[Sh Ranger]

I'll have something to say about that Soreo scene when we get to the next/last episode.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I'm not sure I like this story better than Gai's? Horobi's depression and derangement has already had more severe costs than Gai's, so I'm not super inclined to feel pity for the guy. I'd love for him to find some self-awareness and regret for his actions, like Gai (well, regret anyway), but until that happens I'm not gonna be real He's Been Through A Lot about our homicidal/genocidal purple Rider.

I recall you weren't super inclined to feel pity for Kusakabe Souji either, so I guess this is another "agree to disagree" type of situation here?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

I'd agree with Horobi's complexity, though his character journey starts really late in the series, and that he had tragic aspects like being enslaved by Ark for 12 years, but claiming to depict a villain as something to hate/pity/etc. is still subjective. Actually, villains are often the most well-liked characters, regardless of how depraved (actually, KR's one of the franchises where I've actually seen widespread hate for someone depraved like Micchy or Gai-pre ep. 38), because they are seen as cool, charismatic, plot-movers, or sufficient power fantasy (not only being strong, but also be wild and free with those), o̶r̶ ̶b̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶s̶e̶x̶y̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶A̶z̶u̶ ̶(̶H̶o̶r̶o̶b̶i̶'̶s̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶a̶b̶l̶y̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶-̶l̶o̶o̶k̶i̶n̶g̶,̶ ̶a̶c̶k̶n̶o̶w̶l̶e̶d̶g̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶m̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶Z̶e̶r̶o̶-̶O̶n̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶o̶)̶. So yeah... how much hate someone get doesn't determine their heinousness (G̶a̶i̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶i̶m̶a̶g̶e̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶-̶e̶p̶.̶ ̶3̶8̶). Annoying characters are those that tend to be hated the most, and heroes too can be viewed in lower regard to the villains (annoying also heavily depends, like even being boring or 'weak' can also count). If there'd be a dislike for Horobi, it'd more because of him being dull and wooden, instead of his actions.

You're right that depiction is subjective, so I probably should've phrased it better. Sorry about that. However, writers usually intend to depict characters in a certain way and expect how viewers will react to that. I feel like this was Takahashi's intention for Horobi here, like how Horobi feels in his heart that his actions are wrong but is too afraid to admit it to himself. While it worked for me, I totally respect that some people might feel reluctant to pity him after he killed Izu. Like, you mentioned Mitsuzane, who Haganeya tried to depict in that way by essentially changing his entire personality to accommodate a change in morality and I didn't buy that at all, so I've been in the opposite position as well. Horobi still has a heart, which means he has the potential to see the error in his ways and I want to believe in that heart. Ultimately, it's each viewer's opinion that counts, not the writer's intention.