[Kamen Rider Die]

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Originally Posted by Switchblade

And I guess Shima died? Did not remember that happening. Dude definitely got his tragic death thunder stolen.

It's such a weirdly-paced two-parter. 75% of it is about Shima, and then they just kill him off halfway through 43, and we are immediately onto a Wataru/Taiga/Mio story. Really diminishes whatever they were trying to say with Shima.

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

I don't think any explanation can make me understand your perspective here, but I do have a theory about the lack of audience for the wedding. Bishop may have claimed that it was supposed to be a uniting moment for the Fangires, but that's just his vision. I mean, how many Fangires have actually expressed excitement or approval of this wedding? We've seen way more against them than for them. Bishop considers himself above people, so there's no way he could understand how they think.

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Mio's heroic sacrifice wasn't just about her love though. It was to protect the familial love between Wataru and Taiga. She loved Wataru. And Wataru loved Taiga. So her wanting to kill Taiga was ignoring the effect that would have on Wataru. When Taiga forgave her for manipulating his feelings and trying to kill him, she realized how wrong she was. The end doesn't justify the means. She didn't sacrifice herself to protect Taiga. She sacrificed herself to protect Wataru from the guilt of killing his own brother.

These are interesting reads, and very flattering to the show, but boy do I not think there's much on-screen to support them.

For the importance of the Fangire royal wedding, we have both Bishop and Taiga in support of it. We don't really have anyone against it, because the show hasn't gone to any great lengths to define Fangire society. With that being the case - there's really nothing I can point to that says Fangires are ambivalent about their rulers - I have to assume that the information the show presents is accurate.

The Mio situation is really the same thing. We haven't had, to my memory, a single conversation between Mio and either Wataru or Taiga about what that brotherly bond means to either of them. When Mio's suggested that Wataru murder Taiga, it mostly reads like Wataru is against cold-blooded murder, because that's pretty firmly established. Taiga talks about Wataru as a friend and a lieutenant, but rarely (to Mio) as a brother. Most of her experience with Wataru and Taiga is them battling each other? The idea that Mio wants to protect their familial bond is something I can see the show deciding, but not one I can see Mio deciding. She's way too outside that dynamic to have such a sudden shift in her priorities.

(That, and her flashbacks right before she gets involved seem entirely focused on Taiga, and his attempt to protect her from blame/punishment. Having her decision be rooted in protecting Wataru seems like the complete opposite of what the show is giving us in the moment.)

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Shima and Buruman have an established relationship?!

He's known that dog for 22 years! They've shared probably a hundred scenes! What the hell is Wataru in comparison?