[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

For me, I sort of liked that it wasn't an upgrade that was about defeating a monster; it was an upgrade that was about how much more emotionally healthy these characters had become?

Yeah, while I think that's a very good set of standards to hold form debuts to, there are times it's okay to break the rules, and I'll also give Den-O a bit of a waiver when it comes to the usually all-important comeback victory. It's just not a show even remotely interested in power levels or anything like that. Even Den-O's base forms are less about their unique situational abilities and more about their unique characters, so everything about Climax Form being rooted entirely in the emotions of the story, at the very least, is consistent with the show's style and themes.

You still get the emotional journey from Momo (and Die's write-up actually gave me the revelation that this is kinda his super mode, by the way?), and it also still hits that heroic second wind vibe in the process, despite the particular opponent Den-O is up against barely mattering. (And given the bit where Momo gets angry at the monster for interrupting his phone call, I think Kobayashi was VERY conscious of what she was doing there.)