God Save the Queen

This is a big weekend. School has ended, so I should have a lot more free time for a couple weeks at least. Kiva as hit 25 episodes, so expect another series-chunk recap soon. And, I'll be trying to get to the GATE OF THE NEXT World Character Convention in Tokyo tomorrow, so expect a report about that if everything works out.

Massive Series-Changing Spoilers Ahead!



Kamen Rider Kiva Episode #25: “Fanfare: Queen’s Awakening”

Kiva Emperor Form defeates the Grizzly Fangire while Kivat talks (offscreen) about a Queen's strength over a King's (in Chess.)

Otoya & Yuri eat more of her Omlette-Rice. Otoya still describes it as merely "okay". Bu Yuri now lets it all roll off of her. They're so much more comfortable together. She gives him a present, a watch with "From YURI" engraved on it. He asks her what she wants.

"I want to see the sea."

Otoya gives a smartaleck reply, but again, where she once would have punched him in the face, she now smerks and good-naturedly calls him an idiot. Well, it's a start.

2008. As Nago drinks Coffee in the background, Wataru & Mio talk about Mio's satisfaction with her new job. Megumi enters, believing they're setting up a date, and wants in on playing matchmaker, or whatever comes after matchmaker. Nago tells them all to knock it off, and goes off about peace on earth and all that. Just the life of the party, aren't you Nago? We also end on this odd close-up shot of Megumi before the OP. Not that I'm complaining!

Also, the OP is slightly different (unless I'm just realizing this for the first time): Otoya & Wataru are shown playing violin, upside-down, spliced into the scenes with Kiva punching the stain glass window.

1986. Shima puts down the IXA Knuckle. He's not very happy about its treatment lately, nor about Jirô jumping ship, so Otoya is chosen to step to to plate to take his place. He asks what they plan to do in their offtime (I think Yuri knows!) and gives the Knuckle back to Otoya. Which off course, Yuri isn't thrilled by.

Later, they swing at a playground, and Yuri emotes about her mommy a bit, as seeing the Knuckle again (and not finally coming into her hands) as reminded her of her mother's killer. There's also something about her a ring from her mother that's lost in the sea (hence the earlier wish) and Otoya vows to find it.

2008. Megumi and Shima talk (at the gym) about a power-up for IXA. Shima expresses distaste with Nago lately. Guess who's listening in!

Mio sells somebody a bento, but goofs up and drops the money. Good thing the guy gets killed by a Fangire first! This leaves a deep scar in the door, which comes back later. She hoofs it and returns to work, where her boss looks concerned. She decides to go home early, but then turns to see everybody dying. This is a great, creepy sequence here.

1986. Sitting in a park, Rook prepares for another game. He grabs a flower, sniffing it, and figures out his new Time Play.

Maya is hunting down another Fangire-In-Denial. The man begins to change, but Maya gets him first. After blasting him away, Otoya comes around the corner, and there's some flirting. Rook appears, and sees the rose Otoya has on his shirt. Otoya grabs Maya and runs for it when Rook gives chase.

Maya wonders why Otoya worried about her just then. She questions him as if she has no idea what he speaks of when he talks about love. And then Rook finds them.

2008. Mio explains to Wataru what's happened. Shizuka (hey, it's Shizuka!) is upset by "this person", and Wataru blames himself for putting Mio in danger. But she denies this and... well, runs off before she explains much else. Shizuka's pretty upset, and I think Wataru is both hurt by Mio's sadness and confused by the fact that Shizuka is there when most had assumed she was out of the show long ago. The next scene during the commercial break should have been him turning to her and saying "Who are you again, and why are you in my house?"

In the bath, Wataru wonders about Mio, but Kivat tells him not to... Oops! There's Tatsulot, giving his own form of advice. Kivat is upset about him not respecting his "seniors", but Wataru is just unresponsive as they bicker.

Under a bridge, Mio meets with a man who outright refers to her as "Queen". This is Bishop. He gives her a black file of paper with the "Queen" logo printed on it, and asks her to live from now on as "Queen". The file contains a list of "Fangire Traitors", and it's Queen's job to wipe them out.

Mio burns the file, denying her true destiny. Suddenly, Spider Fangire, as well as a new friend (the Shark Fangire) appear. Mio recognizes it as the one who killed everybody when it leaves a gash in the wall (by way of crescent-shaped blasts) trying to kill her!

1986. Maya & Otoya run. Otoya shoots at Rook with a blast from the Knuckle, and they hide in a parking garage (site of many, many, many important events in Kamen Rider history.) He goes back to fight Rook. Rook finds Maya/Queen, and is puzzled by this turn of events. Maya speaks to him about his game, and wants it to continue. She wants to know why so many humans love the Fangire. Otoya returns, and Maya resumes her act (she also mentions her name to him for the first time.)

Otoya transforms into IXA. I think he's getting better at that Rider 1-style Henshin (which honestly did not impress me that much the first time, but it's a lot less forced-looking here and more natural. Like the real thing actually was, rather than how it's often remembered.)

"Henshin!"

Rook turns into Lion Fangire. They duke it out. Lion smacks IXA around easily as Maya observes. The IXA belt begins to steam, and IXA is covered in electricity as the system fails. Otoya de-transforms, and collapses.

2008. Spider & the Shark Fangire continue to stalk Mio. Megumi appears, and Spider loses interest in all but her. He runs to her, but is punched out. Nago is there too, and he and Megumi attack the Fangire. But Megumi and Nago are knocked down, and in the process Nago loses the Knuckle (and the whole belt!) Spider takes up the IXA belt. Shark tells him they need to make tracks. Nago is not a happy camper.

1986. Maya awakens Otoya. He wonders what happened. He asks her who she is. He asks who he is. Amnesia Time! I think everybody has to get it at some point.

2008. Spider & Shark Fangire look for Mio, but she's long gone. Instead, they find Wataru.

"Henshin!"

Kiva fights the two Fangire. Spider spits webbing, blinding him, and the other guy shoots his big crescent blades.

Fortunately, Tatsulot appears to knock down the monsters, and unchain Kiva's wrath. Kiva goes to Emperor Form. Using the "Wake Up Fever", Kiva destroys the Shark Fangire. Spider beats a hasty retreat.

1986. Otoya can remember just one thing... he loves someone named Yuri.

"That's right. I'm Yuri". says Maya.

After the show, the Momotaros & company appear to talk about the movie-only monsters and Kamen Rider Ark. Then Kintaros appears in the Go-Onger bus. Ryuutaros just wants to know if Kiva's over or not. This is going to happen for the next few weeks.

NEXT TIME: As Mio's destiny encroachers on her, Emperor Form & Spider Fangire fight savagely (and Emperor uses the Garulu Saber.) And what of Otoya and "Yuri"?

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