Recap: Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger, Episode 36 – The Road to Dreams

The peoples of the city watch as the Boonbooms finish off two embiggened Nejirettas. Afterwards, Mira hurries back to her part-time job at Toys R Us where she loudly declares BunPink is reporting back for work. Her co-workers and shoppers welcome her back and cheer her on.

Mira’s friend Aki is scolded by their boss for not being on top of her work. “Mirapi” comes over and apologizes to Aki for having to leave. Aki suggests Mirapi take a break, but Mira wants to get back to it. Aki reminds Mira she can’t wear her Boonboom Changer while working and offers to take care of it for her in the meantime.

Mira says sure and hands it over. As Mira goes to work, Aki stares at the Changer with a strange look in her eye.

After work, Aki tells Mira that her part-time contract at Toys R Us has ended and that she is quitting theater. Her parents have found her a stable job. Mira asks what about her dream. But Aki says she doesn’t think her dream will ever come true.

They run into Officer Jou while he’s on patrol. Taiya also sees them after making a delivery. Mira introduces them to her childhood friend Aki and tells her that they are all Boonboomgers.

While Mira is talking to the guys, Aki remembers she has not given back the Changer yet. She hides it in her bag and excuses herself to go home.

At the Garage, Mira tells Taiya and BunBun about Aki loving acting and having a dream to be on the big stage. She had joined a troupe and Mira loved to go watch her perform. She feels bad about not being able to help Aki with her dream like Taiya has done with BunBun.

Just then, Taiya realizes Mira’s Changer is not on her wrist. She dumps her bag out and it’s not there. BunBun finds the Changer’s signal and Mira realizes it is at Aki’s address.

While Aki is in her apartment packing up, Mira calls her. Aki thinks about Mira saying that becoming a Boonboomger was a life changing experience. Aki takes the Changer out of her bag. She thinks that with it, she might be able to change her life too. She does not answer Mira’s call.

Over at the ISA, Shirabe calls Genba, Sakito and Byundi over to meet with Director Tokoyari. He would like to ask them about their experience with the Hashiryan, specifically, what is their goal.

Sakito says this information will not be cheap. But Tokoyari assures them they will be well-compensated.

The three guys explain that Gassholin is an energy source for the big boss Waruido Spindo. The more screams he takes in, the stronger he becomes. Some say it might help him live forever.

Shashiro listens in on their conversation.

Tokoyari says Disrace predicted Spindo would come to Earth because of Bundorio. But Genba says that the Hashiryan had already been attacking Earth even before the Hashiryan discovered Bundorio on this planet.

Shashiro wonders that Tokoyari is up to.

Back at the Garage, BunBun welcomes Taiya back after taking Mira home. He says Mira will have to wait until the morning to deal with Aki. And he believes that she will be able to grab the handle of this situation.

Next day, the RT3 think about Disrace’s defeat. But they still have to think about their gassholin collection and how to take out the traitor so they can get a promotion. Yaruka has a plan.

Soujiki Guruma Unit 2 and Reizoko Guruma Unit 2 terrorize the peoples, producing much gassholin. Officer Jou sees them rampaging and quickly calls the others.

Aki sees the breaking news calling for the Boonboomger to come help. She grabs the Changer out of her bag.

Taiya calls Shashiro and Genba to meet Jou while he and Mira take the other Guruma.

But as Taiya and Mira arrive on the scene, Aki also arrives. They watch in disbelief as she attempts to henshin. However, nothing happens when she tries to activate the Changer.

The Guruma calls Aki a fake and shoots at her. Sakito zooms in to grab her out of the way. “You guys are mean for just watching,” he tells Taiya and Mira.

Taiya and Sakito henshin as Mira takes Aki to safety.

Mira asks why Aki would do something so dangerous. Aki says she just wanted to be the leading lady. She had always been so jealous of Mira. Everyone always relied on Mira and was the star while Aki felt she was always pushed to side. Even in the theater, she’s just a supporting role. And she believes Mira considered her a minor character as well.

Mira can’t believe Aki would think this way. She had always looked up to Aki and thought that she was so cool and straightforward about her dreams.

Meanwhile, the boys are continuing to fight the two Kurumajus. They are able to shield themselves and counter the Kurumajus’ attack. But the Kurumajus decide to target the girls instead.

Mira shields Aki from the attack. Aki sees Mira has a cut on her cheek and tries to wipe it.

Mira says Aki always had a good grip on her handle back in the day. But she must just be taking a little Detour today. They hold each other’s hands.

Aki gives Mira the Changer back. Mira says Aki should’ve spun the tire on the bottom instead. But Aki says she’s alright. Mira is the only BunPink.

Mira says to watch this. She henshins and joins the boys.

Taiya tosses the Champion Charger to Mira and they all uphenshin.

Mira uses PatCar 2 to double up. She makes easy work of the two Kurumajus and Taiya tells her to finish them off. After she does, Yaruka quickly embiggens them. But they also combine.

The Boonbooms easily finish them off with a Bakuage Champion finisher.

Later, Mira is with Aki as she leaves her apartment for the last time. Aki says her world isn’t over just because she got a job. She can take control of her handle.

Mira offers to drive her and says that by grabbing her own handle, Aki is the lead of her own life. Aki says that by taking this detour, she feels she can power up and go after her dream once again, no matter how long it takes. She is ready to tackle any challenge at every turn.

Taiya and Shashiro watch as Mira and Aki drive off in the SuperCar. Shashiro says he has something to tell Taiya. But Taiya knows it has to do with the ISA and BunBun.

Meanwhile, Spindo says he can’t stand someone like Disrace taking his fun from him. But he tells his friend Bun to hang in there until he arrives. He tells Grantu Risk to set a course for Earth.

Spindo says Earth truly is a planet that sends shivers down his spine.

Episode Thoughts

A great episode! And a great way to thread together the lesson about following your dreams with all the road/driving analogies. Lol It’s okay to take detours on the way to your destination!

Awesome to have another Mira-focus episode. She is always able to be fun and badass as the same time.

Now, I’ll be direct with it. Yes, I got the vibes between Mira and Aki lol. I definitely know Toei’s game here. Lol. I see what they’re doing lol. You’re not going to have longing stares and hands on the cheek and not immediately think there’s something else going on there. Lol

And that’s fine. The juxtaposition at the end of Mira and Aki driving off and then immediately cutting to Taiya and Shashiro was not lost on me, that’s for sure. Lol But of course, this can all be simple and innocent and Mira and Aki are just best friends. Which is also perfectly fine as well.

But again, the main takeaway is everyone takes different paths to reach their destination. And that’s okay.

What’s interesting is that perhaps this idea will play out with other characters too. So I’m looking forward to it.

I liked that scene at the ISA. It’s a scene that builds the dramatic momentum as we start this Final Lap of the season. As did the final scene with Spindo of course. I don’t want to think about BunBun somehow going against the Boonbooms in any way once Spindo arrives. But we’ll see! It could produce some great story of course.

Elsewhere, I did not know the public knew of the Boonboomgers’ identities. Or is it only Mira? I have no idea. But it was a surprise to me when she basically stormed into the Toys R Us to announce her arrival lol

Speaking of, Thank you Toys R Us for supporting the show! Hehe. How nice to see Toys R Us doing well in Japan. Wish there was a Toys R Us near us here lol But they’re starting to pop back up so that’s great! Though any Toys R Us here in the states won’t have Sentai or Kamen Rider toys anyway of course hmph lol

Lol at the Power Rangers wiki immediately making Aki BunPink after just the preview two weeks ago lol

Also, I didn’t know the General3 were called the Raid Team Sanseater. I’ve just used General3 to make it easier to refer to them when writing recaps. But from now on I’ll call them the RT3 aka Raid Team 3 I guess. Lol Calling them just Sanseaters is weird. Like, calling them the Three Seaters sounds odd. So I’ll stick with RT3 as my new shorthand/nickname for them. Sounds cooler hehe

Overall, another fun and exciting episode!

But! I am very excited for next week! Speaking of shipping! Lolol

I am eager to read the Taiya-Shashiro manga. Though I wish they depicted that story on screen whether in series or in a TTFC special or something. But next week’s episode seems to at least give us more Taiya-Shashiro so I’m excited!

Also, why did I only now learn of this #TireMeter ship for Taiya and Shashiro. When did #TireMeter become a thing? Like, obviously Taiya-Shashiro was a thing from Episode 1. Lol But what does #TireMeter mean or refer to?

I want to know because I want to join lolololololol

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