As we enter the final ten episodes of Kamen Rider Gotchard, two new figures emerge from Ouroboros realm, who are they? What do they want? Let’s jump in and find out in this cameo filled double episode review!
Recap
Episode 40
We open this episode with the remaining Abyssal Sisters meeting King Germain and King Gaelijah, who taunt an injured Gigist and reveal that all three of them are the Abyssal King, making a trinity. Germain reveals he is the one that ate Geryon and he gives Clotho a powerup, declaring they should target Rinne’s father (death count two) as he is their biggest threat right now.
Atropos has a secret meeting with Rinne, where she warns her about the attack on her dad and the two pinky promise that, if Rinne takes down Germain, Atropos will not hurt anyone again.
The rest of the gang are hanging out, wondering what do they do now they have all the Chemies and Gigist has been defeated. Their alchemy lessons up ’til now have only been about catching Chemies but Mr. Minato reveals that the Alchemist Association want them to give them all of the Chemies.
Meanwhile, Clotho attacks Rinne’s father’s hiding place. She transforms into her Abyssal Gear, which now has dreadlocks, kills another body double of Rinne’s dad (the count’s up to three) and reveals that the real Rinne’s dad had been hiding in a back room, healing from the (appearing to be disintegrated) beam he got hit with way back in the first episode. He transforms into Kamen Rider Wind and, just as everyone else arrives, they see him beaten by the new Kings, who reveal they are the originators of all alchemy. Germain uses said alchemy to make a Golem and they force our heroes to make a retreat.
Back at base, Rinne’s dad lore dumps that Nijigon has a fragment of the Philosopher Stone within him and that Nijigon’s egg was made to put the fragmented stone back together. The fragment is what the Kings want to reclaim, as it’s also linked to their power. Ever the optimist, Hotaro once again promises to help create a world in which humans and Chemies can coexist. Spanner argues that the ideal world wouldn’t need Kamen Riders and that all Chemies are good for is fighting so he can’t get on board with Hotaro’s dream.
The following day Hotaro wakes up to find Nijigon is NijiGone. Meanwhile, Lachesis has a run in with Clotho in a park. Clotho wants to drag her sister back to them and Lachesis, not wanting that, transforms and and the pair fight off screen. Eventually, we come back to them as Spanner saves Lachesis before getting ragdolled by Clotho. Back with Hotaro, he’s worried this is a repeat of what happened to Hopper1 and runs into Rinne, who helps to look. The pair run into Germain and they start to battle with the episode ending on the cliffhanger of Germain and his Golem getting the upper hand in the fight.
Episode 41
The next episode opens with the end of the fight. Rinne creates an opening on the Golem which Hotaro acts on, comboing that with a quick change back to base form, landing a Rider Kick on Germain before he leaves. Back with Spanner, untransformed, he fights Clotho eventually knocks her back with his black flames. Gigist arrives, restraining Clotho, and offers to train Spanner to use his black flames, as they are the same as his. Gigist goads Spanner to try and take down Germain and leaves.
Elsewhere, it turns out that Nijigon was really upset at Spanner’s words about all Chemies being good for is fighting and has set off to find something he can do to help. The gang are discussing Nijigon when a pair of delivery drivers – who are played by a cameoing Masaru Yamashita and Koichi Nakayama, from tokusatsu series’ Winspector and Solbrain – tell them that Nijigon helped them out, saying he was looking for a way to service humanity.
Meanwhile, Nijigon runs into a member of Kamen Rider Girls, another cameo this episode as the Band IRISE+GIRLS. Nijigon talks with her and finds out she quit the group. At a concert, later that day, everyone arrives having determined this is where Nijigon will be. Just as IRISE+GIRLS take the stage to explain they can’t perform, Nijigon hops up and performs their new song alongisde them, the Chemy equivalent to the Pokerap. Afterwards, backstage, Hotaro and the gang reunite with Nijigon. The former member of the group that Nijigon spoke to reveals she had been there watching the show and their performance reignited her spark for performing. The gang detect that Germain is on his way so they take off for a more fitting place to fight him.
Fun Fact: The IRISE+GIRLS characters are named Hina, Koyomi and Mai, after the heroines from the three seasons they represent: Kamen Rider Gaim, OOO and Wizard, respectfully.
Our trinity of Riders all take Germain on. During the battle, Nijigon tells Hotaro that he did find something special he can do to help people and that’s cheer them on. They Gotchabrother three Gotchard forms, turning the fight into a six on one, which ends about how you would expect.
After the battle, Atropos walks up to Germain and implants the Gold Rubix cube she’s been holding onto into him and Germain transforms into Geryon. The two walk off promising a reign of gold, bringing the episode to a close.
The Bad
I knew Geryon is going to be the movie boss but I didn’t expect him to come back in the show. I had hoped his goals might have changed slightly from the last time we saw him. It’s still “I wanna cover the world in Gold” which (assuming he’s not now augmented from his revival to no longer need food/water) still has the whole “won’t you starve to death too?” aspect to it. Bit silly.
The Good
This was a very solid two parter. The King trio paralleling our Rider trio was an interesting concept and fun to see on screen chewing the scenery. The fact Hotaro clearly hasn’t gotten over the trauma of the Hopper Malgam is interesting and, even if they don’t explore any of that, I’m glad they remembered that detail if anything.
The Conclusion
All in all, another good set of episodes to lead off the final ten. It seems as though a question I pondered last review will be answered, judging from the preview. What will they do now with all the Chemies captured? Make more it seems! Honestly, it’s not what I expected them to do. It should be fun to see!
Did you enjoy this two parter? Are you hyped to see Geryon return? Do you hope his ‘Ridersona’ makes a show appearance? Did you enjoy seeing the cameos? As always, I’ve been Ethan: Writer, reviewer and Philosopher’s Stone given human form for The Toku Source. I’ll see you next time.
