Recap: Avataro Sentai Donbrothers, Episode 9 – Worn Out Tarou and Robotaro

Downtown, a mysterious boy pops out of nowhere and plays an impromptu game of Red Light, Green Light with unsuspecting bystanders. When they move on Red Light, they all disappear. The little boy tells everyone to get their head in the game.

Remembering the events of last episode, Haruka admits that Tarou is pretty strong. But having some weaknesses can make someone more endearing.

Haruka is at the café reading Shin Hatsukoi Hero, the manga written by Shiina Naoki who accused her of being a plagiarist. She admits to herself that it’s pretty good.

Tarou comes in for a delivery, but he seems completely out of it. Haruka follows him as he stumbles out of the café. But they and the other Donbros are quickly transported downtown where the little boy is again playing the game and disappearing more people.

The little boy invites the Donbros to play as well.

Just then, Tarou makes his entrance, but it is a bit more slow and less lively and colorful. Haruka tells the others that he’s in a bit of a slump right now.

Tarou tries to slash at the little boy who has transformed into a Hitotsuki. But the boy easily blocks Tarou’s sword and has him fall to the ground. Tarou tells the others it’s time for a platform finisher. The little boy is excited to see the festival decorations pop up.

But Tarou is unable to deliver a Momotarozan. The little boy runs off to find more fun people to play with.

Haruka and Shinichi visit Papa Jin who says that a side effect of the great powers Tarou wields is him getting weak and sick every couple of years.

Shinichi momentarily thinks this provides him an opportunity to defeat a not-100% Tarou. But Haruka snaps him out of it. He feels embarrassed for even considering it.

Papa Jin gives Haruka a recipe for kibidango which he says can reinvigorate Tarou when he eats them. He also warns them that the Hitotsuki they are currently fighting has no true form. Before he can elaborate more, visiting hours are over.

Meanwhile an elderly man is in the hospital dreaming of the little boy being bullied by other kids even though he just wants to play with them as friends. This man (and the little boy) is Izawa Taichi, born in 1947.

Haruka and Shinichi bring the weak Tarou back to the café and figure out how they’ll be able to make the kibidango. And they’ll be needing 300 pieces in order for Tarou to get back to normal.

Coincidentally, the café actually has kibidango on the menu and Master Kaito has a fresh and ready batch of dough for them to simply roll up. Haruka tries to turn over the menu placards on the wall to see what other secret items there are, but Master Kaito stops her from doing so.

Haruka and Shinichi finish rolling the 300 kibidango and they feed them to Tarou.

On the other side of the city, Sonoza continues trying to learn more about laughter. But he merely scares everyone away, including Tsuyoshi who tries to keep his distance. Tsuyoshi ends up trying to help Sonoza appear less creepy so as not to get arrested.

Tsuyoshi tells Sonoza not to force a laugh. But if he wants to laugh so badly, Tsuyoshi decides to try and tickle him. That definitely does not work and Tsuyoshi excuses his intrusion into Sonoza’s personal space.

Sonoza says laughter is no good so he asks Tsuyoshi to teach him how to cry. He does a sample and that gives Tsuyoshi time to sneak away.

Sononi comes to fetch Sonoza so he can help figure out what the hell is wrong with Sonoi. He’s been frozen stiff in the virtual gallery seemingly staring at something only he can see.

What they don’t know is Sonoi watching the scene in a strange forest with strange slimy creatures clawing at everything.

Back at the café, Tarou has finished all 300 kibidango and he seems to be his old self. And just in time too as young Taichi again makes people disappear when they lose the game.

The Donbros gather, but Tsusaba and Tsuyoshi end up caught in Taichi’s game as well. Tarou suddenly grows weak once again. Haruka and Shinichi safely whisk Tarou away and they visit Papa Jin one more time.

After tasting their kibidango, Papa Jin says they are no good because they skipped the part about using a pestle and mallet to beat the dough before rolling them.

Haruka and Shinichi get back to the café to start pounding. But they notice Tarou has left. Master Kaito says Tarou said something about needing to make deliveries.

Tarou is still far too weak when he comes across young Taichi again forcing people to play with him. This time, they play tag and Taichi runs around disappearing people by tagging them.

Tarou tries to get three people to safety and he uses the virtual doors to help them all escape. The final door appears above where Haruka and Shinichi are. And unfortunately, Taichi is able to tag Shinichi as well, leaving only Tarou and Haruka.

Master Kaito arrives with the 300 kibidango he finished up for them. Haruka helps Tarou eat his fill with Master Kaito helping to keep track of the count.

Taichi appears and Master Kaito suddenly henshins to Zenkaizer Black. Haruka is absolutely shocked and confused. Master Kaito battles Taichi. None of Master Kaito’s attacks even touch Taichi who is having fun playing with him.

When Tarou finishes the kibidango, he henshins. But Master Kaito notices something wrong. “It can’t be!” Master Kaito says. Tarou says it absolutely can. Haruka has no idea what the hell is going on.

Before Master Kaito leaves to grab whatever it is that is important, he advises Tarou that the Hitotsuki has no body. Someone’s desire must have separated from their body and turned into this Hitotsuki on its own. Haruka remembers Papa Jin’s warning as well.

Master Kaito says normal attacks will not work on this one.

Taichi asks them to play Red Light, Green Light with him. He summons some Anoni to join in the fun.

Haruka explains how Red Light, Green Light works to Tarou. They battle the Anonis while also making sure to properly play the game and remain still when they need to.

Tarou finds a chance to run at Taichi. But he again becomes weak. He falls into Haruka’s arms and says there was a kibidango missing, meaning he only ate 299. But it’s okay because Haruka’s help is enough to make the count 300.

Tarou pats Haruka on the head before shoving her to the ground and regaining his energy.

Tarou uphenshins to Don Robotaro. He summons a tornado that makes the Anonis lose Red Light, Green Light and has them disappear. Taichi decides to make the game much harder by popping in and out. But Tarou Robotaro is able to tag Taichi at the right time and slash at the Hitotsuki.

Young Taichi, as a ghost, thanks Tarou for the fun times and he disappears. Taichi’s spirit returns to his body in the hospital and the nurses notice he is now smiling and happy in his sleep.

Master Kaito arrives with the 300th kibidango. But the purified Go-Busters Gear falls onto the plate as all the disappeared people return.

Meanwhile, Sonoza and Sononi are still flabbergasted at whatever is going on with Sonoi.

Suddenly, Sonoi pops out of his stupor and watches a scene where a tour bus of people (which includes Detective Sayama from the other week) heading to the hot springs drives through a tunnel. When it comes out of the other side, the bus is now completely empty. And without a driver, it crashes into the side of the mountain. The strange slime oozes all over.

Sonoi is absolutely terrified.

“The Juto are coming!” he says.

Episode Thoughts

What in the Squid Game?! lol just kidding.

But what I am serious about is how wonderful it is to have Donbrothers exist and be fun and refreshing while Revice continues its apparent downward spiral.

Really, the Donbros have been fun to watch. I’m certainly just as confused as Haruka was about what the hell is even going on. But at least I’m enjoying everything and all the characters are interesting enough so far.

The show continues with keeping the Donbros separate and going about their own business. Which again, I feel is a nice twist on the usual template.

The scene with Sonoza and Tsuyoshi was funny. But it also kind of tempers the Noto3. Like, when Sonoza was first introduced, he came across as a threatening and intimidating character. But it’s very interesting to see him seemingly being sincere in wanting to learn more about humans. He’s not going around attacking people. (And really, they’ve established that they don’t actually do that. They only attack and take care of Hitotsuki-afflicted people anyway.)

Now with the tease of the Juto, the possibility of different antagonists and different levels of antagonism adds another dimension to the season.

Very interesting new detail about Hitotsukis. Taichi’s desire to have fun with friends was different from the more disruptive and negative desires of the earlier Hitotsukis. So we now know that Hitotsukis can also emerge from simple, harmless desires as well. That adds more possibilities for story as well.

It’s also fun seeing the show fold in different aspects of the legend of Momotaro into the story. And it’s still very interesting and fun to watch even for someone like me who doesn’t really know much about it.

Seeing Master Kaito’s first henshin is also another intriguing moment for our mysterious café owner. But it did come a bit sudden, just as Robotaro’s debut was too.

Anyway, the episode was fun. And I think airing side-by-side with Revice has me looking at Donbrothers a bit more favorably than I otherwise might be.

Non-CGI Donbro of the Week

None! =(