[Kamen Rider Die]

TOKUMEI SENTAI GO-BUSTERS MISSION 36 - “SHOOM! GO-BUSTER LI-OH!”



Ha ha, even the name of the episode where the Buddyroids resent how much of the spotlight is on Li-Oh ends up completely putting the spotlight on Li-Oh!

A relentlessly funny episode about how to accept new people, and also an episode that unfortunately demonizes the concept of unionizing. (Like, the whole point of going on a strike is that it should hurt the people you’re striking against, so they realize how they’ve been mistreating you as a worker! That’s when you don’t cave!) But since the Buddyroids are more family members than employees, and the Busters aren’t even management anyway, I’m okay overlooking some disappointing views on labor relations.

Because we aren’t in an episode about the demands of workers, we’re in an episode about welcoming a new friend, and how tricky that can feel for kids. Li-Oh is Cool and Awesome and New and Currently On Sale, and it’s making the Buddyroids feel overlooked and disregarded. While it’s the Busters fault, it’s easy for the Buddyroids to hold it against Li-Oh as well, even though he’s just sitting in a garage for most of the episode. Li-Oh is replacing them minute by minute, and they resent him for being so cool. (Even Nakamura and Morishita have less to offer because of Li-Oh! This episode is really insane for how Li-Oh is basically a pair of shorts and two jumpsuits away from just replacing all three Busters!)

But then we find out from Nick that Li-Oh isn’t trying to replace them, he’s just trying to fit in and make friends. Li-Oh’s been in a cave for god knows how long, and the guy who made him is dead. The Buddyroids have had the Busters in their lives since they were created, but Li-Oh doesn’t really have anyone as a partner. So, they decide to be those partners for Li-Oh. It’s sweet, the conclusion of that story. It’s two aggrieved Buddyroids (plus the chaotic J and mortified Nick) putting aside their own misgivings and reaching out to a new friend. It’s very, very sweet.



IT’S TIME FOR Buddyroids!

And the rest of the episode is hilarious, which helps! While the eventual resolution is warm and welcoming, the path to get there was killing me. The Buddyroids unionize!!! Their demands are, sadly, basic recognition and maybe the occasional trip to a theme park! (The Busters, and Yoko in particular, treat the Buddyroids' demands as ridiculous and insulting, meaning they clearly forgot about the Mission 13/14 two-parter already.) As much as the episode eventually had to include both a series of battles and a heartfelt moral, I was completely okay with the rapidly escalating friction between the Buddyroids and Busters. They made Nick the secretary!!!