Recap: Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger, Episode 18 – Life is Short, Fall in Love Zenkai!

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

On the way home, Kaito runs into his middle-school friend Karen. He introduces her to Zyuran and Vroom before she heads over to the library. Zyuran asks Kaito if he ever had a “thing” for Karen, but he says no. Vroom asks what they’re talking about. And when they explain that it is “love,” Vroom says he has yet to learn about that yet.

Renai World pops in and offers to teach them all about it. He shoots an Aishi Arrow into the sky and they henshin to take the Tojitendo on.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

When Magine and Gaon arrive, Renai World tosses Zyuran at Gaon and they suddenly have a heart pounding moment. Gaon tries to understand his feelings. Zyuran hugs Gaon from behind and asks “Am I not good enough for you?”

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

Zox arrives and prepares to henshin. But after hearing his singing, a young woman with heart eyes jumps on him and asks him to sing her song. He licks his lips and obliges.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

Renai World explains that love makes people disregard everything else. He tosses Kaito, Vroom and Magine a rose and leaves.

All over the city, people begin falling in love with each other.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

The Zenkaigers head back to Colorful. While Gaon fawns over Zyuran’s ball, Flint can’t believe she has witnessed her cool big bro being a simp. When Magine offers her some candy to cheer up, the two of them fall in love with each other.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

Having seen Vroom’s face in the library, Karen comes running to shop and the two of them also fall in love.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

Kaito tries to hide his eyes so as not to fall in love with anyone. But Grandma Yacchan comes out of the kitchen with a new sundae she’s made and they absolutely play up the implication that something incestuous is about to happen. But Kaito ends up falling in love with the ice cream. Thankfully.

Renai World enacts the next phase of his plan by ruining every new couple with jealousy and rude behavior.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

The couples at the shop begin fighting while Kaito forcibly makes out with his melted ice cream. Meanwhile, Stacey creeps at his maybe or maybe not mom through the door.

By the ocean, Karen keeps talking about Kaito which makes Vroom doubt her love for him. When he expresses as much, Karen shoves Vroom into the ocean waters. He gets up and runs down the beach, crying. But Secchan calls to say he’s found the Tojitendo.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

The others, who are miserable with their failed romances, shuffle out of the shop. Grandma Yacchan has no idea what the hell is going on.

But she is happy to see Satoshi literally pop up out of nowhere behind her. He says he’s here for a snack.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

The Zenkaigers use their heartbreak to power their attacks against Renai World. After Vroom delivers a blow to Renai World during a wedding illusion, Kaito and Zox team up to finish off his first life.

Everyone is back to normal, but Renai World embiggens. The Zenkaigers hop into their mecha and Renai World again shoots his arrows at them, making them fall in love with him. But when they refuse to be a side chick, they destroy Dai Renai World for good.

Later, Karen apologizes to Kaito and the others for causing trouble. Vroom might have had real feelings for Karen and has learned an important lesson about love today.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

Back at the shop, Satoshi thanks Grandma Yacchan for the delicious ice cream. He is about to pay, but Grandma Yacchan says it’s on Kaito.

She heads into the kitchen and Stacey sees a photo of the Goshikida family, reacting specifically at the image of Papa and Mama Goshikida.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Episode 18 Recap

Episode Thoughts

Toei playing with fire with this one. lol

Honestly, most of the episode was just fanservice to a very specific segment of the toku fandom. Though the portrayal of some of the couples only as the butt of a joke isn’t really the most appealing thing.

Anyway, the main thing to come out of all that is seeing Vroom excited to learn more about human emotions. This would’ve been a nice Vroom focus if they actually made it one. But the little character moments from Vroom (only) were good and they got the point across, even if in a very haphazard and suspicious way.

The biggest development from the episode though is getting more interaction between Stacey and his mom… er, Grandma Yacchan. The final scene kind of fuels the idea that he really is her son. Which would mean he’s Kaito’s father as well. And because they specifically feed into that idea with this scene, I’ll guess that Stacey is not actually her son. At least, in this timeline.

I’m still going with the parallel world versions theory. There’s a whole other Goshikida Family in another world somewhere. Why have a season of different worlds and not do a story about parallel worlds/alternate universes in it? Right?

Obviously, Grandma Yacchan would recognize a younger version of her son. So that would mean Stacey is not in his original body. Which I don’t think would be the case. That would be kind of a cop out. Unless they have their memories erased or something, which would also be a lazy twist.

But anyways, I don’t really know what to think about this episode. I feel the same way after watching most episodes of Kamen Rider Saber. “What the hell just happened?”

6 thoughts on “Recap: Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger, Episode 18 – Life is Short, Fall in Love Zenkai!

  1. This eps. was Crack seriously! Plus, I thought it was interesting how Senchan said it was a kids show when Flint and Magine fell in love. Hm.

    And I can’t lie. AS a gay man, having two male characters fall in love as a joke made me annoyed but since this whole eps. was a joke, I tried not to get to annoyed.

    And Vroom discovers the pitfalls of falling in love.

    And the situation with Stacey continues to grow more interesting.

    1. I didn’t really care for the rest of the episode. Kind of a mess. But it was a nice character moment for Vroom and Stacey/Grandma Yacchan mystery continues to be intriguing.

  2. Full on Jetman ending homage with the wedding illusion, with the monster in Black Condor’s place.

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