Recap: Kamen Rider Zi-O, Episode 36 – 2019: First Love, Finally!

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

The gang tries to gather themselves after Ginga’s overpowering attack. Woz believes he’s an alien from another dimension.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

The TimeJackers pop in and Schwartz suggests they form a temporary alliance to try and defeat Ginga together. Schwartz secretly wants to take Ginga’s power, but Woz senses he’s up to something.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

They all approach Yuko to get her to join in as well. She has just come from the salon to be beautiful for her ascension to the throne. Schwartz talks her up in an effort to get on her good side so she will agree to work with them.

Yuko says they must bow down before her first. They all do, except for Geiz and Ora who have to be forced to bow.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36 Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Yuko is amused by their prostration, but she has no intention of working with them. They are too lowly for her qween status and she says she will just ignore Ginga.

Sougo approaches her and asks if she remembers him. She says yes.

Back home, Sougo is on cloud nine now knowing Sailor-san, his first love, remembers him. Uncle Junichiro decides to bake a treat to celebrate.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Tsukuyomi reminds them all that Yuko was convicted of murder. Geiz decides to go to 2015 and find out if she really is innocent or not.

Back in 2019, Yuko targets the judge who convicted her as Ginga continues rampaging downtown. Sougo, Woz, Schwartz, Heure and Ora all work together to try and defeat Ginga. But it is no use.

Ginga turns his attention to Yuko, but Sougo blocks and absorbs the attack instead. Woz and Schwartz deliver a joint attack at Ginga. The skies turn stormy and Ginga suddenly turns to stone.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Meanwhile, Yuko has taken Sougo inside a safe place to bandage him up. Sougo is so happy he is experiencing the exact same moment with Sailor-san as when he was a kid.

Sougo thanks Yuko, but she says it’s no big deal as she must take care of her loyal servants. Sougo asks if he can call her “Sailor-san,” but she says no.

Sougo tells her his dream is to become king. Yuko suggests they could get married and have many babies while ruling the world together. Sougo cannot believe it.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Anyway, Sougo asks if Yuko can stop her quest for deadly revenge and she says yes.

But Jiro appears and says Sougo should not trust this rotten woman based on what he’s seen of her while protecting her.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Sougo henshins and he and Jiro battle a little until Jiro decides Sougo is worthy of the Kiva Watch. Jiro warns that Sougo will be experiencing a great pain soon, but it’s alright as he believes pain is what shapes them into men.

Tsukuyomi finds Tetsuya and his fiancé in a cabin in the woods. They are hiding from Yuko as their wedding is tomorrow. Tetsuya says Yuko is a woman who believes her own lies, including her claim that she was wrongly convicted.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Tetsuya explains as Geiz watches the scene first hand in 2015. Yuko learned of Tetsuya’s first girlfriend, followed her and killed her with a manhole cover. He could not believe it when Yuko laughed so happily after doing it.

On the other side of town, as rain begins to pour in Tokyo, Yuko finishes off the three men involved in her conviction for good. Sougo cannot believe Yuko would go back on her word.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

But Yuko says she is this way because of the rain. Her late mother told her that it was raining horribly when she was born. And since then, it’s always rained.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Sougo says she should let him be her umbrella.

Just then, Tsukuyomi and Geiz arrive and tell Sougo to get the hell away from her. They drop the bomb on Sougo saying she really is a murderer.

The skies clear up and Ginga breaks free from the stone. Schwartz realizes Ginga is solar powered. Ginga proceeds to attack Woz and Schwartz again. Geiz and Sougo hurry over to help. But Ginga is still too powerful.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Ginga shoots a major attack at Sougo, but Yuko suddenly steps forward to shield him with a manhole cover. She henshins to Another Kiva, flanked by only two of her Arms Monsters. They all work together against Ginga.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Sougo, Geiz and Woz deliver finishers at Ginga and that appears to defeat him. The Ginga Watch appears in Schwartz’s hand. But Woz swipes it with his coat. He had figured out what Schwartz was up to.

The next day at Tetsuya’s wedding, Yuko appears in a red dress and holding a manhole cover. She declares them guilty. But Sougo, Geiz and Woz appear. She hurls the manhole cover at them and henshins to Another Kiva.

The church clears out as Geiz and Woz henshin to Revive and Shinobi. They each take an Arms Monster.

Sougo goes after Yuko who chases after Tetsuya and his wife. Sougo henshins and hesitates to use the Kiva Watch.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Woz decides to take matters into his own hands as he uses the Ginga Watch for the first time to uphenshin to Woz Ginga Finally.

Woz and Yuko battle and he delivers a Super Ginga Explosion that forces Yuko to dehenshin and the Another Kiva Watch to be destroyed for good.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Sougo takes Yuko into his arms. She says she doesn’t need an umbrella for herself. But Sougo should be an umbrella for all of humanity.

Just then, Ora shoots at Yuko and kills her.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Sougo cries out in pain as his Sailor-san dies in his arms.

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

Back home, Sougo excuses himself as the others enjoy Uncle Junichiro’s first love pie.

Sougo runs into a woman who is having trouble with her bike. He fixes it for her and she thanks him, calling him a “kawaii boy.”

Kamen Rider Zi-O Episode 36

She rides off as Sougo realizes she is the real Sailor-san.

Episode Thoughts

Wowow! I really enjoyed this episode. It was very full with lots going on, but it didn’t feel rushed or overwhelming. It was dramatic, poignant, shocking. Very fascinating to watch.

I definitely did not see Yuko actually being a murderer. That was definitely unexpected for me, but it just worked very well. The two episodes have had this really dark atmosphere throughout. So the show really got the tone right for this one. I assume this is also a nod to Kiva?

And that wasn’t the only big twist either. Yuko really wasn’t Sailor-san? I honestly didn’t even catch that on first viewing and only realized it while writing my recap. I did notice Yuko did not call Sougo a “boy” when she stroked his chin last episode, contrary to the “kawaii boy” of the real Sailor-san.

And what a fun Easter egg too for fans of Kiva having Yu Takahashi (who is half-Filipino!) make that cameo at the end as the real Sailor-san.

Schwartz’s plan to get the Ginga Watch was pretty predictable. But the more interesting aspect for the TimeJackers was seeing Ora killing Yuko after their little tense face off last episode as well as Heure not hiding the fact that he takes joy in Schwartz’s failures. I hope we see lots more of the cracks between the TimeJackers and them all getting a little more serious and dark as well.

One has to wonder though why the boys didn’t just go Trinity to defeat Ginga in the first place?

So I think the Kiva arc didn’t really do much to further the overall arc, so much that it provided very nice character moments for pretty much everyone in a good way.

These two episodes really were dark, unexpected, but poignant and emotional as well. Just very well done.

4 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Zi-O, Episode 36 – 2019: First Love, Finally!

  1. That was very interesting. I felt sorry, when Yuko died. That was very sad moment for Sougo and me. Interesting fact, TimeJackers decided to team up with our heroes against Ginga. Good for Woz that he got Ginga’s power. Now we’re waiting for Kabuto arc. And Tsukasa (Decade) is back! Just what is he planning now?

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