[cosmicrescend0]

Special Time: Survive Edition! (Part 1)

-Recently, an acquaintance of a friend just finished up Ryuki, and seeing them post their reactions caused me to rewatch an episode or two. Most notably, the finale. It reminded of why I intentionally skipped RTR in the first place: Does a story like this even need a major follow-up, especially one that brings back the Rider War? I didn't think so, so I didn't touch it. I still kinda feel this way, and I even mulled just skipping it again when the thread came to it. But why not? Let's see if I was actually justifed skipping it or not......

-What can I say? This really feels like a Phase 2-flavored Battle Royale to me more than anything? Not just how it looks, but the writing too? (Although I am a loss at explaining why it feels that way...) I was really surprised that it felt like that to me, since Toshiki Inoue hasn't written much for Phase 2.

-Shinji feels like Shinji, but like, less in a "hotblooded puppy" way and more "your funny uncle everyone gets along with" kind of way?

-Goro......The implication that Kitaoka scuumbed to his illness and is dead in the present, it's so sad. I'd be willing to wager Goro's going through the same thing Shinji is in half-remembering Kitaoka, but since Goro's memories of him in the Rider War often involved Asakura, he'd seem to have scrambled the two up....?

-Tezuka.....? Idk what the guy's doing, i just hope his heelturn is better explained than "lmao imagine the shock value of one of the most pacifist Riders from Ryuki as evil!".

-Imperer, Verde, Abyss, Scissors, and Tiger have completely new users, which is....interesting. And hey, isn't that Mr. Heisei Rider himself I spy, making a cameo amongst the crowd? Love when suit actors make little cameos.

-As always, it's time for the "returning character with new look" list, From best to worst:

-Asakura(God his hair here is such a glowup to whatever they were doing in Ex-Aid, he looks damn good!)
-Ren (exactly the look you'd expect from a older Ren! Very stylish, very mature!)
-Goro (Nice and simple! Never change, Goro!)
-Jun (have no real opinions on it, it's ok?)
-Shinji(Same thoughts as last time + ah, they stuffed him into a blue jacket to emulate his iconic aqua one....I honestly prefer his look in the Another Ryuga arc.)
Tezuka(I can't describe why, it's just my least favorite look? I don't like it)

-Was geniunely surprised to see the Zi-O kids here, I forgot they didn't get a Ridewatch when they fought Another Ryuga. I guess they'll be investigating Tatakae Lady while the oldheads duke it out.