[Kamen Rider Die]

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Originally Posted by Androzani84

And to be honest, I wasn’t getting invested in the one-off character’s love story, because… well, it’s a one-off character’s love story. And given this show has tragedy as a major element, it was just as likely not to work out as it was to work out.

One of my favorite things about the Shinji/Ryoko story is that only Shinji thinks it's a tragedy. He's beating himself up about all the things he wasn't able to give Ryoko, and he's feeling like their time was squandered, but she doesn't feel that way at all. She spent her life with someone she loved, who loved her in return. It's only at the end of the story that Shinji realizes how good he had it.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Emperor Form itself is just spectacular, too. It's not even a matter of whether or not it's a favorite for me as much as it being basically an objectively perfect concept for Kiva? It's Wataru after literally breaking his chains. It's so perfect I don't know if anything more than that one simple sentence is even necessary. The design itself informs you about the context and meaning behind it in a very clear way, and it does all that while being all gold and pretty and named after royalty and having a cape. It's textbook. God tier, grade A, greatest of all time material in its own right. And if meant Takaiwa got to feel just as unburdened as Wataru was, then all the better! I can't even begrudge the series for losing interest in the cool form changes at that point. You really can't go wrong with this suit!

God, I wish I had anything close to this reaction to the suit. Maybe it's just a problem with everything going on around it, how it feels like a fashion show put on in an ICU, but I don't think I like the look of Emperor Form too much?

I mean, thematically, sure. Wataru is significantly more confident and assertive in this episode (I love Megumi getting up and walking away from her mentor-y pep-talk with Mio because Wataru's already got it covered), and having him burst out of his Daddy Issues cocoon into something glorious and liberated? Yes, okay, got it, agreed.

Just aesthetically, though? Not a fan! (I haven't really seen it in much action, so maybe that'll change.) The gold isn't my favorite color-scheme, I don't really dig capes on my Riders, and it feels more like a secondary Rider to me than an upgrade for Kiva. I don't hate it or anything; like I said, it's just a slight downgrade for me from the base Kiva suit. But, yeah, did not feel too thrilled to see it in 24.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

And then over in '08, Shinji being so fundamentally sympathetic made it extremely difficult to feel good watching Wataru off him with such little hesitation, regardless of whatever danger you want to put Mio in. It stung especially because the episodes that made me start truly liking both Kiva the show and Wataru in the first place were the ones that ended with him refusing to kill a sympathetic Fangire.

It's a bummer. Most of the second half of this episode doesn't land the emotional beats it thinks it does (Mio gets knocked out in the most basic A Bystander Is Thrown Aside way, something we've seen a dozen cast members shrug off, and the show treats it like she just got impaled), and the result is a bunch of heroic moments that all feel tainted and regrettable. I don't think the episode where Wataru's self-confidence grants him a bold new suit should feel tainted and/or regrettable!

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Originally Posted by Kurona

Was Emperor's debut really on this episode? Well... jeez, that's unfortunate, because it's the one that made me hate Jiro and the series as a whole. I guess that's why I've never loved the form until recently.

One of my big concerns for 25 is How Do You Walk Jiro Back From This. Like, of the two conclusions to 24, Jiro is the monster who deserved to die, but they killed Shinji. Can't imagine the hoops the show is going to have to jump through to rehabilitate a Clawolve who attempted to murder Otoya and was 100% planning on forcing Yuri to bear his children.

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

I think maybe you're being a little unfair on Tatsulot? It seems like the only reason you're complaining about him is due to the circumstances surrounding his debut. Personally, I think he's an adorable little addition to Kiva's team and he's one of Wataru's biggest fans. He's so excited for him to become Kiva Emperor for the first time and with such an awesome suit and insert theme, I can't blame him! Maybe he'll grow on you so that you will like him almost as much as you like Kivat (actually, you haven't talked much about Kivat, so I presume you like him?).

Maybe! But I also sort of viscerally disliked Tatsulot's entrance? It's a little forced, where Tatsulot is here to put on a show and brighten the mood and be awesome, and it's all just trying way too hard. It's pushy, and I just didn't connect with that.

Still, maybe I just haven't given a chance to this unique character who gets biz-zay, consistently and thoroughly. Maybe I just haven't gotten used to its totally outrageous paradigm. Maybe if I could find a little room in my heart, we can laugh and cry until we grow old together. Maybe!

(And I like Kivat! He doesn't really ever get a story, so it's tough to feel like bringing him up. But I do like his weird energy and his stewardship of Wataru!)

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Honestly, I'm surprised how little you've talked about this and the Wataru and Mio developments, since I think I disagree with most of what you said about this episode. It's one of my favorites and I recall it very fondly! You remember who the actual main characters are, right?

Sorry to disappoint! Rest assured, if I'd spent more time on Wataru/Mio (it's cute, but there's not much to address beyond She Is A Fangire Probably And Wataru Doesn't Know It) or Otoya/Yuri/Jiro (Jiro is at his most supervillain-y here, in this story about the weight of relationships and how they don't need outside forces to make them complicated), you'd only find more reasons to disagree with me. I didn't think they were particularly insightful or dramatically interesting.

And, man, I would love for any of the main characters in this story to be treated with the care and intelligence Shinji and Ryoko were. That is my dream. But as long as they're subject to weird heel turns (Jiro) and ill-timed power upgrades (Wataru; fine for it showing up at this point in the series, not fine with it being in this episode), I'm probably going to connect more to the well-written, powerfully-acted, beautifully-shot love story.