[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I think this was maybe where I was coming from? This is Onodera's origin story, and it's mostly about him really becoming Kuuga. When he decides to fight to protect smiles, that's the moment he becomes a true hero, rather than just someone who enjoys fighting and/or is trying to impress a girl.

Sure, just pointing out the term that I feel is frequently misused or overlooked in ambiguity discussion, and where I think it's false (or too simplified) to immediately jump to the claim of "not a hero at all" (anti-hero is a subcategory of hero), though of course when he's fighting to impress a girl he's nowhere comparable in moral to most main Riders as it's ambiguity even if the actions are heroic (.. not the one in this series).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

That's just a total Legend Rider thing, though, isn't it? A character gets a Final Form at the end of their series that is practically earth-shattering in its power, then six months later that form is barely sufficient to keep up with the newest Rider.

For this series, I think you can squint a little and see it as Onodera only recently being able to tap into all of Kuuga's power, and not really having the full force of any of them yet. Maybe now that he's embraced his role as Kuuga, he'll be able to harness more of that power?

Sure, they should show Onodera not having full force... but I refer to the Ultimate Kuuga using seemingly a finisher in Ultimate Punch (and the explosion only covers some area), or I guess not harnessing more of the power applies to even finisher? And well... AFAIK many Riders aren't even actual fighters, but they can mow down enemies by sheer super strength alone, like for example Cronus. Even if Onodera isn't an experienced fighter.. I'd think Ultimate Kuuga's power should be enough for him just wildly throwing punch around.

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

I guess I just call Godai Godai for the same reason I call Tendo, Kusaka and Terui by their surnames, since that's how they're typically addressed by other characters. But I can definitely respect that you call him Yuusuke due to that personal connection you feel with him, since I also make exceptions like that for certain characters who I connect with, like Ryuuga who everybody else calls Banjyou. He's always going to be Ryuuga to me.

Not exactly a best one... but for "Ryu(u)ga"... that'll always sound as the dark version of Ryuki to me due to it coming much earlier... and Ryuuga is also commonly refered by his surname Banjou like you said. And of course Cross-Z's Rider Kick resembles Ryuga's (the Rider, resembles him more than Ryuki's).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: He was grounded in an interesting way, I thought. He played things small and sad, which is the exact right tone for this story. It never became, like, histrionic or whatever. It was just this kid, in a world he was sure he was going to let down.
I thought that part was the most interesting switch-up between Classic and Wee, how the story is centered so fully on a protagonist who fundamentally doesn't believe in the heroic expectations being thrust upon him. Like, that was Classic Wataru's story for maybe two episodes, and the rest was pretty fully about his certainty that humans and Fangires could co-exist. Did that shift in narrative work for you? Did it still feel enough like a Kiva story?

ANDROZANI84: Yeah, the divide between humans and Fangires, while obviously truncated for the purposes of this two-parter, did suitably echo Kiva proper, even with this being the one official televised Kiva storyline without the involvement of Inoue and Takebe (the producer).

Though this isn't a continuation of Kiva (kinda don't want for anniversary series to give continuation for original series without consent even if getting old actor back), his feels to me, probably how Kiva's epilogue continued, with Wataru becoming King, he'd likely enforce this rule of humans and Fangires co-existing. But Fangires aren't hive mind, they're individuals, like how there can be criminals among humans, there can be criminals among Fangires too like that woman Fangire - btw I like that it lets a woman being used as fodder, as the one who made a crime and got properly punished. For the Garulu, Bassha, and Dogga's replacement, they probably won't be Jiro, Ramon, and Riki - their voice actors are big name though, for instance Garulu's voice actor is Isshin Chiba, of Tekken's Jin.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

ANDROZANI84: He definitely strikes me as the one who handles the people side of things (Tsukasa is the guy who gets things done, Natsumi is the one trying to make sense of this, Grandpa is the friendly old coot and Kivara is an almost literal vamp).
And it is nice to see him working hard to typify and help someone he barely knows after being sent to a strange place. It’s something most people would probably turn down.

KAMEN RIDER DIE: I mean, my all-time favorite Kuuga stories are the ones where Godai has to help a kid through a tough time in a non-superhero way, so this was maybe more of what I love from Kuuga than the actual Kuuga spotlight story. Onodera is SO KUUGA in this story. He's got this amazing rapport with this kid, where he's giving Wee Wataru all of the support (emotional and physical) he needs to make the right decision, but Onodera won't ever force Wee Wataru to make that decision. It's got to be that kid's choice, no matter the cost. I really love that type of story, and I thought the Onodera actor 1000% delivered in those emotional scenes.

True, it's probably Onodera trying his hand into becoming more like original Kuuga and helping others in non-superheroic ways. I don't know much about Decade, but yeah there are complaints of Onodera being a jerk but not only for ep. 2-3, but for a series evaluation, so dunno about Onodera in this episode.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: I liked how there's an equal amount of light and dark in this story about Kiva, and how Decade uses its two Riders to get at those feelings. Onodera is the part of Kiva that's optimistic and human, where the world is only a little bit of work away from having room for everyone. Tsukasa is the part of Kiva that will always be aware of its differences, be convinced it's going to all fall apart.

For Tsukasa just goes in guns blazing, in comparison to Onodera's role here, I guess this is a reminder that being heroic (coming from previously selfish Onodera) isn't about merely doing superheroics like saving people/world or sacrificing yourself (where Den-O is something that's against this) or stuff, but there are many more morally good trait and deeds; which probably Tsukasa learns as he realizes Wataru's resolve and what qualifies to be a King (actually making the situation better, not invoking bloodlust). Unfortunately, well, one of the nickname for Onodera is "Yuuseless", and I guess iirc that comes from Onodera not actually making use of Kuuga often throughout the series, but that's what I read. Aside from Onodera's action making impact into the King and Kivat, this impacts Natsumi too, who previously was worried about 2 child who got approached by a Fangire (nice gesture though), but turns out that it's a companionship between human and monster.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: I didn't think most of the action in this story was anything special (the final fight against the Fangire was pretty forgettable), but this Kuuga Forms vs Kiva Forms fight! Oh man! So amazing! How'd you like it?

ANDROZANI84: Well I like that they’re comparing and contrasting the equivalent transformations (eg. Titan form vs Dogga). Though I do wonder how Dogga felt forcibly being turned into a sword and a rod

KAMEN RIDER DIE: I never thought the weapon forms of the Fangires had feelings/thoughts. A little horrifying if true, but, like: Final Form Ride. I don't know. I don't know if they're aware of themselves in those forms! God, I hope not!
Still, I liked how this fight felt like it was for the fans. Who Would Win In A Fight is the most ancient fandom discussion, and doing the Kiva Forms Vs Kuuga Forms part was a blast. It's all those little deep cuts and references getting moments in the sun. A fight like this is so irrelevant to the story being told (Decade and Kiva are basically in two parallel stories after this), but it's real, real fun to watch.

For Kuuga's fight here, I like that Kuuga and Kiva's form counterparts are used here, the speedy blue form in Dragon against Garulu, the ranged green form in Pegasus against Bassha, the tough purple form in Titan against Dogga. And watching Kiva part just made me realize that Decade had a likely unintentional reference to Kiva, in all of its previous Riders, the A.R. Riders are like the Arm Monsters, both of them turn into Decade's weapons, but AFAIK the A.R. Riders are finisher-exclusive. Then again, it probably can feel like for example, Accel turning into bike or Drive Dimension Cab Tire separating himself.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

ANDROZANI84: Well since this is a Kiva thing, I prepared my usual Fact Fangire-le, as I promised earlier.

KAMEN RIDER DIE: I am ready for it!

ANDROZANI84: Beetle Fangire

True name: Atonement of the Garden Divided, the International Dateline" (贖罪の園を分断する、日付変更線, Shokuzai no Sono o Bundan suru, Hizukehenkōsen)

Human identity: none

Rank: King

Class: Insect

Main actor: Mansaku Ikeiuchi

Now I wonder how did you actually work on this off, like is this a chat or voiceover or such, I don't think that trivia like this are something that can be said.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: So, okay, let's talk about Wee Wataru's pops. I don't know if that story, the generational part of the plot, worked even a little? It felt ENORMOUSLY tacked on for me.

Getting this from other source but: He was exiled for loving a human woman who gave birth to his half-breed successor, Wataru. He saw the coexistence and peace between the two races as nothing more than a farce for his son's sake. I guess other than the previous Kings in original Kiva series, he had Maya traits to be exiled.