Kamen Rider Gaim Episode 34 "The King's Power and The Queen's Return" Discussion
 

I... Huh...? What? I don't think I knew Redyue was female until now.

Mai is the Queeen.

Yeah, you wouldn't think it but she is.

Dang. So I guess this is closed for a week then?

I'm gonna lock this thread til next week. We really won't need it til then.

Obligetory F Miichi comment.

The title makes me think Kenzaki is gonna show up and steal Yoko from the show to make her his queen of spades.

This show reminds me so much of Blade for some reason.

WMG Time! The Episode title includes "The Queen's Return", but we don't see Roshuo's Queen return at all...or do we? Who are the two characters who have returned this episode? The Queen either refers to Akira...or Takatora. Yeah.

Also, on a more serious note, Banana Charge in the Sonic Arrow, huh? That's interesting.

I really want Takatora to come back as OG Zangetsu and kick Micchy's ass for being such a sour grape...or I guess rotten melon is the correct term, now?

There's an episode title has spoiled a confrontation but various reports say the OG Zangetsu suit no longer exits and was remade into another Rider.

That's disappointing if true. OG Zangetsu is one of my favorite designs in the show and was criminally underutilized. You'd think with the Figuart being released this month, now would be the perfect time to reintroduce that suit.

Which records? Never heard of that.

The Apple Arms of the movie exclusive Riders do seem to take design cues from Melon Arms. It's a strong possibility that Zangetsu the 1st was used to bring Silver Apple's suit to life as it were.

Although if there was enough money and time a new Zangetsu suit could be made or is already prepped for something big for Gaim's final episodes.

Did you guys catch the previews for next week?

Micchy and Kouta are having a fight out of Armored Rider mode, but the next scene has Micchy as Zangetsu Shin taking aim at an un-henshined Kouta while he screams "MITSUZANE!"

Looks like next week is the week.

Coming really sooner than we anticipated, I mean, I posted the magazine scan depicting the event just yesterday in the rumors thread! :O

Oh snap. Exciting episode all around.

Loving the design of the new Overlord, Gurinsha. Redyue really upped the stakes here.

Gridon Suika Arms was alright. That scene was so jarring since the rest of the episode is so serious...

But man, awesome fight, awesome cliffhanger, and awesome characterization. Mitchi is just fantastic.

Can't wait for the next episode!

Aesir sub is now available for DL!

The name of next weeks episode is really interesting, possibly the next few episodes will be featured around Mitchy and seeing how far of a villein he can be and his last chance for redemtion

Oh my! I'm calling it here right now, blonde Mai is the Queen.

Also Suika arms scene was funny.

I was all for that until the last couple of episodes.

At this point, I reaaaaaally don't think Miichi can be redeemed.

I just love the characterization and growth of Micchy.

From being the "not as good as Kouta" guy (in terms of his importance to the team and as a Rider) to "I can help by playing the sides, keeping everyone safe" guy, to realizing he can not only play the sides but manipulate them to his advantage (the first signs of his real persona coming through) to becoming angry at Kouta for not following his orders (by telling Mai about Yuya, thus eliminating Micchy's power over Mai) to flat out wanting him destroyed (his first villain motive) to now being willing to sacrifice all of mankind to recreate the world in his image (his true, final villain form).

Ryugen's design is based off Chinese clothing, etc. I always believed that while Gaim is focused on the Sengoku period of feudal Japan, Ryugen is based off the similar period from China, known as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms era. Ryugen is most likely a representation of Sima Yi (or Zhongdu), who served the ruler Cao Cao and his sons and grandsons for nearly all his life before finally betraying them and seizing control of China for himself. To quote the wiki:

I'd just like to mention how nice it was to see Zack be the first of the extra Riders to head out and do something, even if his original plan was to taken on Redyue himself (not a great idea there. Sure, he and Baron alone stalled an unevolved Demushuu, and Zack didn't even get hit, but he did have at least one Energy Rider backing him up).

Ooh, the way the camera focused on Micchy when Redue told him that he could save loved ones was great.
This episode felt a little slower on the plot than usual. Micchy's turn is gradually seeming more motivated, but I still feel like that's going to end up being a mostly unanswered question.

Wow, Kickback, that's an AMAZING theory you have there. :)

So I read something online that maybe Micchy would build up to be the Big Bad of the series. At first I called BS, but after these last few episodes...
I like Ryugen. I also like Zangetsu Shin. But I hate Mitsuzane. He's a dick, a liar, a backstabber, a traitor, and...
Just give the belt to someone else. I don't care if the belts won't function on anyone else, just take his belts away. Please.

I said that first!...well, okay, maybe not me. But I coined the "cuckoo for coco puffs" definition for Micchy!

Absolutely loved this episode. First off the biggest thing is, is now I love Yoko/Marika for telling off Micchy and getting deeper into her character. My favorite scene was Zack, Oren, and Jonouchi fighting together against the Invess because it was silly, and awesome. Those 3 are my favorites right now with Kaito and Takatora. I love how Zack just ran off to try and stop Redyue and how Oren and Jonouchi chased after him was great, I love how the 3 of them play off each other so well. Micchy is going deeper down the rabbit hole, and I hope it leads to his demise, but right now I love to hate him. Roshuo's power is incredible that was just insane what he did to those missiles, I can't wait to see how they stop him. I also think that we might see Takatora return as Zangetsu till he can reclaim his belt.

I'm a little confused about what Redyue/Micchy's plans are.

Redyue wants the fruit of knowledge, but Roshou has it, and he's way too strong to just be attacked.

Roshou has the fruit and wants to save his wife, but doesn't know how to use the fruit to accomplish this, so he's more or less sitting on it.

Redyue tells Roshou, hey, these humans have some good tech, maybe I can use it to save ur girl, then you won't need the fruit

Redyue tells the planet, come get me

How does that help? Seems like Redyue invited the attack to get Roshou to use his power, but how does that advance Redyue? Does he think Roshou will expend enough power be attacked?

I also still think it's odd that we only saw 1 overlord (Demushu) for so long, then learned there's two, then three . . . and now it seems there's enough for them to be MOTW

and why are the humans able to hide in buildings? The invesss have been able to smash through shit before, with an overlord leading, they can just wreck Zawama sitting regardless

i knew roshou was powerful but.........damm
i just finished den-o and from den-o to gaim i dont think i've seen anyone that powerful

So Micchy's just going full on "Fuck the world" I see.

I think the best way to describe this episode is Melon Balls.

Thoughts :
I had a serious holy mother of all that is fruity moment with Redue's display of power. That's some serious Magneto on the beach gonna make you weep with the display kind of impressiveness. The CG effects were kind of wacky with the freeze frames, but it got everyone's attention now didn't it? I don't remember the last time we had a villain in a Rider series that was so powerful, and actually serious about it (there's a distinction there). Redue is off the charts.

Why hasn't anyone talked more about the persistently referred to 'humans' usage in the Overlords speech? It's staring everyone right in the face.

And now can we please stop saying that Kouta's sister is a jerk? We obviously see that wasn't the case.

I started calling him Mitsuzane ten episodes ago when he first stabbed Kouta in the back. And he's not Cuckoo. He's a bad melon. Spoiled fruit. Seedy.

I honestly feel like this episode emphasizes how serious a Rider series this is. The fact that Oren and Jounichi is so over the top in the comedy, you can tell that it's shoehorned in to break up the dramatic element proves that the writers really went above and beyond to create a serious and dangerous environment.

I want to take bets now. How many think Kouta is gonna find his grapes and actually do what's necessary to Mitsuzane? Baron has been spelling it out for him this entire time of the invasion. Melon balls.

I think next week will have Mitsuzane obviously turn on Kouta (as we've seen in the previews), but before he can finish off Kouta, he's interrupted by his own brother in full-on Zangetsu gear.

But I don't think Mitsuzane is going to die - I think he'll be too important very late in the series with the power-grab for the Fruit of Knowledge ... in which case, I see Takatora sacrificing himself for Kouta, and also telling Kouta not to kill Mitsuzane.

I will be super pissed if Takatora dies, but he's never been shown to be a MAIN MAIN character like Mitsuzane is.

Honestly, even if she had successfully escaped Kouta's sister wouldn't have been a bad person. She knows he has a belt that gives him armour and super powers, and has been fighting the Invess. It's totally reasonable for her to decide to get her non-powered civillian self out of there and let her adult superhero brother make his own choices. And while it may seem cold to just leave a note, cell phones were down and staying to tell him in person would only decrease her chances of getting out.

So Micchy continues his decent into insanity, and Takatora finally gets back to Earth. Looking forward to see how this plays out next week.

I love it how Minato became my absolute favorite female toku character in this episode :lol

Minato has pretty much become one of if not the best female character in all of toku. Hell I'd rank her as one of the best female characters I've ever seen.

I love that she can take care of herself and is all around a good character.

I demand to see Minami Tsukui (Minato) in a femme fatale movie.