[Layton13]

Funny enough, that quote really reminds me of how I always saw Shinji:

Quote:

"Children sometimes envision themselves as the heroes and think they might also be justice. There is also the idea that people often don’t accept themselves as being wrong, because in one’s mind “I am myself, so I’m not wrong” is the prevailing thought process. These thoughts lead to selfish patterns because kids might not see themselves as themselves but as the heroes. Mr. Ishinomori had fears that too many people would think this way when working on his creations."

I couldn't stand the guy, ever. He always felt like someone too stuck in his ways, following a few rules, like, "killing is bad" or "Riders don't fight each other". And while I generally agreed with these statements, they always felt hollow. Shinji's biggest character flaw is that he doesn't think he could be wrong. More often than not it's his way or the high way. And as a consequence, his beliefs aren't hardent and reforged when they are challenged. He never listens and so never convinces others of his opinion.

He felt like the dark side of idealism. Uncompromising even when it caused more harm in the long run, like with Oujia. In the end, Shinji more or less lead the world to ruin and someone else had to pick up his mess.

To me the final message of the show was a "heroes don't exist and they should never exist". I'm just glad Faiz managed to do a far better job at getting Rider right again through the lense of a fallen hero regaining his ideals.