[DreadBringer]

Kamen Rider Gaim watch

The Yggdrasill Saga

Episode 12: New Generation of Riders Appear!

Written by: Gen Urobuchi, Directed by: Hidenori Ishida

Kouta and Micchy are summing up what they've learned for infiltrating the forest, expositing the toku stuff so far to the audience, and mention the Helheim Forest name in-universe, but the new stuff is about how the Armored Riders are Yggdrasill's guinea pig and test subjects, and pointed out that their battles with Zangetsu is also observed as a data collecting. This influences both as characters in different way, Micchy suggests them to not henshin. The Beat Riders also apparently had celebrity status as Kouta is asked for a photograph by 2 fangirls, which is another deliberate work from DJ Sagara that seems benefical at first. Kouta tries to run away, but shortly after they're attacked by Inves, and as Kouta henshins to Gaim to fight them off, Micchy shows he means it for his suggestion as he tries to stop him. Kouta shows his improved fighting skills to kill the Inves without using a finisher. As they argue, the Yggdrasill troopers come, which are revealed as multiple Kurokages, thought as a mass production from the Armored Rider data by Micchy, and them noticing that they aren't concerned with the people that are attacked, more concerned with clearing the evidences.

Mai comes across Kaito again, who is at the place Takatsukasa Shrine once stood, reminiscing it as everything changed when Yggdrasill attacked. It's also revealed here that Mai and Kaito are actually childhood friends, as Mai introduces her full name (disproportionate length between the given name and surname), meaning she's the shrine maiden, revealing her interest of dancing coming from a priestess dance to the tree, and fits the meaning of her surname as well (inspired by Takatsukasa clan but written differently), where "Taka" means high or grand, and "Tsukasa" means someone who oversees religious rituals, and combined it makes "high priestess". Kaito and Mai's clash between their similarities continue, this time about the past, as Kaito is more of a cynic that remembers the negative part in the past, how he lost what he treasured there. Mai is more of an idealist that remembers the positive part in the past, the happiness that happened at the shrine. Kaito thinks of the past as hollow except to fuel his hatred; his vendetta to Yggdrasill, while Mai treasures those memories as important, using the good times that happened in the past as the basis for what she wants to do to others. Particularly that Mai thinks the good times in the past can be returned by doing the same in different place, while Kaito has no traces of his past in his goal for gaining power, thinking that anything from the past is completely done. Mai's motivation seems to be a positive implementation of nostalgia filter, though I wonder how would she react to those that are already happy exactly because of the Yggdrasill's changes, as she seems to take into account for those who are unhappy due to urban area (trying to bring shrine feel to the populated city), and her motivation is purely based on her experience. Kaito mocks her ideals..though likely in tsundere way before leaving.

Alternative Mai finally appears in front of Mai, who straightforwardly asks if she is the same as her. The answer isn't given yet, but Alternative Mai gives similar warning as she did to the other Riders, suggesting Mai to live a different path, leaving the city including Kouta and Kaito (directly mentioning their names, likely hinting her omniscience), albeit to her, she emphasizes the different choice part more compared to the inevitable path that she focuses more when reminding the other Riders. But as usual, her warning is done by cryptic way despite seemingly to know what's going on, only creating more questions instead of being followed through, before Alternative Mai vanishes again, visualized by Mai running on the puddle with Alternative Mai's reflection, scattering the water along with the reflection.

At Drupers, Kouta and Micchy had a discussion again about what happened, where it shows their opposites too, that Kouta is someone who is open and honest, suggesting to go public about the Yggdrasill info, while Micchy is someone who is secretive and believes that it's better for people to not know the truth, as he objects to Kouta's idea that it'll make the other Riders know that they're tricked into their game to aid those 2 infiltrating Yggdrasill. Micchy being secretive is also shown by him dragging Kouta around when he notices Iyo nearby. Kouta nonchalantly offers to apologize to them, but also notes that it's important for them to know the true nature of the Inves Game as well and that they're used as guinea pigs. The following conversations actually reveals of how Micchy's dark traits have worsened over time, that he even shows it around Kouta, displaying his forceful and control freak nature towards him, stating that it's their "fundamental rule" to not tell anyone about the secrets, and that he reveals his selfish side as well, that he argues as Yggdrasill is erasing evidences, they may do the same to those who know the truth, but Micchy's agenda in talking about this is to prevent his team only, particularly Mai, being in danger due to that. Micchy's suggestion for them to not use their Sengoku Drivers also shows his apathy towards the innocent being attacked by the Inves, claiming that they want to prevent Yggdrasill for getting more advantage by giving them more data, but it's likely his manipulative side to sway others into agreeing with him, presenting himself as thinking in the long-term (and he's already known as the smart one in the team), but has selfish agenda, almost succeeded into making Kouta submit to him. While smart, it seems that Micchy isn't savvy enough to realize what Kamen Riders are about... they're exactly about using powers from evil to do good!

Hase (using this to refer him for now as he's usually refered as that) challenges Kaito into an Inves game, but tragedy befalls him as he found out that he cannot henshin anymore, as his Sengoku Driver has been damaged by Zangetsu earlier. As the challenge is already commenced, Hase is left with no choice but to use regular Inves, who Baron just nonchalantly tanks and then swatted it away with single slash. Hase's loss goes even worse from that, not only losing his Rider form, but he also loses his Lockseed, his stage, and Jonouchi, as he reveals their friendship is only one-sided for Hase, and Jonouchi only maintains frienship with him to benefit him, planning to betray him too when the time comes like they did against Baron (it was likely chiefly Jonouchi's idea, as Hase was enjoying the benefits from the alliance), and as Hase is no longer a Rider, he ditches him, looking for others to use as doormat, which is his idea of alliance in general. Moreover, the other members of Raid Wild also desert him, leaving him exactly with nothing. Jonouchi begs for Oren's help, who is revealed to use Zangetsu as benchmark to create his cakes, to help him become a real man (ironically to a man wearing eyelashes, nail polish, and mascara, though Jonouchi himself is effeminate) to beat Gaim and Baron, and as Jonouchi's zodiac is Virgo, he agrees to whip him into shape albeit he didn't look really reliable, but as he's primarily a pâtissier, he instead teaches Jonouchi to bake cakes.

While strolling, Kouta asks Micchy if he regrets becoming Armored Rider, and he confirms his opinion doesn't change about how he doesn't regret being given something that makes him able to fight his own battles. Kouta hates himself for being played into Yggdrasill, and Kouta seems to submit to Micchy over this, admitting he's the smart one and relies on him for suggestions on fighting back to Yggdrasill. In the opposite vein of how Kouta learns that power comes with responsibility, Micchy not only suggests them to stop using the Driver, but also throw it away, swaying Kouta with the "benefits" that he wouldn't have to worry about keeping secrets or worrying Mai, which basically means Micchy eggs for Kouta to run away from his responsibility. This bits of Rider shows that while on the surface, both Gaim and Ryugen kills monsters and thus would seem similar at first glance that they save people from monsters, this shows that their insides can be drastically different, like how Micchy tries to instill his belief of keeping secrets and run away from responsibility, but Kouta is someone different than him, as while he also cares for Mai as a close friend, doesn't mean that he'll compromise even the strangers that are under danger, which is shown shortly that Micchy doesn't fully make Kouta submit, as there's innocents being attacked by multiple Inves, where Kouta rushes in to save them, while Micchy restrains him to keep him going with his plan. Kouta points out that the Riders are the only one that can save people from monsters, and not all Inves attacks are related to Yggdrasill like this one.

Other than the beginning scene, Kouta shows his improved fighting further by going toe-to-toe with 3 Advanced Inves at once, Kamakiri, Shika, and Komori (the flying one), without any power up here or using Suika Arms, after destroying some fodders, killing the former 2 with good usage of AoE attack as the attack hits both of them in different sides at once, and then revealing Gaim's own Rider Kick, the Burai Kick, a diving kick through slices of oranges, which he uses to finish off Komori. Micchy only stands watching the fight, albeit he's almost tempted to help Gaim fight, and after the fight ended, Micchy doesn't have a happy look on his face, seemingly indicating a wedge that happens between those 2. As per the episode title, Takatora tests out the new generation of Riders, using Genesis Driver, which turns him into Zangetsu Shin, Melon Energy Arms, equipped with Sonic Arrow, a long-ranged weapon. Fighting a horde of Kurokage Troopers, he's able to use Sonic Arrow as both melee and ranged weapon, each shots which feels like a heavy attack to me, even if it's a standard attack, and he's even able to attack every Kurokage troopers at once by shooting an arrow that forms a mango projection that rains down bows on them. Takatora and Ryoma had a discussion about the data gathered, and claims that the Inves Game's purpose is over, heading to give them a lesson of reality..