[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER SABER EPISODE 17 - “THE ANCIENT MESSENGER, IS HE LIGHT OR SHADOW?”



I don’t know if it’s a legitimate complaint or just this show’s rhythms creating unreasonable expectations within me (or just straight-up Stockholm Syndrome), but… a little surprised at this episode’s more considered pacing?

After last episode’s massive battle between Saber and the Sword of Logos, everyone retreats to their corners to lick their wounds and brood over this uncomfortable new dynamic. Touma and Mei are helping Yuri acclimate to the world after a millennium's absence, while the Sword of Logos swordsmen are taking orders from their totally on-the-level boss in a darkened chamber at the South Pole. (That is, hysterically, the exact same set from the Northern Base, but with a dearth of furniture and an abundance of foreboding atmosphere.) There’s a cloud hanging over both camps this episode, which is a level of parity that I sort of wasn’t expecting? Rintaro, especially, is adamant that while he may not believe Touma’s claims about the SoL, he also doesn’t believe the SoL’s claims about Touma. (Basically, everyone but Ren are like Pump The Brakes, while Ren is screaming like a lunatic the entire time.) It makes the situation a lot more nebulous, as the show tries to make this a situation where – Reika aside, probably – everyone’s trying to operate in good faith, despite being at opposing positions.

But! That’s, like, one scene. This episode spends way more time on integrating Yuri’s ancient swordsman into the ranks, as well as rolling out its new Monster of the Week template. One of those is a good use of time! One of those is not!

Yuri is the big success, which is probably no surprise. His combination of inquisitive nature and unwavering sense of righteousness make for a fun story to run alongside Touma’s overflowing empathy and current ethical confusion. Yuri’s a guy that doesn’t understand the world, but is certain his old ways don’t need reexamination. Bubble tea’s interesting to him! Sacrificing humans to stave off Megid schemes is less interesting to him.

It’s like the thing about him not liking the comic book hero. (Which, I’ve seen Figuarts, I know where that gag is going.) He’s all about stories as a way to confirm his own morality, not as a way to widen his perspective. When something challenges his preconceived notions, he disregards the new information as somewhere between Hilarious and Heresy. That’s going to put him into conflict with Touma during the best of times, but it’s certainly going to cause tension when Touma’s juggling fractured friendships and newly-victimized humans.

The gimmick of humans being turned into Megids… eh. I like that they’re not just monsters to be detonated, and that there’s more complicated fighting because of it, but this isn’t a story that’s telling me anything about Yuki’s hopes or dreams or fears or whatever. This isn’t the Ridewatches of Zi-O or the mid-season emotional breakdowns of the Humagears on Zero-One; this is just some unlucky bystander getting forcibly turned into a monster. Beyond the hapless victim being someone Touma and Mei know, there’s really nothing special to this change in the routine. Touma wants to save Yuki, but Touma would want to save anyone. It doesn’t really matter who the victim is, which feels like a waste of potential storytelling avenues. Hopefully that gets better in the future.

Even though I definitely wanted to spend more time on the SoL/Touma conflict (why didn’t they just wait at the bookshop and ambush him there?), I really like the smaller dynamic of Touma, Mei, and Yuri. They make for a fun, almost Day 1 version of the cast. It’s charming, even if it maybe needed to be a bit more intense. Can’t believe I’m ragging on this show for not moving faster! There’s no pleasing Kamen Rider fans!

—

EVERY LITTLE MEANS TRUST



Mei couldn’t deal with this right now.

The last few hours had been insane. She and Touma had been out to do some light shopping for a housecleaning party she was definitely going to slack off on – she’d already devised a pretty slick scheme to trick Rintaro into doing her share of the cleaning as a gift, letting him experience the wonders of Homo Sapiens’ rituals first-hand – before it all fell apart. They were attacked by their friends, branded traitors, and barely survived. It was only the intervention of a man named Yuri, who turned into a sword, that they were able to escape.

After all that, they needed to hunker down and figure things out. Touma had suggested the bookstore, but Mei was concerned that the Sword of Logos doorway inside the shop might be too dangerous to head straight for. Mei had suggested the magazine offices, but Touma was afraid of anyone else being put in danger because of him. (There had been a few minutes of Touma’s verbal self-flagellation in the aftermath of Yuri’s arrival, where Touma had berated himself for Mei’s near-miss from Kenzan’s blades, but Mei put a stop to that quickly. She was going to be by Touma’s side throughout this entire adventure, and the consequences were for her and her alone to deal with.) While Mei was stumped for another location, Touma thought of one last place to rest.

“Well, hello there, Miss Mei,” Nachi said as she entered the building’s lobby.

Dammit.

She’d gotten briefly separated from Touma in the battle’s aftermath, trying to follow Yuri before he vanished. Touma was closer to Mochizuki Tower, so he’d gotten to the building first. She’d hoped they’d get there at the same time, so she could avoid the awkward conversation with Nachi that she knew was coming. No such luck.

“Hey, Nachi,” she said with a fake smile. She kept moving through the lobby. “Touma’s just up on the roof, right? I’ll just–”

“Whoa, hey, missy! Slow down a little!” Nachi moved from his chair to the stairwell door, and held it shut as Mei pressed on the bar. “We’ve gotta have a little chat, before you head up and see your friend.”

“Chat?” Mei was a little surprised at his tone. Nachi had previously been warm and genial. Now he was… Mei didn’t think she’d like where this went. “Chat about what?”

“Well… golly, this is tough to say. You know that me and the boys think the world of you, after them eclairs you picked up for us, and that Touma fella’s a real good joe.” Nachi was scratching the back of his head, and was looking more at the floor than Mei’s face. “It’s just… the Sword of Logos says who can and can’t use the Brooding Roof, what with their lease and all, and they let us know that Touma’s been declared a traitor from the guild, and you’re his Plus 1, and…”

“Oh! Uh…” Mei was backing up slightly, ready to make for the lobby’s door. Was Nachi going to turn them in? Should she run?

Nachi could see the panic rising on her face. “Now, I ain’t told anyone y’all are here,” he said with his hands raised, voice calm and even. “I figure what’s between you and them is between you and them. They wanna do something about any unapproved activities? That’s none of my business, and it ain’t what I get paid for. I work for the building, not them. The Sword of Logos is a bunch of people, and – beyond doing my job on their behalf – I get to decide how I treat those people.”

“Wow. Okay. Wh– what are you saying exactly?” Mei hoped this was a good sign, but with Nachi’s typical introspective flourishes, she wasn’t 100% sure what he was telling her.

“Well, I’m saying that your friend Touma’s up on the roof, and y’all were never here,” Nachi said with a conspiratorial wink. “Now go cheer that tall fella up some.”