[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER KIVA EPISODE 11 - “ROLLING STONE: DOOR OF DREAMS”

I wish this whole episode had been about Wataru trying to be self-sufficient for, like, an afternoon before giving up and attaching himself (like a vampire!) to someone else’s dream. It’s nice that the show let Oomura’s death have a lasting effect on Wataru, but it’s nicer that Wataru's indefatigable defeatism managed to overcome it. I love how much this kid chooses Give Up On Myself as his first response to any time spent alone. To quote Achewood, Wataru “folded with a focus and intensity normally seen only in successes.”

Wataru likely had his doormat aspect surfacing again for him to submit to Nago here, admitting that his views are rash and admitting it's true that Fangires are inherently evil in front of Nago. The part of Wataru being tasked to find Kiva, this is the "conflict" between Takumi and... Kiba all over again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Like, this whole episode, every Kengo scene was more fun than the one that preceded it, and it was mostly because every new character added to the mix improved the story. When Kengo’s like Yeah We Need A Drummer, I think I gasped and said out loud SHIZUKA about two seconds before Shizuka showed up in a saucy cap to demolish that drum kit. It’s just fun, man. Dumb fun. These three kids putting together a band: Kengo, a rock n’ roll true believer who would normally have formed a pact with an evil creature for a fast-track to stardom if this were literally any other Kamen Rider series; Wataru, who honored a dying mentor’s request to make a violin for about eight minutes before giving up and becoming a bass player for a rock band; and Shizuka, who is a ray of sunshine and always welcome in any plot she can shoehorn herself into.

Well, training would involve playing to no one, though Kengo chose to play in open area...but playing solo to no one is normal thing as in training. I'd want for the episode to talk about the music instruments more betweeh both Wataru and Kengo, or it'll likely happen later. Wataru specializing in violin, and Kengo specializing in guitar. Both being musical instruments with strings, though violin's primary way of playing is using bow. Although learning new things is good, and Wataru got the hang of it, I found it wasting for Kengo to not recognize Wataru's dedication to violin, at least at this time. And yeah here, Shizuka has an unexpected skill where she's a drummer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Even Megumi is at her most entertaining when she wakes up from an Irish coffee bender to embarrass Wataru in front of his new friend. My favorite look on Megumi is Work Mom Is A Jerk Mom, so her drunkenly swaying around Mal d’Amour as she tells Kengo that Wataru is a friendless weirdo and that she will be joining the band on Rhythm Broom? Yes. I never, ever wanted her to sober up. Megumi being unable to compartmentalize her work grievances from her personal friendships is maybe my lifeblood. I crave it like she craves Nago’s eternally-delayed comeuppance.

Megumi didn't make good impression on Kengo, asking for Wataru to just ignore her... at the end did Megumi extend her running training outside the stadium to end up in Kiva's fight? Also the Aso family seems to have hyperspace equipment coming to them faster than even iirc, G3 Riders.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I liked it okay? It’s more thematically meaty, for sure. There’s Yuri and Megumi both wanting IXA for what it can emotionally solve for them. Yuri wants it to avenge her mother, while Megumi wants it to honor her mother. It’s a plotline about how vengeance isn’t heroism, and how our parents don’t want us to suffer on their behalf. It’s a neat way to comment on how destructive Yuri’s quest is, to have Megumi so unfulfilled and unhappy. I feel like Yuri would tell her daughter that she doesn’t need to be IXA to make her proud, and that makes Yuri’s own quest sort of… unnecessary? Hypocritical? It’s this lineage of women who keep thinking they owe something to their mothers that their mothers would never ask of them. That sense of obligation that’s just a mask for their own loss and guilt, you know? It’s interesting, even if it’s less fun to watch.

Yeah, both Yuri and Megumi really wanted IXA, and another part of Kiva's sexism to audience is women being viewed as unworthy to wield IXA for various reasons (that's the explanation of how they can't come with legitimate reason, sexism). For vengeance isn't heroism part, I guess this is what the audience should also learn as some tend to enforce "only actions matter", and think vengeance is completely fine for someone who fights off monsters, what matters is saving other people by solving threats, and that motives like vengeance or greed or fame doesn't matter for that. How they succeed isn't through all nobility though, they just have the power to do it. Though the women's quest are deemed destructive here.... people like Jiro and Nago are able to become IXA, and they're clearly worse person than both women... Jiro also wants to take revenge to fangire for his species. and Nago wants to enforces his self-righteousness. The episode revealed that Yuri has died though in 2008.... I guess she doesn't have long age.