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furederiko · 7 years

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*GASP* Great goodness!!! Kyuranger just refuses to let up, doesn't it? Episode 30 delivers a heart-shattering entry, all wrapped up in a graceful power-up package...

- I'll start with a somewhat unrelated rant: I couldn't watch this episode live last Sunday! Aaaarggh. My internet provider changed the fee (AGAIN... that I'm not even that much surprised anymore), so I'm stuck using free public wifi until yesterday noon. And get this, when I decided to renew it with such heavy heart, let's just say... I got duped BIG TIME. To the point that I'm still slapping my own face in utter disappointment and anger, for falling into the company's sneaky stupid ploy all over again. *SIGH*. Now that THAT's out of the way, on to the recap-view then... - Since the opening scene focuses mainly on Orion and Tsurugi, let's talk about what I forgot to mention on my previous recap-view. That sweet friendly river-side moment between them! Some audience might think that the conversation they brought up regarding Orion's newborn felt... a little on the nose. If you ask me, it's actually NOT. IMO, if you think about it logically and/or chronologically, that dialogue actually made good sense. How? After the supposed final battle with Don Armage, a wounded Past-Tsurugi was brought by Orion to Earth, and put in a cold-sleep aboard the Argo. Fast forward 333 years later, the Rebellions awakened Tsurugi in the present time. He likely spent at least 2 weeks after he woke up, in which during that time he: clashed with the Kyurangers, but eventually became one of them; went to Planet Tocky, and searched for the Horologium Kyu Globe; and along with the 'Time Travel' team, went back to the past to recheck history. Meanwhile, from Orion's side of things, having just completed his deed to the Past-Phoenix Soldier, he spotted the ORION crashing, ran into the Kyurangers, and was reunited with Tsurugi again. If one easily compares the two separate timelines from Tsurugi's and Orion's point of view, then it's become clear. Eventhough they have indeed been 333 years apart, thanks to Horologium, the reality was far more shorter than that! For Orion, it was merely hours if not minutes since he last left Past-Tsurugi in the Argo. Tsurugi on the other hand, had only advanced a month at most due to the cold-sleep. Logically, he still had all the memories prior to the sleep (of 333 years ago) in tact in his mind. THIS is the reason why the dialogue about family between them flowed very naturally! It's just a casual chit-chat between friends who haven't seen each other... fairly briefly. That's all! - Of course, that dialogue still serves as the key for the two of them to deduce that Lucky... might have been Orion's very own descendant. That means, Lucky isn't Orion's son, as the rumor suggested (for now at least, it's still a giant mystery anyway). Regardless of that, he's still an important figure who serves as a catalyst for the Kyurangers, due to having the blood of two Constellation Systems. That's the main reason why Tsurugi, the Kyurangers, and later Orion wants to protect him at all cost. - And that is also where the episode hurts. From the beginning of the episode (or the preview last week), it is teased that Tsurugi might give away his life to heal Lucky. Using the power of Phoenix Kyu Globe is taking the toll out of him, so the chance of him getting out unscathed is minimum at best. We even get to see Tsurugi's quick origin story, of when he first obtained the Kyu Globe when his spaceshuttle crashed. Basically, 'death flag' has been fluttering over Tsurugi, which is why the actual death comes totally unexpected and a lot more shocking. It's Orion's final moment instead!!! - On one hand, Orion IS hiding a severe bloody wound, due to shielding the Kyurangers from Don Armage's devastating attack. So he pretty much has been waving his own giant death flag too. On the other hand, he's a crucial legendary figure who will pass on the legend of the Kyurangers throughout the entire universe. Even the team smartly points out that, without Orion, the Kyurangers wouldn't have existed in the first place. Preview for this episode even showed him in battle, helping Leo Red debuts his new power-up. The general assumption is, there's no way, he's going to die, right? That's where Kyuranger throws us off balance once again, because Orion passes away anyway! It's a HUGE, and genuine "OH MY GOODNESS... NOOOOO!!!" (if not blatantly "WTH!!!") moment, and I'm positive the dead silence or echoes of jaws dropping are reverberating throughout the audience. My heart literally stops! And I'm still mulling over it until now... NOTE: Only several movies (like some Marvel Studios ones, though usually Oscar contenders) and TV shows (mostly anime titles) have managed to make feel so... heartbroken like this. Kyuranger positions itself nicely into this exceptional category, which is a rare accomplishment for a Tokusatsu series. I'm not trying to be sarcastic here, but huge thumbs up for TOEI! - Not only Orion's unfortunate demise works as a twist, but also as a major shakeup to the entire story. It is an unexpected alteration in the past, so there will be massive ramifications going forward. It raises even more questions that will make every fans feel concerned. If Orion no longer lives another day, then who would hand over Carina Kyu Globe to Eris' safekeeping? If Eris never has it, then that means the Argo would not be revived in the present time, and Tsurugi would never be reawaken! More importantly, as has been pointed out before, without Orion, the Kyurangers' existence is in danger. Which urgently prompts Commander Xiao to stay behind, taking Orion's place to spread the heroic legend. Ignoring the fact that it's another giant change to the past, does this mean his role as a Kyuranger also comes to an end? *gasp*. In a way, Champ (who will be part of the "Episode Stinger" V-Cinema, which apparently takes place some time later) is already hinting that he and Xiao will surely find a way back to the present. But it doesn't stop making me feel very... anxiously curious. With the two of them being left in the past... is the show trying to throw either of them as the possible face behind the new Don Armage? That would... still be a possibility, right? One more thing, the loss of Orion pretty much rules out my theory that he is the next Don Armage. For now, at the very least. Unlike Kuervo, the Kyurangers actually bury him for good, so he's truly dead. Then again, lest we forget HOW Darth Vader was created... - The grand power up, The Miracle Star Leo Red Orion debuts! It is channeled through the #315 Supreme Kyu Globe, which is realized through the unity of Lucky and Orion's powers and shared resolution to protect the universe. And of course, through the latter's sacrifice... *sobs*. It's undeniably a GORGEOUS design, with fluttering mantle and all. Probably one of the best White member I've seen throughout Super Sentai history. Assigning the color white is also a very wise decision. Not only because white is the combination of prime colors, but in case of Kyuranger, it also adds balance to the team. No wonder Phoenix Soldier gets to be another Red, because when Leo Red uses this form, each of the original colors are still represented. Speaking of combination, it has a dang fine-looking transformation sequence that unites all 12 powers of the Kyurangers too. Turns out, despite many fan-speculations, Supreme doesn't require Naga to be with the team to pull off. It likely falls inline with my theory that Lucky serves as a catalyst for the other Kyurangers, meaning he's the only one necessary for this upgrade. And that is also one wicked finisher. Nope, not the Gate of Babylon-esque with the Kyu the Weapons, which was... nice. I'm talking about that "ALL STAR GALAXY! IN-FINISH BLAST!" that channels the entire 88 Constellations. Dang it... I feel goosebumps when all those stars lit up and create a big bang. Wonderful, simply wonderful! Fun fact: Supreme Kyu Globe, or SAIKOU KYUTAMA in Japanese, has an odd numbering of #315. If you're wondering the reason why, then well... highly likely the answer is: because it's a nifty pun. 3 - 1 - 5 is SAN - ICHI - GO in Japanese, but it can also be read as SA-I-KO. Get it?! LOL. Also, 3 + 1 + 5 equals...? Yep... NINE or KYU in Japanese. Brilliant, right! The finisher "In-Finish Blast" is also a clear pun for the word 'INFINITE', which explains Leo Red Orion's ability to bend space and time. There's also one theory that the Supreme Kyu Globe is modelled after the 9 planets of the Earth's Solar System. It's unconfirmed for now, but I think it makes a lot of sense... - Before I move on to the last point, allow me to point out several bits of the episode that I find to be really interesting: 1) Don Armage's hideous humanoid form seems to be the extent of his power. He claims that he can't hold back his power in that state, which is probably why he's also more vulnerable to attacks. We also see him reviving Akyanba and Tecchu for the mecha battle, giving us explanation to why the Vice-Shoguns keep showing up and are still alive to the present time. And before anyone complains that he's so easy to be defeated, do remember one thing: we're not even in the finale yet, as the new/present-time Don Armage is ALWAYS meant to be the true big bad. 2) I LOVE how a wounded Lucky doesn't want Tsurugi to sacrifice himself. That's a powerful scene, amped up by Lucky's genuine emotion. The concern and also pain on his face feels so real, which means the actor does a truly fine job. Say anything you want about Lucky, this proves he's definitely one of the better Reds in the recent years. Meanwhile, Tsurugi himself is showcasing a wonderful growth in character. From someone who used to be self-centered, into a team player who would risk his own life for his comrade. 3) Although I'm not quite sure why Xiao doesn't just use his Draco Voyager to form Ryutei-Oh, him being assigned to use Leo Voyager and form Kyuren-Oh is indeed a wiser choice. This way, other Kyurangers (including Raptor who spends most of the time repairing the ORION) get to participate in the big battle. It's supposed to be a final-battle-esque showdown with Don Armage after all, so they need all manpower available. 4) It seems that contrary to what Tsurugi said, Phoenix Kyu Globe does NOT have the power to restore/revive life. It can only be used to regenerate health, as shown by Lucky's critical state, and also Tsurugi's own condition when he was adrift in space. Otherwise, Tsurugi can always use it again to revive Orion and keep the flow of history. Am I right? 5) I have a feeling we'll be seeing Orion again in the future. I doubt TOEI cast a great actor like Kai Shishido for brief appearances that lasted only two episodes (three, if we count that cliffhanger ending in episode 28). Heck, we even get to see Eris several times again. Which is why the theory that either he or Kuervo might be the new Don Armage is still very much in play. Then again, noone can really tell much when it comes to Kyuranger. This show tends to startle audience with genuine surprises... more often than not. LOL. At the very least, I hope we get to see him again somehow, because even in such a short time, he has truly left a strong impression. 6) A good amount of time must have passed between the moment the team discovered Orion, and the flower scene in front of his grave. I doubt Raptor is able to completely repair the ORION for their return trip in a flash, because it was left in such a bad shape before (notice that the ship visually looks much better?). Critical audience might want to consider this before they start complaining about how fast Lucky gets over Orion's death. I doubt that grave scene is Orion's funeral anyway. It's more likely the team comes there to pay tribute for one last time, before departing home (to their era). Oh and yeah, turns out this grave is very similar to a certain character's from "One Piece". Concidence? I doubt. 7) Lastly, regarding Xiao's new role in the past. Things are starting to make much clearer sense the more I think about it. Some folks at RangerBoard (Dukemon, TealMystechRanger, and TavionJackson to name a few) back this up, by speculating that the whole scenario could be a 'bootstrap paradox'. Meaning, it has always been Xiao, and not Orion, who started and spread the "Legend of Nine Saviours" that refers to the Kyuranger. This explains why it's NINE, instead of Ten, Eleven, nor Twelve, because Xiao knows that the team would start out with the number Nine (him being the Tenth and all)! Also, remember his story about Mr. Pega? That might not be a random tall-tale after all, but part of his quest to collect the Kyu Globes. But what about the history that says that it's Orion, and not someone who comes from a dragon-tribe who told the story? Like the whole situation with Eris that I've pointed out above. That would only mean a huge contradiction, right? Now this is where things get surprisingly interesting. Turns out, there IS a particular Kyu Globe that grants its user the ability to... SHAPESHIFT. It's still a speculation/theory for now, but I honestly won't be surprised if Xiao used that to disguise himself as Orion (thus bringing him 'alive' again to do the job), in order to prevent the new flow of history from erasing the Kyurangers in the present time. This one in particular, leads us to the final point... - As if the loss of Orion isn't enough, the show delivers another terrifying surprise. The present... remains the SAME. Jark Matter is still rulling the universe. Akyanba and Kukuruga are still alive and well as they did before. Dark-Naga is now taking Tecchu's place as a new Vice-Shogun, possibly their leader. And Don Armage is still reigning, despite his clear defeat in the hands of Leo Red Orion. It seems NONE of the alterations the 'Time Travel' has done in the past affects the present. Does this mean, everything actually goes... according to the way it should have been? Thus... that causal loop theory that I've stated above gets even more plausible! One thing for sure, Armage's sinister laughter in the cliffhanger, can only mean one thing... it's back to square one for the team!

Overall: To be honest, not unlike that wicked finisher, all kinds of logic was flying off the table in this episode as well. But dang it, if that wasn't another mindblowing rollercoaster episode. One that took my breath away, torn my heart into broken pieces... like a fierce punch in the gut that I haven't been able to fully recover ever since. For an episode that served as a power-up debut (which was simply marvelous on its own), it's still packed with all the right flavors. The humor, intensity of emotions, the high stakes? And yes, I totally couldn't hold back my tears when Orion closed his eyes for good... which says A LOT. If this were another show or Super Sentai season, this episode could easily serve as a finale or some sort. But nope, Kyuranger is not stopping anytime soon. The past might have been altered, yet the present remained the same. If the real Don Armage was eliminated in the past, that means the current Don Armage's identity is someone else entirely. Still a massive question mark that is shrouded in mystery. Personally, I can no longer predict what's going to happen next. It's one surprise after another, and to think that we still have (at most) 19 more episodes after this! This show is NOT pulling any punches, and continues to be a delight week after week. That's why I honestly can't believe some audience are still looking down on it despite a streak of strong features. Oh well, I guess it's their loss... Next week: 'Save Naga' Team is back on center stage! PS: Tsurugi makes his very first spotlight in the ending sequence, pairing up with Lucky. Oh and yeah, Gigant Phoenix and Kyutamajin have already been added to the opening since episode 28. I don't think I have mentioned about it before. LOL.

Episode 30 Score: 8,5 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: September 22nd, 2017 - Version 2.14. (WARNING: It might contain spoilers for future episodes)

All images are screencaptured from the series, provided by the FanSubber Over-Time. "Uchu Sentai Kyuranger" is produced by TOEI, and airs every Sunday on TV-Asahi. Credits and copyrights belong to their respective owners.

#tokusatsu #SuperSentai #kyuranger #uchu sentai kyuranger #uchuu sentai kyuranger #review #melancholymoments #awesome

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