Sins of the Father

So TV-Asahi decided that the Fangire, formerly the "Fangaia" are now the "Fangaire". I guess I'll go along with that one.

There was A LOT of talking in this one and I'm sure I missed a few things, but that'll give you something to look forward to when you see it!

Spoilers and Random Acts of Violence against a German guy ahead.



Kamen Rider Kiva Episode 3: "Hero: Perfect Hunter"

There's a recap of last episode. Kiva defeats the Octopus Fangaire and summons Castle Dran. The narrator takes a moment to explain the whole violin thing, and then we're at Wataru's house. Kivat-Bat flies around as the doorbell rings. Kivat-Bat tells Wataru a customer is there, but he's too wrapped up in his own little world. The doorbell keeps ringing. It turns out to be a newspaper guy, asking if he wants a subscription. Shizuka comes by and bails him out. Wataru is trying to get over his sickness-of-everything and be more social, and she feels a good way to start is for him to give something to Kido in return for supplying that table last episode.

OP, and the sausage ad again.

Shima is working out. You'd think he does nothing else. "Kiva appeared again!" he notes, and he talks with Megumi about Kiva, the Fangaire, and the past.

At the cafe, Wataru & Shizuka give a present to Kido for the table. Megumi mouths off and gets in an argument with Shizuka. That dog climbs in her lap, freaking her out. The dog then goes to Wataru, who opens up to it in a way we haven't seen before. Kido comments on how rare this is, to see that picky dog being so friendly. He asks Wataru his name.

"Wataru. Kurenai Wataru."

"Kurenai?" Kido seems to recognize this name but doesn't show it. Wataru, talking with Shizuka, gets on the subject of his father, relating how he was always told how great his father was. Kido, silently making connections in his head, asks for his father's name.

"Kurenai Otoya"

1986. Two rich people are out shopping, Otoya shows up and ruins things for the man while impressing the woman. The angry man attacks Otoya only to get beaten up. Then Otoya sees another woman and forgets the first one, leaving her blubbering away with her knocked-out man. Then Yuri shows up. "I found you". Otoya recognizes her as "the fated woman!" But she's not in the mood, and she grabs his arm.

"Return my weapon!" Suddenly, Moth Fangaire attacks. Otoya fights it with Yuri's weapon. Yuri takes it back and turns it into a whip, but the Fangaire sprays powdery sparkling dust (he's a moth, give him a break) to escape. A man watches from above... Shima.

He talks to Yuri at the cafe about Otoya, who he is interested in adding to the Fangaire Hunter ranks. The dog from 22 years later, here just a puppy, creeps Yuri out.

2008. The doorbell rings a Wataru's place. He goes to answer. It's a woman, not who he was expecting at all. A lawyer. "I want to talk about something involving your father."

She shows him files upon files. There is a long list of people whose lives were ruined when they crossed paths with Kurenai Otoya. Shizuka & Wataru go to talk to some of them. One is an old noodle cart owner who used to run a fancy upscale club. He remembers a time when Otoya and a ton of women met him. Yuri was there too. And it was there that things went downhill.

As the man leaves, Wataru can't believe it. He bows to the ground, apologizing. They talk to another old guy, now a crossing guard on a windy street. But he had once worked at a high-rolling casino overseas. He remembers a time when he met Otoya during a game. Otoya pulls out his violin and strts playing. And singing. And the guy passes out. Yuri was there, yet again. And somehow, this led to the guy's downfall. No, I'm not entirely clear on what the connection is, but basically, wherever Otoya went, he left ruined lives in his wake.

Wataru still can't believe it. He thought his father was a great man. But he was really a skirt-chasing homewrecker? The lawyer shows up again. "Now you know the kind of man your father was."

Wataru, Shizuka & her are suddenly at the beack, and Wataru notes how all his confidence is suddenly slipping away...

COMMERCIAL BREAK

A German guy (surrounded by tough-looking thugs, meaning he's probably up to no good) is eating sushi. Somebody brings him coffee. That somebody attacks the man, taking one of his buttons. The foreigner accuses him of being "that bounty hunter". The man cool retorts that he prefers to be known as an "ally of justice". He then beats the crap out of everyone. The portly foreign man runs for his life. The bounty hunter puts the button on a string, along with many others...

The fleeing guy runs through the street past Wataru, crying for help. He takes Shizuka hostage. The hunter shows up and beats the stuffing out of him. He then coldly tells the unconscious man that he still has a chance to remake his life and atone for his sins. The police arrive and recognize him as that famous bounty hunter. Shizuka is impressed, and Wataru is entranced. He seems something of his father in this man...

At a stadium, a man is attacked by Moth Fangaire, but Megumi shows up to fight back. The Bloody Rose violin plays and Wataru hears it. Kivat-Bat flies off. The Fangaire's dust attacks Megumi. She gets beaten up and is about to get shot with her own gun when Wataru arrives on the scene.

"Henshin!"

Megumi again misses out seeing who becomes Kiva as he runs to save her again, punching out the Fangaire. There's a nice fight. Suddenly he stops, remembering the words of those his father ruined. His concentration broken, Moth blasts him with his dust spray and runs for it. Megumi, weakened, meets the bounty hunter, who turns out to be a Fangaire Hunter as well. He coldly tells her to stand up; they've got work to do.

Kiva is still looking for Moth. Kivat-Bat leaves and he reverts to Wataru. Kivat asks him what's wrong, but he doesn't reply.

The bounty hunter looks at his necklace of buttons.

"Kiva... I don't need your button... I'll take your life."

NEXT TIME: Wataru must come to terms with the man his father was. Garulu Form makes its debut. And I'd swear I heard someone say "Rider System" in there somewhere.

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