[DreadBringer]

Oh, another episode with Ikki getting the most focus. So this episode shows that even if you only have the best intention of others (with Ikki intending to become a Rider take care of people; other families as well, still inserting family in his altruistic motive declaration... consistent, show) and didn't really do mean stuff to them (even in the name of 'making them better'), you can still have flawed approach in that. Ikki's insistence to be the one handling probably anyone's problems can feel like he's taking all the spotlight and turn overbearing due to that, and it's due to him not putting his faith on Daiji to handle something instead, contradicting his claims, making Vice right, like Ikki handling the problems of his siblings cause Daiji to feel marginalized, feeling unimportant due to everything being handled by others, spurring him to look for a place where he can shine on his own (and inadvertently making things worse via Kagerou). It's also seen before when Ikki inadvertently forced Sakura to go into Daiji's promotion despite her karate session. Not that Ikki fully fits, but this can lean towards overprotective parent/bigger sibling type, which doesn't really consider the feelings of those under your care if they'd not want to be treated as such (as Ikki realizes his selfishness to Daiji), which isn't an optimal way to take care of them and can do more harm than good, this he needs to learn to give some space for those under your care, and learn some of the others' worth like Daiji's strength as he's lost before. Though I feel like that flashback or Sakura's reaction to Genta crying seems to enforce that being emotional is weak again... This is also a case when the 'victimized' one didn't lash out at others due to them getting where Daiji (not Kagerou) didn't really do evil shit, other than probably denying his family relations at his promotion, so I guess for this once, Ikki can take the bigger blame, one that can be easily overlooked too. Their argument before was only Daiji acting like Ichijou from Kuuga against Ikki, and what he did at the end was bringing up his nosy traits again in lighthearted manner. Now I guess Kagerou won't be fully eliminated (if it is it's too fast), so time to learn how to prevent Kagerou returning.

Conveniently there's still 1 Deadman after Daiji is restored, to have him show off as Live (just "Evil" with reversed letter. Why they didn't reference "Love" for Evol before though...). Live's design reminds me of Drake, and he's also a gunslinger like him, where I admit his fighting moves of gun-fu are quite flashy and stylish. The Rider that is done to get Live, Revice Brachio Genome with Zi-O motif (and Time Mazine as Remix), has the Zi-O traits quite underutilized, only mostly about both him and Vice beating up the stunned Evil, like there's no time-motif power (for example Zi-O II had it which allows it to predict attacks for instance). Though both the Zi-O motif and the animal it uses has a thought put behind it; Zi-O's first episode has Sougo running away from a Tyrannosaurus, which, like brachiosaurus, are dinosaurs. The Brachiosaurus is also meant as a gentle giant, generally peaceful until you make it mad, which is like how Sougo is the most powerful KR as Ohma Zi-O, and is generally a nice guy but one you shouldn't mess with.

Earlier on, this establishes something new for Sakura, establishing her vendetta and irrational disdain against Kamen Riders due to how it affects the family, ironically just before the scans implied her to be the next Rider. The series establish further of the 2 major girl characters' rivalry with her fighting Aguilera, this time taking Aguilera's kick better (without leaving a mark in her white cloth) than before. Via Aguilera's temptation, I guess the next episode will show how dangerous it is when superpowers exist and how it can affect edgelords like her (she had some power before though albeit as normal human in her martial arts), highlighting the difference between what they're expected to do (Sakura outside family; being more friendly and cordial) or what they're likely want to do (Sakura to or around family; being harsh, pretentious, critical, visibly annoyed, despite obviously care as this scene shows). Dunno what'd happen next yet, but I guess if Sakura gives in to her inner dark desire then her edgelord side is... her true self (or it's an influence from Aguilera), and that'd mean Ayaka (Imoto)'s claim of Sakura being kind is contradicted (I thought her true self is her against others before due to Ayaka's claim) even if it won't last forever. Her arc is about finding "true strength" despite her mastery in karate, and the Deadman stint is apparently related to that too, still can't talk much but hope I get something to learn from it.

The above is a morton's fork situation for Hiromi as he's wrong either way, he gets scolded for not speaking up, but if he does then it's him taking blame anyway for being a Fenix member that involves Igarashi family. The end of the episode shows that Hiromi can loose up, offering a genuine smile after Daiji is restored, probably he's in that situation when there's not military occupations stressing him. It's also probably him actually more hoping for a best outcome too, but had less hesitation before compared to Ikki, who is a family. Also the first time he got de-henshin... so the Deadman of the week from the Sentai alumnis puts better fight than Olteca and Julio (at least if those 2 didn't hold back). George seems to be thrilled over the appearence of Live, so he seems to appreciate some of the Kamen Rider virtues (other than being a fan of its aesthetics) to a degree, wanting to create a hero that is born from lots of drama and struggle. Still doesn't change the fact that he let a superpowered villain loose though as Kagerou before. It'd be neat if he has a goal of creating real life version of Kamen Rider... probably got filmed by his camera or such, but that should show about how destructive and dangerous superpowers can be in real life are (well, in the perspective of their world vs the in-universe KR shows there), so his moral is still bankrupt. Wakabayashi starts to be suspicious of him... firstly assuming him as just a mad scientist who prioritizes experiment over anything, when he's motivated by his, destructive passion of Kamen Rider.

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Originally Posted by r4bbitdragon

I take more issue with that being a power Vice has in general. It's kinda a repeating thing, where to try and sell Vice's appeal they keep giving him these Really convenient powers, as a way of giving him some objective worth. But like a couple of the others, this one doesn't really work because...

Wait, what's it supposed to mean in the narrative if Ikki is bad at reading other people's feelings, but Vice just has a cheat to allow him to see them? Because it's not like he has access to this insight out of true concern on his part, it's just convenient information he doesn't have to do much to get, in a way no human would actually be capable of. How does that relate to characterizing Vice as Ikki's demon?

(It's also just the cheaper way of how they could have realized Daiji was still in there. The story about them as kids was about Daiji making noise until he was found. A better parallel would be if Daiji had gotten some constant tell through while being possessed, and Ikki/Vice had realized it. More work to set up of course, but probably a more satisfying conclusion then 'well Vice saw he was objectively still there, so.')

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Originally Posted by GoldenXtreme

I think the dramatic elements of this show are good in concept, but often trip over themselves. Like, Ikki realizing that his brother is still in there is cool, but Vice confirming it through wacky head entering powers? Not so much. To me, the show often feels like everything was too subtle in the first draft, and then was edited to go too hard in the other direction and have the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

I did like the episode though, I had to crack a smile at seeing the family back together and the fights were very cool looking.

For those who thinks this is cheap, I feel like it already started way before, after Kagerou reveals his identity in front of Ikki. Obviously that informs Ikki that it's not Daiji genuinely turning evil. Though dunno if you think that part is cheap too, but it's rooted from there. Though I personally think I do want for them to show what trait does Vice's ghostly body have, I feel like Vice going into Daiji/Kagerou's head is in line with Vice going to Kudo's (corrupt lawyer) storage to prove that he had a ViStamp, being supernatural means you're intangible and can accomplish tasks that involves something hidden due to him being able to phase through things, but due to that he can't protect Ikki even if he wanted too outside Revice, as seen in ep. 8 when Kagerou attacks Ikki. I think what really holds them back is Vice's self-centered personality instead of power limitation. I guess the worst resolution is still how Ayaka "makes up" with her mother though. The family reunion that takes cost got ruined though, at the onsen..

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Originally Posted by Layton13

No, children are not that stupid and pretty much every other Rider show knows it. Sure, they lay out the morals often, but they don't effectively turn towards the camera and say "Sakura is feeling powerless. She has a demon and with it inner turmoil. I wonder what will happen to her." That blatant lampshading is not a thing in other shows, they are fine with you missing something if you understand most of it, Revice is not.

Episode 9 had three scenes for Sakura, the first is the least egregious since it was just the camera focusing on her being worried for a long while. The second and third are so much worse, in the second George tells her she'd probably has a powerful demon, which is just signposting her development, and the karate scene that lets her state out the question if power even makes happy and that's basically her motivation and arc through the show with very high possibility. And with that, I basically know everything that is important about her, spoonfeed to me, without ever actually engaging with the show on my own terms.

I don't know if I'm getting you right here, but it seems that the explanation of demon being inside is more of a series gimmick/supernatural stuff talk rather than moral, or even a really obvious thing to say as probably any humans have a Demon too, seen in how Deadmans come from humans. And it's probably a misguided view to claim that development can only be done via having supernatural stuff like her having demon or such, I prefer if people'd acknowledge that a character can develop. It's more of character revelation to her rather than character development. I don't know what to say regarding her talking about power and happiness in karate dojo though, it can be probably just outwardly her just talking with her friends there.