The Ninningers are ejected from Gekiatsu Dai-Oh. Mangetsu padlocks Lion Ha-Oh and uses ShurikenJin to destroy the city until the Ninningers come to face him.
They find they cannot control the OtomoNin so they run off. Father appears and takes them into hiding. He says he’s already asked Tetsunosuke to fix Gekiatsu Dai-Oh as soon as possible.
Right now, their main priority is to regain control of ShurikenJin. Sneaking into the cockpit is not possible since Mangetsu will just sniff ’em out. Father volunteers to go himself as long as they can lure Mangetsu away. He just can’t stand around and do nothing.
Fuuka is worried, but Takaharu tells his father that it’s fine. If that’s what he wants to do, they won’t stop him.
Yakumo has an idea.
While Masakage recounts the prophecy, a familiar looking Youkai appears. It’s Nekomata’s cousin of their second cousin, Meganekomata. He says like his cousin cousin, he’s found the ninja’s hideout.
Ariake no Kata tells Shutendouji to take the cat and help Mangetsu.
Meganekomata leads Mangetsu, in the ShurikenJin, to the dojomanse. But it turns out to be an illusion. The Ninningers, however, appear and Mangetsu goes down to face them.
The Ninningers henge and fight. Yakumo reminds everyone to follow the plan. He had turned Uncle into Nekomata. The cousins would work to keep Mangetsu busy while Father takes back ShurikenJIn. But Yakumo says there is a 30 minute time limit. No matter what, Uncle must escape ShurikenJin.
While the Ninningers send Mangetsu to deserts and the North Pole, Father tries to get Shutendouji out of the cockpit.
Back at the real dojomanse, Shishi-Oh pops in to talk to Grandpa and asks why he doesn’t go help. Grandpa answers that the kids are taking their first step to becoming full ninjas so as their master, he has no place showing himself.
Father’s alarm clock rings as it’s been over 30 minutes. Takaharu says Father will be fine. But Kasumi asks him to fight Mangetsu on his own. Kinji tosses Takaharu the Gekiatsuto and they create a five element barrier around Takaharu and Mangetsu. That finally draws Shutendouji out of ShurikenJin.
At the dojomanse, Shishi-Oh says Grandpa is just being stubborn faking stoicism when he really wants to go help his family. Grandpa remembers Takaharu telling him to do what he wants.
Mangetsu attacks Takaharu and forces him to dehenge. Fuuka calls to her brother, but Shutendouji knocks her aside and forces her to dehenge as well. Mangetsu delivers a Mangetsu Slash to everyone else and they all dehenge.
Father screams out to his children. The Hyakkarage are shocked as the spell wears off and Father is back to his normal human body.
Takaharu sees Grandpa’s Shuriken appear on the Gekiatsuto. He gets up and sends a Chou Chou Chou Gekiatsu attack toward Mangetsu and Shutendouji who fall on their butts.
Also falling on their butts are the Hyakkarage whom Father trips and bumps into after he gets into his ninja shozoku. The Hyakkarage start to get back up. But Shishi-Oh appears just in time. He yells and the Hyakkarage fall.
Father hops into the center seat with Shishi-Oh taking one of the controls. Shutendouji embiggens to face off against ShurikenJin.
The Ninningers henge and they work together to take it right to Mangetsu who cannot believe he is being knocked around in this manner by some whelps.
Kasumi and Yakumo say they are not yet full-fledged ninjas, that’s why they fight as one family. And of course, Fuuka adds, Kinji is part of that family.
Together, with the help of Grandpa’s Shuriken, the Ninningers deliver an Ultimate Igasaki Family Slash which includes a Colorful Flash, Wavering Flash, Petal Flash, Shimmering Flash, Roaring Flash and Splendid Flash.
Mangetsu explodes, but he’s not dead yet. Grandpa’s Shuriken disappears from the Gekiatsuto.
Mangetsu embiggens himself and the Ninningers hop into Gekiatsu Dai-Oh.
Father is not really sure how to control ShurikenJin, so Grandpa pops in to take the controls. He tells Shishi-Oh to get back to his own Karakuri which, along with Bison King, has now been freed by Surfermaru, UFOmaru and Paonmaru.
With all four robos back in their control, Shishi-Oh initiates Ha-Oh ShurikenJin. The cousins stay in Gekiatsu Dai-Oh and take care of Shutendouji.
Ariake no Kata appears with a Gashadokuro to help. But Mangetsu is happy the ol’ bitch is here just so he can use her and the Gashadokuro as a shield. Ariake no Kata gets popped off as Grandpa, Father and Shishi-Oh destroy the Gashadokuro.
The Ninningers can’t believe Mangetsu used his mother as a shield. Mangetsu says he’ll use whatever, even his parents, to get what he wants. That enrages Takaharu and Gekiatsu Dai-Oh switches in to form Ha-Oh Gekiatsu Dai-Oh.
Surfermaru, UFOmaru and Paonmaru join in to complete the Karakuri All-Stars once again. They charge toward Mangetsu.
Grandpa, Father and Shishi-Oh deliver an Appare Giri attack while the cousins deliver a Big Number One attack.
That finally kills the brat for good. Or so it appears.
The Igasakis celebrate, but Grandpa’s hand starts disappearglowing again.
Back at the dojomanse, the Ninningers celebrate Christmas as they open their presents.
Takaharu thanks Grandpa for helping them. Grandpa says he just did what he wanted to today. “You guys are my grandchildren first and foremost before being my students.”
Grandpa poofs into a Santa outfit and unleashes a Merry Christmas no Jutsu. He puts the cousins and Father into Santa suits.
Meanwhile, Mangetsu is still alive. But barely, as Kyuuemon finds him. He takes his mallet back.
Mangetsu wants to know who he really is.
Kyuuemon says he’ll allow Mangetsu to “catch [his] tail” before he dies.
“I am Kibaoni Gengetsu’s son. Your… older brother.”
Mangetsu has no time to properly express his shock as he stones up and explodes. For good good this time.
Episode Thoughts
I wish the final scene was more shocking than it was. I think I would’ve been more shocked if Kyuuemon was actually an Igasaki or something. But if you go deeper, I guess the twist presents the interesting idea of how and why Kyuuemon is Gengetsu’s son. Like, an illegitimate child or something? Definitely not Ariake no Kata’s son. But what of the human child form he took when he signed up for Igasaki school? Hmm…
The other should-be-shocking moment, I really hope Grandpa’s disappearing has a huge reason behind it. I think any resolution to it, whether he disappears forever and confidently leaves the world in his grandchildren’s hands or he’s “cured” and survives, will be good. But the “Why?” of it needs to be something big.
I guess whatever it is, it’s one of the reasons Grandpa actually jumped into battle with his family this week. He knows he’s running out of time maybe?
But I guess that whole deal was also part of emphasizing the Igasaki bond. I’ve said the family aspect has been the strongest aspect of this season. They regularly reinforce their closeness and bond while not forcibly inserting conflict between the cousins when there’s no place for it. The lack of conflict between Rangers may be disastrous if not handled well. But here, it plays to the overall vibe and theme of the season.
And I’ve definitely considered Kinji part of the “cousins,” so it was great to have them acknowledge that on screen. Fuuka being the one to do it was the perfect choice too.
Mangetsu is an asshole, right? And not even one you can love to hate. He’s just pure scum that you wish he could’ve died a more horrible death. But the show definitely did a nice contrast with showing how much family means to the Igasakis while Mangetsu beat and kicked his mother’s face and used her as a shield from a cannon blast.
If that was Mangetsu’s main purpose to exist, then it was successful since it made the Igasakis that much more awesome. But really, I think he was merely here to introduce the whole prophecy angle and reveal that Kyuuemon was the son that would fulfill it all along.
Kyuuemon was always set-up to be the big bad. So the show better deal with the explanation of his existence in the next few episodes well.
In other news, it was fun seeing the “olds” piloting ShurikenJin. Hehe. Shishi-Oh, in physical form, piloting a mecha was a fun sight. And it was an example of Ninninger using the supporting/recurring characters well (like Tetsunosuke too).
It was pretty obvious Father was Meganekomata, so it’s good they didn’t drag out that “twist” beyond a minute.
The Ninningers should’ve gotten a little call from Tetsunosuke to say Gekiatsu Dai-Oh was ready before they summoned them. But just mentioning him is more than other shows have done with convenient plot holes. So it’s alright.
Overall, a solid episode. Not the best, but it did what it had to do with regards to emphasizing and reinforcing the Igasaki bond which I hope and assume will play a big part going into the finale.