Final Ryuki thoughts
Nov. 9th, 2024 06:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alchemicinkThe alternate title for this post was "Men will literally join the Rider War instead of going to therapy"
But I figured that was too long 😂 (probably everyone has already made this joke before me too)
Anyway, I finished the series about a week ago, but am only now finding the time to write out my thoughts on the last stretch of Kamen Rider Ryuki episodes (40-50)
As always, spoilers below the cut:
In my previous Ryuki post, I made a joke about how these dudes ought to be paid for being a Kamen Rider, since fighting for their lives takes up so much of their free time.
And then Kamen Rider Imperer came on the scene and literally asked like three different characters to pay him 😂 he had business cards and everything!!
He was fun for a few episodes, but just as doomed as everyone else. My note when he died was "RIP to the new guy who was really bad at making friends"
I don't have much to say about him or Tiger, to be honest, because by this point in the series, they both felt like distractions from the rest of the plot that I was more interested in.
Actually my only thoughts on Tiger by the end of his arc was 1) "these Riders are all awful people" was a WILD thing for him to say as he poured gasoline all over a car in a murder attempt 😂 and 2) I can't believe he died via Truck-kun! What a way to go.
Speaking of the gasoline and murder attempt, I feel like the most unbelievable part of this whole series was Mr. Psychopath living through the car explosion WITHOUT A SCRATCH 🤔
I hate him!!
(I don't actually)
Anyway, as we got down to the last episodes, I'm glad we finally got an explanation about what Kanzaki was doing and what's up with Yui and where'd the mirror world even come from in the first place. Though the series sure did drag out the explanation. I think I wrote "BUT HOW DOES THE RIDER WAR SAVE YUI??" in my notes for like four episodes in a row.
But once it was all laid out, I really did enjoy learning the truth of everything. And I thought it was so striking how Yui had been dead all along, and how Kanzaki just spent so many years unable to accept that. I think that's why the reset timeline ending was so satisfying. He was finally able to let go, and everyone else was happier for it. (Even if they didn't know it)
Some other final thoughts:
☆ Shinji dying in episode 49 absolutely broke me (in the best way). I feel like it couldn't have gone any other way.
☆ I liked how Ren and Shinji's fight in episode 47 kinda mirrored their first fight in episode 3
☆ I didn't talk enough about Kitaoka and Goro, but I love their relationship. Devoted Goro is the best 🥺
☆ Reiko finally found out about the Riders and then nothing happened!! I sorta wish she'd found out sooner because I'd love to have gotten more of her reaction. Oh well
☆ Cackled all throughout that sequence in the final episode with reset timeline!Shinji pushing his moped and running into the other Riders. Tezukaaaaaaaa, my favorite!! ♡ Telling Shinji about his bad luck and then Asakura walks by to kick his bike over 😂
☆ .......I may or may not have a long fluffy Ren/Shinji fic idea that I wanna write now 👀 (but first I'm reading my way through existing fics)
Overall, Ryuki was a really interesting and entertaining series. I'm already rewatching a few episodes again because I enjoyed it so much. Lots to still think about. I'm sure I'll discover things I didn't notice the first time!
In case you missed them, all my previous rambly Ryuki thoughts: Episodes 1-4, Episodes 5-13, Episodes 14-22, Episodes 23-28, and Episodes 29-39
But I figured that was too long 😂 (probably everyone has already made this joke before me too)
Anyway, I finished the series about a week ago, but am only now finding the time to write out my thoughts on the last stretch of Kamen Rider Ryuki episodes (40-50)
As always, spoilers below the cut:
In my previous Ryuki post, I made a joke about how these dudes ought to be paid for being a Kamen Rider, since fighting for their lives takes up so much of their free time.
And then Kamen Rider Imperer came on the scene and literally asked like three different characters to pay him 😂 he had business cards and everything!!
He was fun for a few episodes, but just as doomed as everyone else. My note when he died was "RIP to the new guy who was really bad at making friends"
I don't have much to say about him or Tiger, to be honest, because by this point in the series, they both felt like distractions from the rest of the plot that I was more interested in.
Actually my only thoughts on Tiger by the end of his arc was 1) "these Riders are all awful people" was a WILD thing for him to say as he poured gasoline all over a car in a murder attempt 😂 and 2) I can't believe he died via Truck-kun! What a way to go.
Speaking of the gasoline and murder attempt, I feel like the most unbelievable part of this whole series was Mr. Psychopath living through the car explosion WITHOUT A SCRATCH 🤔
I hate him!!
(I don't actually)
Anyway, as we got down to the last episodes, I'm glad we finally got an explanation about what Kanzaki was doing and what's up with Yui and where'd the mirror world even come from in the first place. Though the series sure did drag out the explanation. I think I wrote "BUT HOW DOES THE RIDER WAR SAVE YUI??" in my notes for like four episodes in a row.
But once it was all laid out, I really did enjoy learning the truth of everything. And I thought it was so striking how Yui had been dead all along, and how Kanzaki just spent so many years unable to accept that. I think that's why the reset timeline ending was so satisfying. He was finally able to let go, and everyone else was happier for it. (Even if they didn't know it)
Some other final thoughts:
☆ Shinji dying in episode 49 absolutely broke me (in the best way). I feel like it couldn't have gone any other way.
☆ I liked how Ren and Shinji's fight in episode 47 kinda mirrored their first fight in episode 3
☆ I didn't talk enough about Kitaoka and Goro, but I love their relationship. Devoted Goro is the best 🥺
☆ Reiko finally found out about the Riders and then nothing happened!! I sorta wish she'd found out sooner because I'd love to have gotten more of her reaction. Oh well
☆ Cackled all throughout that sequence in the final episode with reset timeline!Shinji pushing his moped and running into the other Riders. Tezukaaaaaaaa, my favorite!! ♡ Telling Shinji about his bad luck and then Asakura walks by to kick his bike over 😂
☆ .......I may or may not have a long fluffy Ren/Shinji fic idea that I wanna write now 👀 (but first I'm reading my way through existing fics)
Overall, Ryuki was a really interesting and entertaining series. I'm already rewatching a few episodes again because I enjoyed it so much. Lots to still think about. I'm sure I'll discover things I didn't notice the first time!
In case you missed them, all my previous rambly Ryuki thoughts: Episodes 1-4, Episodes 5-13, Episodes 14-22, Episodes 23-28, and Episodes 29-39
no subject
Date: 2024-11-10 12:45 am (UTC)I watched like, three different anime that took a lot from Ryuki (without me realizing it) before I watched it myself, and it's really fun to see what got borrowed
no subject
Date: 2024-11-10 05:56 pm (UTC)Oh yeah, I've probably watched a few anime inspired by it too and didn't even realize