Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 10 – I am the Actor, Owada Shinya

Aruto, Izu and Isamu are at the set of a Hiden-produced drama series that the company hopes can improve their image with the public. The drama stars veteran actor Owada Shinya and actor Humagear Matsuda Enji. Owada answers a press question saying he has no problem acting opposite a Humagear.

Watching from the back, Isamu says he’s only here helping to protect the shoot as a way to repay his life being saved by a Humagear doctor. But he wonders who leaked the footage of Assassin-chan. Izu shows him the video she found of Yua recording the scene. Isamu is shocked.

Speaking of, over at Zaia, Yua is speaking with her boss Amatsu Gai. She apologizes for handing the Mammoth Zetsumerise Key to Hiden. But he says it’s alright and for right now, he has another Key he wants her to retrieve for him.

Over at Daybreak, Jin accompanies Assassin-chan in watching old movies of Owada Shinya to get a better idea of how to be a good assassin since he’s lost several times now.

Horobi tasks Jin with meeting with their new friend.

Back on set, both Aruto and VP Jun are dressed up to participate as extras in the next scene. The cameras begin rolling as Jin and Assassin-chan arrive outside. A.I.M.S. officers are there to meet them and they call Isamu to tell him. Isamu, still needing a crutch to walk, hobbles outside.

Isamu henshins and battles Jin. Izu tries to let Aruto know about what’s going on outside, but the director reminds Aruto he has no speaking lines in this scene.

Jin is able to overpower the still injured Isamu. That’s when Yua arrives to help. She henshins and together with Isamu are able to drive Jin away, especially when Assassin-chan is nowhere to be found.

Actually, Assassin-chan has made his way on set and is observing Owada who he believes is a real, legendary assassin.

The production wraps for the day. Owada takes the director aside and says working with Humagear Enji is not working as he is too robotic and not human enough. The director agrees, but he asks Owada to just deal with it for now.

Outside, Isamu tells Yua that they should shut down the production of the drama since MetsubouJinrai is targeting it. Yua says they must let the production continue and it’ll be fine as long as A.I.M.S. guards the set.

As Yua leaves, Isamu brings up her recording the video of Assassin-chan. He asks her why she would do that since their mission as A.I.M.S. is to keep an eye on the Humagears and not to trap Hiden.

But Yua says that is her mission.

Isamu is surprised, but understands Yua’s apparent allegiance is to Zaia. She leaves without saying a word.

Assassin-chan approaches Owada and says he would like to become stronger. Later, Owada accompanies Assassin-chan who demonstrates his abilities for him. Owada has Assassin-chan run lines with him and is wowed by his natural talent. Owada thinks An-chan is even better than Humagear Enji.

Assassin-chan repeats that he wants to grow stronger. Owada offers to have Assassin-chan be his pupil.

On the other side of town, Isamu has a lot of thoughts going through his mind.

Next day on set, Owada tries the ad lib lines An-chan said last night. That throws Enji off so much he yells “Cut!” to stop the scene.

Owada gets up to leave, saying this is not going to work. He tells Aruto that acting is about the interaction between people. So it is impossible for a Humagear to be able to do that.

Aruto and the director follow Owada out, trying to convince him to stay.

Assassin-chan, taking a cue from Owada saying Enji is not good, decides to eliminate him. Assassin-chan henshins to Dodo and smacks Enji toward a wall. Izu takes Enji to safety as Yua also henshins.

Jin arrives and tells Assassin-chan he must not assassinate their friends. He also henshins. Both Jin and Assassin-chan battle Yua.

Aruto gets the call and he hurries over. He henshins and joins in the fight, focusing on Jin.

Yua realizes Assassin-chan is much stronger than before. He forces her to dehenshin when he throws her on a table. That’s when Isamu arrives, shooting at Assassin-chan to get him away from Yua.

Yua asks why Isamu would help her. He asks her why she helped him at the hospital. Yua says it’s because she wanted to. Isamu says it is the same for him.

Isamu says he fights for what he believes in and asks Yua if she is the same.

Yua nods Yes. Isamu says that’s good enough for him and he henshins. Assassin-chan spreads his tentacles and infects nearby Humagears. The army of Magias arrive and swarm Isamu.

Yua thinks about Isamu words and decides to give him the Gatling Hedgehog Key. He uses it in his Attaché Shotgun to finish off this version of Assassin-chan for good.

Jin swoops in to grab the Dodo Key and flies back to Papa Horobi in Daybreak.

Jin tells Yua they are now even. But Yua warns Jin that she might betray him one day. Jin says whenever that happens, he will win.

Just then, the director comes running toward Aruto to say Owada has quit.

Yua immediately reports to her boss who says this is all going according to his screenplay, that is, his plan to bring about the collapse of Hiden.

Episode Thoughts

A very interesting episode this time. Being the first episode after the one-week break and after such a great episode 9, this one did feel a little underwhelming.

But I still liked what we got. This was essentially a Yua-Isamu focus episode. Sort of. They at least got the most development out of any of the regular characters. Though we’ll talk about Assassin-chan in a little bit.

First to the MOTW story. It’s basically another example of someone doubting or putting down Humagears. But this time, you can understand where Owada is coming from. Perhaps we will learn even more in the next episode. But even at the basic level, Owada as an actor just can’t bring himself to act against a robotic (literally) co-star. It’s hard even for actors to have to deal with robotic human actors with no talent. What more for an emotionless actual robot, right?

It’s a very basic plot, but I really hope it is a good set-up for a deeper story involving Owada in the next episode. I’m interested in the possibilities here.

Aruto really took a backseat in this episode. And that’s fine considering what the episode’s plot was.

The revelation of Yua’s Zaia allegiance to Isamu was done in a very interesting way. It obviously wasn’t a big, shocking reveal. So we should assume there’s a deeper story brewing for Yua vs. Isamu. The way Isamu took Yua’s admission was definitely not what I expected. And because of that, I am definitely intrigued. Though we haven’t really seen the extent of Yua and Isamu’s relationship other than partners, I hope they expand on their “history” together more if this “I’m going to betray you.”/”That’s alright because I’ll kill you before you can.” dynamic will be one of the points for their characters moving forward.

Another unexpected thing about this episode was Assassin-chan getting significant character development. I really thought he was going to be a small guest role. But apparently not if they are developing his character like this. I am also intrigued here with what direction they will be taking with Assassin-chan’s apparently growing sentience.

Elsewhere, it was also fun recognizing Sakimoto Hiromi (the Humager Enji) who played Yuya on Gaim. He definitely looked familiar the first time he popped up on screen. And then I immediately remembered him as Yuya. Very fun.

Overall, this was an interesting and solid episode. I kinda wanted a little more excitement for the first episode back from the one-week break. But it again seems like the show is starting to plant seeds for this next arc.