The Secret of Shima

And so November comes to an end. I've got a lot of big plans for December, so I'll keep this brief. On to Kiva!



Kamen Rider Kiva Episode #42: "The Power of Love: The King's Anger" (Great title, by the way.)

As we recap last time, Kiva blows up that big Sagarc.

1986. IXA runs at Dark Kiva, and jumps into the air as explosions go off all around him. But his flying kick is cut off when the dark Rider grabs him by the throat. Dark Kiva electrocutes IXA with his evil energy, and slams him up against a wall (a cool moment.) IXA de-transforms back to Otoya. As Maya watches on helplessly, he weakly reaches out for his violin case. Yuri tries to attack Dark Kiva with her Fangire Hunter weapon, but is knocked back.

"I will take this human."

Yuri tries to run at him again, but Maya stops her. Dark Kiva takes Otoya and teleports away.

"OTOYA!"

2008. Saga & Kiva have a face-off, but Saga reverts back to Taiga. He's really ticked off with Wataru, who soon reverts back to normal from Kiva. There's an argument over Wataru's allegiances.

"I don't want to fight my brother!"

Taiga is mad as hell (yet again) and he storms off...

Wataru sits in the cafe alone. He is offered some sweet confection by Nago, Kengo & Megumi. They all want him to feel better. Wataru apologizes to Kengo for the way he treated him before. He wants to become friends with him again. Kengo gets all misty-eyed and "We will be special friends."-spouting. You know, as much as manly-tears Kengo might irk some people who like the all-new, all-tough Kengo, I like him a whole hell of a lot more as a good guy again. Also, Kido appears to kock Nago aside.

Shima sits nearby, upset. Nago asks him to call off the whole "kill Wataru" thing once more. He's been saved, right? Shima is not convinced though. Wataru is that which "should not exist"; half-human, half-Fangire. But he's outnumbered, so one way or another, he must conclude that Wataru can indeed be trusted.

Shima starts cooking. He makes Omelette Rice as a way to test Wataru's humanity. If he enjoys it, he is human. If not, he will kill Wataru. Wataru seems to enjoy it, but let's be honest: even if he didn't, he's smart enough to act like he is, lest a crazy-ass Shima stab him in the eye or something.

At night, Mio is decked out in full Queen gear, and does the deed of killing a Fangire woman who loved a human. After she does this, the 1986 edition, aka Maya, appears. She asks Mio about her about her role as Queen. The younger woman has decided to accept her destiny, but not with Taiga. She will do so with the man who will become the King: Wataru. She then leaves to continue her "job".

Taiga meets with Shima at a restaraunt. Taiga wants to re-discuss an alliance to destroy Wataru. Shima leads him on, but stops things short. He says that he has changed his mind about Wataru.

"Why do you hate the Fangire so much?"

They talk of the past, and there's that flashback again where Taiga was responsible for injuring Shima (and apparently, killing someone close to Shima.) Shima thanks Taiga for the meal as he leaves. Man, they REALLY do eat a lot in Kamen Rider, don't they?

1986. Maya is in a church, alone. Yuri enters. She wants to rescue Otoya. Maya is ambivalent, but Yuri begs for her help. Maya is still not convinced they can do it.

"We cannot beat King."

Yuri persists, her hatred of the other woman overpowered by her love for Otoya.

"But why? Otoya betrayed you."

Yuri explains the depth of their love, and that it was no betrayal in her eyes.

2008. Shima is at the graves of Yuri & her mother, when the Sungazer Fangire appears. Shima uses his gun/sword weapon to try and fight, but is easily beaten. Nago & Megumi show up to help him, but he's already knocked unconcious. Nago goes right to Rising IXA and shoots at the villain, but the monster escapes.

Shima winds up in the hospital. According to the doctor, things don't look good. Wataru is there when he awakens. I like how darkly this scene is shot, it's not the usual bright hospital set type thing. Shima talks about Taiga. And about how his hatred of humans is Shima's fault.

"Wataru... please save Taiga."

Before he passes out. Taiga enters, saying that he will live. Taiga will save him. He's also amused at the prospect of being "saved" by Wataru.

During the commerical break, there's another Ganbaride ad! I'll be talking a lot about this soon. Like, when I get to try it out and all.

1986. Yuri prepares to go rescue Otoya. Maya is there too. She doesn't seem convinced of victory, but goes along wih the plan. They're soon in the dark, misty woods. A dangerous place, according to Maya, who reveals their destination: Castle Dran.

Otoya is chained up in the cavernous innards of Castle Dran. I think he's inside it, anyway. King is there too.

"You're awake."

King explains that Otoya will become food for Castle Dran. Otoya's life energy is drained slowly to feed the enormous beast.

2008. Taiga goes to buy flowers when Mio appears. She asks him about what the special day is that he's planning. 3 guesses what it is! Surprisingly, Mio agrees. Taiga asks for every flower in the store. No, more than that. He's a crazy one, that Taiga.

At the cafe, Nago, Wataru & Megumi worry about Shima. And who should turn up, but Shima! They ask him if he's okay. And indeed he is. The heroes are confused. Shima is unusually lively. It's like nothing happened to him at all. Shima wolfs down spaghetti, and asks for 5 Omlette Rice plats. Something isn't right...

Wataru meets with Taiga. By Taiga's hand, Shima has become better. In return, Taiga wants Wataru to assist him. Only when they are together, serving the same cause, will he be happy. Wataru cannot do so, so Taiga warns him...

In the gym, Shima breaks the weight lifting thing he's always on. He leaves, shocked.

The Sungazer Fangire is attacking more people. Nago & Megumi give chase, but he vanishes into a good old nearby abandoned warehouse. Shima suddenly appears, saying that the Fangire is in the area. He goes in after it, and they follow.

"Be careful, he's close."

The monster appears, and Megumi & Nago try to blast him with their guns. The Kaijin knocks them down and comes smashing out the wall. Wataru is there. He summons Kivat and Tatsulot and goes straight to Emperor Form, with Zanvat Sword in hand. He attacks the blue monster with his sword, but the Fangire has two powerful shields on his arms. They absorb the attack and are knocked off. The monster runs. Kiva gives chase, but is attacked by Sagarc. Taiga shows up, giving him one last chance, but Kiva refuses. Taiga becomes Saga. The two Riders fight.

1986. Continuing through the woods, the heroines find strange stone markers to lead the way. They start to go around in circles. Suddenly they hear a voice, and the stone projects a Fangire. The Silk Moth Fangire, who sports a recolored version of the big trident weapon that the movie's Kamen Rider Arc... um, "had". If you know what I mean. Well, good to see it show up here at last.

2008. Saga knocks Kiva onto a tower, electrocuting him. Inside the warehouse, the Sungazer Fangire stumbles through the darkness, reverting to the human form... of Shima!

He looks at his hands, cracking with Fangireness, and screams out...

Okay, hold up. How is it that Shima can be the Sungazer Fangire when said Fangire attacked him? According to the official site, Taiga used the research he kind of stole from good ol' Doctor Kanda (remember him?) to somehow merge them, thus saving Shima's life. Well, that's what they say. It brings up the question of who the Sungazer Fangire was beforehand, and a couple other questions, but hopefully next week's episode will clear everything up, if it weren't clear already. Uh... right.

NEXT TIME: In 1986, Yuri & Maya must deal with the Silk Moth Fangire and prevent Otoya from ending up as Castle Dran's next snack. In 2008, Taiga advances his plans to wed Mio. Wataru's got other ideas, and what fate will befall Shima?

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