Recap: Mashin Sentai Kiramager, Episode 40 – Person in Pain

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

At school, Juuru has uploaded his latest drawing online. One of the drawings catches his eye and he contacts the artist, Karori, who immediately messages back and says he can teach him how to draw like that.

Meanwhile, Carantula is explaining how they will transform the internal Dark Energy of humans into Jamenjus. Wire Jamen will help by using the Kanaema Stone at the right time when a human is filled with enough darkness.

Wire Jamen can transform itself into anyone and he will use that to strike at the right time. Yodonna notices wire sticking out of the clone Wire Jamen has transformed into. But Carantula says they can just cover up any wire with a bandage.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap
Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap
Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap
Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

At the coconut tree, the Kiramagers and Muryou are enjoying some crackers when the alarm sounds. Wire Jamen has captured five humans, but the Kiramagers (minus Juuru) arrive just in time to free them.

After taking on some Bechats, Wire Jamen gets to work by morphing into a Shiguru clone. Sena believes the one next to her is the fake so she attacks with Takamichi grabbing him and slamming him against a wall. Unfortunately, he’s the real Shiguru. He is forced to dehenshin and his nose is bleeding.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

Meanwhile, Juuru meets with Karori who turns out to be a young boy. Juuru is even more impressed by his talent. But Karori says it’s thanks to an even more talented friend of his that was able to teach him. Juuru wishes he could also take lessons and Karori offers to introduce him.

Karori’s friend is Hatta-san, an adult who enjoys drawing manga. Juuru is eager to learn and Hatta gives him a brand new pen. In the meantime, Hatta and Juuru play video games. Juuru loves that Hatta is a fan of manga, anime and is awesome at games.

Back at the coconut tree, the Kiramagers begin suspecting each other of being fakes. Sena calls Juuru to tell him what’s going on and he says he’ll be right there.

Before Juuru goes back inside Hatta’s house, he overhears a couple who walk by talking about how Hatta became a shut in and has been for years.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

Juuru tentatively peeks his head back inside to tell Hatta and Karori that he has to leave. He notices Hatta looking deep in thought behind Karori as well as the bandage on his finger.

Juuru asks what happened to it, but Hatta says it’s nothing.

Karori shows Juuru a manga that Hatta has been drawing and also says that Shonen Dash is accepting submissions for an award. Hatta has submitted his work for it upon encouragement from Karori. Hatta asks Karori to promise that if he wins Karori will keep being his friend.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

Karori says of course. He is sure that Hatta will win. While Karori talks with Juuru, a strange smile stretches across Hatta’s face.

Carantula laughs that their plan is going smoothly. He and Garuza enjoy lowering victim’s guards down so they can attack at the best opportunity.

Back at the coconut tree, Mabushina holds Takamichi while Sena tickles him. Supposedly this will show who is real and who is not.

Takamichi passes the test and turns the attention to Sayo who can’t seem to remember how many crackers she ate earlier. Sena and Mabushina tickle her next.

On his way to the coconut tree, Juuru sees Muryou coming out of a building and they return to the operations room together. But there’s a Muryou sitting at the computer.

It’s okay though because Muryou only used Daiyakun to go downtown to get an autograph from his favorite author.

Meanwhile, Hatta checks the results of the contest and he finds that he has not been selected. In fact, there are countless negative comments about his work. Hatta rips up all his drawings and runs outside to a bridge.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

Karori approaches him. Hatta informs him that he was just a fool. He rips off the bandage and says that he worked so hard he even got calluses, yet he is still a failure. Hatta believes he is not worthy of teaching Karori anything and is upset that it always turns out this way.

Karori says this world is too cruel for Hatta and offers to take him somewhere he can live happily. Hatta takes Karori’s hand.

But it turns out Karori is Wire Jamen and he uses the Kanaema Stone to turn the overflowing darkness from Hatta into a Jamenju. Karori tells Hatta to hurt the world just as much as it hurt him.

The Kiramagers hurry over in Kiramaizin and Gigant Driller. But Juuru soon realizes and they confirm that Hatta is inside the Jamenju. They try to target just Wire Jamen. But Hatta instinctively protects it thinking it is Karori.

Hatta says his time with Karori was the only time he was ever happy and enjoyed life. Thus, he will protect Karori with his life. Wire Jamen laughs.

Juuru cannot believe this is happening. Especially when Hatta is such a promising artist. Takamichi drills a hole in the Jamenju’s belly. Juuru calls on Duston and they try to suck Hatta out.

Hatta passes through a bright section where he sees all the things he cares about such as his drawings, manga and anime. He then thinks of his friendship with Karori and how they will be different after all this is over. He wanted things to stay the way they were where it was just the two of them together as friends.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

Hatta reaches out his hand to Karori, but he gets sucked out. Shiguru and Sayo, along with Helico and Jetter, catch Hatta while the others finish off the Jamenju with Zabyun’s help

Wire Jamen manages to hop off the Jamenju before it explodes. But Juuru jumps down and confronts the Jamenshi.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

Juuru is absolutely infuriated that Wire Jamen would take advantage of someone’s feelings like he did Hatta. Juuru summons Kiraful Go Arrow, uphenshins and prepares a Kiraful Charge finisher.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

Before Juuru can deliver it, Yodonna pops in to take the Kanaema Stone back and leaves Wire Jamen to his explosive demise.

Juuru runs over to where Sayo and Shiguru have safely taken Hatta who is crying. Juuru says he wants to thank him and gives him one of his colored pencils.

Some days later, Tametomo and Sena accompany Juuru as they head to Hatta’s home. But Juuru is shocked to find the lot where the home once stood completely empty.

On their way back to the coconut tree, Juuru notices Hatta’s art on a Shonen Dash poster and is very happy.

Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 40 Recap

Episode Thoughts

This was a fascinating episode. Just the look and feel of it was different. It immediately reminded me of Ryusoulger Episode 19. Both episodes had serious, dramatic direction for what were otherwise pretty silly stories. The Ryusoulger episode was filler, but one of the season’s best. This one could even be considered filler as well. (Even though there’s only FIVE episodes left after this!!) But it came across a little differently.

This episode really was so engaging and just weird and affecting and ominous. I don’t even know how to describe it.

The way they did the extreme close-ups were randomly funny at first, but very Hitchcock-like later on. Not just with the Kiramagers suspecting each other at the coconut tree, but Juuru peeking back inside Hatta’s room. It made Hatta seem like he was preying on Karori/Calorie for goodness sakes. That was definitely the vibe that came across. Like Hatta was some predator and Karori was his impending victim. The scene especially where Hatta asks Karori to continue being his friend after he wins. Hatta gives this creepy smile and the music emphasized that it was weird. Like, what was that?!

Though the episode certainly presented both Hatta and Karori as viable Wire Jamen options, the fact that Karori ended up being the real culprit makes the way they portrayed Hatta even more awkward.

When you think about, it’s a pretty dark story. Again, there’s an implication of suicidal thoughts when Hatta runs out to the bridge. Then you have Karori/Wire Jamen as some apparition that lures him to a magical place where he can be happy? Umm… wow?

Hatta being lonely and an outcast is certainly a valid story. And there’s a lot that can be done there, especially with the idea of kirakira being able to overcome darkness and despair. (A very common theme across both Sentai and Kamen Rider.) But I don’t know, it was a little weird here.

And then the way the episode ended. Hatta’s house was demolished? Huh? Was it all an illusion? Was there a time jump we weren’t alerted to? It was very odd.

Overall, the episode was a fascinatingly different outing for Kiramager. I enjoyed it. I think? I definitely didn’t hate it. (That’s reserved for two other episodes from this season lol) But it was really a very odd experience. One that I’m not really sure what to make of, to be honest.

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