[Fish Sandwich]

I feel like so much of this episode was in the subtext of meaningful looks on people's faces that I only really understood like a quarter of what it was "about" on a deeper level, but I'm still really liking what I'm seeing of this show. It's doing work with a bunch of characters at once (I especially like how Sakura has stuff going on, even though that's one of the things I only sort of got?), and it's staying on theme the whole time.

Introducing a punk teenager trying to stick it to The Man and having his whole redemption happen starting from the halfway point is weird – it feels like the resolution to an episode plot, as though this is a two-parter condensed into a single episode – but I don't know, I also sorta think that fits Revice? I'm not sure how well I can describe why. It's like the level of dramatic weight attached to the character matches the level of actual conviction he has in his goals? He's just some dumb kid, so yeah, sure, tell him to knock it off and get him doing some community service by the fifteen minute mark, sure; it's not like he's a bad guy or anything. And between that community service being a gig as live bait for monsters, and all the other questionable things people at Fenix are doing in this episode, it's not like the good guys don't look sorta bad, either! See? Always on theme!

It definitely benefits a ton for Kamihoriuchi's direction, too. I said as much about his Saber episodes, but when you need someone for an episode with a ton of meaningful silent looks, he is your guy, without a doubt, and the action here is shot rather slick as well. I think I actually liked the mid-episode fight more than the climax, too, which is an odd feeling.

And that abrupt introduction for the new Rider was sure something. It still works perfectly even if you're watching the whole episode knowing he was going to show up, because you'll be waiting to see what the context of that appearance is... and then there just isn't any, Vice gets smacked through the ceiling, and the episode is over. Obviously we'll probably be getting that context next week, but man, what a way to make a first impression.