[Androzani84]

Episode 37. By this point, Ikki is pretty much a non-entity in his own show. Aside from Daiji and Sakura, he barely has any interactions with anyone, he lacks any real antagonism with any of the villains beyond “bad guy to blow up”, and as many were pointing out around this point, they show is simultaneously building up to the final form, but doing nothing to build Ikki up for it. This kind of joke was pretty much the show at this point.



Now for some scattershot thoughts on the episode.

We learn that Over Demons inherited the Genomix system from Demons. Which I kind of felt was unnecessary, since its debut gave it a set of Genomix-esque extending legs.

The main plot of everyone trying to extract Akemi’s liver - I have to ask what was your plan here regarding Daiji? Since they refuse to tell him anything about it for reasons that aren’t really well explained (I doubt they think he’d tell Akaishi the whole thing, and even if they did, Akaishi seems to know everything they try anyway). Honestly, with the lack of context he has, his anger at Ikki and Sakura is pretty justified.

And talking of Akemi - she was a fairly last minute addition to the proceedings. She was meant to be a one-off, but the director of her debut insisted on her being a regular. And it was clear they didn’t know what to do with her, unlike Hiromi. She basically hangs around for a few episodes, gets threatened by Kagerou so he can get what he wants, stumbles up Akaishi’s secrets by pure dumb luck, changes sides and turns into a monster, then reveals that she only did that so she could tell Ikki how to defeat Giff and offer herself for getting the DNA, only to die before they can do so.

Anyway, now for this week’s skit, which features additional dialogue from dreamcastegirl. There’s not much to the BTS behind that. I asked her for a joke, she provided and I used that to write the rest of the skit.

Sakura: It’s Sakura and…

Hana: Hana’s

Both: Stamp Navi!

Hana: Tamaki took the spotlight last time, so today’s Vistamp is… this one.

Queen Bee!

Deadmans Up! Reward! Sweet! Aim for the neck! Queen Bee!

Hana: I received this Vistamp when I was still engaged to Giff. When I use it to call upon my demon in the form of a Deadman, it can control other demons using a special pheromone, create Royger Bee servants to share my power among them and inject my venom into anyone my talons cut.

Sakura: You had all those abilities and you never thought to use them to instantly kill us back when you were a Deadmans Executive?

Hana: I was also a pretty messed up woman. Anyway, I have a new use for it now.

Happiness! Loudness! The Ending’s Attractiveness! Queen Bee!

Subvert Up! Wow! Just Believe in Myself! Kamen Rider! Ah! Aguilera!

Hana: And to explain, here’s a video from Karizaki-san Jr.

George: A single flower blooming on the battlefield, that's Kamen Rider Aguilera! Transforming with the re-adjusted Queen Bee Vistamp and Week Endriver. It seems that she is good at flying brilliantly in the air with her anti-aircraft ability and can be operated freely. If the special stab attack is a critical hit, even if it is a strong opponent, they will surely be knocked down with a single blow.

Hana: And because Julio begged me like a puppy dog to do this, let’s see what happens when I transforms with what would’ve been his personal stamp.

Subvert Up! Ooh Wow! Kamen Rider! (Buffalo)

(We cut to a front on shot of Sakura reacting)

Sakura: Seems pretty… not that interesting.

Hana: (reverting to normal KR Aguilera) You’re right. Let’s see what happens when I use it the way you’d do it.

Restyle! Buki Buki! Buki Buki!

Hana: Let’s go.

Rebuddy Up! Yay! Buffalo! Woah woah woah woah!
(She generates a pair of discs identical to Kamen Rider Ryugen’s Kiwi Geki-Rin, only in OOO’s colours)

Sakura: You know, you don’t have to emulate me. We are different people with our own fighting styles.

(Hana gasps, before reverting to normal, revealing that her hair and clothes have changed to indicate her demon has taken over)

Hana: Why you! How dare you disregard my admiration for you! Just for that, it’s punishment time. (She removes the Queen Bee Vistamp, readjusts the Week Endriver and inserts the Vistamp again) Henshin!

Subvert Up! Don’t Believe Myself! Kamen Rider Aguilera (Black)!

(Dark Aguilera moves to attack Sakura)

Sakura: Wait, wouldn’t you rather explain to me about your inspiration behind your choice of Vistamp to begin with.

Hana: But of course.



Hana: the Bee Woman, Shocker’s first attempts at creating a female monster. She used her hypnotic powers to control humans into pledging loyalty to Shocker, so that they could build a poison gas tower. However, she was defeated by Rider Ichigou’s Rider Kick.

Sakura: Not very girl power of him.
*
Hana: Nothing gets in the way of leg day, I suppose.
*
Sakura: That’s awful.
*
Hana: Too much of a stretch?
*
Sakura: You sound like my father. Am I dating my father?

Hana: Well I was almost his mother-in-law.

Sakura: (clearly disturbed) Let’s just wish everyone well until next time, shall we.

Hana: Okay then. (Reverts to normal) We hope you enjoy the next instalment.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

The main plot of everyone trying to extract Akemi?s liver - I have to ask what was your plan here regarding Daiji? Since they refuse to tell him anything about it for reasons that aren?t really well explained (I doubt they think he?d tell Akaishi the whole thing, and even if they did, Akaishi seems to know everything they try anyway). Honestly, with the lack of context he has, his anger at Ikki and Sakura is pretty justified.

I don't think this is a situation Ikki and Sakura could've done differently? They tried talking to Daiji about their plan earlier in the episode, and he basically calls them both naive fools who are going to make everything worse and also he's smarter than both of them -- is this a guy you're going to keep looped in on your plan against his new boss? Daiji fully opts out of teaming up with them at the beginning of the episode, and while this is all pretty incriminating against his siblings at the climax, we're not exactly in a story where key details have been withheld; Daiji is not on their side for this battle!

Oh, and thanks for the fun skit!

[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 37 - “INEVITABLE CLASH! THE DO-OR-DIE DEMON RECAPTURE MISSION!”

We finally slow the story down a bit, with a few deeply-needed dialogue scenes to nestle in alongside the now fairly standard wall-to-wall fight scenes. (This show really loves its action, way more than it likes providing context or nuance to that action. Sort of a big problem for the series!) Specifically, we get to spend a couple scenes delving into Daiji’s humiliated and hollow embrace of Akaishi and Giff. After a few episodes where Daiji’s seemingly-absurd dedication to being a Henchman With A Heart Of Gold to the show’s big bads was gaining clarity, it’s only here where it finally snaps into focus.

It's already teased, but Akemi too, actually a teased major character that is killed earlier. She was presumed dead when she broke into the ViStamp room, of which she was actually captured, but actually that didn't extend her for long. I guess she's killed so the Igarashi siblings can't get their hands on the Giff power she has? And as known here Akaishi also made a scheme to put a rift between Daiji and his family, particularly Ikki, by showing a footage of Revice fighting (soon) Dead-man Akemi. Though as said by others, it's also a severe miscommunication that Ikki and Sakura didn't properly tell about their plan, and that actually does grate on me, I kept yelling inside to explain clearly to Daiji before it's too late or before the conflict escalated. I wonder if Daiji here has some parallel with Sakura, while Daiji now supports extremist methods (Akaishi's) more, Sakura also supports extremist methods (Bon's, Seiko's) before she became Jeanne. Sakura loses that outlook (pointing out that Giff takes away freedom) while Daiji gains that outlook. Now Daiji's the one that gotta be handed this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

For all the ways Daiji’s changed and grown over the last 30-odd episodes, what this story presupposes is: Maybe he didn’t? The destruction of Kagerou is emblematic of Daiji’s dramatically-rich failings in this storyline; namely, that he’d defeated his own self-loathing, jealousy, fear, resentment, and pessimism. The thing is, as literally every other character has learned over the course of the series, that’s not stuff you defeat, or destroy. It’s stuff you carry around with you forever, and treating it like some invasive organism that’s tricking you into being bad or weak – that’s just self-deception. It’s refusing to take responsibility for your shortcomings, and therefore refusing to examine the triggers that increase their potency. Daiji hasn’t grown by defeating Kagerou; he’s actually avoided the personal growth that everyone else has fought for over the course of the series.

Being the most rigid and logical of the siblings (other than his recent actions to fight off Akaishi), it's kind of expected he'd eventually take the easiest route to preserve the human race, by now siding with Akaishi. Siding with a nutcase like him would mean Daiji is now corrupted to some extent though, sharing some of his extremist views, with the logical part of him is directed into the mistaken belief of cynicism being an indication high intelligence, with how he insists that he knows best answers, and refuses to believe anything differently, forcing others to share their characteristics. And if they don't comply, the usual weapon is ofc mocking opposing worldviews, like it being 'naive', done against Ikki striving to create the best outcome.

From previously one of the cooperative primary and secondary pair, now Daiji and Ikki has standard hostile rivalry that is often done with primary and secondary Riders, he now has bleak worldview he forces to others and looks down on hopeful worldview, which is what many secondary Riders often do too. The family resemblance is also done this late, that Daiji is the one that resembles Junpei, being a pure raging berserker in his Holy Live fight. Daiji does have those self-loathing, jealousy, fear, resentment, and pessimism, but it's only now that he acts upon it, previously he was fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Even joining Akaishi in service to Giff… it’s the exact same shit that led him to Fenix! It’s someone giving a structure to his imposter syndrome by telling him how to make the world comprehensible, so long as he fully buys into whatever he's told; it’s rules and morality that exist in their own continuum, where outsiders are simply unaware of the real threats; it’s crucially a thing that lets him feel power and authority over Ikki, because that rivalry never ever ever went away. All of the weird pragmatism Daiji leans on in this story is just the same mixture of righteousness and resentment that colored his character when the show started. Literally nothing’s changed, which is sort of great?

And by above, Micchi now has returned to the franchise. To be specific, I meant Hiromi-cchi. Daiji here is self-righteous, not righteous, don't actually consider this approach as righteousness. I wonder if Hiromi, also previously impulsive and reckless, has changed and would be the one to guide Daiji in his now reckless actions. Other than that, there's another complaint for Daiji here that, mooks shouldn't actually tire a regular Rider, let alone a huge upgrade on that. Peak humans like Sakura (at the very first episode) took them no problem and later Ikki too. But then again, are the Giff Juniors actually drastically buffed now (Phase 1 Deadmans like Kimura's Rafflesia are actually said as stronger, not this one)? Any Riders fighting them seems to be exhausted despite beating each of them without problem, either it Holy Live (if it's the reason he performed worse than Jeanne, depends on how much Hell Gifterian was toying with them), or also Hikaru (still as Over Demons) and Aguilera here. Aguilera got exhausted more than her debut against Vail?

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

From previously one of the cooperative primary and secondary pair, now Daiji and Ikki has standard hostile rivalry that is often done with primary and secondary Riders, he now has bleak worldview he forces to others and looks down on hopeful worldview, which is what many secondary Riders often do too. The family resemblance is also done this late, that Daiji is the one that resembles Junpei, being a pure raging berserker in his Holy Live fight. Daiji does have those self-loathing, jealousy, fear, resentment, and pessimism, but it's only now that he acts upon it, previously he was fine.

I mean, he wasn't fine -- that's where Kagerou came from! All of this stuff was in him the whole time, and the stress of trying to be a source of stability for both his family and his job has led to a pretty major relapse.

[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER REVICE EPISODE 38 - “A FATHER AND SON WEAVES! THE ULTIMATE REVICE!”



Aw, that was a fairly sweet story about dads… and a less sweet story about a sweet new suit. But first! Let’s talk about our three dads for this episode, and how their stories went!

Genta’s the main one, and his story’s success is almost entirely down to the charm of the actor, and the narrative weight of the Igarashi family. Genta’s actions here are… weird. He’s looking to atone for unleashing Vail on the world, as well as passing his Giff genetics onto his kids, so he offers himself up to Weekend to extract Giff cells for use in Ikki’s new power-up. It’s a choice that almost instantly comes across as short-sighted and selfish, since both Genta and Karizaki Sr don’t see any problem with hiding from Genta’s family the fact that he’s undergoing potentially fatal surgery to empower Ikki. Like, this is weirdly selfish for Genta, right? While he plays off the seriousness of this plan to Ikki, we definitely heard Karizaki Sr say that this was an incredibly risky procedure. This is not getting your wisdom teeth out, this is extracting demonic cells that currently act as your vascular system. It’s very weird that Genta doesn’t want to talk things over with his wife, at the very least! I could write it off as Genta’s newfound guilt manifesting itself as a particularly deranged protection for his family, but we find out at the end that he’s faking his serious new attitude. He’s the same guy he was in Episode 1, who ABSOLUTELY would not subject himself to a 50/50 medical procedure without talking things over with his family. Very weird plot for this guy!

And yet… I mean, it works. All of it, especially the dumb twist at the end. It’s cruel, and reckless, and eventually contradictory, but Genta’s the best character on this show. I completely buy his relationship with his family, and he locks in the Igarashi stuff in a way that no other member of the family quite does. (Mama's great! She's almost as good as Genta!) Every scene in this thing is almost criminally negligent and bafflingly insensitive, but I ended up really loving each individual piece. Even the dumb twist at the end is great, because I much prefer the goofy vlogging dad to the morose, tortured absentee father we’ve gotten more recently.

Speaking of tortured absentee fathers! The second dad story this time out is George and his Daddy, and it’s fine. It’s fine. The relationship between George and his Daddy is super straightforward: Karizaki Sr abandoned his entire family for decades out of guilt, and George (rightfully) resents him for it. There’s no real sense that Karizaki Sr needed to disappear – Weekend has been woefully inept at containing Fenix’s power over the last few years, and before that? Why did this dude need to vanish for so long, accomplishing zilch? It’s a confusing story, emotionally, because the show keeps trying to portray Karizaki Sr as a guy who regrets the time he missed, but not the choices, but the choices were all dumb. That all leaves George to rightly tell this dude to eff off, but then the Emotional Music comes up, and these two scientists set aside their past to build a future for all of humanity, and I’m like Fine. Fine!

(The story where a dad abandons his family to Do Science for decades at a time is so weirdly recurring in Kamen Rider, and I really hate it? I hate how it’s just an excuse to have your All Dads Are Dead cake and eat Forgiveness too. Why are scientists all acting like they need to divest themselves of family bonds to Do Science one day, and then sternly-but-vulnerably asking their sons to see past those actions and be a family again the next? It’s not cool!)

Lastly, we’ve got Hiromi and Daiji, and I really liked how these two tried to navigate Daiji’s slow spiral into mania.

There’s not a lot of meat on this one, but I just dig Hiromi showing up to be both Daiji’s Work Dad, and, like, a sponsor from a recovery program. Hiromi’s here to rescue Daiji from turning into, uh, Hiromi. It’s not an especially complicated plot: Hiromi shows up at Fenix and tells Daiji to take better care of himself before he ends up having to fight his family, and Daiji’s like I Have To Take This Call Goodbye. It’s more about establishing Hiromi’s new role on the show – Anti-Kagerou – and planting the seed for Daiji’s possible redemption. Crucially, this is only even possible because the advice is coming from outside Daiji’s family; Ikki could say the same thing and get punched in the face for it. It’s a nice way of illustrating how much Daiji’s defense mechanism is about treating Ikki as a nuisance, but viewing Fenix/Hiromi as On His Side. Again, not a lot here, but I liked the new developments.

I did not care for the introduction of Giffard Rex Revice or Ultimate Revice or whatever it’s called.

The suits themselves, great. A+ designs. I like that they’re the same; we’re no longer viewing Revi or Vice as in charge or subservient, they’re exactly the same. I like that being expressed across a suit design that says Revice more than any previous upgrade did. A thousand percent to this maybe being the Final Form for our heroes. But this story? For that suit? UGH. No. No thank you. No, the story all about dads where Ikki is the recipient of power should not be the one where Ikki and Vice get the Ultimate Friendship Suits. Nope! Absolutely not. A pair of suits like that need to be the culmination of Ikki and Vice’s friendship, or a sacrifice the two of them make for the world. It shouldn’t be a decision Genta makes, via the teamwork of George and his Daddy. That’s… boy, it honestly makes me really dislike the suits. Very disappointed in how this power-up got introduced.

And yet, I still probably liked this episode. Genta, back at home at the end! Hiromi, as a calm, smiling mentor to Daiji! Lovekov, very excited to have Hiromi back! I don’t know, you guys. This episode did a bunch of stuff wrong for me, but it also worked hard to earn back my love. Maybe I can let this one slide, in the name of forgiveness?

[Layton13]

I mean, I agree that this should have been a story about Ikki and Vice and not where someone else gets more development, but it weirdly encapsulates who Ikki is, and why I can’t stand him.

And that is not a busybody, that’s a controlfreak.

Because, it just shows him, again, like his entire family, make decisions that are not his to make because he knows best. Not because he can predict what will happen and how things work, but because he is sure he knows.

He knows he can tell Hiromi to keep on chancing his life because he will save him, he knows what is best for his dad, even if it potentially still kills him and wastes his sacrifice, etc, etc,

That he gets his final form like that?

Checks out.

Also, hey xD

I‘m back.

Also, favorite suit in the show! The stronger, more vibrant colors mixed with the spacesuit aesthetic real sell the suit for me.

Probably should also eventually give my opinion about the stuff I didn’t comment on till now.

[Androzani84]

So yeah, a lot of people agree this is probably the lamest debut for a final form. Between the lack of any real arc that’s being paid off (For comparison, 02 was the culmination of Aruto’s 40-episode bond with Izu, Xross Saber was the culmination of 38 episodes of Touma forming meaningful relationships with the Sword of Logos, Ultimate Revice is the culmination of… Genta not even getting heart surgery). And instead of any really impressive bad guy to play it’s abilities off against, such as Vail or Giff, we instead see it defeat an army of mooks, the same mooks that Revice takes down on a regular basis.

And we also get Hiromi trying to explain that Daiji’s problems come from having your demon getting destroyed, which drives you crazy. But, that doesn’t totally track, as this comment from Japanese Twitter points out.



And the Giffard Rex Vistamp is probably the most scummy final form, given that it’s two Vistamps stuck together, meaning you need two Revice Drivers to get the full jingle.



As for the form itself, I like that the “Final Remix” is basically a fastball special, which is thematically appropriate. Other than that, it feels weird to go from a fusion form to making Revi and Vice to almost totally independent Riders.



And then there’s the surgery scene, which makes it clear that Kinoshita has never taken a medical class in his life. Aside from allowing someone in with a video camera (which would not be allowed in real life, since it could contaminate the room), both Karizaki wear some blatantly non-regulation clothing that would also not be allowed. This picture points them out, along with a basic summary of the episode.



Ikki: It’s Ikki…

Vice: Vice and…

George and Karizaki: the Karizaki Father and Son’s…

All: Stamp Navi.

Ikki: Today, we’re going to be discussing this two-in-one Vistamp.

Giffard Rex!

Ultimate Up! Overflowing hot passion! (Overflowing hot passion! The heck? Two sides of the same coin! The power of the universe is infinite!) Kamen Rider! (Kamen Rider! Revi!) Vice! (Let's go! Come on!) Giffa! (Giffa!) Giffard Rex!

George: It's the Ultimate Revi that has been transformed by separating the Giffard Rex Vistamp! Big Bang!! It’s good at a battle style that makes full use of the magnetic force paired with Vice’s. I believe that the only thing that can use this tremendous power is your combination now. Now, let me hear the shout of the counterattack!

Vice: (coughs) I have one of these too.

Giffard Rex!

Ultimate Up! Overflowing hot passion! Kamen Rider! Vice! Giffa! Giffard Rex!

Karizaki: Now that you have the same power as Revi with the cells of "Gif" and paranormal power and the Revice system my son created, you are no longer just a devil and a buddy, but a full-fledged warrior. Truly the Ultimate Vice! Hey, please use that driver carefully.

Vice: You probably have a whole crate of these babies. Why do I need to be careful?

Karizaki: The paints I used to make it belonged to my dead wife.

Ikki and George: Oh.

Vice: Well Mrs. Karizaki can rest in piece, knowing we’re about to beat the holy stuffing out of Giff and anyone who’s ever sided with him. (Turns to look at Hana and Tamaki, at which point it turns out that this whole scene is being watched on a computer) Uh, no offence guys.

Tamaki: None taken.

Hana: We’re long past our dependence on that stupid alien.

(The watcher of the video is then revealed to be Daiji, who smashes the computer screen to the ground in a fit of rage)

Daiji: Those bastards! They killed Akemi because she was turned into one of Giff’s monsters. And then they had the nerve to lie about it! Well I’ll show them, I’LL SHOW THEM ALL!!! (He then turns to face Akaishi) Didn’t you say we had a lead on Weekend’s primary shelter?

Akaishi: I did. Why?

Daiji: You won’t have to worry about finding someone to destroy it. (He holds up the TwoSiDriver) If Ikki’s trying to protect it, then I’m going to destroy it. Maybe then he’ll submit to Giff.

Akaishi: I admire your gumption.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Layton13

Because, it just shows him, again, like his entire family, make decisions that are not his to make because he knows best. Not because he can predict what will happen and how things work, but because he is sure he knows.

I guess I'm not seeing that, at least in this episode? Ikki isn't really making decisions for anyone here -- Genta and Karizaki Sr decide to do the surgery, and Ikki's arrival at the end to stop is more about how he can't possibly use a power-up that was obtained through his dad sacrificing himself. Ikki's the one who all this is being done for; he should get a vote!

So, yeah, I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at, but I'd love to hear more!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

And instead of any really impressive bad guy to play it?s abilities off against, such as Vail or Giff, we instead see it defeat an army of mooks, the same mooks that Revice takes down on a regular basis.

It's the weirdest part of this arc for me, that Akaishi's plan is just Mook Attacks, and nothing more than spreading terror. I'm not going to argue it's an ineffective strategy, but it's not a very exciting one for a superhero show. Definitely makes the fights a real Quantity Over Quality thing.

Thanks for the fun skit!

[Layton13]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I guess I'm not seeing that, at least in this episode? Ikki isn't really making decisions for anyone here -- Genta and Karizaki Sr decide to do the surgery, and Ikki's arrival at the end to stop is more about how he can't possibly use a power-up that was obtained through his dad sacrificing himself. Ikki's the one who all this is being done for; he should get a vote!

So, yeah, I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at, but I'd love to hear more!

It may just be the fact that I personally have a strong dislike for people who involve themself in someone's agency and take it for themself. And Ikki did this here, even if I actually agree with him that what his father did was dumb and selfish, but to a certain extent, that is still his choice to make, not Ikki's.

It's not like he was tricked, unaware of what he was putting himself into, or anything like this. He knew. He knew fully well that this could have easily killed him, but he chose to anyway, and if anyone could make that call, it was Genta, not Ikki.

He put his choice over that of his father.

And the only reason this is all fine is because he showed up at the right moment to save his father and get the power up. He won by simple luck/ the writers handed him his victory, but this could have easily turned out badly.

His dad could have died anyway, and the Stamp wouldn't be ready, or he saved his dad and lost the following fight.

It just rubs me such a wrong way, simply because people need to be allowed to make their own mistakes, within reason, as long as they don't carelessly hurt people with them. And while, yes, he would have hurt his family with his sacrifice, it wasn't really careless.

Again, I don't think he acted correctly, but I also think he has the right to make such a dumb mistake.

You know what I mean?

And that was simply the episode that really brought this repeated pattern of the Igarashi's to my mind and further soured me on them as a family.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Layton13

You know what I mean?

And that was simply the episode that really brought this repeated pattern of the Igarashi's to my mind and further soured me on them as a family.

I think I see what you're saying, but I don't agree with it necessarily happening here? Genta isn't making a decision about his autonomy or self-determination -- he's choosing to sacrifice himself so that Ikki can have the tools needed to defeat Giff. Setting aside the relatable emotional aspect of a son fighting to keep his father from sacrificing himself, Ikki's absolutely right to say that he could never use a tool his father died making, and that's probably a good enough reason to pull the plug on the whole thing.

Like, the important thing to note is that all this sort of stuff is in service of Ikki's heroism, so Ikki should be allowed to set the terms of that service.