutsuki psychologically.

I was refering to Isaka's test that Mutsuki is considered the most qualified. And as Tachibana said, Category Ace feeds on Mutsuki's weakness.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Ah, the But Why Heroism episode. A staple of the franchise, and the place where a creator can really put a stamp on what their Kamen Rider series is saying about heroic fiction. We get to see Mutsuki evolve from a callow teen into Kamen Rider Leangle, and… am I supposed to feel as nervous about this as I do?

Reflex training that Mutsuki undergoes is related to something Mutsuki needs to suppress the Spider Undead. It'll also enhance Mutsuki's fighting capabilities significantly where he has to hit and dodge Tachibana's attacks, a man with considerable physical prowess outside Rider (he does impressive acrobatic stuff a few episodes earlier). And Tachibana expresses about believing in Mutsuki to Kenzaki, but this is inevitable as for now, it has to be done. Leangle belt comes to Mutsuki no matter what, it's not Mutsuki's fault to have them return to him, at least in the beginning. Mutsuki at first doesn't have reasons to fight unlike others, but he found himself one at the end from Tachibana's insistence to save people inside, probably the requirement for him to become full-fledged Rider.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

We get a quick peek into Kenzaki's motivation, and I really love it.

For Kenzaki, like I said before regarding Kiryuu, being a Kamen Rider gives you the power needed to do more, to help others more, to show your heroism more clearly. Being stuck in a daily ordinary job won't get you able to accomplish more in that. But Mutsuki did things outside Rider form to lead others outside... but still, Kamen Rider gives you the power to accomplish much more than that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

For Kotaro, it’s just that he’s still moping after being dumped/nearly killed by Meet-Cute. (More the former than the latter, judging by his mood.) There’s not much to it, but it does become the focus of a really fun Team Blade dinner, where everyone’s being totally weird. Hirose declares that Kotaro’s only redeeming quality is his cooking. Tachibana eats like a man who’s being timed. Kotaro drinks tea instead of milk, which, CODE RED. It’s a neat little domestic scene, which I’m a fan of.

Cooking is his good thing? Let's see how's his writing, something he actually aspires to be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Hajime’s story is so unbelievably open-ended that I almost don’t feel like talking about it (he’s got a new job assisting Amane’s Dad’s old assistant, Meet-Cute wants him to join her in murdering humans, new Undead mystery man Business Bird says he made a promise with Chalice 10,000 years ago), but I will anyway because OZAWA.

Kamioka is also actually a friend of Kurihara family, so she would contact them. And this is the showing of Amane being jealous, proof that she goes to in-love and clingy territory. Also with "superhumanly competent", did she just get smacked by Miyuki here and being locked in a room by Hajime to keep her safe?