Recap: Ressha Sentai ToQger, Episode 15 – What's In Your Heart

Gritta is up late, thinking about her Schwarz-sama. Hammer Shadow approaches her and she tells him she can’t sleep as her heart is troubled. Hammer Shadow says that’s no good and he offers to find what’s in her heart and erase it, leaving her feeling refreshed.

He taps her twice with his hammer and out of her heart pops Schwarz-sama. Hammer Shadow is about to slam the Schwarz with his hammer, but Gritta stops him. She doesn’t want to get rid of it. Gritta swallows Schwarz whole before Zett appears.

Zetta has a request to ask of her. Schwarz watches from the shadows.

On the Ressha, the ToQgers are playing golf using the Rainbow Line’s most advanced Imagination-measuring instrument. Mio is up, but she misses the hole and Conductor and Ticket announce she has the lowest imagination level out of the five.

Right is 1st and he’s followed by Kagura, Tokacchi and Hikari.

The lights suddenly flicker as they are approaching a Shadow Line station, Nightmare Hill.

Hammer Shadow is downtown, tapping people and crushing their dreams of diamonds and mythical vases. Gritta is flanked by Kuros as she watches, having been tasked to lead this operation.

The ToQgers arrive and see what Hammer Shadow is doing. They henshin and fight off the just arrived Kuros.

Mio charges toward Hammer Shadow, not about to lose a hammer duel, but she suddenly remembers Ticket proclaiming that she has the lowest imagination level. Instead of seeing an image of her winning, she imagines herself losing. And that’s just what happens.

Hammer Shadow absolutely pummels Mio with his hammer and sends her flying onto the 2nd level of the mall, forcing her to de-henshin. Hammer Shadow heads up and taps her twice.

Out of Mio pops a large white shumai-looking fella. Apparently, his name is Mikey. And he will do the opposite of everything you tell him to, as Hammer Shadow finds out very painfully when Mikey bumps him and sends him flying off into the distance. Gritta and the Kuros chase after him.

The ToQgers go to see if Mio is okay, but Hikari seems to recognize this Mikey. He flashes back. He walks into the classroom as Mio, alone, takes something out of her bag which she scolds.

Right wants to thank Shumai-chan for helping and says he’s a good boy. Mikey says he is not a good boy and bumps Right to the ground before running off. Tokacchi and Kagura catch up to Mikey and tell him to behave, but he will not. He runs off again.

Mio, Right and Hikari arrive. Mio says he just wants to play and tells the others that she’ll take care of this. And that his name is not Shumai-chan, it’s Mikey.

Back at the Castle, Baron Nero says Lady Gritta had to struggle for such a small amount of darkness. Madame Noir counters that Gritta has helped reveal what is in ToQ-3’s heart. If they can destroy it, darkness can come from a ToQger. And it will be a sparkling kind of darkness that the Emperor favors.

Madame Noir tells Hammer Shadow to finish the job. Still in the shadowy hallway, Schwarz has an idea how to use Hammer Shadow’s power.

Back in town, Mikey comes to a crosswalk. The crossing guard lady tells him to obey the crossing signal, but of course Mikey does the opposite. He runs into the street just as a truck comes speeding toward him. Mio arrives just in time to knock him out of the way.

Mio scolds him. Mikey remembers who she is, which makes Mio happy. She hugs him.

Back on the Ressha, Hikari explains Mikey is a toy Mio used to play with, but only when they were not around. That’s why Hikari had his doubts about the imagination level test. There is no way her Imagination is that low. So Mio may have the ability to suppress her own Imagination.

That can’t be, Conductor says. The others realize, if Hammer Shadow gets rid of Mikey, the built-up energy inside Mio would explode. The ToQgers hurry out to look for her.

Mio and Mikey are at a train yard. She is happy to see her good friend again.

Mio puts her head on Mikey’s shoulder and remembers playing with him in the classroom while she was alone. Mikey’s always screwing around, but Mio says she knows he’s a good boy.

Hikari walks in. A startled Mio hides Mikey, but Hikari doesn’t mention it and instead just says they should go to the Secret Base now.

Back in the present, Hikari finds Mio. He tells Mio that he remembers Mikey being Mio’s good friend. So you did see, Mio asks. Hikari says it’s nothing to be embarrassed about and in fact is just proof of her high level of Imagination.

But that’s also why it’s dangerous for them now. They must hide until Hammer Shadow is defeated. But Oops! Mikey will not hide. He gets up to run away right in the direction of the just arrived Hammer Shadow and Kuros.

Right, Tokacchi and Kagura arrive to help. They promise to protect Mikey, since he means so much to Mio. Mio turns to Mikey and tells him to see just how much stronger she’s become.

Mio and Hikari henshin.

Mio tells Mikey to get to safety as the ToQgers fight off the Kuros.

Hammer Shadow then flips an entire train over and sends a huge blast toward them. Mikey peeks out from behind a nearby train and Hammer Shadow turns his attention back to the “weirdo.”

Mio gets up and hurries over. “I will protect Mikey!” she says.

Just as Hammer Shadow starts swinging his hammer, Mikey pushes Mio out of the way and says he will not be protected. He’ll be the one doing the protecting.

Hammer Shadow slams his hammer right on Mikey’s head. He falls to the ground.

Mio hurries over to her friend who dissolves into the air. Hammer Shadow now happily awaits the darkness to emanate from Mio.

But instead of darkness, a very bright light comes from her. It is the light of justice, Hikari says.

Mio charges toward Hammer Shadow and pummels him channeling all her rage through her hammer. She sends him flying and the ToQgers summon the Renketsu Bazooka. But suddenly, Schwarz pops in.

Schwarz says he cannot let them finish off Hammer Shadow as he has a good use of his power. He sends a blast toward them and whisks Hammer Shadow away.

Before the ToQgers can follow, two Kuliner Robos appear. Right, Tokacchi and Kagura hop into ToQ-Oh Police while Mio and Hikari hop into Diesel-Oh Fire.

Shield Ressha comes in to help deflect the Kuliners’ bullets, allowing the ToQgers to use a Police Smash and Fire Splash to finish them off.

Back on the Ressha, the others are wondering how they can cheer Mio up. But she says she’s fine now.

She fully remembers Mikey and is certain that once they return to their hometown, he will be there.

Episode Thoughts
I absolutely disagree with anyone who says ToQger is mediocre. If anything, it has been very full and fresh. And of course, heartwarming and nostalgic.

The story has been moving at a fine pace and completely in line with the premise of the season; the ToQgers on a journey home. This episode definitely reaffirmed that. And it also reaffirmed their childhood friendship.

It’s been great to also see the ToQgers having both shared and non-shared memories. Some memories that all of them can remember and other memories that were shared only with one or two others in the group.

Even if it all gets thrown out the window and this is all just a figment of their imagination, literally, getting to experience and slowly peel back the layers of the memories has really been a great and enjoyable viewing experience.

Mikey was an adorable little punk. And like they have been doing all season, we get to see another facet of Mio’s personality and character.

The fight scenes were amazing this episode. The first fight was a great use of switching lines. The second fight at the trainyard was awesome, especially Tokacchi and Hikari actually fighting IN the train. But best part had to be Mio’s hammering of Hammer Shadow. That was absolutely kick-ass the way Mio handled that hammer. So awesome.

Scwharz’s secret planning is very interesting and I definitely liked him pulling the Shadow kaijin off the field of battle and instead substituting the Kuliner Robos.

Gritta heading out to lead the mission was also very interesting. I think that’s going to set up the development of her character, whether that’s eventually becoming the big bad or who knows, shedding her Shadow Line body to become a ToQger.

Gritta swallowing Schwarz whole though. Wow!

Also another possible clue, it was an incredible bright light that emanated from Mio instead of some overwhelming darkness. Maybe the ToQgers have no darkness in them at all? Maybe it has something to do with what happened to them or they were always special to begin with.

Anything is possible with imagination, after all. And that’s why I am absolutely loving ToQger.

3 thoughts on “Recap: Ressha Sentai ToQger, Episode 15 – What's In Your Heart

  1. I could of sworn that those pretty lights made the three on Mio’s helmit an eight. And the bit with Hikari and Mio is so cool maybe their ranger counterparts might be siblings. Mikey is so cute.

      1. Yeah they deferentially have a brother/sister relationship. So does Right and Kagura but I don’t want their ranger counterparts to be siblings.

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