[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER KIVA EPISODE 44 - “PUNK: BACK TO FATHER”

Of all the ways I thought this episode could go, based on how the last one ended, it didn’t even cross my mind that Wataru would use Castle Doran’s way-more-of-a-problem-solving-option-than-when-Jiro-first-described-it-to-Nago Time Door to travel to 1986 and pull a reverse Back To The Future to prevent his parents from getting together. It is simultaneously absurd and poignant, which is what makes Inoue one of my favorite tokusatsu storytellers.

Actually, no offense but the part of Wataru going back in time to set right what once went wrong, reminds me of stuff like Shinji (Kido) in Ryuki trying to prevent some outcome in the war in the series "recap" ep. 28, Tendou in Kabuto movie altering the past after gaining Hyper Clock-Up creating the TV series timeline, and Woman of the Beginning in Gaim trying to change the fate of her friends by traveling to the past. Otherwise, though I also like that the time travelling properties of Castle Doran is implemented for something more interesting here than a cop-out it was in stopping Tanahashi before, but regarding episode like 44 coming after ep. 43, I don't want for hostile and biased assumptions like "the TV team must've sabotaged Inoue to create something as bad as ep. 43, because no way Inoue can screw up or create bad things" to happen, or worse be agreed upon people here, it'd be a total lie and misinformation, it being claimed as joke or not (if it's a joke it's the worst usage of "just a joke" to get free pass of terrible behavior kind). The TV team restrained Inoue instead to not go overboard in gross way like side medias.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I feel like the answers to some of these questions are, unfortunately, See Upcoming Episodes. It's hard for me to argue a side now that we've seen that Wataru wants to obliterate his existence because he blames himself for Mio's death, and that Mio was actually killed by Bishop. We are a little late to discuss some of these very good questions!

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Like, this plan of Wataru’s is stupid from the jump, but also exactly the sort of thing he’d try. He’s distraught over Mio’s death, and his role in it, so he does what he always does when the world seems too much: he tries to disappear. But this isn’t brandishing a sword at Megumi or shoving Nago. Mio is dead, and hiding away isn’t going to cut it. Wataru’s pain requires him to eliminate his existence, so he’s going to make sure his parents don’t “fall in love”. (I really enjoy the G-rated explanation of where babies come from.) So he dresses up in costumes to dissuade Otoyoa, and then he straight-up tells Yuri to go get her man back. It’s a plan with a hundred down-sides and no path to success. (It also, like the entirety of this story, requires you to ignore the summer movie.) It’s sweet and earnest in all the ways Wataru is famous for, while also being heartbreakingly self-loathing; which, y'know, Wataru is also famous for.

It ignores a whole bunch of collateral damage (Megumi and her brother would completely cease to exist, so I guess we know how little non-Mio people matter to Wataru; pretty sure Wataru has directly or indirectly saved a ton of lives, which are now Fangire food), but this thing never even gets off the blocks. See, Wataru showed up a couple days/weeks (?) too late, since Yuri is breaking up with Otoya.

Probably yeah, he can save Mio for his blame to himself... though it can also Wataru just wanting to save the one he loves by sacrificing himself, like if someone wants to save. Otherwise, Wataru seems to really prove that he's a Kurenai family here, with him channeling his father here to disguise as a doctor and then a fortune teller as his method to do his goals (like Otoya buying the dress from his manipulative female friend to trick a Fangire). That skill to approach someone in different occupation needs confidence to pull off (so it's not exactly very Wataru-style in the plan, but the sweet and earnest probably applies), and Wataru had gone through yet another trauma of losing Mio, albeit Otoya can spot him, but Wataru did nice job of showing the proof of him being the son, with the button, the shattered glass of Mio, and the key of Kurenai family house. But Otoya's interaction at first to this reminds again that albeit Otoya have become better (now he's friends with the Arms Monsters), his terrible traits still present that he's a hedonist that wants freedom as in doing anything what he wants with little regards (after he acknowledged Wataru is his son) and he can be hostile and aggressive towards other males. About the collateral damage, you just reminded about this here to me (Yuri would marry other man in the present for Megumi and his brother), this is a common thing that happen when writing time travel stories, the story sometimes can neglect the consequences here, creating plot hole, as iirc a good number ends in triumph for interfering in the past. Actually, no offense to bring up another series, but Den-O's the one which warned Ryotaro about the change of time flow if he changed something in the past.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Probably goes without saying, but this was one of my favorite developments in all of Kiva. The emotional maturity of Yuri to be thankful for the good times she had with Otoya, acknowledge the end of them, and choose to move on? Fantastic. And she stomps on Otoya’s foot as she goes, just to let him know that he handled this less maturely than she deserved? HELL YES. It’s a template for how to break up with someone, and of all the lessons a tokusatsu show can teach impressionable children, this is one of the most useful. Don’t cling to a situation that is deteriorating. Understand the difference between a relationship that can be repaired, and one that needs to end. Be grateful for the positive times you shared with someone. Realize that you are allowed to still care for someone you’ve broken up with. For a show that has dramatized a relationship with more detail and complexity than I‘ve ever seen a Kamen Rider series attempt, this was such a beautiful coda to a messy, fascinating couple.

Dunno... glorifying mean-spirited comedy of Yuri stomping on Otoya's foot, while continuing with it being a lesson to kid. Something wrong with the tone here I feel. Though the one on receiving end for this is Otoya, a casanova though (depends if you'd accept misfortunes on enjoyable characters that can be rooted). Though that aside, probably the other lesson can be that men and women can interact closely without forcing a romance feeling between them, as stomping foot aside, Otoya and Yuri interact like they're close to each other here. There are those for either gender as both pairs have been romantically involved with each other, they're forced to end any relationship with anyone with different gender.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Having Wataru’s whole Please Don’t Bone time-travel plan show up in the midst of such a grown-up plotline made both of them so much better. It’s that Inoue thing of combining the most ludicrous tokusatsu insanity (Kivat and Tatsulot just pop out of a wormhole when it’s time to Henshin!) with straight-ahead human-scale drama that is an addictive combination for me. It spotlights how childish and ill-considered Wataru’s self-negating journey is without ever really saying it out loud, and it gives weight to Yuri and Otoya’s conclusion by not having Wataru’s schemes amount to anything. It’s totally unexpected and entirely welcome.

Like above, I'd not like for this to paint Inoue as 'the only one that makes tokusatsu insanity and human drama'. Like, Kivat and Tatsulot popping up in wormhole when henshin is ordinary among toku stuff, though I'm not sure if I'm getting what you said here, like stuff such as the mechanic obeying the user in Ryuki ep. 26 (Zolda's advent cards going to user despite Ryuki scanning it), the ricocheting laser to blow up a Worm without super speed in Kabuto, Den-O Liner's Sword being too heavy to lift, the reaction to Suika Arms in Gaim, Drive's Type Speed Cab allowing him to separate his body in diagonal cut, Ex-Aid's continue bar in final fight, etc. Otherwise, I feel that it'll likely create a loop that before Otoya and Maya married, they'd know that their children's name is Wataru, and about how he'll be when adult.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Most of the 2008 part of this episode was devoted to Nago’s new role as Replacement Shima, and that was very cute. (There’s another bit where Taiga swears vengeance on Wataru for killing the lady who leapt in front of a finisher, but No Thanks.) It’s a quiet little moment of Nago trying to be the boss Shima was (Nago spent half the series shitting all over Megumi, so he’s well-qualified), and it’s a testament to Nago’s growth both dramatically and comedically that this doesn’t feel like an imminently doomed promotion. (It’s also a total mystery as to whether Nago was promoted by anyone, or if he’s just calling dibs or whatever. Is there someone else in W.A.K.E.U.P. to handle the chain of succession?) Nago trying to hold this group together by lowering his body fat and drinking coffee is… perfect. It’s just perfect.

That's the new conflict for now, Taiga resorting to kill Wataru, blaming him for Mio's death. Like Wataru, trauma befalls Taiga from time to time, like before, he's born as the new sovereign of a certain race, and said race depends on that sovereignity to survive, then he's set up to marry a girl, but she fell for someone else who's also your childhood friend who turns out to bet his half-brother. Then the said brother doesn't share your worldview. The girl can't take it anymore, wants to be with his half-brother, and she attempted to murder you. But because he loves her, he defends her and lets her go. Then now, said girl gets killed by the half-brother unintentionally. For Nago inheriting Shima's role, it's him probably not being himself to inherit Shima's methods of keeping body fat low, or either he does think Shima's a good influence, that part of him here. BTW aside from this, wdyt about my thoughts about Mio's choice to shield Taiga? Here:

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It seems like a sudden last decision change for Mio to shield Taiga... I mean Mio plotted to kill Taiga herself, using the wedding as the means to do so. I guess Taiga being nice to Mio is the closest excuse for her to return the favor, that Taiga still covers for her despite her attempts to kill Taiga and letting her escape, and while Mio still won't love Taiga romantically, this probably dispells her hatred for him.