[Fish Sandwich]

It's a good thing Kento is doing his angsty best to keep this show feeling like Kamen Rider, because I have to admit, when Saber, Blades, and Espada are all rocking forms that emphasize their primary colors to that degree, it becomes a lot harder to deny the whole Sentai vibe. It also helps that the details on those suits are so absurdly overdone. I know it's tacky, but I won't lie; I kind of love it. Saber's overall suit design concept was "complexity" specifically to contrast with Zero-One's focus on simplicity, and ever since reading that, I've gained a real appreciation for what the aesthetics of the show are doing. I've said stuff like this about Saber before, but, again, this is The Crazy Year, as far as I'm concerned. At this point I want Saber's final form to be so gaudy and bulky he can't even move, because that kind of over the top intensity is what's making the show so much fun for me.

And this one is pretty intense! It felt like part one to the usual "season finale" that precedes the obligatory New Year's break, except that's presumably still coming after this. I'm enjoying all this momentum a ton. Calibur being revealed as the most obvious possible suspect might've been disappointing, but I think the show is already being smart by framing the weight of it more around how that affects the characters, rather than the audience. Just as Kento was starting to come to grips with the horrible truth, he gets yet another horrible truth to throw him into emotional turmoil. It's great. The episode emphasizes the bond between the three main Riders, showing them reaching their greatest heights yet of power and teamwork, specifically to pull the rug out from under them at the end. It's solid drama that's got me excited about what's next, and it's all backed up by more delicious Sakamoto action. This was a good episode.