[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

The first episode of this aired around the same time that the uncomfortably horny Kamen Rider W cartoon started airing and I remember feeling that it was really surreal going from animated Akiko to 12-years-older real life Akiko. Fun, though. My stance on Akiko mellowed a lot over the years and I'm actually really fond of her now (this is thanks in no small part to Kamen Rider having introduced several comic relief characters that were far more intolerable).

I weirdly find Akiko to be more competent and compelling as a married character, despite her relationship with Terui to be the most hilariously implied and handwaved romantic subplot in anything, ever. The two of them had zero chemistry, and Akiko comes off like -- and is treated like! -- a pre-teen with a crush, instead of an adult woman in a consensual relationship with an adult man. As she's gotten slightly older, and the various Terui Legend Rider appearances have built her up to be the boss in their marriage, I feel like I get her more? She's grown into the role she was jokingly given in W, that of the person who wrangles Kamen Riders into something approaching an effective force for good.

Long story short, I think this is maybe the first piece of content where I thought Akiko was a benefit, rather than a hindrance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

As for the special itself? all I?ll talk about for now is the theme song, Riot in Bloom. It?s probably one of the best parts of the special.

Yeah, Riot in Bloom is pretty great! The performance by Hana's actress over the end credits feels a little distracted and tentative, but the song is very fun!