[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 24 - “DOCTOR KARIZAKI RETURNS! OPERATION INVERSION!”

Sort of a boring episode, despite an emotional and warm Ikki/Vice main plot. As always, the character-based elements shine, but there’s just too much weird Series Arc stuff to address in this episode, and it distracts from a core premise that’s decently enjoyable.

Revice had some named characters that apparently served as the main villains (Deadman's higher ups) right-hand (wo)man, but all of them except the main trio are rather killed quickly after their appearence, be it Haitani, Kudo, Chameleon, Chigusa... and now Kanae too met her end. Of course bodycounts will happen more often and easier with Olteca's Giftarian schemes along with him becoming more and more heartless (figuratively, not literally like Genta). Kanae apparently felt overjoyed to become Olteca's sacrifice unlike Chigusa, as seen before in her enthusiasm to help Olteca out, or that it may show the side effect of someone being doctrinated on a cult to only reassure her decisions by joining the cult. This is done to serve Aguilera's minor role in this episode, that even evil has standards in her being appalled by Olteca's cutthroatness. This does show that Olteca is the worse one between the 2, but Aguilera's still a lesser evil as previously she also had no problem of stamping people, though not Giftarian schemes where it eats up the stamped victim.

Tamaki just served as the comic relief again here (more overt), and he seemingly behaved civil with the others too such as attempting to return a customer's purse, but earning a rebuff from Sakura by entering the woman section. That'd be quite unreasonable response from her even if Tamaki is clumsy (as per the usual slapstick gag ._.), but then again it's only due to her Tamaki can still go on. Tamaki's main problem is his lack of social skills as usual, with his forced smile being creepy instead as Daiji chastised him of. This is just like when Julio infiltrated Sakura's dojo as Sakura and Hikaru talked about her family trips, his social problem didn't come from how he's a monster trying to infiltrate a human life, but from him being a withdrawn bullying victim, expected to be socially-awkward. And this further shows Daiji's professional and stern personality, the most serious among the Igarashis (also against the rowdy Vice in Happy Spa). Other than that Daiji's only shown dealing with Kagerou's influence, nothing more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s a conclusion, of sorts, to the dilemma of Ikki and Vice switching places. The fun twist is that George has figured out how to easily and quickly reverse the process… but Vice doesn’t trust George enough to try it. I like that we’re not in a story where the solution is inherently dangerous, or difficult, or mysterious. It’s just that the solution is coming from George, and absolutely no one should trust George right now. George was responsible for Hiromi’s deteriorating condition! George jumped at the chance to do some mad science on the Demons Driver for Olteca’s possible benefit! George is probably slightly more clued-in than the rest of the cast about what Akaishi’s up to! George is a morally bankrupt mad scientist – no one should trust him!

George is morally bankrupt... yet he's a Kamen Rider fan (who also mocks heroism before in Hiromi). Previously, George was the one to held a petty grudge against Vice due to him mocking his Jackal Genome, and Vice got shafted several times for that. Now, the feud between them (if George also still isn't over it) is mutual. A demon that switched places with humans isn't a good idea as shown here with Ikki starving; thus Vice will die if Ikki dies from that. The reveal is both comedic (mundane problem) but also carries some stakes. This is another scenario of Vice having to help Ikki to save himself, but here, it's now clear Vice genuinely cares about Ikki rather than doing it only out of necessity (including on how he'd fight for good before), or being like Kagerou before to save someone for his own benefit, shown in him understandably distrusting George out of fear of what can happen to Ikki if he misplaced his trust like Hiromi. And of course, Vice immediately conveys his concern right away here and though he quite delays the problem with his mistrust, the others can deal with it better like Ikki's new contract.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

But Ikki does (for, uh, reasons; it’s never really stated or implied why Ikki trusts George, beyond there not really being any other options), and Vice trusts Ikki, so we get Ikki back. It’s a cute story about how much trust Ikki and Vice have in each other now, but it never really rises above the level of Cute. There’s nothing here we didn’t already know, and no new shades to the Ikki/Vice partnership. It’s sweet, and well-acted, but still fairly minor in its scope and accomplishment.

Other than his clear concern for Ikki though, this shows an opposite scenario of characters in KR who'd keep going along with the manipulatior's (villainous or morally dubious characters) schemes, willingly turning themselves into their "pawns" as it'd still gave them advantages such as power ups to help others, such as Kouta in Gaim (against Sagara or such), where actually as shown here, it wouldn't really create a better outcome if they dodged the shady figure and their schemes, Vice is getting nowhere from that as Sakura pointed out, it'd be too late, for those who think characters who went along with the manipulators as idiots. As Ikki stated here, there are no other ways than to believe in shady figure like George as the hard fact is, he's the only path to fix their problems as a brilliant scientist (with another Karizaki being the one to be able to make Rolling ViStamp, as George deduced about his father surviving). Indeed it further shows on how scientists are almost automatic MVP (to the groups they're in) regardless of their morals (or just roles, like various mad scientists), as they can generally create almost anything, and that it'd be unfair to be hard on other 'normal' characters who didn't contribute nearly as much due to them not being scientists, as Ikki summed up that George's the main reason they can do everything they did until now, from helping others to getting to know each other, despite Ikki too understandably condemning George for his own reasons.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Meanwhile, there’re what seemed like six million scenes of the overlapping Olteca/Giff/Fenix/Daiji/Weekend struggle to address, and they all felt like they were in a completely different, less compelling version of this show.

It’s too much, too many moving pieces. If we only had to deal with two of those, I’d pick Daiji’s single scene of pushing back Kagerou, and maybe Olteca scheming to upgrade the Demons Driver. But we get those AND multiple scenes with Weekend AND a couple sequences about Giff (including more hints about Dad Igarishi’s connection) AND a bit with Aguilera that goes absolutely nowhere… it’s too much for two episodes, let alone this single installment. As a result, nothing feels like it moves ahead (the Demons Driver just Nopes out at the end!) and the main plot feels like it gets 75% of the space it actually needed to be great. It’s a messy episode, and an unfulfilling one as well.

Other than that, it happened! Olteca and George! 2 of the characters I'd want for the series to meet, and it didn't disappoint. I guess other than (from what I think), some similarity between George and Aguilera before at the earlier part of the series (at Aguilera's reign), there'd be also some similarity between those 2, as the geniuses of their respective faction (Fenix and Deadman) for starters, but other than that both are also cool-headed at dire situations (major difference between them is George normally acts eccentric and childish though), but are also cutthroat and sneaky, while displaying sinister demeanor at times (Olteca's much more severe though at this). It'd start with the 2 being on "physical" bout, though George held his own as a non-average scientist, Olteca managed to capture him (he can still teleport others...).

Then it'd be testing both of their wits as the geniuses in their faction, with both being able to come to an agreement, and for rather similar reason in both wanting to see the power (Olteca)/scientific (George) potential of the Demons Driver and Rolling ViStamp respectively, even plotting to pit both of those Riders together by letting their location be told. This also further shows that George only cares about furthering his research, he'd have no qualms teaming up with the worst. Though turns out that even Olteca isn't Demons Driver, or as for now, Bael's first choice with it leaving the Driver, it shows that George did apparently improve the Driver, confirming Olteca's suspicion of George tricking him (and thus won't go through his schemes) wrong, George is really a bastard despite his earlier bath with Genta. At the end too George pulls a Kuroto, a highly sociopathic character with a god complex, by only boasting about his brilliance as Ikki and Vice switched position (or so was thought).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

You weren't suspicious of them before, with their hidden base at the end of spooky stairs, or their weird cult robes, or their whole vibe? You are a very trusting Revice watcher!

Only because IMO it's little to know about Weekend at that time, and it's more of the Ushijimas as individuals. But now it's the first appearence of Masumi in the series proper which I read was already the one behind the ViStamps (thought he was deceased), and him being the leader of the organization.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Wish this one landed better for me! I think most of the elements of this episode had promise, but the show needs to pare them down to just two or three at a time. At least this episode had a bunch of cute Lovekov stuff, though?

Regarding Weekend, now Sakura has a new suspicion on Hikaru, with Tasuke apparently not being Hikaru's real dad. Being interrupted by George though, also for dad-related topics. More daddy issues! Sakura's all about standing up to Ikki here by contronting the Weekend leader, now full name revealed as Masumi Karizaki, who is set on helping Ikki too, as well as giving some "lesson" on Sakura to learn from the past, likely from his 'malfunctioning' plan that the Rolling ViStamp instead switched Vice and Ikki around. Based on the extent Masumi is going to take to help Ikki, by suppressing demons despite knowing how Ikki and Vice are buddies now, Masumi is shown to have a racism towards demons, no matter who they're (similar to characters like Mach towards all Roidmudes). Masumi isn't learning from the past the best way here, from how the original ViStamp purpose instead can turn the inner demons a nuisance or a threat, but Masumi goes too far on the extreme direction to "help Ikki" by eliminating Vice for good due to how he's a demon, which still malfunctioned as both Ikki and Vice share the same body now. Other than that, Sakura is paired with Vice in this episode, clashing in their approach to save Ikki, with Ikki as the mediator, as usual with Sakura being a harsh type (more than Daiji in this episode) when things don't go her way.

Previously, Ayaka Imoto (Sakura's actress) got tested positive for Coronavirus at that time. Regarding Sakura against George, she helped him when a Giftarian attacked him, so that can give me a vibe that her harshly rebuffing George at the beginning was more of her irrational harsh reactions, despite that George is obnoxious as usual. And poor Lovekov though for falling while trying to catch up... luckily she seems to be able to survive falls (as a plushie) thus Jeanne won't be killed. In her and Ikki's team up against Olteca, Lovekov is 'stamped' by Jeanne in a bad way of it being jumped over for her Rider Kick, creating marks in her head. Other than that, there are other Jack Revice's abilities as shown by Ikki, using paint strokes to create elemental attacks, so Jack Revice is quite a versatile form.