[cosmicrescend0]

I wouldn't go as far as to say it's the worst episode of Revice, (the VA eps exist lol), but uh. definitely on the bottom row. Let's get into it.

-The bit with Hana and Sakura hanging out was cute, but kinda a stark reminder that at this point Tamaki and Hikaru just exist to follow behind their respective girls like a pair of lost puppies, oof! I'm not sure what theyre trying to imply sbout how Hikaru feels about Sakura with him adamantly declaring he's her bodyguard when we all know the girl can take care of herself quite fine (esp with her new weapon!), but I don't particularly like where that might lead.

-I'd never thought I'd say this in a billion years but like. The Vice segment...might've been the 2nd most engaging part of the episode???? Of course, 90% of me saying this is purely because of the sheer potenial that lies within the conflict between Vail and Vice, and the matter of "a devil's pride", and making him confront the idea of Ikki discarding him someday. To me, it's a far better "last minute emotional dillema for our heroes to confront pre/during endgame" concept than "ooga booga what if we did that one Den-O plot but like, Worse!" I mean, it's been set up well-after all, Daiji has managed to "discard" Kagerou, so who's to say Ikki won't do the same to him? Really hope they don't drop the ball on this idea.

-Speaking of "dropping the ball", and Daiji, um.......? There's (probably) something to be said about Daiji becoming more....implusive/rash after Holy Live that ties into Kagerou's wishes for him to become more "cruel" mixed with his own desire to combat his feelings of inferiority/weakness...but i cant tell if it's an intentional setup/foreshadowing for an eventual triumph/realization for him or just like. the writers just like to see him lose????

(Anyway, As someone who's always thought the core conflict of Kagerou/Daiji centered around the dangers unhealthy emotional suppression more than anything else, there are a lot of new angles I can take that theory with Daiji's newfound explosive behavior after Kagerou's "death", but I want to see more of what they want to do with the kid before expanding on it.)


-Finally, uh. The Fenix segment. Is it bad I don't give a damn about any of it??? Like I am completely tuned out on whatever the fuck The Director wants to do. He's such a dull villian for me (and sorry dude, becoming 15% more hammy this episode doesn't help!) that the last bit of this episode felt like an unecessary slog. Vail just feels like a better "final boss" in terms of themes and whatnot, so I hope he somehow pulls the rug under both Gifu and the Director to do so.