[DreamSword]

Episode 7: Change the World!

What's a hero to do when there are no villains to fight?

And deeper than that, how do you handle the very core of your beliefs if you one day realize that you were strongly pushed into being the way you are?

These are questions that permeate the episode, and they result in Masayoshi having to do some introspective soul searching on who he is and what exactly Samurai Flamenco is meant to stand for.

What brings all of this about is that the Flamenco Squad has done such a good job at crime fighting that for the most part, criminals are nowhere near as out in the open as they used to be. Heck, people are barely reporting crimes or complaints to the cops anymore, so Goto's' work is drying up too.

This leaves Masayoshi with alot more free time, so he's able to take more acting and modeling gigs, and more importantly, is free to keep reading through the massive pile of notes that his late grandfather left him. Masa's' life continues to mirror that of a Toku plot, as he learns a harsh truth: His parents had been murdered by a random mugger when he was only two years old.

Masayoshi, being so young, wasn't told about the incident, but it definitely hit his grandfather hard. His grandpa proceeded to lie to Masa, telling him that his parents both died of illness overseas, and then proceeded to create the legend of Samurai Flamenco(thanks to Masa's' grandma being a flamenco dancer), in an attempt to mold Masayoshi into a hero of justice. The murder case was never solved, and it's been so long that pretty much all of Japan has forgotten it.

In an interesting twist on this sort of plotline, Masayoshi's' bout of sadness doesn't come from the horror of the situation nor does it result in him seeking vengeance on the unknown mugger, but rather, he ends up horrified in how, upon reading all of this, he felt... nothing. As he barely knew his parents and doesn't really remember them, he doesn't feel all that sad over the way they died. And how can he call himself a hero if he can't feel so much as an ounce of animosity towards such an evil act?

He calls on Goto for help, and like a true friend, Goto offers a fresh perspective and some kind words: Even if Masayoshi doesn't qualify as a "true hero" in terms of the standards set by classic superhero shows, so what? He's human first and foremost, and hero or no, he's done genuine good for the people around him. Sure, Masayoshi might be seen as a freak in the eyes of some, but he's Goto's' freak, dangit! And that's not gonna change anytime soon. What makes Masayoshi weird is also his best asset.

This all comes to a head when a homeless man gets mugged nearby, and without any hesitation, Samurai Flamenco springs into action. One thing is for sure, fake hero or not, Flamenco won't just stand by as evil occurs right infront of him. He truly does put others before himself.

The episode caps off with Samurai Flamenco joining the cops on a local drug best. Goto has concerns, but the police chiefs assures him that it's basically just a publicity stunt: All Flamenco has to do is give an opening and closing statement. The police will handle all of the legwork. And, ya know, it goes surprisingly well. The drugs on confiscated, the criminals all get arrested, and there are minimal injuries. A hero's' work isn't tarnished.

In the end, it all makes for some fantastic character development on part of our two leads, who continue to grow together in a really genuine and organic way.