[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER OOO EPISODE 41 - “SIBLINGS, A RESCUE, AND EIJI’S DEPARTURE”

It’s the most bizarre pivot, and yet all this episode that’s full of the actor who plays Ankh does is reinforce how non-optional Ankh’s presence is. There’s the tactical aspect, sure – I love that the show treats Ankh’s ability to throw three Medals right on target every single time as the otherworldly skill it is; on the other hand, it’s kind of insane that Eiji has zero clue of what Medals to use in a fight on his own – but it’s more that Ankh was a friend who reached out for help, so Eiji is going to do whatever he has to in order to save Ankh. It’s not about depriving the Greeed of firepower or whatever, it’s the exact same thing he’s been doing for a year about Shingo – this guy needs help, and it’s within Eiji’s power to help him. The end.

This isn't even something that is built up through a whole series, despite that people including you would like to see it that way. For Eiji part that is, where the impact is on Ankh's side to now reach out to Eiji and trying to survive as well as entrusting something to the casts like the Taka medal to Hina. The first episode already had Eiji claiming that he'd help both Shingo and Ankh because they have connection with him, small connection would count for Eiji to reach out to someone. Eiji is an all-loving type. So I guess this part shows that Ankh is important in OOO's battles in throwing medals where Shingo doesn't do quite as good of a job, though he's not that bad due to already knowing some of his battles for Ankh possessing him like the Medal's elements.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

But before that point, we get the incredibly fun problem of the Best Possible Outcome happening a single scene after a completely different Worst Possible Outcome happening. Hina and Eiji are terrified of losing Ankh, but here’s good ol’ smiling Shingo, bewigged brother, who reduces Hina to an overjoyed ONII-CHAN machine. (Jesus, I swear, if I gotta hear her say ONII-CHAN on repeat for one more goddamn scene…) It’s a great twist, creating a hugely positive moment in the aftermath of Ankh’s capture, because the show only briefly feints at the idea that this is a win that doesn’t need to be disturbed. Eiji never views Shingo’s survival as a zero-sum state with Ankh’s survival, and almost instantly leaves Hina and Shingo to their former/future domestic bliss in order to fight to save Ankh. This is a show that worked so hard to make Ankh’s existence inviolable, making him a part of the group in way that demands that Eiji reach back and save his friend. Much like last episode, Ankh deserves to be around because his friends care about him – it doesn’t need to be explained more than that.

This Eiji's decision, while well-meaning, can be something that ends up bad instead, the part of a hero isolating himself from everyone due to thinking that they'd just bring misery to them. A problem Shoma had during the early part of Gavv, but what he had solved in ep. 5. At least the virtuous and straight up heroic kind wouldn't be someone who turns into a jerk to others, even if it's just an act (of which, it's often used to justify jerks), though Eiji can make it hard for others with him being tight-lipped about his intentions too. The problem of Eiji going to save Ankh can be about how Ankh may try to possess Shingo again, after he's fully conscious this time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Not an episode with a ton of room for anything else, and that’s maybe a good thing. Between an incredibly strange training montage with Shingo and the OOO/Birth assault on the Yummy at Kamen Rider Fields, everything else is just Eiji indulging in how rapidly his status quo has changed, and I’m very okay with that. (Also, I kind of think Eiji wasn’t eating because he’s become enough of a Greeed that he doesn’t require food anymore. Not good!) Everything in this one feels appropriately unbalanced and untenable, instead of the typical OOO format with a slightly altered cast. Way weirder of a continuation to last episode’s cliffhanger than I’d’ve expected, but also way more fun to watch.

Seems that Lost Ankh got more powerful by absorbing Ankh, or that Eiji has emotional or control issues using PuToTyra, as this'd be perhaps the first time that the final form loses in a fight. When PuToTyra loses control, it'd become another combo that has eyes in a similar color to the rest of the body like TaJaDor. If Eiji doesn't require food, then he also doesn't require to work anymore.

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

This isn't even something that is built up through a whole series, despite that people including you would like to see it that way.

I mean, you don't think the show has spent 40+ delineating the bond between Eiji and Ankh?

[AkibaSilver]

Who's this Ankh guy? Is he related to Gotou in some way?

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkibaSilver

Who's this Ankh guy? Is he related to Gotou in some way?

I don't believe that show has featured any of Gotou's family members. You're probably thinking of Anko, Date's best friend, who is also a red bean paste.

[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER OOO EPISODE 42 - “ICE, BECOMING A GREEED, AND THE BROKEN WINGS”



So, Eiji.

He’s a character that lacks a motivating impulse. He doesn’t want anything, or need anything, or hope to achieve something. He isn’t trying to be a king, or write a book, or make friends, or excel in a field. Where you can sort of see the shape of any other Rider’s future beyond his series, Eiji’s feels as blank as the world the Greeed might devour. He exists, and that’s sort of the extent of him.

That absence of desire not only makes him the right vessel for OOO, it also makes him a pretty compelling hero. Because his motivation is always someone else’s motivation – he’s a hand reaching out to you, which means you are the operative article; his action needs your existence, not the other way around. He fights for you, which is a stronger motivation than fighting for himself – selflessness versus selfishness. It means that whatever he’s up against, as long as you need him to fight, he’ll find the courage to continue. It’s transcendent. It’s beautiful, like this episode.

It’s also heartbreaking. And terrifying.

Because there will always be a hand reaching out for help. There always be someone crying out for OOO to save them. If Eiji exists to help others, what does that leave him in a world where people will always need help? With the power of OOO, there’s an increasing level to which Eiji can help people – crowds of innocents, rather than a single crying child – but his Greeed-like hunger is that he can’t stop himself from destroying his future to save others’ present. Eiji will never be able to stop himself from protecting people from monsters, even if that means he becomes a monster himself.

So, Hina.

Hina’s job, again, is to be the person in Eiji’s life who doesn’t innately view Eiji’s sacrifice as noble or brave, but as regrettable. Her introduction to this series is seeing her brother nearly killed because of the Greeed while trying to protect others, and she understands the danger that poses. Eiji fighting monsters for others, endlessly, at the cost of his connection the world, is something she’ll never view as a fair trade. She’ll always fight against that concept.

She’s the one who fights for Eiji.

It’s recontextualizing that image of a hand reaching out, into hands reaching for each other. Eiji fights for Hina, and Hina fights for Eiji. Eiji is pulled back from the brink while he’s lifting up others. It’s the concept of desire as a reciprocal machine, adding life and vibrancy to a world, rather than deducting it through hunger. It’s about protecting everyone, even those who’d protect us. Heroism can as big as saving the world, and as small as keeping one person safe. Everything’s heroic.

Anything goes.

[Androzani84]

Well Eiji has a tried and true method for perma-killing Greeed now. Thankfully, Ankh wasn’t in control of his body at the time.