Recap: Kamen Rider Revice, Episode 15 – Eradicate! Showdown! Deadmans!

Olteca explains that while the energy of the five Giftex will power Gifu-sama’s resurrection, Aguilera will be the only one sacrificed to serve as Gifu’s untainted vessel of evil. Both Julio and Aguilera are shocked by Olteca lying to them all this time. Chameleon Deadman knocks Aguilera out.

Meanwhile, the Christmas spirit fills Happy Spa as the Igarashis treat their loyal customers to some holiday cheer. Papa Igarashi blows his back out trying to set a world sneeze record. But Daiji arrives to tell Ikki and Sakura about what’s happened.

George was able to plant a tracking device on the Gifu Stamp so they know where it is, but they don’t know how to get inside the Deadman base. Sakura and Ikki decide they should force Kagerou out of Daiji and ask him.

Ikki and Sakura drag Daiji outside and successfully yank Kagerou out from the depths of Daiji’s soul. Kagerou gives them the location of the door to Deadmans HQ in exchange for a serving of Sakura’s super spicy curry.

The siblings are ready to leave, but Mama Igarashi is worried about Sakura being put in harm’s way. Vice is able to facilitate a distraction that allows the siblings to quickly leave.

Aguilera wakes up to find herself tied to a chair and Chameleon Deadman touching her. Julio screams at him, but Aguilera says it’s alright. She’ll do anything for Gifu-sama, including becoming one with him.

Thatta girl! Olteca says and he and the other Giftex surround Aguilera to begin the resurrection ritual.

Fenix troops accompany the siblings, Hiromi and George as they storm the seaside Club Freedom complex where the portal to the Deadmans base is located.

Daiji and Hiromi unlock the portal with a “Gracias Deadmans” and they all hop in to find themselves in the middle of some cultish rave of Deadmans acolytes.

The siblings hurry upstairs just as the contract binding Gifu and Aguilera is about to be stamped. They and Vice henshin and take on the Deadmans.

Julio tries to untie Aguilera from the chair, but Olteca shoots at him and forces him out of his henshin. Lovekov hovers around a creeped-out Aguilera.

Chameleon Deadman impersonates Vice, but Ikki can easily tell them apart. Vice forces Chameleon Deadman out of his henshin and Hiromi, vowing revenge, henshins to take him on.

Kudou jokes about Ikki having become more empathetic. But Ikki says he’s okay with facing the consequences of collateral damage during battle.

George tosses a new Turtle Stamp to Sakura and she uses it to turn Lovekov into a new weapon. Sakura takes her battle with Amahiko out of the red room and George approaches Gifu’s tomb. Aguilera tells George to take his filthy hands off her would-be husband, but he continues to feel it up.

Daiji sends Olteca flying out of the Deadman flying saucer and he is forced to dehenshin. He watches as Hiromi gets his second wind against Chameleon Deadman.

The siblings work together to deliver finishers at Planarian and Sabertiger Deadman, but they end up disappearing.

George unsuccessfully tries to carry Gifu out, but the energy from the two disappeared Deadmans seem to feed into the coffin.

Aguilera again tells “buff idiot” George to get his hands off her almost-husband. He doesn’t need to be told twice as he decides to leave to avoid the obviously dangerous situation. He says goodbye to the demon queen. But the entire Deadmans HQ begins to shake. Vice gets a headache and George lets out a “God damn.”

Sakura is extremely worried about Aguilera. But Ikki, remembering his promise to their mother, says he will go instead. Daiji and Sakura help the others escape while Ikki and Vice head upstairs.

Ikki begins untying Aguilera, but she points out that she never asked him to save her. She tells him to just leave her alone, but he does not listen.

Suddenly, the Deadman base turns into a flying saucer and flies above ground. Ikki hops out and uses every Stamp he has to crack open eggs to help him destroy the spaceship thing.

Aguilera screams at the sky to her Gifu-sama as Julio wraps his arms around her.

Episode Thoughts

So, what was that?! Not really sure what was happening. But also not really sure how to feel about this one. Or maybe I do know how I feel.

I think the tone was set right off the bat and it affected how I would take the rest of the episode. First off, I’m not really a fan of them drawing Kagerou out like that like it was nothing. Considering the toll Kagerou’s evil actions took on the family, and of course Daiji especially, the show playing his return off for laughs was very strange.

Ikki and Sakura just nonchalantly drawing Daiji’s evil demon out like that? And forcibly so too. Though the series hasn’t necessarily talked about the effects, if any, of having your inner demon come in and out of you, I suppose it isn’t a pleasant thing. Especially for a malevolent force like Kagerou for someone like Daiji.

I dunno. I just didn’t like that whole situation. The way they were forcing Daiji like that brought back horrifying memories of Ginis forcing Zyumans inside Misao on Zyuohger, to be honest. And anything that reminds me of that horrible plot is going to leave a bad taste in my mouth.

So the episode already started off on a sour note for me. But then the show treating that whole situation as some deux ex machina-type of thing just for them to find a way in to the Deadmans’ web-spaceship club-whatever only made things worse.

The rest of the episode was one big exposition parade. While the whole sacrifice/non-wedding twist was a legitimate surprise last episode, coupled with the reveal of Commander Wakabayashi’s fate, this week, everything felt contrived and lifeless. Talk about deus ex machina, it was like this episode was one big plot device just to skip ahead to whatever is coming next.

For a season that’s done such a great job advancing the overall plot alongside the wonderful character development in a natural and well-paced way, I feel like this episode did everything in the complete opposite way. Dare I say it felt like one of Saber‘s hollow plot “twist” episodes.

So when so much was already starting to annoy me and put me in a confused, negative mood, Ikki being a busybody and saving Aguilera and Julio had me looking like:

And then my much-anticipated, self-serving moment of seeing the siblings henshin together for the first time was complete ruined by what was happening around it and the way it was basically a non-event. When actually it should be a pretty big deal.

I really don’t know. My initial reaction is they pulled this entire episode’s plot out of their butt. And again, considering how well the season has developed so far, it makes this episode feel even more out place and awkward.

Needless to say, not my favorite episode of the season.

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