Recap: Kamen Rider Gavv, Episode 9 – Trick or Dance

It’s Halloween and Shoma and Sachika are welcoming kids into Hapipare for trick-or-treats. Shoma can’t believe there’s a day like Halloween where you can get free sweet treats. When his basket is empty, he sneaks out to go trick-or-treating himself.

Over in the Granute world, Nyelv brings the twins something that they asked for. Nyelv says it is his gift to them. They had begged for another chance from Lango and he gave them ten days to ger rid of Gavv or collect lots of high quality Presses.

Meanwhile, Hanto scrolls through Twitter to see he is starting to go viral. So he knows he has to make sure his identity remains a secret. Just then, he notices two young girls practicing dancing and beginning to talk about one of their classmates (who is also the best dancer in the class) potentially going missing. Especially since she lives near a tunnel where people have heard and seen monsters pop out of.

Hanto approaches them, but they think he is a creeper and kidnapper. They pull an alarm on their backpacks and run away.

Shoma has a basket full of candies when he runs into one of the little girls, Kirari. He offers her some candy and she seems to want one, but stops herself. When Hanto comes running up, she calls him a kidnapper and runs off.

Hanto chases after her again and he bumps into a café owner passing out free Madeleines. Hanto helps the owner pick up the little cakes. The owner offers him one. Hanto says thanks, but he’s not into sweets.

Hanto finally catches up to the girl and manages to grab her before she runs into the street and gets hit by a car. He scolds her for not looking before crossing and she apologizes. Hanto says he understands why she would be afraid of him, but explains he just wanted to ask about the monsters.

Do you like monsters that much? the girl asks. Hanto says it’s quite the opposite, he hates monsters. The little girl decides to tell him all she knows about the mysterious tunnel. She asks if he’s afraid since it is so dangerous. Hanto thinks of his murdered loved ones and says he’s in too deep to back out now.

Kirari says she understands Hanto has a goal because she has one herself. Her own goal is to become a successful idol. That’s why she has to give up sweets, even though she loves them. She wants to be as good as Tameru-san, the best in the class and the one who disappeared.

Next day, Hanto watches the dance class and suspects the teacher especially as he a lump on his stomach area. After class, the teacher hands the kids each a Madeleine as a treat.

Later, Hanto checks in with the little girl who feels bad about being the worst dancer and holding the rest of the group back. She wonders if should just quit. Hanto understands her feeling of when things don’t seem to be progressing. But he encourages her to keep going and not to compare herself to others. Just do what you want to do.

Kirari’s friend give her a Madeleine and she reluctantly accepts it.

Meanwhile, Shoma is sad thinking Halloween only lasts one day. He wishes he could get free sweets everyday.

He first enjoys a lollipop and then a hard candy. Both of which blow his mind once again, especially how they are both hard and firm and can’t just be chewed on.

As new Gochizos pop out of his stomach, an Agent comes riding by to grab Shoma’s basket of candies. Shoma hops on his bike and chases after the Agent.

Meanwhile, Hanto follows the teacher as he follows Kirari’s friend. They approach the mysterious tunnel so Hanto confronts the teacher and pulls down his stomach scarf to reveal… hand warmers. The teacher says his stomach has been acting up lately. He begins farting as he explains he was just following the student to ensure she got home safely, especially after hearing one of his students from this area had gone missing here. The teacher hurries to the bathroom.

Just then, Hanto sees a little boy eat a Madeleine and then get pulled into the tunnel by a Granute. Hanto frees the boy and tells him to run to safety. Hanto henshins and battles the Granute until it runs away.

Hanto picks up the Madeleines plastic from the café earlier and he realizes it was that owner who may be the culprit.

Elsewhere, Shoma catches up to the Agent, but it was a trap set by the twins. Shoma henshins to Chocodon. The twins have set up the area with a pair of remote control beams, the ones they asked Nyelv for earlier.

The beams cause Shoma’s chocolate armor to melt. He switches over to Fuwamallow and then Poppingummy, but they also melt.

The new Gochizo from earlier pops up and Shoma uses it to uphenshin to Gurucan for the first time. “Nii-san, nee-san, it’s my turn now.”

Shoma can now counter the twins’ heat lamp and is able to shoot all over the warehouse. Gochizos refill the Vrocangatling and Shoma takes care of the Agent.

The twins can’t believe their final plan has been foiled. They condemn their little brother and leave.

Hanto goes to the café, but it has completely disappeared! He asks a woman who walks by and she says it’s a shame it disappeared all of a sudden because she liked their Madeleines.

Hanto knows something is wrong here and he notices a skid mark on the ground.

Back at Hapipare, Shoma is writing in his diary and he hopes next Halloween can end on a happy note.

Over at the park, Kirari excitedly takes a bite of her Madeleine, saying one won’t hurt. But the Granute sneaks up behind and prepares to Press her.

Episode Thoughts

Another great episode! I’m always thankful and appreciative of a show maintaining good upward momentum! Hehe.

I was wondering how the show would touch on one of the big candy holidays of the year. So it was fun seeing Shoma going around trick or treating. It was the perfect opportunity for a new power-up of course. And what better way to introduce a new-candy-themed power-up than on Halloween.

I liked the little moment Shoma called the twins Nii-san and Nee-san. It’s an interesting moment as it suggests how Shoma views his half-siblings. He, I don’t know the word. Not respect, but at least acknowledges them? as his older siblings. He does so enough to refer to them as Nii-san and Nee-san instead of just by their names or even worse, considering how they’ve treated him. And how they barely consider him a sibling too. You wouldn’t blame him if he was harsher toward them. So I think that one line is quite insightful. I’m looking forward to seeing how the show explores the Stomach Sibs dynamic more.

A great episode for Hanto. It’s really nice seeing him be like an amateur sleuth with his investigative reporter hat. Speaking of dynamic, it’s a great way to have his character be out and about. And it shows him continually working on his goal to avenge his mother and mentor. Another insightful scene was Hanto’s convo with the little girl in the park. Of course, Hanto giving the girl some nice big brother advice was great. But the scene where they talk about the monster and why Hanto is searching for it was a good one to show where Hanto is at this point. That is, from an emotional standpoint. Where’s his head at now as he has this power and finally making progress on his search. Really good stuff.

Meanwhile, back to the new toy. I think Gurucan has an interesting design. Definitely unique. And the funny lollipop face is quirky, It’s a fun design.

Overall, a great episode. It’s one that’s more on the MOTW rather than a central plot-moving episode. But still very nice insight into our two heroes as characters.

Happy Halloween!