Recap: Uchu Sentai Kyuranger, Episode 38 – Flaming Spheres! The 9 Crisis Strike!

The Kyurangers recap that they need the four Kyutamas to break the Crux System barrier. Tsurugi steps in front of Commander Ronpo to suggest they split up to go to Cepheus and Perseus for their respective Kyu Energy.

Commander Ronpo gets the Kyulette ready, but Tsurugi splits the teams up.

Garu asks why Lucky isn’t wearing his spiffy new white jacket. Lucky says he’s deploying as a Kyuranger, so he’ll be wearing his old one.

Don Armage orders a “doctor” to protect the three systems holding the Kyu Energy needed to break the barrier. A voice answers from inside some kind of canister saying he has already sent orders to the Karos. And for the Perseus System where he is, a familiar face: Madakko! The doctor tells her to take a device and expresses his excitement in seeing Champ!

Meanwhile, Tsurugi, Commander Ronpo, Naga, Hammie, Raptor and Garu are on the Planet Acholk in Cepheus System. They head to the Kyulin Temple where there are nine chambers with nine different trials they must overcome.

Tsurugi says he and Cuervo had passed the nine trials and were then joined by a Cepheus warrior.

Suddenly, the Karo Death Gong arrives and says it’ll be impossible for them to overcome the evil trials.

The first trail is to defeat 99 Indavers in one minute. The Kyurangers morph and take care of the Indavers. Hammie notices Commander Ronpo only has five kills (though the rest of them, not Tsurugi, each have less than 17.)

Commander Ronpo says he was going his own pace. Tsurugi says Cuervo only defeated five as well.

They move on to the next trials which are in three different directions. They decide to split up to tackle the three at the same time. Commander Ronpo offers to decide the groups since he knows them best.

Tsurugi and Raptor go to the 2nd trial where Tsurugi takes his shirt off and completes 9999 sit ups. Hammie and Garu are at the 3rd trial which has them needing to impress Indavers with their cooking. They call Spada for a delicious sushi recipe. Commander Ronpo and Naga have to play Red Light, Green Light for the 4th trial. Commander Ronpo has trouble freezing, so Naga uses his eye paralyze power and he wins.

The Kyurangers reunite for the 5th trial where they must dance. They perform to the Kyulette song, but Commander Ronpo’s time to shine is interrupted by him cracking his back again.

Another split for the next three chambers. While the others don’t want to team up with Commander Ronpo, Tsurugi is left behind to do it.

Raptor and Hammie enjoy a soak in the Toei sauna for the 6th trial. Naga and Garu have to make funny faces at Indavers. Naga wins. But Death Gong seems to be collecting the Kyurangers in discs.

Tsurugi and Commander Ronpo are at the Shooting Chamber for the 8th trial. But Commander Ronpo has trouble hitting the targets. Tsurugi takes care of it.

They move on to the last Chamber. While waiting for the others, Tsurugi buys Commander Ronpo a drink.

Commander Ronpo says everyone has become strong heroes in their own right and that it might be time for him to retire. Tsurugi says he reminds him of Cuervo who also began doubting his usefulness. Tsurugi had encouraged Cuervo whose brain and mind got them out of many pinches.

Tsurugi says they won’t give up on Commander Ronpo either.

Meanwhile on Planet Game in the Perseus System, Lucky, Champ, Kotaro, Stinger and Spada are met by an upgraded Mecha Madakko. Lucky morphs and tells the others to get people to safety.

Commander Ronpo and Tsurugi head into the final chamber where Death Gong applauds them getting through the first eight. But he suddenly unleashes the other four, already morphed. They immediately shoot at Commander Ronpo and Tsurugi.

Death Gong says the four are now his puppets and orders them to defeat their comrades. This is the 9th trial.

In reality, the four are just Indavers and the real Kyurangers are in the discs.

Commander Ronpo begins noticing little things about each of the four. He gets on his knees and begs for his life while throwing Tsurugi under the bus. Fake Raptor apologizes and that is the final confirmation Commander Ronpo needs.

Commander Ronpo shoots at the fake Kyurangers, revealing the real identities. He then shoots at the discs, releasing the real ones.

Commander Ronpo explains that he just knew them all so well, he could tell the Indavers were fakes. Hammie and Garu never address him as Commander Sho while Raptor would never let him acting pathetic go without a scolding. With Naga, he just had a hunch.

Tsurugi says that was something only Commander Ronpo could do. A very legendary commander thing to do.

Death Gong says to stop being so cocky. But Commander Ronpo says there’s nothing wrong with being cocky. They’re the ultimate saviors after all. He leads them in a morph and roll call.

Commander Ronpo hands the others new Kyutamas to use to take care of Indavers. They turn their attention to Death Gong who manages to overcome their new powers.

Death Dong is ready for a pure martial arts fight. Commander Ronpo gladly takes up the challenge. The two battle it out.

Commander Ronpo’s still got it. He is able to tee-up Death Gong for the others to deliver an All Star Crash at.

Death Gong embiggens and Commander Ronpo, Naga and Garu first hop into RyuTei Oh. Hammie and Raptor join them a little later. Commander Ronpo borrows new arms from Tsurugi and they finish off Death Gong with a Super Galaxy Meteor Kick.

Back at the temple, Commander Ronpo finds another disc and it’s a monk who fills the Kyutama with the energy needed to turn it into a Cepheus Kyutama.

Back on Planet Game, Lucky struggles against Madakko. The others return and Madakko flips a switch which suddenly makes Champ go berserk once again. He begins attacking the others.

Episode Thoughts

So it’s been very interesting getting episodes like this one (and apparently next week’s) which feel very much like early season episodes. These are psudo-fillers you expect earlier on. But I realized that we got a lot of plot-heavy episodes early on that they’re making up for the lack of these more fun, less plot-heavy episodes now. And that’s fine.

This was a good, enjoyable episode and a nice Commander Ronpo-focus. The best part had to be his fight with Death Gong later in the episode. It was awesome getting to see that beautiful suit in action.

It was also a nice way to get the scenes between Tsurugi and Commander Ronpo and then also getting a little more of Cuervo as well.

Yay for Madakko being back! The real surprise though is the possibility of Doctor Anton being alive in some way too.

Now, the abrupt cuts back to the other group felt a little awkward. But it worked in a way since there was a clear contrast between the big cliffhanger and the more happy, fun goings on with the others.

Even more interesting though is the preview for next episode which looks absurd and insane and hilarious.
I mean…

lol I don’t even know!

Anyway, another great, enjoyable episode.

Commander Ronpo’s Luckys of the Week