[Fish Sandwich]

Fish Sandwich also watched Kamen Rider Saber Episode 38



Gosh, I was just pretty much in heaven by this point in the series?

Not only had we gotten the crossover of my dreams out of nowhere, but the answer they came up with for what Saber's final form could be was pretty much the best answer they could've found to make me happy. Saber's got that thing going on where no matter how cool the suits get, Brave Dragon is always kinda still the coolest, so like, just do that again. Give it a blue color scheme so I'll like it even more! Give it an even bigger headsword, which I'm sure Die really appreciates too! Make it all sparkly as heck, for a bit of that Mugen vibe! Tie it all together with that cosmic theme to justify everything, because stars are sorta the ultimate fire, so it's still on-brand! Spell it "Xross Saber" in English and make sure to give the sword the usual kanji reading in Japanese, just to maximize the awesomeness factor.

Really, there's basically nothing I don't love about Xross Saber. (Big shout out to how slick Asai always makes working the gimmicks on the sword look, by the way.) There's even the whole super clever reason Kyomu isn't counted among the 10 swords that make it up, even though it is part of them, but I'm not smart enough to explain what the sefirot is off the top of my head. Needless to say, a lot of thought was put into this.

The debut episode itself then, I adored no less. There's a lot of really really smart decisions I think it makes in how it summarizes the themes, the way your final form debut generally does, for sure. I adore the way Bacht is given the real emotionally weighty confrontation, and how that contrasts with Solomon being exactly the false swordsman I made him out to be, someone who dresses himself in the same way superficially, but is the fundamental antithesis of all these people, all at once.

More than that, though, I remember the episode as sort a party, more than anything. I mean, Kento's even back! Everything starts going real right for the heroes for the first time in a good while here, and we celebrate that with just, the most absurdly cool fight scene imaginable. 38/39 were Shibasaki's last episodes of this show before he went to go get Revice off the ground, and I'm reminded of the adage "quality over quantity" when it comes to his work on Saber. All the heavy special effects stuff in this one is legit glorious, from swords raining from the heavens, to swords dancing around Touma in a crazy long transformation sequence, to swords swinging about in the air, cutting up giant robots made of swords... there's a lot about swords, as you might expect! And it's all so much fun. One of the best bits of action in the entire series, and all scored by a new insert song with lyrics by Shouko Fujibayashi, because Saber would not let me stop winning. I'll remind you that not too long after this, I got the crossover of my dreams *again* as if the first time wasn't enough. But uh, I guess that's a conversation for the next couple days, isn't it?

[weedle013ZiO]

Seiken Sefirot tree and corresponding PToH (Why did I do this)
Kaiji - Malkuth - Morgana
Kurayami - Yesod - Futaba Sakura
Hayate - Hod - Ann Takamaki
Nagare - Netzach - Ryuji Sakamato
Ikazuchi - Tiferet - Yusuke Kitagawa
Suzune - Gevurah - Haru Okumura
Rekka - Chesed - Makoto Niijima
Kyomu - Da'at
Noroshi - Binah - Sumire Yoshizawa
Gekido - Chokmah - Goro Akechi
Saikou - Kether - Ren Amamiya

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The suit is GREAT. The sword... it's very toyetic, which only appeals to me if I like the toy. I don't,

You don't like the sword?! Haouken Xross Saber is the first Final Form weapon in years and it even uses the same awesome sliding feature as the Zanvat Sword! I know I said Suzune was my favorite Seiken Sword, but really, that's excluding Xross Saber, as that sword is just too awesome to be in the same league. Even its name is cool, making clever use of the kanji in Saber's name. What don't you like about it?

[r4bbitdragon]

oh and about Xross Saber

Every time I look at it I feel bad for the people designing the figures for it. Hypothetically it'd be easier since it's all the same forms as base Saber... but that mottled star-y texture is obnoxiously hard to replicate with production scale painting. So far we've seen figures that had to go with severely reduced, underwhelming paint jobs, and the so-do using frighteningly large swaths of stickers for it. We did at least see a figuarts prototype recently, hopefully that can get it right...?

It looks pretty in show! It just produces so many issues on the toyetic side of things...

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

I tend to dislike it when final form suits get too busy, but this one swung too far in the opposite direction for me.

Understandable! In Heisei, this would've probably been a mid-season upgrade form: a slight power boost before the more ornate late-series suit. In Reiwa, though... we're really going to keep getting Final Forms that are just Base Form Plus, and I guess I'm okay with it? I almost always like the Base Form suits the best, so I can't really complain about them being given a new lease on (repainted) life. I certainly like Xross Saber better than Realizing Hopper, I'll tell you that much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by r4bbitdragon

also my favorite wolfbugskull guy got himself a new sword <3 love to see it

It'll be interesting to see what Desast does with Falchion's sword. I have literally no idea where this story could go, which is a nice feeling!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

Alright, I promised you big, and I mean big.

Dang! Thanks so much for providing all of that info!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

It'd probably be better if Touma's speeches is about Bacht venting his sadness in a less destructive way, especially to others.

Ha ha, I actually sort of liked his rant to Bacht? The speeches I dislike are usually the ones that are more... like, emotional pleas to ignore evidence in favor of believing impossible outcomes. It's all thematically appropriate, but it tends to consist of a lot of shouting (A LOT OF SHOUTING) and very little that would sway me, personally. It's very earnest and emotionally vulnerable, but I tend to just think You Are Not Offering A Real Alternative Here. I usually want something a little more than just a rallying cry.

The Bacht speech was sort of fun, because there are occasionally people where Touma's just like Quit Being A Selfish Baby, and I find that hilarious. Touma is furious that Bacht would spend a thousand years not changing or growing, to the detriment of his own mental health. The idea that you wouldn't take ownership of your own sorrow and find some way to either push past it or use it to help others... like, that is a red line for Touma.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

In general, I remember the conversation between father and son with its touching and soulfulness.

It's the best! I've been waiting for Kaido to make his inevitable return to the series for a long while, and it did not disappoint.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Give it an even bigger headsword, which I'm sure Die really appreciates too!

Is it? So much of the battle was at night that I didn't even notice! That, or I'm coming down with some sort of headsword-related Stockholm Syndrome and I can't even get mad about those elements of the suits anymore...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

I adore the way Bacht is given the real emotionally weighty confrontation, and how that contrasts with Solomon being exactly the false swordsman I made him out to be, someone who dresses himself in the same way superficially, but is the fundamental antithesis of all these people, all at once.

Yeah, as much as I didn't care for Touma's big All Swordsmen speech to debut Xross Saber, I kinda liked how the initial point was that Solomon wasn't even worth debating or deconstructing, because he doesn't have a coherent philosophy or point of view. He's literally not worth engaging with, just defeating. That is one of the sickest burns you can get in Kamen Rider!

Quote:

Originally Posted by weedle013ZiO

Seiken Sefirot tree and corresponding PToH (Why did I do this)
Kaiji - Malkuth - Morgana
Kurayami - Yesod - Futaba Sakura
Hayate - Hod - Ann Takamaki
Nagare - Netzach - Ryuji Sakamato
Ikazuchi - Tiferet - Yusuke Kitagawa
Suzune - Gevurah - Haru Okumura
Rekka - Chesed - Makoto Niijima
Kyomu - Da'at
Noroshi - Binah - Sumire Yoshizawa
Gekido - Chokmah - Goro Akechi
Saikou - Kether - Ren Amamiya

Thanks! I don't get the significance, but I appreciate the info!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

You don't like the sword?! Haouken Xross Saber is the first Final Form weapon in years and it even uses the same awesome sliding feature as the Zanvat Sword! I know I said Suzune was my favorite Seiken Sword, but really, that's excluding Xross Saber, as that sword is just too awesome to be in the same league. Even its name is cool, making clever use of the kanji in Saber's name. What don't you like about it?

I just... I don't like the sword toys. I just don't. Drivers, collectibles? Yes, maybe too much. But DX weapons, I can't really get into. So seeing Saber debut the Hot New Toy and all of its functionality... not for me! I don't care about it.

Purely subjective, and nothing I can justify more than saying that it doesn't excite me. Sorry if you were hoping for something deeper!

[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Is it? So much of the battle was at night that I didn't even notice! That, or I'm coming down with some sort of headsword-related Stockholm Syndrome and I can't even get mad about those elements of the suits anymore...

It is! The Xross Saber is a bit longer than Rekka (it even hilariously pokes slightly out of the Swordriver's buckle when it's sheathed), so the replica of it poking out of Touma's head is itself a bit longer to match.

[Daikaijuman54]

I'll have a whole thoughts list on Saber later. As much as I do enjoy learning stuff I didn't know in my initial watch as the show aired (seeing the Desast updates were fun, so thanks whoever posted those!), but I've been busy.

So, first off, I've just loved every Saber Rider form. Saber and Blades had some really good ones, like King Lion Daisenki with its cannons and sci-fi look, to Tategami Hyoujuu and it's mane, it's just so good! Then there's Saber with Dragonic Knight being the most knightly form in the show, Primitive Dragon with its animalistic behavior, something I love about this Berserker Form, nothing against Elemental Dragon, but Primitive was kind of better, and of course, the sheer audacity of Xross Saber being just a space recolor of Brave Dragon, which I don't mind, since I love Brave Dragon.

But the thing that I adore the most, is the Transformation Jingles for Dragonic Knight and Xross Saber. They're just SO GOOD! Dragonic Knight having a heroic knight's choir, and Xross Saber having a medley with the second verse reminding me of a sci-fi show opening, they're absolutely magnificent.

And of course, I can't forget all the other great forms from Espada, Calibur (Love how he had an upgrade of his own at the first quarter), Slash, Buster, Kenzan, Saikou, Durandal, Sabela, all good designs that I'd love to gush more about, but that'd take too long.

Anyway, I'll catch you all later!

[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER SABER X KAMEN RIDER GHOST



What is it about Kanon that makes so many dudes act like weird creeps?

This was definitely Movie War Against Weird Creeps, but in a more digestible Episode format. Desast is in it, representing the Saber side of the antagonists, and he's a repellant creep throughout. I could wave it away as him not caring about Kanon’s autonomy because he doesn’t see her as real enough to bother not dragging her away screaming, but the optics on it are still very not appealing. The Ganma Guys are a non-descript bunch of chuds; deranged cultists from the Specter movie that I am incredibly grateful (*wink*) that this episode decided to recap, since I barely remember any of it. (I mean, that Omega Drive, forever.) They’re similarly creepy, dressing up Kanon in Chloe’s Gothic Lolita outfit and getting way too close to her while singing some unsettling lullaby. It’s a full episode of Kanon being imperiled and possessed and maybe brain damaged, and it’s just… boy, it’s not a very fun way back into Ghost?

Luckily, the non-Kanon parts of this Ghost resurrection are delightful. I’ve never been a huge fan of Takeru’s post-show non-dyed hair, but I liked it here. He’s a fully-grown adult now, and he looks it. There’s still that bit of swagger he always had, but now it’s seasoned with a bit more calm and seriousness. He wears it well! Also, Javert is here to be Fill-In Onari, and I thought he acquitted himself as well as Onari ever did. I mean it as a compliment, but your mileage may vary.

The Saber stuff was fine, if not exactly what I’m most going to take away from this. I like anytime the spotlight can stay on Mei and Touma, so them kicking around through this story of distressed damsels and brawling monks was an effective representation of Saber’s chemistry. The new Legend Rider suit was, uh… I didn’t like it. Grateful’s never been my suit, and I super didn’t think the parka version added to Brave Dragon was a good look. Fun to see Saber and Ghost bust out synchronized Musashi moves, but I definitely don’t need to see that suit ever ever again.

This one was a real mixed bag! Didn’t love how they wrote Desast, and I am not thrilled with an entire plot of Kanon somehow being less of a character than when she lived in her brother’s pocket for a dozen episodes. But! The other Ghost characters were fun, and the humor was well-executed. Optimistic for the second chapter, despite it all!

—

THE GHOST OF YOU LINGERS



Ren looked up from his Cup Noodle, and saw Desast returning. “Where have you been?” he asked.

The devil swordsman slumped down against the wall, and sighed deeply. “It’s a long story. I saw this fake girl running around, and I thought it’d be cool if she hung out with us, but then Saber wanted to fight, and I kicked his ass, but then the girl kicked my ass, and I teamed up with some cultist, and I got my ass kicked by a ghost, I think. It was a long day.”

“Whatever. I ate your lunch,” Ren said.

~

Narita looked up from his sweeping, and saw Takeru returning. “Where did you go?” he asked.

The former ghost slumped into a chair, and sighed deeply. “It’s a long story. I tracked Kanon to some Danton cultists, teamed up with a Kamen Rider named Saber, and saved Kanon from some sort of devil swordsman. I think they said his name was ‘Deadass’?”

[Enchilada645]

This story was honestly weird... I feel like the Blades x Specter special coming up tomorrow provides better clarity for things in this special. But yeah I get where you're coming from with your complaints.

I'm just amazed this even happened, and I'm even more amazed that we actually got a sequel even if the ending scene after the credits made that somewhat clear.

Though to be honest, given TTFC's habit of deciding to put post credit stinger scenes/cliffhanger-like endings... I assumed this would end up the same as a one and done deal. Granted it looks like they plan to do wrap up on a lot of those given Outsiders is a thing, so who knows.

As for the story, short, simple, and to the point.

Now for our next out of order Desast Walk and with that we should be good in terms of Desast Walks.

===Zero Presents: Desast Walk===

Desast Walk #15:

"Hello, humans.

I'm Dessert.

I don't need any friends.

I just need someone I can really fight with.

But if you're made like me, then maybe you can be my friend.

...That doesn't sound right.

I've had some strange fantasies of my own."

[r4bbitdragon]

So there is an extra reason Kanon was a central character here- her actress had just returned for her second Toku role, Sayo, Kirameiger's Kiramapink! (Sayo is great, love Sayo, she's this more confident, mature genius doctor who keeps saying "Oh, mood.")

That's also the motivation behind the final picture in that Desast's Walk by the way- remember how one of Desast's suit actors had just played Kiramared? That's them doing Kiramared's signature pose together, "Hiramaking!"

In defense of Desast in this one- I do kinda like him here actually? The framing definitely plays into the weird way both shows have dealt with ~sisters~, and I wish it would just Not do that, but to me that's somewhere I'm annoyed with the writers before the character.

So, leaving the above annoyances to be doyalist instead of watsonian- I do like how this reflects what's going on with Desast? I think the relevant Desast's walk shows that angle well. It's been an ongoing thing that he's been looking for people Like Him, which is pretty sympathetic- with Ren, and now with this new unknown artificial being! I see it more as him just wanting to get to know her by playing along with whatever weird thing she's doing, that not going well because of the weird monomania thing this special decided to give her, then things spiraling as team Saber arrives. And I can't even think he's entirely unreasonable for not thinking it'd be good to leave her with them when Touma accuses him of not having feelings unprovoked- real Touma does Not know what he's talking about moments :P.