Well, I just cried.

Well, now I think Takatora is really dead. I'm starting to let some tears fall.

On a side note: someone else noticed that this episode was kiwami arms theme song debut? I think its name will be ''Kiwami Escalation''.

That was something. Takatoraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Watched the RAW. And yea. I'm really hoping Kouta kills Micchy now... violently.

But we won't know for two weeks because... Soccer! ... Hurray....

...Breather?

But yeah, Micchy needs to die. Maybe his actor will go on to do a film it that "FUCK AROUNDY MAKEY SUPER MURDER!" genre that XW1n5t0nX loves and we can all get our grape-smashing bloodlust quenched.

No, next week is a tie-in episode to the AU movie.

Which'd make the third break tie-in they've done so far. I remember when Kamen Rider movies took over the opening and ending credits and stayed the hell out of the episodes.

Last year.

There is a posibillity that Takatora survived, we have seen a lot of characters falling into water after being forced out of their transformations. Although this is the first time we see one sinking in the water. If Takatora survived he will appear unconscious in the bay at the beggining of episode 38.

And wouldn't we hear of his actor getting those goodby flowers? It was almost in the same day as the final Cherry Energy Squash that we heard Sid's actor got them IIRC.

Ahem... SON OF A BISCUIT GEN UROBUTCHER! NO!!!! That is all.

He didn't mention anything on his blog that it was his last on gaim. The other thing is if he doesn't get flowers at the end of next weeks episode he's pretty much alive since it will be his last appearance on gaim if they killed him off.

Our beloved Melon returns only to get defeated by something called "kinship" to a little shit, why do great heroes always get defeated by this? .

I think Takatoras chances are silm, a finisher from a superior suit hits the inferior one at close range, knocking him out in water, when he wakes up Takatora may be very deep in the water and suffocate.

I really don't think one can trick death two times but Takatora's amount of appearance is so low.... he needs to "do" more, please save him Urobutcher!

I'm not going to lie, I kind of agree with this. The pacing of the show has been perfect so far, but this episode felt like it was extremely rushed. I haven't felt that in a while, maybe not since Wizard, but my overall impression of this episode coming out of it was that it could have, and should have been handled better.

The content was fantastic. This episode was truly for Takatora, and his inner dilemma with how he raised his brother. But it was bogged down by a lot of character interactions that really didn't need to be there... It didn't actually add anything to the plot (I'm looking at you, Mai and Kaito).

Though Kaito's probably fatal Invess scratch will inevitably become important, it didn't have to happen in this episode. It's exciting in its own right though. I wonder how it will end up.

And Zangetsu vs Zangetsu Shin was freaking awesome, but it felt like a lot was cut from it. Kiwami vs Redyue was also fantastic but they didn't have to spend as much time on that... it's not the main attraction here. (though, the Kiwami insert theme sounds AWESOME).

In the end, Takatora vs Mitchi felt way too rushed to even have an effect. We all know he isn't dead, this is Rider. And if he is, then what a waste of an interesting character.

The contents of this episode was great but the execution felt rather underwhelming. Oh well, hopefully the movie tie-in next week will clear out the guck and we'll have a fresh start coming after.

And it doesn't seem like a bad episode. Looks rather fun. At least we'll see Mars make his TV debut and Hase again.

Also, my favourite part of this episode was the close-ups on Zangetsu Melon Arms. They obviously knew we were waiting for it to come back. :P

Haha Takatora's not dead yet because (like someone mentioned earlier) toei's site didn't show him receiving goodbye flowers.

I also felt they could have spent more time on the Zangetsu fight; but it may have fallen flat for some due to the lengths to which it was hyped up, from since the magazine scans were revealed.

Also, Kiwami's fight was awesome in this ep.

The Donkachi/Budou Ryuhou combo was pretty clever.

I knew it! Mitsuzane is Bad guy. Oh boy! Kouta will hate him more and possibly kill him now.

Subs are up.

Now excuse me while I go cry internally again.

For a show about a dancer fighting for hope and freedom this arc sure got bleak. Mitch is still alive while Takatora's probability deader than disco. I'm sure about that since he sank pretty deep into the water and his Sengoku Driver was destroyed.

It's such a pity that we have to wait two weeks for the fallout to this. I am going to go out on a limb and guess that kids in Japan don't care for soccer matches; even if Baron is taking the staring role.

Oh Takatora, why did you have to hesitate? I guess that's the setup for Jinba Melon though. And I wonder if that scratch will kill Kaito or turn him into an Invess. Such a shame we have a tie in to break things up right now.

Also, a bit off topic but looks like the Melon Defender has a double handle, wish they had done that with the Figuarts instead of the interchangeable ones.

So….would this make Miichi Anakin Skywalker and Redyue Palpatine?

I'll say yes

Man Redue you sick little bastard :lol

Her line about playing with her family was just....damn Woman!

Now we need a comic strip meme of episode 3 of Star Wars of Vanderbilt rising

This episode should have been titled "not again!"

This episode made me realise that so much in Gaim is about the breakdown of communication, like that is the main conflict of the whole series. Kouta isn't stupid, he isn't naive really, it's just the ideology that comes from his lips doesn't fit with the world those words rest in. He hasn't failed to convince people to his side, the world has failed him.

Kaito isn't really antagonistic but his quest for strength has taught him to throw his fists first. So even when his heart is in the right place, as it has been for Kouta for so long, it comes from him as aggression when that isn't the intention in his heart. He pushes people away unintentionally and his frustrations only further fuel a rage he wishes to quell. A deadly, all consuming, circle.

If Takatora had raised Miccy differently, if he had chosen his words and his messages more carefully, could things have turned out differently? We'll never know but I'm sure those thoughts will haunt Takatora as he sinks into the depths.

Hell even Micchy once started as someone who was suffering and frustrated who found he couldn't express himself or when he did he was falling on deaf ears. If his communication hadn't been broken down, and instead he got the freedom to express, we may not be where we are now. The dancing is a rebellion, the ultimate freedom of expression, it was Micchy's escape and the reason Mai has her own strength.

I know we came to see Takatora beat down Micchy in the much missed Melon Arms but I honestly got a lot out of the Kouta Redyue fight too. I really like Truimphant less the more I see it but Kouta is such a badass. I've really grown to love Zenith just because it's so much more streamlined than Kouta's other arms.

I think Micchy still would be crazy even if he was raised differently. But maybe that's just me.

Nature Vs Nurture.

Personally, I feel that Nurture cannot fully trump Nature. It can for the most part, but even the most mild dog can go rogue despite training. Micchy would probably be evil no matter what, just less evil if he was violently bitchslapped by Takatora for being an arrogant little prick a few months before he got his Driver.

The more I watch of him, the more I believe he's perfectly sane. His actions scream of desperation, not madness, and he is just a child, a spoilt, bratty child. So although to us his actions seem horrifying, I'm not really sure he's quite aware of the gravity of what he is actually doing. When a child lashes out in a tantrum, he doesn't think about how that impacts those around him and obviously this is much more extreme than that but to simply call Micchy insane and leave it at that, doesn't give the complexity of his character what he is due.

And I know the irony of this coming from my mouth but this episode made me appreciate the characters in a way I just hadn't until this point. It's like all at once the characters clicked and fell into place for me.

Yeah Micchy is not "insane" and just acty this way because of his madness. In his mind he is completely in the right. Micchy thinks of himself as the hero of this story. thats pretty much what 35 & 36 were about.

Redue on Kota's new arms : "So it has begun for you.

Considering how Overlords are humans who are modified Redue line seems to hint something.

And how Kaito's injury had a green scar , I wildly speculate that Kaito and Kota will clash as... something. Just as something.

Oh my Redue is a terrible heartless Invess.

The fight kept me entertained but then, the end, TAKATORA!!!!

Then the price for using Kiwami might come into play after next week, with Sagara.
Now Ryouma seems less of a threat now considering the overlords and what not are like something while Ryouma has technology.

Next week looks fun, alternate universe and seems to be fun, looks to be better than the Kikaider crossover.

... So... Takatora's sleeping with the fishes... literally... I anticipate that he'll wake up.

I mean, he was shown to be a participant in the future shown in the first episode.

Anyone else remember the future? I mean, I would think it still plays a role in the series.

It was nice seeing Kachidoki again. And Melon Arms, of course.

Personally, I liked this episode. In my opinion, it's the best episode that we've gotten so far. Was the flashback a bit out of left field? No, not really. Takatora was fighting his younger brother. No matter how much he'll say about Micchy being the enemy, the fact that his opponent is someone who he went through his life loving and caring for is going to have an impact on him.

Speaking of which, what is the Duke of Lemons doing right now, anyway?

This got me right in the feelings

Just watched subs. And oh my word. What a series this has been.

I realise that the adulthood theme in the show also touches on consequences of our actions and ideologies. Takatora's own beliefs had ramifications on his loved ones, no matter how much they would change in the future.

The use of and interaction with power has consequences. Kouta, Kaito, Mitchy, and Takatora are all experiencing that in one way or another.

This episode was brilliant, along with the last one made me feel Kouta definitely develop stronger. I'm worried about what's happening to Kaito from Redyue's slash. It was great to see everyone react to Micchy too. I hope Jonouchi, Zack, and Oren get to transform again soon. Gaim vs Redyue was totally fucking great, Kiwami arms I'm starting like more and more. I loved Takatora in this and his fight vs Micchy was amazing, and it made sense that he couldn't strike his brother down. I love how the plot and everyone has developed more. Damn this movie tie-in episode! I cannot wait for two weeks! I love this show more.

This episode? Brilliant. The next episode. Fucking pointless.

The flashbacks were perfectly placed. The fight with Redyue was necessary for the continued background of Kouta changing from an Armored Rider in to whatever he's going to be. And Micchy and Takatora ... wow.

This is the greatest episode of the series thus far in my opinion. I know everyone is mad about next week's episode, but we need a break man, my heart can't take much more string pulling!

Well then, this was quite the episode wasn't it? Saying it was an emotional episode wouldn't even begin to do justice to how much feels and emotion it had. Everything from how Micchy and Takatora's story unfolded to Kouta's parts of the episode just sucker punched you right in the heart.

I think this is the first time I actually could understand and even accept Kouta's hesitation. Micchy is through it all his friend and even though he knows fully well that Micchy is trying to kill him, he stills considers him his friend and wants to get to the reasoning for his actions. Thrown onto this that Micchy is most definitely be played like a fiddle and Kouta now has the added goal of wanting to try and save his friend and not see it all come to an end. It makes sense that through all of this he'd be hesitant in wanting to fight Micchy. So for once not only do I understand why, but I actually can accept it.

As for the rest, I can't do it justice. See it for yourself and take my word when I say it's some of the best drama and one of the best moments I've ever seen in tokusatsu and Japanese television as a whole.

Urobutcher sure knows how to escalate a plot! This episode contained a few elements that boost the tension of the plot even further. I'm also quite sure that the rumours where Oren rescues Takatora , as well as the fact that Zangetsu's sengoku driver lands into the bushes have significance in the overall scheme of things.

That was pretty damn awesome. I'm very curious to see what happens next, as this episode set up a lot of stuff.

I don't believe for one second that Takatora(batta) is really dead. This is exactly like what happened when Sid and Ryouma betrayed him, right down to the plummeting to his supposed demise part.

Kaito's wound has a green glow. An aftereffect of whatever that cloud was Redue used? A side effect of using the Genesis Driver? Something is up with that and I'm interested to see what it is.

Micchy has definitively passed the moral event horizon now. Everything up to this point was him trying, in a really selfish and increasingly deluded way, to just be happy with his friends. Striking a killing blow against his brother? Nothing about that is going to get him in Mai's dance pants - that is just pure selfishness and evil right there. At this point I think the only redemption Micchy might get could be a "man, did I fuck up" death scene.

Also, fuck soccer, fuck AU movies, and re-fuck Kikaider on principle.

Yeah, this certainly is odd coming from you Locke :lol

But yes, I would have to agree with what you said about Micchy. Certainly valid given that the show is basically about kids who were forced to grow up too fast; Micchy probably serves as the extreme case of this. He was too immature to fully understand the power that was given to him and the weight of his actions. Kouta suffered with that at the beginning as well, but like Takatora mentioned, Kouta ended up fine because of good guidance from his sister. Micchy, on the other hand, had Takatora, who always pushed him too hard and basically helped mold him into a twisted version of himself.