[AkibaSilver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

How is Ace setting up Keiva to get a ninja buckle different from General Patton driving soldiers on a night attack through a minefield? And that's the problem with the whole show. It does not have the light that was in Ryuki, Fayze, Gaim, and even the Amazons. There is no one who will show that the world can be better.

You'd have a point if there hadn't been 30 odd episodes of character development since then of Ace learning he can have faith in Keiwa and Neon (and even, to a lesser extent, Michinaga) and of him turning from a relentless hunt for his mother into someone who is trying to make the world a better place. Michinaga and Keiwa literally signed up to be Riders again not for a prize, but to protect people frm the remaining Jyamato.

I disagree that just because no-one on the show is some idealised hero, it somehoe lacks some intangible ill-defined "light" that means it's evil? The characters are flawed, yes, but they're not cackling villains. They're realistic, they fight for their own goals, and most of their issues come from the fact that they're often risking their lives for a future game show Squid Game style, and that's gonna fuck you up. Keiwa becoming a grief-stricken murderer? Damn, wonder why the kid who's done nothing but lose people fromhis very first DGP outing and constantly feels outclassed by everyone else might have a depressive episode from that.