[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER OOO EPISODE 6 - “FASHION, A CONTRACT, AND THE ULTIMATE COMBO”



It’s late, I’m exhausted, let’s plow through this episode!

FASHION:
No better place to mention it: I really love that Ankh’s outfits have one irregular sleeve, to match the Greeed hand on Shingo’s body. I assume Ankh is compositing these outfits together himself, ruining half of Shingo’s wardrobe in the process, which sounds exactly right for Ankh.

But that’s not the point of Fashion in this episode’s title! No, we’re here for the emotional conclusion of Yamano’s story, where an Eiji moral becomes a Hina pep-talk, giving Yamano the support to leave the crutch of materialism behind and embrace her… I guess she’s a baker now? Sure, a baker.

It’s a good individual lesson for Yamano – that her need to fit in became a massive obstacle to anyone getting close to her, while also never giving her the tools to face the world – but it’s a better explanation of how this show doesn’t take an all-or-nothing approach to things like desire. Yamano is always going to care about fashion, but using it to hide away from reality is where it becomes destructive. Excess is the problem, not desire. Eiji’s initial example of Y’know It’s Not Like Money Doesn’t Have Other Uses is a great clarification for this story about rampant spending and materialism, because money as a concept is not the core dilemma here. (Also, this can’t exactly be a condemnation of buying things, because it’s a TV show devoted to selling toys to Japanese children.) Eiji adds some needed nuance, and it allows for a sweeter ending than just making Yamano feel bad about her choices.

A CONTRACT:
An episode full of choices! Most of this episode’s B-plot is Ankh trying to navigate Kougami’s offer from last time, and a step towards Ankh understanding the value of partnership instead of belligerently ordering someone around. (You can tell he’s open to the possibility, because he pragmatically gives Eiji the TaToBa Medals so that Eiji can’t get ambushed again by the Greeed.) Ankh plans to just murder Kougami and take what he wants, but eventually concedes that a portion of his Medals is worthwhile if the Medal System can make OOO more productive/efficient/mobile/survivable.

That’s the meat of the scene; the juice of the scene is in how Ankh’s sneering pompousness bounces off of Kougami’s boisterous menace, creating a layer cake of a performance that tastes exquisite. It’s super cartoony and broad, but completely hilarious. The twist that Kougami stood firm on 70% knowing that he could eventually get Ankh to exactly 60%? Chef’s kiss.

AND THE ULTIMATE COMBO:
Which, y’know, I’d argue was actually Kougami and Ankh, but the show would probably consider GataKiriBa.

It’s our first Full Combo (or whatever the show termed it; late, exhausted) and I like it pretty good. The stag beetle as the face mask works like a charm, and the multiplication powers are a nicely unique skill for the form. I don’t love that we are AGAIN in a final fight with a computer graphic, but at least the swarm of OOOs against the swarm of Yummies makes a case for it. It’s not my favorite ever ending fight, but it does a decent job of making the new (too powerful) form come off well.

The end! I’m so tired!