Takatora is alive! He wakes up by the river, all banged up when suddenly the white Overlord approaches.
Kota is at Drupers with Mitchi and Mai, wondering just what happened for Takatora to have attacked him like that. He thinks Ryoma may have influenced him. Mitchi just listens.
In other news, Mai will be filling in for Kota when he has to run off to save the world. Bando tells them they’ll only be sharing one paycheck though. So you’ll be working for free? Mitchi says. It’s okay, Mai replies, since it’s the only way she can help Kota who himself is working on things only he can do.
Suddenly, Minato walks in.
Back in Helheim, Takatora has been bandaged up by Roshuo, the Overlord King, and taken back to his throne area. You’re lucky you survived, Roshuo says.
Roshuo explains they the Femshinmu, the descendants of the people who once lived in this world. He says he is interested in speaking with Takatora as the leader of those who survey the forest, is he not? “I thought I was,” Takatora says.
Roshuo takes out the Kurokage Driver the Green Overlord, Redyue, had picked up earlier and asks what it is used for. Takatora demonstrates and explains how it allows him to absorb the nutrients without eating the fruits. It’s Takatora’s turn to ask questions.
Roshuo says that he was chosen by the forest. The forest tests those who challenge it to pick one person who is worthy of ruling the world. But everything I did was a mistake, Roshuo says.
Back in the Crack room, Ryoma is asking Kota, Mitchi and Kaito to help. Sid wants to search for the Overlords himself so he can grab the forbidden fruit which can grant the power of the gods on one person. Since it will take time to repair the Crack and produce new Lock Seed vehicles, he wants them to find and stop Sid before he can get ahead of them.
On one condition, Kota says. He wants to speak with a man named Takatora who works here at Yggdrasill. Ryoma says Takatora is Sid’s boss, so he should ask him.
Fine, Kota says, let’s go. He leaves first. Kaito looks at Mitchi, “Well, I suppose it’s none of my business.”
Kota, Mitchi and Kaito go to the Garage to decide what to do. Kota thinks it’s a good idea to take care of Sid, but he also wants to meet Takatora. Kaito speaks vaguely. “You keep being fooled because you just swallow everything that’s presented to you.”
Have you ever considered that this might be a trap, Kaito says as he sideeyes Mitchi. “Maybe one of us is a traitor who will join Sid.”
“That’s impossible!” Kota laughs.
Mitchi glares at Kaito. “See, he won’t listen to me,” Kaito says.
Mitchi gets a message on his phone. Kaito gets up to leave and says it is not necessary for them to work together to find Sid.
But we should work together, Kota says. Kaito turns and points to Mitchi, “He is obviously going to suggest that we split up to search for Sid. We might as well part here.”
What does he mean by that, Kota asks Mitchi. “Who knows,” he replies.
Takatora asks Roshuo what he means when he says “there’s no point in surviving.”
“How can you ask that after seeing the state of this world!? Everything has withered away and been destroyed.”
Roshuo explains that to prepare for the coming invasion, he had to abandon the weak. He thought only the strong surviving would be good enough. But the ones he chose misunderstood his intentions and assumed he had given them special privileges. They walked all over the weak and decided they could prey on the others until they started killing each other off.
It was not the forest that destroyed their civilization, Roshuo says. “We did it to ourselves.”
Because everyone lusted for power, no one stopped the destruction, Takatora reasons. Roshuo says his surviving retainers are the strongest Femshinmu in history, but also the most foolish.
Roshuo turns to Takatora and asks, Will that tool protect the weak or will it invite the strong to make grave mistakes?
Takatora remembers his former allies.
“Looks like you people are the same,” Roshuo says.
Kota and Mitchi arrive in Helheim. Mitchi says he really does think they should split up to be more efficient. As much as it annoys him to prove Kaito right, okay, Kota says. As long as Mitchi calls if anything happens.
But as Kota goes off searching for Overlords, Mitchi drives right back to Earth where he immediately goes to meet with Sid who is not hiding out in Helheim.
Mitchi asks why Sid wants the forbidden fruit. Well, obviously, you’d have to be nuts to not want the power of the gods, Sid replies.
Mitchi says he’s not interested in that, it’d just be a nuisance being God. Actually, he’d rather God owe him a favor. But how would Sid benefit him?
Sid says they have the same enemy, the same eyesore who gets in the way all the time. Mitchi agrees, he’s crossed the line.
Mitchi asks Sid to keep Kaito busy while he goes to finish off Kota-san. Kota won’t fight back as long as he thinks he’s Takatora. Sure, Sid says, piece of cake.
Kota hears Kaito engaging in battle with Sid. But suddenly he also hears Mitchi call out. “Kota-san! Please help!”
Kota is conflicted, but decides to go help his friend. Mitchi puts on a show before he de-henshins out of Ryugen and henshins to Zangetsu.
Kota hurries to find his friend, but instead he comes face to face with the White Armored Rider.
They fight.
Across the forest, Kaito goes Lemon Energy Arms and is able to knock Sid around who seems unable to handle the Genesis Driver.
Back to Kota and Mitchi. Mitchi knocks Kota away and fires shot after shot.
Kota remembers Kaito’s words: “You believe too much in others. In the end, you can only rely on yourself.”
Kota gets up. “That can’t be. It’s because I believe in everyone and everyone believes in me, that’s how I made it through all those battles.”
Kota goes Jinba Lemon and charges toward Mitchi.
“I don’t know what happened to you, but I can’t afford to die here!”
Kota does not hold back and gives Mitchi everything he’s got.
“Is he seriously trying to kill me?”
Kota approaches Mitchi, “Why, Takatora?”
But suddenly, the Demushu appears and attacks Kota. Mitchi calls Sid to come and help. He leaves Kaito, who still follows. Redyue watches.
Demushu has subdued Kota and he turns his attention to Mitchi. But Kota comes and saves him form a big hit. But the Red Overlord continues to knock them around and sends huge fireballs their way.
“What’s wrong with you cowards? What happened to your previous high spirit?”
“Why are my plans always being interrupted at the last second?!”
Sid arrives and takes on the Overlord. He demands to know the location of the forbidden fruit. But Demushu laughs. Don’t think so highly of yourself. Sid is not worthy.
Roshuo echoes the same sentiment to Takatora. “You people are not worthy of the fruit of knowledge, the key to escaping a doomed fate that will lead you to your next evolution. Only one hero who challenges the forest and is chosen by it will receive this reward.”
“One forbidden fruit is formed in this forest when a new world rots away.”
Takatora realizes that is what Ryoma is after. “You people are like us,” Roshuo says, “a foolish species that only relies on power. I will not let the Fruit of Knowledge be used for such futile efforts.”
Kota tries to separate Demushu and Sid, but Kaito arrives to finish what he and Sid started. They now fight over the Overlord.
“What is going on!?”
Kota is confused, but he helps Kaito fight off Sid who dodges out of the way and runs back to the Red Overlord who is engaging Mitchi.
“Just what are you?” Demushu asks Kota. “I’ll be in trouble if you die,” Kota replies.
Suddenly, a Crack appears. “This is your world?”
Demushu jumps in.
Meanwhile in Zawame City, Kikaider pops up!
Episode Thoughts
I definitely wasn’t expecting Takatora to pop up this soon, but it fit with how this episode played out. It was basically a big expository episode that introduced us to Roshuo who explained exactly what everything is. So now we know how Helheim basically works, what happened and what will happen to Zawame and Earth. We know what Ryoma and Sid are after and know that Takatora really did have noble intentions.
So where do we go from here? We see Mitchi is still an asshole and I fully expect him to get way in over his head. I really want some big overdramatic, tragic ending involving Mitchi. A character that’s become as incredibly developed as him deserves it.
I can see everyone else get picked off one by one, as toku usually does. Especially now that we’re in the 30s.
So, I don’t know. With Gaim, I’m really just along for the ride and will let it take me through whatever madness may come. It’s a lot more fun that way.