[DreamSword]

I've always been of the opinion that, with how they're structured, W's' two-parters are better treated and viewed one big episode, rather than two separate ones. And rewatching episode 2 tonight only reminded me as to why I felt that way. Because really, I almost feel like episode 2 makes for a better introduction than the first one does, though both are necessary to grasp the entirety of what W is going for.

The first episode is primary about introducing you the world that is Futo, while this one is much more about showcasing the dynamics, traits, and interplay between the characters. Which is much more up my alley.

And thankfully, in all of that, our two leads in Philip and Shotaro take center stage here, with Akiko getting far less focus and is much less annoying as a result. The dramatic spat between Philip and Shotaro not only makes sense in context, but showcases their primary traits and functions. Philip is the brains; Primarily using logic and probabilities without much in the way of tact. Whereas Shotaro, despite him trying to emulate the man he admired, is the heart. He's got alot more emotional intelligence than Philip does, though that often gets him into acting what many would see as rather naiive. The two both contrast and compliment eachother perfectly, to the point that they both form a big W with their arms when they Henshin.

Ontop of that, the action this time around is alot more fun. All of the stuff with the T-Rex Dopant is way more involved than the Magma one. From Shotaro smartly utilizing his tech to outsmart a stronger opponent, to the chase sequence across town, to the really cool roar effect on the T-Rex itself, the episode is very high energy for most of it, making it alot more exciting and engaging. Especially when coupled with the character stuff mentioned above. We also get to see the Heat and Metal Memories! Even if Metal doesn't get to do too much other than utilize the Memory Break for HeatMetal.

The overarching plot with the Gaia Memories gets its foundation here too, and I always dug how it was a very obvious parallel to drugs.

I really do wish the show had aired as 40-minute episodes instead of the standard 20. The show is already an affectionate parody of Detective Serials, so why not lean into that even more? Not like kids shows haven't done that before. But, even with the format we got, I still found alot to enjoy regardless.