[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

I love this finale. It’s such a gloriously triumphant tragedy that you rarely see in this franchise. Most shows try to end on a more upbeat, “hero saves the day and most or all of the characters are happy.” Blade has some of that, but it’s all wrapped around this core sacrifice - Kenzaki is gone. Not technically dead, but effectively as far as his friends are concerned. He gave up his humanity and all the family he has, just to ensure that Hajime gets to lead his own life. It’s a beautiful ending.

One thing that I like about this era of Rider is that we don’t get the sequel movies yet. Other shows with down notes on their endings all have an asterisk after them. Ankh is gone at the end of OOO, but he still shows up two more times. There are still scores of Bugster virus victims lost as data at the end of Ex-Aid, but that gets resolved in a follow-up film trilogy. Even Black, the most Pyrrhic victory in Kamen Rider, gets a sequel series that walks back Shadow Moon’s fate. Not Blade. Blade’s ending gets to stand. There’s no movie or miniseries that walks this back. That really adds to its power.

Ankh's return... I can defend that one. Ankh returning in the winter film is this beautiful moment that gives Eiji hope, lets him begin to bring back his friend. I don't think it diminishes the end of OOO at all. I think that return is done as well as you can do it.

This one, though, man. I can't stop tearing up when I think about it. You know why? Because you know that Kenzaki is happy. He knows that everyone's got a shot at happiness, and he couldn't be happier. Not just for them, but because of them.

Oh, man, I've got to wipe my face off. Getting a little hard to see the keyboard and screen right now.