Is Michinaga Azuma Practically Meant To Be The Gai Yuki/Masumi Inou Of Kamen Rider Geats?

Kamen Rider has been no stranger to anti-heroes, especially during the Heisei era. Having watched the entirety of Heisei era Kamen Rider entries - I could really say that the Heisei era has bee more daring than what the late Shotaro Ishinomori started. I practically ended up thinking of how someone back then which the website Classic Henshin screwed up and decided to dedicate the page to the 15 Kamen Riders, saying that the shows deviated from Ishinomori's "original vision". Screw that really! I've watched the Heisei era Kamen Riders (and now, with the Reiwa era) to say that anti-heroes have been a good addition. They've added what I'd call some conflict whether it'd be Hojo Toru from Kamen Rider Agito or Renn Kiriyama from Kamen Rider Ryuki. Now, we have Michinaga Azuma who's practically a Gai Yuki or Masumi Inou. Though, we don't have Toshiki Inoue here because he's busy with Avatar Sentai Donbrothers. I'm watching these shows at irregular paces so don't expect episode reviews anymore.

I did write about how Neon Kurama may become a fully-fleshed out Sakura Nishihori of Gougou Sentai Boukenger. Neon is from a rich but uncaring family. The one thing I didn't want to immediately write about is Michinaga himself. I wanted to think of Michinaga as the show's anti-hero. Maybe, he's not in the same levels of Hojo (who some Kamen Rider fans found to be annoying as f***). Maybe, he's not in the same levels as Gai Yuki of Chojin Sentai Jetman or Naoto Takizawa of Mirai Sentai Timeranger. For all the toning down Kamen Rider had after Kamen Rider Kabuto - I'm glad it still has scenes that wouldn't get past the TV-Y7-FV radar. 

How does Michinaga work out? Michinaga views Ace Ukiyo as his main rival. Older Super Sentai fans may remember how Gai frequently contested with Ryu Tendo over almost anything and not just Kaori Rokumeikan's affections. Masumi was always the rival to Satoru Akashi and was nearly Gai 2.0 except the womanizing. I don't think that there are any plans to turn Michinaga into a lady's man. Instead, it seems Ace is romantically interested in Neon or not. Though, Michinaga does have a plot where he blames Ace for the death of his best friend Toru Imai during the last Desire Grand Prix.

After catching up on the Leader Jyamanto game - we see that both Michinaga and Neon are retired. Ace makes a wish for his ideal world. However, we know this is simply ending an arc to begin a new arc. Ace ends up learning something from Michinaga. This almost feels like those moments when Ryu and Satoru learned from Gai and Masumi. I can't get over how it became Gai's turn to talk sense into Ryu, There are times Satoru needs to be sobered up by Masumi too. As the ideal world hits, I wonder how Michinaga will play his character. 

Granted, Yuya Takahashi is the writer. Kamen Rider Zero-One did have Isamu Fuwa who was nearly Officer Charlie Dibble (from Top Cat sitcom) with henshin powers. Isamu was a rival towards the more mild-mannered Aruto Hiden. I wonder how Michinaga will be dealt with. Will Michinaga eventually start to warm up to Ace? Or will the rivalry with Ace become a running gag? I simply can't wait to find out. Until then, I'm watching it at a very irregular pace.