Recap: Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger, Episode 23 – Phantom RyuSoul

Kureon is proud of the creative Minosaurs he’s helped bring about. But none of them have beaten the Ryusoulgers. Waizuru decides to take things into his own hands this time with a “nice plan.”

Over at Chez Tatsui, Koh is caring for his RyuSouls by cleaning them. While he cleans his TsuyoSoul, it talks to him and says it is near the end of its life. Ui is surprised to learn RyuSouls have lives.

Melto explains that, for example, TsuyoSoul has the soul of the TsuyosouRyuu in it. Asuna adds that RyuSouls have the souls of ancient Kishiryu inside them. And Koh says the are able to fight by borrowing the power of the Kishiryu embodied in the RyuSoul.

Melto says when a RyuSoul comes to the end of its life, they just have to go look for another one to dig up, like a fossil. Koh is able to find the most RyuSouls because he can hear their thoughts.

When the RyuSoul dies, Koh thanks it for saving his butt many times. He places it in a sack to keep.

Asuna and Melto tell Ui that while they can go out RyuSoul hunting, it is more common to trade duplicate RyuSouls among friends. They decide to call the others to make it a party.

On the way there, Canalo runs into Oto who asks to come along.

Bamba and Towa arrive at Chez Tatsui. Bamba brags that he’s collected most of the RyuSouls anyway.

The five of them begin offering up the RyuSouls they are willing to trade by describing their powers and showing each other convenient video clips.

Koh offers his FueSoul and Bamba agrees to trade his TsuyoSoul for it. Asuna trades her OmoSoul for Towa’s HayaSoul. No one wants any of Melto’s RyuSouls.

Bamba says he has most RyuSouls, but not MeraMeraSoul. Only Koh has that one. But Tyramigo says any of them can use it is DimeVolcano accepts them.

Tyramigo says they can only use Kishiryu RyuSouls if that Kishiryu accepts you.

Canalo and Oto arrive.

Canalo shows them a brand new RyuSoul recently, but he doesn’t know what it could be. They ask the master RyuSoul collector Bamba, but he is embarrassed to admit that he too does not know what it is.

Tyramigo doesn’t know either.

Seto possesses Papa Naohisa’s body again to explain that this RyuSoul is KanaeSoul which embodies the power of the mystical Kishiryu KanaesouRyu. That power can grant any wish and the Ryusoul tribe fought amongst themselves for it.

Before Seto can continue, Papa Naohisa regains control of his body and craves some wings.

Canalo knows exactly what he wants to wish for: A wife.

Melto, Asuna and Towa grab Canalo to stop him from using KanaeSoul. Canalo drops the RyuSoul and Koh picks it up, saying there is more to marriage than just wishing for a wife. Koh says Canalo should find a bride on his own merits.

Bamba and Towa say they should wish to defeat the Druidons. Melto says it’s not that simple. Towa snaps back, but Asuna backs Melto. They all begin arguing.

Koh uses KusaSoul to fart at them and get them to shut up. Just then KanaeSoul says something to Koh.

But Oto grabs KanaeSoul and says since they can’t figure out what to wish for, she’ll hold on to it for safe keeping.

Melto asks Oto to hand it back. But Oto tells “Melto-san” to shut up. Oto runs out and Melto chases after her.

Koh runs after them both and tries to stop Melto from attacking Oto. But Melto says this is not Oto at all.

Oto reveals her true identity… Waizuru of course! He is amused Melto was able to see through his disguise.

Melto and Waizuru battle. Melto uses NobiSoul to retrieve KanaeSoul.

Waizuru leaves. The others arrive.

Koh tells them what KanaeSoul told him earlier. KanaeSoul’s own wish is for peace. It hates it is the cause of so much conflict and hated that it even existed. That is why it fled to the bottom of the sea, but was then found by Canalo.

Koh suggests they send KanaeSoul somewhere it can be safe and no one can bother it again. Melto uses PukuPukuSoul to turn it into a bubble so it can float into space.

Koh says they will fight alongside the Kishiryu to defeat the Druidons themselves.

Canalo wonders how Melto was able to figure out Oto was fake. Melto admits they went out to a cafe the other day and Oto said she would start calling him “Melto-kun” from now on.

Canalo is not liking what he’s seeing between his little sister and Melto.

Episode Thoughts

So I am certainly not happy this was a recap episode that really was a toy commercial to encourage everyone to buy and collect all the toys. After last week’s great episode, I was looking forward to them continuing the momentum.

Especially as this episode was paired with the Zi-O finale, I was expecting a more exciting episode. And I would expect the increased audience for the Zi-O finale would prompt Toei to have a big episode of Ryusoulger paired with it to help encourage the new viewers to maybe check out the show.

At the same time, I guess I can understand having this recap episode paired with the Zi-O finale. If for the new viewers who don’t normally watch either Sentai or Kamen Rider regularly and are tuning in today for the Zi-O finale, then this recap episode running through the basic premise of Ryusoulger may be the most fitting episode to air.

You can get the basic gist of the series and a rundown of the toys. So I can see both sides.

Anyway, the actual story of the episode was fine. They had some major exposition with explaining where RyuSouls came from.

And it was nice to see Melto show off his smarts again.

I did enjoy them showing that excellent unmorphed fight scene from Episode 15 again too. Really one of the best scenes from the season so far.

Overall, it was an okay episode, but still Meh for being a recap episode just 23 episodes in.