Recap: No.1 Sentai Gozyuger, Episode 2 – Catch the Treasure! It’s My Prey

Hoeru and Natsume battle. Natsume says Tega Sword must’ve told Hoeru about having a wish granted when all the rings are collected. So those who hold the rings are rivals who have to fight each other for them. He refuses to give up on his wish.

Hoeru understands a bit now. But suddenly, a shot out of nowhere stops their battle.

Natsume says next time, he won’t go easy on Hoeru.

Next day at the café, Hoeru and Aoi share crazy eyes before he leaves for school. Mama Saori, meanwhile, asks Hoeru for this month’s rent. He says he is going job hunting today.

Over in No One World, Fire Candle is eager to have Bouquet fix his robo so he can get back at Hoeru. Aii Cassios Beia comes to offer his services. Fire Candle leaves it to him. Mr. Shining Knife and Mrs. Sweet Cake say they have also deployed a No Wan. They may be a ragtag group, but they are all number one at something. They wonder if the No Wan can show its strength and have their queen activated.

Back in Tokyo, Mama Saori gets engulfed by No Wan Treasure Hunt No.1 and then proceed to rampage around the city in search for treasure. Hoeru demands he hand over his landlady.

But a man (Ryugi) carrying a piano over his head arrives. He plays a song dedicated to Tega Sword-sama. Then another idol-worthy guy (Rikuo) pops in, ready to perform his song as well.

The two of them henshin to Gozyu Tyranno and Gozyu Lion, respectively. Treasure Hunt No.1 explains that he is a No Wan. And in order to defeat a No Wan, you’ll have to face them in a showdown of their respective fields in which they are number one in. For him, it is treasure hunting.

Hoeru accepts the challenge and the four of them are now locked in to a battle to find the most treasure. The No Wan agrees not to destroy the town in the meantime and he hurries off to hunt.

Hoeru is ready to battle these two guys for rings. Ryugi is ready as well. But Rikuo tells them to cool it since they with power must put the world’s peace ahead of their ring battle. He insists they are here to help. But Hoeru has no intentions of joining a group.

Hoeru warns them to be careful of the No Wans as they are a handful. Ryugi wants Hoeri to tell him more about what he knows. Hoeru refuses.

Ryugi and Rikuo introduces themselves before they separate.

Hoeru uses Tega Sword to dig for treasure. Ryugi is appalled Hoeru would use Tega Sword as a shovel as he very much reveres him. He grabs boulders and tries to drive Hoeru away. But in pulling a tree out of the ground, Ryugi finds some treasure.

Rikuo meanwhile sees Treasure Hunt No.1 robbing a bank for gold and that gives him an idea.

Rikuo visits two of his biggest grandparent fans and says they’ve found something wrong with his throat. He gives them a letter about how he wishes to be on the big stage in front everyone like before, but he needs a lot of money for treatments.

The grandfather offers a large antique, national-treasure-ish Edo period vase for him to use for money. They sympathize with him on his journey from being a stray kid and now the number one idol.

While looking for food, Hoeru sees Aoi getting bullied by a teen who has taken his sack bag containing his treasure. Hoeru threatens the bully and he runs away.

Aoi shows Hoeru that his treasure is his mother’s onigiri which she makes with all the foods Aoi loves. Aoi splits the big onigiri and gives half to Hoeru, asking him if he has a treasure.

Hoeru says he got rid of his treasure a long time ago and he advises Aoi not to lose his.

As Hoeru leaves, Aoi asks if he’s heard from his mother since she was not home. Hoeru says she will be back soon.

After leaving, Hoeru gets an idea.

Meanwhile, the others are comparing their treasure hauls. And the No Wan has the highest value treasure. Cassios Beia arrives and offers to help Treasure Hunt No.1.

But Hoeru arrives and takes all their treasures for himself, vowing to take the number one crown as well as the landlady. He henshins, they make their ring entrances and then battle.

Aiis arrive and Hoeru fights them off as well. Ryugi and Rikuo watch. Ryugi asks if they should let him be. Rikuo says he thought of swiping Hoeru’s ring, but it would be a waste to let him die.

Rikuo henshins and join Hoeru to take on the Aiis. Ryugi calls on Tega Sword and he hops in to form Tega Sword Yellow to take on Cassios Beia who looks at his couple photo with Fire Candle to draw strength.

Rikuo, meanwhile, uphenshins to Bun Red to help finish off the Aiis. Hoeru battles Treasure Hunt No.1 and gets powered by with a howl and finisher.

Treasure Hunt No.1 says even if they are defeated, there are still plenty of No Wans that exist. Hoeru taunts him, saying he can beat all the number ones in their own game.

Hoeru, Rikuo and Ryugi finish off each of their opponents; Treasure Hunt No.1, the Aiis and Cassiso Beia who asserts his loyalty to Fire Candle as he explodes.

Hoeru is able to slice through Treasure Hunt No.1 to grab Mama Saori before the No Wan explodes. Hoeru declares himself number one at treasure hunting and he is also officially proclaimed winner.

Fire Candle cries at the death of his best friend. He vows to avenge him. Bouquet sees that the warriors have shining Tega Sword-powered rings and wonders just who they really are. The Queen opens her eyes.

Next morning, Hoeru comes down to the café which Saori has outfitted with a brand new Tega theme. She also introduces him to the new manager: Ryugi. Rikuo, here to enjoy some breakfast, says it’s best they stick close together.

Hoeru wants to kick them out, but Mama Saori wants to know where the rent money is.

Hoeru asks the guys where the treasure is. Ryugi says he turned it into the police of course while Rikuo returned the vase to its owners.

Hoeru goes running outside. Natsume watches him from afar, saying the time will come for them to do battle once again.

Episode Thoughts

Hmm. Perhaps Haruhi Iuchi really did play a huge part in why in enjoyed the premiere so much. Lol When Natsume left while still in suit, I figured Haruhi Iuchi wasn’t going to show up anymore (like he was probably signed up for just the one episode) and that was the last we’d see of the character for a while.

And then to be honest, most of the episode was just alright. It was good. But it was a typical -getting to know you- kind of episode, especially Hoeru (and us!) meeting Ryugi and Rikuo. And seeing more of the No One World Buraidan people. So nothing too amazing, but still positive all around.

Then Haruhi Iuchi did actually pop up again at the end and somehow I perked up and got excited again. Lolol I dunno. I assume they will save the return of Natsume for the Boonboomger-Gozyuger crossover so they can play up the familiar Spiderman meme of Taiya and Natsume pointing at each other like they’re looking in the mirror.

Also because I doubt Toei would pay extra to invite him back to shoot an episode and then have to get him back again for the movie, even though the movie is likely part of their original contracts.

BUT ANYWAY! To the episode itself. Lol Again, it was alright. I guess after the excitement of the premiere, any episode that followed would be a bit underwhelming in comparison unless they kept trotting out Sentai alums every week. Which I don’t expect of course.

But the episode certainly did a good job introducing us to the other characters we’ll be hanging out with during the season.

First, our yellow and blue guys are fun. I guess they’re basically a duo of sorts. A musical pair at that. And it works from what we saw of them here. Let me say, I’m glad Rikuo isn’t some scammer or something. I was very relieved that he returned the vase in the end. I guess it had to do with the underwhelming feeling I had throughout the episode. When he went to lie to the grandparent fans, I was like “Ewe bro”. But then it makes sense since he and Ryugi probably planned from the start to return whatever “treasure” they were going to use for the competition.

There’s merit to having sort of bad boy/girl members of the team. But it’s great also to have a whole team of good guys. And so far, even how mysterious Hoeru is, it’s great to have a team of good guys.

Certainly still lots to learn about them. (And we still have to meet our even more mysterious future black and green friends.) But a good intro nonetheless.

We got to see more of Mama Saori and little Aoi and I hope they’re regulars as well. It’s always fun to have civilian supporting characters around the heroes as a way to kind of prop up their heroic deeds with a close to home example of people they protect and save.

Then with the No Ones/No Wans/No1s/No.1s (*cue Alicia Keys* lol), definitely a ragtag group as the Mr. and Mrs. mentioned. Very eclectic group of villains. So it will be interesting to see how they develop. Whether their sort of goofy façade at this point gives way to more sinister and darker ambitions. Or will the show leave that to the mysterious Queen face in the back. Or The Calamity is ultimately the Final Boss. I have no idea. So we’ll see. But very interesting dynamic established this episode, that’s for sure.

Overall, a fine second episode. I guess it would be hard to top the premiere. But it’s certainly not some kind of huge fall off or anything. I guess for me, the high of Boonboomger is starting to wear off probably. So I’m basically settling down into my normal way of taking in a new season. So, a solid episode and still very exciting to see what this season has in store.