[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

And obviously, Ryusei contributes for the most important thing in Fusion States.... to provide the Meteor Switch itself as a Fusion! .

It's a useful skill!

[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 45 - “TIPPING OF THE SCALES”



Real tough episode to judge on its own merits, because a huge portion of it is about setting up imminent reveals, alongside finally having someone in the know try and explain both Gamou’s plan and Gamou’s goal. It’s a less an episode of Fourze, and more the first part of a four-part series finale.

A lot of how I feel about this episode depends on what happens coming up, and I genuinely do not remember enough of the next four episodes – Gentarou’s speech in 48 and the Wizard teaser, that’s pretty much it – to see the shape of those eventual reveals in this episode. There’s too much mystery in this one, or too many minor things that are maybe hints but maybe are just the (sadly) standard shift of a Kamen Rider show into its final arc, where tons of information gets dropped on the cast, several characters make bizarre decisions to speed the plot along, and all cards are played at once. It’s a bit like judging an episode by its first 10 minutes, this one.

Like, Hayami’s whole thing! I don’t remember if there’s a twist ahead for him, where he’s playing the KRC by acting like a guy on the other side of a personal awakening that’s desperate for a chance to atone, or if all of that’s exactly the kind of seemingly-earnest bullshit that would save his skin by getting Fourze to defeat Gamou for him. If it’s the former, it’s rushed and borderline insulting; if it’s the latter, it’s precisely the sort of weaselly, selfish strategy that we’d expect from the least-inquisitive member of a celestial death cult. Without knowing which is which, I’m in Ran’s boat, which is honestly a fun way to experience the moments of the show, now that I’m writing that sentence? There’s a freedom to letting the show envelope you, instead of analyzing out Point B from where it starts at Point A. I don’t know if Hayami’s hilariously vulnerable pleas are the sign of his unavoidable-if-sudden guilt, or just his sociopathic ability to charm the gullible, and neither does Ran! But maybe Hayami’s turned over a new leaf, and we all kind of want to believe it, not least of which Gentarou, and that’s kind of this episode’s whole vibe.

I’m on board for that bit, Gentarou’s immediate offer to befriend Hayami after everything he’s done. It’s not the Taurus thing of absolving Hayami – Gen’s not answering for a class full of kids who’ve been manipulated and weaponized by Hayami – but it’s saying that Gen, who was almost killed by this guy a number of times, sees contrition in Hayami’s protection of Ran, and that’s enough to give this guy a chance. It’s perfectly in line with how present-tense Gentarou always is, where the past and future are a combination of learning opportunities and endless possibilities, so the thing you’re doing right now is the only concrete way to judge a person’s value. Hayami (seemingly!) put his life on the line to save Ran, so this is a guy that Gentarou can call a friend. I can see it!

Meanwhile, we’ve also got the increasing frequency of Kengo’s mysterious cosmic ailment, and I more or less have nothing to say about this. I think I remember where this one was going, but in this episode it’s mostly just Kengo fainting a lot without anyone doing anything about it. There’s no discussion about it, and it’s clearly going to be a big part of the next three episodes, so we can talk about it once it becomes a scene of dialogue, rather than just a sound effect and a random character asking if Kengo’s okay. (He isn’t! He very obviously isn’t! I completely thought that the first scene after the opening credits was Kengo being whisked to a hospital because he is very obviously not okay!)

Oh, right, and Gamou! We finally get a scene with Gamou and Gentarou, plus a bookend scene with Gamou and Fourze!

They're both really good scenes. We’ll talk a lot about these two characters over the next few episodes, but what we get here hints at some pretty major themes for the experience of high school. Gamou and Gentarou both have really complementary energy in the first scene, a fully-embodied sense of joy at their place within the school, but it’s neatly revealed to be diametrically opposed in what’s providing their fulfillment: Gentarou is about the process of change within high school (like with Kengo’s growth), while Gamou is about what a high school can create in the aggregate (like with his giant pot of soup). Gentarou sees value in connections, while Gamou sees value in his own contributions. Gentarou is about school as social chrysalis, while Gamou is about school as social crucible. I imagine we will discuss both of those viewpoints at length very soon!

[Androzani84]

The most I remember is the “good” version of the Horoscopes Switch being blue instead of red, which is a nice touch. A lot of what I thought happened here actually happened next time.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunred

Kickass redesigns, but sucked that they were villains.

From my experience, seems like this is only a problem if you were a fan of Kyodain. For me, I didn't know back then about the Ishinomori origin, so I just thought they were awesome-looking villain designs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

Guess this was the reason why Miu and JK were the ones who the story/writer gave a Power Dizer to, outside of Kengo. Shun was the King, Miu was the Queen, and JK is pronounced "Jake", so they're making a play of the face cards of Jack, King, and Queen among the Power Dizers.

Huh, I never noticed the card connection before. Nice observation. Like how JK can be two-faced, Jacks either have two eyes or one depending on the suit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

Though there's a good showing of Cosmic States pushing the giant XVII with his finisher to teleport him to the moon.

Really shows how strong Fourze can be when he uses his full Cosmic Energy output!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 45 - ?TIPPING OF THE SCALES?

The title is clever for the double meaning, as there are two Horoscopes here known for their scales.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I?m in Ran?s boat, which is honestly a fun way to experience the moments of the show, now that I?m writing that sentence?

Ran doesn't need a boat. She's a fish. Anyway, while you mostly talk about Hayami and his betrayal/"betrayal" in this one, I would like to briefly talk about Ran here, since I previously complained about her in the Musca arc. I stand by what I said there, but I want to give her due credit as I think this arc does a great job showing her as a better person deserving of her interim role as a KRC member. She's much more honest and likable here. Even flipping Gentarou in the hospital is now simply an involuntary quirk which she politely apologizes for.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

The most I remember is the ?good? version of the Horoscopes Switch being blue instead of red, which is a nice touch. A lot of what I thought happened here actually happened next time.

Horoscope Switches work with inFamous logic, I guess. Turns out what Tachibana said in the Cygnus arc was wrong anyway, a good Zodiart can exist, as long as the Switcher has a clear heart of good intent.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

The most I remember is the ?good? version of the Horoscopes Switch being blue instead of red, which is a nice touch. A lot of what I thought happened here actually happened next time.

Something to look forward to later today, then!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Anyway, while you mostly talk about Hayami and his betrayal/"betrayal" in this one, I would like to briefly talk about Ran here, since I previously complained about her in the Musca arc. I stand by what I said there, but I want to give her due credit as I think this arc does a great job showing her as a better person deserving of her interim role as a KRC member. She's much more honest and likable here. Even flipping Gentarou in the hospital is now simply an involuntary quirk which she politely apologizes for.

I mean, it also helps that Ran's role in this story is to be the collateral damage for Hayami's self-reflection and regret, someone who is not cool with this duplicitous schemer suddenly being contrite when he's always been up to something, but then gradually caring enough about his safety to become Pisces in order to save him from Leo. Like, we're on a heroic journey with her this time in the classic Kamen Rider mode -- using the power of darkness to protect someone, no matter how much they may deserve that protection -- as opposed to her telling every character you like that they're a phony and she hates them and WILL NOT TELL YOU WHY so stop asking and leave her alone with her Switch-addicted friend already.

I can tell you which of those two stories I liked better...

[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 45 - “TIPPING OF THE SCALES”

Like, Hayami’s whole thing! I don’t remember if there’s a twist ahead for him, where he’s playing the KRC by acting like a guy on the other side of a personal awakening that’s desperate for a chance to atone, or if all of that’s exactly the kind of seemingly-earnest bullshit that would save his skin by getting Fourze to defeat Gamou for him. If it’s the former, it’s rushed and borderline insulting; if it’s the latter, it’s precisely the sort of weaselly, selfish strategy that we’d expect from the least-inquisitive member of a celestial death cult. Without knowing which is which, I’m in Ran’s boat, which is honestly a fun way to experience the moments of the show, now that I’m writing that sentence? There’s a freedom to letting the show envelope you, instead of analyzing out Point B from where it starts at Point A. I don’t know if Hayami’s hilariously vulnerable pleas are the sign of his unavoidable-if-sudden guilt, or just his sociopathic ability to charm the gullible, and neither does Ran! But maybe Hayami’s turned over a new leaf, and we all kind of want to believe it, not least of which Gentarou, and that’s kind of this episode’s whole vibe.

Hayami claims to only want to save himself at first and that he betrayed his own friends (which would be more about him pulling a truce and stay evil), but later he claims to feel remorse for handing Switches to the students. It's not from utterly depraved kind of villain, but the previous school-themed KR series also has a villain pulling this kind of trick like Glion from Gotchard later, but that one is only about pulling truce kind. Ran was hella annoying in her previous two-parter before, but here she can easily revert back to that self due to Hayami (but there's KRC who's actively protecting her), where he's pulling something far worse than what the seniors did to Haru back then which makes her obnoxiously distrustful of everyone, and that Ran is someone who already knows AGHS hands Switches to students, with Hayami having to use her as a part of his plan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I’m on board for that bit, Gentarou’s immediate offer to befriend Hayami after everything he’s done. It’s not the Taurus thing of absolving Hayami – Gen’s not answering for a class full of kids who’ve been manipulated and weaponized by Hayami – but it’s saying that Gen, who was almost killed by this guy a number of times, sees contrition in Hayami’s protection of Ran, and that’s enough to give this guy a chance. It’s perfectly in line with how present-tense Gentarou always is, where the past and future are a combination of learning opportunities and endless possibilities, so the thing you’re doing right now is the only concrete way to judge a person’s value. Hayami (seemingly!) put his life on the line to save Ran, so this is a guy that Gentarou can call a friend. I can see it!

Still, in the name of self-serving truce (as this happens before Hayami claims to feel remorse, so this is about viewing how Ran is protected due to this), one can do good deeds to achieve it. Sometimes good things can come out of a bad situation or a bad thing. However, people should not misconstrue that just because something good was born out of something bad/evil, does not make that something good, just because the end result was good does not mean that the bad guys did something good. Otherwise, Gentaro is about action over words where what he trusted Hayami for was his actions, not his words. Though after protecting Ran (this happens after Hayami claiming to feel remorse though), he also looks out after Kengo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Meanwhile, we’ve also got the increasing frequency of Kengo’s mysterious cosmic ailment, and I more or less have nothing to say about this. I think I remember where this one was going, but in this episode it’s mostly just Kengo fainting a lot without anyone doing anything about it. There’s no discussion about it, and it’s clearly going to be a big part of the next three episodes, so we can talk about it once it becomes a scene of dialogue, rather than just a sound effect and a random character asking if Kengo’s okay. (He isn’t! He very obviously isn’t! I completely thought that the first scene after the opening credits was Kengo being whisked to a hospital because he is very obviously not okay!)

Kengo serves as the Philip of Fourze as the technical genius, and it comes with his origins as well (with Mirror World-like noise, of which there was another character who actually died since little and got revived as a 'fake', like Philip). Otherwise, as this is Kengo's focus, it's only Kengo's changed that is detailed on by the story, not about the other KRC members like Shun, Miu, JK, or Ryusei. And though the claim is that Kengo changed from being logic-focused, he's still operating on logic against Hayami to ask for information like his leader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

They're both really good scenes. We’ll talk a lot about these two characters over the next few episodes, but what we get here hints at some pretty major themes for the experience of high school. Gamou and Gentarou both have really complementary energy in the first scene, a fully-embodied sense of joy at their place within the school, but it’s neatly revealed to be diametrically opposed in what’s providing their fulfillment: Gentarou is about the process of change within high school (like with Kengo’s growth), while Gamou is about what a high school can create in the aggregate (like with his giant pot of soup). Gentarou sees value in connections, while Gamou sees value in his own contributions. Gentarou is about school as social chrysalis, while Gamou is about school as social crucible. I imagine we will discuss both of those viewpoints at length very soon!

Gamou has good intention to evolve humanity by meeting the Presenters, but he's a villain for being uncaring of what sacrifices he would make to benefit mankind. Nevertheless, his amicable behavior isn't a fake side, he's affably evil type, though he's more unforgiving to failures compared to Heart.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Ran doesn't need a boat. She's a fish. Anyway, while you mostly talk about Hayami and his betrayal/"betrayal" in this one, I would like to briefly talk about Ran here, since I previously complained about her in the Musca arc. I stand by what I said there, but I want to give her due credit as I think this arc does a great job showing her as a better person deserving of her interim role as a KRC member. She's much more honest and likable here. Even flipping Gentarou in the hospital is now simply an involuntary quirk which she politely apologizes for.

While she may seem like it for this episode, the next episode would actually reaffirm the fandom's hatred for Ran further. Though it's good to see her aikido skills being utilized with superhuman monster body.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

Nevertheless, his amicable behavior isn't a fake side, he's affably evil type, though he's more unforgiving to failures compared to Heart.

He's an educator! He's just trying to get through to these naive kids!

[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 46 - “THE ASCENSION OF SAGITTARIUS”



The main difference between the Fourze movie's version of an emotional climax to Gentarou’s story and the Fourze TV show's version of an emotional climax to Gentarou’s story is the place of Amanogawa High within it. The movie focuses on friendship as a universal principle (sorry Hayami; RIP), while the TV show narrows in on the role of friendship within educational systems, and the ways friendship acts as a multiplier for the lessons we learn growing up.

Attacking Gentarou through the limits of friendship, or the denial of its power, would be sort of a ridiculous conceit at this point in the series. The closest we got to Gen wondering if friendship was as important as he thought it was came a few episodes back in the Virgo/Emoto/Tachibana/I think he was also Shroud two-parter, and that story pretty definitively solidified Gen’s faith in friendship as a concept, and in his friends generally. There’s no speech or threat that Gamou could make that would give Gentarou the requisite endgame crisis of faith. He ain’t suddenly gonna think the KRC is pointless after 45 episode devoted to growing through friendship, you know?

But revealing that high school was maybe the enemy all along, that’s going to shake Gentarou.

Not fundamentally or anything; again, it’s not like Gen’s going to think he’s wasted his time making friends over the last year just because Amanogawa High was revealed to be a Zodiart factory run by a celestial death cult. But forcing Gen to grapple with the reality of what the administration wanted versus what the students needed, that’s crucial heading into our final episodes. Gamou’s agenda is one based on molding children into useful tools, and pushing the students of Amanogawa High to reach their full potential – which, in this case, was cosmically-powered zodiac monsters, but the metaphor is what we’re really looking at: how well-meaning schools can prioritize educational excellence in ways that maybe push kids harder than they need, in service of cold metrics that are more about the school’s success than the specific outcomes for each of its students. Individual students succeed or fail based on their individual efforts and talents; it’s not like you get a diploma for the entire class, right? Friendship and socialization are things that get in the way of that pursuit to Gamou, because individual success is the only result of merit; pioneers lead the way to greatness, like an astronaut pushing into the needless expanse of space.

But Kengo’s a refutation of that viewpoint, which is why he’s so crucial in this episode. (Not for the Core Switch stuff; still too vague to really talk about yet, even if it eats up a bunch of this episode.) Kengo’s someone who pushed himself and closed himself off, pursuing his goals with ruthlessness and unwavering dedication. But he didn’t really succeed until he opened himself up to friendship and collaboration – not because of the usual thing of sharing burdens or acknowledging other viewpoints, although that’s definitely a part of it, but because being happier from friendship allowed him to care more about what he was doing, and find that extra level of achievement that he’d never have found by grinding out his persistence in the dark. Like, friendship doesn’t diminish success because it’s shared, it enhances individual drive by pursuing different goals together. Gamou sees things as winners and losers, Horoscopes and Zodiarts, his goal and oblivion. But Kengo sees the beauty of friends pushing into the unknown together; links in a chain tethering each other to what matters most, like a birthday gift to keep your keys from getting lost.

All that, and Hayami got killed! He died as he lived: lying, and then being shrugged off by Gamou as an occasionally useful acolyte.

I don’t love the reveal of Hayami’s duplicity, even if it’s a hundred times more believable than Hayami actually reforming out of a sudden bout of guilt. It’s a plan that requires Hayami spilling tons of revealing secrets about Gamou’s plan that aren’t what I’d consider strictly necessary, operational security-wise, but mostly there so that the audience can get the dots connected for them in time for the finale. (I just… couldn’t Emoto have told them all this a few episodes ago? It would’ve come from a guy who genuinely was try to atone for some of his sketchier choices, and Hayami could’ve still done his fake-out plan, just without needlessly volunteering so much intel.) And then Hayami dies, sacrificing himself for a guy he wanted to escape from a few episodes ago and did not want to die for, but now dies while saying See I Was Good Wasn’t I Good Tell Me I Was Good while Gamou posthumously praises him for being a timely shield and a B- employee. It’s funny, Gamou not caring about this dude even at the very end of his arc, but it didn’t really add up to much, and it still felt slightly out of character for Hayami to be all-in on Gamou after the last dozen episodes.

(I laughed a lot more at Gen furiously pointing out to Gamou that Hayami sacrificed himself as a friend to the Chairman, so isn’t THAT proof that friendship exists, which is a fundamental misunderstanding of things like Workplace Dynamics and Celestial Death Cults that is also 1000% the way Gentarou, a guy who wanted to make friends with a PC, would see things. It’s dopey and off-base, but he seriously thinks the Horoscopes were Gamou’s friends, like it’s the only word he knows. I think even Amazon could come up with another word to describe the connection between Gamou and Hayami!)

I really like the way Gamou and Gentarou are staking out their positions for the finale, free of the distraction of collecting Horoscopes. We’re at the point where we need to make a statement about what high school is for, and I like the way we’re building out that answer.

[Fish Sandwich]

I think it really speaks to how into the big ideas of this final arc Die was to be able to talk this much about two Rider episodes involving determining whether or not Kousei Amano has really betrayed somebody, and somehow not make even one joke about it. I would not have had the same restraint!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

(I laughed a lot more at Gen furiously pointing out to Gamou that Hayami sacrificed himself as a friend to the Chairman, so isn’t THAT proof that friendship exists, which is a fundamental misunderstanding of things like Workplace Dynamics and Celestial Death Cults that is also 1000% the way Gentarou, a guy who wanted to make friends with a PC, would see things. It’s dopey and off-base, but he seriously thinks the Horoscopes were Gamou’s friends, like it’s the only word he knows. I think even Amazon could come up with another word to describe the connection between Gamou and Hayami!)

I think this might be another example where Gentarou's stupidity accidentally hits upon some deeper smarter meaning, though? Like, hypothetically, the Horoscopes were meant to be a united group of people all sharing in a vision together, right? Kinda like... a club, even? Maybe saying they aren't friends is just a convenient way to excuse them being really bad friends, you know?

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

I think this might be another example where Gentarou's stupidity accidentally hits upon some deeper smarter meaning, though? Like, hypothetically, the Horoscopes were meant to be a united group of people all sharing in a vision together, right? Kinda like... a club, even? Maybe saying they aren't friends is just a convenient way to excuse them being really bad friends, you know?

Maybe -- there's definitely intentional parallels between the Horoscopes and the KRC -- but it's also just Gentarou not being able to conceive of a group larger than one person that wasn't built around friendship. It's adorably single-minded, but I don't think a celestial death cult was working under the same code of conduct as an afterschool club. Even Utahoshi, Emoto, and Gamou were nominally coworkers -- it's cool if they were also friends, but it wasn't a goal, and it certainly wasn't a prerequisite. I don't want to bring Ex-Aid into things, but part of growing up is being able to work alongside people who aren't your friends! It's okay when that happens! Because holy shit is it going to happen!