[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

This scene reminded me a lot of Amazons season 2 in that the staging is very obviously constructed for the camera. Unlike that show, though, this still feels mostly natural and unforced.

Considering Ishida directed half of Amazons season 2, I'm sure that's no coincidence. He definitely can get rather... theatrical, when given the chance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Mutsuki just showed up to murder Kenzaki! A few minutes earlier! And he did not at all seem conflicted about it! And they're all like We Miss You? Just an insane episode.

They're obviously just used to dealing with this kind of behavior from either having Tachibana as a friend, or worse, being Tachibana. I think if Mukki and Dadi teamed up to burn Kotarou's farmhouse down under the pretenses that it showed strength or was supposed to somehow be helpful respectively, the rest of Team Blade would just meet that with a shrug, and a "oh, you guys." Very forgiving lot, these characters!

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

They're obviously just used to dealing with this kind of behavior from either having Tachibana as a friend, or worse, being Tachibana. I think if Mukki and Dadi teamed up to burn Kotarou's farmhouse down under the pretenses that it showed strength or was supposed to somehow be helpful respectively, the rest of Team Blade would just meet that with a shrug, and a "oh, you guys." Very forgiving lot, these characters!

TACHIBANA: There's Mutsuki! We should let him know there's no hard feelings.

KENZAKI: Wait, what? He tried to murder me after knocking me off of a stretcher. There are a few hard feel--

TACHIBANA: So he tried to murder you! I'm sure he had a good reason, like desperately needing to feel powerful as a way of tamping down on his massive inferiority complex. Don't be petty, Kenzaki.

KENZAKI: How am I being p--

HAJIME: Tachibana is right, Kenzaki. It's not like you've never disregarded people who called themselves your friends in favor of dwelling on your unfathomable feelings of rage and isolation.

KENZAKI: Uh, no, that's never been something I've done and okay cool you can't hear me because you are already walking over to invite Mutsuki to join the team oh my god this is actually happening I can't believe you guys.

[Kamen Rider Die]

While we're on the topic, there is one other thing I wanted to talk about for ol' Strongest Rider. It's a bit from 39 with Mutsuki that's a storytelling hat trick. It's funny, great plotting, and totally character-driven.

For the plot to progress in 39, someone's got to tell Hirose about U.N.D.A.D. It can't be Kotaro, because he doesn't know. (Man, you want to talk about someone the story left behind!) Kenzaki and Tachibana not only don't want to tell Hirose, but they're also out of pocket for the first half of the episode. That leaves Mutsuki, who, for the first time in almost ten episodes (or more?) just wanders into Team Blade's living room. He's the one who inadvertently clues in Hirose about U.N.D.A.D.

The thing I love about that scene, beyond how thrillingly unexpected it is, is that it makes perfect sense for Mutsuki to do it. He walks in, tells Hirose that he just tried to murder Kenzaki under orders from U.N.D.A.D. in exchange for more power, it didn't work, but he still wants his power, so where's your dad already. And it's hysterical that Mutsuki would approach the team this way, complaining that his recent murder attempt didn't pan out the way he hoped so maybe Kenzaki's friends can help him out. That's a move that even Tachibana, who is 85% certain that everyone else in the world is a figment of his imagination, would think the Team would shoot down. It's so oblivious, so selfish, and it's exactly Mutsuki.

The secret sauce in the scene is that Mutsuki fundamentally doesn't get why Kenzaki's friends would hold trying to murder Kenzaki against him. He doesn't see the stakes of Battle Fight as actual life and death. It's monsters getting sealed in cards and fun finishing moves! It's just a game! Why would Mutsuki doing what he needs to do to be more powerful be held against him? He's a hero! A Kamen Rider! Why is everyone being so unfair to him?

It's 1000% Mutsuki, the guy who wanted a tragic backstory because it was cool. Stakes are theoretical, risks are something other people deal with, consequences don't exist. Mutsuki's never really had skin in the game, so of course he'd grumpily demand that Hirose help him out.

Really smart way of utilizing Mutsuki in that episode.

[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER BLADE EPISODE 40

This time on Kamen Rider Blade: The final fate of U.N.D.A.D.! Amane is maybe depending on Hajime too much! And no one puts Mutsuki in the corner!



I wouldn't say this one was good. I wouldn't say this one came close to being good. But it came close to coming close to being good, and I guess that's better than being bad.

It's a messy episode, which is maybe its fundamental flaw. In an episode that should at least be a suitable send-off to U.N.D.A.D. (I hate that character, but you gotta do something big for his finale if he's been a 9-episode antagonist), and hopefully give some big scenes to Hirose, this one tries to do that AND spend a bunch of time with Mutsuki and Tiger Queen (fka Twomi) AND start to acknowledge that Amane emotionally investing so much in Hajime is probably not that smart. It's a lot! That is way, way too much for one episode, and the core of it really suffers for that decision.

Like, so much of the finale of this episode hinges on Hirose's feelings about what's going on and... I mean, there's stuff in there I can find to enjoy. Her grieving at the end, it's not her grieving some stupid robot that was programmed to protect her and either was immediately reprogrammed to not do that, or wasn't reprogrammed but just never got around to it. (???? I don't know if that flashback worked even a little. It definitely raises more questions than it answers. Like, Undad wasn't killed by the Undead he released, but escaped. went into hiding, kept working secretly for Tennouji, and built U.N.D.A.D. before dying? And U.N.D.A.D. was programmed to assist Tennouji, but then just decided to do his own scheme anyway? Villain plots in Kamen Rider generally don't make a lot of sense if you think too hard about them, but this is some next level Don't Think Too Hard About It shit.) She's grieving, if I can read a lot into it, for the father she never truly put to rest. This weird monster robot, it's just a vessel for catharsis. It's like when you hear a song that reminds you of someone who's gone, and how all of those emotions come flooding back. She's presented with a thing that looks like the father she has very complicated feelings about, and she can't stop crying all the tears she's been choking back.

Except, I don't know how much of that is in the text? These last two episodes, they are asking you to infer a lot from Hirose's performance. The ending is a sort-of trite Found Family beat, but the specific story about her feelings about her dad... it really needed a couple more scenes. Something with her and Kenzaki, hopefully, where his being an orphan and her being an orphan... there's definitely scenes there! Probably really good ones! I'd've even been cool with Tachibana trying (and fumbling close to succeeding without quite actually succeeding) to find some way to bring his bizarre life experiences to bear on Hirose's recent family traumas. Or, god, Kotaro! Let him try his Wrong Thing To Say schtick to get her to open up! I needed to know how she missed her dad, what outcome she wanted, if her guilt had changed how she remembered her dad, had she grieved him before, had she felt conflicted when he died. Something! Anything! As it is, there's this, like, ellipsis where Hirose's story should be, and it really robs this episode of the tools it needs to be good. Her performance is... she is giving so much, but she's really let down by this script.

I wouldn't mind it so much (I mean, I definitely would still mind it, but not as much) if the other plots tied in thematically, but it's really only the Hajime/Amane one that does, if I squint. Amane is very much settled on Hajime as Permanent New Dad, and Haruka is rightfully worried about that. Hajime is a very nice tenant, but he's only a very nice tenant. They care for him like family, but he's not actually family. He's also not exactly dependable, which is another way of saying that this kid is creating a scenario where she loses a second dad. Haruka is clearly troubled, and Amane is not loving Hajime bailing for mysterious reasons, but that's about all we get in this episode. It's a few scenes of setup for later episodes, and while it loops in thematically with the Hirose fathers/daughters thing, it's very tangential, and it dilutes the main plot. Maybe not the best episode to start this subplot!

The rest of the episode is Mutsuki and Tiger Queen, and it's okay. I really enjoy Mutsuki's performance, his surly depression. It's so outside the other plots that it might as well be its own spinoff, which this episode really really didn't need, but I do like seeing Mutsuki whenever the show wants to use him. It's a total Your Mileage May Vary situation, but it works for me. He's just hopeless and moody and he's got maybe one friend and everyone's always judging him and he's the Weakest Rider and I just enjoy it. It's very enjoyable to me.

This episode, however, was not that enjoyable. I really wanted this to be Hirose's story, but it ended up being Undad and U.N.D.A.D.'s story, guest-starring Hirose. Not a total failure (that Hirose actor tried so hard to salvage this question mark of a story), but still a real let-down.



Next time on Kamen Rider Blade: Tiger Queen versus Blade and Garren! More U.N.D.E.A.D. because I guess that is just this show now! And Mutsuki has demands, which is adorable!

[Androzani84]

Like most people on YouTube, I am the first to comment. Unlike them, I actually have something to say.

Trial G Basis


Great Leader of Black Satan (ブラックサタン大首領 Burakku Satan Dai Shuryō, 26): The leader of Black Satan who is the boss of Satan Bug (サタン虫 Satan Mushi). Destroyed by Stronger's Stronger Electro Kick.

And that’s it for the Trial monsters (I always wondered what happened to Trials A and C). Now I can get back to why I started regular commenting on this thread.

Absorb Tiger

An immortal creature who is the ancestor of the Tiger belonging to the Category Queen of Clubs suit. Weapons include the large claw on her right arm. Her human identity is known as Hikaru Jou. While in human form, Jou possesses uncanny speed and strength

* Suit: Club (♣)
* Category: Queen (Q)
* Effect name: ABSORB
* Card name: Absorb Tiger (アブソーブ・タイガー Abusōbu Taigā)
* Consumption points: EP +2000

[Androzani84]

Like most people on YouTube, I am the first to comment. Unlike them, I actually have something to say.

Trial G Basis


Great Leader of Black Satan (ブラックサタン大首領 Burakku Satan Dai Shuryō, 26): The leader of Black Satan who is the boss of Satan Bug (サタン虫 Satan Mushi). Destroyed by Stronger's Stronger Electro Kick.

And that’s it for the Trial monsters (I always wondered what happened to Trials A and C). Now I can get back to why I started regular commenting on this thread.

Absorb Tiger

An immortal creature who is the ancestor of the Tiger belonging to the Category Queen of Clubs suit. Weapons include the large claw on her right arm. Her human identity is known as Hikaru Jou. While in human form, Jou possesses uncanny speed and strength

* Suit: Club (♣)
* Category: Queen (Q)
* Effect name: ABSORB
* Card name: Absorb Tiger (アブソーブ・タイガー Abusōbu Taigā)
* Consumption points: EP +2000

[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I don't think anyone's excusing what Umi's doing when she acts poorly, but we can all try and understand or address why she's doing that. It's not in the best interests of appreciating a story if we're going to look at troubled characters as complicit in their own flaws 100% of the time. Sometimes folks got motivations, sometimes folks only have justifications. Talking about them and trying to understand their perspective isn't an endorsement.

Forgot to read this (and sorry for addressing this), I already know that. I didn't say it before but having a tragic past does influence what kind of treatment (including things like punishment, advice, etc. Like Kenzaki for the latter.) we should give to those characters, just that it doesn't make wrong behaviors right, it shouldn't be rationalized. Any type of characters, nice or jerk alike deserve equal opportunities to be analyzed and deconstructed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Man, I don't know that he does? Certainly not to the visceral extent that Kenzaki does. Every scene Tachibana has had with U.N.D.A.D. has been with him showing respect and deference. When he pushes back at all, it's with an air of... almost groveling? I never really got the impression that he wants anything bad to happen to U.N.D.A.D.

Talking about the part where Tachibana told Kenzaki the Undeads are Yoshito's responsibility, I mean that, he wants Yoshito to solve the Undead problem himself, without outside help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Kenzaki doesn't seem like that character to me, though, that thinks that pragmatically. He's approached dangerous creatures with no powers of his own before. I think Kenzaki views being a Rider as an option to help people, not as the sole path.

And of course, I was comparing him with the other Rider leads, which mostly are Kenzaki's type of character. The other Rider leads, like for example Yusuke, also doesn't want to fight, doesn't revere/seek Rider's powers, but use that as a necessity to fight off threats. He has approached the likes of Joker yeah, but most Undeads weren't, and other Rider leads are also mostly like that to monsters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I’m never going to be a big fan of the U.N.D.A.D. plot. He’s a boring character, no matter if he’s in a lab cooly explaining to Tachibana why it’s fine to assault Kenzaki, or if he’s having a sweaty, existential freak-out in an aquarium.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

One of the many problems with the U.N.D.A.D. plot is that the only character with an emotional connection to him is Hirose, and she’s been completely absent from his story. Tachibana or Kenzaki would bring up his daughter, but it’d be brushed off without much interest on his behalf. But the second the story shifts focus to how Hirose feels about all of this, how it affects her, it’s suddenly a lot more interesting.

Yeah, Trial B, though the one to blame behind all of this isn't from him, which likely also took advantage of Trial B's Yoshito look for all the others.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Kenzaki and Tachibana both spend the episode Knowing What’s Best For Hirose, and I don’t think it’s entirely out of character. Or, I guess, how they get to being paternalistic dopes has a weird Kamen Rider Blade logic to it.

I probably was going to ask why were you more lenient towards these 2 acting this way, though this, and below part already summed it up (probably I would bring this episode up in other similar topic discussions though). I would like to know that, even if here, Tachibana seems to not have step 2, what would you say regarding Kenzaki giving sympathy to Hajime? I know he succeeded in rubbing off Hajime and potentially saving the world from Joker, but what if Kenzaki's attempt to Hajime also failed as Tachibana did here? Probably his success in Hajime also partly influences him to do the same regarding Trial B? Even with him yelling towards Trial B before, he did similar to Hajime, declaring him the worst existence at early part.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It ended up making this a story that I actually really loved in hindsight, while kind-of loathing in the moment. It’s an episode full of my least favorite tropes, which is infuriating, but then it’s critiquing and admonishing those tropes, which I adore.

Yeah, being overprotective would give zero credit to anyone, no matter what they have, for their misguided deeds attempted for their sake. Kotaro just outright telling Yoshito (actually Trial B) being alive as a joy probably was too much for him. And what you say about Hirose putting to rest any responsibility/guilt, aside for letting Riders strike Trial B as they want, what do you mean? She still fights off Undeads with the other Riders as mission control for now right? Her responsibility/guilt equals to her fighting off Undeads because that's what Yoshito did, so putting away her responsibility would mean her letting Undeads be (which like, what Tachibana wants regarding Kenzaki to Yoshito)? And regarding intelligence (unless you count out Tachibana as Team Blade), Tachibana is a BOARD scientist like Hirose too, and he's (supposed to be) a professional, but...

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

I would like to know that, even if here, Tachibana seems to not have step 2, what would you say regarding Kenzaki giving sympathy to Hajime? I know he succeeded in rubbing off Hajime and potentially saving the world from Joker, but what if Kenzaki's attempt to Hajime also failed as Tachibana did here? Probably his success in Hajime also partly influences him to do the same regarding Trial B? Even with him yelling towards Trial B before, he did similar to Hajime, declaring him the worst existence at early part.

I think the recent Kenzaki/Hajime stuff is different, because Hajime clearly is trying to control himself. Hajime's situation is an illness, while the U.N.D.A.D. stuff is more of this weird A Dad Couldn't Possibly Be Mean assumption that, one, we as the audience know is 100% wrong, and two, nearly every interaction these dudes have had with him has been about manipulation and betrayal. There's a lot of them trying to salvage a situation that is way outside their expertise, and also definitely not their problem to solve by themselves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

And what you say about Hirose putting to rest any responsibility/guilt, aside for letting Riders strike Trial B as they want, what do you mean? She still fights off Undeads with the other Riders as mission control for now right? Her responsibility/guilt equals to her fighting off Undeads because that's what Yoshito did, so putting away her responsibility would mean her letting Undeads be (which like, what Tachibana wants regarding Kenzaki to Yoshito)?

It just seemed like a problem of hers that the show had left in the past, something that she worked hard to overcome. Her fighting now... it's like Kenzaki, where I think it's more about Helping People and, additionally Supporting Her Friends than her own personal guilt or what have you.

[Fish Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER BLADE EPISODE 40

The whole U.N.D.A.D. plot is one of those things I have a different opinion on, but not much in the way of a counterargument. It's weird, it's not entirely well thought out, and it takes up a maybe disproportionate amount of the series. For all I know I only think I like the guy because he was in a stretch of Blade I liked, but, I don't know, I definitely still enjoyed these two episodes on a rewatch.

Rather bold of the show to assume fighting Discount Monster Leangle was the event worthy of bringing the Riders together on one side for the first time (outside of the movie?), though. But then, I guess if he's Mukki's copy, he must logically be the Strongest Trial Undead.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Rather bold of the show to assume fighting Discount Monster Leangle was the event worthy of bringing the Riders together on one side for the first time (outside of the movie?), though. But then, I guess if he's Mukki's copy, he must logically be the Strongest Trial Undead.

Counterpoint: Every single Rider on the show wants to beat the shit out of Mutsuki, and now all four of them can.