[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER ZI-O EPISODE 38 - ?2019 - THE ONE CHOSEN BY KABUTO?

I don?t know that I buy Kagami becoming Kabuto. It?s vaguely reminiscent of the Hibiki/Kiriya thing from a few episodes back, but it lacks a lot of the weight of that story. Kiriya?s entire arc was about how basically no one wanted Kiriya to be Hibiki, so his redemption in obtaining the Hibiki Ridewatch has catharsis to it. Kagami and the Kabuto Zecter? like, no? He had his own destiny as Gatack, and he didn?t view Defeating Kabuto as some bucket list item. This two-parter doesn?t even bother to construct a motivation for Kagami to summon the Kabuto Zecter, beyond the twin possibilities of Why Not and It?s Nice To See That Suit Again. It all comes off as obligatory, rather than earned.

While Kiriya and Hibiki was about how douche he is, I'm not really into this either, but Kagami and Kabuto was about Kagami's status perhaps, about how much of a pathetic loser Kagami was, someone who is miserable including being rejected by Kabuto Zecter, but later his growth made him to be the only person Tendou respects as his equal, and here he shows his mettle once more by using Tendou's Zecter, performing a feat similar to Tendou taking and using the Zecters of other riders (TheBee, Drake and Sasword). So I guess this is about how both Tendou and Kagami are the only ones to be able to make use of other people's Zecters, to show about how equally awesome Tendou and Kagami are (the opposite of him being pathetic) now. Though as you said Kabuto's about someone being their own's best selves, and it'd can be done by Kagami evolving as Gatack (he did have Hyper Gatack) which should be the one I prefer too by performing a feat equal to Tendou as Gatack (and there can be more badass showings than taking other Zecters), but I guess it's the purpose of making Kagami become Kabuto.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Tsukasa and Tsukuyomi ? the Tsupergroup ? with their trip to the Misery Suburbs of 2058? it?s the audience learning something instead of the characters, which I?m always less into. She learns that she?s from 2058 (the girl they got to play Young Tsukuyomi has the same GIGANTIC eyes, so good work from the casting department), but only the audience gets to learn that she?s maybe probably Swartz?z sister. It?s a neat concept, but one that falls apart if you think about it for more than two consecutive seconds. Like, she?s dressed the exact same way as Swartz?z sister, with the same gigantic eyes. He didn?t think that was worth thinking about prior to her busting out Time Powers? I assume there?s more to come on this, so I?m not too wound up about how ridiculous this Secret Sibling reveal is (hello Kabuto homage), but I don?t love how hard the show is going to have to work to make this twist make sense. Doesn?t seem worth the effort?

Not that it'd likely matter to you but yeah there'd be more to come on this, after all, what kind of family Tsukuyomi and Swartz wasn't known yet at this point. And then, CMIIW, but I guess Tsukuyomi would be something poorly chosen for Japanese myth naming to (code) name the female lead who has a sibling conflict (as there's a sibling conflict between Amaterasu, Susano'o, and Tsukuyomi in Japanese myth). And Tsukuyomi is one of the male siblings too, not the female one which is Amaterasu, and then Tsukuyomi and Susano'o are the bigger scumbag ones among the siblings. They don't seem to implement Japanese myth other than her codename so perhaps Amaterasu can suit her more for her gender and role. Other than that, if this episode is praised for the action, then Tsukuyomi should get credit for stopping the huge asteroid for the others to have a chance (by her stopping time powers). Once again here, Swartz inadvertently 'helps' the heroes here by giving back the Fourze and Ginga Finally Watches so they can stop the asteroid, but this good outcome is meant to be self-serving as, if the Earth is conquered by Worms before he was born then he'd die too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The way Yaguruma?s inability to kill Kageyama exposes Geiz?z inability to deal with Zi-O is a great reminder of how much the show has evolved its cast. This episode has Geiz see himself in Yaguruma?s vow to kill Kageyama if necessary, but then it has Geiz see his real feelings in Yaguruma?s refusal to view Kageyama as a threat, no matter what. I don?t think we?re at some crisis of conscience with Geiz, though. Not any more. I think we?ve got a Geiz who realizes that he?s going to follow Sougo down whatever road he travels, even if it?s not one Geiz would?ve chosen. If there?s a beat the show wants to leave Geiz with this episode, it?s the idea of commitment, and how it can sneak up on you.

Specifically, Yaguruma's similar but different to Geiz. Yaguruma's the evil version of Geiz here, both are the Riders who are put in a situation where they have to kill their loved ones (since ep. 15 for Geiz), but Geiz is someone who albeit started morally grey, he still was mostly better than Yaguruma at that point and he became even better person due to Sougo's influence and also his inherent moral compass from his well-meaning mission, while Yaguruma's someone who due to only caring about Kageyama, he literally only cares about him and it wouldn't matter to him if the Earth is destroyed/turned into hell so they can still be together, as Earth is already a hell to him (but not necessarily to others). Yaguruma is Geiz when he's so consumed by his desires instead of the world (including Geiz's self-righteousness at the beginning), as well as how Yaguruma never moved on from Kageyama's death in the series 13 years ago, so this version of Yaguruma here is set as continuation from the end of Kabuto where he had killed Kageyama as a Worm (so he had done it unlike Geiz).