[Kurona]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreshToku

In the world of today (or at least, 2005), an oni like Kabuki would have turned out alright...

He really would've!! Like... every time I think of this guy, the big scene that comes to mind is him giving food to that kid. It's one of the prominent focus scenes he gets and it creates a surprisingly complex character for a turncoat movie rider: sure, he says something along the lines of doing it for power; but it's clear that despite him having made this decision for a while, at this point in his life he still believes in kindness and protecting children as a Kamen Rider would from how he acts at the start of the movie. So it feels less like he's fighting for power, or glory, or for anything, really: he's instead someone who's completely given up on everything after his ideals were crushed under the weight of a world that rejects all he is and all the help he offers at great expense to himself. It's such an interesting idea to go with for a character focused around betrayal as it's a decision he's come to after a longer life where he's just become worn down and tired, and all the weight of his betrayal is at the feet of the world. It's not a decision born out of anything he gets out of it, it's completely "screw it, I'm done, all of this can burn". It's a very stark parallel to the rest of the Oni managing to overcome evil and create a better world out of it through Takeshi.

I'm maybe reading into him more than is intended but I felt for Kabuki so, so much; and as you say it's pretty clear he would have turned out great in a better world -- that's the tragedy of his story.