[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I mean, This Time It's Personal, you know? This isn't a random person who betrayed another random person. This was Wataru getting his heart broken by a girl he liked. A girl who is engaged to his childhood friend! Wataru is dealing with it as well as he probably can in the immediate aftermath. He's not a saint, you know? He's a sweet boy who is trying his best to navigate a horrible situation.

I.. was saying this because Mio seems to fare better regarding this to Wataru judging from your comment before, though it makes sense as Mio's the one who put into this difficult situation while Wataru doesn't know fully yet about the situation. I don't know yet what makes you label him as 'not a saint' btw (moreover you continued with 'sweet boy'), though otherwise, I wouldn't want for negative traits to be overlooked, but I'm also not keen into using personal (not saying this is right) argument to make someone (mostly those with 'Rider sensibility') look more ulterior than they're; it's sometimes used to paint something as more realistic.. but it's scummy view. From what I read too, Wataru not spitting out about his relationship with Mio to Taiga is a form of him being nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER KIVA EPISODE 34 - “NOISE: MELODY OF DESTRUCTION”

The smartest thing it does is focus in on Wataru’s problems, and then reexamine those issues through different characters. It makes sure that Wataru is central to every story, even the ones he doesn’t really interact with. It feels like this is his show, which has frequently been a problem.

I don't know if Wataru celebrating his break-up with Mio is done by himself or if it's by Shizuka's persuasion (Wataru has developed to not be a total doormat anymore though, albeit Wataru did listen to Shizuka and decides that it's good for him). For Nago well, it seems that he becomes more amicable with Wataru, misguided mentoring in last episode aside, like he even joins Wataru in the bathtub!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

From there, he lets Taiga try to cheer him up by… spending an afternoon on an amusement park outing with him and Mio. It’s my favorite recurring gag on this show right now, Taiga trying to be a good guy to people he is emotionally atomizing. (When he’s on his lunch date with Mio and is like It’s So Cool To See You Love Me Like I Love You, while she’s a second away from sobbing her eyes out? Hilarious!) Mio tries yet again to let Wataru know that she prefers him to Taiga, but Wataru is quick to deflect it, talk up Taiga, and then act like everything is going great.

Though for above, Wataru not spitting out about him and Mio is him being nice, it's what sparks the problem here for Taiga unwittingly atomizing Wataru emotionally, though Wataru revealing it to him... dunno what would happen. For Wataru not acknowledging it, still I wonder if if he's shy because of going through even worse part of those breakdowns (what he'd experienced here can be a trigger to make someone timid, due to being afraid of dealing with those kind people or situation again), compared to the ones seen in the series like, Dai-chan stuff, Mio stuff here, Kengo stuff (Dai-chan stuff was the one iirc made him adverse to contact with others. He's definitely depressed here, but isn't about shyness I think for breaking Bloody Rose.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Mio’s and Yuri’s are the bigger ones, with Mio suffering under the yoke of Queendom, and Yuri suffering under the yoke of cuckqueandom. The Yuri story is zero percent subtle, just scene after scene of Yuri sitting in the dining room while her boyfriend and a supernaturally-gorgeous supernatural executioner make the most erotic musical instrument 1980s Japan had to offer. Mio’s stuff is equally repetitive, with her looking for outs and getting nothing. She does schedule a meeting with Maya, however, and I’m very much looking forward to whether or not they can see eye-to-eye.

Mio is shy yeah, mirror of Wataru, but like I said before I don't feel like the 'Queen' role is actually , when others are the one to control and pressure her into doing what's ruled for Fangire, if Mio isn't shy, her Queen role should be probably able to shake the whole Fangire species, shaping into what she wants (e.g. not forbidden loving humans). Albeit probably, it's the King role in Taiga that decides everything and King has total and full authority including the Queen and making sure that the Queen acts according to the rules set up by the King. For Yuri watching Otoya and Maya making the masterpiece instrument... it's especially that Yuri is a dreadful musician that she's really out of touch for this.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The other big Brave Face storyline is KENGO! Kengo’s back! And he’s basically Snipe from Ex-Aid! Which is another way of saying he’s no longer Here To Make Friends! There’s really not much more to Kengo’s story this time than his shocking reappearance, violent attitude, and militaristic makeover, but it’s still a hell of a return. Beyond the questionable timeline (so Kengo became a brutally-efficient operative for W.A.K.E.U.P. after a month of training?), I really don’t mind the changes the show made to Kengo. There’ll always be a place in my heart for the very sweet and supportive friendship he had with Wataru, but this is an Inoue show. I am not going to be mad at Kengo returning as a bloodthirsty asshole hiding his desperate need to make friends, especially if it makes me think of Snipe. Hard to call it an improvement, but I don’t mind it as a substitution.

It's surprising that Kengo goes from weaker fighter when he worked for Aozora before, to someone who kicked Nago's ass without problem. That seems to be too fast of an evolution, surprassing a good number of characters like almost instantly from non-fighter self before. Otherwise still, this is probably the one that others talk about Kengo being a jerk, it's this part about him being outright aggressive and distrusting, which you won't know yet that Kengo's still the one with supportive friendship to Wataru. Though btw what differentiates Kengo's change here, to Yuji's change in Faiz at near end to you?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

All that, and I didn’t even touch on Bishop’s interest in Wataru, Taiga’s interest in Kiva, or the Super Fangire being created by a former W.A.K.E.U.P. scientist. It’s an overstuffed episode! It’s still got a solid thematic core, but it’s got a few too many plates spinning right now.

I'd want to know about Bishop's interest in Wataru, as he's another major villain like Rook before. The implication of Dark Kiva is going to be important like other Riders such as IXA, though I wonder about why if it's the 'original', its name has addition (Dark Kiva) compared to the 'imitation' that is only 'Kiva'. The Super Fangire gives me the vibe that she's added up as the Queen's replacement, considering Mio's stint is less than satisfactory.