Let's keep the ball rolling with episode 3. Last time, the Wind Tribe gathered 3 GranSazer's and summoned their ChouSeiShin (Ultra Star God or their giant robot) and attacked the Flame Tribe. What will happen next? Click "read more" and let's find out.
Analysis
The episode begins with Dentsuin piloting the Wind Tribe's ChouSeiShin, Dolcruz, and terrorizing the Flame Tribe who are fighting back in vane. Mika gets knocked out by a blast from Dolcross which causes Ken to rush into the battle field to check on his sister. This act, causes Ken to have a Gransazer mark appear on himself.
However, the area is too dangerous to stick around so, Tenma distracts Dolcruz so the others can escape. Fortunately, everyone, including Tenma, manage to escape but their excavation site is up in flames.
Now back at Professor Horiguchi's office, Tenma and Horiguchi get into a heated argument about what to do next that turns violent. Ultimately, Tenma let's his anger get the best of him and storms off to find their third member so the Flame Tribe can use their own ChouSeiShin. What a hot head. Ken, for whatever reason, is hiding his mark.
A few scenes later, Ken confronts Tenma in the park and questions him about being a Gransazer. Ken's concerns are valid, becoming a Gransazer was supposed to be to protect Earth, but all that is happening are Tribes fighting each other. Tenma's response is blunt but meaningful, he again stresses that nobody can just use him Gransazer or not.
Tenma doesn't really know what to believe just yet, he simply feels that becoming a Gransazer will allow him to accomplish more, whatever that may be. That's, actually a pretty unique character trait for a main character.
It's worth noting that this whole time their is a side plot about the Wind Tribe deciding a leader and getting in touch with a space engineer for Dolcruz. But, not a lot of screen time is given to them yet.
Back at the office, Mika asks Professor Horiguchi if it is possible for Gransazers to give up their powers, worried about dragging people in who don't want to fight. She knows about Ken, and is also a hypocrite. The professor reminds Mika that a crisis will soon befall Earth and that Gransazers aren't meant to fight each other but stop this threat so all will be needed. This is the longest I've seen a show like this go without showing the main villains.
Tenma gets impatient and pushes the Professor to try and let him awaken their ChouSeiShin by himself. The Professor objects saying it would be a waste of time, but Mika steps in and suggests that the third member may already know about ChouSeiShin and meet them there while Ken is listening behind her. No pressure. Professor gives in and they go to Houhou mountain. Great name.
Just as the Flame Tribe is about to arrive at Houhou mountain, the Earth begins to shake, their Gransazer marks appear, and something pops out of the ground.
 |
| Garuda |
Good thing ChouSeiShin always come color coded.
Finally, the jig is up, despite not wanting to get him involved, Mika asks Ken to join the Flame Tribe. Ken hesitates to answer, but before he can finish a sentence, the Wind Tribe appears with Dolcruz due to the large amount of energy emitted when a ChouSeiShin appears that they were able to detect. Now, the Wind Tribe is out to destroy Garuda and the Flame Tribe with it.
Now it's morphin time time to henshin! Tenma and Mika get into a 2 v 2 with Ryoko and Jin while Dentsuin pilots Dolcruz and is free to blast at Garuda. The fight is pretty stale with some less than interesting choreographs, but at least it moves fast enough to be watchable. Tenma attempts to confront Dolcruz but is easily blast down. Mika is also taken down by a combined attack from Ryoko and Jin which pushes Ken to once again rush in. With Tenma's words echoing in his head, Ken awakens into Sazer Lion.
Looks more like a samurai.
Ken protects Mika and actually manages to knock down both Ryoko and Jin with his weapon's special attack.
That simple sentence could fix so many plot holes with so many Tokusatsu heroes.
Finally, it is time to activate Garuda, and naturally Tenma gets to pilot it. He uses his protagonist powers. Now, it is time for a giant battle.
Both ChouSeiShin both fly and shoot so this battle plays out like a dog fight with some awful CG.
In the middle of their shootout, Dentsuin accidentally blows up a dam and causes a flood. That's gonna causes some ramifications. The fight escalates when Dolcruz enters Megazord Warrior Mode.
Despite this change, this battle of ChouSeiShin ends in a draw. Afterwards, it is revealed that piloting on of these giant mechs takes a lot of physical energy out of the pilot. A simple draw back like that is all the explanation needed to explain why they don't depend on this.
The Wind Tribe retreats and the Flame Tribe is together. Ken and Mika have a sibling moment where Mika gets mad about Ken talking like he is older then he is and the narrator closes out the episode. But, not before giving a peak at a Gransazer from another tribe.
I'm gonna guess Earth Tribe. The End!
Final Thoughts
This was an establishing episode, served to introduce Sazer Lion and Garuda. It was just okay. The land battle was pretty sub-par, but the giant battle was actually done pretty well. You can tell these are the Godzilla people. As far as the story goes, other than introducing a new Sazer and mech, nothing really happens. Ken's character gets some development, and it is implied that Jin is still obsessed with dating Ryoko, but that's about it. While not technically filler, this episode was overall average. 3/5
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