Kamen Rider Drive - News/Rumours Thread 1

[Galaxian]

Poor Chase ...

While I'm still angry that the show resolved BOTH love triangles by having the party who had something "wrong" with them (Brain being in love with another guy, Chase being a Roidmude) sacrifice themselves so the one they love can be happy with the "better" person, at least it looks like Chase will be back even if temporarily. He's in scans for the last two episodes ... but his Core blew up! What will this show pull out of its ass to bring him back?

At least the conclusion of the villain's triangle is acceptable, both Brain and Medic were upfront about their devotion to Heart, while Heart's whole shtick was caring about his comrades. My biggest problem with the heroes' triangle is that Shinn suddenly realizing he loves Kiriko when he saw Chase about to confess, it makes it seem that he only wants her because someone else might too. Sigh... Romance becomes a negative note in a Kamen Rider series for the second year in a row.

 

[kuroihikari]

Shinn was attracted to Kiriko early on. (Inviting someone to dinner during Christmas Eve in Japan is a lovers' tradition). The problem was that it was sidelined for most of the show for story reasons.

 

[Kamen Rider ShinkenRed]

I would say he was at least open to the idea of dating her at the time rather than being actively aware of his own feelings. And she invited him so it's not like he was actively pursuing a relationship

 

[kuroihikari]

Ah yes. You're probably right. What I do understand is that they were both open to the idea at that time but both decided to bail out because of the awkwardness, just like how they reacted when Chase asked them. Kiriko bailed by pranking Shinn, while Shinn bailed by getting traumatized and not bringing it up again.

 

[lazycoconut]

She didn't necessarily "prank" him. It was more like a surprise party and he got the wrong idea

I really think Kamen Rider is infinitely better when there is no romance in it, and if we can't have that, we at least don't need endless love triangles. It's not a soap opera. There are many ways to add depth and humanity to characters without romance, and there are ways to write a relationship or create conflict that don't involve petty jealousy

 

[kuroihikari]

I really think she pranked him. She was getting back at him for playing with her in the previous episode. But I guess it's open to interpretation.

I for one, am actually ambivalent to the protag's love triangle (Chase, Shinn, Kiriko) in this show. It's not like, say, a CW show or a soap opera where love triangles produce so much angst. Theirs is actually a really healthy one all-throughout. It's Medic's/Brain's/Heart's that kinda irked me at points, but it did pay off.

 

[lazycoconut]

There's no reason to drag Chase into it. If Shinnosuke had to end up with Kiriko (horrid and cliché IMO, but still) just make that happen and don't involve Chase. Especially to then kill him off so that she can be happy with the "normal" guy, sending a potentially very damaging message to kids.

I think Heart/Brain/Medic made more sense and was better executed. For one thing, Brain and Medic had reason to act as they did because of their programming (and in Medic's case the effect of absorbing negative emotion from other Roidmudes) which dialled down the cheap drama somewhat

 

[kuroihikari]

I think we're just used to different genres. For me, it's the Heart/Brain/Medic triangle that was the cheap and cliche one (Heart is the lead, Medic is the kind girl hopelessly in love with the lead, while Brain was the girl/guy who has always been by the lead's side), while the Shinn/Kiriko/Chase was the natural, different one.

Heart's triangle even plays out in the exact cliche way played out on soaps, the one who was always at the lead's side, sacrifices and gives way to the kind girl for their happiness. I thought Chase would end that way, too, but instead ends up more heroically.

 

[lazycoconut]

I hate the assumption that because a male and female character are close there MUST be romance between them, but there you go.

I also think that Toei's relied too much on love triangles and romantic jealousy in recent shows. To the point of it getting ridiculous (neither Meteor nor Daigo needed THREE love interests), offensive (Drive having both Brain and Chase essentially kill themselves so the person they love can be happy with someone "normal") or morally reprehensible (W introducing a new love interest for Terui when he was already married, OOO and Maki's bizarre incestuous sister-obsession)

 

[kuroihikari]

offensive (Drive having both Brain and Chase essentially kill themselves so the person they love can be happy with someone "normal")

That's a rather inane (and inert) thing to be offended about.

1. I don't even think it applies to Brain. He was never shown to be "not normal" as opposed to Heart and Medic. I think it's wonderful that they never brought up homosexuality.
2. Chase didn't die for Kiriko to be with someone "normal". He died so Kiriko wouldn't be sad. Not for a lover, but for her brother. It doesn't tie in to Chase being different. It ties into Chase's idea of family.

As usual, you're just looking for things to nitpick about.