Recap: Kamen Rider Build, Episode 38 – Mad World

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Katsuragi recognizes Ryuga, but doesn’t remember anything that has just happened. Evolto declares Phase 4 complete. Just then, Ryuga has strange flashbacks to Mars.

Gentoku and Kazumi come running and they and Ryuga all henshin. They fight through the initial pain that comes from transforming immediately after a dehenshin. But they are obviously much weaker and beat up from the just completed battle and whirlwind. They attempt finishers at Evolto who just swats them back.

Gentoku smokes them all back to Nascita. Evolto goes to Pandora’s Box and creates four new FullBottles which he says can help him evolve further.

“The final chapter begins!”

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Evolto, as Soichi, meets with Nanba who has taken up shop in Kougami’s old office. Evolto declares himself the leader of Japan and Nanba can remain prime minister, though as a mere figurehead. Evolto gives him time to think about it.

Back at the lab, Katsuragi seems to enjoy his pretty new face. He takes exception to Sawa calling him a demon scientist. Katsuragi admits he was the one who forced Misora to purify Bottles.

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Katsuragi does not understand why Ryuga, who has Evolto’s genes, is working with him. Ryuga says he doesn’t have Evolto’s memories, so he is not the enemy. Katsuragi suggests Ryuga is just playing the fool.

Gentoku shows himself, much to Katsuragi’s shock.

Over at Nanba Heavy Industries, the Remocon Bros agree to get injected with more Nebula Gas, despite how dangerous it is and knowing if they die, they will die for good. They hop into the recycled Ganma pods, all for the good of Nanba, and suffer through the procedure.

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Just then, Evolto appears and offers Nariaki his very own Evol Driver if he agrees to come to his side. Evolto leaves.

“Stop screwing with me!”

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Gentoku takes Katsuragi outside to show him what has happened to Japan because of their creation. Katsuragi says he created the Driver System to fulfill his father’s wish to defeat Evolto, but Gentoku took it and used it as a military weapon. So this wasteland is exactly as Gentoku planned.

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Gentoku says he was wrong and only acting like the world was his enemy because of Pandora’s Box. Katsuragi says that’s just an excuse. They both know they are the cause of this tragedy.

Gentoku says he will accept any punishment for their crimes. But first he must do what he can to rebuild the country. Katsuragi says he never planned on creating a military weapon, but was too late to realize what Gentoku was planning. That’s why he made himself believe the Rider System was needed to defeat Evolto and that some sacrifices would be necessary.

“I sold my soul to the devil. And yet you expect me to forgive you just because you now admit you were wrong?!”

Katsuragi says he was a fool to believe Gentoku. He turns and walks away.

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Gentoku gets a call and later that evening meets with Nariaki who asks if they can team up and stop Evolto together. Gentoku initially refuses, but Nariaki bows his head and makes a solid case for working together against a common, dangerous enemy.

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The cowlick is back as Katsusento furiously works on the power up.

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Misora heads upstairs and comments on how Katsuragi is just like Sento when he’s focused on his work. Sawa wonders if Sento’s memories are lost forever. Ryuga says that would mean Katsuragi would have forgotten all the wonderful moments they spent together.

That thought hits Ryuga, Misora, Sawa and Kazumi hard.

Gentoku returns from his meeting with Nariaki and he tells them all about it. Kazumi says he won’t team up with the people who took his home and killed his friends.

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Next morning, Nariaki meets with Evolto, but not to accept the Evol Driver. He connects to Nanba who gives the go ahead for the Remocon Bros and Hard Guardians to enter. The Bros henshin.

Evolto declares the Bros will die today as he henshins and changes the game environment. Nariaki motions for the Hard Guardians to attack, but Evolto blows them all up with a flick of the wrist. The Bros charge forward and battle Evolto.

Evolto laments the Bros having been born human with many feelings. He then proceeds to just wreck them, their fresh Nebula Gas not giving them the boost they thought it would. Gentoku, Ryuga and Katsusento arrive to help. But Katsuragi has trouble handling the high spec version of Build.

Katsuragi attempts to use his new power up, but Evolto sends him flying and forces him to dehenshin.

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Evolto decides to kill Rai Washio first by shooting him into a black hole. Rai calls to his older brother to take care of the rest. He tosses him his Bottle and lets out one last Glory to Nanba before disappearing into the hole.

Fu Washio takes the Bottle and goes Hell Bros. He charges at Evolto and lets out all his anger. But Evolto continues to maintain the upper hand. Ryuga goes Magma and jumps in to help. Fu Washio doesn’t understand why Ryuga, who is badly injured, would fight for someone else. Ryuga is forced to dehenshin.

Evolto prepares a finisher to kill Ryuga for good, but Fu Washio leaps up and shoves Ryuga out of the way, absorbing the attack himself.

Fu Washio is forced to dehenshin and is spit out by the black hole. Ryuga hurries over to him and takes him in his arms.

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Ryuga asks why Fu Washio would save him. “Fighting for someone else feels good too,” Fu answers. “I’ll teach that to my younger brother.”

Fu Washio fades away. Ryuga punches the ground.

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Katsuragi is pained to see more lives so easily lost. Evolto says this is all because of the System he created.

Evolto transports himself into Nanba’s office. Nariaki watches a live feed on his Galaxy Note as Evolto terrorizes a groveling Nanba on the floor. Evolto says humans are so pathetic… he loves that!

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Evolto hugs Nanba who believes he is being saved. Instead, Evolto taps Nanba’s back and he’s dead.

Nariaki is beside himself as Evolto returns to the quarry with Nanba’s cane. He asks Nariaki if he will avenge Nanba to swear loyalty to him.

Nariaki picks up Nanba’s cane, clutches it. He remembers all the moments with his almighty Nanba and then…

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Nariaki snaps the cane in half across his leg, letting out a maniacal laugh.

*insert Beverly Caimen vocals*

He pledges his allegiance to Evolto who also begins to laugh. He is so amused by humans and decides he won’t destroy Earth anymore.

Evolto tosses the Evol Driver to Nariaki who henshins to Mad Rogue.

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Episode Thoughts

Of course, you know when there’s no opening credits, you expect big things this episode. I guess this episode had a lot of big developments, but I wasn’t as excited as I was in recent weeks. Very interesting.

Evolto said “The final chapter has begun” and the bumper said “Build‘s climax begins!” and it did feel that way. It felt like this really was the start of the final arc. But it also felt like a very worklike episode. Just getting things out of the way, literally, to get to whatever point they wanted.

We get the deaths of the Remocon Bros with a quick, last minute redemption via Fu Washio. If you can call it that. I mean, it was nice that he acknowledged Ryuga risking his life for him. But at the same time they were still very much Nanba-brainwashed to the end. I guess that makes it all the more sad. They knew only of loyalty to Lord Nanba and they died without knowing or experiencing anything else, such as genuine care and friendship and camaraderie. Or at least, Fu Washio saw the light seconds before his death and maybe really will teach his little brother about it in the afterlife. Who knows.

With Nanba himself. As evil as he was, I know they did that very dramatic scene of Evolto quietly offing him so as not to have a scene of an older gentleman get absolutely wrecked in the way the Bros were. Even Papa PM got a similar, relatively “quiet” death. And that’s even as the actor who plays Papa PM is jacked in real life! Lol

Nariaki going crazy works I guess. I mean, we’ve seen inklings of his instability before. All the way back when he first “died” even. Either he is still loyal to Nanba and is trying to destroy Evolto from his side. Or he really has gone the deep end after Nanba’s death. Like a robot malfunction, not knowing how to act anymore without his savior Nanba. Probably just setting him up for fodder in the coming episodes before Evolto or whomever the final “boss” will be. I think Nariaki deserves a more interesting end than that, but we’ll see.

I liked the idea of switching between Katsuragi and Sento in some scenes. Or rather, Atsuhiro Inukai and Yukiaki Kiyama. It worked for the most part. I still think Sento is not lost forever. In fact, I think he’s very much in the present right now. Either he has fully regained Katsuragi’s memory, but still retains all of Sento’s. Or it’s a split personality-type of situation. Or Sento is somewhere inside and can see what’s going on while Katsuragi is the dominant “soul” in the body for now. I could even see Evolto splitting them up into two separate bodies. Things could get crazy! lol

But I’m definitely open and ready to be surprised. Though there was one line where Katsuragi calls Ryuga a “fool” that of course reminds of whenever Sento says the same thing. And then the hair. Hmm…

Overall, it was a good episode. Again, worklike episode setting things up. But still enjoyable.

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