Recap: Kamen Rider Gotchard, Episode 11 – Catch! A Spy!? Rider Disqualified!?

Houtarou tells us about getting back to Chemy searching with his friends Rinne, Renge and Sabimaru after their trip to Kyoto. In the two weeks since, they have been able to find a lot of Chemies together.

They and Hopper1 were so excited to have been able to meet some new Chemy friends. But Houtarou laments that at the time, none of them realized the terrible event had already begun.

Later, Supana is updating Minato-sensei about what he’s found out regarding the Sisters collecting Chemy Cards and Malgam pieces. Minato says investigators from the Alchemy Union will be arriving soon to investigate a rash of missing blank Cards and the possibility that a spy stole them to give to the Sisters.

Downtown, Houtarou is in the area when a Malgam is rampaging. He henshins to take it on, not knowing a mysterious alchemy-ring wearing man is watching the whole thing. Houtarou uses different combinations of Chemy Cards, including the ones they just captured, in order to finish off the Malgam and capture Catchula Chemy in a card.

Meanwhile, Clotho returns with the UFO-X Card and Atropos places it under a glass dome to suck up its energy for the Driver they are creating. But because it is a Level 10 Chemy Card, it cannot be controlled so it breaks free and teleports away.

Clotho says she’ll go catch it immediately. But Atropos says they can take care of that later. They must focus on the Driver so they can please Master Geryon. Once the Driver is completed, Clotho is eager to use it so she can finish off Houtarou while Lachesis wants to use it to take care of her little dog Supana. Atropos says they both will get their chance. But they have an experiment they must complete first.

Back at the Academy, Sabimaru tells Houtarou about creating a device that can summon UFO-X. Sabimaru and Renge had been keeping tabs on it when in Kyoto, but lost track of it thanks to the Malgam. An excited Sabimaru via Isaac explains that this Level 10 Chemy has special immense powers. Renge says Sabimaru has always admired UFO-X and Houtarou thinks this is Sabimaru-senpai’s Gotcha!

A few days later after Sabimaru has completed the device, the four friends head up to the roof to test the “Sabi-Riser,” as Renge has named it. They are excited it will work. Houtarou says Sabimaru is the Chemy expert, after all. But Sabimaru says Houtarou is more amazing than him.

Spanner pops up and tells them to stop fooling around and hurry back to the classroom. Minato-sensei introduces them to Investigator Kugimiya and Investigator Harima from the Alchemy Union. A jolly Harima explains they are here to investigate a possible spy in their midst. But Kugimiya, the man watching Houtarou battle the Malgam from a few days ago, says they must first deal with him being an illegitimate Kamen Rider.

Kugimiya says, based on his observations from the other day, Houtarou is also an inefficient and sloppy fighter, especially considering his nonsense about befriending Chemys. Chemies are merely tools, so Houtarou’s feelings toward them make him unqualified for the role of Kamen Rider. Kugimiya demands Houtarou hand the Driver over.

Renge, Rinne, Sabimaru and Minato-sensei come to Houtarou’s defense. But Kugimiya remains steadfast in his judgement. Supana says he agrees with Kugimiya’s assessment of Houtarou, but that he has crossed the line.

Spanner points out that Kugimiya is here to investigate a potential spy, but seems to be prioritizing other matters. Kugimiya asks if Supana is suggesting he is the spy. Harima tries to get everyone to calm down, but the alarms sound.

The Sisters have infiltrated the high school, so the AA4 and Minato-sensei hurry over to find them and prevent innocent students from being caught in the crossfire.

Rinne runs into Atropos who controls the students to walk away and let the two of them to speak privately. Rinne says she will not allow Atropos to harm innocent bystanders. Atropos is intrigued by Rinne since she was never the type to care about such things. She’s changed. And Atropos offers to get rid of what brought about this change.

Rinne says she is spouting nonsense, but Atropos claps back that she is just throwing Rinne’s words back at her.

Just then, Supana arrives to help drive Atropos away and protect Rinne. “It must be nice to always be protected,” Atropos says. Before leaving, Atropos adds that Rinne better remember that everything that is about to happen is all on her.

Houtarou and Sabimaru spot UFO-X and follow it. But Sabimaru says that while Level 10 Chemies cannot be controlled, if anyone can do it, it will be Houtarou befriending UFO-X.

Just then, the Malgam that Houtarou had defeated the other day is back. Houtarou checks his Driver and sees Catchula’s Card is gone. He henshins, but the Malgam wraps him up in web. Houtarou locks in JungleJan and RaiDenji Cards to uphenshin and break free.

Houtarou calls to UFO-X to run away, but it just hovers. The Malgam speaks and says Houtarou is being inefficient and sloppy again. Houtarou thinks the Malgam is Kugimiya.

Sabimaru cheers Houtarou on as he battles the Malgam. Houtarou uses a LightningJungle Fever finisher to take care of it and re-catches Catchula in a Card.

As UFO-X disappears into a wormhole again, Houtarou asks Catchula what happened. But he and Sabimaru are shocked when the human in the Malgam turns out to be Investigator Harima.

Episode Thoughts

Definitely feels like the start of a new arc in the series. And I think it comes at a good time. The first ten episodes really did a lot in terms of introducing us to Houtarou, Mama Ichinose, all his new friends and all the mysterious figures who may or may not be a danger to him and the rest of Japan. And the episodes did a lot in laying the foundation and having enough world building to really make the world of Gotchard feel like a fully realized world. How things work, what things are, etc. At the very least, enough to set the stage for what looks like exciting times ahead.

Houtarou narrating at the beginning of the episode felt so ominous. Like telling a story of a more peaceful innocent time while currently in a place where something terrible or devastating has happened. When we saw the AA4 having fun tracking Chemys, I was having fun watching them and seeing them get back to life after an eventful Kyoto trip.

But then Houtarou talking about them not realizing something horrible was about to happen was really a great line and definitely set the stage for whatever is ahead.

Atropos’ words to Rinne were also very intriguing. And they really stir up a certain feeling which is possible because we’ve met Rinne and know how her personality is and what her backstory is. That is, with respect to the greater alchemy world in terms of her father being branded a traitor and how that has affected her view of the world around her. We know Rinne. We like Rinne. So if something is going to happen because of or related to her in the big picture sense, we definitely care because the show has established her character well.

The fact that every one of our main characters from Houtarou to Rinne to the notTwins SabiRenge to Supanner to Minato-sensei all come with different relationships to the alchemy world and any potential threat or danger is really an interesting dynamic. And the show very much has a lot of potential they can draw from for the next 40 episodes.

Overall, another great episode. And an exciting start to this next arc.

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