[cosmicrescend0]

It's Episode 44!

-Hey so like. I get why it's happening (middle and youngest siblings are commonly closer to each other, the family being torn apart is probably The Worst for the youngest sibling) but like. anyone else get, uh, Bad Vibes from Sakura's involvement with the whole rouge Daiji plotline? Like, it kinda feels like the someone writing (almost) forgot Sakura's a Rider when it comes to these scenes and not the typical non-Rider heroine. (And not to mention, Lovekov is especially sensitive to when Sakura falters/has a weak will, and yet we didn't get anything from her either from this arc) Like idk man, the show literally threw her off a bridge this episode in order to resolve Daiji's whole thing without her, and she's the only member of the family whom Daiji doesn't really get a real moment with Sakura for this arc (he's obssessed with taking down Ikki, we had the whole Destream ep ending, this episode he spefically wanted to say goodbye to Yukimi before contracting with Gifu). It's a little weird to me.

-Gifu actually speaks! After all this time of teasing and hinting what Gifu's motive might be, it's.........not that particularly interesting, nor reflects upon any of the themes is an interesting way? Gifu eats the energy that makes up demons, so Earth is like one big farm to him. However, humanity's growing malice will eventually lead them to self-destructing, so Giff plans to *squints* re-sturcture things so that humans do nothing but mass-birth demons all day, while the inheritors of his genes will have the privledge to ruling the earth alongside him. (Do note that he does bring up the "humanity will mass-produce demons" thing immediately after "return humanity to nothingness, save for the Igarashi family". How will that giant human farm thing work out- Oh. I don't think I want to talk about this anymore!)

-Junya Komatsu continues to be one of the best actors in the show, change my mind. As iconic as it was, Hiromi swearing away his catchphrase is real good. He can't just scarifice himself for justice, because there's people here that need him! So no more "laying down one's life", we're "devoting one's life" now! I will say I was pretty anxious about the execution of slapping a belt on Hiromi again, but ngl this was decent.

-........Ok. I'll talk about Daiji's stuff, I guess. So, to summarize things post Kage v Daiji, Kagerou was getting weaker, so it's time for one last duel with Daiji, in which he departs some thoughts for Daiji ("Stop being so weak-willed. Become so resolute in your ideals to the point of viciousness, then strike!....or something like that.) Holy Live is born, now roll the "Holy Live Jobbing Complication" in which Daiji sticking harder to his ideals (in a real rash manner) isn't working! It actually gets people hurt! (see: Akemi, the dozens of folks earsed by Gifu during the airship crash) So, thinking that it'd just be better to submit to Gifu than cause more carnage for everyone. But....that isn't the right answer, either! But he can't go back, because that'd be betraying Kagerou's "final" lesson to him (or something like that!) So he we are, 7 billion sibling fights + two neat dad fights later, Daiji.....*recongizes* that he's fucked up and done horrid shit, he wants to change his ways, but doesn't know if he can (or at least, doesn't know how without making Kagerou's "scarifice" in vain) But dont worry lol, Daiji recongizing what a ridiclously messy human being he is, and actually admitting He needs Help, is what brings Kagerou back. Because recongizing and facing your past/flaws is the only way you'll be able to move forward.

-Does this Daiji's arc work for me, now that's it's over? Eh...It's fine enough? Like a lot of things in Revice, it's a interesting idea with undercooked bits and frustrating execution here and there. However, considering the production notes for this episode revealed that Evilytylive wasnt planned and their arc was initally supposed to end at the Kage v Daiji fight before the production team realized how that kinda goes aganist the themes of the work, it's at least a better ending than simply leaving things there at Episode 26? (Idk how late into the show they changed that, but they mentioned it gave the planning team a rough time so probably a little later than a story change that influences toys n shit like this would be?)

-Anyway, cool fight to seal Gifu, the family's happy, Kagerou gets to hang with the fam, everyone's happy, good ending! (Please ignore the very obvious tease at Olteca's return, Masumi dying, and the very ominous teaser paired with the fact that we've still got a confirmed 6 episodes to go!)