Recap: Kamen Rider Build, Episode 32 – Programmed Tragedy

Build 32

Sento hands Pandora’s Box to Papa PM and asks him to use it to negotiate an end to the war. Meanwhile, Kazumi gets a call from Nariaki who is at his family farm, wanting to offer him a deal. Kazumi must bring Pandora’s Box and FullBottles to the farm or all his friends will be murdered.

Sento and Ryuga arrive back at the café where Misora and Sawa are sitting in the dark. While Ryuga makes himself some cup noodles, Sawa shows Sento what she found about Ryuga. Sento blurts out that Ryuga is not human.

Build 32

Ryuga cannot believe it, but Sento points out how it might make sense with what’s happened so far. Ryuga thinks maybe he just got the power when he was experimented on, but Sento says that’s not likely. Him being born only two months after conception proves that. Ryuga returned to normal growth levels after birth, likely because the alien lifeform powers were reset.

Ryuga refuses to believe any of this. He storms out of the café.

Misora thinks none of these things are mere coincidence. Sawa says she was able to obtain this information at the Institute using very easy loopholes in security. Sento suspects Stark.

Ryuga takes some time to think while Kazumi struggles over his own dilemma. Nariaki and Gentoku have the farmhands all tied up.

None of farm workers believe Kazumi will show up because he is focused on his responsibility for the greater good. And even if he did show up, they would just tell him to leave. Nariaki orders Gentoku to kill them then.

Build 32

Gentoku henshins. But instead of killing them, he cuts through all their ropes.

Gentoku says there is no point in killing them since their plan failed. Nariaki warns Gentoku against turning on him, since there is still a chip inside Gentoku Nariaki can use to kill him.

Gentoku doesn’t care. He swats the controller out of Nariaki’s hands and then takes care of the two Clone Smash with them. He then turns to Nariaki, but he is able to grab the controller. He pushes the button and it causes Gentoku to dehenshin and writhe in pain. Nariaki kicks Gentoku in the face.

Build 32

It is morning. Sento and Misora are each making Ryuga breakfast. Misora says she never expected someone else to be as abnormal as her. But what will happen to them now?

Sento remembers all the dumb jock moments with Ryuga and says they will never give up on each other.

Sawa arrives in time for breakfast, but also with some information. She showed Soichi’s photo to the family that raised Ryuga, but they say they’ve never met him before. They wonder if Soichi erased Ryuga’s memory.

Over at the PM’s residence, Papa PM unsuccessfully tries to negotiate an end to the war with MidoNanba. MidoNanba knows Papa PM would never use Pandora’s Box power on Seito.

MidoNanba leaves and orders SoichiStark to retrieve Pandora’s Box. But Stark says their focus now should be retrieving the Ultimate Driver which can make full use of the power of Pandora’s Box.

Build 32

Kazumi, having remained at the PM’s residence to help protect Pandora’s Box, is shocked to see his friends at the gates. He hurries down and happily reunites with them, relieved that they are all safe.

They tell Kazumi that the purple Kamen Rider set them free. Kazumi is surprised, but happy. Just then, he gets an alert to the Seito army attacking. He hurries over and finds the Bros leading the charge against Touto forces.

Kazumi takes care of the Clone Smash before taking on the Bros. Sento comes running up to help.

Build 32

Ryuga is at Kasumi’s grave, looking for guidance on what he must do now. He initially ignores calls from the PM’s residence until he hears they are in trouble.

Sento has gone Rabbit Rabbit and now Tank Tank, but the Bros are still putting up a tough fight. Then, they realize this was a trap to lure them here instead of protecting the PM’s residence.

While Kazumi takes on Hell Bros, Sento hurries over to the PM residence. Gentoku and Stark are fighting their way through Guardians and Smash as Ryuga arrives. Stark engages and taunts Ryuga while Gentoku continues inside.

Build 32

Stark shoots Ryuga and forces him to dehenshin, saying they are same. Their powers are to be used to destroy the world. Sento arrives to watch as Stark says Ryuga’s sole purpose is to fight until everything is destroyed. That’s why he was born.

Ryuga refuses to believe that. But Stark reiterates that he is not human. Stark kicks Ryuga down the steps, his spirit low.

Build 32

Sento approaches Ryuga and tells him to take a break. He prepares to henshin, but Ryuga stops him. “I am… a Kamen Rider,” Ryuga says as he picks himself up.

Ryuga walks up the stairs and says even if he and Stark have they same power, they are different. “If you will use this power to destroy the world, then I will use it to bring about love and peace.”

“That’s the Kamen Rider I believe I am!”

Ryuga henshins to Cross-Z Magma and takes on an excited Stark. Ryuga’s overflowing magma is able to send Stark flying onto his back. Stark is pleased and decides to leave.

Sento approaches Ryuga who dehenshins when it becomes too hot. Ryuga then suddenly remembers Gentoku making his way into the PM’s residence.

Gentoku arrives at his father’s office. But Misora and Sawa are already driving off with Pandora’s Box. With no Box in sight, Gentoku targets his father, taking him hostage.

Build 32

Episode Thoughts

A good episode. I think it was a nice way to break the news to Ryuga while also quickly allowing him to come to terms with it. I think we’ve already seen the self-doubt and all that earlier this season, so there’s no need to go into a few episodes of that again.

Instead, they had Ryuga accepting or at least setting aside any of the implications of the reveal and focusing on what he is now, and that is a Kamen Rider who wants to save the world.

I did wish we had a scene with Ryuga and Misora bonding more over them being “abnormal” as she put it. Maybe in the future.

I am liking the way Gentoku’s character is slowly evolving in that we can see he’s the one that’s now doubting himself and his priorities, but also not automatically becoming one of the Gang either. He’s still his own person and that’s a good way to keep things interesting. Nariaki being a big part of the goings on is also nice as well as a constant on the villain side. I doubt Nanba is going to make it into the 40s, tbh. Lol

I liked seeing the Sawatari Farm workers reunite with their boss. It was a nice extension of Kazumi’s story and also added to Kazumi’s own character by showing how his “employees” really hold him in high regard.

Overall, a good, exciting episode.

Share your thoughts!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top