Miho is helping Tsuyoshi prepare for a big sales meeting today by giving him a fresh haircut. He is very thankful for her care and encouragement and she says he is sure to do well today.
At the café, Haruka notices a strange man and thinks he’s drawing her without her permission. She asks Master Kaito if she can tell him off and he says to go ahead. Haruka approaches the man and much to her surprise, the man is actually drawing Kaito and not her.
The man rips the drawing up and says he needs to find his muse. Haruka offers herself up to be his model, but he pays for his coffee, gets up and leaves.
On the other side of town, Shinichi helps a little boy retrieve a balloon that is stuck in a tree. But the little boy doesn’t actually want it back, he wants to let it fly up into the sky. Shinichi takes this as inspiration for a haiku.
A balloon set free
By a young boy who now seems
Too mature for it
Meanwhile, Sononi is on another speed date to learn more about love. But she quickly gets bored with him and leaves. He chases after her, telling her to stop playing hard to get. He grabs her wrist so he can take her for a ride. But Tsubasa grabs his arm instead and tells him to beat it.
Sononi has a seat with Tsubasa and asks him about love as well. He asks for a Thank you first and she obliges. Tsubasa thinks she seems very familiar.
Also at this outdoor café is Tsuyoshi who remembers Tsubasa as the fugitive from what has so far been the best episode of Donbros. Anyway, Tsubasa tells Sononi that she has to be in love to understand it. And since he already has someone like that, he’s not interested in Sononi or any other woman.
As Tsubasa gets up and leaves, he thinks he sees Natsumi walking nearby. But he is mistaken.
Nearby, Tarou catches three goons trying to break into his delivery van. Sonoi appears and both he and Tarou easily shoo them away. They each compliment each other on their apparent skills. But Tarou says he does not hit people. He explains that he delivers packages and joy.
Sonoi excuses himself and says they are sure to meet again.
Tsuyoshi approaches Tsubasa and apologizes for having doubted his sincerity about being innocent. He believes Tsubasa because he understands that he has someone he truly cares about. They are both the same in that regard.
Tsuyoshi and Tsubasa begin bragging about the wonderful qualities they love about their loves. They both met their loves in this very neighborhood. They both shared noodles at the same restaurant. And they both proposed to their love at the same steps. Though the two of them do not specifically describe those memories to each other, they both appreciate that their women have similar qualities.
Tsuyoshi invites Tsubasa to enjoy a homecooked meal by Miho at home. He happily accepts the invitation.
At the apartment, Tsuyoshi tells Tsubasa about him and Miho having been married for four months. He asks if Tsubasa wants to see their wedding photo, but Tsubasa says it’s alright since they’ll meet face to face anyway.
Unfortunately, Miho has been captured by the Hitotsuki-influenced artist who believes she is the muse he has been looking for.
After a while, Tsuyoshi apologizes to Tsubasa and says he will go out and look for Miho who should’ve been home already. Tsubasa says it’s alright since he should’ve known better than to accept an invitation into the home of someone he barely knows anyway.
Miho is able to outsmart the artist by offering to give him a haircut in order to have a clean look once he gets famous for his work. Able to tie the artist’s hands with his own hair, she manages to escape and runs into Tsuyoshi outside.
Miho collapses as Tsuyoshi comes face to face with the artist who has now fully turned into a Hitotsuki. Tsuyoshi quicky henshins.
On the other side of town, Tarou and Sonoi again run into each other when they both run into a burning building to save people who have been trapped. They are an unexpectedly good team as they work together to get the people to safety.
As the sun rises, Tarou and Sonoi again compliment each other on their good work. Sonoi says that human life is more precious than anything, but only without an excess in greed ruining it. He believes that will lead to the end of the world. Tarou doesn’t disagree.
The two go their separate ways.
Tsuyoshi is fighting of Anoni as Tsubasa, Haruka and Sinichi are teleported to the scene. Sonoi also arrives, as does Tarou with complete fanfare.
Sonoi and Tarou battle. Tarou uses Zyuohger, ToQger, Patranger and Lupinranger Gears. He goes Minitarou and is able to drive Sonoi away. Sonoi thinks to himself that it’d be a waste to dispose of Tarou’s great power.
Tarou prepares to deliver a peach finisher at the Hitotsuki, but Tsuyoshi knocks Tarou out of the way. The attack swerves into the sky. That leaves an opening for Sonoi to deliver the finishing blow instead. That means the man inside the Hitotsuki is gone. The other Donbros are shocked.
Master Kaito is taken aback when the purified Kiramger Gear drops down on the café counter.
Back home, Tsuyoshi cooks Miho a delicious omelet for breakfast. He thinks to himself that the world is a better place now without that creep roaming about. He vows to protect Miho, no matter what it takes or what he has to do against someone.
Episode Thoughts
I quite enjoy how the season so far is like some serialized drama series or something. Everyone has their own thing. And since the team hasn’t actually come together yet, each Donbro having their own space and story without any relation to their teammates is refreshing and different. That’s also what makes the interactions they do have all the more interesting too. Like in this episode with Tsuyoshi and Tsubasa.
Tsuyoshi and Tsubasa are being prepped for a battle for this strange, mysterious woman. I like that there is some kind of mystery with Miho/Natsumi. I actually hope there’s some kind of big twist there and not some lame explanation.
I didn’t catch it on first watch. But in recapping the episode, I realized Tsuyoshi knocked Tarou out of the way so that Sonoi would deliver the final blow, knowing that it would be a far more decisive end to the man who attacked his beloved Miho.
Tsuyoshi was definitely a bit scary at the end there. They definitely made a point to do that almost sinister close-up as the final shot of the episode. Vowing to go against anyone who hurts his wife. That was an ominous warning upon first watch, but takes an even more striking feeling when I realized what he did to the artist. Also considering how Tsuyoshi lacks confidence, the fact that he would be sure and resolved that he would go so far as to kill anyone who’d hurt Miho is a big contrast. But even more so, sets up the potential face off with Tsubasa. Though again, it all comes down to who or what Miho/Natsume even is.
Of course, you’ll do anything to protect your loved one. But with all the details that we know so far, it’s very unpredictable where things might go from here.
Just as surprising is the emerging camaraderie between Tarou and Sonoi that is very interesting. And it also adds another layer to the Noto3. Are they actually bad? Are they actually good? Are they something in between? Are they none of the above? Who knows!
Another thing about that is how they pointed out Tarou being almost a completely different person when henshined. I wonder if there is something to that detail as well. And of course, they’ve been slowly developing his story from his childhood up to now. And how his sad experience as a child has shaped who he is today. Which is a contrast to how he is when he is Don Momotaro.
Overall, one of the stronger and more enjoyable episodes this season so far. Some interesting new character developments for Tsuyoshi, Tsubasa and Tarou as well as Sonoi. And we still got fun scenes with Haruka and Shinichi too.
Non-CGI Donbro of the Week
It’s nice to get at least 1/3 of a physical Kiji Brother in battle. I guess it would be a bit harder to do the same for Inu Brother =(
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Interesting episode. But seriously, Totaro is so fine!
Haha, yes.