Love's Labours Lost

I will still be reviewing Kiva next week, but an early warning guys: there's going to be some downtime as I fiiiiiiiiiiiinally make some headway on updating my site in the near future. There will also be some changes to this blog... like it's location. But more on that when it happens.

And here's this week's Kiva.

MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD. No really, they're big.



Kamen Rider Kiva Episode #43: "Wedding March: The Time of Parting"

Kiva and Saga continue to duke it out as the offscreen Kivat and Tatsulot recap the plot and the dealie with Shima.

In the dark warehouse, Sungazer Fangire reverts to Shima, who realizes the terrible truth. He looks at his hands, and cracks with Fangireness, screaming.

Saga beats Kiva down, so much that he collapses and reverts to Wataru. Saga in turn reverts to Taiga. One way or another, he will make Wataru see the truth. He leaves his "brother" lying behind him. Pretty cool, it feels like Saga's finally living up to his hyped-up rep of being da king and all.

At the cafe, Shima is once again eating a lot. More than usual. More than he should. Everybody watches him, realizing something's really wrong here. He's eaten 7 plates, and Kido finds this strange of his old friend. Megumi & Nago question him about what happened when that Fangire attacked him. They want to guard him, but he unusually requests Wataru over them. Nago pushes his luck, and Shima violently screams at him. Realising what he's done (by the stunned silence), he apologizes and relents.

1986. Yuri fights against the Silk Moth Fangire, who has some pretty gnarly powers. Maya tells her (the Fangire) to stop, and she requests a reason why.

"It's no concern of yours."

Well that helps! Maya blasts her back into the stone thing from which she came. Yuri thanks her, but feels she doesn't need her help anymore. She just wanted Maya to get her to the destination; saving Otoya is her job.

2008. Taiga is surprised when Mio announces that she wants to get married as soon as possible. He embraces her, pouring out his heart. His true life can finally begin. She states that she wants to begin a new life as well. Ha! Kids these days.

Wataru watches Shima jogging in the park. Megumi & Nago are there too, also up to their "guard" duty. Some nearby kids play soccer, and when the ball flies at Shima, he seems to sense it and puts his arm up to stop it. It explodes upon impact, stunning everyone. He then screams out in pain and collapses, and soon runs off.

On a side note, I like how Fangire-Shima is channeling the old "Kaizô Ningen Angst Factor" of the classic Riders. Destroyin' stuff, acting all aloof... okay, the eating part seems to be something you have even before being altered, but hey, this is Shima, Mr. Gym himself.)

Soon, Sungazer Fangire is attacking a fmily. Nago shows up and transforms, going right to IXA Rising yet again. He's gotten good at that! He fights with Sungazer, saving the guy he was about to kill. IXA double blasts the monster with both his weapons, sending him flying behind a tree. He runs over to find... Shima! Naga (as well as Wataru & Megumi, who've since shown up) can't believe it. Growling madly, Shima runs like the wind.

Wataru suddenly realises the horrible truth of what Taiga did to save Shima...

1986. Otoya is tortured as his lfe force is drained by Castle Dran. Kivat Sr. watches on. 5 bucks says this is leading somewhere.

2008. Taiga, on motorcycle, is stopped in a parking garage by Wataru. Yep, time for another classic Kamen Rider Parking Garage Showdown.

"What the hell did you do to Shima?"

"Made him better, as I promised."

Taiga joined him with a Fangire, putting the essence and heart of a monster into him. Shima shows up, angered at this revelation. Wataru can't believe it...

"You understand nothing!"

Taiga still wants Wataru to know the true destiny they share...

Shima goes to the cafe, empty save for that dog. Kido appears though, and asks him if he wants the usual. Shima agrees.

Shima only has coffee this time. Then Nago shows up.

Nago & Shima talk down at a construction site. Awesome bit of filming here, with them ways apart amidst the mud and puddles and the setting sun. Reminds me of a few episodes of Ultraseven, oddly.

"Yes, I am Fangire!"

Nago transforms, again going right to Rising IXA. He runs at Shima to punch him, but stops. He can't do it.

"You're too soft." says Shima as he leaves.

After all that talk, Taiga & Mio get married in some dark place. The ceremony's pretty cool, with him wrapping her wrists with a chain, and a mutual drinking of wine (or maybe blood, but I think it's probably wine.) She's got a cool outfit. It's all a pretty awesome scene although I still have to say Destron wins for having the coolest evil wedding yet. From afar, Bishop watches, probably wondering why he didn't get to read them the vows. Then again, maybe he technically can't do that. I'm bad with that sorta stuff.

Shima talks with Wataru, and realizes how great he is for having Fangire blood in him but maintaining control over himself. Within Shima himself though, is only evil power. Shima suddenly begins to change...

Taiga lifts Mio's veil, and goes in for the kiss... but in the first big surprise of the episode (and there's a few) she stabs him! Her hands are those of the Pearl Shell Fangire! He bleeds, blue blood I think it is. She breaks the chains (ha!), and Taiga collapses. She apologizes, and runs. Bishop stops her, but Taiga tells him to let her go. She did nothing... Bishop hesitates, but relents.

1986. Otoya is still being drained. King taunts him from afar.

The girls walk through the woods. Maya can hear Otoya's violin. For some reason, he's playing it now, no longer chained up. King wanted to indulge him one last time and hear the music that's supposedly so great. Doesn't seem like the best idea, but then again King is one smug bastard.

Yuri can't hear anything though, so Maya leads them on. King and Kivat mk. II listen to his playing, but King doesn't like it, so he blasts Otoya away. Time's up.

King approaches him, and prepares to strike him down once and for all. I guess then he gets chomped whole? But Yuri's weapon stops him. Maya is there too. King transforms into Dark Kiva. Maya walks forward, becoming the 1986-edition Pearl Shell Fangire. They fight.

2008. Shima, as Sungazer Fangire, runs to the graves of Yuri & her mother. Wataru tries to stop him, but he shakes him off. An injured Taiga shows up. Shima wants to destroy him for what he did, so he runs at him... but Taiga vanishes, and reappears as Saga. He whips Sungazer mercilessly, then stabs him, and finishes the deed. Shima, the Sungazer Fangire, roars out, collapses, and explodes. Wataru watches on, horrified. He can't believe it. That his "brother" is capable of this kind of evil pushes him over the edge.

"I can't forgive you..."

Screaming, he goes right to Kiva Emperor Form, without a regular Henshin!

Mio suddenly appears as well...

1986. Yuri leads Otoya through the woods, but Silk Moth reappears. Otoya wants to take this one, so she lends him the IXA Knuckle. He fights with Moth, using a Fuestle to blow the monster away with the Knuckle.

Dark Kiva throws Pearl around. She reverts to Maya as he asks her if she truly loves Otoya. She does, more than him. Dark Kiva wraps her in enegy, draining away her power. She rises up, and he reverts to King.

"You will no longer be Queen."

He leaves her behind...

2008. Kiva & Saga fight. Bishop shows up and watches along with Mio, who remembers what Taiga said earlier. Why did he forgive her? The brothers duke it out, and this time, Kiva has the upper hand. Kiva uses Wake Up Fever, and runs at Saga. Mio has an epiphany, and runs towards them. And... you guessed it, she gets in the way, becoming Pearl Shell Fangire to take the blow meant for Saga. Kiva realizes too late, and his kick connects. Pearl Shell falls.

Wataru runs to Mio, telling her to pull together. But she is weak.

"Wataru..."

She gives him the ring he once gave to her.

We see a vision, of the life they could have had, the ring he would give to her as they wed. But this is a fate which will never be.

He puts it on her finger.

"I'm glad."

And then her eyes close, and she cracks and explodes away into glass.

Wataru is left, alone...

And I gotta say, while the prospect of Mio biting it was something I saw coming (what with Kamen Riders rarely having any luck with love, unless you're like, one of them ancient Oni like Habataki) I did not expect it to come in this episode. I mean, so (comparitively) early from the end, but rather at least within the final 3. But here we are. Taiga's gonna be mad as hell.

NEXT TIME: It's Wataru's turn for a little time-tripping adventure. Also, It appears IXA will rumble with Bishop once again. The end is coming...!

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