[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Unfortunately, love and abusive psychopathy are not mutually exclusive. I believe Dente when he claims that Bouche loved his family, but it's just that the way he expressed that love was twisted, for all the reasons that Shouma called him out. Even a Mary Sue hero like Tendo would deny Hiyori's freedom to protect her from the 1999 Worms, until he thankfully saw the error of his ways. Love can make people do stupid things, so Bouche acting irrationally towards his loved ones is like the whole point.

Well, Tendou is a mary sue because of his hypercompetence and invincibility, rather than righteousness/moral reason. Tendou is of course, more morally questionable/anti-heroic than most of the main Riders, so he's more expected to do that kind of decision of denying Hiyori's freedom, rather than the imperfect, but morally pure other main Riders. Of course, him being a mary sue means no one can stand up to him when he makes that decision.

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Jeep and Theta are hypocrites here for expecting special treatment as Lango's family, even though they literally tried to murder their little bro last week. Lango seems like he only thinks of his younger siblings as company assets and would easily replace them if it benefits Stomach, but at least he's honest about it. Shouma's exile was only the start, so this is a useful warning to the twins that they should also be careful of provoking Lango if they repeatedly fail to meet his standard.

Obviously they'd expect that, as they aren't humans unlike Shoma (half), and what's known is that the Stomach family holds humans in disdain. You'd seem to hold Lango in higher regard here, but it seems that Siita and Jiip would be what's relatively more 'sympathetic' here, as it'd likely show they can be potential victims to Lango's higher position and oppressor.

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

And now Shouma overcomes his own hypocrisy here after remembering that Bouche also caused sadness for the sake of protecting others. He learns that happiness is what makes life worth protecting, so even if it puts others in danger of the Granutes, he'll bring them happiness and when the Granutes appear, that's what Gavv is for.

Causing sadness for their own 'good' is no excuse, been saying this from previous series way starting from Revice, and it seems that not the actual series, but the fanbase often excuse this, for the cooler asshole characters, like insisting that they're only that way to drive people away and not make them sad (e.g. over their departure), like the discussion about Tsukasa before in some previous Gavv episode, or anything about claiming that the assholes are only being 'tsundere' and that it's others' fault to not understand them.

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Originally Posted by Kiwami

Heck no it ain't. 5 episodes in a row I enjoy this much? That doesn't happen often. It's very promising start for me.

But Heisei Phase 2 is the real benchmark to compare or praise quality, as nearly all the shows there have a perfect track record. Beating Reiwa shows isn't a real feat.

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Originally Posted by Kiwami

I do wonder if they will try to redeem the dad later. As in, it will be revealed that he had good intensions, but the lesson will be that you don't have to forgive your abusers to find peace.

Dunno if I just should differentiate between cases that hit too close to home or the ones with more suspension in disbelief, just that, previously KR can have the goody two shoes giving second chances to even more depraved characters than the type of Bouche that committed far worse crimes (or at least attempted to).

But redeeming would actually require him to be alive, and change his ways to a properly good one, not about sugarcoating his bad actions that are still there and not fixed (as he's dead) in a positive light. This episode already claims that Bouche has a good intention.

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Originally Posted by Sunred

I won't be surprised if he has his Bujin Arms moment along the way, but initially he doesn't seem like a Kusaka 2.0 at his core. But like you said, it's only been 5 episodes and who knows what changes he may go through after episode 6.

Why'd he get that moment?

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Originally Posted by DaikaijuSokogeki01

For the love of God, I am going to beg Komura to PLEASE not redeem what Bouche did to Shouma and his mom. We don't need more Revice-level bullshit of justifying parental abuse with "good intentions". It sends a terrible message to the primary audience of these shows that they need to just suck it up when their parents treat them like trash.

Also, it's so hilarious how Gotchard couldn't figure out how to incorporate Houtarou's dad into the plot, while this show has gotten it out of the way by episode 5.

What'd be the parental abuse for Revice? As the Igarashi parents are good parents. And for Gotchard, most KR don't touch upon the parents of the main character, Houtaro's dad being absent maybe just a similar thing to those that have the claim that their parents are dead, simply explaining why they aren't in the plot and together with their child.