Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 28 – “Deciding the fate of a battle like a Valkyrie.”

Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 28 – My Rap Changes the World

The campaign is underway ahead of the referendum on rebuilding Daybreak Town. Gai is working with politician Yuto Masamitsu to convince the public of the dangers of Humagears.

Since Humagears are not allowed to hold public office, politician Humagears do not exist. Instead, Izu suggests using rapper Humagear MC Check it Out to reach out to the public.

Meanwhile, Yua presents the Rushing Cheetah Key to Gai and with it, he says, they have collected all their data and the ultimate weapon will be completed. They just have to wrap-up the takeover of Hiden to gain control of ZEA.

Gai is looking forward to the beginning of a new Kamen Rider mythology. He hands Yua a Fighting Jackal Key and Raidriser.

Downtown, Representative Yuto is leading a rally with Gai as they enumerate the dangers of Humagears and the positives of ZAIASpecs.

MC Check it Out refuses to lose to that and he begins his freestyle rap recapping all the nice Humagears that’ve appeared during the season so far. The crowd is enjoying his performance and he hands the mic to Aruto to finish up their pitch.

Back at Hiden HQ, VP Jun says MC Check it Out is only reaching the youth when they need to reach a wider group of people. They hand MC Check it Out a script to be able to do that, but he refuses. He lives his own way.

Aruto says they must believe in the Humagears.

MC Check it Out says he doesn’t like them since they are also greedy. Aruto asks what he means by that.

Over at the anti-Daybreak HQ, Isamu barges in requesting to talk to Gai.

They head outside and Isamu asks to see information on the Raidrisers in order to find MetsubouJinrai.net’s location. Unless ZAIA is hiding MetsubouJinrai.net themselves.

Gai turns the question back on Isamu and suggests it was he who broke Horobi out after he was hacked. Isamu says he obviously can’t be hacked, but Gai says he can and asks Yua to explain.

Turns out both of them have a chip in their brain with an AI loaded on it. Isamu would be unable to henshin with the Shotriser without it.

Gai says of course Isamu didn’t know about it since he is his test subject. Isamu can’t believe it. He henshins and Gai follows suit as they battle.

Gai delivers a Hacking Break at Isamu and warns him to step up or get left behind.

Suddenly, Horobi appears and attacks Gai, helping save Isamu from a probable finisher. Now Horobi and Gai battle and Horobi is able to learn Gai’s movements and counter them. Horobi delivers a Sting Case Shoot, sending Gai flying back.

Gai dehenshins and comments how ironic it is that Isamu is being protected by MetsubouJinrai.net

Isamu asks why Horobi saved him and Horobi says it is because that’s the Ark’s will.

Later that night, Aruto, Izu and MC Check it Out storm into a dinner where Representative Yuto is engaging in bribes with some powerful lobbyists. Turns out ZAIA even paid people to be in the crowd at the rally earlier.

Aruto is upset since he believes elected officials are supposed to be amazing people who help make their country better. But Representative Yuto says he knows nothing about how the government works.

The next day, both Hiden and ZAIA participate in a televised town hall. First up to present their opening statement is Hiden. MC Check it Out, however, takes this opportunity to expose Representative Yuto.

MC Check it Out shows video of their confrontation last night, showing Representative Yuto taking bribes. Representative Yuto denies that ever happened and instead shows CCTV footage of him at their campaign headquarters at that very same time.

Representative Yuto accuses them of creating a Humagear clone of him and fabricating footage to smear him.

MC Check it Out is enraged by this denial and says Representative Yuto doesn’t deserve to live. Aruto tries to calm him down and tells him to stick to the script. But MC Check it Out says he’s sick of Aruto too and that he has the free will to do what he wants.

MC Check It Out says dirty humans should be destroyed and Humagears will take over to run the government.

Gai relishes in the turn of events and says ZAIA has created something just for this type of thing. He introduces Yua who has a Raidriser and uses it to henshin with the Fighting Jackal Key.

Gai kicks over a Zetsumeriser to MC Check it Out who uses it and battles Yua.

They take their battle outside where a crowd and the media watches. Aruto and Gai also henshin

Gai uses this opportunity to continue painting Aruto and Hiden in a bad light. The crowd seems to be on ZAIA’s side.

Yua is able to destroy MC Check it Out and Representative Yuto leads the crowd in a chant against Humagears. Aruto says it was not MC Check it Out’s fault, but everyone else’s.

Gai riles up the crowd even more and calls on them to rise up against Humagears.

Elsewhere, Isamu struggles with trying to comprehend that he may have been hacked.

Jin appears and says it was he who did it so he could free Horobi.

They approach each other. Jin says he has one more friend he has to liberate. He tries to caress Isamu’s face, but Isamu slaps his hand away.

Jin shows Isamu the CCTV footage of Horobi’s escape and Isamu is shocked to see…

Jin holds up a belt as Isamu refuses to believe it.

Isamu stumbles away.

Episode Thoughts

So definitely the most interesting part of this episode for me was that final moment with Jin and Isamu. They’ve been dropping hints about something suspicious happening with Isamu, even if he himself might not know anything about it. But this episode definitely put things into perspective for that plot point and it’s very intriguing.

As much as Aruto-Isamu’s interactions are fun and Isamu-Yua’s relationship is ripe for story, the dynamic between Isamu-Horobi and now Isamu-Jin have been great to watch. So it’ll be interesting to see what comes of Isamu’s involvement in their plans. Is he being possessed, controlled, his DNA being used in someway. Who knows!

The rest of the episode was just okay. Aruto’s almost naïve view of politicians was kind of funny. But the idea that politicians are corrupt is definitely nothing new. So countering that with a rapper Humagear was very strange. But I guess he embodies someone who doesn’t always bow down to authority or something like that. Goes by his own rules.

So we’ll see how they wrap it up next week, especially if this really is the end of the Hiden/ZAIA competition.

Overall, I think just an okay episode. My favorite parts were really all the scenes involving Isamu.