IXA Knuckle Sandwich

#40 already? Hard to believe, but the end is fast approaching. Time for another multi-episode review soon, I think.

Epic Spoilers Ahead!



Kamen Rider Kiva Episode #40: "Encore: Nago-IXA's Explosive Return"

His royal majesty (no, not Taiga) uses the Zanvat Sword to destroy those recycled monsters. Bishop does his magical hand thing, awakening the true Fangire blood within Kiva. Kivat & Tatsulot managed to stay quiet until this point, where of course they fly in the way and wonder what's gonna happen next.

Kiva is about to stab Megumi, but Nago jumps in the way, knocking him back. Soon he is about to get slashed, but he calls out Wataru's name, and the crazed Rider stops. Kiva reverts to human form, wondering where he is and what he's been doing. Taiga & Bishop walk up, looking smug. Kengo screams at our hero.

"You really are a Fangire!"

Shocked, Wataru runs off when he realizes what he's just done. The others watch on silently.

Nago, Megumi & Kengo talk with Shima. More than ever, Kengo is ready to K.O. his former friend, but Nago stands up for Wataru. He believes that he is caught between his human and Fangire halves, but his heart can still be rescued from the darkness. Kinda like you, Nago! Minus the half-Fangire part.

Taiga & Mio eat, talking about Wataru. Taiga believes that soon he will accept his true heritage and become their ally. Also, Taiga's still pining for Mio to marry him. Big dreams, man.

Shizuka (remember her?) asks Wataru what's wrong. She's taken aback by his ill disposition. Has he returned to his old germaphobic, social outcast ways?

1986. Down by the docks, Yuri reflects on her last conversation with Otoya. Maya appears, and they finally, properly introduce themselves (this is some kind of Inoue staple; it took Takumi & Kiba ages just to blurt their names out to each other.) Soon it looks like a fight will break out. Yuri tries to become IXA, but Otoya appears and stops her. He wants them to have a picnic. Ignoring him, Yuri turns, but Maya is gone. Yuri takes off, obsessed with finding the other woman...

Maya & Otoya sit down to a picnic anyway. The dark lady muses on Yuri:

"I will not take that child's life... because I have taken something more important than life..."

Otoya doesn't understand her. From afar, the King sees all this. And he ain't happy about it.

2008. Shima is in a car, when Taiga (on his bike) pulls up behind him. He passes and blocks the way, so the car stops, and the older man gets out.

"It's been a while, Taiga."

1986. King is stalking Otoya. He suddenly appears before him, then walking past. Otoya gets a strange feeling and turns to look back on the strange man, but he is gone. He leaves only burning footsteps behind...

2008. Shima & Taiga talk about the past, and Shima tries to get Taiga's help in destroying Kiva. After all, isn't he a threat to both their causes? But Taiga shoots him down; Wataru is family. At least, I think that's what they talked about here. I got distracted during this scene so they coulda been chatting about pie for all I know.

Shizuka tries to get Wataru to open up, but he's literally chained himself in, and barb-wired the gate. Nago shows up to help, but Wataru (scrawling away at a violin) tells them both to be quiet. He thinks back to his near-evil deed from before. How can he ever face the world again after that? And even if he could... well, he's half-Fangire, and there's a whole lotta problems with that at the moment.

Shima & Kengo talk. Shima's decided on returning IXA to Nago, as Kengo hasn't turned out to be all that and a bag of chips after all. Mad as hell, Kengo declares he will prove his worth in the end...

1986. Jirô & the boys are in the ever-so-foggy woords, and get attacked by King. He blasts them back with his power. But he makes a deal with them: they can live... if they kill Kurenai Otoya.

2008. The Sea Moon Fangire is attacking people. Kengo shows up, transforming into IXA. He launches into action, ranting "I am strong, I am strong!" He goes Rising, and shoots the monster with his gun. He pulls out his sword, but Bishop stops him. Bishop becomes the Swallowtail Fangire, promising to crush him. IXA rebukes this claim. He will crush the Fangire. Because he's strong!

Nago shows up as they start a sword fight.

Bloody Rose sounds, but Wataru doesn't want to fight anymore. He throws his cell phone aside, so a flustered Kivat answers. It's from Nago. He begs Wataru for help.

IXA gets blasted by Swallowtail's deadly dust attack, reverting to Kengo. The high-ranking Fangire steps on the IXA Knuckle, crushing it, but Nago stops him, running into him. He gets stepped on for his troubles. Swallowtail kicks him away, and then goes to Kengo, pulling him up. He prepares to stab him, but at the last second, stops. The Zanvat Sword has gotten in the way.

Wataru, as Kiva Emperor Form, has appeared! He knocks the Fangire back, and the bad guys hoof it.

"I believed in you!" says Nago. But Wataru says this will be his last fight. He no longer wants to be around people, not with his Fangire heart. Wataru thanks Nago for everything up to now, and asks him to apologize to Megumi for him. As he leaves, even Kengo calls out for him, but he does not stray from his path.

Nago looks over at the IXA Knuckle...

Wataru has locked Kivat and Tatsulot in a cage. He takes the Bloody Rose, wraps it up, and tosses it under a bench. The two flying critters beg him to stop, but Wataru will listen to no one.

Okay, time out. I've seen a lot of criticism of Wataru's behavior in this episode, but I have to say I sort of understand where he's coming from. He basically lost control and nearly killed one of his closest friends, and why? Because of who he is. Something he can't change. But just the fact that he is half-Fangire, and thus can be controlled the way he was... to him, that makes him a liability.

Add in the fact that this is a guy who spent a good portion of his life afraid of even talking to people or venturing outside, and I can understand why his reaction is to lock himself away like this. It actually kinda reminds me of Kikaida, for whatever reason. I dunno, but as angsty as it is (and is it ever), I see what they're going for here. Besides, he'll get over it soon. He's only got a few episodes left to do so!

At the cafe, Megumi sleeps. Nago shows up, and they talk about things. He brings her to Wataru's house. Along with Shizuka, they've decided they must get Wataru out of his funk.

Nago makes a way in through the outer gate with wire cutters. But Wataru has electrified the front door. Holy @#$%, right? Everyone is knocked down, singed but alive. They bust in, but he has set a swinging log trap to knock them down. Well, it knocks Nago down. Wataru is no where to be seen, so Megumi talks about how she felt when Wataru was trying to kill her, and how it's not such a big deal really. There's more traps (rubber creepy-crawlies from the ceiling, a slide down the stairs) and soon everybody ends up back outside the house. Wataru huddles alone in the bath...

1986. Yuri confronts Maya again. The time for chatting is over. She slashes the Queen's face with her Blue Sky weapon. And then she becomes IXA.

2008. Sea Moon Fangire is on the loose again, but Nago shows up, and transforms into IXA! With no Wataru to help out, he must go it alone. He goes straight to Rising.

1986. Yuri-IXA fights Maya, but she vanishes, in the process knocking the other woman out of her transformation.

2008. Bishop appears, asking to see IXA's true power. He becomes the Swallowtail again.

Wataru ignores Bloody Roses's call.

IXA fights the two Fangire at once.

Wataru sill ignores the call. Kivat and Tatsulot urge him to go.

Swallowtail is beating on IXA when Taiga shows up. For his crimes against the Fangire, he has condemned IXA to die. He becomes Saga.

Wataru runs from the pleas of his friends.

Bishop & Saga beat the hell out of poor IXA. Saga uses his finisher. IXA hangs in the air, explosions rocking his body...

The music plays louder and louder, and Wataru reverts to a child...? Wha!?

NEXT TIME: The true fate of Wataru & Nago revealed! What will Kengo, having lost IXA and cast out of Blue Sky, do now? Will the Arms Monsters truly turn on Otoya? Will Yuri settle things with Maya? Also: GIANT SAGARC.

One more time: GIANT. SAGARC.

***