Kamen Rider Kabuto Episode #41

Here we go, the first real weekly review of Kamen Rider Kabuto I've done in a while. It's not quite as cool as getting to talk about it before anyone else has seen it (insert evil laugh) but on the plus side, there's pictures! And maybe a few things will be explained for the people who bravely try watching the unsubtitled episodes and still have no clue what's going on. Don't feel bad, I was there once.

And remember, these recaps will be revealing a lot of the show's surprises, so SPOILER WARNING! So let's get on with it...

After the usual recap/repeating some scene from last week, we join the Zectroopers preparing to test out the newly-completed Anti Mimic Bomb, capable of revealing Worms disguised as humans.

Needless to say, it's a success. Score one for the Zectroopers!

Kagami's dad, Mishima and a whole bunch of ZECT suits discuss the AMB's potential to turn the tide in the ongoing war against the Worms. Meanwhile, Tendô's off climbing a mountain and doing saying usual Tendô stuff.

After the opening credits, Kagami, Tadokoro and Misaki are posing as truck drivers to evacuate a group of people from an area slated for AMB-related maneuvers. Their truck gets attached by Worms, which of course leads to much mayhem.

Following an unscheduled crash, the gang must fight their way out through a horde of Worms, armed with just those dinky ZECT guns (which amazingly, seem to do a lot of damage) before Kagami eventually transforms into Gatack to start cleaning house.

The Worms manage to break into the back of the truck, only to be attacked by a mass of Natives (distinguised from the regular Worms by their large horns and slightly different backs.) Kagami and Misaki are soon freaking out, while Tadokoro is strangely calm. Upon seeing Gatack, the Natives refer to him as "The Top's Son", further confusing our hero. Suddenly, the Natives are destroyed, and a new bunch of players enter the game:

Nogi, the latest entry to the Dai Kanbu files, and a posse of women in black, who have dropped by to raise a little havoc. Nogi, able to move ridiculously fast, not only destroyed the Natives, but also defeats Gatack with little effort (briefly revealing his true form, the Cassisworm) before taking off. Misaki has been injured, and Kagami, perplexed by the recent events, eyes Tadokoro suspiciously.

Kagami takes Misaki to the Bistro, where Renge finally proves for the first time in a while and treats her, while Tsurugi, who's being treated to Renge's off-beat cooking, frets a lot before Kagami tells him to calm down. He soonafter realizes that Kagami and Misaki are not, as he previously though, a couple, which as you can imagine makes him a very happy man.

Kagami attempts to force his way in to meet his father, still playing up his dayjob as a police bigwig, but gets dogpiled by security and kicked in the head by Mishima. Elsewhere, Misaki awakens in bed, which is in the Bistro (..huh?) and Tsurugi's usual antics ensue. This time, he is introduced to the concepts of Tofu (which he puts sugar on, eliciting a great response from Tendô & crew) and Nattô (Fermented Soy Beans), which he finds utterly repulsive looking (which isn't actually so strange, as Nattô is generally one of those "you-love-it-or-you-hate-it" foods.) As usual, Misaki grows irritated with him, and tells him to give it up once again.

Kagami awakens to find himself face-to-face with none other than his wacky dad, who explains A TON about the main plot. 35 years ago, the Natives came and made an agreement with humans to protect them from the other Worms who would come later. Thus ZECT and the Masked Rider System Project began, guided by the hand of the Natives. Kagami was chosen long before his birth to be the user of Gatack, as was first hinted at back when he, Hiyori and Tendô were runnin' around in Area X. Realizing that he may exist for no other reason than to fight the Worms, Kagami leaves, visibly distraught.

He confers with Tendô, and they conclude that another meteriote that predates the one that touched down in Shibuya came 35 years ago, bringing the Natives. Seeing that the Natives are also Worms, Kagami feels morally conflicted, but Tendô remains firm in his resolve to defeat all Worms. We also learn that he obtained his belt from the Native who had been impersonating his father!

Tsurugi, lamenting the failure of all his efforts to win Misaki's affection, soon finds himself confronted by Yaguruma and Kageyama, and a battle erupts. Tadokoro arrives at the Bistro and announces his intent to assist in another AMB-related plan, which Kagami hesistantly joins in, following a few tense moments, after being swayed by Tadokoro's decree that he will risk his life to fight the Worms and save people. Meanwhile, Sasword gets trashed by the Double Hoppers, and winds up being sent flying (complete with cartoony sound effects.) However, the Hoppers do not wish to kill him, but rather recruit him to their cause- he will become their "little brother"!

Tendô meets with Kagami's father briefly, speaking of Tendô's own father. As this happens, the plan to attack the Worms with another AMB is going completely to Hell! The Worms strike first, and Kagami transforms as the Zectroopers, who had briefly enjoyed a victory at the beginning of this episode, resume their prior role of Weekly Worm Fodder. To make matters worse, the AMB was launched before Tadokoro and Misaki could warn everybody of the incoming attack (due to communication blockage) and so, caught by the Worm-revealing gas, this happens:

Tadokoro is revealed to be a Native! Shocked by this revelation, Gatack completely loses his fighting spirit. Despite Tadokoro's best efforts to help him, he promptly gets hammered into the ground, first by the grunt Worms and then by Nogi, who doesn't even bother transforming into his Worm self- he just beats him senseless in his human form. With Gatack out of the running, Misaki and Tadokoro are at Nogi's mercy, at least until Tendô shows up in one of his coolest entrances in a while, briefly fighting Nogi before transforming into Kabuto. Nogi, who is fast proving himself to be a total badass, still doesn't transform. And that means one thing:

Untransformed Villain Fight Scene!

Eventually though, he does reveal his Cassisworm alter-ego, and a vicious fight ensues. As Kagami is led away by Misaki, bitter at Tadokoro for keeping the truth from him, Kabuto goes Hyper and prepares to finish Cassisworm off.

But the latter reveals a nasty new trick: He can utterly freeze time, even the Hyper Clock Up, and hits Kabuto with a powerful blow that reverts him to normal and sends him flying back...

Overall, a pretty good episode with some great action and plot development, and next episode, featuring the return of Dark Kabuto, looks to be another good one. The only real downside this week was that, more than ever, it seems pretty much confirmed that the Hoppers have basically become comedy relief, especially now that they're hanging around with Tsurugi. Which wouldn't be so bad if they weren't creepy psychopaths up until a few episodes ago, but then perhaps maybe that's the intent- they've both been to Hell, and now they're on the road to redemption, which apparently involves eating nooodles and getting comically thrown through the air. Or something, I dunno. All I know is, I can't wait to see what this is going be all about: