[Fish Sandwich]

Okay but like, *why* is he red now, though?

That's the somewhat major hangup I'm having with this episode. AmazinGummy might add some spice to that fight scene, but as for what it adds to the story? I'm really struggling to see it, which is a rare feeling for me to have with this show. Fiery heroic determination personified in some literally fiery new form just doesn't seem specific enough to Gavv to warrant introducing a new suit here? I don't think I mentioned this at the time, but I loved that line from Master Mode's debut, where Shouma remarks that its power feels calm in a way he hasn't felt before. I loved it because it spoke to the inner peace Shouma had attained through fully and completely recognizing his own worth, which meant so much after 36 episodes of people like Lango constantly trying to deny it. A scene like that is unlikely to make anywhere near as much sense dropped into most other Rider shows, but a scene like the one in this episode could almost be in *any* episode of any series? Which is a brutally blunt way to put it, but without a more specific thematic purpose or a tasty new snack shared with loved ones, or at least some candy-related powers for the form itself, it's difficult not to feel the whole essence of Gavv is missing from AmazinGummy Form, despite the typically impressive style of the fight scene it's in. (Also, credit where it's due for having Shouma defiantly eating candy to create the Gochizo, which is at least a strong visual you wouldn't get in another show's version of that scene.)

I also thought for a second that it's maybe a lame and unjustified way to make Bocca less unbeatable, but after thinking about it a bit, the real crime there is more that it runs the risk of making Bocca's defeat look much more lame and unjustified than it is? Because really, Gavv's last-minute miracle power-up could be totally excised from the script, and I don't think the actual structure of the fight would have to change all that much, beyond finding a different way for the Riders to distract Bocca. The whole key to that battle does end up being Lango swooping in to run Bocca through with that enormous sword of his, and all that stuff is great! The fundamental thrill of that unholy alliance in the face of such a huge threat; how Nyelv's more genuine offer to cooperate helps provide a logical foundation for the Riders to go along with it; how rather than *only* Shouma saving the day, it's very much the four of them working together right to the spectacular triple Rider Kick finish. In spite of how negative I started off here, the episode viewed as a whole actually really satisfied me with just about everything it did outside of that one thing I'm not sure I like.

In particular, it's an episode that does a great job highlighting how great these three Riders are as an ensemble. I absolutely see that precise thoughtfulness I love from this show in the scenes here of them discussing their next move, or in how they each get their own specific cool and heroic thing to say to Bocca before transforming. They're great as a collective unit, and they're great as unique individuals, and the show manages to nicely highlight both those aspects at the same time. So yeah, even accounting for any potential missteps in it, I thought this was a strong outing from Gavv, absolutely keeping the momentum going into the final two episodes. After all, this one also has that extremely funny fourth wall break from Lakia. Between the humorously astute observation about Sachika's overall disposition and how much the way it's shot tells you this was a Nakazawa episode, any points I might want to take away from this episode are all made right back up by that gag alone.