Recap: Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, Episode 46 – Know the Beauty of Life

Gurodi suddenly leads a rampage of Ishabana. The Ohgers hurry over. While the others take care of Gurodi’s resurrected grunts, Hymeno prepares to use her King’s Power to finish him off for good. Hymeno’s crown summons a sickle that she says will reap Gurodi’s life. But while the attack knocks Gurodi on his back and kills the innocent tree bystanders, he snaps back up to his feet without trouble.

They are all shocked he is not dead. And Gurodi is even more shocked to find strange gems that have popped out of his body. He curses Dagded and leaves to confront him.

Gurodi tries to slice down Dagded who instead swaps himself with Kamejim to take the hit instead. Gurodi demands Dagded explain what is the meaning of the Shugod soul-filled body. Before Dagded can say anything, Gurodi falls asleep.

The Ohgers conclude that, like Gira, Gurodi had also somehow ingested Shugod souls, though on a much larger scale. Racules comments that Gurodi is merely a tool. But the Ohgers don’t understand why Hymeno’s King’s Proof Power (KPP) that reaps only life did not work against Gurodi.

Just then, Racules stealthily tosses a needle at Jeramie’s hand. Jeramie takes Racules to the In-Between to help dig up graves for fallen Bugnarak. Racules acknowledges it is an honorable act to personally dig a warrior’s grave. Jeramie says the Bugnarak lack when it concerns death. He shows them how to kneel and pray over the dead.

But to get to what Racules wanted to speak with Jerami about, he says Jeramie should have also inherited a KPP. Jeramie reminds Racules that his father was banished. But Racules says the First King could have let him go on purpose. Not just to allow him to live happily ever after with Mama Nephila, but also to protect against the dangerous KPP.

Racules points out that Jeramie has not aged in 2000 years, so his power might be eternal life. Jeramie shows Racules his chest, revealing a crystal that’s been embedded within him all along. Racules wonders if eternal life is the key to defeating Gurodi.

Jeramie asks why Racules wanted to speak about this in private. Racules asks if living an eternal life is really a good thing and says Jeramie should read between the lines.

Meanwhile, Hymeno wants to practice using her KPP on immortal Gira. But Gira says the difference between him and Gurodi is that he did not choose to become immortal.

Those words affect Hymeno. As a doctor, she has witnessed death many times and if only people had the same power as Gira…

Gira asks if Hymeno really feels that way. He is scared about what it means to live when you cannot die. Hymeno says that based on her observation, Gira is obviously human who even with the ability to quickly heal, will still grow old.

Jeramie approaches Hymeno and offers to be her test subject instead.

Back inside, Jeramie shows Hymeno his life crystal and she confirms it is what gives him eternal life. As long as it is inside him, his body will not decay nor die. Hymeno believes they can use it for medical treatment of both humans and Bugnarak. Becoming immortal would no longer be a dream and they could possibly even use it to bring back the dead. Hymeno believes this is the ultimate goal of health care.

Both Jeramie and Hymeno think of their dead parents.

Jeramie says they must be able to control death, but Hymeno warns not to take it so lightly as this goes against the natural order of life. Jeramie understands and says they must not let the others know about this.

Hymeno and Jeramie visit their parents’ graves. Both wondering about the possibilities of what this could mean. Hymeno says people will no longer be sorrowful and that there won’t even be a need for doctors anymore. People can live their eternal lives as lavishly and as selfishly as they want.

Jeramie speaks with Gerojim who himself is also immortal in a way. Gerojim asks Jeramie what it is like to live as long as he has. Jeramie says it has been interesting having so many hellos and goodbyes. But also how despair can eventually turn into hope after such a long time as well. And because of his life, he was able to meet Gerojim. But sometimes, he thinks about wanting to grow old with the other Ohgers and to even be buried together.

Gerojim reaffirms that wherever Jeramie goes, he will always be by his side. Jeramie thanks him.

Jeramie returns to the castle in Ishabana just as Hymeno has discovered something while examining the soul that popped out of Gurodi. Both are ready to go.

Back in Dagded’s room, Gurodi wakes up and remembers that he was created to bring death and destruction to the world. Gurodi eats all the Shugod souls he had picked up off the ground. And is now resolved to kill everyone until it is dead silent in the world.

Gurodi heads out to again cause chaos, resurrecting more dead to fight the Ohgers. Jeramie and Hymeno tell the others to take care of the zombie warriors while the two of them will focus on Gurodi.

Jeramie and Hymeno arrive just in time to save some Ishabanians from murder and they quickly henshin. Gurodi shushes them and transforms. They battle.

Gurodi is confident that they won’t be able to kill him. But they refuse to give up. Jeramie ties Gurodi’s arms and legs in webbing and he and Hymeno dehenshin.

Hymeno explains that the reason Gurodi cannot die is because he is already dead. That’s what she found earlier during her examination. And that is why her KPP of being able to reap life did not work on someone who has no life to begin with.

Gurodi says how can she think that when he is right here moving and talking to them. But Jeramie says he is just a walking corpse kept alive by his power. Gurodi says he will just kill everyone until this becomes a world of death.

Seeing Gurodi’s maniacal laughter convinces Hymeno that defeating death is not a doctor’s dream. Hymeno and Jeramie agree that those who belittle death like Gurodi does and spreads it like a disease will meet the same lonely fate. Doctors exist so that lives can be fully realized. And the existence of death is what allows living things to be beautiful. Every story needs an ending.

The evening before, Jeramie and Hymeno had finalized their plan. Hymeno was able to remove the immortal crystal from Jeramie.

Afterwards, Jeramie and Hymeno look out at the sunset. Both are emotional, but sure about the decision they have made. Hymeno asks why sunsets are so beautiful. Jeramie says it is because it is short-lived and only here for a moment. Just like life.

Back to today, as the other Ohgers finish off the zombies, Jeramie shoots his life crystal at Gurodi.

Gurodi feels his body fill with burning warmth. Hymeno says that is proof that he is now alive. Gurodi breaks free of the webbing and picks up his scythe while also summoning more zombies. Saying he feels like a god, Gurodi suddenly awakens all the dead Shugods from underground. They begin to swarm the sky.

It is another Kami no Ikari!

Episode Thoughts

Wowowow! Yes I cried at that sunset scene! The perfect exclamation point to this surprisingly profound and thoughtful episode. The beauty of life and death. It’s not something I would expect from any Sentai, not just King-Ohger, tbh. Maybe Kamen Rider lol. It was unexpected for me here. But it was very welcome and executed so well.

Again, a creative way to tie the Ohgers’ personal stories with the Jester of the Week. And I think a perfect way to lead into the new Kami no Ikari and of course set-up the final battle in this last month of the season.

Like the last two weeks, the show did a great job of using the two Ohgers of the week in Jeramie and Hymeno to tell this story. All the Ohgers have experienced loss. And no one’s loss is more important than someone else’s. But for Jeramie and Hymeno especially, I think the way their parents died with relation to this powerful evil and the effect that has had on them made them the best candidates to join together and face off against Gurodi.

I don’t know if this has been the plan all along. I can see how these last few episodes could have been on the table from the very beginning. But I can also see how a creative mind would be able to draw from what they had laid out during the season in order to make these episodes work. But either way, it’s a great feat. And these are the kinds of redeeming accomplishments that can make up for whatever missteps and stumbles a season might have had previously.

The discussion about the beauty of life and death landed so smoothly here. And it is a perfect example of how a strong foundation, especially a strong character foundation, can help to support such a discussion and climactic story. Other seasons should take note!

For Hymeno especially, with her being “selfish” and enjoying the good things in life all year to now have a more nuanced and thoughtful understanding of life and her responsibility as a doctor is great.

While last week’s episode with Rita and Kaguragi had more to do with exploring the different types of rulers and leaders, this week was more personal for Hymeno and Jeramie. Yanma’s was a combination of both! And each of these episodes have been so wonderful and strong.

It’s a great feeling watching these episodes. I’ve felt bad about not loving this season as much as I feel I should have. And I wish more of the season was as impactful as these episodes and other highlights during the season too. But again, seeing the season ending strongly is awesome.

Anyway, a little amusing thing for me. Actually a bit mindblowing this episode. This moment:

Dagded was talking and the shot was a close-up of his face. I immediately went “OMGWAIT. THAT is his face?!?” I was legit shocked. I thought that pointy thing was his face. But it turns out to be just a cute hat, I guess. WTF! lolololol

Out of Studio Location of the Week

Ishabana will always give us a chance to get outside of Toei Studios! hehe