Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 22 – “It’s High Quality.”

Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 22 – He Still Didn’t Do It

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

An enraged Aruto tries to give Gai everything he’s got. But Gai jacks Aruto’s Shining Assault Hopper power and they fire counter shots at each other before dehenshining.

Gai says they’ll have to settle their duel in the courtroom, but he is sure ZAIA will come out on top and seal the deal.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Later, Gai and Yua are in Daybreak and on Horobi’s systems as Gai hopes to create a forbidden Key that will seal Zero-One’s powers. Yua says Aruto will have no access to the Zero-One Key once ZAIA takes over Hiden anyway. But Gai says she shouldn’t underestimate the technology created by Grandpa Hiden to counter the Ark.

While Yua works on the construction of the Metal Cluster Key, the trial continues with the questioning of witnesses. Chiharu is recounting her experience with Yuto and Prosecutor Ichimori is presenting a pretty solid case against Yuto.

Outside the courtroom, Bingo tells Aruto that he is sure Yuto is innocent. Aruto believes in Bingo, but Gai suggests Aruto prepare to hand Hiden over because he is sure this will be ZAIA’s decisive 3rd win.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Gai says all the sins committed by Humagears are Aruto’s burden and responsibility.

Aruto and Izu have Isamu take them to see Horobi to try and find out how human malice was introduced to MetsubouJinrai.net.

Aruto asks how Horobi was able to create the Zetsumeriser and Horobi says it was all the Ark which is able to weaponize Humagears to exterminate humanity.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Izu asks why ZAIA President Gai has a Zetsumeriser and Horobi is taken aback. Suddenly, hearing “ZAIA” triggers something inside Horobi which causes him to go crazy, ranting about how humans are foolish to have dared used the Ark for themselves.

Isamu leads Aruto and Izu back outside and asks why they would ask that question in the first place. Aruto says he’s got his suspicions, but what he needs now is for Isamu to help find Bingo’s attacker.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Over at Daybreak, the Ark has completed the MetalCluster Hopper Key and Yua takes it.

Back at the courthouse, it’s time for closing arguments. Isamu calls Bingo and asks him to stall for now while he looks for the identity of the attacker.

Yua walks past Isamu and he asks her if it is true that Ichimori’s ZAIASpec was stolen. Yua confirms it was lost the first day of the trial. That gives Isamu the clue he needs to start searching.

At Hiden HQ, Aruto and Izu connect to ZEA to look up information on the Ark. They find that ZAIA had partnered with Hiden to launch the Ark satellite and the project manager from ZAIA at the time was Gai.

Isamu meets with Detective Narusawa. Connecting a live feed to Bingo, he is able to detect that Narusawa is lying.

The judge is about to deliver the final verdict, but Bingo announces that new facts have come to light.

But Isamu barges into the courtroom with Narusawa and Bingo is able to explain that he fabricated the data on Yuto’s phone. Isamu says Narusawa’s computer has evidence proving he tampered with the phone.

Therefore, Yuto is innocent. The judge refuses to accept the new evidence. But Ichimori says they should actually have a retrial. He cannot believe he almost convicted an innocent man.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Ichirmori removes his ZAIASpec and acknowledges that Humagears are something else.

Narusawa explains he did this because he wanted to up his arrest rate. Bingo points out that Narusawa attacked him to cast suspicion back on prosecutor Ichimori.

Narusawa grabs his Key back from Isamu and runs out. Isamu chases after him, but Narusawa henshins as does Isamu.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Gai is upset that Narusawa used ZAIASpec for evil. But Aruto follows and says Gai is the same. He was the one that fed human malice into the Ark’s learning.

Gai says he was merely showing the Ark the truth and it was the Ark’s decision to destroy humanity.

Aruto says because of Gai, many people have died. But Gai says people reap what they sow.

Aruto is enraged. They both henshin and battle. Gai is happy to see the human rage and malice surging through Aruto’s body.

Somehow, Aruto’s rage connects him to the Ark.

Gai traps Aruto and he slices at him, forcing him to dehenshin. He takes the new Key and forces it into Aruto’s driver.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Aruto struggles as the Key overwhelms him and seemingly sends him into the Ark. The screams of humanity engulf him and he henshins to Metal Cluster Hopper.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Aruto has no control over his body as the Ark controls the suit. It sucks up the power from Narusawa’s Key which causes him to dehenshin.

Gai says this is the Ark’s true power and he is eager to test it out. Gai tries attacking Metal Cluster Hopper and he gleefully accepts getting overpowered by the immense power.

Nothing seems to even lay a scratch on Metal Cluster Hopper who is able to force Gai to dehenshin.

Aruto meanwhile continues screaming in agony along with the other shrieks from the Ark. Isamu runs over and forcibly removes the Key from the driver, releasing Aruto from the suit and henshin.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Gai is satisfied by what he has witnessed. Yua films the whole thing and is wowed that Zero-One has evolved.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Isamu says that was not Zero-One.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Izu hurries over to Aruto while Gai laughs maniacally at the Ark’s masterpiece. He proclaims ZAIA’s script has reached its climax.

A few days later, the retrial is completed and Yuto is declared not guilty.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Yuto sees Chiharu leaving the courthouse and they nod at each other with a smile. Narusawa, meanwhile, is taken into custody.

Back at the office, Izu asks Aruto for a joke to lighten the mood.

Kamen Rider Zero One Episode 22 Recap

Episode Thoughts

Zero-One keeps chugging along. This was a very interesting episode as it really brought home the idea that there’s definitely something twisted going on inside Gai’s head and that he’s got a big role to play in everything.

Horobi reacting to ZAIA in that way after Aruto’s question was very intriguing and adds to the list of things Gai’s got his fingerprints on. What could Gai have initially done to the Ark or Daybreak even? And again, what’s the true nature of his relationship with Grandpa Hiden?

Aruto’s seeming connection to the Ark also drops hints at a theory that’s popped up even from the beginning of the season that perhaps he himself has some Humagear tech inside him as well. Aruto being “the chosen one” certainly isn’t a new theme to Kamen Rider. But with everything else that’s developing with the overall arc of the season, there’s great potential for a refreshing take on the theme.

I just realized the hooded figure has disappeared. And wait a minute, we never found out what happened to Isamu when he followed it into the dark room in the abandoned warehouse. Hmm…

The case of the week had a satisfying, even if predictable conclusion. But I’m very excited to see Yoko and Ryuji get married next week! lol

Overall, another exciting and interesting episode.

2 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 22 – “It’s High Quality.”

  1. Many people think that the competition arc is a drag and outright bad. I don’t feel the same. While there are some bits that don’t make sense (e.g. Gai getting away with deliberately transforming someone into a Magia), there are many high points as well (e.g. MCH debut).
    It may have something to do with me binging 3-4 episodes at once instead of waiting for an episode every week, but my viewpoint remains regardless.

    1. I always see a lot of criticism about the competition arc, but I didn’t think it was bad either. It might have been a bit slow, especially sandwiched between bigger, more exciting things. But I think it was okay. Especially to establish Gai as a character. I think with the lost five or so episodes at the end, having such a big chunk of the episodes devoted to this arc instead of bigger stories probably hurts as well, in hindsight.

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