[DreadBringer]

Kamen Rider Gaim watch

The Forbidden Fruit Saga

Episode 37: Baron's Soccer Showdown Summer Camp!

Written by: Jin Haganeya/Nobuhiro Mori, Directed by: Takayuki Shibasaki

Another breather episode, with Urobutcher not writing it, a tie in to the movie Kamen Rider Gaim: Great Soccer Battle! Golden Fruits Cup!, which likely won't be aired in my TV too.

The canon part: Kouta tries to rush into the Kureshima brothers' battle, but is intercepted by... a horde of flying insects like ep. 9, but turns out that it's a component of Grasshopper monster. Kouta henshins into Gaim Jimber Lemon Arms, and realizes that said monster isn't an Overlord but is just as tough. The Grasshopper Monster using the ability to turn itself into flying insects awfully resemble Demushu's ability to turn himself into a mist, giving him mobility and dodging attacks, and the monster left the fight with Gaim wondering. Then Kaito checks his green wound inflicted by Redyue, as Sagara approaches him, talking about how Kouta left him in the dust, with the flashback of Gaim getting Jimber and Kachidoki Arms, but Kaito still wants to beat him, so Sagara opens a crack showing an alternate version of Zawame, with Gaim jumping from it, turning from Orange Arms into Kiwami Arms. Kaito henshins into Baron Lemon Energy Arms and expectedly, Kiwami Arms had the upper hand, with Sagara pointing out that's Kouta right now, citing his determination... eh you're the one giving him those power ups Sagara. Baron keeps going, realizing that he can be the one to take the world. Kiwami Arms uses DJ Gun to perform Kachidoki Charge, shooting a fireball point-blank to Baron and de-henshins him in the process...

..which suddenly sends Kaito into (almost) a goal post, as in Kaito becomes a failed goalkeeper from a ball shot (not by Rider Kicking but by weapon) by Gaim. Kaito also finds himself on a soccer field, with Zack and Peko helping him get up, with the return of Hase who Zack calls out as hitting him on purpose. Bravo argues that the soccer field is a battlefield, warning that they may fare worse against his pro team in France. Well, comparing something bad with something worse doesn't negate the existing bad qualities of the former. Kaito finds his wounds healed too. Hase throws the ball into Bravo (who is wearing the soccer shirt along with his Rider form!), with Zack's henshin into Knuckle as goalkeeper. Bravo shoots the ball with his finisher, scoring a goal as Knuckle isn't strong enough to stop the force. Team Charmant wins over Team Baron. Peko apologizes to Kaito, but Kaito only wants explanations, but is interrupted by Team Charmant, Bravo doubting their ability to compete in "All Riders Cup", and Jonouchi gloating that they can't stop them. Kaito realizes that this is alternate world as there's no trace of Helheim invasion.

The soccer game is hosted by... DJ Sagara again, talking about Team Charmant's 10-0 victory over Team Baron. Kaito hears that in Drupers, with Zack and Peko sitting by nearby. Kaito finally explains that he lost his memories, with both surprised. They think Kaito doing what they do currently will "jog his memories" as their solution. As Kaito asks why they're playing soccer, Zack explains that it's to win All Riders Cup and... get the golden fruit, which belongs to only 1 last team. So in this world golden fruit is done by sports....with Rider still being included of course. Peko and Zack laments that they're on top at one point but is on losing streak now. Kaito, hearing about how to survive they must play soccer, reignites his social darwinism philosophy and now agrees to train. In the training Kaito turns out to be not a good soccer player, with Zack and Peko being confused over this. But there's a cameo of Kengo Nakamura of Kawasaki Frontale, who arrives to help. He trains the players of Team Baron, and Kaito manages to improve himself. Kaito then comes across Lapis, who is seen earlier before, who claims Kaito's previous "inconvenient" memories are haunting him and will cause him problem, and Kaito gets attacked by Grasshopper Monster, which Kaito henshins into Baron. Baron insists for Zack to henshin and help him fight Inves, which instead gets them confused that Kaito henshin to fight monsters and the term "Inves". Baron drives away the monster with Spear Victory, Squash version. As Zack thinks it's awesome, Kaito realizes that there's no Inves either in that world.

As Kouta's still running around, he's being watched around by someone with a belt. Kouta then comes across Grasshopper Monster again, and after doing acrobatics in human form to keep up and avoid his attacks, he henshins into Kachidoki Arms to settle the fight quickly. He's interrupted by Sagara telling him that the dimension is warping, informing that something nasty is waking up in Helheim, opening a crack showing an alternate Zawame City, with a shot of Kouta handing a soccer ball to Lapis. Kachidoki Arms resumes his fight with the monster, upgrading to Kiwami Arms dual wielding Daidaimaru and a Duri Noko, then defending and attacking with Melon Defender, and finishes the monster off with Kunai Burst (Ichigo Arms' finishing move). Kouta eventually reaches the spot where Zangetsu fight happens, with Armored Rider Mars entering Lapis world, as the narration explains the fruit myths, especially Ambrosia, the fruit eaten by Adam and Eve, talking about great power bestowed by those who eat the fruit, but only single one will be chosen.

Bravo promises his fans that his team will win in All Riders Cup, but Jonouchi delivers the news hosted by DJ Sagara that Team Baron rises up in the rank, due to Kaito playing as Baron, and can redirect the ball's direction with a Banana Squash kick (soccer shoot, not flying Rider Kick), with DJ Sagara announcing that the next match will still be between Team Baron and Team Charmant. At Drupers, Zack and Peko are proud, but questions Kaito's decision to take up soccer, which of course, Kaito equates it to dancing that he'll also show off his strength and fight off the strong ones in soccer. In the soccer match, Team Charmant has called the cameo of real life soccer player on their own, Kosuke Ota from FC Tokyo, but Team Baron gets to keep Nakamura. In so far a normal soccer match, both Team Baron and Charmant score 1 goal, but Team Baron gains an upper hand by Kaito's henshin into Baron and doing a backflip banana-themed kick into Team Charmant's goal post. Grasshopper Monster is still not finished and appears on the field. Not even the Riders, both of the real soccer players Nakamura and Ota were able to turn the soccer ball into fireball with their tricks to attack the monster by kicking the ball into it! Baron then drives the monster out of the field to fight it, then upgrades with Genesis Driver into Baron Lemon Energy Arms, using soccer trick to bounce back an energy ball from the monster, then finishes it off with Cavaliend to trap the monster in a lemon projection, then kicking (a proper Rider Kick this time) it through lemon slices, similar to Pine Arms' Iron Breaker. Lapis comes, finally revealing more of him that he brought Kaito here to create his ideal world, but erases Kaito's memories, apparently sending Kaito back into his original world, as he wakes up in the previous park, vowing to stay true of his philosophy of showing off power.

This episode, there's a fanservice element either for the Rider followers like the return of Hase, or for those who are keen on soccer, especially on Japan's real life soccer scene, the cameo of Kengo Nakamura and Kosuke Ota. Another good thing that the episode have is actually... the monster battles as there's five Ending Themes playing during it; Ranbu Escalation during Baron's fight against Kiwami Arms, Never Surrender during Baron's fight against Grasshopper Monster, and Raise Up Your Flag during Kouta in Kachidoki Arms' fight against the same monster. Otherwise, this episode still delays the plot after a cliffhanger of Kouta finding out the fate of Kureshima brothers, and I enjoy this one less than ep. 30 with Kikaider (there's 'soccer element' there in Kikaider's kick on Kachidoki's Orange Charge too!), as this has less meaningful moments and feels more time-wasting to put this in the main series (it's also to promote Japan participating in the FIFA Cup in 2014). Currently for here, I also know little to nothing regarding Lapis, the boy who sent Kaito into his world, so nothing to say yet.