To truly kick December into high gear, Nico’s foray into the windy city of Fuuto continues with the debut of FangJoker, as well as fond farewells to familiar faces.
Welcome back to this week’s Retro Ride Review! I’m eager to talk about the next three episodes in my Kamen Rider W watchthrough but, first, a little update in terms of how future Retro Ride Reviews will be structured.
The remaining episodes of W will be separated into an arc-by-arc format, meaning bigger and more concise articles covering the episodes of the last two story arcs. They’ll be released at the end of each month, but fear not: I’ll be covering the movies of Kamen Rider W to fill in the time! Hopefully, this should allow for more consistent releases of articles.
But, for now, I’ve still got the last episodes of W’s first story arc to get through, so wait no further as we investigate the half-boiled detectives’ next cases!
Episode 16 – The F Afterglow / Reclaim Your Partner
Picking up from episode 15’s jaw dropping cliffhanger, I was obviously spoiled by the extra bits of lore surrounding Philip’s history. Though it’s not quite the full picture just yet, it’s that little smattering of surprises to keep me extra puzzled and fascinated by Philip’s past, what with W’s secret 7th Gaia Memory, and his ties to the Sonozaki Family. Not only that, but the partnership between him and Sho is on an all time high this episode: the image of him lifting Philip up from the burning wreckage of the Gaia Library, his partner’s mind slowly unravelling, the two shaking hands and ultimately bringing Philip back to himself… thoroughly enjoyed it.
But who cares about that stuff, I wanna see some action! There’s only so many times I can get caught up in the whimsy of storytelling. This episode is all about a brand new form for crying out loud! FangJoker is a delight for the eyes, from its jagged and animalistic design, to its bladed appendages, to its slick black and white colour scheme.
He serves the Arms Dopant a special heaping of slashes and claw strikes, even some brutal attacks, making me wince! Berserker Kamen Rider forms are always a treat and, frankly, I can’t get enough of them, even if they are heavily overused nowadays.
I don’t think I’ve praised this enough before, but Seiji Takaiwa does an excellent job of playing W – you really feel like he’s two minds in one body, especially when he’s able to seamlessly move his left and right arms individually, like there’s two people fighting for control at the same time. He does a great job at portraying the brutality and viciousness of a form like Fang.
This was an exciting episode, a blood pumping action romp, and a brilliant showcase of the trust between Shotaro and Philip. Philip, making the sacrifice to potentially lose his mind for the sake of his friends, was a fantastic moment for his character. But, really, FangJoker stole the show here.
Episodes 17-18 – Farewell N / Memory Kids and The Friend With the Wind
I really want that Mr. Fuuto keychain. Sorry, that’s not the focus of this episode, is it?
This two parter is all about Kirihiko, who hasn’t been a character I’ve touched on a lot since starting my review (apart from the fact the showrunners loved getting him naked). This isn’t to say I haven’t liked Kirihiko as a character. Rather, he’s just been sidelined in comparison to all the other exciting things that happen in W. Thankfully, we have two episodes dedicated to focusing more on him, and it’s cemented Kirihiko as one of my favourite characters so quickly.
He confesses to Shotaro after running into him at the hairdressers and having a swordfight (it happens) that he loves Fuuto City just as much as the detective does. In fact, he’s the creator behind Mr. Fuuto: the adorable pinwheel mascot of the city.
I loved seeing more of an exploration into Kirihiko and who he is. While he’s honour bound to the Sonozaki Family and prides himself off of his Gaia Memory distribution, he draws the line at children being involved. He truly cares for Fuuto City, merely hoping the Gaia Memories can lead to a better future for all its citizens. He’s a guy with a big heart who’s doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons. Infact, it’s this love for Fuuto that Shotaro eventually uses to convince Kirhiko to help him take down the Bird Dopant, something the two share in common: neither of them want to see anyone in their city cry. By the time they stop the monster, there’s mutual respect between the two: hinting at a possible partnership in the future. I can’t wait to see more of Kirihiko after episode 18; he’s so cool!
Too bad Saeko is a cow, and reveals to her husband he’s been a mere pawn in the Sonozaki’s game all along, a test subject for the Nazca Gaia Memory – before signalling their divorce by blasting him with energy and taking his Gaia Memory, leaving Kirihiko to crumble to dust and drift away with the wind.
It’s really bittersweet. Just as Kirihiko is fleshed out into this complex but heartfelt character, he’s whisked away into the air of Fuuto; now one with the breeze blowing through the city he loved so much.
Best Dressed in Fuuto
All good episodes of Kamen Rider W come with stylish outfits and looks, but episode 17 had a standout winner, with this week’s fashion entrepreneur being… Shotaro! He usually dresses quite smart, but there was something about that puff jacket with the fur collar that wowed me. Coupled with those black leather gloves and you have one handsome detective.
Case Review
As episode 18 bows out, I’ve reached the end of the first arc in Kamen Rider W, and what a marvellous time it’s been. From the moment I started, I’ve been captivated by the thrills of chasing down Dopants, searching for clues, and becoming invested in the city of Fuuto, windchimes and all. This chapter is finished, but another is just about to open, and it promises more intrigue and excitement than before. I can’t wait.
Thank you for joining me on this week’s Retro Ride Review. I’ll see you next time for an even bigger review of W’s entire second arc. Until then!
Are you keen to rewatch Kamen Rider W? What made you fall in love with the show? Let me know in the comments below!
