[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

...and this is where this two-parter definitely feels a little more worth it. I appreciate having one last breather before the final stretch, as well as the simple irony of Inoue writing a plot where the heroes turn a forced misunderstanding against the bad guys by revealing they already figured it out like half the episode ago.

I don't know if it's just from thinking about it coming right after Faiz, but episodes like these have a very straightforward superhero fare feel to them that it kind of seems like only Blade was really doing in that little era of Rider? A plot structured around the bad guys specifically coming up with a plan to defeat the heroes, and how the heroes react to that, I don't know. Kuuga, Ryuki, and Faiz were definitely all concerned with "destroying" the image of Kamen Rider to some extent (Agito maybe wasn't, but was still stylistically similar), and while I might just be forgetting something here, "evil doppelganger fools the protagonists" seems like it would be more at home in Super Sentai than it would be in those shows. It's very classic plotting, and Blade makes it the entire focus rather than a mere backdrop for more human drama.

I don't know. This is one of those things where I'm mostly thinking out loud. But I feel like I'm realizing from this thread that Blade's proudly classic flavor extends to more than just some of the design elements, and how much I love it for that. Faiz especially probably would've been outright ashamed to have an episode like this, making it all the more hilarious this an Inoue script.

Yeah, it's definitely what I'd call a Meat And Potatoes story, where any thematic elements are around the edges at best.

Inoue is clearly having some fun with it, though. That living room scene where Mutsuki goes I Have Problems With Self-Worth and Tachibana goes I Too Have Problems With Self-Worth and Kenzaki goes Welcome Back? Come on. Come on. That's a beat that only someone willing to write unlikable, weak characters could not only attempt, but land.

The rest of it, though, yeah. Very entertaining, but with a simplicity that tags it as a somewhat less than essential. That big team-up to fake out Titan is something I'd never have expected on the last four Rider series. (Doing this on Ryuki would've just led to Ouja murdering the guy acting as bait, and letting the Mirror Monster get away.)

There's one continuity thing I can't quit explain, though. When Hajime starts his freak out at Team Blade's living room, he goes to the restaurant first for water, before going to the river to draw out Titan. Why? Narratively, it's so Amane would see Hajime freaking out and then there'd be a reason for Titan to pretend to be her, but why would Hajime go there for his plan? Isn't it scaring Amane for no real reason? Why not just go right to the river?