TFW2005
Hisstank
Thundercats
TokuNation
Toyark
Home
News
Garo
Godzilla
Kamen Rider
Metal Heroes
Power Rangers
Super Sentai
Ultraman
All News Categories
Forum
News & Rumors
Power Rangers
Kamen Rider
Super Sentai
Other Toku Series
Toys and Collectables
Marketplace
Creative
Galleries
Companies
Bandai Japan
Tamashii Nations
Saban Brands
Bandai America
Toei
Characters
Kamen Rider Ghost
Kamen Rider Specter
Kamen Rider Necrom
Mighty Morphin Green Ranger
Dino Charge Red Ranger
Toylines
S.H. Figuarts
S.H. MonsterArts
DX Mecha
Megazords
Legacy
Shows
Kamen Rider Ghost
Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger
Power Rangers Dino Supercharge
Power Rangers Movie 2017
TokuNation.com
>
TokuNation
Integration
User Name
Remember Me?
Password
Rules
Register
Community
Today's Posts
Search
Community Links
Members List
Search Forums
Show Threads
Show Posts
Advanced Search
Go to Page...
Thread
:
Kamen Rider Die watches Kamen Rider Kiva
View Single Post
05-09-2021, 08:41 PM
#
88
Kamen Rider Die
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
KAMEN RIDER KIVA EPISODE 04 - "REVERIE: WILD BLUE”
Uh... sloppy. Sloppy episode!
It's all
the hell
over the place. There's a whole bunch of tiny things that get covered/addressed/introduced, but it leaves the main Wataru Reckons With His Father's Legacy story feeling slightly undercooked (the Moth Fangire's motivation feels like it's at cross-purposes from Wataru's story?) with an ending that... uh.
So, that ending. I do mostly appreciate what it's trying to say. Wataru has learned that his father was an unrepentant scumbag (not a fan of Otoya getting punched for being a creep and him going Cost Of Doing Business!), but he's also learned that his father believed in the beauty of the world. Otoya is The Worst, but he's also capable of gentleness. Wataru's learned that his father was
complicated
, and that's different from being a bad parent. It's a sweet little grace note. It doesn't undo or forgive the earlier revelations about Otoya, but it creates room to be impressed by his sweetness, or respect his artistry. It's a story where Wataru stops deifying the idea of Otoya and starts connecting with the
reality
of Otoya.
I don't know if the show really earned that ending, though? It's the same problem I have with all of these I Forgive My Terrible Parent stories across the Kamen Rider franchise: the sense of
scale
. Wataru falls victim to it, here, where he seems to ignore his previous quest to redeem the Kurenai legacy simply because his dad wasn't a complete prick every minute of every day. It's the same with the people whose lives Otoya destroyed. When they see that Wataru is a sweet kid who wants to atone for his dad, both of the victims cheerfully abandon decades of seething rage with a Pobody's Nerfect shrug at Otoya's sliminess and their own (legitimate!) complicity. It's ridiculous, and it honestly made me start rooting for the Moth Fangire for a few minutes.
The episode can't seem to decide if Otoya running around Japan and bankrupting people due to avarice, gluttony, and sloth is a
big deal
or not, and that keeps this episode from really delivering on Wataru's dilemma. He's shook to his foundations, and then when a Fangire confesses to orchestrating this existential threat because she was in love with Otoya, the stakes, just, like, vanish. Wataru doesn't need to make up for anything, because... something something spurned lover something something unrequited love something something daddy was an artist? There were
binders
of people who had been wronged by Otoya, and the show doesn't do nearly enough to put the scope of those crimes into any sort of context for Wataru. Why is the fact that his father was an artist some sort of balance against binders of malfeasance?! It'd be a compelling idea if Otoya, like, worked too hard or something. But he's The Worst, and the show seems to forget that right at the conclusion of this story.
(Also...
what the hell was the Moth Fangire trying to do?
Was her whole revenge against Otoya just making Wataru feel bad? Why? Did she know he was Kiva ahead of time? What if Wataru didn't give a shit about his dad? Would the Moth Fangire have spent years tracking down everyone Otoya wronged for no reason? Why introduce a path towards redemption and then be so shocked that two random victims out of thousands were okay with it?
I don't understand anything she was trying to do!
)
Putting aside the main story, which has a genuinely sweet message that it absolutely did not deliver on (some beautiful images notwithstanding), the other interesting thing in this episode was the integration of Nago into the core dynamic, and I
loved
that. Nago's the empathetic dad to Megumi's helicopter mom, and that team is electric to me. Seeing the two of them bicker over who is more helpful to Wataru, and Wataru naturally being 1000% on Team Dad, brilliant stuff. They've got outstanding chemistry (Megumi has chemistry with everyone, best actor on this show by a mile), and Nago fills in the parenting equation this show's going to need going forward.
Like, Wataru is going to keep looking for a dad in the men he respects. There's a part of his development that isn't there, and it's going to lead him to put paternal figures on pedestals. He did it with Otoya last episode, and he does it with Nago in this one. He's innately looking for the guidance and approval he never really got from his real dad, so he'll keep looking for it in other relationships. Wataru's going to let Nago in, and put stock in his opinion, when he probably should be a little more guarded. Conversely, Wataru's keeping Megumi at a distance, when she's someone who's actually capable of giving him unbiased advice. Very curious what the deal is with Wataru's mom; feels like there's a key to his treatment of Megumi in there.
Speaking of father figures! Zanki is a werewolf sword that lives inside the belly of a Dragon Cathedral! I have no comment other than
Of Course He Is!
__________________
Currently working on: Go-Busters is next! Archive of previous shows on
KamenRiderDie.com
!
Last edited by Kamen Rider Die; 09-28-2023 at
05:25 PM
..
Kamen Rider Die
View Public Profile
Send a private message to Kamen Rider Die
Find More Posts by Kamen Rider Die
TokuNation News & Rumors
Alternative Cut of "Day Of The Dumpster" Released
Shodo SUPER Kyoryuger Teaser
Figuarts/Seihou GRIDMAN
SH Figuarts BoonBoomger Red
Hasbro Licenses Power Rangers Toys to Playmates Toys
More New Posts
S.H. Figuarts (Toku Related) Thread
Kamen Rider Gotchard Episode 34- "Only One! All Roads Lead To Gorgeousness!"
Kamen Rider Gotchard Episode 33- "Legend Rider? 100 Years Too Early!" Discussion
How is Everyone Today- New
DreamSword Watches Unfamiliar Toku: Part 1 - GARO
Super Sentai minipla appreciation thread!
Funny Toku Images thread
DreamSword Rereads the Power Rangers Comics
Recent Purchases: April 2024
Ultraman Discussion Thread
Current Poll
How Would You Rate This Episode?
Excellent!
Good
Average
OK
Poor...
»
View Poll Results
»
Comment On This Poll
»
This Poll Has 0 Replies
Search Forums
»
Advanced Search
All times are GMT -5. The time now is
04:13 AM
.
Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Powered by
vBadvanced
CMPS