Recap: Kamen Rider Build, Episode 5 – Dangerous Identity

Soichi is making his original blend of coffee he created to compete with the cafe he works at part-time. But Sento wants to get back to Soichi explaining himself. First of all, whether or not Master Soichi is a member of Faust.

Soichi and Misora just laugh at the idea. They explain that Misora had been captured by Faust for her power to purify Smash elements. And when Soichi saved her, he took the panel and some bottles. Misora never goes outside of the cafe because she is still being hunted by Faust.

Sento gets Soichi to admit that he was the astronaut who found Pandora’s Box on Mars and that he was the one who released the light to cause the Skywall tragedy.

Soichi says he still has no idea why he did that, possibly some effect of being on Mars. But Sento adds that he knows Soichi helped Faust steal other panels as well. Soichi says that was only to save Misora. And he didn’t tell Sento about any of this because he wanted Sento to become Build.

Soichi says he can never forgive Faust for treating people like animals and for what they did to him and Misora. He thought the bottles could be used for good and to defeat Faust. Unsure if Sento would help if he knew, he decided to keep this all a secret until Sento found this all out on his own. That’s why Soichi allowed Sento to work at the Institute.

Sento decides to forgive Soichi.

Sawa hurries into the cafe with information on someone who knows of Sento’s true identity, a member of Sento’s former band, Kishida Tatsuya.

Tatsuya, an eccentric guy, comes running toward his aniki. Apparently, Sento’s real name is Satou Tarou. Soichi had given him the name Kiriyu Sento when he found him.

Testuya brings Sento and Sawa to his old apartment which reeks of one-year old garbage. Sento doesn’t believe it, but he sees photos on the wall of him with his old band and spiked hair.

Tetsuya says Tarou disappeared on September 5th. Sento remembers that is the day Soichi found him. They head to the alley where Soichi found Sento, hoping to trigger a memory. But nothing.

Sawa asks Tetsuya what Tarou did on September 5th of last year and he says Tarou had gone to his part-time job of taking part in trials for a new medicine.

Suddenly, they hear people screaming in fear as Faust mechas attack. Guardians arrive to save the people. But Blood Stark appears, snaps his fingers and the Guardians suddenly remove their masks to reveal they are also Faust mechas.

Sento quickly henshins to Hawk Gatling and just as quickly gets rid of the mechas.

Blood Stark makes himself known and Sento recognizes him as Cobra man. They battle for a little bit. Sento builds down to Rabbit Tank, but Blood Stark just knocks him around. Sento tries a Vortech Finish which Blood Stark also deflects.

Blood Stark likes the kick and gives it a Hazard Level 3.2, adding that Sento has room to improve it. He leaves.

Back at the cafe, Misora is putting together a cow puzzle as Ryuga comes upstairs wondering where Sento could be.

Sento and Sawa return to the cafe with Tetsuya. Tetsuya is really loud so Ryuga headbutts him before asking Sento when are they getting back to proving his innocence. Sento is still trying to comprehend being Satou Tarou.

But Sento immediately perks up (understatement) when Misora says she’s got another Bottle ready. He hurries downstairs to the lab.

Tetsuya comes to and recognizes Ryuga as the fugitive. Ryuga headbutts him again, but Tetsuya insists on the news reports about him being true. He runs out.

Downstairs, Sento has trouble finding the Best Match for the new Comic Bottle. Ryuga comes to again ask when they can get back to clearing his name. Sento wants to focus on finding a Best Match. Ryuga inserts the Ninja Full Bottle and first try, he gets another Best Match; much to Sento’s disappointment.

But Sento’s sadness turns to excitement as he tries to come up with a new weapon for this Best Match.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya wanders around downtown, blaming himself for what happened to aniki. Blood Stark appears, kidnaps him and takes him to Faust headquarters to turn him into a Smash.

Next morning, Sento has finished his Four-Panel Ninpo Sword.

He wants to try it out, but Misora finds a Smash has appeared near the Institute. Sento hurries out despite Ryuga warning him that it would be trouble if he henshined in front of the Institute.

Sento leaves. Ryuga asks Misora what would happen if they didn’t extract the Smash element from one after defeating it. Misora supposes that the Smash would just return to the Faust base.

Guardians attack the new Smash as Gentoku and Nariaki watch from above. Blood Stark comes up behind Sento and teases the identity of the Smash. Sento realizes it is Tetsuya.

Blood Stark says Tetsuya volunteered for the experiment. Sento henshins and takes on Blood Stark. This time, Sento seems to be more powerful. He delivers a Vortech Finish and it sends Blood Stark flying. Blood Stark notes Hazard Level 3.7 and how anger increases it, just as he had hoped. He leaves and says he hopes Sento saves his friend.

Sento hurries over to the Smash. Gentoku orders both Sento and the Smash be killed.

They are surrounded by Guardians, but Ryuga arrives on his bike. He takes on the Guardians. Gentoku wants Ryuga captured, alive.

Sento hops onto his own bike and grabs the Smash to take him away from the Institute area. Over by the water, Sento uses his newest Best Match and Builds Up to Nin Nin Comic.

Using some ninja comic powers, Sento is able to neutralize the Smash and quickly collect the Smash elements to reveal Tetsuya. Sento hurries over to check on him.

Tetsuya says sorry to his aniki. Tarou took the drug trial job because Tetsuya needed money. Tetsuya says he only wanted to help, but it didn’t work and he’s worthless.

Sento says it’s alright. Ryuga arrives and Sento says they should hurry and bring Tetsuya back to the cafe.

But Ryuga punches Sento in the gut and returns the Smash element back into Tetsuya. Ryuga hopes Smash Tetsuya will lead him right to Faust.

Episode Thoughts

So an interesting episode. I’m not really sure how to feel about this big “revelation” about Sento’s identity and past, as well as Soichi and Misora’s past too. Both seemed very convenient which makes me think there’s more than meets the eye. In fact, I know there’s more to both stories than we saw in this one episode. But the episode did feel like it was setting both explanations in stone.

With Soichi and Misora, I definitely know there’s something more. I mean, neither are “normal” and we haven’t really seen that people are becoming supernatural and stuff after the Skywall. So there’s got to be something more about Soichi and Misora’s real past.

And with Tetsuya, I felt throughout the whole episode that it seemed like some kind of set-up engineered by Faust just to throw Sento off the trail. It’s just all very convenient. And honestly, Sento being in a band is kind of boring. lol I kind of wanted a more epic past for him. Or at least more interesting.

Plus I was really feeling Ryuga each time headbutted Tetsuya. Like, I feel ya bro. He’s annoying lol

Anyway, back to the start, I enjoyed the nice recap at the beginning. Not only was it a good summary for any new 9am viewers of what’s happened in the first four episodes, it was fun to have the father and daughter chime in with the narration.

Giddy, excited Sento is very amusing. As is him losing his high and stiffness (of the hair) like here:

I hope there’s a more important explanation for his hair popping out than it was just his hairstyle as a band member. lol

Overall, an okay episode. Maybe my least favorite of the season so far, but still enjoyable.