Recap: Avataro Sentai Donbrothers, Episode 45 – Kakamura Gagamura

Master Kaito treats the Donbros to a special meal to celebrate them finally coming together forreals. The Donbros are happy to finally know Inu Brother’s true identity. But Jirou reminds them that he already told them Tsubasa was Inu Brother.

While the others begin eating, Tsubasa is busy reading Shiina Naoki’s manga manuscript. Tarou wonders what she meant with her parting message about the contents of her manga.

Anyway, Jirou says he is excited to be heading to his hometown of Kakamura tomorrow with Tarou. When Tsubasa hears the name of the town, he asks if he can come with. Jirou says sure.

Just then, an angry Tsuyoshi storms into Donbura to yell at Tsubasa. Tsuyoshi says he will not accept Tsubasa in the team. He believes Tsubasa is to blame for Miho-chan leaving him once again. Tsubasa tries to insist that his Miho-chan is actually a Juuto. Tarou steps in to vouch for the fact. But Tsuyoshi refuses to believe it.

Tsuyoshi screams that he hates them all and runs out.

That night, Tarou stumbles upon Natsumiho battling a bunch of cat Juutos. Tarou henshins and helps to drive them away. Natsumiho says the cats must not like her.

Tarou asks Natsumiho why she is toying with two men’s hearts like this. “What are you gonna do about it?” Natsumiho laughs. Tarou says he will put an end to Juuto playing in human skin.

Before she leaves, Natsumiho leaves him with a riddle: The moon is not just in the sky.

Next day, an excited Jirou is on the bus with Tarou and Tsubasa on their way to Kakamura. Jirou explains to Tsubasa that Terasaki-san is his foster father and Rumi-chan is his girlfriend who is way cuter than Miho or Natsumi.

Tarou asks why Tsubasa is so into Shiina Naoki’s manga. Tsubasa says the story is about demons who pretend to be human and live in a forest called Gagamura. That’s why when Tsubasa heard the name of Jirou’s hometown, he believed there must be a connection. In Shiina Naoki’s manuscript, the gateway to the forest is a local refrigerator.

Meanwhile back in the city, the Noto3 get on an elevator and contemplate what is next for them now that they have gained human emotions. Sonoi says they have succumbed to humanity and that he can now feel the sentiments of the Don Clan.

Sononi says she would like them to join the Donbrothers. Especially since that will allow her to stay by Tsubasa’s side. Sonoza would like to continue helping Haruka become the best manga artist ever.

Sonoi reminds them that they have struck down countless humans and that is not something easily forgiven. Sonoza remembers the rumors of a Ring of Forgiveness. Sononi remembers that it is supposed to be hidden in the Juuto Forest. But Sonoi says going after it would be such a disgrace to the Noto peoples.

Back in Kakamura, Tarou comments on it seeming like a completely abandoned and desolate place. He also begins sensing things lurking about as they arrive at the police station and Jirou’s home.

Terasaki-san does not seem to be anywhere around so Jirou leaves to go look for him.

Tarou and Tsubasa head into the kitchen and see a fridge. They wonder if it is the portal to the Juuto forest from Shiina Naoki’s manuscript. Tsubasa removes all the food from inside the refrigerator, but there’s nothing inside. Tarou starts messing with Tsubasa but shoving his head into the fridge and then convincing him to henshin into Inu Brother so he can stuff him inside.

Tsubasa grabs Tarou by the collar just as Terasaki-san arrives home.

Back in Tokyo, Notos Sonoroku and Sonogo approach Sonoza and Sononi, respectively, ready to set them straight in their Noto ways.

Over in Kakamura, Terasaki-san serves Tarou and Tsubasa some homemade soup with vegetables from the area. The guys think it is absolutely delicious. But Tarou spots a penguin origami on the cabinet. He asks if Terasaki is a Juuto.

Terasaki realizes Tarou is of the Don Clan and says that he is as well. He gets up to lay on his stomach and asks for a backrub. Tarou straddles his back and starts the massage. Terasaki asks Tsubasa to massage his feet and Tarou orders him to do so. Tsubasa refuses to be ordered around so Tarou asks nicely instead.

Tsubasa gets up to massage Terasaki’s feet as he explains why he became a Juuto. Terasaki-san says he wanted to be unkillable. His responsibility has always been to guard the portal to the forest in order to keep Juuto in and humans out.

Tsubasa stops massaging when Terasaki orders him to go harder. But Tarou tells him to not to stop as Terasaki won’t talk unless Tsubasa keeps going. Tsubasa uses his feet this time and Terasaki continues.

Terasaki says Jirou is his successor as gatekeeper as his body that is trapped in the Juuto Forest is withering away. He’s been there for a hundred years. And when the real body sleeping in the forest dies, so does the Juuto copy.

Tsubasa demands to know where the gate is and decides to go out and look for it himself.

Tarou catches up to Tsubasa and asks what he will do once he saves Natsumi. Tsubasa is resolved to used Murasame to kill all the Juuto. Tarou says the Juuto will just be trapped in the forest and demands he hand Murasame over.

Tsubasa says he remembers how much he hated Tarou when they first met. The two of them henshin and face off, but pause when they hear a Don Doragoku announcement nearby.

Jirou is having lunch with Rumi and his friends. But when Tarou and Tsubasa peek through the window, they see Jirou is eating alone and talking to himself. Suddenly, they see a penguin origami floating over to Jirou’s mouth.

The invisible Rumi is about to feed the penguin origami to Jirou, but Tarou grabs it just in time.

Terasaki-san pops into the restaurant and refuses to allow them to foil his plans. Tarou says he will become Teraski’s successor instead. On behalf of the Don Clan, Tarou says, he will take responsibility for creating the Juuto. Tarou stuffs the penguin into his mouth.

Back in Tokyo, Tsuyoshi’s desperate desire to find Miho-chan has him engulfed by a Hitotsuki again. Haruka and Shinichi are the only Donbros left in the city. But Tsuyoshi suddenly embiggens. Without the others, they cannot form Don Onitaijin. Sononi pops up and begins battling Haruka and Shinichi.

Tarou gets sucked into a strange portal with his Donblaster shooting at him before it closes.

In Tokyo, a portal opens up in the sky with a Gear floating down to reveal a strange new robo, announced as Shugods. It immediately swats Tsuyoshi back down to size before disappearing.

Sononi and Sonoza come running to warn Sonoi, but it’s too late. Sonoshi swoops in and slashes at HitotsukiTsuyoshi. Sonogo and Sonoroku also appear and they send Tsuyoshi off in his cube.

Over in the Juuto Forest, Tarou is now wrapped up in vines and hanging from a tree.

Episode Thoughts

It was always going to be hard to follow up last week’s excellent episode. But this episode was still very interesting, nonetheless. Relatively speaking, it was probably one of the more serious episodes this season. They really got down to business with this one. Even the random quirks and gags were kept to a minimum, if that.

Quite strange (which actually fits with the plot of the episode), but refreshing as well.

Very interesting about Kakamura apparently just being a façade for the gateway to the Juuto Forest? I dunno. But it certainly makes Jirou’s growing up seem much more interesting (and definitely in need of digging in to). I seem to remember though in Jirou’s debut episode that the village actually had other townspeople in it. Could they also be illusions too just like Jirou’s friends?

But then again, who were the kids that caused abunaiJirou to emerge? Back in Episode 29, abunaiJirou told Murasame about little Jirou playing with Rumi and friends or whatever. So what is that about?

What is the purpose of such illusions? Does it have to do with Jirou himself? Perhaps related to abunaiJirou’s existence? Or Terasaki just putting Jirou in a bubble until it was his time to become gatekeeper. But then why did Terasaki allow Jirou to move to the big city?

Also, if Terasaki (the real one, I guess) is Don Clan, what is the meaning of finding baby Jirou in the creek also?

I have no idea what the hell is going on! But this is Episode 45 right? This stuff feels like it should’ve been introduced in the 30s! lol

Anyway, at least it seems like Jirou’s story will be meshing with the Natsumiho story and now I guess Tarou getting sucked in as well after eating paper. But seeing Natsumiho (who, again, I love seeing in action sequences!), it reminds me of the vagueness with the Juuto.

The show has done some exposition about the Juuto. But we still don’t have a good sense of why they are at all relevant. They’re just a Don Clan experiment gone wrong. Okay, sure. I guess?

I enjoyed seeing Tsubasa and Tarou together though. They don’t normally even interact with each other. So seeing them working together this episode was great. And the celebratory meal at Donbura was a simple acknowledgement of what was supposed to be a huge moment of revelation. But it’s whatever now I guess. lol

I had no idea that the King-Ohger mecha was making a cameo appearance in this episode. I actually have never even seen a photo of it until this episode. It was alright.

I would’ve liked to have seen more of the Noto3 though and them going up against the other Notonumbers. Having them work out their human emotions would be nice to watch, I think.

Overall, this was an alright episode. Especially compared to last week. But it was serious and all business. And definitely necessary to help provide some foundation for what’s to come in the final episodes.