[Switchblade]

As someone who wasn't into the romance plot in the previous episode, I actually still enjoyed this one a lot. A big part of that is that it's a big jolt of momentum, ending with a whole bunch of cards laid out on the table that are going to really change the direction the story is going in. Still a little disappointed that the rest of the '08 cast is relegated to short comic relief scenes, though (not sure why Nago is bothering to sabotage the IXA Knuckle when IXA isn't even appearing on the show right now).

And, of course, we get the full debut of the Zanvat Sword. Let me say this to start: I like the Zanvat Sword. It's a cool design, especially with the crazy bat cross guard. As someone who really hates it when Rider weapons just look like big roleplay toys, I also appreciate how hefty and metallic it looks, too. That being said, I would love to have been in the room when Bandai was brainstorming how it would work. Somebody had to have realized it, right? There's a reason why this weapon had a very specific nickname among the fanbase, after all. #FapSword