[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE EPISODE 31 - “LEAP TOWARD YOUR DREAM!”



There’s really nothing quite so satisfying as a perfect single-episode adventure in Kamen Rider. It’s a franchise full of two-parters, and the single episodes tend to be either overstuffed, or totally inconsequential. To really nail a single-episode adventure, you’ve got to find time for an emotional arc; create and resolve a problem for the hero; check in on at least one subplot; have a good fight scene, but preferably two; and feel like you’re furthering the overall series narrative. That’s incredibly hard to do in 20-odd minutes! But this episode nails it, with almost nothing to complain about.

Well, okay, one thing. This is the second episode in a row to have Thouser show up with his goons, threaten Aruto, and then get utterly and decisively demolished. The first time’s like Yay Aruto, but this one’s… it’s sort of pathetic? It definitely makes Thouser look like a chump, and I don’t know if that’s a good look for maybe the only currently-active villain on this show? Horobi’s just the devil on Jin’s shoulder, and we haven’t gotten a rampaging Humagear or vindictive Raider in a few episodes, so I don’t love the show jobbing out Thouser repeatedly.

Other than that, though, I thought this was incredibly good? The main topic, What Do Humagears Want, is a refreshing change from the last twenty-nine episodes. I liked those episodes! Quite a bit! But there’s more to explore in this narrative beyond human reactions to things. The idea of helping Humagears self-actualize, to create the conditions for them to articulate their desires and goals… I just find that a super-compelling and unique premise for a superhero show. I love that, Ark maybe aside, everything here is about viewpoints and arguments. Aruto is arguing for the chance to see how Humagears can become something new and special. Jin is arguing for a world where Humagears don’t have to define themselves in their relation to humanity. Horobi is arguing that a world with humans in it will never have a place for Humagears, so it’s better to burn it all down. Fuwa is arguing for a future without the tyranny of corporate overlords. Gai is arguing for a world that bends to his every whim, because his every whim is correct. It’s all… it’s all just folks expressing themselves?

And on the topic of expression, this whole story is about the liberating and crucial feeling of expressing yourself through art, so: instant A+ from me. The “single-episode adventure” thing is kind of a cheat, considering that this episode is mostly an epilogue to the original G-Pen two-parter, but there’s such an evolution of the previous relationship that it feels like a different story. This one’s about the G-Pen and Ishizumi’s partnership growing into a mentor/apprentice relationship, and reiterating that while Humagears offer humans labor and companionship, what humans can offer Humagears is help in realizing their potential. The human/Humagear relationship can work best when it’s using Humagear labor to let Humagears learn what drives them, where their effort is most rewarding. After that, it’s time to let them pursue their own goals, reach for their own dreams. Humagears start off like children, needing training and direction and guidelines. But eventually, you have to let them leave the nest.

Like with Jin! As much as Horobi’s fairly convincing in his claims that a human-free world is the only world that’ll be safe for Humagears, Jin decides to officially throw his lot in with Aruto. Beyond just being a beautiful validation of Aruto’s belief that respecting Humagears will lead to them respecting humans, it’s also a very fun action climax to this episode. (I know I complained about it before, but it’s still so fun to watch multiple Riders humiliate Thouser. Maybe they were right to reuse it as a finale!) There’s an agreeable friction to Aruto and Jin’s scenes together, where Jin’s militant dismissal of humanity gets tempered against Aruto’s innate decency and guileless support, while Aruto’s naturally human-centric viewpoint gets broadened by a Humagear that has zero interest in making humanity better through partnership… despite, uh, partnering with a human and helping him improve. It’s great. Took ‘em awhile to get here, but this is a Rider pairing I can get behind.

As a proof of concept for a new status quo, I thought this episode was faultless. Absolutely nailed every element you need for a successful Zero-One story, and it’s full of new twists and takes as well. High fives, all around.