[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

wide arms evoking wings

!!!

How do I never notice these things!?

The way Kiva holds his arms like that is one of my favorite bits of Rider body language ever. It's a big part of what I was talking about when referring to this show's fight scenes as "romanticized". People doing thematic animal poses is such a deeply tokusatsu bit of theatricality that I'm all over, and while I understood that much about him, I've straight up never previously made the more specific connection that Kiva, the bat Rider, ~might~ be imitating a bat in his base form. I didn't even realize this was a mystery, but thanks for solving it for me, Die!

Also, one thing I REALLY want to mention about episode 6 that I forgot happened here. One of the absolute most memorable moments in the entire show for me happens right at the start, when Wataru meekly points at himself when asked by Nago where Kiva went, and Nago brushes it off as a gag in poor taste.

I mean, it probably seems like a minor, cheap bit to most people, with no particular significance, but I honestly think that whole back-and-forth between the two of them is a shining example of how well a stereotypical Inoue moment of misunderstanding can work with the characters, rather than against them, the way Inoue's reputation usually suggests. Like, I don't know man, it's just so brilliant to me that this early on, there's this moment where Wataru tries to make this tiny effort to clear things up in spite of himself, only to immediately shut down in the face Nago's impossibly strong personality. Poor guy tries to let someone in on his secret identity and Nago is just over there like "nice joke kid, but I gotta hurry and find that horrible monster Kiva so I can personally end his wretched existence with my own two hands!"

It's seriously amazing, and legitimately in-character for the both of them. (Wataru is bad with words; Nago is crazy) From what I remember, I'm pretty sure it makes no real difference to the plot whether that beat happens or not, and if it doesn't, I really appreciate the conscious decision to write it in anyway.