The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Spoilers and Garulu's family history ahead.



Kamen Rider Kiva Episode 15: "Resurrection: Checkmate Four"

Kivat talks about checkmate (as in the chess thing) while Dogga Form crushes the Rhinoceros Fangire.

1986. Garulu & Basshaa beat the crap out of IXA/Otoya, but Yuri shows up, and they beat it. She sees Jirô looking over Otoya's unconcious body. When asked what happened, he tells her that it was the Fangire, Otoya couldn't handle it, and he takes back the IXA Knuckle.

An angry-looking man walks down the street, grumbling to himself. He punches into a telephone poll, pulling the wires out and electrocuting himself in front of a crowd of stunned onlookers. A nearby man asks if he's okay, and the first man grabs his wrist. He has a Rook tatoo on his hand. He drains the man's life energy. Fangire!

Otoya is at the hospital. Yuri lambasts him for running around as IXA. In true Otoya style, he completely ignores that subject and attempts to hit on her.

2008. A man sits by the river, watching a crayfish. Wataru & Shizuka walk by, and see him walk, stumble and fall in. Wataru helps him out of the river. Asking what he was doing, he says he remembered something about the crayfish, and had to save it. Shizuka thinks he's crazy and they make a hasty exit, but the man follows them, asking them who he is. Wataru asks him his name, and he doesn't know, or where he's from. Wataru guesses that he was amnesia.

1986. Ramon shines Jirô's shoes while Riki gives him a backrub. Jirô has a flashback to the slaughter of the Wolfen Clan, where every last one (aside from him, who shows up just in time to witness it) was killed by the Lion Fangire- the man with a Rook on his jacket and a similar tatoo on his hand. Jirô says that he cannot forget that face, or forgive it.

The Lion Fangire sees the falling cherry blossoms, seeing this as some kind of challenge. He sets the timer on his watch, and begins killing people. Specifically, women who as as "pretty as the cherry blossoms". Elsewhere, Yuri, Jirô & Shima discuss the latest Fangire movements. Have to get the cafe in there somehow!

2008. The strange man is in Wataru's place. Shizuka asks what he's going to do about him. The man takes a hot boiling stew off of the oven (which is more potential violin dye) and gulps it down. He asks for more. Kivat notes that this guy is weird.

1986. The Lion Fangire stalks another woman, who is fact Yuri. But his watch beeps. "Time Over" He gives up the hunt... for now.

Or does he? The next scene has our murderous friend looking up to see the power lines. He raises his arms, and drains more energy from them, knocking himself out. A jogger comes by asking him if he's okay, and of course Lion Fangire kills him. Huh?

Yuri visits Otoya again, and spoon-feeds (well, chopstick-feeds) him. They flashback to that time they begged Jirô to give them back the IXA Knuckle, followed by a flashback of Yuri's mom dying again, and the man with the Rook Jacket. Yuri too can't forget that face...

Jirô shows up, ready to take Yuri. Otoya tries to get up and stop her, but collapses.

2008. Wataru, Shizuka & the mystery man sit down to eat. The man has no table manners to speak of. Shizuka believes he forgot how to use chopsticks. Wataru notes how this man his similar to a child. They give him the name Dai-chan (because he is big, yet acts like a kid.)

1986. The Lion Fangire continues his campaign of destruction, now going after lottery winners. He makes the mistake of confronting Yuri... who recognizes him. But as she isn't a winner, he tires of her and turns to leave. She runs after him, but he's vanished. Jirô shows up, asking what's wrong. She has found the killer!

2008. Wataru shows Dai-chan how he makes violins. Dai-chan asks to help, but just wrecks everything. Even Wataru's kindess has a limit, although he tries not to show his frustration with the child-like Dai-chan.

1986. The Lion Fangire seeks out the man who won the lottery and kills him. He completed his killing in the amoung of time set, and goes to collect "my prize."

2008. Wataru goes to find Dai-chan, who is fixing a girl's bicycle. Wataru helps out as well. The girl thanks them, offers a free meal as her restaurant (a soba shop), and leaves. Dai-chan carries Wataru back home, walking along the river where they first met.

1986. The Lion Fangire eats a parfait, when Yuri appears, knocking it from his hand with her. whip. This ticks him off, and he beats the snot out of her. But Jirô shows up, recognizing him as the slayer o the Wolfen Clan.

"You...The rook of the Checkmate Four."

Lion is surprised that this man knows who he really is. Jirô becomes Garulu, and the man becomes the Lion Fangire.

2008. Dai-chan is gone. He stumbles through the city, clutching his head in pain. He screams out, and becomes the Lion Fangire. They're the same guy! (Although you probably could tell that all along if you watched it.)

Bloody Rose plays. Wataru confronts the Lion Fangire, and transforms.

"Henshin!"

Kiva goes imediately to Garulu Form (Kivat calls out for it during the transformation.)

1986. Garulu fights with the incredibly strong Lion Fangire, who beats him back. Turning back to Jirô, he transforms into IXA (in a crazed, wild manner) and fights back, as if he were still Garulu. But Lion is still too strong.

2008. Garulu Form fights with the Lion Fangire, but the monster takes his sword, and slashes him to bits...

And I want to know: where they hell is Kengo?

NEXT TIME: Dai-chan drifts between innocent and evil. Garulu carries someone through the halls of Castle Dran. And IXA has a new toy- Powered IXA!

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