[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

One thing to note, too: the run-up to the Blade movie, Missing Ace, started around this point. This consisted of four mini-episodes that aired at the end of episodes 28-31 called Kamen Rider Blade: New Generation. They aren't included with the home video releases that the Excite subs are using, but you can get them from the Blade batch torrents at TV-Nihon. They're short, weird, and mostly throwaway, but I know you'll want to watch them since you're going completist (a habit I will desperately and fruitlessly try to break you of in the next Kamen Rider Die Watches thread).

Why yes, there will be a post after Episode 31 that covers these four minutes (or so) of content!

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Originally Posted by Androzani84

And now to go off topic and do an unscheduled “big” post. You might not be noticed it, but there’s a new VA behind the Rouse Absorber.

I didn't notice it! Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Ah, but you see Die, that's exactly the thing. We knew better, but up until this episode, Kenzaki didn't.

I guess I considered Shima's use of "obligation" to be a reference to Kenzaki's employment, or profession. I wasn't really thinking of it as referring to his commitment to redeeming himself from his earlier failure.

I think of obligation in neutral terms, or in negative terms. Kenzaki's guilt over his parents never really struck me as a burden, exactly, but as the motivation to go out and keep others from suffering.

Like, it seemed like Shima spent the episode saying It Is Not Enough To Just Defeat Monsters, while I've never really thought that was what Kenzaki was doing? Or even saying he was doing? When he'd give a flippant I'm Just Punching A Clock answer, the show almost immediately let you know that he was trying to disguise how much he cared. His early But Why Heroism answer to Tachibana is the sort of thing I feel like Shima (and the show) are indicating, but that was just a lame joke he was telling the man with zero sense of humor. (Kiryuu was right!)

I guess this is just a thing where we're seeing different amounts of self-awareness in Kenzaki. I think of him as a guy who is motivated by guilt to save lives, but sees the value in saving lives because of what he's lost. The fighting monsters part is maybe the obligation, while the saving lives is what he feels strongly about.

This is maybe splitting hairs! I think you make some good points about Kenzaki not being the deepest thinker when it comes to Riders, and this being the moment that his inner nature becomes clear to him.

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Originally Posted by Kurona

You are going to LOVE any post-Decade Blade appearances

Hooray for not taking care of the suits, I guess!

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Originally Posted by AkibaSilver

Die and Fish, both agreeing for once: "Noooo, Kamen Rider can't just be men riding around on bikes, it need to have substance and character!"

Blade 25: "Haha Black Fang go brrrrrrr.

Black Fang struggled with being a student athlete in a community where that was the only way out, and they never even touched on it.