[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DEN-O EPISODE 22 - “AN UNSPEAKABLE FUTURE”

So, downsides for this story:

-The fact that Yuuto doesn’t really know anything useful, beyond the possibility that Hana’s future might possibly maybe exist or might possibly maybe return to existence… man, come on. That is a huge carrot to dangle in front of the audience (the truth about Hana’s connection to the ZeroLiner!!!!), only to give a payoff of more questions. Real sour note for this story to end on.

Yuuto is probably just a red herring for what you (and the cast) thinks has something to tell, but not really.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

-Similarly, the conflict between Ryotaro and Ryuta is acknowledged, but there’s no real solution to it. There’s this middle point in the episode, where Ryuta and Ryotaros are at this total impasse, where it seems like the episode is going to have to touch on this again. It’s this huge problem, so this story needs to address it. Nope! Isn’t really relevant for the rest of the episode, since Ryotaro is able to defeat the story’s monster(s) with Rod Form.

Uhh yeah, Ryotaro and Ryutaros is having a talk about qualities other than strength. This is definitely a wasted potential of an important lesson. And I forgot to talk about this before, but Ryotaro, who says that being weak and unlucky isn't an excuse to do anything, some audiences also think "do anything" is only when a character fights, or being a super scientist who is crucial of providing tools that is needed among the heroes. Outside of that, some characters. if they do something that isn't about those mentioned, they can be considered useless and not doing anything, cherry-picking of which counts as doing something and not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

-The story with the candy guys is funny, but it doesn’t really have any layers to it. They’re just two jerks who don’t learn any lessons. It’s a story that needed some change from them, and it basically doesn’t have it?

Oh, I kinda lost in my thought for you refering them as "candy guys", so that's the boss and subordinate one. Well, they're jerks and doesn't change yeah, but aren't you someone who thinks if a jerk doesn't change, it's a smart story choice?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Upsides:

Like… there’re points where this episode could’ve gone darker. Hana’s injured by Ryutaros! Yuuto might hold the key to Hana’s missing timeline! But the episode might allow for a moment to affirm the stakes, while basically throwing them away when you’re not looking. Each new scene resets the story to Extremely Wacky, and anything that’d counteract that gets ignored. Hana’s injured, but as soon as she’s like I Need To Wear This Tiger Costume To Save My People, the episode stops treating her injury with any seriousness. Ryuta tells Ryotaro that he’s still going to try to murder Yuuto, and Ryotaro tells him Literally Over My Dead Body, and then the end of the episode is Ryuta trying to hit Yuuto with Deneb candy and telling Yuuto not to come back. (One of the best gags, incidentally. Deneb shields Yuuto from the thrown candy, and then bows to Ryuta in… apology? Gratitude? It’s insane, and I adored it.)

Hana being injured by Ryutaros... that can be a potential inspiration for the Imagins to fight back against Hana! And if they're just like regular Imagins, then Hana is also someone who is swatted around by the MOTW (and she also runs away from them). The modelling episode didn't make a point about Hana's look... but this episode does, where Hana is better off without the Tiger head to sell off those candies. Deneb bowing to Ryuta in apology is expected, I mean he's a nice Imagin! They can have a tendency to apologize to others for problems caused by their close relative.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

But who cares! Who cares. This is an episode where Deneb produces a basket of apology Deneb candy from under his skirt. This is an episode where Momo’s only contribution (he’s very grumpy about this story!) is flinging some dude a world-record distance. This is an episode where an imagination monster from the end of time is nearly thwarted by a dude who can’t remember that he made a wish, leading to a woefully unenlarged Time Hole. This is an episode where Kin and Uta exist as hourglass ghosts inside an Elephant and Penguin mascot costume, respectively. This is an episode where Rod Form asks a monster if it’d like to be reeled in, and the monster says I’m Not Into That. This is an episode where Deneb’s attempt at a catchphrase is that he can’t think of a catchphrase.

I know this is a rule of funny... but Momotaros flinging a dude a world-record distance and... he didn't die?? Momotaros' attacks on normal humans have severe effects just as I expected but for comedy he's somehow fine. And for this episode, it seems that Imagins also carry over the contract holder's wish while sleeping (the dude was dreaming about how he wanted the boss to suffer).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

-Very weird to have a story where one to two plots are entirely about Airi, and then Airi doesn’t make an appearance in the second half. Sort of thought the Ryuta plot could’ve used her, but nope!

Ryuta plot using her? Airimirers Imagin edition. Still what if Ryutaros came to the coffee shop by herself though and Airi seeing that...