[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineapple924

I guess? yeah I don?t really think Julio?s feelings matter in this.

His devotion to Aguilera was always (imo) very one-sided, so to me I don?t see how this is any big shake up in their dynamic. It?s a change in Aguilera?s relationship with Sakura and vice versa, but Julio isn?t really a factor.

Okay, well, as long as you understand that the relationship's orientation is irrelevant to the problem. I disagree with your indifference to Julio though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

I think he?s trying to argue that Aguilera and Tamaki have been set up since day one, and that Sakura is interfering in the development of that straight relationship?despite the fact that Tamaki?s devotion has always been incredibly one-sided, whereas the rivalry and feelings between Aguilera and Sakura has always been mutual. IE, he, and many others it seems, assumed that Tamaki and Aguilera was intended to be this ?long form straight romance, with Aguilera falling for him at the end? (which, you know, fair, that is a pretty common trope), and are unwilling to acknowledge even the possibility that Tamaki was always intended to be on the outside, because Sakura and Aguilera were intended to have a lesbian relationship from the beginning.

As for Tamaki?s feelings and whether they matter?they don?t matter as much as Sakura?s, no. Not because he?s a man and Sakura?s a woman, but because Sakura is one of our main characters and Tamaki?isn?t. I get that people are upset about that - I certainly do think his character has a lot more potential than he?s being written with?but the same can be said of Gentoku or Kazumi from Build, both of whom devolved into gag characters for a lot of the show.

More or less. Not exactly day one, but I recall it was definitely pretty early in the show that the Gif/Aguilera/Julio triangle was implied. However, due to Julio's lack of confidence, he never contested Gif/Aguilera and was willing to support it as long as it's what Aguilera wanted. I'm sure there's a lot of people watching this show for escapism, who can relate to Julio's problem and want him to succeed. Putting him in another position where he has to be second to someone else for Aguilera's attention does nothing for his character or his (probably dwindling) fans, unless he can actually find another love interest. So far, the show doesn't seem inclined to give him any other options, since as you say, he has the misfortune of being a side character. But even Kazumin succeeded in getting the girl and had a very memorable tragic fight scene in the final arc, so it's still possible for writers to treat side characters with more respect than Julio has gotten.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

There have been several in the past where the narrative is romantic, where the story stops short of saying anything either way, where, if one party was a woman, it?d be considered ?basically canon? - but, because they?re both men, the prospect that it was meant to be read any other way than just ?bros saving the world? is laughed at, and derided.
Nevertheless, I?ve always kind of expected them to take this step?I just thought it would be between two men, and probably two auxiliary riders that they can just ignore in marketing if it proves super unpopular. I certainly never expected it to be between one of our original central antagonists and the third rider, and certainly not between two women. As I?ve said before, as a lesbian, it makes me indescribably happy that, even if nothing concrete happens in the show - even if this level of chemistry between Sakura and Aguilera is maintained, without them saying anything explicit, or without Aguilera doing a 180 on her feelings for Tamaki?they still made that instagram post saying ?love is love? and ?happy pride?. The intent for you to be able read the two of them as lesbians is there, and I?m sure there is at least one little girl watching Kamen Rider in Japan who sees Aguilera and Sakura and realises who she is, and that it?s okay.

I mean, yeah, if some little girl gets inspired to come out or something, then there's no way I could say that this is an objectively bad thing. But more importantly than canonical slash (including femslash), I think writers should focus on writing good slash. Like I'm pretty sure I heard that Yui's introduction in Cross-Z New World was an executive decision to de-canonize Sento/Ryuuga. But I don't think that makes Sento/Ryuuga any less of an awesome ship. The joke's on the executive, whose meddling made a lot of people rightfully ticked off. The better the quality of canonical slash, the better the chance that people will accept it.