I definitely miss Date now that he's gone, but Satonaka stepping up into a more active role is a lot of fun and makes up for it as best as anything can. There's some legitimately good comedy from this and I don't just mean Gotou's silly new outfit.

There are Ultraman fans who can remember the cry of every kaiju from the show's history, even to the point fo recognizing when they get remixed for a new monster. My hearing isn't nearly that keen, but I have always remembered the sound effects associated with this Yummy. It's a goofy effect and I honestly can't decide if I love it or hate it, but it has stuck with me for almost 15 years now.

Fun fact: The ending card for 40 is the one time in the entire show where Eiji and Ankh don’t have the Hawk, Tiger and Hopper medals. No matter what other medals they gain and lose, they always have TaToBa.

It's almost hilarious how effortlessly Gotou gets eclipsed by anyone and everyone else. That Shocker two-parter was right!

It's definitely salt in the wound!

Man, the birthday party in this episode has to be one of my favorite scenes in the show, maybe the whole franchise. Also, it gave us Eiji happily hitting the monkey while Ankh scowls, which might be the greatest shot in the episode. I need a GIF of that!

It's really the best. I like any show that's willing to take such a bold left turn from the conventions of the genre, and I adore any show that uses that unexpected energy to expose the psychology of a major character in such a heartbreaking way.

Though Eiji's selfless tendencies would obviously prioritize civilians, this'd be something that goes in Ankh's favor as the cops being used as a human shield means Eiji'd delay his attack on the Yummy, which would be what Ankh wanted to get more Cell Medals. And Date has completed his goal, so there'd be no competition among the good guy cast for Ankh to get Cell Medals.

Guess like what you said before, Ankh is dealing with the consequences of being betrayed by the original OOO. Eiji is someone that deals with the PTSD of failing to save the little girl, which is why he becomes empty, has lack of interest to his previous hobbies, and is avoiding the triggers. Ankh as the other main protagonist is also dealing with PTSD symptoms, but in a different way, where he's always on edge, distrustful, and is avoidant in discussing his past. Ankh's reason of being afraid of getting close to Eiji is due to waiting for Eiji to betray him just like the King (of which, Eiji is the opposite of him lacking desire, to the King being desire incarnate, but now Eiji can be drunk with power like his declarations). Guess Ankh now actually caring is shown when he doesn't choke Hina despite Hina not fighting back this time, because even in the beginning of the show, Ankh still can't do a thing to both Eiji and Hina due to being dependent on the former, and the latter's strength, but there's a case too when one can't cause damage due to being too weak or outside factor, and not because of their own virtues.

Though this is more highlighted in this episode, I felt Hina has started to care about Ankh after seeing him not regenerate like other Greeed. It was a tease when she looked at him at the end of ep. 26, but afterwards, she's now concerned seeing him in painful condition and would try to aid him, like in the early part of ep. 29. Though yes, it can be perhaps about taking care of her older brother's body, which can apply too for Eiji at least in Ankh's eyes, that he's only putting up with him for Shingo, where as what he claims, he'd kick out Ankh if Hina wants to, due to his promise of saving Shingo, though Eiji considers both in hoping Hina doesn't change her mind and thinking about Lost Ankh hunting for him in doing so, likely this is what makes Ankh realize Eiji cares for Ankh as Ankh, Eiji cares about everyone.

Though Goto might get the results he wanted more, this does still show the power imbalance between the boss and sidekick to have Goto sacrifice anything with Satonaka absorbing him, like Ankh to Kougami that Ankh is forced to increase his Medals supply to 60%. It's ironic that Chiyoko is the one that throws hands against the security, despite Hina being able to do so more with her super strength, though maybe it's because she'd be too strong as in, potentially accidentally killing them. So at the end, turns out Tomoko (the wife) seems to be mind-controlled by the Yummy, rather than being actually evil herself, which perhaps done to deflect blame off her for her seemingly getting away scot-free at the end, without any of the citizens going after the Shimoda family.

I think it's more that Hina only really fights back out of a kind of terror, while Chiyoko will aggressively defend the things that matter to her. If some pushy cops come into her home and place of business to take away two people she cares for? Yeah, there's gonna be some international fists flying!

KAMEN RIDER OOO EPISODE 41 - “SIBLINGS, A RESCUE, AND EIJI’S DEPARTURE”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/ooo/ooo41a.png

Of all the ways a show might follow up on a cliffhanger that featured the capture and possible extinguishment of the co-lead, I’m not sure that Wacky Training Montage Featuring The Exact Same Actor would’ve made even my top 50 guesses. But this is OOO: anything goes.

It’s the most bizarre pivot, and yet all this episode that’s full of the actor who plays Ankh does is reinforce how non-optional Ankh’s presence is. There’s the tactical aspect, sure – I love that the show treats Ankh’s ability to throw three Medals right on target every single time as the otherworldly skill it is; on the other hand, it’s kind of insane that Eiji has zero clue of what Medals to use in a fight on his own – but it’s more that Ankh was a friend who reached out for help, so Eiji is going to do whatever he has to in order to save Ankh. It’s not about depriving the Greeed of firepower or whatever, it’s the exact same thing he’s been doing for a year about Shingo – this guy needs help, and it’s within Eiji’s power to help him. The end.

But before that point, we get the incredibly fun problem of the Best Possible Outcome happening a single scene after a completely different Worst Possible Outcome happening. Hina and Eiji are terrified of losing Ankh, but here’s good ol’ smiling Shingo, bewigged brother, who reduces Hina to an overjoyed ONII-CHAN machine. (Jesus, I swear, if I gotta hear her say ONII-CHAN on repeat for one more goddamn scene…) It’s a great twist, creating a hugely positive moment in the aftermath of Ankh’s capture, because the show only briefly feints at the idea that this is a win that doesn’t need to be disturbed. Eiji never views Shingo’s survival as a zero-sum state with Ankh’s survival, and almost instantly leaves Hina and Shingo to their former/future domestic bliss in order to fight to save Ankh. This is a show that worked so hard to make Ankh’s existence inviolable, making him a part of the group in way that demands that Eiji reach back and save his friend. Much like last episode, Ankh deserves to be around because his friends care about him – it doesn’t need to be explained more than that.

Not an episode with a ton of room for anything else, and that’s maybe a good thing. Between an incredibly strange training montage with Shingo and the OOO/Birth assault on the Yummy at Kamen Rider Fields, everything else is just Eiji indulging in how rapidly his status quo has changed, and I’m very okay with that. (Also, I kind of think Eiji wasn’t eating because he’s become enough of a Greeed that he doesn’t require food anymore. Not good!) Everything in this one feels appropriately unbalanced and untenable, instead of the typical OOO format with a slightly altered cast. Way weirder of a continuation to last episode’s cliffhanger than I’d’ve expected, but also way more fun to watch.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/ooo/ooo41b.png

I like that Shingo?s medal throwing results in some horribly mismatched and gaudy random combos. Aside from that, not much to say on this one.

I'm sure the Wiki appreciated his bizarre tactical choices, if nothing else.