An emotional Mabushina tells her brother that she wants him to be a hero to everyone and not just to her. She suddenly collapses as the Yodon crest becomes even clearer in her eye.
The others, meanwhile, are struggling against Motorboat Basra who forces Kiramaizin to ungattai. The Jamenju quickly speeds away.
Back at the coconut tree’s infirmary, Takamichi is sitting by Mabushina’s bedside as she struggles with the pain of the curse.
The others arrive in the Operations Room where Muryou tells them he has found a way to save Mabushina without needing all the Kanaema Stones. By using Reversia, you can travel to any moment you remember for 20 minutes.
Sena says Takamichi can go back in time to the Yodonheim mission and defeat Numajo before she curses the Queen. But Tametomo says they can’t be going around changing the past as it could have huge effects on history including their very existence.
Muryou brings out the Aqua Kiramai Stone which is now encased in the hardened poison of Numajo. King Oradin had Muryou’s father keep it safe until they could find an antidote for the poison, but they have so far been unable to do so as the toxin is not something found on Earth.
What they must do is get a sample of Numajo’s poison so CARAT can find the solution. Tametomo realizes they will just need to get Numajo’s cup in the past. Sayo says Takamichi will be able to leave right away then.
But Takamichi comes in and says he will not be doing that. With the Mashins in need of repair, Gigant Driller is the only one that can fight the Jamenju now. As Mabushina wishes for him, he will stay and protect the city.
Juuru says he will travel to the past instead with the help of Fire who was of course with the Royal Family on the mission. Tametomo worries about Juuru going on his own so he and Sena will accompany him.
Muryou tells his older brother to let them handle this. Takamichi hands Juuru the Kanaema Stone and asks him to be Mabushina’s hero.
Fire uses his memory to relay to the Kanaema Stone where to drop them off at. They arrive on Yodonheim and their first concern is to slow down the Royal Family as they are about to arrive as well.
Just then, they see Bechats lurking about. But Tametomo has prepared Bechat costumes for him and Sena to use.
Back in the present, Tokyo is burning. Shiguru, Sayo and Takamichi have found the Jamenju docked in Tokyo Bay. Sayo uses Kiramai Vision to see the Jamenju eating all the fish in the water.
Garuza appears and explains that Motorboat Basra needs to eat to keep its energy up. And until he’s recharged, the Kiramagers will have to deal with him instead.
Meanwhile, King Oradin, Queen Mabayuine and Prince Takamichi arrive in Yodonheim. But the Bechat-disguised Tametomo and Sena aim to distract them.
The Queen thinks it’s very odd they are so talkative, but the King wonders if they are a mutation. Tametomo and Sena jump down to try and keep the Royal Family busy. But the Royal Family are just too good and Tametomo and Sena are forced to run for their lives.
Juuru has found Numajo enjoying her tea while waiting for her sister.
Juuru tries Shiguru’s fishing technique to try and swipe the cup, but Numajo instantly senses something is off and counters the attack.
Numajo sends Juuru flying. He tries to play off his suspiciousness, but Numajo smells the Kiramental on him and she immediately charges at him.
Back in the present, Takamichi is locked in a fierce battle with his uncle as Shiguru and Sayo deal with Bechats. Just then, Motorboat Basra rises from the water, ready to go.
Garuza leaves as Motorboat Basra continues tearing Tokyo apart. Sayo hops into Mashin Express to try and take on the Jamenju. But in an effort to prevent any more death and destruction, Sayo lets her guard down and the Jamenju knocks Mashin Express to the ground.
Takamichi summons Drijan and drills into the ground to chase after the Jamenju.
Juuru and Numajo are engaged in their own explosive battle, but Juuru finds himself completely overpowered. He is unable to grab her cup as Tametomo and Sena call to tell him the portal is closing.
Juuru refuses to give up and he suddenly has a Hirameking. He shoots at Numajo, which knocks her off her feet.
Juuru proceeds to mock Numajo who counters with her signature poison. Juuru shields himself from it just as Fire arrives to pick him up. They have no more time.
Fire scoops Juuru up, hurries to collect Tametomo and Sena and zoom through the portal before it closes. Tametomo and Sena can’t believe Juuru was unable to swipe the cup.
Takamichi activates Gigant Driller and battles the Jamenju underground. But it is much too fast. They take their battle back above ground. But one huge, direct attack forces Gigant Driller to ungattai and hurl Takamichi back to the ground.
The Jamenju continues to target Takamichi and forces him to dehenshin.
Takamichi remembers his sister’s words to him and refuses to give up. Not for her and not for his friends risking their lives for them.
Just then, Aqua Kiramai Stone arrives, good as new. Juuru, inside the Stone, explains that he was able to collect some of Numajo’s poison on his sword when he knew he couldn’t swipe her cup.
With that poison, Muryou was able to find a way to revive the Aqua Kiramai Stone which Juuru has Hiramekinged as Mashin Zabyun!
The Jamenju tries to run away. But Juuru and Zabyun chase after it. A relieved Takamichi collapses.
Juuru uses what they learned from their trip to the aquarium to use a shark’s excellent detection ability to find the Jamenju’s weak spot. Juuru is able to disable the Jamenju’s engines.
Juuru calls Sayo and when Zabyun and Mashin Express combine, they form King Express Zabyun.
With the powerful new combi, they are able to finish off Motorboat Basra for good.
Later at the infirmary, Takamichi wakes up and immediately calls his brother to ask about Mabushina.
Muryou says Mabushina is “no longer with us.”
That’s because Mabushina is with Takamichi at the infirmary!
Mabushina runs in to hug her brother. She says Zabyun was able to remove the curse and she’s all better. She thanks him for being her hero.
Takamichi says he left her. But Mabushina says him being a hero for everyone makes him her hero too.
Takamichi says from now on, he will fully be able to be a wonder splendid hero fighting alongside the others.
Episode Thoughts
Wowowowo! What an explosive episode! Literally!
There was just so much going on. They made use of every single second in this episode to maximum effect. It’s the kind of climactic, chaotic episode that you may not necessarily want every week. But when it happens, you just have to sit back and take it all in.
It had everything you could ask for. Character moments, thrilling action, plot development. It was awesome! There were parts of this episode that legit left me with my jaw dropped.
The stakes were high and the danger was palpable. It was a race against the clock. And this episode did an excellent job bringing that feeling to vivid life.
The show found a creative way to use the Reversia power of the Kanaema Stone without needing to deal with the butterfly effect of the usual time travel plot. By going back in time to get what they need without changing the past (as tempting as that might be), it added an extra bit of danger and risk for them. They couldn’t do anything other than get that sample.
When Juuru shielded himself from Numajo’s poison, it was obvious he got that sample even without the cup. But that whole sequence didn’t need contrived tension or mystery. The pay off was the moment Takamichi learned his sister was safe.
Taking care of Mabushina’s curse within a few episodes was definitely not something I expected. But I am pleasantly surprised by it. Collecting the Kanaema Stones to cure her is definitely a familiar plot. So introducing the dilemma as such, but taking care of it another way is a simple, yet effective subversion of what he come to expect from our toku stories.
Now the Kanaema Stones can be used for something else! What problem might the Kiramagers encounter next?
Juuru and Numajo’s battle was INCREDIBLE! I tweeted how Kiramager has better fight choreography than a big-budget Hollywood film:
The feels when Mashin Sentai Kiramager has better fight choreography and direction than #Mulan. These scenes were incredible! #キラメイジャー pic.twitter.com/YfWq8ahi1v
— DryedMangoez (@dryedmangoez) September 7, 2020
And it’s true. I just watched the live-action Mulan and it really needed some drone action in their battle scenes like this.
Juuru VS Numajo was just so exciting and dynamic. The drone and/or handheld scenes that started in LuPat were taken to the next level in Ryusoulger. And now we’re seeing some amazingly new and creative ways to present battles and action sequences. These scenes (as well as Takamichi’s battle with Garuza too) were another example of that. It almost looked like full CGI. But nope, it’s real. So good.
The mecha battles, especially Gigant Driller vs the Jamenju, were also great. And even the Jamenju attacking Takamichi when he was on the ground. It almost feels like the show blew its special effects budget for the next few months on this one episode! (I hope not! lol)
The Crystalia Sibs again took center stage on the emotional front while Juuru led the others on the action front. Another episode where everyone gets their chance in the spotlight and contributes.
On a lighter note, Tametomo and Sena’s Bechat cosplay scenes were a fun little breather in the middle of the episode. And that includes their Showa Era self-introductions too! Felt very Shocker-ish! What’s going on this week? Kiramager feeling Kamen Rider-ish and Saber feeling Sentai-ish? Lol
Overall, this was an absolutely amazing episode. I loved it. I’m sure it will go down as one of my favorites of the season.