Recap: Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger, Episode 3 – The Seriously Nununu Magician

While Magine is hoping with her crystal ball to find someone that she knows, Gaon has made a delicious breakfast for Kaito, Grandma Yacchan and Zyuran. Secchan alerts Kaito to his horoscope being broadcast saying he will be lucky today and will not slip up. Kaito thinks if he goes out looking for new teammates, he’ll surely find one.

Kaito and Zyuran get up to leave. But as soon as Kaito steps outside, he slips and falls on his butt. They are all shocked to find the world is frozen in ice.

Barashitara has accompanied Ice World as he wreaks havoc on the city thanks to the Ice Gear from Ijirude.

Kaito, Zyuran and Gaon try to battle them, but it is difficult when they can’t find their footing on the slippery ice.

The three of them eventually slip right into Magine. Turns out she and Zyuran-ojiichan know each other from Kikaitopia. He remarks how much she’s grown since he last saw her. Magine cries tears of joy by her wish having been granted.

They head back to the candy shop. Magine and Zyuran-ojiichan were neighbors since she was little. She is relieved to have run into him now after finding herself on this strange world.

Zyuran says Magine is a bashful, quiet little girl. Grandma Yacchan suggests she stay with them, especially if she will be more comfortable with Zyuran around. Kaito suggests she can join the Zenkaigers too.

Zyuran says that’s not going to happen. It’s far too dangerous for Magine. Secchan asks what she thinks and she agrees. She could not possibly do something so physical when all she does all day is read fortunes and daydream.

Kaito asks if she can read his fortune now.

Over at the palace, Boccowaus asks Barashitara what he thinks about the Tojiru Gears. Barashitara says even without them, he has enough power. Ijirude laughs since Barashitara slipped on the ice earlier.

The two of them start bickering and Boccowaus slams his fist to tell them to quit it.

Back in Tokyo, Magine uses her crystal ball to find that Ice World is at the Skytree. Kaito and the three Kikainoids sleigh their way over. The security guards recognize Kaito and tell him he cannot bungee here.

But Ice World is nowhere to be found. Magine checks again and they head to a bathhouse. As relaxing as it can be, Ice World is not there either.

Next location is a haunted house and no luck.

Magine tries again, but Gaon says this is enough of that. He thinks believing in fortunes is dumb and only went along with this because Kaito wanted to.

Magine snaps at Gaon and says he has no right to belittle someone’s hobbies. But when she realizes her raised voice, she slumps back and says it’s not the fortune telling, but the teller that’s the problem. She admits she’s no good at it.

Magine says she has never been right about anything. But Kaito asks if fortunes always have to be right. Even if they’re not, you can still have fun. If you’re wondering what to do next, you can look at your fortune and decide what direction to take from there.

Magine remembers back in their old neighborhood on Kikaitopia. She picked petals off a flower to decide whether or not she should join the other kids playing with Zyuran-ojiichan. And when the flower said she should, she mustered up the courage to approach Zyuran-ojiichan and ask if she could.

Zyuran and the other kids welcomed her. Magine realizes that taking the chance was the extra push she needed.

Grandma Yacchan calls Kaito to tell him that the ocean has begun to freeze. They hurry over.

Barashitara says this world is headed for another ice age. But Kaito has no idea what that means. Zyuran and Gaon try to figure out how to explain it to him.

Meanwhile, Magine hides inside. She wants to join Kaito-san’s team. But she is too afraid. She asks her crystal ball and it glows. She slides out into the open and says she will not let Barashitara ruin her opportunity to discover a new world.

Magine asks Kaito if she can officially join the team. Kaito says of course. He hands her a Geartlinger and Gear. She accidently shoots and they show her what to do.

Together, the four Zenkaigers henshin for the first time.

The Kudakks are able to easily move about on the ice. Secchan suggests Kaito use a ToQger Gear. The four of them link up and Shuppatsu Shinko across the ice. But Ice World hurls icicles at them.

Secchan suggests Magine use magic. She is able to add spikes to their shoes to allow them to safely move across the ice. She then uses a cup game to knock Ice World down. That allows the Kikaigers to deliver a Zenkai Finish Buster to finish off Ice World’s first life.

The Kikainoids hurry off the ice before it breaks. Kaito falls into the water.

Barashitara summons a Kudaitest and steps on the Ice Gear so it can morph into Great Ice World.

Zyuran and Gaon transform and Kaito combines them into Zenkai-Oh. They also have trouble maneuvering over the ice. Secchan tells Magine to also embiggen.

Magine transforms into Magine Dragon. And Kaito combines Magine and Zyuran to form Zenkai-Oh ZyuraMagine. That allows them to fly around and that gives them the advantage over Ice World.

With a weakened Ice World, Gaon is able to move better on the ice. Magine disconnects and Gaon recombines with Zyuran. All together, they are able to defeat Ice World for good.

Barashitara begrudgingly says the Zenkaigers have impressed him once again and he stomps back to the palace.

At the palace, Vroon is sweeping up when he sees another world has been liberated. He runs to Ijirude to report it.

At the shop, they officially welcome Magine to the team. Grandma Yacchan notices she is much happier now. She says it’s thanks to Kaito-san.

Kaito says there’s no need for the formality. They are all friends here.

Secchan asks Magine if she can find where their next teammate will come from. The crystal ball shows a pair of glasses and says they will come to them.

Episode Thoughts

I think I enjoyed this episode more than the 2nd. Gaon’s introduction was a little awkward with his prejudice against Kikainoids. lol So I quite liked Magine’s introduction a lot more. Especially with the nice flashback to her childhood and the fact that she considered Zyuran an ojiichan.

I felt a little emotional seeing those scenes. (Especially after having just watched the latest episode of Attack on Titan only a few hours before this. *cries*) Magine being shy is very relatable. And I would have loved to have seen more of that scene. Grampa Zyuran welcoming her to play with him and the other kids. And the other kids being very friendly to Magine.

Seeing their Kikaitopia neighborhood in that sepia hue definitely brought about a nostalgic feel. And I think it really helped to enhance the feelings of the scene and Magine’s backstory.

It’s a great message. Magine has found new friends and can hopefully become more open and be more confident in herself. Again, a very relatable situation. So that’s why I really enjoyed this episode more.

Elsewhere though, I was not a fan of the green screen scenes. It’s obviously COVID-related. A little like why Saber did those video game visuals at the start. I get why they might have to do it. But those scenes were just not that great to watch.

What was great to watch was the mecha battle. I loved that frozen set they used. And the CGI scenes in that part were great too (better than the earlier scenes).

Overall, a stronger episode than last week.