Recap: Avataro Sentai Donbrothers, Episode 4 – Onigiri Oni

Tarou joyfully kicks the other Donbros back through the portals. Haruka does not understand what the hell is going on. She heads over to Shirokuma, but they are closed because of the light thief. She decides to put her glasses on to ask Jin, the mysterious man in the virtual prison. A door opens in the sky and she hops through.

Meanwhile, Tarou is accepted for a temp position at Pheasant Consultant, the firm where Tsuyoshi works. Tsuyoshi recognizes him as the deliveryman from the other day and his boss assigns them both to a local onigiri shop that has been struggling since it opened.

They meet with Muzuno-san, the owner. Tarou wastes no time and asks to immediately taste the goods.

Over at the virtual cell, Haruka asks Papa Jin what Tarou’s deal is. He begins to tell her about Tarou’s childhood. He had always been good at everything and wanted to make people happy by helping them out. But people became annoyed by the way he would correct them and actually protested to kick him out of their apartment complex.

Tarou mistakenly thought they were cheering him, never thinking the people would actually hate him. When the people themselves left, Tarou realized that he had gone too far.

Haruka is a bit taken aback by the unexpectedly sad flashback, but she masks it by asking if Tarou’s problem is that he’s just oblivious.

Papa Jin says visiting hours are over for today and spits her back out to the real world.

Back at the shop, Tarou and Tsuyoshi give Mizuno’s onigiri a try and it’s pretty good. But Tarou says he only gives it 80 points and suggests Mizuno go around to try other onigiris to compare. Mizuno quickly leaves to get started and Tarou tells the two seemingly lazy staff members they will be training in the meantime.

Later that evening, Tsubasa is being chased by two goons who turn out to be Anonis trying to extort money from him. Tsubasa henshins and quickly takes care of them. But a police officer sees him and chases after him. Tsubasa escapes through a door portal.

Next day, Tarou teaches the onigiri staff how to clean the floors with a rag. To help them with their flexibility, Tarou stretches them out outside. The next lesson is how to say thank you to customers from their stomachs and he takes them outside once more to have them do sit-ups.

Tsuyoshi says instead of just telling them what to do, he should offer some words of encouragement and praise, even if he doesn’t mean it. Tarou does not understand the purpose of lying. If something isn’t good, then it isn’t good. Simple as that.

Tsuyoshi takes his coat off and joins them in the sit-ups as well. That evening, Miho helps with patches on Tsuyoshi’s sore back. He wants to ask her a favor and she says of course.

Next day, Haruka runs into Shinichi and they realize they are both Donbros when both henshin to save a mother and daughter from getting hit by a motorcycle. They head to the café to sort out what they know so far about Tarou.

They wonder why Tarou would attack them and Shinichi supposes Tarou might just be training them since they are new to fighting. He suggests that they work together to fight and beat Tarou the next time they gather.

Haruka is about to ask Boss Kaito for the day off, but he says okay even before she has the chance.

At the onigiri shop, Tsuyoshi is cleaning the floor with a rag. The staff asks why he’s working so hard and Tsuyoshi says he wants to change. No matter what he’s done, things rarely worked out for him. So he would like to change for the better. The two onigiri staff are moved by Tsuyoshi’s determination and decide to get to work as well.

Mizuno is continuing to give various onigiri a try and begins to get greedy for more, not knowing a Hitotsuki is hovering around him.

At the shop, Tsuyoshi says it’s time for lunch and excuses himself for a moment. The two staff members say Tsuyoshi is a very nice guy, unlike Tarou who is a pain and so full of himself since he can do anything. Tarou overhears them as Tsuyoshi brings in the delicious food he asked Miho to make last night.

The onigiri staff enthusiastically thank Tsuyoshi. Tarou comes in and says that is exactly how sincere appreciation sounds like.

Mizuno stumbles into the shop and says he has the secret to making the best onigiri. He has Tarou try his new recipe and Tarou gives it a 99, declaring it the second best onigiri in Japan.

Mizuno is not pleased and asks what he is still lacking. Tarou takes over and makes his own onigiri for Mizuno to taste. Mizuno gives it a try and says it is incredible, like it came from the heavens.

Tarou recalls Mizuno telling them about growing up eating his grandmother’s onigiri. Tarou says for him, he grew up making onigiri for someone else. He remembers always making onigiri for Papa Jin every morning before he left for work.

Tarou says there is a difference between serving others and being served. Suddenly, Mizuno begins to rampage and runs out. The Hitotsuki takes over his body and begins stuffing people’s mouths with onigiri.

Tsuyoshi henshins and takes on Anonis.

While training on the other side of town, the Donblasters appear in front of Haruka and Shinichi, signaling their presence is needed at the scene. They henshin and hurry over, arriving at the same time as Tsubasa. The four Donbros use Lupin and Ryusoulger Gears to uphenshin.

The Noto3 are watching from a rooftop commenting how Hitotsukis return to being human once defeated by the Donbros. But they are tasked with eliminating those overcome by greed. So Sonoza decides to transform and hop down.

Sonoza forces the Donbros out of their uphenshin before turning his attention to the Hitotsuki. Thankfully, Don ToQ Momotaro speeds in to help as Tarou arrives with his usual fanfare.

Tarou fights Sonoza off before finishing off the Anonis. The Donbros help Tarou with the platform finisher and Mizuno is back to normal.

The purified Ohranger Gear drops down in front of Kaito at the café.

Haruka and Shinichi charge at Tarou, but Tarou has no problem repelling them and shoots at them instead.

Mizuno’s onigiri shop is now bustling with customers. He thanks Tsuyoshi who is enjoying some onigiri himself. But he asks where Tarou is. Tsuyoshi says Tarou has not shown up at the office since that day.

Episode Thoughts

Ugh! The CGI is just horr….

Just kidding. Lol. Another great episode. Of course the main event was Papa Momoi’s storytime about Tarou’s childhood.

What an interesting backstory for Tarou. I kinda wish it was less expository as it seems like it could be a very emotional story to tell in a different way. The parallel of him thinking the people were cheering for him when he was a kid and the fanfare for his post-henshin entrances is interesting.

Of course, we don’t yet know where Tarou and his peach came from. Or what his destiny might be. So getting that glimpse of him as a child and wanting to help and maybe even looking for validation or something is a very interesting story. Not to mention his thoughts on honesty. We’ll see where all that goes as we get to know him more. I am enjoying the mystery with his character so far.

Funny for Haruka to call Tarou oblivious though when she was oblivious the first three episodes. Lol

I also like that even if Tarou’s backstory was the main event of the episode, we still got some insight into the others as well. Especially Tsuyoshi and his relationship with Miho as well as how he sees himself.

We’re still in the foundation laying stage of the season and that continues next week with Tsubasa’s focus. Again, the slowburn is a refreshing change and I am enjoying it.