Recap: Kamen Rider Gavv, Episode 35 – Zero Sweetness! Ironclad Lango

Lango reports to Liselle and Jiip that abducting the number of humans needed to produce ten million Dark Treats would draw attention to the existence of Granutes. He asks if they are willing to risk that. Though Jiip initially seems to agree that it would be too risky, Liselle says she has no problem with it. Especially since it is President Bocca’s order.

Later, Lango goes to Nyelv to pick up the device he had him make. Nyelv says he did it even though he doesn’t work under him anymore. But Lango says it’s an order from President Bocca, so they have no choice. That’s true, Nyelv says.

Over at Hapipare, Shoma is snacking slower this time, collecting enough Gochizos for the Gochipod a little at a time. Just then, Ritsu comes in to ask for help making signs and shirts for her favorite band, U.M.A’s, concert.

Ritsu explains that she was able to get a ticket last minute, but will need help with all the gear. Sachika and Shoma excitedly agree to help her. They head out to buy supplies to make all the stuff.

That evening, Lango oversees Agents targeting planes, cruise ships and baseball stadiums. And the mass disappearances make the morning news.

Shoma meets with Hanto and Rakia. Rakia says this is probably Lango’s work as he came up with the method he used in injecting a toxin on groups of people to easily Press them while happy. Stomach Inc had taken samples of those toxins while they modified him and must have used them to mass produce such things to use.

Shoma notices Rakia is regretful for having been a part of all that. He says they should just keep an eye on big crowds for now and asks the Gochizos to help.

Before they head out also, Rakia asks Shoma if Sachika knows he was the cause of those mass disappearances from before. Both Shoma and Hanto say they have not told her.

Rakia says it’s pretty pathetic that he doesn’t want humans to find out now that he’s gotten close to some. Shoma understands as he went through the same thing. But Hanto says they were different. And he tells Rakia to keep that close to his heart now that he’s realized it.

Rakia and Shoma nod in understanding.

Over in the boardroom, Jiip complements Lango for big Premium Press numbers already. But he says it’s only a matter of time before Shoma finds out. Lango says he can just take care of him when he does. Jiip knows Lango is very capable of that.

Rakia heads to Uncle Dente’s cave and is shocked to see him lying on the ground. But he’s actually just sleeping. Rakia wakes him up and gives him some pudding to enjoy. He asks if he can make him an antidote for his toxins.

Meanwhile, a pair of part-timers set-up a plane full of passengers to be Pressed. Shoma arrives too late as Agents are already collecting the Presses. He quickly henshins. But Lango arrives and shields the Agents from Shoma’s attacks.

Lango propels Shoma to the tarmac and is forced to dehenshin. Hanto and Rakia arrive.

Lango says a traitor like Rakia has no right to lecture him while he mocks Hanto regarding the murder of his mother. Both Hanto and Rakia henshin. But Lango easily blocks their attacks. He whips out his weapon and slashes at them.

Lango first forces Rakia to dehenshin and does the same to Hanto.

Shoma stands and charges at Lango who catches him and slams him on the ground. Lango tells Shoma to just give up, but he refuses.

Lango says Shoma has not changed one bit, still useless and powerless like when he was a kid. And still an eyesore. He asks Shoma if he ever thought about how they felt when their father introduced him and his mother to them. Papa Bouche warned the siblings not to lay a finger on them or they will be severely punished.

Lango remembers how all Shoma did was cower behind his mother. And the fact that they had to harbor an alien weakling goes against everything their family stood for. But now, Lango says, there is no reason to let Shoma go on living.

Shoma says none of that was his fault. He remembers sincerely reaching out to his siblings and then having to face being discriminated against.

But Lango says Shoma should have never been born. Shoma henshins to Over, but Lango is able to easily overpower him. Lango strikes Shoma’s Best, initially shielding him. But Lango is still able to deflect Shoma’s attack.

The Gochipod runs out of power and Shoma is forced to dehenshin.

Lango says it’s time their world went back to existing without Shoma. Shoma henshins to Blizzard to freeze Lango long enough to whisk himself, Hanto and Rakia away to safety.

Episode Thoughts

Another excellent episode of Gavv. It’s about time we see the oldest and youngest Stomach siblings not only come face to face, but actually battle.

I very much liked Lango’s blunt talk with Shoma. He (and the other siblings) wish Shoma never existed. His arrival threw their family, and presumably their business and ambitions, into chaos. We’ve still yet to learn fully about Papa Bouche. And so Shoma’s arrival could have brought about a change in him that could severely affect the siblings as well.

The full effect of Shoma’s arrival and existence is likely something we’ll learn in the final episodes. But Shoma’s self-doubt and that struggle to find where to belong has been something the season has touched upon from the very beginning. And more than just the usual (and maybe easier) fish out of water stories. But stories of Shoma’s inner and outward struggle to balance all facets of himself. Especially as he does have fish out of water experiences. But more importantly being able to forge connections, friendships, and bonds that were completely nonexistent beyond his mother growing up.

As much as we don’t know about Lango’s true nature as well, it was still a great moment seeing him act so ruthlessly, first against Hanto and Rakia and then of course with Shoma.

Similarly, I loved the scene with Rakia and his remorse for his involvement in Pressing from the past. My hopeless romantic-self certainly sat up when he initially asked about Sachika. Lol But even more importantly, the scene showed Rakia’s growth as well as be another example of how people can change and evolve over time, especially when they form relationships with others. We’ve seen that with Shoma and Hanto of course too. And perhaps we might see that with other Stomach Sibs even. We’ll see!

Elsewhere, thank goodness Uncle Dente is not dead! Lol At first I thought Rakia finding his dead body would help add more emotion and maybe anger to the eventual confrontation with Lango. But actually it provided a lighter contrast to the heavy ending. So either way would have been good. But it’s definitely better that we still have Dente ojiisan still with us hehe

Good scene with Lango and Nyelv. There seems to be a bit of understanding between them at least, so that’s a very interesting dynamic to explore more moving forward. Also with Jiip who we see maybe isn’t too far gone, relatively speaking, when he can still be shocked and surprised by his wife.

Overall, a really excellent episode of Gavv. Again, the season knows how to raise the tension and the stakes in a way that makes sense and builds off of pieces they’ve set in place every week. That’s a perfect recipe to lead to satisfying results, which is what the season has done many times.