[DreadBringer]

My following replies here can sound killjoy-ish... but I do want to get explanations by this

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Most if not all of them also do stories where the hero is shown to help people in ways that go beyond fighting, or extend even to people who less morally upstanding characters (or viewers, I guess!) might write off -- and I love that kind of thing in every Rider show -- but the whole Phantom/Gate dynamic inherently means Wizard stories tend to actively be about that, all the way through, rather than having it be a single narrative thread that may or may not even connect directly to the monster action.

To people, writing off those kinds of people isn't being less morally upstanding (can be actually more morally upstanding to them), but about being more mentally healthy. Guess to sum up this is about more dealing/helping unlikable victim of the weeks compared to other Rider shows, but dunno if OOO can fit this too (tbh, this is my first time watching both shows), with Yummy being about the extreme version of their desires, that the victim of the weeks tend to be people who can't control their desires, rather greedy and unlikable and at least to Ankh, they're not worth saving.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Episode 7 -- "Buying Memories"

Back at Omokagedo, Shunpei, Wajima, and the donut shop employee are taking the truth particularly poorly, wallowing together in their sadness to the sound of equally melodramatic music, all as Rinko and Koyomi look on with little sympathy.

Though these guys are comic relief characters who the show'd generally treat with contempt, generally yeah, the victims of con artists would get little sympathy from others, because the victim actually does directly take action, so to others, they should've known better, so stupid to fall for obvious bait, their own undoings for their greed/lust/etc. Thus, it's best for con artist victims to never bring up about their conned experience to anyone, as they'd just be looked down upon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Haruto breaks the news to Yamagata, who isn't all that surprised to find out that Manami was interested in a guy like him for his wealth. Yamagata starts to turn the story towards the "why" of Manami being a con artist, suggesting she has some particular reason she needs the money, and calling attention to the fact she went out of her way to help him when Gnome first attacked, when she could've easily just worried about saving herself.

It's also unknown if the con who deceived Manami's dad would also have similar particular reason to want money though... Yamagata sees the best in Manami here, which is proven right in the end, but, this can be viewed as just him coping and not accepting the fact that Manami is a fake suitor to him. And that, Manami may try to save him as he's the wealthier one so she'd gain more benefit from conning him compared to other average joes.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

An extremely sentimental story about the happier times she had as a child living in that house with her family, how their family lost it all after her father was (rather ironically) deceived by a con, how they promised to live in that house again one day, only for Manami to eventually be left without even a family, and how, in spite of all that, the thought of that house has kept her going amidst the turmoil of her life all this time.

It wasn't brought up in story (at least directly) that now Manami is turning similar into the person who ruined her family's life....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

When Haruto says he still can't overlook what she's doing, Manami tries to claim that Haruto can't understand the pain of losing your family.

Manami claiming that Haruto can't understand the pain of losing your family is something widespread that is used by many people too to deflect blame and responsibility of their actions and get viewed as being right. Commonly many people do seem to think that tragedy (if not, then it's not bad enough) always, automatically breaks people and they cannot be blamed for it, those who do only haven't been put in similar situation where they'd become bad too. Haruto obviously is about not letting tragedy corrupt him as the role model, but this doesn't seem to be widely acknowledged in fanbase (not only for series like Wizard but also more well-received series as well) that they still only justify villains who turned that way due to tragic events.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

And, you know, if that's too subtle, the next thing he says is a big declaration that he's going to protect Manami's hope, followed by transforming into Water Style, dousing the flames and flushing Gnome right out of the building like common waste.

Though dunno how much Manami wants her house intact (it got burned, but the building's still standing), this'd be a no big deal for Haruto as he has Water Style that can extinguish those fire the Gnome sets. I thought this is her house being demolished, but it makes sense that Gnome would do this to drive a Gate to despair.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Gnome can track your scent? Slip the Smell Ring on him and that's no problem! The stench *is* a problem though, so maybe adorably cover your nose with your robe! (Takaiwa's idea, by the way.)

I've been thinking that the Smell Ring would be important when Gnome resorts to hiding underground and talking about Wizard's scent, but turns out the Smell Ring gives problems for Wizard himself too.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

A sort of Rider Rock Drill Kick, if you will. (I'm sure Fourze would approve!)

I like this drill kick better than Fourze, where the kick actually feels different to basic attacks unlike Fourze just driving the existing drill to opponent but from air, and have it being closer to Faiz's type of drill kick. This also makes the kick feel flashier than Flame Style's Rider Kick.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Now knowing the reason she needed money, a sympathetic Yamagata says he's buying the house, not to just give to her (he's not doing this because he's a pushover or anything), but to keep it safe so she can return one day and buy it back properly this time.

I do like that Yamagata being rich plays a more important role here that Yamagata is the one that can solve Manami's problem by having him getting enough money to buy the house from those that want to demolish it.

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

And Yamagata's kindness shows Manami that not all rich people are uncaring opportunists who take advantage of the poor. So Manami has learned a lot of important wisdom by the end of this arc, which she can put to good use after she's atoned for her crimes.

It'd still be viewed as something small compared to the damages he has done (even indirectly) by being rich that he denied many others a chance of a fulfilling live by holding the money that could've been crucial to those people that needed it much more if it goes to them instead rather than to someone that doesn't really need it and has more than enough, so one comparatively small good deed is far from enough to pay for the unfair creation that he has created (unintentionally).

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Originally Posted by DreamSword

It's probably due to subs, but the way Manami ends up having to go to jail, one could easily interpret it not as her turning herself in, but that Rinko was going to arrest her despite everything anyway. And even ignoring that, Haruto doesn't bother to tell Manami that there's no need for that, given that Manami has clearly learned her lesson in all this.

And that's not even getting into the real world context of how society tends to treat convicts, reformed or not. But again, not here to dive into morality and whatnot. So like, please don't.

Dunno if I can reply like this to this part, but though I rather agree of no need for punishment to someone that has learned their lesson, I've seen far more complaints that are about the opposite, where they feel the show doesn't punish the convicts enough and let them get away scot-free (what people'd describe scenarios like Manami not going to jail) because of the "doesn't need to be punished because they've learned the lesson" you bring up here, for reformed convicts. If this is done, then to them, the show doesn't treat the crimes with appropriate weight and is being distasteful in how they handle crimes. The ostracizing part of convicts, though can be cruel and that I disagree with it, can seem necessary for the public's safety and prepare for worst case scenarios like them faking being reformed or the only reliable way to discourage other people to commit crimes.