Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 35.5 – How Was MetsubouJinrai Created?

Horobi asks The Ark what’s next in the story and a long-haired, sassy Izu pops up to say she will be teasing the final arc (not Ark).

But actually, this isn’t Izu. She introduces herself as The Ark’s assistant As/Azu.

She says to understand The Ark’s final mission, they must understand the Singularity Points of the four members of MetsubouJinrai. That is, the trigger that helped each of them reach Singularity.

Horobi is up first and Azu points out that his Singularity Point is being a father. He thinks that is absurd because he only cares about The Ark. But Azu presses him to remember why he was created in the first place. That is, being a childcare Humagear.

Horobi recaps all their successful actions in reviving the Ark. But Azu asks if Ark-sama is really the only thing he cares about.

Horobi says of course. But Azu points out that he protected his son Jin of his own volition and shows him the clip of Aruto laying out the proof that Horobi really wants to be a daddy. Horobi is his own person with his own dreams.

Azu says Horobi’s sincere feelings for his son awakened his father’s instincts. She points out Horobi’s face is looking very daddy-like right now. But he still doesn’t believe it.

Azu says his Singularity Test is complete and she collects his data in a Key.

Horobi declares his allegiance to the Ark and Azu moves on to Ikazuchi.

Azu says Izakuchi’s Singularity Point is his little brother Subaru. He similarly denies that and also says it was all Ark. But Azu reminds him he was created as an astronaut Humagear who was given a little brother.

Ikazuchi tries to enumerate why he’s all about Ark.

Azu says Subaru would be sad hearing all this since he looked up to Ikazuchi so much. Ikazuchi begins to feel concerned for his brother and Azu is excited to see him looking like a big brother.

Azu collects Ikazuchi’s data and he also declares allegiance to the Ark’s will.

Up next is Naki who says ZAIA erased all of their data. Azu looked into it and says Naki was originally developed to be a systems engineer Humagear. That’s why ZAIA took them to develop weapons such as ZAIA Spec all this time.

After recapping how Gai completely destroyed Isamu’s character arc, Naki acknowledges they were just a tool for ZAIA. But Azu asks if Naki felt something was wrong all that time. Indeed, Naki did begin to question their existence. And when Naki realized they wanted to help Humagears achieve their own dreams, that’s when they reached Singularity.

Therefore, Azu concludes Naki’s Singularity Point is Humagears. Azu collects Naki’s data and they also reaffirm their Ark allegiance.

Later, Jin is surprised to see Aruto in the room. Aruto wants to know what kind of Humagear model Jin was since there’s no record of him at Hiden. That will help figure out his Singularity Point.

Jin recounts his life so far and how he just wanted to be friends with everyone. He remembers his Papa Horobi’s dying words telling him to destroy humans just as the Ark wills.

Jin says it was his hatred for humanity that caused him to reach Singularity.

Aruto says that’s what Papa Horobi tells him. But he is sure Jin was created for a different reason. Jin doesn’t remember anything.

Anyway, moving on to Jin’s triumphant revival, Jin says he was able to evolve because he found his dream. And that is to liberate Humagears and give them free will.

Aruto asks who revived him then. But Jin tells Azu to drop the charade since he knows this is just a simulation created by the Ark.

Azu commends Jin for seeing right through it.

Jin asks about the Key Azu is using to collect their data. She says to complete it, she’ll need to know Jin’s Singularity Point. Jin says he gave her the answer already. He’s here now because his Papa Horobi taught him something important.

Therefore, his Singularity Point is Horobi.

Azu says that sounds about right and assumes Jin isn’t lying. She proceeds to take his data.

Jin smiles and says to go right ahead. Azu says bye-bye and leaves.

Jin’s smiles fades from his face.

Meanwhile, Azu returns to the Ark to say she has all the data and asks if that’s enough to revive Ark-sama.

Ark-sama pops up and says it’s just as he calculated. Azu flirtatiously smiles at her impressive Ark-sama.

Alone, Jin says he was surprised to see the Izu clone. But so far, everything is going according to plan as the Ark is finally reviving.

Jin’s earpiece glows green.

Episode Thoughts

Having seen this was a .5 episode, I assumed it would be some kind of clip show, but different from the horrible things they spit out the last few weeks. And that’s indeed what it was.

Thankfully, Azu is amazing and the short new scenes with the MetsubouJinrai family were great as well.

We didn’t really get anything new from Horobi, Ikazuchi and Naki. But it was just great to see extended scenes with them especially Ikazuchi and Naki.

But the most interesting parts of the episode were definitely everything about Azu and the furthering of the mystery with Jin.

First of all, I definitely ship Jin and Azu lololol

But romantic fanboying aside, I’ve always said Jin has been one of the most interesting and well-developed characters this season. (Isamu was the other one. Keyword: WAS) His expressions during his conversation with both fakeAruto and Azu were very intriguing.

We are not really sure about who the Final Boss will be. But I don’t think Jin will be it. The way they’ve developed his character has been with the seeming intention to go a sort-of redemption route for him. He has always been the most emotional and “human”-like and with the most pronounced connection to Aruto. (Indeed, they brought in Aruto to speak to him first here instead of directly have Azu like the others.) So I hope it plays out in that way because I can see a really powerful climax for a story for him.

Like I feel that is more likely than Gai getting a redemption arc, to be honest. lol

It was also interesting when Azu took Jin’s data how he cheerfully smiled instead of the mind controlled-ish professing of undying devotion to Ark-sama like the other three did. That little bit of nuance from Daisuke Nakagawa is so good:

His green ear indicator also seems to imply something else going on there too.

With Azu, it is definitely fun seeing Noa Tsurushima being more loose and fun and sassy than Izu. She even had a little bitchy moment, pardon my language, toward the end. And then of course her kind of awkward flirtatious smile with Ark-sama too.

I would love to see the Izu/Azu-Is/As connection turn out to be a big part of the final arc as well. There must be something else there.

Interesting that in some scenes (I think Aruto/Jin), it seemed like the actors weren’t even in the same room together. There were a few scenes that looked like the actors filmed separately. Very fascinating to see possible social distancing in action, if that, on a television production for the first time.

Overall, so happy to see some fresh Zero-One scenes again. Anything to cleanse my mind of the last few weeks of the show lol But even though this was essentially another clip show, I loved it.