[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 45 - “NEVERENDING NIGHTMARE, PROTECTORS AND THOSE THEY PROTECT”



Late! Tired! Revice!

I did not love this episode, despite a massive amount of Lovekov. It immediately undoes the end of 44 in a way that makes Daiji’s heroic plan seem obviously flawed and insufficient – Let’s Throw The Guy Who Lived In A Portal Into A Portal To Stop Him – while renewing Giff’s onslaught via old suits and a little too much action. There’s not really a ton of story in this episode, and what’s here is left slightly too undercooked for me.

Beyond the general housekeeping of an epilogue to last episode’s definitely absolute victory, and Olteca’s reappearance that goes nowhere, we’re left with Ikki’s prophetic misgivings, and a slim story about protection.

I mean, I’m for sure interested in this story. It’s a theme that spins nicely off of Sakura’s desire for strength and need to defend the helpless, while looping in underserved characters like Tamaki and Lovekov. I don’t know if I’m that into this story happening with only six episodes left, though? It’s a bizarre time to boost up Lovekov and Tamaki, even if it’s fairly clear that this story is more about Sakura’s emotional endgame instead of either of her sidekicks. It just feels weird, like we’ve blown past the actual ending of the show, but here’s some V-Cin-esque exploration of the marketable supporting cast.

Still! Despite the incongruity of Lovekov’s In Danger, I think it’s fun to play around with the frustrations of protecting people who won’t stop putting themselves in danger, and the frustrations of those being protected by people who won’t stop putting themselves in danger. In much the same way that Daiji’s story concluded when he was brave enough to admit his mistakes and ask for help, we’re clearly in a story where Sakura needs to let go of the reins a little bit, and Tamaki needs to be okay with letting people care for him. This is one of those stories where it feels like all of that is going to be in Part 2, though, because Part 1 is just raising a question and surrounding it with fight scenes.

And the fight scenes… they’re okay? It’s not my favorite mode, the endgame stuff where it’s swarms of enemies (literally, in this case) and a boss that just no-sells everything. It’s all old suits, and nothing phases Giff, and the entire fight just feels like we’re stalling for time. It’s frustrating to watch, because you know that it doesn’t matter. It’s, again, not my fave!

Which is sort of my main thought on this episode. There’s a concept in here I like, but it’s crowded out by a bunch of disconnected subplots (George going to his Daddy’s grave!) and a big, irrelevant fight scene. Hopefully I’ll find more to like in the concluding chapter! Or, at the very least, I should be more awake!