Mirai Sentai Timeranger Episodes 19 & 20 - Summary/Review

Things are finally starting to take a turn for the better as far as this seasons quality goes. The last episode was great and new mecha were teased so I am hoping the quality train continues. Click "read more" and we shall see.

Case File 19: The Moonlight Premonition

Analysis:

Gien has sent Don-Dolnero and Lila on a vacation so he can continue work on his robot uninterrupted. At the same time, the Timerangers learn about the energy source that Gien had stolen and that their Protection agency has also been planning a project using it. That foreshadow leads to a cut back in the year 3000 where we see that the real Captain Ryuya is testing a new super robo, even more foreshadowing. A lot of suspense. Finally, Gien launches his robot that he named Nova. However, before any fun can begin, Time freezes for everything except the Timerangers.

aged effects

While in this time freeze state, all the rangers see another one of themselves appear, do a simple act, then fade out once time begins to move again. All 5 of them freak out and call Tac, but before any answers can be given, Gien removes Nova's tag and turns it giant on the city. 

Why does his robot have a prisoners tag? 

Things are not looking as Nova is destroying the city and the Protection Bureau is ignoring all requests for Time Robo. Tac tells the Rangers that Nova is a weapon not a prisoner so they need to destroy it instead of capturing it. With all that going on, the research center from the last episode has deployed their own weapon.

Nova

This drill weapon, named Raimei, begins firing cannons at Nova along with the Timerangers with their own weapons from the ground. At first, it appears they be doing damage to Nova, but the tide turns quickly. Raimei is destroyed after its pilots eject and the Timerangers take a blast. Just as all hope seems lost, a strange solar eclipse happens and a new jet appears from a time portal. It blasts away Nova and transforms into Time Shadow.

Time Shadow, complete with its own theme song, can operate without a pilot and begins to overpower Nova. As that battle raged on, the Timerangers spotted Gien and called him out for this attack. Gien says it was all for fun because he loves chaos and, the rangers are naturally appalled by this notion. Now, there are 2 fights happening at the same time. They are descent fights with good back and forth action, but there is too much use of speed-up and freeze frame effects which can get disorienting. I thought my DVD was glitching.

Nova is destroyed and Gien retreats having with his love of destruction satisfied. Tac and the rangers regroup and Tac tells them that the illusions of themselves the rangers saw was due to the large scale attack effecting the Space-Time continuum and changing the future. It is also revealed that the research facility that built Raimei is owned by Tatsuya's family and his Dad is working with the Interior Department of Public Safety to try and profit from the Londarz attacks.

The episode ends with Gien revealing he also has a key to an area with prisoners that have skulls on their containment pods. End!

Final Thoughts:

This episode was another great one and a good follow up to the teasers from the last one. The action was non-stop with real stakes, the lame villains were pushed aside and the focus was on the one interesting one. Also, the effects of time travel are beginning to show up which will more then likely be a continues story line in the season. And, several sub-plots have been developed or introduced. If I had to nit-pick something, the effects they used during the ground fight and time-freeze weren't so good. But, if that is the only issue, then this easily an episode worth watching. 5/5

Pros:

• Great action
• Several plot developments
• Suspenseful ending

Con:

• Outdated effects

Case File 20: The Renewed Bond

Analysis:

This episode begins immediately where the last one last off with Gien opening the door to the more dangerous looking prisoners; this storage area is called "Hells Gate" which is for the worst of the criminals. 

While that threat is being developed, we learn that Time Shadow was a top-secret project for serious crimes that wasn't supposed to be finished until 3015 but Gien's attack changed time and rushed development. Cause and effect foreshadow. History is showing signs of changing which will have untold effects on the 30th century. Everyone worries, especially Domon  who has a breakdown about it.

Returning to the action, our Hells Gate prisoner named Blaster Mad begins bombing random people. This prisoner is serial killer with 1030 victims and is only in it for the fun of killing and he demonstrates this by taking out many civilians and the news helicopter. The rangers rush to intercept but are completely overpowered. Blaster gets bored fighting the rangers and begins walking around to do more killing while almost ignored all their attempts to fight him. Eventually, Blaster leaves and the rangers taste their first real defeat. This episode is dark. Domon has another break down and tries to scream at the Protection Bureau through Tac for leaving them for dead until Yuri smacks him. Everyone is scared and unsure, but one by one they all find a reason to keep fighting with some touching music and speeches.

It is round two against Blaster Mad and it ends pretty anticlimactically. Domon comes up with the idea to have the other 4 shoot their cannons while he fires secretly from the bushes and it works. Blaster Mad dodges the first 4 but does not see the 5th shot coming and is defeated, but makes himself grow before being frozen. 

Why did Mad go down in 1 hit when he was so strong? How didn't he notice Domon sneak away into the bushes? That was so lame.

This giant battle it pretty good and serves to show off a new combination between Time Shadow and Time Robo. Blaster Mad proves too much for the two giant Robos separately and even breaks Time Robo Alpha's sword. So, Delta Formation - Shadow Beta appears and 1 shots Mad. I predict Shadow Beta will appear next episode.

The episode ends with Don-Dolnero and Lila returning from vacation, scolding Gien for his schemes, and taking the Hells Gate key away from him. Also, Sion did side work so the rangers could eat good that night. The End!

Final Thoughts:

The first half of this episode was awesome like the 2 previous, then it all came crashing down to its old patterns of mistakes. It was almost like Dolnero and Lila coming back was the trigger that brought the quality down. This villain was a serious threat and everything was looking dark, then he just loses in one shot like a glass cannon. introducing the new Shadow combinations could have worked with this stronger villain, if they didn't already win the fight by that point and only fused so they could freeze Blaster Mad. Honestly, I am torn on this episode. When you love half and are disappointed by the other half, what does that leave? A very strange and unsatisfying feeling. 3/5

Pros: 

• The first half

Cons

• The second half