[Switchblade]

Stargazing snuggle count: 6

This is probably one of the two best moments in Den-O in regards to making the Yuuto/Airi/Off-screen Yuuto thing work (the other is much, much later in the Cho Den-O films). There is a lot of great stuff with the staging and framing of Airi almost remembering Yuuto that sells the idea of this time travel romance nonsense as well as anything can. I actually got fairly invested in this story my first time through the show, but on repeat viewings it's harder not to notice how much of it is based off of telling instead of showing. We're definitely informed that Airi and Sakurai had an epic romance that consisted mostly of the same scene of them looking at the stars, but the show's set-up prevents us from seeing any of it on screen. It's like a Greek drama where all the important stuff happens off-stage and we have to hear about it secondhand.

As far as the rest of the episode goes, I like the idea that Ryutaros was so badly injured that it prevented everyone from coming together for Climax Form. Felt like a legitimate way to handicap Den-O and forcing Yuuto to burn the last card (loved his whole "Fuck it, these exist to be used" resolution, by the way). Also dig the unintentional W foreshadowing of the monster being half green and half black, separated down the middle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

If you think my pride in coming up with "Den-Otorcycle" will ever let me call that bike by another name... welcome to a Kamen Rider Die Watches thread! It's great to have you join us!

So my big question, then, is "Zerotorcycle" or "Zeronotorcycle?"