[Androzani84]

Alright, we are officially in "updates come when they come" territory. Meaning things won?t be at all regular anymore. But for now, the next review.

Timeranger Case File 22: Pink Seduction 16/07/2000

And it?s our second - and final - dose of Inoue in this series, and indeed in Sentai for the next Decade, before he goes over to follow in his dad?s footsteps and write for Kamen Rider (heading three shows, keeping two others going in the midst of behind the scenes turmoil and doing a lot of material for all but one of the 10).

We open with Tomorrow Research taking on a job from a single dad struggling to look after his baby.



He wants their help in looking after his baby and looking for his fiancee, Kyoko Hirosue, who went missing recently.



And despite what they assume, she did not take all of his money. He gave it to her.



As he leaves, they discuss how badly he suffered from a scam, and easily find Kyoko through a Google search.



While Tatsuya decides to try dating her himself, Yuri decides to help our single dad by working as a housekeeper.



Despite how unprepared she is at domestic work, he?s grateful for her hard work.



And her attempts at cooking? he finds them inedible.



And as a matter of fact, so does Yuri (honestly, her lack of domestic knowledge makes some degree of sense, given she?s never been shown cooking before and she had a stunted childhood, with it being likely she grew up in an orphanage).



Meanwhile, Tatsuya meets with Kyoko for a marriage interview, with her now dressed like and acting as his female counterpart.



And it turns out their desires for a marriage partner are 100% compatible.



The next day, Tatsuya?s wasting calligraphy materials paying homage to her.



And he fell for the exact same ?sick mother? scam that their client did.



Back with Yuri?s housekeeping job, the guy is so weary of her cooking he?s started buying takeout.



In case you forgot this is Timeranger, and not an NTR dorama, we now return to the Londars, already in the midst of another evil scheme.



She explains that she let her go to do her job, to which Gien inquires what kind of job.



Sure enough, we cut to Kyoko (look, our villains are based around getting money, and that?s what she?s doing with the men she strings along) going into a bar for a blind date with Domon.



Within 12 hours, Domon is using Tock as a stand for his mirror as he fixes his appearance for Kyoko.



And he also got catfished out of his funds (which are somehow only slightly less than Tatsuya?s, despite 20-something less years to build up money)



Ayase is so easily able to tell they?ve been duped that he makes the comparison that Keven Levin was cowed into backing off from making.





He then decides he?s going to date Kyoko next. Speaking of Kyoko, Lila is lambasting her for how her last few dates have been really cheap, with life savings adding up to 20,000 yen.



And in case you think she?s a red herring for the real criminal? think again!



After another bad night with the single dad (she knocks over his shelf with the hoover and makes the baby cry), Yuri wakes up to find that Tatsuya and Domon are still simping over a woman both of them met once, while she?s never caught either of their eyes.



Sion merely thinks she?s sick and heads out to buy medicine, while Tatsuya assures her that she?s charming - just not as charming as Kyoko. Meanwhile, Kyoko goes back to the agency to be given her next mark - erm, date, at the restaurant downstairs.



Kyoko heads to the scene, using alien powers to change herself into Ayase?s ideal woman.



But Ayase proceeds to act as tactless as possible, so she ends up leaving the date before it can begin (was this the plan, or??)



As she leaves, Yuri confronts her about abandoning her fianc?, as Lila listens in.



Kyoko admits she barely remembers any of the men she?s seduced, and says that she can seduce any man she wants, while Yuri is too ugly to ever attract anyone.



Cue a cartoonish gag.



After the eye catch, Yuri starts an intensive training regimen to look more attractive.


Meanwhile, Lila tells Kyoko that the woman questioning her and her latest clients are the Timerangers, which is why they were so cheap. But Lila has a better idea.



Meanwhile, Yuri?s training montage turns to beauty treatments using whatever funds Tomorrow Research has left over.



And Sion rejoins the plot? only no-one?s in the loft anymore.



Meanwhile, Kyoko lures Domon, Tatsuya and Ayase to meet with her in the park.







Assured the three would do anything for her, Kyoko summons her snakes to infect the three, making them fight to the death.



As the trio comes close to killing each other despite Sion?s efforts to make them stop, the newly made over Yuri appears. And we get our standard ?ladies costume changing? plot out of the way.



And the scene of her being a head turning beauty gets its own song, somewhat appropriately titled ?Who Are You??.

I keep breathing so that my face shows my way of life
In a voice whirlpool, I seek an escape. My soul prayer quivers
I can't make a dent in this irritating fate
I'm daring in my reflective pace, but I keep getting hurt needlessly
The news is about my broken dream, and I have no way of changing the past
It's the deadline for a fate where I could have smiled
Words (I complain about not being able to progress, arriving upon this reality)
are lost (Whether I pass or avoid it, there's no end to the ordeals)
I look for (I bite my lip, I'm not sure if there's happiness ahead)
the heart (Yet, what is that flame that won't go out?)

Who Are You? Why do you exist now?
Tell me (You Know)
I ask my heart, but still don't have a reply
All or (Nothing) There's no response though
For someone dear to me, I give up myself
My Love (For You) I'll take on any ordeal
Right now, my tears are changing (Grade Up) into wings

Such is her beauty that her kisses break the love spell.



Kyoko is so annoyed at being out-romanced she assumes her true, alien form (briefly seen twice in earlier scenes).



Everyone is shocked that they were hitting on that, with Domon actually breaking things up.



Barbera attacks, using her hair to tie up her former victims.



Sion refuses to help, instead chiding them for being seduced by a honey trap. Yuri is more forgiving, using Accel Stop to cut through Barbera?s hair.



She then defeats Barbera in battle, and they blast her with the Voltech Bazooka. But she lasts long enough to rebound and we get a second appearance of Shadow Alpha, which debuts the human stock footage for the Blizzard Slash (note the text in the background).



After Barbera is frozen, Sion offers her up to her admirers, all of whom are now more embarrassed by the whole thing than anything.



As for Yuri? She goes to Goro Yamada (the name of the client, which I hadn?t mentioned until now. Sorry) and drops off a letter ?written by? Kyoko, breaking things off.





She even dresses as Kyoko so he can get one last look at her.





But as the episode ends, Yuri trips because she?s never worn heels before.

Next time: the trailer didn?t give me much, but it?s the source for the Time Force episode I just reviewed, Case File 23: Beat Up.

Final thoughts: I think this is my favourite episode of the series, since we get to see Yuri do more than be the straight man to the boys? nonsense, and we get a plot about her struggling with domestic work that isn?t beating us over the head with the obvious reason why. Plus while a bit of a dope, Yamada works as a character because he?s not played up as a creep or a weirdo, but someone who?s struggling to look after his son and trying to hold onto the one good thing he seemingly had.

The worst I can say is that I wasn?t keen on the cartoon gags, but that comes down to personal preference.