The Story of Riki

*Groan* So no Kiva last week, and not a peep from me yet again thanks to a million things keeping me busy. I'm working on trying to get back to a regular schedule but on account of the fact that school runs until mid-July here (and if I haven't mentioned it before, I teach for a living now), it's looking pretty hectic. I might just be able to get back on track soon though.

You might notice I'm fooling around with the sidebar that, adding in some graphics and such. I have big plans, as usual. Seeing as how I rarely have much time to watch one episode of Kamen Rider a week even, I think the sanest thing to do is pick up V3 from #13 next weekend, and go from there, rather than try to keep up with the actual airdates (which I wasn't exactly doing anyway, and hey, it's still the 35th Anniversary!)

I should also bring up, in a really sad bit of news, Kanbe Miyuki (of Kamen Rider Hibiki fame) passed away on Wednesday. She was way too young. See more here. Rest in Peace, Hinaka.

And now, Kamen Rider Kiva.

Spoilers and a lot of talking ahead.



Kamen Rider Kiva Episode #21: Rhapsody: The Destination Ring*

*(Yukue is "One's Whereabouts", but I think in context this makes more sense.)

Kiva & IXA destroy that big CGI thing while Kivat talks about how there was no Kiva on last week. Okay, he doesn't. He talks about Gôkon, a shortened version of Gôdô Konpa, the latter word itself being an abbreviation of "Company". The basic point is that it's a style of drinking/eating party that became popular with students in the 70's & 80's. And it's a concept that figures headily into this week's episode.

1986. Otoya & Yuri are eating Ramen noodles, and Yuri recalls their little lakeside moment last episode while Otoya fools around.

“You really are an idiot!” she says. Although with less disdain than usual. Yuri is actually starting to like him. Or at least put up with him better.

Like the creepy lil' wolfman that he is, Jirô watches all this from the bushes. Ramon & Riki show up, concerned for his current state. Well as concerned as they can be; Ramon thinks the whole thing with his buddy and Yuri is amusing and Riki takes about 15 seconds just to get one word out.

2008. Kengo surprises/ambushes Nago at the café. He now considers Nago as his mentor (literally his sensei) and seeks to become his disciple. He recalls how cool Nago was fighting the Fangire without IXA’s power, calling it "the greatest live" (as in live performance.) Nago is just annoyed though, and doesn’t want anyone thinking of him as Kiva’s ally after their unintentional team-up last episode. Nor does he want anything to do with Kengo, again mentioning that he hates rock (and I might have misheard it but I think he said he hates insects as well. IRONY!)Despite this, Kengo's prodding breaks through, but Nago demands to know how Kengo will pay his "monthly tuition fee."

Wataru & Megumi are there (aren't they always)and somewhere along the line someone decides it'd be a great idea to go out and eat, Gôkon-style. Hey, it's one way for Kengo to pay back Nago, buy getting him a free lunch.

1986. Jirô & Yuri meet in a park, and Jirô presents Yuri with an engagement ring. Having now since grown closer to Otoya, Yuri’s feelings are torn, but Jirô puts the ring on anyway. She fumbles to explain her emotions, so Jirô tells her to take the ring off if she changes her mind and walks off.

Elsewhere, Otoya is playing his violin, and Jirô appears to taunt him. He's quite sure Yuri won't be taking that ring off, and he wants to rub it in Otoya's face all he can. You know, apart from the odd moment or episode every now and then, I never understood it when people were saying Kuuga or Agito were too soap opera-ish. But this? It's charging into that genre full steam, although saved by the fact that it's largely being played for laughs and by the end of the episode some monster is getting punched in the face.

Yuri confronts Shima about Jirô’s marriage plans. Shima is his usual neutral self, although he leans more towards the wolfy guy's ideal future. Otoya shows up, naturally opposing anything involving Jirô & Yuri. Because she gets in the way of their true love.

Yuri talks with one of her friends about all this when Jirô appears. Since no woman can apparently resist the Matsuda charm in reality as well as fiction, said friend is smitten by him and recommends they have a Gôkon...

...which as you may recall, our heroes are setting off to do in 2008!

Back to 1986. The then-fashionable Chameleon Fangire kills a woman who had just been one of his customers (he runs a clothing store or somesuch.) Whatta jerk! I like his invisibilty tricks, but he better have a big long extendable tongue/whip thing!

2008. Our heroes go to eat at a Yaki-Niku place, that mainstay of Kamen Rider Agito and one of my favorite types of restaurant. Keep an eye out for Haga Yuria (Mari from Kamen Rider Faiz) as the bumbling waitress when they make their orders. Also note that a couple of Megumi's friends are along for the ride. I assume they're Megumi's, otherwise I doubt Wataru & Nago would be hanging around the same place together so much of the time.

1986. Our past heroes are at a restaurant. Otoya & Jirô are there to get into a fight over Yuri, there's some of Yuri's friends, and hey! It's Riki! Hi Riki! Haven't seen you since... oh that's right, you were there at the beginning of the episode. Riki sort of figures importantly into the plot this time, hence the title (of the post, not the episode.) One woman recognizes Otoya, and he recognizes her from preschool, of all places. She is the "woman of fate" who he promised a kiss to. Yuri is not amused by this, of course.

2008. A lot of talking and eating. Megumi's friends ask Wataru about what kind of girls he likes, and Nago is starting to regret getting sucked into this. Is there anything that guys likes other than 1)beating people up, 2)killing Kiva, and 3)buttons?

1986. Yuri is getting ticked off with her own friends, althout is now freely admitting that that Jirô is her fiancé. Otoya protests. Riki eats. Otoya & Jirô continue to try to one-up each other. One of the friends tries to get Riki to talk, but his strange manner causes her to get angry and turn away. Later, he confronts her, changing to his true form...

Riki returns, but soon leaves, as it's become pretty apparent that he probably doesn't want to hang around now that Yuri is short one friend. Otoya & Jirô continue to bicker and fight. That's basically the extent of what they do from here on out, but at least it's kinda funny.

2008. Back in the present, the crew are doing the same thing as when we left them. Nago impresses the ladies (and Kengo) but naturally doesn't seem to care that much. "Mari" shows up, and spills stuff all over them. Nago gets pissed off. He later complains and the waitress leaves in tears. Wataru looks concerned. Hey, he's there, remember?

1986. The Chameleon Fangire attacks a woman in broad daylight. Riki appears to save her. He changes to his own monster form of Dogga and attacks. The Chameleon is overwhelmed by his great strength. So the monster does the smart thing, and vanishes. But Dogga finds himself suddenly desiring to kill (well "consume") the very woman he just saved. He drains her life energy as she passes out.

2008. Wataru catches up to the waitress, who apologizes for her clumsiness. She talks of how she gets nervous in front of people. Wataru relates how he is the same. How weak-kneed he is, how even a door-to-door seller can win him over because he wants people to like him and thus often submits to every demand/request/etc.

Elsewhere, the Chameleon Fangire (yep, still around in the present) kills a woman, and Bloody Rose summons Kivat into action. But IXA gets their first. Nago transforms.

“Henshin!”

IXA goes to Burst mode and fires on the monster with his gun. But the sneaky guy teleports away.

The fleeing monster is ambushed by Kiva (Kiva Form), who drops down from above, bat-style. He quickly uses his Darkness Moon Break, but the Chameleon Fangire disappears and escapes once again...

1986. Otoya & his childhood friend Kumi wander through the city at night as Jirô & Yuri watch on. Yuri still seems undecided about her current fate, as she watches Otoya run off into the night...

Hey look, another preview for the movie! A couple neat scenes including the movie Riders in action.

NEXT TIME: Dogga Form gets used again, that’s the most important thing. There's also more intrigue between Jirô, Yuri, and Otoya. And I'm sure there will be more talking.

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