Recap: Ressha Sentai ToQger, Station (Episode) 40 – Who Is He? He Is Whom?

ToQger 40

Akira tells the ToQgers that he is leaving the Rainbow Line and joining Schwarz once more. And he will be borrowing the Applichanger as well.

Akira henshins and tells the ToQgers he does not have to fight them if they just leave now. The ToQgers refuse to leave without him, so that leaves Akira no choice. Akira sends a slash their way forcing them to quickly henshin.

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The ToQgers battle Akira and try to ask him why he’s doing all of this. If it has something to do with Drill Ressha, then it is their responsibility to bear. Akira says he did what he wanted to do and that this is none of their business. Plus Schwarz is after Emperor Zett, so the ToQgers have nothing to lose.

Right says this isn’t about that. This is about Akira leaving the Rainbow Line. Didn’t he say he was going to protect the rainbow? Akira hesitates for a second before sending a blast their way. The ToQgers go flying and they dehenshin.

“Akira…” Right says. But Akira replies “It’s Zaram.”

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Akira transforms into his Shadow form and Right asks if he is really truly serious about leaving the Rainbow Line. Schwarz arrives and tells the ToQgers enough of this chitchat. It’s time for him and Zaram to go.

“Why are you guys so upset? This is just me. It shouldn’t change things that much for you guys anyway.”

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Akira reminds Tokatti about their pinky swear. Tokatti says he didn’t know what he was agreeing to. But Akira says a promise is a promise. Schwarz abruptly stops their chat and both are whisked away by his Kuliner.

Schwarz tells Akira that they will be invading Castle Terminal which is much more possible now during the Darkness Decline. Schwarz says he stored some Darkness in advance to help power their Kuliner during this time as well.

Akira says he’s only doing this to fulfill their deal, but he is still feeling very excited about doing this.

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The ToQgers are back on the Resshas as they pursue Schwarz’s Kuliner. They sit, pondering Akira. Kagura says she misses Akira, but maybe he doesn’t feel the same way? They think about him saying nothing would change for them if he’s gone. Tokatti says Akira seemed genuinely surprised by them being upset. Maybe Akira-kun does miss them, but he doesn’t think they would miss him.

“No way! It’s only natural to miss a friend!” Kagura says.
“But it’s not natural for a former Shadow like Akira-kun,” Tokatti answers. He remembers when Akira told him he doesn’t know about this friend thing.

Akira may have a point about how they shouldn’t have a problem with going after Zett. But it is definitely still hard for them to express how they really feel about him. Right says no matter what, they will bring Akira back. That’s the best way to explain it to him.

The others agree.

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Over at Castle Terminal, Nero is very worried about Zett. Again, he sees white feathers fall out from behind the curtain. Madame Noire is watching as well. But the Castle suddenly starts shaking. Nero can’t help himself. He hurries over to throw the throne curtain open. And behind it he sees…

ToQger 40

Gritta! She is sitting on the throne. Alone.

Madame Noire cannot believe it. She hurries over and knocks Nero aside, happy to see Gritta was able to come to surface herself thanks to the weakened Emperor.

Noire prepares to save her daughter, but Gritta awakens and tells her mother that she cannot leave the Emperor. She knows Noire has been trying to save her, but she cannot. But why?!

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Zett suddenly emerges from Gritta and grabs Noire’s wrist. He says Gritta isn’t remaining inside him for fun. Of course, Noire says, Gritta is a bright girl. Indeed, Zett says. Noire raised a very sparkly daughter.

Zett knocks her away and sends her flying out over the Castle balcony.

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Just as suddenly, the alarm sounds as Schwarz’s Kuliner arrives at Castle Terminal.

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Conductor and Ticket hurry into the main car to tell the others they’ve found the switch point Schwarz has just used to enter a Shadow Town. The ToQgers hurry into Drill Ressha.

Back at the Castle, Schwarz and Akira power their way through to the throne room. Akira and Nero face off while Schwarz goes straight for Zett. But Gritta emerges once again, though not fully. That stops Schwarz from attacking Zett only to allow Zett to attack Schwarz. Zett transforms to his Shadow form.

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The four Shadows fight, but Schwarz distracts Nero to give Akira time to henshin into ToQ-6.

With the power of darkness weakened, Schwarz says, the Rainbow Line is stronger than Zett. That’s why he brought Akira. Clever thinking, Zett says as he and Akira fight.

This has only intrigued Zett even more. He knocks Akira away and then sends blasts around the throne room, even toward his favorite disco ball. He then takes Akira and jumps off the balcony and into his personal Kuliner as it speeds off.

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Zett is upset Akira has forced him to use up some of his darkness, but now that he’s here, Zett will be using Akira’s power instead.

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The ToQgers are arriving at the junction into the Shadow Town, but coming out from the other side of the tracks is Zett’s Kuliner. Drill Ressha crashes into the Kuliner as it speeds off.

But the ToQgers see a still-henshined Akira roll out of the Kuliner and down the side of the tracks. They hurry over to him.

Schwarz comes speeding by them and seeing Akira with the ToQgers, realizes Zett is still in his Kuliner. So Schwarz decides to pursue. He catches up and jumps into Zett’s Kuliner only to find…

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The ToQgers help Akira back to the Resshas. But Akira shakes the ToQgers off of him and takes a seat. The ToQgers notice something is off with Akira.

That’s when ToQ-6 dehenshins and it isn’t Akira.

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It is Zett!

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Schwarz finds Akira in Zett’s Kuliner, now in his Shadow form, and realizes Zett must have taken the Applichanger.

The ToQgers are shocked. Wagon remembers though that even Ticket-kun was able to henshin into ToQ-6gou. The ToQgers demand to know where Akira is.

Zett admires a sparkly Christmas tree topper and says he wanted to get away from the annoying pains in the ass over on the Shadow Line during the state of weakened darkness. Plus, it’s more comfy here.

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Ticket says it’s a big problem for him to take shelter here.

The ToQgers debate what to do now. Hikari says they need to find the Kuliner and save Akira. But what about Zett being on board the Resshas?

Zett suddenly glows and Gritta emerges to the surface once again. They see Zett’s reflection with Gritta in the window. She has a request for them.

The ToQgers need to stop Schwarz.

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Meanwhile, Mork arrives at Castle Terminal, surprised to see it a mess. Nero tries to explain, but she has an idea what’s happened. The Castle begins shaking again and Mork seems to know exactly why. They are running out of time. She says they need to go to battle and orders Nero to bring Zett back immediately.

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Gritta explains to the ToQgers that she will remain in Zett. As much as she wants to run to Schwarz-sama, so happy that he is doing this all for her, she cannot. It’s dangerous. If she left Zett, something terrible will happen. She’s sure of it. For both the Shadow and for the humans.

ToQger 40

Schwarz and Akira are regrouping. Schwarz laments over being so close to saving Gritta, but failing. Akira comments on how this is the first time he’s seen Schwarz trying to help someone. Schwarz says previously, he saw no use in people helping each other. Especially since he and Akira were always fighting alone, even when side by side. But now, Schwarz realizes that being alone and having someone to protect are different things.

“So that’s your rainbow. You’ve changed,” Akira says.

A cat pops up and Akira immediately picks it up. He happily plays with it.

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“You’ve also changed, yet your strange habits haven’t.”

Akira quickly puts the cat down when the ToQgers arrive. He quickly transforms into his Shadow form as well.

Schwarz asks where the Emperor is and Right says they have him, even if they don’t want him. Schwarz demands they hand him over. But wait! The ToQgers have a message for him, from Gritta.

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Before they can relay Gritta’s message, a Kuliner passes by and on the other side of the tracks is Nero who is flanked by Kuros. The Kuliner, piloted by Mork, transforms into a Kuliner robo.

Mork and Nero demand they tell them where the Emperor is. Mork shoots at Akira, but the ToQgers henshin and Right hurries over to knock him out of the way.

Right tells them he’ll take care of the robo while they stay and fight off Nero and the Kuros.

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Right goes Hyper ToQ-1gou and hops into Hyper Ressha Tei-Oh.

Nero fights Akira while the ToQgers try to fight off the army of Kuros. Mork demands Right tell her where Zett is. Now! Right asks why they are in such a hurry to find Zett.

Mork wants no small talk. She continues firing at Right and Hyper Ressha Tei-Oh.

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Schwarz takes Akira away from the Nero and they run only to stop when they find a beaten down Madame Noire. Despite never intending to, she begs them for help to save her daughter.

Back on the Resshas, Zett and Gritta have a chat inside their body. Why will she not leave him even when Schwarz has come for her? She says it is so Schwarz-sama will not die. “Man, you really do sparkle,” Zett comments.

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Something is happening at Castle Terminal. The shaking begins again and this time, it is felt on the surface. The fighting is halted. But Mork, knowing what is happening, yells for the ToQgers to get out of the way.

Right will not back down and he and Mork send blasts at each other. Mork loses and Hyper Ressha Tei-Oh’s Giant Flash finishes off Mork’s Kuliner robo. And Mork herself?

ToQger 40

Right looks down below and sees a huge hole of darkness open up in the ground. A huge dark energy bursts through, hurling the ToQgers and Nero away.

Right jumps down to join the others. Nero looks up and exclaims, “Castle Terminal!”

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The ToQgers watch the immense Castle rise up from the ground. But they are shocked to see also rising up from the ground… THEIR SECRET BASE!

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The tree they remember from their childhood is suddenly right in front of them.

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The ToQgers cannot believe it. This is… Subarughama?!?!?!

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Episode Thoughts

I am bawling. Like ZOMG. Kobayashi did it again. And that was only the beginning!

That final scene was incredible. Seeing that Goseiger Tower of Heaven Secret Base tree rise up out of the Shadow right next to Castle Terminal was perfect. That Subarugahama and Castle Terminal or Zett and Subarugahama were related in some way is definitely not a surprise, but the way that final scene played out was just amazing.

This episode also continued to establish the amazing connections these characters have formed with each other throughout the season. This has been a very character driven season, I think. And Kobayashi does very well with character stories, from personal development to conflicts.

Of course there’s the ToQgers and Akira. But then we also saw how far Schwarz has come and got to see more of his dynamic with Akira as Zaram. We got to see more of Gritta’s originally unexpected connection with the ToQgers and we go to see Noire’s genuine sincerity and concern for her daughter.

With Zett, I have a feeling there’s definitely more to be revealed about him in the coming episodes. I’m expecting some big shocking thing. And I hope Mork isn’t dead yet. And I hope Noire doesn’t die yet either.

This was a very full and amazingly emotional episode. Probably my favorite part of a Kobayashi-written series. She knows how to pack the emotional punches in a true and effective way. She’s done it in all the series of hers that I’ve seen (Shinkenger then OOO then Go-Busters and now ToQger). And I can proudly say Yasuko Kobayashi is my favorite tokusatsu writer. Queen of Slaying, really. (And where the hell have I been not knowing she did the much-hyped Attack on Titan anime series adaptation. Wow! I need to get on that past the first episode.)

Definitely exciting things to come. I wonder what Gritta is thinking not wanting to leave Zett. What dangers lie there? What did Schwarz mean about Akira’s strange cat habit? Could all of the Shadow have been humans once?! Are all of these Shadow actually the ToQgers’ family members?! OMG. Who knows?! What I do know is Kobayashi knows how to write. And like I said, when she is on point, she is ON POINT. Damn. So good.

One thought on “Recap: Ressha Sentai ToQger, Station (Episode) 40 – Who Is He? He Is Whom?

  1. The bit with the secret base reminded about the fact that the Go Busters parents we’re alive because they all thought that they died also I got shocked at the fact that the shadow line as the home but not too shocked because it’s the whole plot! Sorry ps Shawtz finally likes Gritta so he’s a rival to Z because Z likes Gritta as well

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