Kamen Rider My-Th 02

Watch Analysis

The video and audio above contain the full unfiltered analysis. What follows is the razor focused version of the strongest point(s) I had to make.

The Mysteries Are Finally Getting Interesting

Kamen Rider My-Th 02 is a much better starting point for me than the premiere. Things feel more settled, the mysteries are deepening, and I’m starting to enjoy the dynamics between the characters.

There’s still a lot going on that I don’t understand, but I’m finding that intriguing rather than frustrating. We have the Zodiac Alliance, the Mizuki family, the Inexplicable, and an original Mouse Rider who apparently died 100 years ago. There’s also a mysterious older man who appears at the end of the episode.

I’m not entirely sure how everything fits together, but I’m interested in finding out.

The Zodiac Alliance, the Mizuki Family, and a Game of Cat and Mouse

One of the things I particularly enjoy is the dynamic between the Zodiac Alliance and the Mizuki family.

Both groups have apparently been fighting the Inexplicable, but there’s some kind of conflict between the Zodiac Alliance and the original Mouse Rider that I still don’t understand.

The episode also gives us more information about a tragedy that occurred eight years ago. We got a hint of it in the premiere, and now we’re seeing more of it, including imagery in the opening.

Meanwhile, Tatsuomi Asao is investigating Sora Otosumi. He’s searching through records while Sora and Yuna Mizuki are away, and I’m enjoying the relationships developing between these three characters.

Watching the opening, I realized that Yuna is positioned between Sora and Asao. It’s a game of cat and mouse, which made me cringe at myself a little, but that’s obviously a major part of the show’s premise.

The promotional material already established the conflict between the Mouse Rider and the cat-themed Riders. Now we’re seeing how that conflict plays out between the actual characters.

There’s also an intriguing moment when someone refers to another character’s little pet, apparently in reference to Asao. I’m not entirely sure what that means for his relationship with the Zodiac Alliance, but I’m interested.

I don’t know where all of this is going yet, and that’s fine. I’m enjoying the character dynamics enough that I want to keep watching.

Sora’s Meister Qualifications Make His Competence More Interesting

One detail that I really appreciate is the explanation behind Sora’s extraordinary competence.

I previously looked into the concept of a Meister, and it’s interesting how broadly that term can be applied. It isn’t necessarily limited to a master craftsman making swords or working with leather. The designation can also be used in Japanese companies for people with expertise in a variety of professional roles.

When Asao investigates Sora, he discovers records of Meister qualifications in numerous fields.

Sora isn’t simply somebody who’s inexplicably good at everything. He’s earned certifications demonstrating his expertise, and I find that pretty interesting.

It reminds me a little of Tendou from Kamen Rider Kabuto. Tendou is presented as this incredibly cool guy who’s exceptionally good at practically everything, although I haven’t watched enough of Kabuto to know how much explanation the series eventually provides for that.

With Sora, we’re only two episodes into the series, and we’re already being shown that his accomplishments have a documented foundation.

I like seeing a character who’s this competent and accomplished, particularly when the show makes an effort to establish that there’s something behind those abilities.

Kamen Rider Datt Brings Some Wonderful Personality to the Action

I also really enjoyed Sora’s interactions with Datt, the rabbit Rider.

Her powers are a lot of fun. She has these rocket-powered kicks built around her rabbit feet, which is a cool idea, and she carries a carrot-shaped weapon that the show calls a sword, although it looks more like a knife to me.

It’s goofy and silly, and I like that.

She also has this wonderfully arrogant attitude. She pulls out a pocket watch and times herself, declaring that she’ll defeat her opponent in 60 seconds.

That’s fun character stuff. She’s confident in her abilities, and the show expresses that confidence through her fighting style and behavior.

I’m also enjoying seeing the Zodiac Alliance interact with the modern world after being absent for so long.

There’s a moment with the Rooster Rider trying to figure out how to use a smartphone. Where did the phone come from? Did Asao bring it? Is he acting as their liaison with the modern world after awakening them?

I’m confused about some of these background details, but I don’t think we’re meant to understand everything yet. I’m not particularly interested in speculating too deeply about every unanswered question right now.

I’m simply enjoying what the show is doing with these characters.

The Ride Eggs Are Showing Some Interesting Tactical Potential

Another thing I found interesting is that Sora has a rabbit Ride Egg just like Datt, but he gets a turtle or tortoise shell out of it.

I enjoyed seeing how he used that shell in combat. It felt tactical, and that’s something I particularly appreciate in Rider forms.

I’ve recently discussed my frustration with form bloat and how I prefer additional forms to function more like an arsenal of specialized equipment rather than an endless succession of complete transformations.

My-Th is doing something interesting here, although I’m still trying to understand exactly how the system works.

Looking at his undersuit, it appears to change when he uses the turtle equipment. I initially expected him to retain his standard Mouse Rider undersuit and simply attach different frames over it, but that doesn’t seem to be what’s happening.

The frame has orange elements, and the undersuit does too.

Does every frame have its own corresponding undersuit color? Will each frame feature orange? Is there a shared base undersuit that I’m simply not recognizing?

I don’t know yet.

What matters to me right now is that the equipment already seems to have tactical applications rather than existing solely to give My-Th another appearance.

I’m interested in seeing how the system develops.

Kamen Rider My-Th 02 Has Me Excited for What’s Next

Overall, I found this episode very entertaining.

It was easy to watch, nothing particularly bothered me, and I’m enjoying the characters much more now that their relationships are starting to take shape.

The mysteries are still nebulous. I don’t understand the history between the Zodiac Alliance and the original Mouse Rider, the full circumstances of the tragedy eight years ago, or exactly what’s happening behind the scenes.

But the difference is that I’m now having fun with those mysteries.

Sora’s competence has an interesting foundation, Datt brings a lot of personality to the action, and the Ride Eggs are already demonstrating some promising tactical possibilities.

Kamen Rider My-Th 02 has given me a much better sense of what this series might be doing, and I’m excited to see where it goes.

Inspector’s Notes

Kamen Rider My-Th 02: The Tail Still Has Some Surprises

I was slightly surprised that Kamen Rider My-Th 02 brought back the tail so quickly, but I really enjoyed how they used it. They managed to preserve the surprise and specialness of something we’d already seen in the first episode.

There’s a moment when My-Th is falling toward the Inexplicable, and he suddenly stops. For a split second, I wondered if he was levitating or somehow double-jumping.

Then the camera pulls back, revealing that his tail has wrapped around a metal stairway and is holding him in place.

It’s hilarious, especially because mice don’t have prehensile tails!

That didn’t bother me when he used his tail to retrieve a weapon in the premiere, but something about seeing him suspend his entire body from it made me realize that mice absolutely cannot do this.

Apparently, regular mice can’t, but My-Th can.

I also appreciate the filmmaking. The shot depends on CGI, but the editing conceals what My-Th is doing just long enough to create a little mystery before revealing the trick. It’s that tokusatsu magic of showing us exactly what we need to see at exactly the right moment.

And just to top everything off, My-Th spins around unnecessarily and shoots the Inexplicable several times before continuing the fight.

It’s a little thing, but I love that they’re finding entertaining ways to use his tail without immediately making it feel routine.

Kamen Rider My-Th 02: Sora Otosumi Is a Flashy Little Show-Off

There’s a hilarious moment in Kamen Rider My-Th 02 when the Inexplicable is searching for My-Th, who’s hiding somewhere among a bunch of pipes.

My-Th suddenly pops out of one, punches the monster, and then casually slides himself out of the pipe in this ridiculous pose.

He looks like he’s posing for a magazine shoot in a Speedo!

I love it because there’s something undeniably cool about Sora, but he’s also a little dorky. He clearly thinks he’s cool, and he goes out of his way to strike these elaborate poses in the middle of a fight.

There’s a cockiness to him that I find really enjoyable, partly because I think he’s earned it.

He’s a certified Meister in numerous fields. The show has already established that he’s remarkably competent and capable, so his confidence doesn’t feel completely unearned.

What I find particularly interesting is that this isn’t quite what I expected from him.

As a servant of the Mizuki family, he presents himself as fairly subdued. I expected him to be much more reserved, but there’s a flashy personality underneath that exterior.

We got hints of it in the premiere through his subtle sarcasm and playful interactions with Yuna. Now, when he’s fighting as My-Th, he has the room and opportunity to really flex.

It doesn’t feel like Sora and My-Th have two different personalities. It’s the same guy expressing himself in different situations.

And apparently, when Sora gets the opportunity to show off, he’s going to take it.

It’s delightful.

Loose Thread

Kamen Rider My-Th 02: Are the Inexplicable Part Animal and Part Plant?

The Inexplicable in Kamen Rider My-Th 02 looks like an elephant mixed with some kind of plant, which I find pretty interesting. There’s actually something called an elephant plant, and I wonder if that had anything to do with the inspiration behind its design.

The monster has these ear-like shapes and something resembling an elephant’s head, along with what definitely look like tusks. But when it attacks, something very floral comes out of its mouth, and it shoots vines.

Then, toward the end of the episode, when it appears to be evolving, it develops something that looks much more like a trunk emerging from its mouth. That’s what convinced me that this thing is probably supposed to be an elephant.

It makes me wonder whether these monsters are combinations of animals and plants.

The Inexplicable from the first episode looked like a cicada, but it also had feathers. Maybe combining characteristics from unrelated organisms is part of what makes these creatures Inexplicable.

Or maybe that’s just how this particular monster works.

I’m not trying to solve all the show’s mysteries right now, but I do want to keep a running thread of what I think is happening with the different characters and elements of the series. The monster designs seem like a pretty interesting place to start.

Kamen Rider My-Th 02: Why Does the Zodiac Alliance Use Different Transformation Technology?

There’s an interesting distinction between how Sora and the Zodiac Alliance transform in Kamen Rider My-Th 02.

Datt has this mechanical controller covered in gears that interacts with her Driver. Sora doesn’t seem to need one, and the episode actually calls attention to that difference before we see her transform.

It’s Chekhov’s henshin device!

What I particularly appreciate is that Datt’s controller looks older. The Zodiac Alliance has been around for 100 years, so it makes sense that its technology would reflect that history.

Their Drivers look fairly modern, though. They don’t have an especially classical or steampunk appearance. But then they attach this almost steampunk-looking mechanical device that clicks and turns to help them crack their Ride Eggs.

It’s a neat visual distinction.

I don’t know whether every member of the Zodiac Alliance has an identical controller or whether they’re personalized. The Ride Eggs seem uniform until they’re opened, when they reveal something different depending on who’s using them.

Sora and Datt both have rabbit Ride Eggs, but Sora gets a tortoise shell out of his. I don’t think Datt’s works the same way, although I’m not entirely sure what hers looks like inside.

It’s interesting that these two factions have access to related powers but use them differently.

I wonder whether that has something to do with the original Mouse Rider, who apparently wanted change and evolution, while the Zodiac Alliance seems more interested in preserving the way things were.

I’m not sure that’s the explanation, but the differences in their transformation equipment make me wonder whether there’s something more going on with the history of these powers.