Recap: Kamen Rider Build, Episode 12 – Conspiracy Theory

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Sawa comes clean about being a spy for Nanba Industries. She explains that she knew from the very beginning that Café Najcita was the Kamen Rider’s hideout. Turns out she had just picked up a matchbook from the counter and opened the secret fridge door by herself.

Sawa says she got close to all of them just so she could collect information on Build for Nanba. Soichi says Nanba Industries has been long rumored to be illegally manufacturing and smuggling weapons, among other things. They are so powerful, the three governments don’t dare go against them.

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Sawa adds that Nanba also controls Faust. Sento points out then that Faust would know this is where they are hiding. But Sawa says they aren’t banging on the doors just yet because they want to continue gathering more data in order to turn Kamen Rider into a military weapon for the Touto government.

Ryuga finds it hard to believe Faust and the Touto government are in cahoots. Sawa says she became a spy to find evidence to prove that. They aren’t easily convinced.

Sawa lets them listen to a recording she secretly took while being held by Faust. It is Gentoku telling Nanba about the current location of Pandora’s Box.

Sawa says that location is at the Nanba laboratory.

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Speaking of Nanba, he feeds his koi fish and says to himself that it is just about time. Nariaki comes in, having been called by Nanba who has a favor to ask.

Back at the Institute, Nanba is sitting alone in the research lab. Sento walks in, despite all researchers being off today, and says he wants to look into Nanba Industries.

Nanba Industries was a predecessor of the Institute, but looking at the blueprints, Sento hasn’t found any place to hide Pandora’s Box.

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Nariaki asks why, but Sento says it’s a secret. Nariaki says the third floor basement and shows Sento proof of it.

“Which is the real you?” Sento asks.
“That’s a silly question. You and I are in the same boat.”

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Back at the lab, Sawa is chained up. Misora asks her why she wanted to prove a connection between Nanba and the government. Sawa explains that three years ago, there was a gas explosion at Nanba Industries when Faust stole a Pandora panel. It was orchestrated by the government to cover up the truth. Eleven researchers were killed in that explosion, including her father.

Sawa is resolved to avenge the murder of her father.

Sento and Ryuga head to the abandoned Nanba labs again, based on the information they’ve gained from Sawa and Nariaki. As Sento tries unlocking the door, a Driver pops out of his bag. He says it is Ryuga’s.

Sento reminds Ryuga that Kamen Rider exists to protect people, not as a military weapon. Ryuga says he’s learned as much by watching him all this time.

They head inside and reach the third floor basement. But they are immediately met by Gentoku and Faust mecha.

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Sento is ready to play, but Ryuga says he’s the star today. Sento sullenly steps back as Ryuga henshins.

Faust mecha surround Sento who easily takes care of them. Gentoku manages to knock Ryuga back. But Blood Stark arrives, happy to have been led to the location of Pandora’s Box.

Blood Stark attacks Gentoku, much to his surprise. They spar until Blood Stark sees a door. He smashes through, revealing Pandora’s Box and the panel with all of Sento’s FullBottles.

Gentoku hits Blood Stark and they take their fight away from the holes in the wall. Sento looks in and finds a Densha FullBottle. He uses it and a Kaizoku FullBottle and it’s a Best Match.

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Sento henshins to Kaizoku Ressha. Ryuga gets up and he takes on Blood Stark. Sento faces off against Gentoku.

Blood Stark says all he came here for was Pandora’s Box. So he takes it and leaves. Sento, meanwhile, is too powerful for Gentoku so he decides to retreat.

Back at the lab, Misora has unchained Sawa while Sento completes the new Kaizoku Hassha weapon using his new Best Match combo.

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Sawa asks if they will lend her the panels.

Over at Faust HQ, Nariaki is bandaging Gentoku up when Nanba walks in. Nanba says Pandora’s Box being stolen from Nanba property requires he takes serious measures.

Next morning, Sawa heads to the hospital to speak with the Prime Minister and show him proof that Faust and Nanba Heavy Industries are connected, which means there is a possibility the government is involved with Faust.

Papa PM says that is absurd. A government official walks in and whispers something to Papa PM. It appears the Touto government is implementing a plan to destroy Faust at this very moment.

Papa PM demands to know where the panel is and the official orders goons to take Sawa into custody. Sawa fights them off and hurls herself through the glass window.

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Sento watches as Sawa falls to safety. They hop on the bike and drive away.

A heavy media presence is at the Toei Dam Site Faust HQ as the operation is about to begin. Sento and Sawa watch as Touto soldiers storm the complex and find Night Rogue calmly sitting in a chair.

Night Rogue makes quick work of the soldiers and walks out of the Faust complex, shooting and killing any soldier in his way.

Also watching the operation unfold is… Gentoku! Unhenshined!

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Night Rogue proclaims that he will not allow the government to destroy the Faust he has built. Gentoku orders they fire at Night Rogue, who again easily kills any soldier who tries to take him on. Sawa says this all feels like a performance. Even so, Sento says, they can’t just watch. He henshins and approaches Night Rogue, away from the cameras.

They battle for a little bit, Sento Building Up to Kaizoku Ressha. Sento’s new train attacks are too much for Night Rogue, who is revealed to be…

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Utsumi Nariaki?!

Nariaki faces the media below and proclaims that has served this country in the hope that Japan’s pride would be restored, even if that meant resorting to military power. As long as his country rises again, he has no regr…

Nariaki, holding a FullBottle, seems to hesitate. That gives Sento an opening to grab the FullBottle from him and says he will not let Nariaki die.

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Nariaki runs and Sento follows. They stop on a bridge.

“Where did I lose my way?” Nariaki asks. He says he just wanted to live a normal life laughing at stupid stuff, crying over hardships.

“Don’t become like me… Kiryu Sento.”

Sento is surprised Nariaki knew who he was all along. Nariaki grabs Sento’s shoulders and says he still has time to return…

Just then, Nariaki is shot at twice, sending over the railing and down into the river.

Sento turns to see it was Gentoku who shot Nariaki. Gentoku heads back and makes a televised address announcing the results of the operation. He says Faust has been destroyed and vows to continue to protect Touto.

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Back at the café, while everyone else is having dinner, Sawa looks over the information collected from the Faust hideout. None of the information links Faust to the Touto government or Nanba Industries and instead, everything was pinned on Nariaki,

Sawa grabs her bag and walks toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Sento asks.
“My role is over.”

Sento says it is not. She must continue to search for proof of Touto government and Nanba Heavy Industries collusion as well them returning Pandora’s Box to where it belongs. They both have the same goal.

Misora and Ryuga add that Sawa can also work on improving Kamen Rider’s image in the media as well as report on Ryuga’s innocence.

Sawa is touched by their words. She decides to stay for dinner.

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Sento gives Ryuga’s Rider the name of “Cross-Z” and he likes it.

Just then, Sento gets a call from Nabeshima who says his memory is back! The person who told him to frame Ryuga was………………………………..

Sento is shocked.

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Episode Thoughts

Of course, when the opening credits are missing from an episode, you already know!

And I definitely think this episode delivered. A lot of exciting developments.

First of all, I think they resolved Sawa’s betrayal pretty easily. But I liked it. It made sense, even though it would have been nice to see it flushed out a little bit more. Still, it’s good to see that it appears she will still be working with the gang.

Sawa’s character not being one-dimensional and having that backstory fits very well with how all the other characters are apparently not so clear-cut either. I think out of all our characters so far, Ryuga remains to be the most simple and straightforward. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s actually helped make him the most relatable and easily accessible character of the season. And I think it definitely helps having him on as a contrast to everyone else whom we still really don’t know all that much about. Every other character, arguably, has a fair bit of mystery to them.

Everything that transpired between Gentoku, Noriaki and Nanba and that whole operation plus Nariaki talking with Nanba; all of it is completely up in the air as to what at all actually means. I think Blood Stark is outside of that whole web and that he actually really just wanted Pandora’s box. Of course, we’ll find out next week if his identity really will be

But that whole elaborate plot to take down or expose Faust is definitely very interesting. There’s a lot of chess pieces involved it appears. And I assume it’s all part of their greater plan.

With all of that as a backdrop, we got a little bit of character from Nariaki. At least if we are to take his scenes at face value and believe that while he was a part of all of this, he had his doubts. Did he get sucked into all of this against his will? And how are he and Sento possibly alike. I doubt this is the last we’ll see of him. But again him possibly regretting his part in all of this certainly adds that little bit of intrigue that helps illustrate that there is a grand plot happening here.

Nariaki’s “All for the glory of Japan!” speech really gave a sense of weight to the season’s plot. The Skywall and its division of Japan is a pretty big deal and different from the usual, sometimes claustrophobic setting of many a toku season.

So all of that was very exciting.

My favorite scene was definitely that last one with Sento and Nariaki on the bridge. It’s certainly a scene that we have seen many times before in various forms, but it worked as a way to highlight that there is still a lot of mystery left with Sento’s past or identity or true nature. Who knows?

My next favorite scene though had to be Sawa kicking butt and taking names. She easily handled those bodyguards and then she just threw herself through that window. What was really kind of awkward was Sento just watching the whole thing happening. lol

Loved the drone shots at the dam site. And I notice a lot of the FullBottles seem to be inspired by recent Sentai seasons: Kaizoku, Densha/Ressha, Ninja. hehe

The episode kind of felt like a little conclusion to the first arc of the season. And now we’re taking the next step forward. So far, the season has developed very well and it’s only gotten more interesting and exciting each week.

2 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Build, Episode 12 – Conspiracy Theory

  1. Whoa! Gentoku killed Nariaki with an actual gun!! I know that characters getting killed on-screen is a common thing in KR, but there is really that impact when they do it using a real-life gun instead of some fancy weapon.

    My only gripe with this part is that Nariaki’s death lacks a bit more of the emotional impact that it should have had, mainly because we knew very little of him. He had very little screentime and had little interaction with Sento. That makes his final talk with sento fall a bit short. Im hoping that they do a bit of exploring his character the same way they did for Takumi Katsuragi earlier.

    I love those action girl Sawa scenes and that part where she actually deduces that everything about the “Faust raid” was staged. Overall, still a great ep.

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