Recap: Avataro Sentai Donbrothers, Episode 33 – The Wasshoi Bird

Haruka meets with Shinichi and Tsuyoshi at Donbura to tell them about Tarou’s co-workers at Shirokuma being worried that he hasn’t shown up to work. Shinichi wonders if Sonoi might have something to do with this. Haruka and Tsuyoshi know Sonoi could never defeat Tarou. But Shinichi says this resurrected Sonoi is different, especially in that he acts a lot like Tarou. That has got to mean something. Haruka wants to stay hopeful and believe in Tarou for now.

Meanwhile at the art gallery, Sonoi informs Sononi and Sonoza that Tarou is dead. They take issue with Sonoi suddenly calling them his otomotachi and think he is acting weird since his return. Sonoi tells them to watch their mouths and decides to show them who’s boss.

Sonoi henshins and slashes at Sononi and Sonoza, sending them out into the real-world mountains. He attacks them to assert himself as someone they must bow down to. Sononi and Sonoza, forced to dehenshin, have no choice but to kneel and pledge loyalty to him. As they do that, Murasame flies out of Sonoza’s hands.

Under the bridge, abunaiJirou lays Tarou down and checks to see that he has a very faint pulse. abunaiJirou rips off a piece of his clothing to soak in the creek and place on Tarou’s head. He says he doesn’t know how he’d go on living if Tarou died.

Murasame arrives and Mother tells him to finish Tarou off. abunaiJirou will not allow that and they battle. abunaiJirou is too powerful and Mother tells Murasame to pull back.

While the other four Donbros are going about their business for the day, Sonoi contacts them through their glasses asking to meet and have a chat. Tsubasa doesn’t have time for any of this as he’s following Natsumiho down her daily path to work.

Seeing Miho go into a salon, Tsubasa is reminded of how Natsumi would cut his hair. He sits down for a fresh cut from Miho and Tsubasa is sure that she actually is Natsumi.

abunaiJirou brings Tarou to Donbura and asks Master Kaito to help him. Kaito tells abunaiJirou to bring Tarou to the operating room. Though abunaiJirou is surprised, Kaito says Donbura has everything.

Master Kaito walks into the OR now dressed in scrubs and assures abunaiJirou that he can do anything. Kaito henshins and is about to begin the surgery. But Haruka, Shinichi and Tsuyoshi arrive at the café and he decides to go out to meet them.

They think Kaito’s surgeon look is an amusing joke. But he tells them they should close for today. The three say that they are actually meeting the Noto here though.

Just then, the Noto3 walk in and they all take a seat at the table while Kaito takes their orders: coffee (Sonoza), chocolate parfait (Haruka), tokoroten (Tsuyoshi), green tea (Shinichi), iced tea (Sononi) and kibidango (Sonoi).

As the guests enjoy their treats, Kaito heads back into the OR to begin the surgery.

Sonoi tells Haruka, Shinichi and Tsuyoshi that Tarou is dead and they will instead become his otomotachi. They refuse to believe Tarou would ever be defeated.

Sonoi says to believe it. He stuffs a kibidango into his mouth and begins to choke on it. Master Kaito has to leave in the middle of Tarou’s surgery to head out into the café and knock the dumpling loose.

Before Kaito goes back into the OR, Haruka asks him if he thinks Tarou is still alive. Kaito says he is, for now. Sonoi asks who Tarou is anyway for them to believe him. Haruka answers that Tarou is a trustworthy man of mystery.

Sonoza whispers to Haruka, asking if she’s been working on her manga. Haruka thought he wouldn’t recognize her. But she tells him she’s still in a slump. Sonoza encourages her and says once she can overcome her slump, she’ll be able to see considerable growth. Haruka thanks him and promises to work hard.

Even if Tarou were dead, Shinichi asks why they would ever join the Noto. Sonoi says they have a special power that he can mold and train into perfect otomotachis.

Shinichi asks what that power actually is. Sonoi says he doesn’t have to answer their questions. But he decides to make it a little fun instead. Sonoi likes Tsuyoshi’s idea for a peanut game. Sonoi tosses a peanut and they must catch it in their mouth.

Shinichi accepts. Sonoi throws a single peanut like a baseball and it flies all across the room. Shinichi henshins in order to be able to catch it right between his monkey lips.

Sonoi makes good on his promise and explains that the Donbros’ powers were created by the former royal family, the Don Clan. Those powers must have been activated with Tarou’s awakening.

Moving on to the next game so they can answer more questions, Tsuyoshi suggests they see who can stay silent the longest. If you talk, you lose. Sonoi likes it and they immediately begin.

Unfortunately for Haruka, she sneezes and excuses herself. She is the first one to get “Noto” written on her forehead by Sonoi. The next round begins and Shinichi loses when he says he’s over this game already.

Back in the OR, Kaito has completed Tarou’s surgery and says it is now up to him to wake-up. However, Tarou does not have the energy he needs.

The silent game is going on too long so Sonoi decides to just end it. He informs the others by writing on a notepad he borrows from Kaito. Everyone is relieved. But Kaito has his own game for them to play: an eating game.

Kaito serves them curry, noodles and fried rice. While they are all stuffing their faces, Kaito henshins and uses his Geartlinger to milk some energy from all six of the NotoBros. He takes the six glasses back inside to the OR, places a funnel into Tarou’s mouth and pours the liquid energy in.

Back outside, Tsuyoshi is the first to give up and thus loses the game, making him also an otomotachi. Sonoza and Sononi want to make clear, however, that the three Donbros are only backups and the two of them are still the leads.

Shinichi refuses that inequality, so Sonoi decides to test them. If they can overcome their Hitotsuki, they’ll be equals. Sonoi draws out their greeds. Shinichi wants more enlightenment. Haruka wants another hit manga. And Tsuyoshi wants more Miho-chan.

The three of them become Hitotsukis. But Haruka and Shinichi easily regain control of their bodies when a good as new Tarou walks in. Sonoi is shocked, but Tarou says he is immortal like a phoenix who rises from the ashes.

Tsuyoshi is unable to overcome his Hitotsuki and runs through a virtual door looking for Miho-chan. The other Donbros have to battle him in order to bring him back to normal. Tsuyoshi current Hitotsuki is a bit more powerful.

But Tarou says not to worry. Their energy has given him a new power. Tarou whistles and calls in the Omikoshi Phoenix. He locks it into his Donblaster and uses it to uphenshin to GolDon Momotaro.

GolDon Tarou is able to take care of just arrived Anonis before defeating the Hitotsuki and freeing Tsuyoshi with a peachy finisher.

Back at the café, Tsuyoshi gets on his knees to beg for forgiveness from Tarou. Meanwhile, Haruka and Shinichi are desperately trying to wipe off the permanent marker “Noto” from each other’s foreheads. Tarou says it’s good so they’ll be able to learn from this experience.

Episode Thoughts

Okay! The random games the NotoBros played. Kaito’s oversized, plastic, LED surgical instruments. Milking the others for liquid energy Kaito eventually pours into Tarou’s mouth. This is the kind of random nonsense that made me fall in love with the Donbros. Lol

On a serious note, I think the main thing to take from this episode and as the title suggests, it was all about how Tarou may not be as invincible as we have believed. At least, not without his otomotachi. Tarou is less powerful without his other Bros with him. And I guess by Bros, that includes the Noto3. He’s the start, but Tarou still needs his bros.

But apparently not Tsubasa! My only complaint about this episode is probably how it shows once again how annoying it is the longer they drag out Tsubasa’s identity reveal. It would have been even more fun and amusing had Tsubasa (and Jirou too!) partook (partakened? lol) in the shenanigans.

That team bond and all the hilarious, inspiring, dramatic moments that come from that dynamic is one of the hallmarks of Sentai. That’s why I’ve been anxiously awaiting when the Donbros are finally one team. And why I have such high expectations for that payoff.

The preview teased something happening with Natsumiho next week. But I’ve been burned by Tsubasa/Natsumiho/Tsuyoshi teases before. So I won’t expect anything. Lol

Back to Tarou, it’s interesting that both times Tarou died, Jirou has basically been the one who initially “saves” him or at least brings him to someplace where he can be helped. Regular Jirou the first time and now abunaiJirou this time. abunaiJirou also pulling a Sonoi too with not being able to go on living without his dear Tarou. Very interesting. Especially since we didn’t see regular Jirou at all this episode. The idea that Jirou, or at least abunaiJirou, only exists in order to challenge Tarou is an interesting point. Especially as it relates to the Don fam and whatever the deal is with them. And what to make of Shinichi bringing up the point of Sonoi being Tarou-fied after his resurrection.

Lots of especially interesting things! Especially. Quite different from last week lol

I still have no idea what’s going on. But this episode is like most episodes this season for me. There was enough hilarious nonsense to make up for the lack of actual plot movement. Or plot in general. lol Just being able to cheerfully enjoy the episode and pick out pieces of actual story is what drew me into Donbrothers so quickly. So I was much more satisfied by this episode than last.