Snacks up, Riders! It’s Gavv time! What’s on the menu today? Chocolate?! Revenge?! Questionable back room operations?! There is a lot to chow down on, so let’s jump right in!
Recap
We open this week’s episode with Hanto learning, very quickly, what happened to his father figure and mentor when he comes across his belongings at the spot he was staking out at along with his miniaturized self, snapped in half. He later confirms with Kenzo Suga that, yeah, he’s dead. Suga offers a path to revenge for Hanto: the anti Granute weapon he made by experimenting on the white Chocodan, but it would require Suga to implant an Granute organ into Hanto. He refuses and leaves to reflect on things.
Meanwhile, intercut with that, Shoma wakes up in the Hapipare office that he’s sleeping at and eats a bunch of snacks to get the energy he needs for the day. He calls the scrimblo squad together for a group meeting and he asks them to take turns patrolling the streets so they can protect the humans. Just as some of them leave, Sachika Amane arrives and the minions that didn’t go on patrol pull a Toy Story and play dead, leading her to believe they are collectable mini figures. She suggests the name Gochizo for them, which Shoma approves of. That night, Shoma visits his great uncle, Dente, and, with the payment of more yummy human snacks, convinces him to join him in his battle against his siblings.
Even more Meanwhile, Shitta and Jeebh ask Nyelv for help dealing with Shoma but, since he’s taken an interest in him, he refuses to help them. Elsewhere, Hanto agrees to the surgery.
The next day Shoma and Sachika are giving out Ramen shop flyers when one of the patrolling Poppin Gummies finds a familiar looking street magician. They confirm the magician is a Granute by looking up their shirt and catching a peak at their Gavv. Making an excuse to check it out, Shoma and the Mushroom Granute quickly get into a fight and, well, I don’t need to tell you how it goes.. Wait, that’s different. It goes poorly for Shoma, as a Rider Kick slips off the Mushroom Granute’s head and he gets away. Two gummy Gochizo give their lives for nothing…
However, the escaping Mushroom Granute doesn’t make it too far before he runs into Hanto and Suga. Fresh off the operating table, Hanto confirms that this was the Granute that killed his mentor and he transforms into Kamen Rider Valen and makes short work out of them.
The episode ends with Shoma watching the fight, wondering who the new warrior is. Suga Gochizonaps another four white Chocodan Gochizo and runs off. Meanwhile, Nyelv is watching on in interest from atop a nearby roof.
Ethan’s Thoughts
As I said last weekk, Gavv currently has been so good the bad segment has been made into an occasional feature and this week is no different. Shoma coordinating with his minions is fantastic and further sells the idea these are his version of the agents. It seems like we are heading into a “friends while untransformed, rivals or antagonistic allies (?) while transformed.” That situation which is always fun.
Speaking off Hanto’s plot line, this episode was really engaging. Not to mention that coming right out of surgery straight into dramatic revenge brawl is a raw as hell premise for a debut battle. I can’t wait to see where Hanto’s story goes from here, now that he’s gotten revenge on one Granute.
Conclusion
Another yummy episode down the hatch. Now, we have to wait and see if our boys will get along and whether the fan theory that Suga and Nyelv are the same person is true or not. Gavv is shifting from its initial framing device of Shoma passes out and meets someone new to a new status quo and weekly adventure framing device. So far the transition has been really smooth but, either way, I can’t wait to see what’s next for Gavv!
What do you think? Did you enjoy this episode? What do you think of Valen? As always, I’ve been Ethan: Writer, reviewer and post surgery henshin hero for The Toku Source. See ya next time!
