[Fish Sandwich]

This episode is probably at least as special to me as that Gridman finale, which means I also wouldn't really know how to properly articulate why right now. Suffice it to say the emotional intimacy of it really pulled me into the characters, which allowed me to appreciate the smart construction, and I was totally sold on the show from that point on.

As for *something* a little more specific, I'll choose to note here how much fun it is how the start of this one immediately recontextualizes the fight from the premiere in a way that's not only humorous on the face of it, but also serves a dramatic purpose in how it frames Yomogi's (lack of) proper involvement with the story, setting up the whole rest of the episode. Again, the construction is pretty smart!

Oh, and there's also this that I liked:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Just the visual of them holding their Zord Parts or whatever, it's magical.

I'm sure there's been at least one (and probably several dozen) other animated mecha shows that hit upon similar ideas, but I really adore how live action it feels to literally sell the fantasy of Dynazenon by having its components shrink down to fit in the characters hands, as though the DX toy is being used as props, like Super Sentai has found excuses to do on occasion. I love the way it sparks the imagination to have a scale figure that's also a role-play item at the same time, and it's a very this staff making this show idea to do that in a series aimed at an older audience.

(Plus, I mean, there *was* merchandise aimed at that audience they were already hyping up while these early episodes were airing. Good Smile's DX Dynazenon was actually a huge redemption arc sorta deal after the lukewarm reception to their Full Power Gridman, being of a much higher quality, and based on a design that was actually consciously designed by Tsuyoshi Nonaka to *be* a toy this time, rather than just looking toyetic. Kinda getting into a whole other anecdote now, though!)