[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER KABUTO - EPISODE 24



I could 100% spend this entire post talking about the Ramen Vs La Men battle that runs through the first half of this episode. It is suitably bonkers, with some outstanding comedy routines. (I don't know that any Kamen Rider episode I've ever watched has been as funny for as sustained a time as Kabuto was for the opening of Tsurugi's restaurant, into the TV coverage, into Juka getting the last word on Tendou's speech, into the random bystander being Misaki who is not even there for any story purpose, into Misaki's answer to Which Ramen Do You Think Will Win being buckwheat soba with zero hesitation or need for explanation. That whole scene was non-stop funny, and it kept finding ever more surprising twists. Gold standard for comedy on a Kamen Rider TV episode.) But, I just did that yesterday, so let me talk about what the whole Tsurugi/Tendou thing is doing for the more-important-this-time Hiyori story.

The point to the Tsurugi/Tendou story is that you need to support your friends, even when it makes you look bad. (Humility! It's a central theme!) Tsurugi was so intent on proving his greatness, that he was making himself into a monster. His conflict with Tendou teaches him that losing gracefully is as important as winning, and he should be the bigger man and admit that he was bested.

It's a lesson Tendou needs to learn as Hiyori's insistence on discovering the truth of her past becomes more and more unavoidable. He's furious at Kagami's reveal that Hiyori is planning a day-trip to Area X. (Area Eclipse was closed for visitors that day, so she went with her second choice.) He forbids Hiyori to go, and forbids Kagami to help her. It's all a bit moot, though, since Hiyori isn't around for these conversations. It's all happening without her, since she isn't exactly asking for volunteers to go with her. She never asked for the boys' help, so she completely doesn't give a shit when they object. It's disappointing, but she's lived with worse disappointment than that.

Which is why it's so sweet when Kagami turns up to say that he'll go with her. He fears for her safety (it's not as dangerous as going to Area Baphomet, but it's still pretty rough), but he believes her when she says she needs to investigate her past, to find some closure. Kagami gets it, the need to follow your instincts even when everyone else objects. What kind of friend would he be if he stood in her way?

(I loved the scene of Kagami complaining about being forbidden by Tadokoro to go to Shibuya, and Misaki going Isn't Your Whole Thing Doing What You Think Needs To Be Done Even If And Especially If You're Told Not To? His bright smile as he realizes that he should just keep pushing forward no matter what, it was so winning. Bonus points for him leaving money on the counter for Misaki's lunch, as he runs off, a cut to Misaki's smiling face, and the voiceover of the cook saying "Sir, this isn't enough!” An endless supply of quality laughs in this episode!)

But Kagami wasn't the one who was in the wrong. This time, it was Tendou. He kept stalking Hiyori, brooding mysteriously as she set her mind to discovering the truth. Without knowing exactly what secret he's afraid she'll unearth, it's hard to say exactly what Tendou's trying to do here. The most obvious guess is that he's afraid she'll learn something that'll make her look at Tendou differently, something that'd end their friendship for good.

So he tries to control her, to keep her from getting the help she needs... and then he sees how Tsurugi acts. He sees how Tsurugi is so intent on defeating him that he's bankrupting himself (further?), and tossing aside a man who has always believed in him. Tendou sees the loneliness of ignoring the truth, of pushing away the people who care about you because they make you feel less than perfect sometimes. But those times where they're making you uncomfortable, it's because they have needs of their own. If it's a choice between helping them or soothing your ego, how could any friend choose the latter?

Tendou, of course, arrives at the most heroically-appropriate time, saving Hiyori from Shadow goons and working with Kagami to defeat some Worms. (The first ever Kagami/Tendou Tandem Henshin does not disappoint! Seeing those Zecters cross flight paths, right in the camera, so close you could touch them... perfect. Earned.) He's also going to stand by Hiyori's side as she gets her answers, and he is naturally going to do it in the most surly I Told You All This Was A Terrible Idea And You're Doing It Anyway So Fine I'll Go With attitude possible, peak passive-aggressive Tendou.

It leads to a door, buried under the ruins of Shibuya. What lies inside? I'll find out Wednesday!

A QUESTION

Was not expecting this one to be a three-parter! I figured there'd be another two-parter, and then the movie. This story is definitely sprawling on me, especially as it's doing more and more series plot stuff. Meteorites and secret doors and I really didn't have a question when I started this paragraph and I thought if I just kept writing one would come to me and it really really hasn't so here's an unrelated one that I was thinking about at lunch today: For the last good while, a new Rider's collectibles include Legend Rider-themed trinkets. Gashats and FullBottles for Kamen Rider Gaim, Lockseeds and Eyecons for Kamen Rider Double, and so forth. What if they went the opposite way? What if the current Rider got old collectibles in their style? What post-Kabuto Legend Rider would you like to see get their own Zecter?