Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 20 – “Warning, warning. This is not a test.”

Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 20 – That is 1000% the Best House

Tatsumi is already declaring victory, but Smile has been restored and there’s a big time customer, Oshiro Ginnojou with a budget of 500 million yen hoping to buy a home.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

The two teams meet Oshiro who explains that he has been thinking about selling his mansion ever since his wife died. But he wants to find a home big enough so his three sons’ families would be able to visit.

Tatsumi tries to undermine Smile’s credibility, but Aruto assures Oshiro that they have everything under control.

Meanwhile, Isamu shows Horobi video of the mysterious hooded figure roaming about town. But Horobi remains tight-lipped.

Later, Tatsumi sends Oshiro a home with an asking price of 497 million yen and says it would be a good investment.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

Smile also finds a home for Oshiro, but it is only priced at 29 million yen. Izu says they won’t be able to catch up with ZAIA’s sales with that low price. Smile says if they can renovate this home, she feels Oshiro will be happy with it.

Aruto asks Smile to think about the profits more. Smile asks why and Aruto says that’s the nature of competition.

Smile says her job is to sell homes and make people smile.

Carpenter Oyakata prepares to renovate the home, but Tatsumi attacks him and that drives him to connect to the Ark. Tatsumi is happy to see Oyataka morph into a Magia and he henshins to Splashing Whale to battle it.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

Isamu hurries over to the scene and henshins to Punching Kong. They also battle, but Tatsumi is able to deliver at finisher at Isamu.

Gai walks in, henshins and copies Isamu’s Punching Kong power to deliver a Jacking Break finisher at Oyakata.

Before Tatsumi leaves, he destroys the home.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

Isamu updates Aruto about what happened and he is shocked to learn the Splashing Whale is Tatsumi. Izu says that is cheating so they must cancel this competition.

Isamu says he will take Tatsumi in, but Aruto asks to wait until the competition is over.

They continue on with the competition and are able to quickly rebuild the home with the help of five Oyatakas.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

Aruto asks Smile why she chose this home for Oshiro. Smile says she feels Oshiro is not looking for a spacious property, but one that allows him to be close with his family. This home is just the right size for him to be able to live comfortably and still welcome his family to visit as well. And that will surely put a smile on his face, as she is determined to do.

Tatsumi calls Oshiro to follow up on the house. But Oshiro would like to know why Tatsumi sells homes and what he thinks a home means. Tatsumi says he is like Oshiro, wanting to save up enough money to live in a huge house.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

Over at the lab, Aruto remembers Gai’s criticism of him not caring about profits. Izu brings him some hot apple juice and he asks her what a president’s job is. She says the president represents the company and must be the decision maker. But it is up to him how he takes that job.

The two teams head to Oshiro’s office for his decision.

Oshiro thanks both of them for the wonderful homes they’ve presented. But he is choosing Smile’s home. Tatsumi can’t believe it and demands to know the reason.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

Oshiro says instead of focusing only on profits, Smile considered his family and wife’s happiness. And that home he feels ensures closeness with his family.

Oshiro bows in thanks to Smile and Aruto. But Aruto says this was all Smile.

Meanwhile, Isamu chases after the hooded figure, but it merely plays games with him before a loud thud is heard in a dark room.

Tatsumi storms out of the office, but Aruto chases after him to talk. Aruto admits he too was concerned with profits, but soon realized that the smiles of people living in those homes comes first. And he learned that from Smile.

Tatsumi refuses to lose to a Humagear and he henshins to Splashing Whale. Aruto quickly henshins to Shining Assault Hopper. They battle for a little bit, with some hesitation by Tatsumi. Aruto finishes him off with a Shining Storm Impact, releasing him from the Raidriser.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

Tatsumi says he did not want to accept his defeat or the fact that he can’t cut it in this business. He admits Smile’s home was great and that he had forgotten the true meaning of what a home is.

Tatsumi flashes back to the happy times he had with his family, regardless of how humble it might have been.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 20 Recap

Tatsumi accepts his defeat, but Gai and Yua walk in to say that this is still a ZAIA win. Tatsumi still made more profit, thus winning this second face off.

Gai again brings up that a president not concerned with profit is useless. Aruto says not being concerned with the smiles of its customers and employees is pointless.

Gai says smiles are worth nothing. And when he buys Hiden, he will ensure all smiles will disappear.

Episode Thoughts

It was a good episode that served as a nice conclusion to last week’s story.

I think this “arc” was a little better than the previous one with the ikebana if only because these two episodes illustrated how humans could be corrupted or have their negative feelings be twisted and grow into something bad. Not because of a belt or a spell, but just by life circumstances.

Tatsumi’s violence against Smile and Oyataka was obviously evil and unjustified. Him kicking and stepping on Oyataka this episode was just horrible to watch, wasn’t it?

While we didn’t necessarily see exactly how he devolved into that personality, we can understand his sincere wish to have a large home. He obviously forgot the happy memories he had with his family and instead only remembers the difficulties. And that drove his anger and resentment.

The last scene of his memories going from black and white to color was a nice visual way to illustrate his change of heart. Or at least, his realization of him going down the wrong path and perhaps getting back on the right path in the future.

Instead of this episode introducing something new about the Humagears or even anything with the hooded figure, it was more about showing humanity’s faults. And doing that helps lay the groundwork for why Humagears, MetsubouJinrai and whoever else holds a grudge against humans.

And that too works great with Aruto as a character who likes to see the good in both people and Humagears. I suppose that will be a major theme that will eventually also play a big role in the endgame.

Elsewhere in the episode, I worry for Isamu! lol That was a loud thud in the dark, wasn’t it? lol

Overall, another good, solid episode.

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