Recap: Kamen Rider Geats, Episode 30 – Lamentation VI: The Prince Within the Letter

Kyuun rushes to the audience room where Neon tries to process what she has just learned about herself. Beroba, meanwhile, relishes the misery of others, but frustratingly declares Ace the winner of this second face off. She schedules the final round between Neon and Michinaga for tomorrow at noon.

Beroba thinks it’s an easy win for Michinaga and is excited for maximum misery. But Michinaga doesn’t want to have any part in her games.

Later, Neon goes to her mother to ask if what’s been said is true. Mama Kurama says of course Neon is her daughter. But when Neon has Mama Kurama touch the Core ID, her memories of her real daughter Akari come flooding back.

“Who the hell are you?!” Mama Kurama screams. Neon says she wishes all that’s been said were lies.

Back in the audience room, Kyuun speaks with Papa Kurama. He asks Papa Kurama if he was going to keep this secret to his grave and how he could possibly call himself a “father.” Papa Kurama says everyone has a different measure of happiness. And when his daughter was killed in the kidnapping, his love died as well.

Papa Kurama recounts what happened back then. He had met with Niramu who suggested that the DGP can resurrect Akari. But Papa Kurama couldn’t possibly see his dead daughter somehow back alive in front of him again as the love he had for her is already gone.

When Niramu offered to erase his memory, Papa Kurama realized he can just ask for the ideal daughter who can best serve the family conglomerate.

At the Kurama manse, Mama Kurama tries to stop Neon from leaving. But Neon says she does not even deserve to live here anymore.

In the audience room, Kyuun cannot believe what Papa Kurama has been telling him. All Neon wanted was to feel true love from her family. When Kyuun says he wants her to be happy, Papa Kurama laughs. He wouldn’t mind seeing Neon marry a man from the future as it will benefit the Kurama company anyway.

Kyuun leaves.

At the green room, Chirami admits to Tsumuri that he knew of Neon’s identity, but did not expect it to be revealed in this way. Tsumuri cannot bear to see Neon suffer, but Chirami warns her not to interfere. As Navigator, all she must do is ensure the desires of the players can be fulfilled.

Ace heads to Neon’s audience room where Kyuun struggles to write down the feelings he is experiencing for Neon, but does not understand the feelings himself. He believes meeting Neon in person again will just hurt her more. Ace agrees and says that even though Kyuun feels sorry for Neon’s situation, he is still here to merely get the three-dimensional experience of emotions.

Ace says Neon is still a human and not just an idol used for one’s satisfaction. Before Ace leaves, Kyuun asks what he should do. Ace says if he doesn’t know, he should return home to the future.

Neon is downtown and looks at her reflection in the window. She seesa little girl (Akari?) and asks “Who am I?!”

Just then, Jyamatos pop up. As does Ace. But Neon gets swept away by the Jyamato to take her to the JGP arena and her battle with Michinaga.

Ace runs to try and get to the arena, but Michinaga stops him along the corridor. Ace is surprised since Michinaga is supposed to be Neon’s opponent. But Michinaga says it doesn’t matter since Neon would lose either way and it’ll be a good thing for her to lose her memories.

Ace says Michinaga is exactly like Beroba, but he takes offense to that. Micchi says none of this would be happening if the DGP itself didn’t exist. That’s why he will end it by destroying all Kamen Riders and the DGP.

Ace now understands Michinaga’s resolve. Micchi says this is all caused by the human ego that just wants happiness.

Inside, the final battle begins and Neon is immediately smacked across the face. Ace watches from the tunnel, wishing Neon fights to win.

Daichi taunts Keiwa who is still in a cell, saying that a Kamen Rider’s strength is drawn from their desire for happiness. Which means Neon’s has no energy and is bound to lose. But Keiwa knows Neon’s wish is for true love. And because of that, she deserves that happiness.

Neon finally henshins and takes on the Jyamato. Beroba laughs as she gets knocked down over and over.

While watching, Ace says he knows Neon has a reason for being born just like the rest of them.

But Neon is in trouble. The Jyamato grabs her by the neck and tosses her aside, forcing her to dehenshin. She accepts that she is no longer strong. Keiwa and Ace are helpless. But Ace turns when someone comes running behind him.

It is Kyuun and he storms the arena. He is able to send a shield in to protect Neon. And he proclaims that he too is a person of design.

Kyuun takes the letter he was trying to write earlier and reads it aloud. He says people of the future can design themselves however they want, but asks if that can make them truly happy. Thanks to seeing how Neon was devastated earlier, he has learned that other people’s suffering can make him suffer too. That’s why he feels he does not deserve to be her supporter anymore as he struggled to find the words to encourage her.

But Kyuun rips up his letter and says that because of Neon, he has learned that people are to make their own happiness. And no matter if the whole world is against her, Kyuun will stay by her side always and is sure that she will find the genuine love she desires.

Kyuun henshins for the first time, much to Beroba’s annoyance.

As Ace henshins to take care of Jyamatos in the tunnel, Kyuun encourages Neon and says to never give up. He gives her a new Buckle and just then, Akari appears to Neon. After a hug, Neon henshins. Together with Kyuun, they are able to defeat the Jyamato.

At the holding cell, Daichi begrudgingly tells Keiwa that Team DGP are the winners.

Kyuun is with Neon. He gives her a handkerchief and says this is far from the end yet. He promises to help Neon find her happiness. She thanks him for telling her the truth.

Ace and Keiwa arrive just as Kyuun helps her to her feet. Keiwa offers to walk home with Neon, but she says she has no home any longer. Kyuun helps her out.

Over at the Jyamato quarry, Archimedel tries to save the dying Jyamato. But he instead seemingly chops it up to use as fertilizer.

Michinaga asks Beroba how she knew of Neon’s past. Beroba says the Driver knows all and has the memories of the previous Game Master, Niramu.

Michinaga begins to leave, saying he does not want to work with Beroba anymore. But she suddenly slaps the Driver onto Michinaga and he, Daichi and Beroba appear in a familiar room.

Michinaga is shocked to watch what Beroba calls a historic moment: the moment that Mitsume, Ace’s mother, was turned into the Goddess of Creation.

Episode Thoughts

So… I better say good things about Geats this week, or I might get in trouble. 😓

No, but seriously though. lol This was actually a great episode. It was very nice to see the aftermath of a revelation actually play out. Probably one of my biggest gripes about Revice was that whenever they actually had a big revelation or big moment in the story, they did not let it breathe. Instead, they would make abrupt turns in the following episodes instead of maintaining the momentum that had started. All until things just went sideways permanently in the last third of the season.

So having this episode actually focus on the aftermath of what was revealed last week was wonderful. Especially seeing Neon’s reaction. I’ve said that Neon has been the weakest of the four mains in terms of character. (And I mean, just -character-, not character-development. Because in that sense, they’re all equal lol)

The lead up to the big reveal last week might have been meh. But setting that aside, finally giving Neon something she can hang her hat on by herself instead of having to leech off the already thin story from the boys is a very welcome development.

I liked the scene where she approaches her mother. I liked the scene between Papa Kurama and Kyuun. I liked seeing Neon on the verge of singing “Reflection” from Mulan.

Did I wish those scenes were a bit longer? Yes. Did I enjoy them though and what they did to further Neon’s story and build her character? Also yes!

It was good learning a couple of episodes ago that Neon’s desire for true love didn’t simply mean finding a hot boyfriend. And it actually would be fine if it was all merely her wanting to feel the love and appreciation her parents did not give her growing up. But the extra detail now of her actually being a fake and a manifestation of a desire helps to make her situation all the more difficult. And in turn, makes her written desire much more meaningful.

A bonus was being able to connect Neon’s situation with the dystopian future of designed lives and stuff. Kyuun saying they are both the same also adds another layer to how he’s been acting. Because let’s face it, he did seem like some creepy fan or even stalker-ish-type of person sometimes. Lol

This was definitely a full episode too as we also got just a tiny bit of more insight into Michinaga’s thought process. He was personally affected by the DGP. But he also knows that the DGP is responsible for a lot of other suffering as well, maybe even worse than he experienced. So he has made it his noble mission to burn it all down. And I would love to see it!

Finally, the biggest big reveal this episode was of course Ace’s Mama Mitsume being the Goddess of Creation. Of course, we know nothing beyond that. Who those hooded people were. And who Mitsume to begin with. But it certainly makes sense. “The DGP “temple” certainly makes more sense now too!) We’ve always assumed Ace has some kind of major connection to the DGP and an epic origin story. So this is just another piece of that barely started puzzle yet.

For Ace, I just hope we get more from him as a character. There are fleeting moments where it seems like we’re finally getting more from him. But it always reverts back to the plot-driven aspects of the season.

Anyway, this was a very good episode. Finally good character moments for Neon. Of course good stuff for Michinaga. Looks like Keiwa is up next week. But I definitely hope Ace gets revved up soon too.