[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

After a moody nighttime cold open with some hapless guy making the mistake of walking into a warehouse the Grongi have decided to take up residence in, the episode moves to Pole Pole, where Yuusuke is feeling pretty great about being Kuuga. He's downright jolly, even, gradually expanding his line of custom Kuuga-branded clothing, and excitedly showing it to a clueless Pops, who doesn't know what a Kuuga is, but would love to tell you how great this Unidentified Lifeform #4 guy he keeps hearing about is.

And the hapless guy did another mistake... shouting (well, a bit) that gets the Grongi to notice. Other than that, his corpse (most likely in gruesome condition) can be found, unlike the victim on ep. 2... Can't Yusuke just tell Kazari that there are no stakes telling anyone that he's Kuuga? He seems to be an exception.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Meanwhile, the police are trying to get as much control over the Grongi situation as they can.

Well, apart from the gas grenades, their contribution is at least knowing some Grongi systems like being led by someone and especially their hideouts. The cops always try to improve but there's still audience tolerance towards effort and results; where there can be those who appreciates the efforts despite lacking results (me), or those that only check results and ignore efforts. It's a shame that Kuuga can only turn objects to weapon for personal and it reverts after that.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

You know who else is too cool to call it a day? Jean!

Yeah Jean do your job and atone yourself for the sin you commited by misreading the room! A̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶t̶e̶c̶t̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶s̶e̶l̶f̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶a̶u̶d̶i̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶h̶a̶t̶e̶.̶

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

This episode also checks in on Enokida, thoroughly establishing her workaholic tendencies.

Yep, this is one of the reasons that I follow Kamen Rider. Despite the "abnormal" things like Riders, monsters, or bizzare world being the stand-out part of KRs, Toku is ultimately about the people, the characters, the stories, instead of people fighting in silly colorful costumes. Like seeing how the monsters, the disasters, etc. affect the human lives here (apart from them being victims ofc), the new problems they encounter, etc. The type of toku Joe Odagiri himself wishes because he's skeptical about toku before. Enokida is a workaholic mom, how about the father (who usually the one working in family)?

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Yuusuke's battle against Giiga doesn't end up going great, so he heads to join with Ichijou and company, who are currently in the middle of raiding that warehouse after the world's greatest police dog manages to track down the Grongi's scent.

What was the gas bombs doing to Grongi exactly? Knocking them unconscious? And what will the police do next after they're probably KOed? Besides condolences for Mikado.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

A steep price to pay, but not a total loss. The sudden exit means evidence left behind, including the sacred Grongi Whiteboard, which Yuusuke notes they seem to have been using to count something while talking with Ichijou about it afterwards. I'd do the usual "huh" bit, but it's probably not hard to figure out what they're counting, even this early. Why might still be a mystery, however. Yuusuke also tries to get a strategy against Giiga going with Ichijou's help. Sakurako's research suggests Kuuga has a form that uses a sword, which Yuusuke figures could give him an edge in a rematch. This leads to them practicing kendo, which is just awesome. It's always great when heroes put in hard work and actual training to beat the bad guys. Yuusuke struggles with the approach he wants to take for a while. With some advice from Ichijou, he eventually lands on the idea of just forgoing defense entirely, and ending the match in a single strike.

The hint Sakurako gives is a bit vague (well yeah, a bit more challenge to Kuuga) because... the one that wins Yusuke his fight his Titan's tankiness which isn't a part of the translation. And ironically, while he did practice kendo, correct me if I'm wrong here, but Yusuke did a complete brute force move instead! The one who just doesn't care about putting effort or thought in a fight and just tanks everything opponent throws and then attack.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

During all this, Minori has been trying to work out her feelings on what's happening with Yuusuke, which eventually leads to them having a conversation about it.

"Promoting violence for happiness!". Aside, Minori's fear is that Yusuke slipping into grey area? Well, the most important thing should be that the Grongis really threatens others and that's not a secret to public.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

In the now, the heartwarming nature of the conversation, with Minori giving Yuusuke a birthday present from the kids at the preschool before he heads off, serves to change the tone for the ending fight scene this time. Pegasus Form's epic two-stroke takedown of Badjisu on the beach was pretty dang memorable, but Titan Form's debut may top even that. The show wisely decided not to do the same formula three times in a row, so this is the first we see of Titan Form. There's no time spent figuring out how it works, because he already did that earlier with Ichijou. He's just gotta walk forward, and stab Giiga. Couldn't be simpler. Use all that armor, don't stop, and end the battle in a single strike.

That's what makes the fight so remarkable. It legitimately consists of nothing but Kuuga slowly walking in a straight line before stabbing the monster once, and it's somehow not only cool, it's awesome. What's even more awesome, is how the show intercuts this with Minori doing her thing at the preschool, playing off of Yuusuke's earlier line about how they each bring smiles in their own way, simultaneously affirming not only that what Kuuga does is heroic, but also kinda directly equating the importance of a teacher's role in shaping children with that of being a superhero who saves lives. Which maybe tells you where this show's values really lie. But that's as much a story for next time as it is for this one.

Again lol, people were praising about how Kuuga's form debuts aren't turnovers, but Titan seems completely so here. He completely turns the fight 180 degrees with him being invincible to all attacks, and one shots him (well, tbf Pegasus also did). Besides, did Enokida say that Giiga essentially can't spam his fluid all the time and requires cooldown (that it gives heat in his body), with water being one of quicker ways? Or that Giiga can spam quite a number his fluid for a bit until he needs to cooldown.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

They at least kinda made it up for it with Titan Form. I liked it from the moment I saw it on google images or whatever, but adding to the coolness factor is unsheathing the bike handle to become a sword. Like damn, not even Ichigou done stuff like this! You know your series is dedicated to the name Rider when it uses part of the bike as a weapon. Those were the days...

Predecessor to Faiz's SB-555H Faiz Edge. T̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶t̶e̶c̶h̶n̶i̶c̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶p̶i̶c̶k̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶ ̶s̶t̶i̶c̶k̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶f̶o̶r̶m̶ ̶i̶n̶t̶o̶ ̶a̶ ̶s̶w̶o̶r̶d̶ ̶r̶i̶g̶h̶t̶?̶

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Originally Posted by Kurona

If you're looking for something for your villains to do that will make the audience hate them, look no further than them killing a DOG!

A bit of jokey here but, this is a staple for... JoJo series, and the creator is accused of hating dogs instead.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

He doesn't yet know how well he's chosen. Yuusuke not only remembers the promise he made all those years ago, he's absolutely psyched about it, to the point where he actually did his job at Pole Pole for once the day before.

So this is the end of Kuuga's massive supporting cast pack on Nana? That are all tied solely to Yusuke.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Rolling on with the supporting cast, a brief update on Jean's adventure in Nagano reveals Mika is actually there to help with the excavation at Kurogatake too, in an effort to honor her father's work.

Finally Jean and Mika has made peace. But yeah for this one time, I got caught off guard a bit by that. Mika seems to be set up as a general Grongi victim previously to motivate the others (twice! like at ep. 2 too).

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

What's also particularly weighty is the bad guy for this one, Zu-Zain-Da, a literal rampaging rhinoceros who plays rough.

Another one of henshin being interrupted! That alone is a proof on how intense Zain is.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Now, Yuusuke was obviously supposed to be somewhere else, if you'll remember, but he's considerate enough to ask Sakurako to go in his place to meet Kanzaki while he gets pummeled by a rhino for the sake of humanity.

Sakurako is lucky that Kanzaki coincidentally didn't walk in a separate path.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

During all this, Yuusuke has to stay true to his obligations as Kuuga, managing a narrow escape from Zain with some unexpected, and indirect, help from another Grongi.

Oh the first time Grongis fighting each other. I like it when there's a civil war on same faction, either hero or villains (here). And also I have to talk about Kuuga's good counter when Zain throws him to impale with his horn by actually move while airborne, grabbing Zain's horn and turned the attack around.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Kanzaki and Sakurako arrive at the old school, only to find out it's scheduled to be demolished soon.

Other than Yusuke probably he should have a conversation with the student's relative himself Minori as they're both teachers and possibly discussing the take of teachers.

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Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

And Kanzaki has definitely done that, because one of his students was Yuusuke. The guy who, at that very moment, is working hard to think up a new move to use against Zain. As though the (possible) stellar meta commentary wasn't enough, this is yet another episode that demonstrates the value of training and preparation. Kuuga figuring out how he wants to do a kick is great, and I can't stress enough how perfectly timed this all is. The two-parters so far follow a clear pattern of introductions, right? The origin of Mighty Form, then the TryChaser, then Dragon, Pegasus, and Titan. So what is this one about, now that all the initial toys are already out of the way? This is the origin story for Kuuga's Rider Kick, and if ever there was a payoff to the slower pacing of Kuuga, this is it right here.

OK, I thought that with Kuuga's attack basically planting an energy stamp on the victim, I thought that how the attack is done isn't necessary. Turns out it was wrong. He needs to exert more force on even planting an energy stamp to produce greater results.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

The answer is yes, because I haven't mentioned what this fight is overlapping with yet. Back at the school, Sakurako makes a comment about how Yuusuke isn't there because he's using his 2000th skill (which is turning into Kuuga) to do what he can, and this finally gets Kanzaki to remember what the promise actually was.

Teachers, unsung heroes! A friend of the person you'd like to reunite can be a guide and good substitute for a while.