Recap: Kamen Rider Geats, Episode 41 – Genesis III: The Jet-Black Shogun

Neon can’t believe Ace when he tells her that Michinaga had unknowingly killed Sara. Neon feels so sorry for Sara-san, but Ace says he is most worried for Keiwa who lost the only remaining family member he had.

Elsewhere in the city, Jitto is intrigued by Daichi’s Parasite Game. He is sure this will bring about the second Goddess. Beroba is excited to see more DGPs in other worlds after this.

Daichi addresses the people of Japan, explaining how a Stage 1 infection will turn people into Jyamatos. But being infected by multiple parasites basically signs your death warrant as they will never be human again.

Ace jumps in to fight off newly infected Jyamato. He is able to save Stage 1 infections. But he and Neon decide it is best to hold off on defeating Stage 2 Jyamatos, lest they be lost like Sara was, until they can figure out a way to save them.

Daichi ends his nationwide broadcast by calling on people to gather before him if they want salvation.

After signing off, he says that the Jyamato are just a means to his ideal world end.

Ace and Neon get to safety under a bridge. Neon feels guilty about not being a Rider anymore as she could have potentially saved a lot of people, including Sara-san.

Ace says he is still getting used to his powers, but is still resolved to making his Dezagura bring about a world where everyone is happy. That’s what Riders are fighting for now and will accomplish that by eliminating anyone wanting to bring about despair. Neon feels a bit more hopeful after hearing Ace’s resolve.

Ace heads back to the green room where Win updates him on the DGP management wanting to bring about the second goddess immediately. Getting Tsumuri is the only way they would be able to counter Ace’s power. And they are willing to destroy this world to get her.

Ace asks Tsumuri what she wants to do. She says that the DGP management may have designed her, but she wishes to stand with Ace. Ace is happy for them to get a chance to make that happen, together.

Meanwhile, Kekera is in the Sakurai apartment pestering a distraught Keiwa. He thinks there is no point to his desire of world peace anymore without his sister. Kekera says that’s pretty hypocritical of him, but Keiwa knocks stacks of papers at Kekera yelling at him to leave.

Kekera laughs and tells Keiwa to lighten up. He tells Keiwa that Kamen Riders don’t give up and there is one way for Keiwa’s ideal world to still come to fruition.

On the other side of the city, Michinaga henshins to take care of a rampaging Stage 2 Jyamato who sink into the ground after defeat. Suddenly, the ghost of Sara seems to be taunting him, asking what happened to Kamen Riders fighting to protect people.

Beroba walks up, cackling at seeing Michinaga so in despair. He snaps at her to shut the hell up and says that all of this has to end even if means costing some lives.

Neon visits her father in jail. Papa Kurama laments everything he has lost, especially his own company and being abandoned by those who used to work for him.

Neon asks if he can make her a Kamen Rider again. But he no longer can as he has lost everything. That’s why she is the only one he can count on and asks her to get him out of here.

“You are sad to watch,” Neon says, adding that things might have been different for him had Akari not been taken from them all those years ago. She thinks about how easy it is for someone to lose their happiness and ability to love.

Speaking of, Ace has Tsumuri out shopping at Loveless boutique, wanting her to try out new clothes as a disguise. Tsumuri thinks it’s pointless considering all of Ace’s fangirls have been following them around.

Just then, Jitto pops up and has them step outside. He reminds Ace that Tsumuri is property of DGP management and says he does not care about world peace or audience ratings.

Jitto charges at Ace and thoroughly beats him down. Win arrives to help, but Jitto is able to take both of them at once. Keiwa comes running in to help whisk Tsumuri to safety.

Jitto lets up and warns Ace not to think he owns this world even with his powers. Someone else with a stronger desire may come to rule it instead.

Away from the fighting, Keiwa asks Tsumuri why she’s helping the Riders again. She answers that she wants to help Ace build a happy world and thinks she can help in that goal.

Keiwa crouches down on the ground and Tsumuri joins him. She says she doesn’t know what to say to him about Sara. Keiwa says he is always so powerless that he couldn’t even protect his sister. He doesn’t feel he can go on living.

Tsumuri takes Keiwa’s hands and tells him that he can. She is sure a happy world for everyone is still possible.

Keiwa looks up at Tsumuri and then grabs her arms. Standing both of them up, Keiwa begs Tsumuri to give him a power strong enough to protect the world. Do the same for him that her prayers did for Ace. That way, he will have the strength to fight again.

Tsumuri does not hesitate to do that for him. Keiwa gives her a sinister smile.

Meanwhile, Daichi is at a tree that is collecting the faces of the dead infected people, Sara included. He is excited to see that the collective memories of humans will be his.

Michinaga is walking downtown when more and more people are Stage 2 infected. He decides that he has no choice but to finish them off. And as soon as he does, they disappear into the ground.

GhostSara again appears to him, asking if he has actually even protected anyone yet. Keiwa approaches, pointing out Michinaga continues to kill. Michinaga responds by saying what else can he do when there’s no hope for them to turn back.

“Now you’re trying to justify taking my sister’s life?” Keiwa snaps back as he grabs Michinaga by the collar.

Michinaga says more people will die if they don’t act. But Keiwa says Michinaga is the one killing. The two begin to fight until Keiwa whips out a brand-new Buckle.

Keiwa says he got this thanks to the nuGoddess’ power.

Ace and Win are looking for Keiwa and Tsumuri. Win says he is worried about Jitto’s warning earlier, but Ace tells him to have more faith in Keiwa.

Keiwa henshins to Kamen Rider Tycoon Bujin Sword, a power he is sure he can use to shape his ideal world. Michinaga quickly henshins as Keiwa charges at him.

The two of them battle. But Michinaga is unable to keep up with Keiwa’s immense new power. Keiwa delivers a Bujin Sword Victory attack at Michinaga.

Michinaga acknowledges Keiwa is much different now. He asks where the softhearted Keiwa he knew has gone. Keiwa says this is still him and he sticks his sword right in Michinaga as he lies on the ground.

Episode Thoughts

Wowowow! Why did I love this episode?! lol It was actually really great. Loved all the drama. And I think it worked most because, again, it focused on the characters we actually want to see and are invested in. That is, of course, Ace, Keiwa, Michinaga, Neon and Tsumuri. These are our friends that we’ve known the longest. And so seeing each of them going through their struggles and responding to the quickly evolving situation around them, that will always be much more interesting and exciting than focusing on random, irrelevant stuff.

No surprising “twist” that is supposed to abruptly (and artificially) shift the story. Just seeing these characters in moments that are built out of what we have seen and learned of them so far.

Of course, so much could’ve been done differently with them throughout the previous 40 episodes. But this episode took the best of what we’ve been given and it resulted in what I think is one of the best, most complete episodes of the season. Definitely one of the episodes I enjoyed the most.

Now, where to begin! I think my favorite scene was Keiwa and Tsumuri. I loved that simmering escalation during the scene. I think we all knew what was coming. But seeing it play out the way it did, it really helped to solidify both Tsumuri and Keiwa’s current resolve. This is the kind of rising tension that works because of the characters and not some contrived plot device.

Keiwa is broken because of what he’s gone through with his family. No matter how positive or hopeful he wanted to be in life, when things just keep pushing him down, it’s only a matter of time before he can’t take it anymore. Kekera’s malicious needling and influence definitely doesn’t help either. He’s reached an emotional boiling point.

And for Tsumuri, we see her simple, but kind heart. Naïve? Maybe. Confused and unsure? I think so. Sincere? Absolutely. Similar to how Neon might have (or should have) been a bit lost with her purpose, Tsumuri now grabs on to what she believes in her heart to be the right thing. Like us, the viewer, she’s known Ace the longest. She’s spent the most time with our main characters Keiwa, Michinaga and Neon too since they always reach the final rounds of course lol.

So regardless of what she’s been programmed/created to do, she too is responding to the people around her. And it is really exciting to think about where the climax of her character will take her. I hope it is really something big. Because the steps they’ve taken in recent episodes, coupled with my late(?) realization of her very real connections with our Core4 make me hope for and anticipate something really exciting when it comes to her potential story in these final episodes.

Again, that’s why Keiwa and Tsumuri’s scene worked so perfectly, I think. From her trying to empathize with Keiwa to Keiwa carefully steering the conversation to where he wanted to Tsumuri eventually praying the new Buckle into existence. It was very good.

Also very good was our boy Michi this episode. I really liked seeing what they did with Michinaga this week. GhostSara was an effective way to convey his inner struggle that I feel we should’ve seen a lot more throughout the season. Especially with relation to his seeking revenge for his best broski. That one track mind, that tunnel vision at the beginning of the season should’ve slowly developed into perhaps what we’re seeing now. Him questioning what he’s been doing all this time. Questioning his ideals and principles. But through it all, also maintaining his sincerity in wanting to right the wrongs that happened because of the DGP.

This episode, however, did as well as it could have with what they’ve given Michinaga. He was at a point where he finally began to understand that there is definitely a bit more nuance in this battle rather than just continuing to charge forward all the time. So that inner struggle, with GhostSara being the representation of it, was really great. I think it deserved its own episode. But paired with the other interesting developments this episode, it worked very well.

The confrontation between Keiwa and Michinaga was done very well too. I like the way their contrasting resolve, at this moment, was very much on display. And like I’ve just described, the face off draws upon what the two characters have gone through and experienced so far. Makes the final sequence feel as emotional as anything this season has offered.

Elsewhere, we finally get back to Neon. And I think this episode had the best moments for her since the revelation of her identity. The combination of her still trying to process what she really is and now the regret in not saving her new friend Sara as well as wanting to help in the continued fight against the Jyamato; it presents a wonderful character opportunity for her that we just haven’t seen enough of.

The scene in the prison with Papa Kurama really should’ve happened a bit earlier. I think slow walking the aftermath of Neon’s identity reveal and perhaps not including a bit more, especially with Papa and Mama Kurama save for these single scenes with each, wasted some potential for her. But we take what we can get. And what we got this episode was a really effective moment for Neon that will help set her up for the final episodes.

Daichi’s madness is also fun to watch. It would’ve been a lot better had they introduced him earlier and given him a bit more depth instead of it feeling like they just took whichever character was left and gave them the story. But, once again, taking what we can get, his scenes were a good contrast to everything else that was happening without feeling irrelevant. Actually, whatever he’s doing is quite relevant, so that’s good. lol

I loved that knockdown, drag out fist fight between Jitto and Ace/Win. That was really badass. And the kind of exciting action sequence that I feel has been missing from the season since the fun jazzy scenes in the early episodes.

Ace may have taken a bit of a backseat to the other members of the Core4 this week. But now that the show has decided on what they actually want to do with him in this endgame, he fit in just fine with what the episode was presenting. With everyone else in chaos, Ace’s position as the DezaShin worked well in including the DGP management into the episode’s web of story. When other times, it might have felt shoehorned in, this time, seeing Jitto and Beroba and Kekera and Win all felt welcome and seamless within the episode’s story.

Phew. This is the most I’ve written post-episode for Geats in a looooong time. Maybe ever. And pretty much all positive! Very interesting to me. lol But even more interesting was this well-done episode. Makes me again think about what could’ve been with the season. But setting that aside, as I have decided to do with Geats, I think this was really one of the strongest of the year. And it will be even more interesting if they can sustain this through to the end.