[FairyKing]

Okay, I loved how this episode used the WRBs. I like when collectables are passed around between riders instead of being used by only one, and I like when they have meaning in the story beyond "new toy with new powers," so treating Kento's books as precious mementos and using them to avenge him is perfect. Buster, Kenzan and Slash swapping books was also pretty neat.

Despite not getting as much focus as I expected, King Lion Daisenki was also very cool. I was prepared for its lion form to just be silly, but the roar Rintaro made before changing really sold it for me, and it was just as epic as, well, as epic as a knight turning into a lion should be! And I just noticed how even though they used CGI for the lion form, the humanoid suit is designed to look like it transforms, like with those claws folded back along the arms. Nice attention to detail there.

Also, I'm struck by just how much of each Saber episode is spent on fight scenes. Remember how in Zero-One, a lot of the plot was just the characters talking or taking action outside of combat, interrupted by the episode's obligatory fight scene? Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes it got taken to an annoying extent. But with Saber it's the other way around, I feel like they only do non-combat scenes for plot points that couldn't possibly happen in battle, everything else is a fight scene. Zero-One riders calmly discuss their ideals in an office, Saber riders shout them over the clash of swords!