I keep hearing that Kamen Rider W fans were upset that Philip returned from the dead. I never understood why. Just now, I read a post that the reason Philip's return was upsetting was that it negated Shotaro's character growth, the maturity he was able to achieve by being able to move forward, even with Philip gone.
But I think that the growth Shotaro had during that time without Philip, was enough to prove that Shotaro is now capable of being independent. The fact that he can now be this more mature version of himself (though still hidden under his usual ridiculousness), I think makes him an even stronger partner, when reunited with Philip. Now, neither one is not so much leaning on the other, as much as each partner is able to strengthen the other.
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| "Okay"? Gee, wonder what happened to "Philip, I need you to henshin right now!". |
Perhaps that's the reason that Kamen Rider Joker's appearances from then on (in later movies) becomes a common and natural occurrence. It's no longer a big deal that Shotaro can henshin on his own. He's independent. It's only natural that he's capable of fighting without Philip. But again, when they fight together, they become stronger. Which is exactly what they do at all the ending battles in their movie appearances. Them fighting together doesn't make them weaker or Shotaro less capable.
Just look at Shotaro's wardrobe in the Showa vs Heisei movie: He dresses almost exactly like Narumi Sokichi. I think the series producers were trying to concretely reflect that Shotaro has finally become just as capable and independent as his old mentor...Though Shotaro did hit himself in the head AND the shin immediately after appearing on screen, just to prove he's still our lovable Shotaro. As Tsukasa jabbed, Shotaro is still "half-boiled". Though, if Shotaro's silly streak is reflective of his kind-heartedness, which the Kamen Rider W series often correlated, then that simply means that Shotaro hasn't lost that aspect of himself which the series repeatedly advocated as Shotaro's real Strength. With his kind heart combined with the boss's capable "hard-boiledness", Shotaro by the end of W may be even Stronger than the boss. ...Even if that Strength could be properly called "half-boiled". LOL
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| In this scene from the "A to Z Gaia Memories of Fate" movie, everyone in the city was cheering for W. |
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| (AKA: Everyone’s spirits fighting along side them.) |
And as for Xtreme Memory saving Shotaro in the last episode of W, maybe it does negate his independence (though not his capability), but I'm not surprised by a Japanese show _emphasizing_ themes of the necessity of cooperation, over independent capability (even if it is there). How many Japanese shows revisit the theme "everyone has to work together" or uses the line "no human can ever really accomplish anything alone"? Even anime with solitary protagonists spend their entire series, bringing them to the realization that it's okay to rely on other people. Usually using the line, "Don't do everything by yourself all the time" or "You don't have to do everything yourself anymore". (Example: Natsume Yuujinchou, Madoka Magica.) Almost every anime with an ensemble group, doesn't allow the main hero to defeat the villain without everyone in the group working together (even if just in spirit). From Yu Yu Hakusho to Sailormoon. The entire Super Sentai series is centered around that theme, and it's still on the air. The group ideal is a very Japanese thing. Personally, I think it's culturally impossible to just let Shotaro evolve into the "lone wolf" type of detective cliche that's common in the West. Especially for a Japanese kid's show, Shotaro has to work again with Philip, though not to depend on him as before, but to now be his true partner, that can stand on his own, and thus make Philip and himself stronger, when they work together.
