[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER W EPISODE 2 - ?W?S SEARCH: THE ONE WHO MAKES THE CITY CRY?

Like, the mystery here is? I don?t know that it plays fair with the audience? Marina ends up being the T-Rex Dopant due more to the conservation of cast -slash- noir femme fatale tropes, than due to anything we learned in the previous episode. We only find out that she was another former Windscale employee after Shotaro figures out she?s the T-Rex Dopant, which feels sort of crucial to guessing she?s the culprit? And her whole plan depends on knowing that Shotaro is Double, which is definitely not common knowledge at this point in the show? It?s a mystery where the only other named character is the killer, and for reasons that are all but invented for the finale. It sort of works, because Shotaro?s reaction sells the effect, but it?s not a great puzzle to solve.

Marina mourning for Togawa death reveals Shotaro's motivation that he doesn't want for anyone to cry and tries to prevent it happening and lamenting about his failure to Marina, while reminiscing their childhood. This establishes Shotaro's attempt to be hardboiled fails miserably, as discussed by his informant "Watcherman", due to his emotional true self, but it's a sign of his altruism. After escaping Shotaro finds a keyword in Windscale. Philip uses the new keywords to suspect Marina as the killer, with Shotaro noting that she also had grudge against Windscale with her boyfriend, but manipulates Shotaro into killing him as Marina attacks weakened Togawa as T-Rex after he's beaten. By this, I had kinda hilarious thinking that, these cases can be solved just by using Google. Philip's main advantage is him being search engine, which is... universal for people now!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The reveal doesn?t even really land for me, because there?s not much to her after she goes Full CG Monster. She?s a raving lunatic, and then she completely disappears from the story so a CG Double can grapple with a CG dinosaur. The T-Rex Dopant suit is not going to be in any monster hall of fame ? it looks like an upscaled hand-puppet, which is the nicest way I can describe it ? but at least it allows for a physical confrontation. The big ol? metal monster version is? I just can?t ever care about that type of fight scene. Too? I don?t know, too sterile? It?s clean in the exact way that I want toku action to be messy. Not a fan!

Shotaro shows off his skills outside Rider by using Bat Shot camera and Stag Phone to electroute the Dopant, though it escapes again. I think Metal Branding, W's finisher attack as HeatMetal, is a really bland attack, just smacking the opponent with burning Metal Shaft (that I think should be standard attack of the form).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The character work is still strong, though, which helps the episode manage to be an overall enjoyable watch. (Not a success, exactly, but not a drag to get through.) There?s Philip and Shotaro fighting about Shotaro?s inability to embrace his empathy and weakness, which is ? if memory serves ? going to be something of a recurring bit in this series. It?s a neat other half to Akiko?s frustration with Shotaro, where his need to be seen as someone else risks missing what?s worthwhile about himself. He?s a guy that wants to be seen as tough, but his softness is why both Akiko and Philip rush to his aid.

True to Shotaro's goal, he's mad by Marina making the whole city cry with her crimes here (also destroying buildings) and had contacted the authorities, but still tries to be lenient by just urging for Marina to turn herself in, but as someone with superpowers, Marina would make use for it to try to prevent herself being captured by the cops (only having human level equipment), and her deterioriating sanity to resort to eat Shotaro due to her love. True that Shotaro's approach does get Marina trying to get his sympathy by telling her sob story about the Windscale manager taking credit of her work and disposing her, but still, Philip being all about the knowledge exhibits thinking preference against feelings, relying on hard logic, but it still turns him cold and pragmatic by resorting to do what's "necessary" (these types are morally questionable).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The punch he throws at Philip, though? kinda not sure on that one? Philip literally shrugs it off, and the show treats it as A Manly Disagreement, but it?s still sort of a big deal that the show?s not really willing to confront. Philip isn?t being a dick to Shotaro ? Philip is psychologically unable to see the world the same way Shotaro does, and is trying to navigate their friendship the best way he can. (Dude even shows up at the end to make things right after getting punched in the face!) It?s a cruel thing Shotaro does, not just an impetuous or ill-considered thing. I?d certainly love to see the show treat Philip?s condition more sensitively, but I also remembered that I?m watching a Toei superhero show from 2009, so I?ll try to keep some perspective.

Making things right means he was wrong before. It's more prevalent in characters like secondary Riders, but Philip is quite similar here to not only urge Shotaro to finish off Marina (where Shotaro believes in her and wants to reason), but also mocking him as halfboiled for not doing what's "necessary" (for other series, "naive" is often the word used for this). The type of character to mock morality viewing it as softness/weakness, and wants to prevent those people from doing what's right, as in "corrupting" them to fit their "superior" worldview, even Akiko (who usually holds Philip in higher regard) sides with Shotaro here. Him not understanding why Shotaro hit him is a sign of him learning about emotions more though, meaning Shotaro rubs off on him.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

DIE-A MEMORIES

-Show is super-duper into all of Double?s toyetic gadgets! It?ll be a constant presence through the first half of Heisei Phase 2, and it never did anything for me. (Fourze? not looking forward to those Happy Meal toys!) I find it a little cluttered, as an aesthetic. There?s the superhero, and the toy accessories, and the multi-change bike? I don?t know, feels a little busy for one episode.

I think it's a constant presence up until now, tbh. And the jingles get louder and louder. It doesn't sit well with me either to have those toy accessories being depicted as something deadly. I mean in particular for swords that is meant to cut up stuff, for others, well, yeah, blunt things can still be deadly behind the force of Kamen Rider. But it seems to be made like that to make the show tamer for kids, along with how monsters now typically don't actually kill civilians. Thought it'd be what you like as well for the toys for phase 2, with phase 1 having less presence for it.