#Would you have perhaps named him Spada?

[the-real-john-laurens]

Another dog image to brighten up your day

Swaddled like a child! This dog looks just right for being pampered and held. A good dog for sitting with and petting, and perhaps the right size for simple companionship. A fine dog. Please send them my affection.

[count-lucio]

lucio headcanons because i can't help myself. just a warning that these are rather canon divergent, so keep that in mind while reading! anyway, with no further ado-

my objectively correct lucio 'headcanons' (i am normal)

- he has chronic nerve pain from the constant pain + stress his body was under while he had the plague - even after he comes back. he walks with a cane most days, and claims it's for 'fashion' (it very clearly isn't)

- the whole "missing an entire arm" business is a MUCH bigger deal than the way the game shows it- it's a genuine disability, not just a fun character trait. i'm begging you all to consider lucio needing (and wanting) to spend time with his prosthetic off. lucio phantom limb syndrome and phantom pains. lucio struggling to do things that require both hands on occasion and having to relearn everything after getting his prosthetic. lucio being too rough/too strong/etc with his left arm because he can't feel what he's doing. as much as he loves the gold he can't help but feel terribly insecure and incapable because of it sometimes.

- lucio is not even a tenth as stupid as the writers make him out to be for funny haha villain points. he's actually incredibly intelligent and a big fan of studying + reading "just because." he's very literate and articulate, just overexcitable (and maybe slightly over-emotional) and doesn't always express his intelligence in the best way (or stop and think before doing things). he's also fairly talented, and rather proficient in writing and playing piano - the grand piano in the foyer belongs to both him and nadia!!

- same thing goes for what an incompetent leader he's portrayed to be in the game... it's absolutely nonsensical that he alone was in charge of vesuvia for multiple years and that entire time knew nothing and learned nothing about being an effective ruler. perhaps he's not the most responsible leader at all moments and maaaybe he can be a bit. harsh. but i can't see military-tactical, hand-selected-to-rule-vesuvia-lucio being an INCOMPETENT leader.

- also, the previous count, count spada, took lucio in and taught him everything he knew - the game hardly touches on this and it's an absolute crime because i think the two of them had such a close (dare i say father-son) relationship and spada effectively took lucio under his wing and gave him the necessary training to be an effective leader before naming him his heir. the two of them were very... my parents hate me and i don't know what parental love feels like x i never married or had children and i regret it immensely, yknow ?

- his relationship with morga is much more strained than what's portrayed in canon - both her and his father were rather abusive throughout his childhood and he hides in the palace every time she visits vesuvia and makes nadia deal with her for him (i use 'makes' loosely - nadia would do it even if lucio didn't ask. she's not very fond of morga either and is sympathetic to lucio's fear of her).

- speaking of nadia, the two of them really don't hate eachother all that much. their relationship is much more complicated than what's shown in the game (everyone's is, really, it's all a lot more blurry and queerplatonic than what was written to make it work as a romance game) and while they most definitely butt heads quite often, she by no means hates him and they do, actually, get along a fair amount of the time. they have quite a bit in common and work well together. most of the time.

- contrary to popular belief, mercedes and melchior are not unruly and untrained- they're both trained impeccably, just in lucio's native language, making him the only person capable of controlling them. however when it is him in charge, the three of them are a force to be reckoned with (especially when out hunting) and mercedes and melchior move flawlessly alongside him, nearly predicting what he wants without him even having to speak it aloud. they're impeccably behaved- just for him and him alone.

- on the topic of languages- lucio was raised speaking something different than what is spoken throughout the game. there is no direct real-world equivalent but it's... scandinavian in nature. he has the faintest hint of an accent (and no, it isn't a jersey accent) but he's been speaking other languages for so long it's not quite as noticeable as it was during his mercenary days - although it is quite a bit more noticeable when he's drunk, and he's very prone to cursing in his native language.

[ota-division]

Chinami's Thoughts on Katsushika Division

Akihisa Mashiro

Heading home after her daily walk throughout the city, the blind seeress feels the wind pass her as a police car zooms by her. Hearing the siren on the car, she stops and contemplates something. Nodding her head, she heads into her house and to her scrying table, where she places her hands over her crystal ball. She begins reading the fortunes of the infamous Katsushika Division, the DRB.

"Mashiro Akihisa."

Adhering to the name, the crystal ball begins its role of playing out scenes in the person's life. The first scene opens up showing a young Italian boy of six or seven, in a living room, sitting in front of a piano, his fingers on the keys. Beside him is a young woman with similar facial features. She is playing a piece on the instrument with the boy following behind, mimicking her notes and keys. His eyebrows crease as the hardest part of the song comes up. He replays in his mind the correct notes, just as he has done before. He breathes a sigh of relief as he successfully completes it, grateful that he remembered. The older woman beside him hugs him, planting a kiss on his forehead, making the boy smile, happily. The scene ends as they smile at one another.

The scene changes to show an underground dwelling, beneath an aqueduct. Though the place smells due to the murky water and being close to the sewers, it is ideal for a group of organized criminals to hide. Besides, you get used to the smell after a while. A group of people of different body types and genders are either standing around, conversing with others, or honing their skills. Suddenly, they all look as the entrance to their dwelling has been opened. They are expecting another of their own to appear, but instead, a 15-year-old teenager, who obviously looks out of place, walks in, followed by an older gentleman whose face is shrouded by the fedora he wears. He steps inside, following the older man, ignoring the stares, scowls, and glances that he is receiving. This is a new chapter in his life. Tired of his home life, he decided to seek a new family. And here it was: The Holy Sword. Or, as they preferred to be called, The Spada Santa.

The scene changes showing an alleyway, which is currently in the middle of a gunfight between two Italian gangs, one of which is the Spada Santa. Though heavily outnumbered, the SS is holding their on, due in no small part to a familiar Italian man, now in his early 20s. He grimaces as he dodges a stray bullet that would have otherwise been fatal. He wonders how he got in this mess. He had been up for the past two days doing numerous jobs for the SS, and when he thought he could finally head home for some rest, he wounds up getting a delivery job which turns out to be more than such. He wonders if he could just go to sleep for a few minutes. Unfortunately, he is brought out of his stupor by a red-headed woman on the side of him, who makes him scowl. God, how he hated this braggart of a woman. But she was right, unfortunately. Now wasn't the time to rest. Loading a new clip into his gun, he heads back into the fray.

The scene changes to show the familiar Italian man, now in his early 30s, sitting on his knees in despair as he holds the body of a familiar red-headed woman in his arms. How could this have happened? He had finally managed to put his hatred for this woman aside. They were only a few months away from being married, for God's sake! She was going to be his wife! She was going to be the only other woman in his life that he could have proudly say, 'I love you' too! But, alas, fate was too cruel a mistress. It had wiped away any sort of good fortune the man had and took yet another beloved woman away from him. As he stares at the dead woman in his arms, he feels his eyes getting watery as he hugs her close. In this job, you had to learn to keep your emotions in check. Getting angry or sad would get you killed, especially in this line of work. But... for, perhaps, the second time in his life, the Italian man lets loose the emotions inside of him as the scene ends.

The final scene plays out, showing the Italian man now much older. He is sitting in a bar, drinking a glass of cold whiskey. He couldn't recall the last time he had a decent drink, but he sure as hell wasn't complaining. It had been a long time since he had been on the outside. And though it probably wouldn't last long, he was going to enjoy every moment of it, even if it only involved simple things like this. But... now that he has had a chance at freedom for so long, is he really content to just relinquish it again once this job is over? He's on Death's Row, after all. And he knows his life could end any day now. But will he fight to live this life again? Or will he die as he lived: by the sword? Only time will tell...

Touya Kisaragi

"Kisaragi Touya."

The crystal ball acknowledges the name of Japan's most infamous serial killer. The scene opens showing a six-year-old boy sitting in a chair in a wooden chair with a green pillow in what looks like a room for visitors. He was told to sit there and not to move by his parents, so that's what he's going to do. He looked as they both went into a room that looked like an office followed by an elderly old man. Anything to keep them from insulting him, demeaning him, or just looking at him like a pest. He was always taught to stay out of people's way from an early age. He did it so much, it became second nature to him.

After a long time of waiting, the door his parents went in opens and both his mother and father walk out, not even sparing him a passing glance. He notices a large wad of money in his father's hands; where did he get it? He gets up to follow them but is held back by the old man who smiles at him. The boy looks up at him, confused, but watches his parents walk away, all smiles. The scene ends as he watches his parents walk out the door of the building, all without even looking back at him.

The scene changes showing a dark basement with only a single lightbulb as a light source. The door to the basement opens and a green-haired woman walks in, wanting to know if some gentlemen want more time with "Momo-chan". All she gets in response is silence. Confused, she walks down the stairs into the room. What she sees in response, makes her gasp and stare in horror. In the middle of the room were the "gentlemen". However, they were all dead. Covered from head to toe in stab wounds. Some of them were even missing body parts, no doubt cut off from them while they were alive.

But what was really horrifying was the naked figure standing in the middle of the room: a familiar purple-haired boy, holding onto a bloody knife, covered in blood. The woman instantly recognizes him. And why wouldn't she? She had made hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of him, using him as a toy for perverted men and women to do with him as they pleased. She had thought him docile, but clearly, she was wrong.

She takes a step back, making plans to retreat to the stairwell. Maybe, if she is quick enough, she can make it upstairs to phone the police. She'll make up an excuse or something. But none of those plans will come to fruition. As she makes a step, the boy instantly reacts, looking at her with his blood-red eyes. He smiles a sadistic and merciless smile. The scene then ends as he pounces on her, with only the woman's scream as a tell-tale sign of the woman's fate.

The scene changes again to show a dark street. A group of four young men and women are walking home, after a night of partying and drinking. They are making a ruckus, having no shame as they loudly make noise, disturbing those that are in their homes, probably sleeping. As they are walking down the street, they spot a figure dabbed in a clock. The figure walks forward, humming a soft tune to themselves. They pay the figure no mind as they cross paths with him. But very soon, screams fill the air, shattering the nighttime's peace.

Within an hour, police have blocked off a crime scene. In the middle of it, the four young adults from before are all lying down, stab wounds covering their bodies. And the most horrifying thing about them is that they are all missing their hearts, which have been ceremoniously and methodically cut out of their bodies. But who could have committed this horrifying act? Unknown to the police, the figure is still nearby, watching them as they do their work. The figure smiles and continues humming the tune that they were humming before as the scene ends.

"London Bridge is falling down… Falling down… Falling down… London Bridge is falling down… My… fair… lady…"

The final scene plays, showing the boy in his current form, watching cartoons while eating a bowl of sugary cereal. He laughs at the antics of the characters on the show, paying no mind to the mess he was making from the milk and cereal, spilling everywhere. While his life is by far nowhere near perfect, compared to his childhood, it is bliss. ...But how long will that remain? Even if he is comfortable now, joy and happiness are fleeting and can be taken away at a moment's notice. Will he be content to live this short, yet happy life? Or will the memories and souls crying out for vengeance put an end to his short existence? Only time will tell...

Rintaro Himura

"Himura Rintaro."

Once more, the crystal ball adheres to the name, and begins playing out the life of the pyromaniac. The first memory plays, showing a young boy of eight or nine in a dirty bathroom, standing over a sink. He looks in the mirror, staring at his own reflection as he examines another mark left by his dear, old father. Ever since his mother left, the guy has done nothing but drink his life away. And in the process, he began abusing the boy for no reason other than simply because he could. The boy looks closely at a bruise forming, and shakes his head. Exiting the bathroom, he heads for his bedroom and collapses on the bed. He's thankful the old bastard is gone for the night to sleep with some floozy again. Maybe now the boy can get some sleep for a few hours. The scene ends as he continues to lie in his bed.

The scene opens up, showing a hospital room. On the hospital bed, is a familiar-looking boy now in his teens. His chest and the majority of his body is wrapped in white bandages. No doubt to cover up the horrific third-degree burns that he suffered from after his no-good father tried to kill him and the newest addition to their family, his younger sister. Speaking of which, it is a shame he is not awake to view the scene before him: his younger sister being pulled away from him by government officials. With their father's death, there was no one to provide for the two, meaning they were now technically orphans. While the boy was old enough to take care of himself, the young girl, who was only four, would have to be put in foster care, unfortunately. She screams at the men to let her go, reaching for her younger brother, who sadly cannot hear her. She is finally pulled out of the room, all while the teenage boy continues to dwell in Death's cousin.

The scene changes again to show a chemistry lab in a classroom. The room is empty, which is no surprise considering that the sun has alright set and night is vastly approaching. A few seconds later, however, the classroom door opens and in walks a familiar teenage boy, only a few years older than before. He walks to a locked closet in the corner of the classroom and easily picks the lock open. Opening the doors, he reaches inside and pulls out the equipment that the chemistry lab uses for experiments. After a few minutes of setting it up, he turns on the heat at the bottom and watches with interest as the flame comes alight, heating the glass jar. He smiles at the fire, at its brilliance and magnificence. So deadly, yet so... beautiful at the same time; almost like a rose.

He stares at it a bit longer before he turns it and begins his experiment. This wasn't for class or homework. Oh no, he was doing this for himself. After he had set some trash on fire a few days ago, he began wondering what else he could set alight. Maybe, a dumpster. No... something bigger. Something that would spread quicker and brighter. Something that wouldn't be easy to put out, like... a building. A building... The boy smiles a cold smile as his mind stays hammered on that thought. It was certainly something to think about...

The scene changes again to show a city of skyscrapers, all brilliantly lit up. Down on the streets below, a group of socialities and rich nobles are partying or socializing, enjoying themselves, with nary a care in the world. A shame that none of them are aware of the amount of danger they are currently in, as sitting high on a rooftop above, a familiar-looking man is sitting with one of his legs dangling over the edge. He is whistling a tune to himself, while playing with a strange remote control device in his hands. He finishes his tune and stands up, looking down at the still beautifully lit streets down below. He smirks to himself and places his finger on the remote control. After a minute's pass, he presses the large red button on it and watches the "show" began.

All throughout the city, multiple explosions go off, igniting all of the buildings in close proximity with each other in flames. He listens to the screams and shouts as he looks as the city is still glowing, only now it is with smoke, ash and fire. He chuckles to himself until his laughing becomes louder and blows into a full-blown guffaw as he watches his art come to life. His laughter continues as the winds that are blowing freely carry his flames towards the wide open sky.

The final scene appears showing the young man in his current form as he is outside on a rooftop, smoking a cigarette as he overlooks the city at night. He has taken many lives and has labeled a 'danger to society', but he cares not. He has done what he wanted, when he wanted, however he wanted. And he has absolutely no regrets. If he was to die tomorrow, he wouldn't care one bit. ...But is that really true? A young girl's springs to the forefront of his mind, and he admonishes the fact that he forgot her, even if it was only momentarily. What will happen to her if he dies now? What will happen to his flame? Will it continue to burn always? Or is it doomed to flicker, and soon fade? Only time will tell...

Death Row Block

As always, Chinami has laid all 72 cards out on her table. And with a deft hand, she easily and swiftly flips over three of the cards, as if she didn't need to think about which ones to choose from. The first card features a man wearing on a crown sitting on a throne (The Emperor). The second card features a skeleton wearing black armor riding on a white horse (Death). The last card features a warrior riding in a contraption being pulled by horses (The Chariot).

Lastly, the crystal ball plays out significant scenes in each member's life: the day Akihisa proposed to his beloved, the day Touya met his adopted elder sister, and the day Rintaro was reunited with his younger sister. These three men, all criminals with their hourglasses slowly running out, have chosen to obey their masters in order to prolong the awaited day. But with freedom already in their grasp, are they truly content to remain docile? Or will they forever have a rope tied around their necks? Only time will tell...

[cedefaci]

Five Times Vongola Settimo retrieved corpses at his CEDEF counterpart’s behest, and one time he made one

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Fabio di Vongola

warning for suicide

It took him a few repetitions to notice. Like a song from a music box, the noises from outside his cell were locked in a seamless loop, the same murmur of conversation repeating on a three-sentence beat. Peering through the bars, he could see the guards cycling through their own series of movements, like figures in a zoetrope, standing up and sitting down only to stand up again.

It couldn’t be. He had taken back the Half-Rings. But it could only be— “Spada?”

“Fabio.” Spada emerged from nothingness, as impeccably dressed as ever, and took a seat on the narrow cot pushed against the wall.

“You know,” Fabio said, trying for teasing and arriving at wistful, “I think this is the first time I have heard you call me by my name.”

“Perhaps.” Spada said, tilting his head back, gaze far away, “What else could I call you, here at the end of all things?”

There was no bite to the words, and yet—Fabio sighed, leaning back onto damp concrete. “I suppose you were right then, when you said that the fight would come to us, one way or another. I can hardly call myself Don Vongola when I failed to see that.”

Spada pursed his lips. It was clear he agreed with Fabio’s own judgement, but they had been friends too long to countenance such sharpness easily. The CEDEF Commander settled by saying, neutrally, “You established a foundation for your heir to build upon. The Vongola will not survive its trials without the resources you have acquired.”

Oh. He had hoped, for a moment, that this was a rescue, but he had personally laid down the law regarding the keeping of omerta, and it would have been hypocritical for him to demand an exception.

“I see.” He needed to focus on the important things. “They took the Ring when they came to the house, they knew what it was for, we have a leak. You’ll also need to take Daniela to my sister Claudia in the Vestals, she has my Will in her keeping—I trust that you have no objections to Flavio as my successor?”

Icy water trickling down his spine. Spada was shaking his head, full of sympathy. “Daniela was arrested the same time as you, and Flavio was tricked into giving himself up for her, not that Mori let her free.”

No. The world spun, the floor of his cell came rushing to meet him—cold hands caught him.

"I have failed then, both as a Don and as a father." He said into the orange flower water scented shoulder of his consigliere.

"Flavio shines gold with honour," Spada said, not quite disagreeing, "He can capture hearts, but is unsuited to scheming."

"But?" Fabio clung to the hope in the upturned lilt at the end of Spada's words.

"But, Daniela blazes as a bonfire." Spada said, "Her Will is unmatched, her courage undaunted, her Flame without peer. Your daughter, Fabio, has the heart and stomach of a king. I would offer the Rings to her."

"She is young." Fabio whispered, "A girl, besides. The Vongola will not bow to her."

"She has the Will to hold it." Spada drew away so that their eyes met keeping his hands on Fabio's shoulders. "Trust in her, and in me who trusts in her. I have witnessed the rise and fall of many heroes, and in Daniela I see strength and conviction which would shame Ricardo. Make a new will here, Settimo, and your daughter will see your dream of the cosa nostra united under Vongola's banner through."

At that, his Intuition, silent in helplessness, pinged. He focused on the incongruity in Spada's declaration. "You would compare Daniela to secondo, not primo?"

Spada smiled, nostalgic laughter in his eyes. "She is as Ricardo, Fabio. The one who rallies the family once their predecessor's failures overtake it. You are like Giotto.”

“The one who failed?”

His friend’s gaze softened. “The dreamer who gave me hope. Giotto was like a shooting star, a spot of brilliance burning out and fading fast, and like him, your work was not half-done when your will faltered. And though for the sake of those works I have turned from you, they sprung from you nonetheless, and I cherish the memories of our fellowship, the joy of which I shall use to hone my grief into vigilance. This I swear.”

Fabio swallowed, his mouth had suddenly gone very dry. That flash of sapphire, years ago, when they had bared their hearts to each other. “I would rather that you just lived—looked up Katzbalger’s old retirement plans, maybe.”

“You need not wish me well.” His friend kissed his hand, the hand bereft of the Vongola Ring for the first time in more than two decades. “You have already returned love to me, when all I had was hate. For your sake, Fabio, I shall avenge thee, and see your children grow old.”

Flavio would be safe too then, under the dark wings of his godfather.

“You speak as if I am already dead.”

“You will be.” The man who had been his External Consultant said at least had the decency to look him in the eyes as he said it, as steady and inexorable as the age-old beat of a marching drum. “You have failed, and have been defeated, Don Vongola. It is time to do as the Romans do, and fall on your sword—or would you give the government their very own puppet, or else allow their kangaroo courts the humiliation of the Vongola name?”

“I cursed my father for putting pride before life and love.” Fabio said.

“You would give your life for love and freedom.” Said the one who had once been one mind with him. “Worry not for your kin. Sostrata has taken your mother to safety in England, and your wife has will return to her father’s house to politic for Daniela there, once your last affairs are arranged. Flavio is being kept in the same gaol as this, and the tumult over your death will give Timoteo the opportunity to extract him. I shall retrieve Daniela myself.”

That was all he still cared about taken care of. Fabio did not relish the thought of life in prison, or giving the government the satisfaction of his execution. But—he had one question left.

“Is my death the price you demand for your service, Daemon Spade?”

His friend froze. Then he started chuckling, vibrant colour seeping into his eyes and hair—pale hair and steel-blue eyes, of course, Daemon would have delighted in getting one over his old rival.

“One might understand it thusly.” Daemon said, drawing himself up to his full height—clearly, the first impression he had given Fabio had been no act, the man was an utter peacock. “Bind me with your lifeblood and last breath, Vongola Settimo, and your daughter shall command the deathless bogeyman of the underworld.”

In his hand he held a straight razor, its edge so sharp as to cut without pain.

Fabio took it. “That’s a bit small for a sword, isn’t it?” He said drily.

Still. Wrist or neck?

He lifted the blade up, Intuition guiding each movement, then drew it swiftly forwards and down.

The last thing he saw was his friend’s face, leaning in.

“O Fabio,” Daemon Spade promised, “Forgive me this, and I shall make you a pyre worthy of any emperor.”

Cool lips touched Fabio’s, sealing them with a kiss, and he knew no more.

Remember what I said about weird Roman traditions? Daemon is leaning particularly strongly into them because of the whole glorious death and redemption through suicide thing he has going on here. Claudia, Fabio’s younger sister in the Vestals, has custody of his will as would have been the case in ancient Rome.

It is also, according to Wikipedia, custom for the closest relative to seal the passing of spirit from the body with a last kiss, in accordance with a belief that equated the soul with the breath. I think I implied that Daemon was committing literal vampirism with the kiss, drawing out all of Fabio’s lifeforce and power and taking Fabio into him.

[vampiresuns]

I'm sorry for my triangle but, how about a prompt for Julian and Nana's first meeting?

A moment of silence to the fallen ones 😔

And of course you may! This is the first part of their meeting fic for my potential Julesverse rewrite. It's 1k words but we're still calling it a preview for that reason alone, as the piece is supposed to run longer. It's called "אליהו" aka "Ilya" but this is how it's written in Yiddish, even though the first bit doesn't have a lot of Julian, oops.

* * *

Characters featured: Aelius Anatole Radošević, Julian Devorak, Consul Valerius (as Valeriy Radošević-Cassano), Cassiopeia Cassano, Count Spada and Lucio (both mentioned only).

CWs: Nose injuries, blood.

* * *

The Flooded District’s name was a recent development. The Canals and aqueducts in the area had fallen into disrepair under Count Spada, finally giving into the rising tides of the Eastern Docks and Ash Beach; because of the rock formations around the cliff sides of that side of Vesuvia, the high tide came in in the opposite direction of the Canal’s waters, pushing back the Borean river and destroying the canal architecture over time.

Spada had refused to touch the Canals. The Canals in Vesuvia were never to be touched as Anatole, as a Cassano (partly) knew the reasons better than most. However, there had been other ways to fix it that didn’t involve changing the Canals at all. Support structures and leverages could be added, but from what Anatole was told by his Aunt Cassiopeia and Uncle Valeriy, Spada had feared adding attachments to the Canals would alter the magic of the ritual.

As if consultants cannot be hired, Anatole thought once again and not for the last time, trying his hardest not to roll his eyes in public, lest people mistook his annoyance’s true reason. Still, to himself, he was allowed to be petty. He had tried to coordinate an effort by asking the Head City Planner on the side about it, in hopes Lucio would allow it on the offering on having his ego stroked.

The Count had never had much of an ear for the City Planner’s, which was a problem in itself. He didn’t see the point of it. Didn’t Cities take care of themselves? Why did it matter? As a result, the City Planning department in the Court had taken to working with the Consul alone, continuing a trend that had already begun under Spada’s rule, as the Head City Planner got along better with Consul Iovanus, Valeriy’s predecessor, than with the Count.

On top of that, in order to do anything to the canals at all, the order didn’t just have to be signed by the Count, but also by the Consul and Quaestor Valdemar. As commendable as a try as it was, it was a Dead End. Well, through official means at least. The Flooded District’s councilperson, a civil organiser with leverage in some Guilds and Unions, had told the Council about initiatives led by the inhabitants of the district, and how, perhaps, it would be a good idea to get funds for them if the situation was unsalvageable for now.

Funds and hands to help, Anatole thought. He offered his own, as there was something at the very least he could do. Valeriy thought it was a great idea, it was a good opportunity for Anatole, as his successor, to get out on the street in a manner that wasn’t too official.

“Just please remember you’re still the Council’s secretary and my successor, you little creature,” the Consul had told his nephew with a warm almost-smile and pride in his eyes.

Anatole wanted to do good on his own, he had chosen this for a reason, but he was also aware of Court tensions and how, the sooner he was ready to succeed Valeriy, the sooner his uncle could leave the position. He had been holding it for over 15 years now, and the exhaustion in him was palpable. It wouldn’t do to have a Cassano Consul who could not stand his ground, so the replacement rotation should go faster between Uncle and Nephew. In the comfort of their own home, Valeriy always reminded Anatole with a gentle squeeze on his shoulder, and joked about how, hopefully, they’ll be lucky enough that Count Lucio dropped from the face of the Earth by the time Anatole became the Consul.

The thought by then was terrifying for Anatole. He didn’t feel ready. While his family always told him it was likely he would never feel ready, per se, so it was best to trust himself, his ever-growing capacities and the ones around him, he still felt out of place at it. As if he hadn’t done enough. People didn’t need to know that, however.

The voice in his head that spoke like his therapist reminded him it was alright to open up. The small, imaginary version of him that lived in his head batted it away. He’d focus on the Flooded District, there were lots of things he could do to help from lobbying to organising, to acting as a clerk for those people carrying things out logistically. When it came to execution he knew what to do, or hoped he did. Either way, he handled himself and working for Vesuvia was good and commendable—

Someone dropped something, startling Anatole out of his thoughts.

“I’ve got it!” He said, crouching down to retrieve it, without really looking or thinking what he was doing. He just acted, automatic pilot engaged and his previous trail of thought lost, if the feelings vaguely remained.

“Secretary, watch out!”

“Wh— FUCK—”

A cry of pain interrupted his own stunned cursing as he fell back. Someone he couldn’t see broke his fall by a hair, though Anatole wasn’t about to question his luck, he’d take almost anything before busting his head on the cobblestones as well. Apparently a board from a scaffold had given in, hitting him square on the face. He could breathe, so as far as he knew his nose wasn’t broken, but he couldn’t tell and it was overwhelming to think as all the worry from unknown voices washed over him. Frighted like static as the skin of his wound felt like lemon sizzling.

He took his hand to the bridge of his nose. It stung. He told people around him he was fine, but given how he winced and how he was bleeding no one believed him. People debated if he should sit up or lie down, and their static flavoured voices (with feelings he couldn’t tune out no matter how he tried, his magic betraying him) overwhelmed him. Almost like being buried underneath a thousand mattresses.

He put his hand out, shielding his eyes from light, his own wet, red blood on his fingertips. A single voice, with the steady sensation of determination and collected purpose, made its way through the people around him.

“Leave him where you found him, excuse me, let me come through, I’m a medical professional with years of experience in hazardous wounds such as this one—”

His eyes were grey like a bright winter night and his hair the warm red of a hearth’s fire.

“Ah, ah, ah, there you go, easy does it,” the man told Anatole as he examined his face and ran some basic check ups on him. “I’m Doctor Dvořák,” with steady hands which knew its professional practice well, he helped Anatole sit up. As he checked his nose for fractures, he smiled at him: “But you, you can call me Ilya.”

[nextwarden]

Brungen the guard

Usually, when things went down, Brungen had the good fortune to be posted elsewhere in the city. He'd been with the dock inspectors during the assault on the remparts by a battalion of assassins sent by the enemy to end the royal family's life, and on holiday with his family in the countryside during the days of fog when the third legions of Doomguard had come to a standoff with the Holy Paladins. Today, however, he immediately knew he had no such luck. When something crashed in the woods bordering the great forest he still had hope it might have been a meteor but before they could send out a squad to investigate, a cloaked silhouette walked out of between the younger trees, headed straight towards them. They stopped at the gate at a sufficient distance to be seen and heard but not too close to be immediately attacked, as if they knew the exact threshold with eerie precision. He realized this after the fact but it had been the first sign of what was to come. The second one had been the fact that the cloaked individual seemed relaxed enough and waited to be addressed to speak.

"Stop right there!" yelled their division leader, a man he'd only ever addressed as Captain, who'd been called to the remparts as soon as the individual had appeared. "State your business!"

The third sign had been when the individual replied in a calm and clear voice despite the distance. They did not shout yet Brungen had heard everything as clearly as if he'd been standing beside them.

"I have come to ask of the Citadel to release the prisoner they are currently holding below, in the dungeons."

"What prisoner may that be, exactly? And who are you to make such a request of their Highness?", the division leader had shot back with a scoff.

In ordinary circumstances such a type of request would surely be treated with more reverence yet this mysterious person had not followed any of the traditional politeness, neither coming closer to have a face to face talk, nor revealing their identity and their face. They did not show any deference in their way of addressing the guards either. This carelessness was either the mark of an affront by an opposing force or a sign of unimportant business. All good statemen and their aids or envoys knew of this. To add insult to injury, the individual returned the scoff in kind.

"My ask is not a request but a demand, make no mistake. I am here to have the prisoner you are holding in the dungeons of the Citadel - you must know which, there is only one of importance - released, and I shall see to it," now this had felt like a threat. Not so smart on their part, thought Brungen. Still, the individual continued. "As for my identity, it matters not."

As peculiar as that may seem, that attitude was not one that was foreign to the forces of the Capital whom were tasked with the guarding of the main gates. Many came and went with high and mighty attitudes, it was part of the job to know how to deal with them. Whether that was with patience, flattery, intimidation or simple yet efficiently measured violence. From the frown on the leader's face, Brungen knew this called for the latter option. Subdue the inconvenient fellow and ask questions later, that was both the quickest and the most satisfying solution to this problem. 

"Very well then."

The leader gave the word to his second and soon one of the two large doors sealing the entry to the Capital opened by a fraction. Five men walked out, following the leader's second in command and went towards the individual. All of them were in armour and armed, two had large dogs with them, and the second in command was on horseback. They encircled him without resistance, the cloaked individual did not seem to mind. A shiver ran down Brungen's spine as he saw the scene unfold. He was tense, as usual. Maeria often told him to relax or he would live to barely half her age, he rarely was able to remain at ease in such situations, unfortunately. This time, however, he sensed something was different. His knees were weakening by the second and sweat was collecting on his brow.

Before he was able to notify the leader, the second in command shot the man with the large black dog carved on his plastron standing atop the remparts a questioning look, to which he replied with a nod. No, this was a bad decision, he could sense it, he had to warn them! Too late, the second in command gave the order and, all as one, the five men drew their sword and took a step forward, the two that were holding the dogs' leashes barked a word and the hounds pounced. They'd attack the legs, maiming slightly if one was unlucky, to immobilize while the rest of the guards fell on top of them, rendering them unable to resist in a flash. At least that's how it should have happened. Brungen did not see exactly what transpired but he felt the wave of cold that followed the loud bang.

Suddenly, the hounds were running back to the gate, howling their fear away, the five guards were sprawled on their back on the ground a dozen feet away from the cloaked individual, unmoving, and the second in command had the tip of a spear to his neck. The cloaked man seemed to mutter a few words which did not please the second in command. He drew his sword but as soon as it was out of its scabbard, the blade was flying in pieces and the tip of the spear was pointed against his neck once more, slightly deeper than before. Once again the cloaked individual seemed to speak. This time the horse rider nodded and slowly steered his mount backwards towards the gate. The cloaked individual planted their spear in the ground and once again waited patiently.

"What the hell was that, Jorak?!" the leader spat at his subordinate once he had dismounted and scaled the stairs leading atop the remparts.

The one named Jorak sighed, his face was pale, he seemed to have lost all his earlier vitality.

"I… I don't really know sir. He moved faster than I could follow. Must be a user."

The leader's frown grew deeper. He returned his gaze towards the mysterious man standing a distance from the gates.

"What did he say?"

"First he… asked to drop my weapon quietly. As you saw I tried to correct him but…", Jorak shook his head weakly, "then he told me..."

Brungen did not hear the rest of the sentence, Jorak had inched closer and was whispering into the leader's ear. The older soldier's battered face grew darker and his frown deeper. He let out a grunt, whether it was of frustration, outrage, or acknowledgement, or perhaps yet all three, Brungen knew not, but his feeling of unease became more palpable by the second. he couldn't say a word now, of course, that would probably be seen as cowardice and there was a very real probability of him getting court-martialled for it. But it didn't mean he wanted to stay there.

"Call the Spada and find someone to go fetch the Minister, he's the one in charge."

Brungen noticed the battalion leader's teeth did not part he seethed the order more than he spoke it and he saw the relief on Jorak's face as he was given momentary leave from this place. Then he turned towards Brungen.

"And go fetch me those idiots!"

Ah fuck. Brungen couldn't help the look he exchanged with his colleague, a burly woman by the name of Banna the young, or so he thought he remembered, as they descended the stairs and hurried towards the cart. He saw the indifference in her eyes and was glad to find that she did not care about his discomfort as she too was not entirely happy with the task. They had no room to refuse, however, the leader was many times their superior and it was a direct order given to them at a critical moment. They could only clench their cheeks and get on with it as quickly as possible. The men lying on the field before the gates had seemed unconscious rather than dead, which probably meant that they would be fine. Probably.

He eyes the individual wearily as he approached along with Banna. He would have not let his eyes stray from them for fear of being done in in a similar way had he not felt the oppressive aura that poured out from them. Definitely a user. Quickly and as efficiently as possible, he and Banna gathered the unconscious bodies and loaded them in the cart before dragging them back inside the remparts. The individual did not move more than his eyes to follow them as they did. He couldn't see them but he could feel their weight on his shoulders, one he had not felt since the battle of Urnath when they'd attempted to drive back the Ashen Legions to the northern border. Oh how spending the day with the in-laws in the countryside was infinitely more appealing in that moment… But noooo, Mary, you don't understand, Mary, I have a responsibility, I can't just go and take days off like this, what if I'm needed? He groaned both at the effort and at his own idiocy as they dragged it to a halt behind the gates. He was about to offer to help unload them in the medical bay but a quick order from the healers to leave them alone sent Banna and him back to the top of the remparts. He'd almost protested but found himself content to have followed the woman's movement back to their original spot when the Spada arrived, bringing four of the ground guards with them to meet the stranger.

They were six, half of the squadron, the best of the best of the keep's soldiers, and along with them he recognized distinctive silhouette of Thigam and the lanky one belonging to Vanesh If two of the former Hero's party were there, it meant the Minister had received the news and had deemed it serious enough to send them to deal with it but not enough to preoccupy himself personally. And assuredly, a few instants later, before the Captain had any time to comment on the situation, a messenger came with a missive. Brungen watched his brows scrunch and his shoulders relax. Good news, apparently. He let out a silent sigh he hadn't known he'd been holding. He'd done enough grunt work for the day and was plenty happy letting more competent individuals take over. Perhaps he'd relaxed too much, so much that he missed something. That would certainly explain the surprise at the force field crackling under before him as if some inhumane pressure was being applied to it. He'd felt the sudden need to let out a yawn - his saving grace, an aura theorist would probably have explained had he asked afterward. It had been speculated that the release of pressure in one's eardrums in the exact moment a spell was received reduced the impact on the skull and the rattling of the brain. Years worth of practice had shown some truth to this yet more research was necessary.

Brungen had heard less of the exchange than the first time, the individuals on the ground exchanging in more close quartered yet no less tense tones. The people of the Spada had spread to form a half circle around the individual, while Thigam had stepped forward and Vanesh remained a few steps behind. They hadn't seemed to want to engage yet, simply  They'd asked for a name once again and required a reason for the individual's presence. The reply had been similar to that of the first round of question, only slightly more exasperated. Some of it reached Brungen's ears due to the wind picking up slightly.

"So you will neither name nor reason, then?"

"None matter here. Either release the prisoner you hold or I will retrieve them myself."

"And you believe an envoy of the Ashen…", part of the sentence slipped by him as the wind faltered, "no claim here", again the wind changed direction. "... back to the shadows."

He heard not the rest but saw the individual shift position, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. The eight down on the ground seemed to tense at that. Then another command was issued by Thigam, surely an order to surrender to the powers at be. Had he followed the discussion more closely, Brungen might have frowned as Banna had at that moment, as the Captain had too. He might have noticed the subtle shift in the shadows around the men, lengthening and leering towards the individual. He might have, too, noted the way Thigam dug the fore of his foot in the earth. Perhaps he might have even noticed the shift in the air, the sudden drop in temperature. Unfortunately Brungen had chosen that exact moment to turn his head around and let out a silent yet jaw-cracking yawn. He closed his eyes and let out all the fatigue and the tension that had built until then flow out, or at least he tried. Despite the Spada finally arriving to take care of the individual, and Thigam the Ox being there to take them down if anything happened, he couldn't quite settle back into his carefree routine. Not only had he to keep appearances up for the Captain, but the situation had not been resolved yet and despite all his flaws he was nothing if not thorough in his job when it was required of him. Vanesh's presence, although welcome, also put him on edge. Both of the former members of the Hero's party were undoubtedly strong, but Vanesh's ways with the somber side of the arts was not something he enjoyed in experiencing, not from the audience, nor from first hand experience, which he'd had both of. His stomach almost churned at the memory and it took all the blanching he had in him not to give back to the remparts what belonged to the remparts. Then he turned around and immediately knew he could kiss his quiet afternoon goodbye.

Three of the six spada had been encased in ice, two were nowhere to be seen - late rto be found near the edge of the forest, still unconscious - and the last one lay sprawled near the individual, unmoving. Unknown individual who held a strange fist stance which he understood the nature of when he literally felt the whole of the force field shake and sizzle. He barely had time to look down and see Thigam slide from the half wall height at which he splattered himself to the ground below him, unconscious. The situation, already graver than grave, became alarmingly alarming when Brungen realized his coworkers also laid sprawled atop the remparts, and Vanesh was eyeing the individual but not moving. There was a second of silence, during which the court sorcerer eyed his crumpled comrade, before he moved again. His hands raised, thin fingers deftly manipulating strands of litteral shadows - at least that's what Brungen swore he saw each time - and rousing two puppets of the same unreal substance. It was as if the Sun had cast away its gaze from the two spots where now full grown armoured silhouettes stood. Brungen almost sighed in relief, almost. And he immediately felt gratification in not doing so when he saw the unknown individual gather his spear with a motion of the hand and a crack. Regret followed suit upon the realization that being right did not always feel right, something Mary had made abundantly clear over the years. The spear cut through the two puppets he was positive he'd seen deflect a literal dragon's breath before, as if they were nothing but one of those flimsy arguments he gave to justify being up and about in the kitchen at three in the morning. Then, as Vanesh stepped back to cast the spell he'd apparently been brewing in backup, he was tripped and rendered unable to retaliate by a well-placed hit to the back of the neck. Not enough to kill, Brungen hoped despite himself.

Then came the actual worst thing of the day - yet, worst thing of the day yet, echoed a voice deep inside his unhinged mind. The individual collected his spear and without another look at his opponents, walked up to the front gate unhindered. The party sent his way had been neutralized and none of the few guards left on the top of the remparts were up for the task of following up to that.

Brungen almost acted upon his desire to make a dive for the stairs and warn the others, almost. Insead he felt his hairs stand on his forearms and the cold drop of ice that ran down his spine as he watched the hooded man (he was pretty sure, he'd noticed fair coloured stubble on their chin and they were too tall to be a dwarf) raise a hand, palm open and placed against the invisible barrier. Invisible until that moment at least. Something radiated out of said palm and rippled along the whole of the barrier. For an instant, Brungen almost had the thought that the man was trying to force his way inside. He saw the bluish hue expand from the tip of the fingers, along the invisible surface, and felt energy sizzle under the touch and the pressure that came with it. Then he had the thought that the man was, in fact, actually trying to force his way inside. On any other day he'd have scoffed at that, but he'd seen enough to only cough out half a lung as he swallowed the wrong way. There was a huge rumble, a flash of icy hue, and something like lightning ran through his bones. Then the barrier cracked, the man walked through, and Brungen wondered if this was the Gods' way of repaying him for all those missed opportunities of dying a hero.

—

PREVIOUSLY | NEXTLY

A Hero’s Retirement

[nooradeservedbetter]

Not to put too fine a point on it, Daniel Swift’s piece, Hanging Out With the Italian Neo-Fascists Who Idolise Ezra Pound, is appalling. It is the careless journalism of someone who, knowing little Italian and even less about Italian politics, has conversed with fascists and regurgitated whatever they told him. The result is a completely distorted representation of what the group is about and how they operate.

The building in which Swift's interview takes place, which CasaPound militant Adriano Scianca's claims they are 'occupying', was in fact bought for them in 2012 by none other than the Mayor of Rome, using €11.8 million of local government money. The Mayor at the time was Gianni Alemanno, a man steeped in the history of Italian fascism: a leading member of the Italian Social Movement (MSI - the postwar reformation of Mussolini’s Fascist Party) and later the far-right National Alliance; even his wife, Isabella Rauti, was the daughter Pino Rauti, ex-leader of the MSI whose name crops up in relation to numerous cases of far-right terrorism, including the 1969 Piazza Fontana bombing.

Gianni Alemanno’s son, Manfredi, would follow in his father’s far-right footsteps: in 2011, he put himself forward as a candidate for student elections at his college for Blocco Studentesco, the youth wing of CasaPound. Two years previously, after throwing Roman salutes and getting into a fight at a party, Manfredi was protected from prosecution by police with connections to his dad.

So the idea of these guys as a plucky, if rough-round-the-edges, group of rebels doing their bit for the community against all odds is laughable. They’re a far-right gang with links to both fascist terrorists and the highest echelons of Italian politics.

More interestingly, however, is how Swift depicts the group’s activity: they “arrange conferences” on Ezra Pound, the modernist poet they are named after; they house “20 homeless families”; “they collect used syringes from parks in poor neighborhoods”; “they clean bike paths”. The only mention of violence comes from a “CasaPound supporter” who, in 2011, killed two Senegalese traders in Florence. From this description, the impression is of a group engaged in cultural activities and local volunteering albeit with the odd wayward sympathiser.

And yet, the reality could not be further from the truth. To cite some examples from this year alone: in February, a group of at least 15 CasaPound militants attacked one young man after he posted a meme mocking the group on Facebook. Over the summer, uniformed CasaPound members prowled the Central Italian seaside, harassing migrant beach vendors and forcing them to leave. And even last Tuesday, the very day Swift’s article went on the Lit Hub website, Roberto Spada, related to the Spada crime family thought to control Ostia, on the outskirts of Rome, brutally assaulted a journalist who had been asking him about his support for CasaPound.

So it’s curious that for an organisation for which racism and violence are such frequent features of their activity, that so little mention would be made of that racism and violence. When Swift mentions CasaPound are housing “20 homeless families who have nowhere else to go,” he neglects to mention the proviso on which that charity is based: whites only. The ethno-nationalist underpinnings don’t get a mention and it is (to be charitable) frankly bizarre why this is so.

Even more bizarrely, Swift spends less time talking about the violence and racism of a notoriously violent racist group than he does talking about how much he enjoyed their restaurant.

Quote:

At a corner we meet a couple of other men—beards, clipped hair, grins—and we duck into the shade of an open-fronted restaurant. It looks like any other in Rome—white tablecloths, photos of minor celebrities who have eaten here—except all the waiters have tattoos up their forearms, and except that at the end, after cold antipasti, a heavy tagliatelle all’Amatriciana with fat nuggets of bacon swimming in the sauce, red wine from a carafe, bitter brown digestivo, and coffee, no bill ever came. What we are doing, Seb tells me as we eat, is not connected to money.

Waiters with tattoos, fabulous food, fine wine. And what’s this? No bill? These fascists are generous as well as cultured! Il Duce, you're really spoiling us!

Reading the article, it seems Swift is bending over backwards to sanitise the reputations of as many fascists as he can. Swift discusses Pound's Canto 72, written as the Nazi-backed Republic of Salò was in a state of collapse and where a dead fascist general says "I don't want to go to paradise, I want to continue to fight. I want your body, with which I could still make war". While noting Canto 72 has often been seen as the "smoking gun" of Pound's fascism (with good reason, in my opinion), Swift is "not sure", claiming to see "odd hesitations" in the poem. What these are, he doesn't say. But it's worth highlighting Mark Ford's point that as late as 1956 Pound was still spewing fascist bile, writing that “the fuss about ‘de‑segregation’ in the United States has been started by Jews”. Of course, Swift knows this. What's utterly baffling is why he doesn't point this out in his article.

And yet, you can’t help but feel Swift's article is based around what he feels is the ‘novelty’ of the situation; but that novelty is actually based on two entirely false premises. First, the idea that fascists are the working class, the downtrodden masses. And second, that the working class lack the culture to read (let alone write) literature.

Both premises are obviously and demonstrably false. Swift says he wasn’t expecting CasaPound’s “high-mindedness”; yet, fascists have always found support among artists and intellectuals. Gabriele D’Annunzio and Luigi Pirandello, two of the most famous Italian writers of the twentieth century, were both fascists from wealthy backgrounds.

Equally, the idea of the working class as some uncultured blob is also false. Working-class people not only appreciate literature but have produced a wealth of it; whether Elio Vittorini, anti-fascist resistance fighter and son of a rail worker, or the Proletarian Literature movement in Britain which produced writers like James Barke, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, James Hanley and George Garrett.

So what we have with Swift’s article is an academic who was pleasantly surprised by the "high-mindedness" of some fascists when he should know that the 'high-minded' (or at least a section of them) have always been drawn to fascism.

And when he imagined their 'low-mindedness', who do you think he was expecting? Not posh students with links to Rome's political elite (a very real element of CasaPound’s demographic). No, he was expecting working-class men with sloping brows and dragging knuckles who could hardly string a sentence together let alone have opinions about poetry.

Ultimately, Swift seems to have really taken to CasaPound. He “warmly” shakes hands with Scianca after their interview and they agree to exchange copies of their books. Later, describing the farewells at end of his meal, he says,

Quote:

As we stand to leave I offer to shake hands with the waiter and he reaches out his right hand, with the tortoise on the forearm, and he grasps my arm just above the wrist, and smiles. We are close, this waiter and I; and for that instant bound in a frozen gesture, and even as it was strange and abrupt, it was also familiar. This is the Roman handshake I had read about.

It’s clear from these quotes that CasaPound’s activists are supposed to be sympathetic characters in Swift’s story; their benevolence has been amplified, their vices turned all the way down. The absolute wanton irresponsibility of an article like this when far-right nationalism is seeing a surge in popularity across Europe and North America is abundantly clear but perhaps some people need it spelt out for them: fascists are in a coalition government in Austria; they have entered German parliament for the first time since the war; they are killing people on trains and at demonstrations and have set up militias in America; their extremism is increasingly turning into the talking points and policies of mainstream politics. Now is not the time to be writing puff pieces about how charming they are and how interesting their take on Ezra Pound is.

At one point Swift declares, “I wanted them to like me.” After his glowing write up, I have absolutely no doubt they will.

[furederiko]

Advance Notice: Behold, for this is my first monthly review for "Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger"...

I had planned on publishing a First Impression post when this show premiered on February 11th, 2018, but I ended up scrapping that idea due to several reasons. I figured I should just go ahead with the review for the first episode having seen it with subs, but another hurdle came barging on my way (forcing me to be off the grid for a brief amount of time prior to my latest post) to the point that now I practically have watched 3 subbed episodes already. LOL. So as you can see, I've finally decided to just convert it into a monthly review (consisting of episode 1 to 3 that aired Sunday, February 25th) for the series anyway. Not unlike what I did with "Kamen Rider Build", of course. But there's a catch! Since I don't want my efforts for the First Impression to go to waste, I'm going to start with them first before heading directly to my Overall thoughts on each episode. Okay then, here goes...

First Impression

NOTE: Another reminder before I start. This list was written as soon as I finished watching the first episode. It contained my personal notes and INITIAL reactions to the story, theme, and also characters, some of most definitely have more or less evolved since then. So if it might sound a bit outdated, that's just the way it is. Can't help it, these were from three weeks ago... XD - Phantom Thief? More like... burglar. I'm talking about the premiere's opening sequence, that is. While it was designed to be cinematic, to me it also felt like a missed opportunity. The writer for this episode (was it lead writer Junko Komura?) probably forgot or got him/herself confused on the basic rule of a 'Kaitou'/Phantom Thieves. What made a Phantom Thief different than regular thieves or pickpockets, was in their modus operand of sending/handing out notice way ahead of their operation in order to challenge the owner of the item. Hence why it is called ADVANCE NOTICE. Moreso, they would infiltrate the target location meticulously and secretly using tricks and deceits while naturally avoiding to cause too much of a fuzz as much as possible. Those are the basics of a Phantom Thief. If you're uninformed and curious to see how this plays out, look no further than towards the many Kaitou Kid-centered story arcs in "Meitantei Conan", or the children show "Mysterious Joker". Even the heist aspect of Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man" fit in perfectly in this method. - This show DID capture the extravagant and stylish flairs of Phantom Thieves in this opening sequence. It was undoubtedly a flashy scene. But the biggest issue here was they did NOT give off an advance notice to the Casino boss, who was, in fact, the first Gangler or MotW of the show. A missed opportunity, because they could have easily inserted that bit in a quick dialogue or two. Breaking and entering, proceeded by shooting randomly at things to retrieve their target was clearly NOT the style of a Phantom Thief. Nope, this was plain robbery or burglary at play. Huge difference, right there! LOL. Handing out a calling card afterward would be considered pretty much useless because it could no longer count as an 'Advance' notice (get it?). The later mission of the episode was better, as it required a good amount of sneaking and sleuthing. No sign of advance notice though, so what a shame *sigh*. Even if this show hasn't managed to get the thieving part correctly, it was pretty apparent that the source of inspiration for the Lupinrangers was the iconic series "Lupin the 3rd". At the very least, I'm instantly reminded of that series every time they got out in action, both in or out of suit. - Oh yeah, there's another missed potential regarding that opening sequence. In this case, it's a bit technical. Debuting the theme song of "Lupinranger VS Patranger" in the first episode sounds natural, right? Well, that should've been the case. Yet when it was played WITHOUT having the Patranger around... it bugged me big time. I personally think they should have either: used the Lupinranger-only version in that scene. Especially because the Patrangers didn't even have the ability to transform until the closing scene. Or...; rewrote the scene and have it showcase both teams at the same time, fully in costume. I know the Lupinranger is first-billed, but if I were this episode's writer, I would totally use the theme song during an actual kerfuffle between the two teams. For example, in that brief part before the episode wrapped? Heck, the episode could've started with that before going into flashback mode or some sort. It would have made a major difference if you ask me... - Characters!!! I know I should never judge a book by its cover, but seriously, Kairi Yano (LupinRed) is unappealing and squeaky. No wonder some folks were surprised that his actor Asahi Itou could be appointed as Red. Plus, it's clear he still needs to improve his acting skill, with all those constant unnerving glares. Touma Yoimachi (LupinBlue) is the usual cool type, who this time gets mixed up with the chef trope. Think of it like Kyuranger's Stinger and Spada in one body. For some reason, Shougo Hama reminded me of Kamen Rider Ibuki or Mamoru Chiba from the live action "Sailor Moon" series. I think Umika Hayami (LupinYellow) is the most likable member of the Lupinranger, albeit being the usual bumbling 'my pace' girl. It felt that graduated Morning Musume member Haruka Kudo's deep affection to tokusatsu really showed, as she looked the most comfortable in her shoes. Their names combine into 'Kai-To-u'. - Keiichirou Asaka (Patren 1-gou) is undoubtedly the better Red for me so far. I sensed that Kousei Yuuki was also more convincing as an actor than Asahi. Unfortunately, Keiichirou is also the loud brash stereotype (kind of reminds you of Go Yellow, huh?), so he and his mysterious endless rage and anger will either impress you or grate on your nerves. The same couldn't be said about the other Patranger members. Sakuya Hikawa (Patren 2-gou) and Tsukasa Myoujin (Patren 3-gou) are nothing more than... generic stereotypes in the premiere. For now at least. Which was disappointing, because Ryo Yokoyama and Kazusa Okuyama (who somehow reminded me of Red Racer and Go-On Silver) could only do so much with the limited materials they were given. These two are likely the lesser important characters (Super Sentai always have ones), which says a lot about the Patranger's position. None of these three managed to... grab my attention, because aside from a stubborn hot-blooded Keiichirou, the other two could be considered as bland. Just like the Lupinranger, their names combined into 'Kei-Sa-Tsu'. - Youichi Nukumizu's Kogure and Ike Nwala's Commisioner Hilltop are the show's MVP for me thus far. In Kogure's case, the air of mystery and elusiveness easily stole my attention and made me want to see more. I think he could work as a secret big boss vibe pulling the strings behind the scene, though it would likely end up as some kind of Alfred Pennyworth scenario instead. Likewise, Hilltop showed hints of eccentric personality due to his Japan Culture-obsessed hobby (mirroring "Sakura Taisen V"'s Sunnyside). I can't help but wonder if he's meant to be the Jim Gordon of the show? It also helped that he joined the limited list of foreign actors who played a crucial role in a tokusatsu show. I hope these two will have bigger and more important roles in the future... as suggested by that recent rumor. Sadly, I couldn't praise the same about Jim Carter (voiced by Rie Kugimiya), the Global Police's mascot robot. I disliked its design, and see no actual use of it. Not to mention that name. Why TOEI, just why? - Comparing these two teams have always been an ordeal since I saw their first images. Each one has their pros and cons that sort of balanced my impression on them. I liked the Patranger cast better, but those suit design totally threw me off the table. I dig the style of the Lupinranger suit, but feel mixed about its actors. It's clear however, that the Lupinranger was put center front in the premiere (as evident by the flashy top-hatted transformation sequence and cool silhouetted roll call), to the point that the Patranger was basically just... there. Thus it felt somewhat premature and unfair to compare them due to the state they are right now. Not surprisingly, the scene in the Bistrot Jurer was executed better than the one in the GSPO's Tactical Unit Operations Room. The latter just looked more... fake somehow *sigh*. - Speaking of suits, Patranger likely had inspirations from "KyuKyu Sentai GoGoFive", "Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger", with a hint of "Go Go Sentai Boukenger". Sadly, these are not as good as those three. The Lupinranger ones are clearly a "Mirai Sentai Timeranger" nod, complete with that giant hands of clock-shaped swords that reminded me of the Vector Swords. Still, they should've gone with a long coat tail like in the transformation sequence (Zyuoh Whale and Draco Commander style). That would've made for a more elegant look. - I'm not that fond of the design for the show's main antagonist (a mixture of dinosaur and... guns?). Not the grenade-inspired but watermelon-looking Destora Mazzio (voiced by Pokemon's Brock himself, Yuuji Ueda), and particularly the hideous Goshu Ru Medu (voiced by "K-ON!"'s Ayana Taketatsu). Perhaps it's the way that every Gangler needs to include a safety box on their body that made them look... I don't know, silly? On the bright side, it does have this interesting mafia family style that would provide great potentials assuming it's explored properly. Cues from "The Godfather" movies can be felt from their so-called leader Dogranio Yabun (voiced by Mitsuru Miyamoto), as well as an obvious nod to Don Dolnero of Timeranger. In the case of those Lupin Collection, I'm sure Super Sentai fans would easily be reminded of Boukenger's Precious. - Neat camera works for the action scenes. Some... inventive movements that involved plenty of 360 shots taken from kinetic angles. Unfortunately, they would work much better in a fast-paced viewing. When you slowed the sequence down, it's more than obvious that the transitions between the different cameras (the regular huge and docked one, and possibly a drone/hand-held for the moving parts) aren't exactly as smooth. The switching was more than apparent, because there's an easily noticeable fluctuation in video quality. Not to mention, it did feel confusing to see after repeated viewings. - Last but not least, the absence of an ending sequence could be a make or break situation for the show. Many audience particularly Japanese kids genuinely loved an ending song that they could dance along with. I know that this one felt more mature already without one, but is that really a good thing? We'll just have to wait and see...

01 - "Here Comes the Flashy Burglar / Off-Beat Arrested Development"

Overall: I admit, after seeing this episode again with English subtitle, it was better than my first initial watch. Unfortunately, many of its issues (that I have pointed out above) are hard to overlook and still render my overall judgment. This was meant to be a groundbreaking series that actually features two existing Super Sentai teams at once, yet in my opinion, it ended up feeling more or less like your standard Super Sentai show. It didn't feel that much 'different', despite being taunted/promoted as such. Same old, same old. Most of that is likely due to the fact that the Patranger didn't have equal footing in it when they really SHOULD. Everything this police unit does (always-late appearance, bland characters, unimpressive significance, etc) didn't account much, giving off a distracting vibe that they were merely a set of supporting characters in a Lupinranger show. Seriously, they didn't even have a proper transformation scene and roll call because of how heavily Lupinranger-focused this has been. I'm not fond of police-themed Sentai, to begin with, hence why I already liked it less than other Super Sentai fans. Not saying this debut episode was bad, but more like... not my cup of tea? Didn't win me over? I do get why many are loving it though. This was a breeze of fresh air, especially when compared to the recent WEAK (I'm being NICE here) seasons of "Power Rangers" adaptations. Still, in my opinion, it's a pretty standard premiere, heavy on expositions, and due to its minor flaws, wasn't really on par with previous Super Sentai premiere episodes. On the bright side, if the show's future development is consistent with a recent rumor flying around the internet, then they will be enough to keep me watching this show. Here's hoping...

02 - "Frozen Back-Story / Fudging-Sweaty Fusion"

Overall: If I have to choose one word to describe this episode, that would be easy: HECTIC. Yes, as fittingly represented by the official opening sequence that... in my honest opinion, could have used better editing. The action parts felt busy and rushed, to the point that when it slowed down for the dramatic parts, the episode became uneven. I have this feeling that the debut of the vaguely disturbing Patren Union (defying all kinds of real life logic) was meant to put or even push the Patranger into the spotlight. Heck, they finally got their own flas... er generic roll call now (it still looks bland compared to the thieves no matter how you put it... *sigh*). Unfortunately, it's the drama part that pretty much stole every attention and became the major highlight of this episode. And sadly, it was particularly shining a light towards the Lupinranger... all over again. Yes, Kairi, Touma, and Umika remained to be the first-billed characters, as the show decided to reveal their real motives/goal to collect the Lupin Collection. Which was emotional and VERY personal at best. Hence our supposedly good officers were still being relegated as second fiddle, showing that the show hasn't managed to divide the focus evenly between the two teams. But hey, the Patranger also helped debuted the sentient-chatterbox Good Striker/Goody (voiced by legendary Virgo Shaka himself, Yuuji Mitsuya), right? Only to jumpstart the arrival of Lupin Kaizer when the Collection Piece combined with the Lupinranger's Dial Fighters instead. And while the show's first mecha (which didn't look as good as its design, I can't tell why) dealt with the Gangler in a flashy way, Keichirou, Sakuya, and Tsukasa only stared blankly into the night sky. Oh Patranger, I feel truly sorry for you... Ignoring the fact that it's still an uneven affair, it's indeed a much better episode than the first. It's not perfect by all means, and probably could do with better editing, but that genuinely intriguing backstory honestly did much of the heavy lifting. It's probably the show's best episode so far, though I'm hoping it's not the extent that this show has to offer.

03 - "Fiance on Ice / A Sticky Reinforcement"

Overall: LOL, did anyone actually expect some secret identities to be exposed, just 3 episodes in? That's NOT how Super Sentai works, especially in a full-year extended version of a Versus movie like this. So in that sense, what a pointless cliffhanger that was at the end of episode 2, huh? This intro scene basically answered one lingering concern I had since episode 1. Remember how Keiichirou and Kairi had a civilian stand-off about that newspaper ball in the park early on? If Keiichirou has good photographic memory and critical analysis skill as a competent police officer, he would've instantly recognized Kairi in Jurer. Not just that, he should also recognize LupinRed's voice coming from his mouth. But noooope, that did NOT happen. Frankly, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I just hope this didn't simply mean that Kei, as well as Sakuya and Tsukasa, are being written off as a bit... slow. That would be a disaster! How could one root for them if they are so unreliable? We got more insight into Touma's character concerning his fiance Aya. Not much of a surprise, because the previous episode had openly shown the identities of the frozen closed ones *sigh*. His character now reminds me of Joe Gibken from "Kaizoku Sentai Go-kaiger", who so happens to be sharing a similar cool-blue stereotype. But I'm not sure why there's something off with Touma that I couldn't really put into words. A relentless darkness that is rubbing me the wrong way. Which is strange, because Joe is my favorite Go-kaiger. It felt like Sakuya was probably meant to be the 2nd focus here, or at least meant to have his share of the spotlight. But since the execution was still uneven, still favoring heavily on the Lupinranger side, inevitably the rookie member of the Global Police ended up being eclipsed by both Touma and also Kairi. On the bright side, him showing instant attraction to Umika at the end implied that he's destined to be the awkward but likable goofball of the series. Assuming this angle will be explored in the future, of course. I might be wrong in this, but it felt like the Patranger has gotten the short end of the stick... again. Three times in a row! I mean, when the whole episode established that the Lupinranger will now be using the Patranger as tools to do their bidding, that... kind of says A LOT, right? The thieves (true to their namesake) kept on stealing attention from the public servant (fittingly so), always acting one step ahead of them. And their version of Good Striker's Finishing Move wasn't even better (lamer IMO) than Union to begin with. Even Kogure singlehandedly stole the scenes with his elusive appearances and mysterious relationship with Goody! Marvel Studios carefully constructed a story that enabled "Captain America: Civil War" audience to be divided between the two conflicting teams, but there's none of that here. For the time being, the Patranger only feels more and more like an afterthought, a lesser team that probably shouldn't even get a mention in the title. I don't think that's fair... Oh well, at least their Pat Kaizer debut was great. I can't say why, but it honestly looked much better in action. That's a hugely pleasant surprise! Was it because Lupin Kaizer's battle relied too heavily on CG to showcase its fluid movement? Not really, because Pat Kaizer also had its fair share of CG. Because the battle took place in the daylight? Regardless, the combined Trigger Machines was sturdy and strong. And though I could do without that pink pole stick, this mecha looked impressive overall and just more fun to see in motion. Next Episode: A Closed Room Case...

Episode 1 Score: 7,2 out of 10 Episode 2 Score: 7,8 out of 10 Episode 3 Score: 7,4 out of 10

All images are screen captured from the series, provided by the FanSubber Over-Time. "Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger" is produced by TOEI, and airs every Sunday on TV-Asahi. Credits and copyrights belong to their respective owners.

[kamitra]

Tales: Gender and stuff.

My weird thoughts. Trying to make this add up to a 10 in gender balance as a... thought experiment? How about I just say I’m playing around with this idea and my own impressions. Mostly ToZ and some others for contrast.

The reason for this is because I don’t /feel/ gender in the same way so I’m going to place it like how I feel these characters out.

Also, this has nothing to do with sexuality. I’m never going to comment on sexuality because I am fucking blind to that shit. You could tell me you’re heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual or what and I would never know the damned difference.

I also don’t think it has a whole lot to do with being trans or fluid but if it were easy to decide what kind of body you had with everyone accepting it like you colored your hair, it probably would.

Edit: talked some over with a friend. Editing a few, but not many.

ToZ: Sorey Masculinity: 3 Femininity: 1 Neither: 6

I feel out Sorey as not expressing much of a gender besides ‘boy’.

ToZ: Mikleo Masculinity: 4 Femininity: 3 Neither: 3

I feel Mikleo as having issues. Serious issues. Not just with his looks. The funny part being that I feel him as more masculine than Sorey.

ToZ: Lailah Masculinity: 2 Femininity: 4 Neither: 4

Definitely feminine. 4 or 5.

ToZ: Edna Masculinity: 2 Femininity: 3 Neither: 5

Definitely a lack. More interesting in contrast -- she reads off to me as a feminine version of Rita and equal to Alvin and Mikleo in femininity.

ToZ: Alisha Masculinity: 4 Femininity: 4 Neither: 2

Seems to be comfortable with both and without issue. By contrast, if she was forced to not express at all, I imagine she’d be upset.

ToZ: Rose Masculinity: 3 Femininity: 3 Neither: 4

Barely discernible difference, but I can’t see her having problems in expressing or lack of expressing anything. I have no idea where the 4 would go with her but Alisha has to have at least a point higher than her on the femininity scale.

ToZ: Dezel (His is hard to get an impression on. I’m going to make his the same as my impression of Ludger’s because they’re both hard to get a grip on with the lack of lines they have.) Masculinity: 4 Femininity: 3 Neither: 3

Same as Ludger. And Mikleo. Except I think Ludger doesn’t even wonder about it (unless he’s comparing himself to his brother) and Dezel will just tsundere it if brought up. Forever.

ToZ: Zaveid Masculinity: 4 Femininity: 1 Neither: 5

I feel like he’s trying to emphasize his masculinity more than he actually has it... even though he is quite masculine already.

ToX: Jude Masculinity: 2 Femininity: 2 Neither: 6

Jude is fairly extreme. He reads off as genderless to me. For contrast, I’ll point out how everyone on his damned team is more feminine than him besides Milla (and Gaius)... seriously he just gets crap in Japanese because his voice and looks are adorable. And his speech style.

ToX: Milla Masculinity: 6 Femininity: 1 Neither: 3

Again, extreme.

ToX2: Milla (Bunshi/Fractured) Masculinity: 3 Femininty: 5 Neither: 2

Basically the feminine version of Alvin here.

ToX: Alvin Masculinity: 5 Femininity: 3 Neither: 2

His was one of the easiest for me to feel. He has a strong feminine streak to me while still being very masculine.

ToX: Leia Masculinity: 3 Femininity: 3 Neither: 4

Perhaps her issues with Jude’s lack of masculinity is more telling of her own problems than anything else. Even still it’s odd given how both their parents are.

ToV: Yuri Masculinity: 5 Femininity: 1 Neither: 4

Hard to pin down if it’d be a 4 or 5. Either way I don’t think Yuri cares. He feels like on of the most comfortable with his own whatever.

ToV: Estelle Masculinity: 2 Femininity: 3 Neither: 5

Good question. This is kind of the result of my uncertainty. I’d imagine Flynn gets the same thing as Estelle (4-2-4). But I’m not sure if Estelle would get 2-3-5, especially with Yuri’s comment about how clothes never seem to match her. Edit: Changed it to match Edna and Colette (I’m never sure if I’m spelling her name correctly).

ToV: Rita Masculinity: 3 Femininity: 2 Neither: 5

Again, same problem. She has issues, though, obviously. And her speech style screams compensation.

ToS: Lloyd Masculinity: 5 Femininity: 2 Neither: 3

On the other hand, Lloyd wouldn’t know a gender norm even if it hit him upside the head with a nametag.

ToS: Colette Masculinity: 2 Femininity: 3 Neither: 5

I imagine hers as the same as Genis’s 3-2-5.

ToS: Zelos Masculinity: 5 Femininity: 4 Neither: 1

I always feel both him, except when he’s being serious. And he would totally use feminine charms to hit on chicks.

ToS-R: Emil Masculinity: 3 Femininity: 3 Neither: 4

Edit: I just remembered how some of the Japanese fandom labels Ratatosk as a chuunibyou, and for several hilarious reasons.

ToS-R: Marta Masculinity: 3 Femininity: 4 Neither: 3

I feel like she never had to deal with anything gender-like as Papa’s darling until she fell for Emil.

ToS-R: Richter Masculinity: 3 Femininity: 2 Neither: 5

I can’t shake the lack I feel from Richter.

ToG: Asbel Masculinity: 4 Femininity: 1 Neither: 5

Same with Asbel.

ToG: Cheria Masculinity: 2 Femininity: 6 Neither: 2

I still can’t think of any character more feminine. And she gets sooo offended when she’s forced to take a masculine role...

ToI-R: Ruca & Iria Masculinity: 3 Femininity: 4 Neither: 3

I feel like Iria has issues with her feminine side more than anything else, because she equates it to her past life. Also, it makes sense that she and Ruca have the same identity traits.

ToI-R: Spada & Kongwai Masculinity: 4 Femininity: 2 Neither: 4

I imagine Spada’s issue is the neutral side of him due to past-life crap.

I feel like Kongwai doesn’t have a problem with anything other than being mistaken constantly for a beautiful woman.

[vampiresuns]

Again and Again, Even Though We Know Love’s Landscape | Asra x Milenko

☽ AGAIN AND AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW LOVE’S LANDSCAPE ☽

2.1k words. Written for Asra Week 2021, Day 4: Bonds. In which the secret of the Scourge is discovered, Anatole and Asra fight, and Milenko has no choice but to be caught in the middle.

Title comes from the poem of the same name, by Rainer Maria Rilke. Dani’s @apprenticealec​‘s Baudelaire family has a cameo here.

You can catch up with Milasra’s pre-game canon, ‘Like Thirst Holds Water’, here.

CW: Trauma talk, mentions of captivity, suggested regicide.

Milan had only seen Anatole angry, really angry, a couple of times. While his cousin was easy to rile up, he truly believed in being kind and understanding with people and lived by it, even if sometimes (a lot of times) people exasperated him. Anatole was rather introverted but there was no doubt he was as people-leaning as can be. He believed in the freedom and fulfilment of the people with a candidness that refused naiveness. Anatole, while not immune to his own youth, was no fool. 

He had a very determined set of things which did tick him off, that made him forget he was a polite person and unleashed his vindictive wrath upon whomever dared to do any of those things. Neglectful incompetence, abuse of power, people who tried to buy him over, cruel people, or people who spoke over him too many times. Same as people who purposely messed with his schedule, when he had already explained why he had one. Being lied to for no good reason or feeling betrayed by people he loved and actively gave his time to, also angered him. 

He supposed Asra’s was a good reason, or at least, he understood the reasons behind it. However, Milenko also wanted to think Asra had a good reason to keep from all of them why Muriel wasn’t around any more.

Milenko had always known there had to be another reason as to why Asra could not stand the Count — besides him trying to ask about his parents and getting nothing, Lucio’s slumming and overall intolerable personality, or the way he ruled. Milenko didn’t know what it was exactly, but he knew it had stirred something up in Asra, something that had been happening for at least a year. He had offered Asra the opportunity to come to him, whenever he was ready. His mothers had done the same, offering their home as a safe place; so had Anatole and Paris albeit in a different way than Milenko had.

Or was it different? He didn’t know. It was love, after all. 

Anatole had found out about Muriel because he had been more or less forced to go to the Colosseum. As a general rule, no Cassano, and certainly no Radošević-Cassano, went to the building. Public entertainment was not a problem, even when it was not their brand of public entertainment. Their problem was when aristocrats, or worse, rulers, used it to provide some sort of macabre bread and circus, holding people against their wills and depriving them from their rights, grooming people in a lesser position into fighting, and another set of practices they had tried to mend for years upon years with their hold of the Consulship. 

That was, perhaps, why it was even more crucial that the Cassano never went — because all of the social failings of Vesuvia which procured the main source of “gladiators” were things the Consul was usually responsible for, having to find ways to mitigate them. However, there were always people like the Baudelaire family and their circles who did not hesitate to use their own influence to keep their business models. Owning things was not a job, exploiting others was not a job. It had gotten to such a point of tension that when Valerian Cassano was still performing, he refused to do it if a Baudelaire was in the audience, especially if it was their patriarch. His husband, Iovanus, former Consul of Vesuvia, had not been much better when he was still alive: the old Count Spada had to force him to hold meetings with them, otherwise, he plainly refused to, and Iovanus was stubborn as a mule. 

The Cassano took their civic duties seriously. Way too seriously to some people. Lucio was one of those people, which made matters worse. Count-Consul cooperation was minimal, despite certain rumours flying around in the City, and with Vlastomil as the Praetor, the criminal justice system in Vesuvia was decidingly falling apart. Lucio could say whatever he wanted, but everyone who had an ounce of critical thinking could tell what the Scourge of the South, or rather, Muriel —Milenko would not use that never, he would never use a name that wasn’t Muriel’s own— actually was to him.

Now they knew Lucio had threatened Muriel with hurting Asra, and lied to Asra about his possibility to free him if he paid his “debt”. Of course, the debt didn’t really exist, it was all a fabrication from Lucio, who did it simply because he could. Anatole was so angry about it Milenko heard him say something which he had only heard him say for the worst kind of people: “In Balkovia, people like this get murdered for less.” He was so angry, Milenko saw his cousin do something he never did — he reminded Asra everything he had offered with his friendship, how his family had opened up for him, a home, a safe place, all of it with nothing attached. For him and for Muriel. 

Nothing was attached still, Anatole wasn’t asking for retribution, he was asking for Asra to acknowledge the bond they were supposed to have, when in a time of need he could’ve used the entire weight of the Cassano to get Muriel out of it. Milenko had talked to Anatole first, caught between his friend and partner, and his cousin; Asra had wanted space anyway, so Milenko offered that to him. 

One way or another, he knew better than to tell Anatole what to do. He knew his cousin like he knew the water, so all he needed to do was let him talk and nudge him, and he would come around on his own. However, the more he heard him talk, the angrier Anatole got. 

“You know Muriel is everything he's got. Muriel didn’t talk about it either.”

“Muriel is the only person more hermetic than Asra, and if he doesn’t tell Asra first, he’s probably not telling anyone. Ever. Not to forget, he thinks we’re loud and weird. I just feel—”

“Stupid and you hate it?”

“So incredibly stupid.”

Milenko tried to tell Anatole it wasn’t his fault, and he meant it. Asra had to learn how to rely on others, instead of just enclosing himself so no harm ever came through his defences, nor to him, nor to his loved ones. Who better than Milenko to know. 

Anatole just sounded bitter and dejected when he spoke. “He knows I can tell when he’s lying to my face, Milenko. I’m not asking him to tell me everything. He can tell me he doesn’t want to talk about something and establish a boundary, which he knows he can do. I am asking my friend not to lie to my fucking face when I can literally feel he’s lying to me.”

Milenko hated how bitterness looked on him. It was wrong. Out of place. 

“I’m sorry, Nana. Maybe we should’ve all seen this sooner.”

“You saw nothing of this, didn’t you?”

Milenko sighed, being his time to sound defeated. “Yes and no. You know I can’t really control what I see. I wasn’t like it was with— with… you know—”

“Decimo?” Anatole smiled for the first time in their conversation, trying to reassure him. “You can say the name of the rat bastard, even if he doesn’t deserve to step on the same earth we do.”

“No,” Milenko said, surprising himself with how teeth-grinding angry he felt, “no he doesn’t. But what I was saying is that it wasn’t like that, when I just knew you weren’t safe. I think it’s because I’m not as close to Muriel as I am to you.”

Anatole sighed. “I think he uses protective charms. He’s never shown me much, but I’m pretty sure Muriel can do abjuration like,” Anatole clicked his cheeks, a gesture he had unknowingly copied from his friend Leonore, “better than most people we know that can.” 

They sat together for a long while until Anatole said he had to go. Milenko asked him what he would do, his cousin answering with a shrug. “At this point? I am willing to do anything in my power so this slimy, little, petty tyrant eats up everything he ever did to Vesuvia, and maybe everything he’s ever done to me in Court while we’re at it. And to Aunt Cassie, and to Iovanus, and to every living person whose life he’s fucked over. I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but I’ll do it, whatever it takes.”

Milenko didn’t say anything. Anatole looked determined, and once Anatole was determined to see something through, he didn’t waver.  

When he went back to find Asra, he was curled over himself, quietly crying. Asra felt the dent on the bed when Milenko sat in it, his cries erupting and resurfacing the moment he felt Milenko rubbing his back. The poet began humming a song for Asra, offering all the comfort he could. He was always so kind to him, he was always so loving to him; Milenko was always so good to him, and Asra was a mess. He knew better than to say anything, because after the three years and counting they’ve been together, Asra knew Milenko had very disarming arguments for that line of thought of his. 

When Asra spoke again, was to ask Milenko if Anatole was angry at him. 

Milenko sighed. “I think with you is more appropriate. Not for the reasons you think, though.

“What about then?” Asra asked, voice raspy through a sniffle.

“Beloved, he understands you grow at your own rate. No one is judging you or blaming you for not knowing how to deal with things, or not knowing when to reach out. He’s angry you lied to his face. Beloved, you know Anatole senses that. You know he can tell when you do it. He doesn’t care that you don’t tell him things you’re not ready to talk about, just, don’t lie to my cousin to his face.”

Milenko didn’t know what he was expecting, but Asra beginning to cry again was not it. With a lovefull sigh, he pulled his partner closer, letting Asra cling to him like an anchor to something Milenko didn’t quite understand. He knew, however, that Asra’s grief, that which he carried alone and alone only, was deep. A wound so deep it had pierced him to the very centre of his being and changed him forever.

He wanted to tell him he understood. Milenko’s first memory wasn’t a memory; it was a pit of panic ingrained in him out of something he had been told about but couldn’t really remember. He was a toddler, and the war in Balkovia was still raging on, and someone had decided Blasio, Violeta and him weren’t the right sort of people— 

Yet as Asra cried himself to sleep, Milenko helping him wash his face and handing him water to drink before he finally passed out, Milenko said nothing. Something told him it was not the right thing to say and that Asra, distressed and afraid, would not appreciate it. It was through no fault of his own, though, and Milenko knew this. Trauma and loneliness were fissures which never sealed right, no matter how well one learnt to handle them. On top of that, Asra was not a great fan of confrontation, and his argument with Anatole had hit not in one but two places because Asra now didn’t just carry the fear of Muriel being hurt (which he had been, several times) or Muriel dying, but also the one of losing Anatole for this, or Anatole doing something that he wouldn’t be able to stop and getting hurt for something Asra would assume was his fault. 

There had to be something tragic waiting to happen in a friendship so coloured by Romance. 

Milenko couldn’t sleep, so he held Asra instead, drawing idle patterns on the magician's back as he felt his soft, sleep-heavy breath tickling his skin. For the first time in the years they’ve been together, Milenko looked at their relationship and he Saw. Again and again, Asra and him chose to walk together, a love that made Milenko feel like anywhere was a field of flowers, a love that made him feel like he would burst at the seams with it. A love so heavy, no one that young should feel it, but perhaps they felt it because they were young. 

This was what the poets meant when they said Beloved, and maybe even then, when it came to him and Asra, love would not be enough. 

Morning came, and at least for the morrow, Milenko chose to love Asra again. He’d deal with the rest later.

[furederiko]

Countdown Counter: 7. Does having doubt and hesitation a good thing when the universe is on the brink of an all-out annihilation? Kyuranger 42 demands Lucky to firmly answer said question...

- Having cleared out the Hell's Gate, the Space Rebellion immediately moves forward through the tunnel to enter Planet Southern Cross. Last episode's bait and switch twist worked out nicely, but what kind of repercussion would it bring to the team? Well, thanks to the reveal that Aslan is an actual puppet of Don Armage, Lucky is now completely out of his zone. I think it would have been easier for him had Aslan has already been dead like Kukuruga said. But things like this is definitely Armage's sly way of doing things. And this doubt and hesitation lingers on throughout the mecha battle too... - Prior to the cool galactic battle, Tsurugi tells Lucky to resolve his mind: choose the universe, or his father. Tsurugi himself seems to be dealing with his own ordeal, with that mysterious chest pain lingering ever since he saw Southern King's vision. Further more, Mecha-Madako also delivers a secret message from Armage to him. The Shogun wants to meet him in person! This could be another confirmation that Armage is indeed someone... 'familiar' to him. Just a theory but... I don't know, perhaps someone who stole his immortality? Which might explain why he seems to be reaching his limit. - By the way, the first mecha sequence is against Jark Matter's special welcoming committee. A horde of giant Tsuyo-Indavers, Consumarz, Unit-00, along with Mecha-Anton new creation: the hideous and enormous Akyacchuga. As the name suggests, that's Akyanba + Tecchu + Kukuruga as one unit. In the words of Spada later on, a "three-course" offering. Yikes! - There's an even bigger problem at hand. Apparently, a huge amount of Planetium stolen from various other planets is being stored inside the planet's core. Naga and Raptor who stays on board the Battle Orion Ship to analyze the core (as well as tending wounded Garu at bay with Caesar), discover that it is acting as a huge planetary-sized bomb with the potential to wipe out the entire universe! Since the Summer movie took cues from "Star Wars" and its Death Star plot, I wonder if this Planetium Bomb is also another homage to that space opera? Or could this be a nod to "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" instead? Hmmm... - Suffice to say, they need to shut down the planet's core right away. Unfortunately, Akyacchuga is NOT a force to be reckon with, since even Kyutamajin (with 4 people short though) couldn't handle it. To make matters worse, Masked-Aslan uses the opportunity to blast Orion Voyager's cockpit. Creating a hole wide open on the right shoulder, he then invades the Battle Orion Ship to personally exterminate Leo Red Orion. Yep, it takes 42 episodes to admit, but this is undoubtedly the most fatal design error of not just one, but ALL of Kyuranger's mecha. - Leo Red Orion is too focused on freeing Masked-Aslan from his mind control. Both Naga and Raptor are injured because of that, so Phoenix Soldier jumps out to aide them by throwing Masked-Aslan off bridge. This forces Draco Commander to downgrade Kyutamajin to Ryutei Kyuren-Oh amidts its battle against Akyacchuga. Of course, that means things aren't looking good so there's no other choice for the team but to retreat into the shadow using the Vulpecula Kyu Globe. NOTE: I'd argue that Naga could have used his freezing glare to stop Masked-Aslan. It would be far effective than trying to transform. But perhaps he got caught up by the moment and couldn't pull it off... - We get a quiet 'stealth' moment before the action heats up again, and it's a strong one that showcases the strength of the team. Minor details that remind us how close they have become as a family. Tsurugi keeps up his role as the strict but caring figure with his 'tough love'. Hammy continues to be the voice of conscience and logic for them, in this case for someone she initially disliked. Stinger openly reminds him to the time he had a similar situation with Scorpio, and returns the favor. While Naga (with the help of Balance's mechanical expertise to tweak machines) devises an utterly clever plan to use his very own Black Hole Kyu Globe to swallow the Planetium Bomb's explosion. They wouldn't have been able to do this, without experiencing growth throughout the series. So it's a strong point for the show, and proof of good writing that brings everyone together. - Thanks to everyone's help (including Garu who has woken up thanks to new BFF Caesar's energy), Lucky is back to his usual self. He makes up his mind that he doesn't have to choose. Because as always he's going to rely on his fortune to save both the universe and his dad at the same time. It seems Tsurugi is doing the same, for he soon will be heading out to address Don Armage's private invitation, and get the answer to the Shogun's outrageous ambition to annihilate everything. - Phase 1 is Round 2 between all mechas against Akyacchuga! Each part of the MotW showcase their unique abilities. Kukuruga's trick to absorb attacks. Akyanba's sound sorcery to take control of Orion Battler. And poor Tecchu with... I guess his thing is that chainball bit? LOL. The Vice Shogun's Triangle Burst is no match to Orion Big Bang Cannon, so this is their final moment in the show. - Phase 2 is the team sans Tsurugi landing on the planet's core to infiltrate the main base. Their goals are: set up the Black Hole Generator created by Balance, and rescue Aslan. With Commander Xiao and Raptor guarding the Battle Orion Ship, will the remaining 9 members (oh hey, KYUU-ranger!) succeed? We'll see...

Overall: Dynamic mecha battles at the start and end of one episode? That's a pleasant surprise. Not to mention the long absent formation of Ryutei Kyuren-Oh's reappearance. I admit that half of the episode was focused on Lucky's ordeal. That might have scratched several audience the wrong way. But I personally just loved how the bits and pieces from earlier stories were neatly piled up and connected to one other, as we got to see Lucky's friends returning the favor and leading him out of his hesitation. That deserved a thumbs up, even if it played a bit like dejavu to the first half of episode 12. Inspite of that, the entire episode felt intense, the stake was dire, and the plot built up wonderfully to what would be the best episode of the series. This felt like a penultimate episode, and I honestly hope that's not the case... Next week: An explosive climax in the Southern Cross... PS: In case you haven't noticed, this recap is more than a week late! I sort of 'lost' my internet connection some time around December 13th, and inevitably was forced to be completely OFFLINE ever since my last post. Took me almost two weeks to finally back online! With that said, recap for episode 43 which had already aired on Christmas Eve will also arrive later today. At the very least, I'll push for it to go up before the year 2017 ends... *sigh*

Episode 42 Score: 8,3 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: December 29th, 2017 - Version 3.10. (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.

[furederiko]

Time is of the essence here! That's why we shouldn't waste another day, and hurry ourselves for the recap-view of Kyuranger episode 25!!!

- Why is the Horologium Kyu Globe so important? According to Tsurugi, it governs TIME throughout the Kyuranger's universe. With said ability, it will enable the team to travel back in time and figure out what truly happened in the previous fight against Don Armage. Basically, it's the most powerful Kyu Globe of all, right? - As shown in the preview, this episode also serves as a Kotarou focus episode. And it doesn't waste time to get into that side as well, as the young boy immediately shares to his big bro Stinger about his desire to see a special person from the past: his mother Akemi Sakuma (played by Mizuho Hata, who previously portrayed Mugi Grafton... a.k.a. the third former yellow in this show!). He reveals that she had passed away not long after his little brother Jirou was born... Aaaaaaaw -_-. Dang it, do we really have to start an episode in such a melancholic way? Even Stinger is on the verge of breaking down... NOTE: For the record, Kotarou's mother is never addressed by her actual name throughout the episode. Her name Akemi is featured in the credit, thus I'll be using that for convenience purposes. - Remember the closing bit of episode 24, with Spada and Raptor alerting the ORION to follow them to Planet Tocky as soon as possible? Is it because Tecchu has already arrived and is attacking them? Not really. The 'distress call' was more about solving the planet's peculiar 'system'. Which is where this episode gets really NEAT. NOTE: Starting this episode, I'll be writing the name of the Rebellion spaceship in all capitals. Just to further separate it from Tsurugi's comrade Olion, the other survivor of the legendary battle in the past. Beside, I just found out that 'ORION' actually stands for 'Offensive Resistance Interstellar Orbiter of RebellioN'. Yes, took me 25 episodes to land on that information! LOL. - Apparently, the flat-shaped planet contains 12 keys placed in 12 different, clock-wise locations. Basically, it's a giant CLOCK when observed directly from above the ground. These levers need to be activated within 30 minutes from one another, in order to make it work and bring out the hidden Horologium Kyu Globe. Failing to set them up on time, means restarting from scratch. Yes, as if borrowing that pesky time-based puzzles from the "Tomb Raider" rule book! Clearly Spada and Raptor alone are TOO shorthanded to get this job done. No way they can each trigger 6 keys in time. Hence they have no choice but to call on the other members! Fun fact: Horologium is the Pendulum Constellation, which is usually depicted in form of a giant clock. The planet's name Tocky/Toki, is clearly derived from the Japanese word 'Toki', that literally means 'Time/Hour'. As a verb, the word 'Toku' also means 'To Solve/Untie', which itself plays out as a nice pun for this episode's clock-themed contraption. Over-Time might be using Tocky as their choice of translation, as a reference to 'Tick-Tock', the onomatopoeia or sound produced by a pendulum clock. - Each Kyuranger departs towards their respective hand number, which is a truly neat little touch. So Lucky goes to #1, Stinger to #2, Spada to #9, Kotarou to #11, and so on. Unfortunately, things might not be as easy as it seems. How so? Because specters from their past/memory begin materializing to confront/distract them from their goal. Sort of like mini-bosses, if you prefer to compare it to video games. - And they are? In order of appearances: Eridrone for Lucky, Scorpio for Stinger, Gonessy for Hammy, original Madako for Spada, Kuervo for Tsurugi, Supreme Commander Big Bear for Commander Xiao, Virgo-Garu for Garu, Naga for Balance, Professor Anton for Champ, Otome game-esque Suitors for Raptor (nope, NOT kidding XD), and last but not least... Akemi for Kotarou. The last one shouldn't be a surprise, considering the boy was indeed thinking about her just before they arrived on the planet. - Before we proceed, let's do a quick analysis. There are THREE type of 'Memories' that come into play in these scenes. Pure comic-reliefs, in the case of Garu and Raptor. Clear cut antagonists, like the case of Lucky and Stinger. And the third is important/precious people of the past, like what's happening with Xiao and Kotarou. Some intersect one another. Intriguingly, there are TWO specters that are acting... somewhat oddly out of character: Prof. Anton, and also Kuervo! We know that both should've been allies, yet they end up attacking Champ and Tsurugi as if... they are antagonists. I know this might not mean much, and it can very well be a plot inconsistency at best. On the other hand, I also can't help but wonder if it's actually... foreshadowing about future developments? Just think about it. Perhaps, one of them (particularly the latter) might have been the true face of Don Armage all along? Hmmmm.... - Leo Red, Scorpius Orange, and Chamaeleon Green are the first to eliminate their obstacles. The others begin to follow suit one by one, through various kind of difficulties. For example, while Balance pretty much gets to his key without ANY resistance, Dorado Yellow is having tough luck due to Madako's regenerating ability. Ouch!!! To make things worse, Tecchu sends out another actual clone of the Octopus assassin. Precisely, Otaku-Madako (the version that I think is everyone's instant favorite... LOL) to basically 'annoy' the team with her... devoted love for Moe-Hammy (and later the whole team). How on Earth Tecchu was able to obtain her body part, is beyond me. But that can't even be compared to Naga, when it is revealed that NOBODY showed up in front of him. It's a personal heart-breaking situation for him, who immediately wonders if his lack of heart is the cause to that. This one's clearly foreshadowing to what's going to happen to him... soon. Which once again... brings the case of Prof. Anton and Kuervo into question. - Kotarou is having a different kind of dilemma on his own. He can't turn on the key, because that means his mother is going to be gone again! Aaaaawww. I think anyone who has a heart, would have no trouble relating to this situation. I mean, what will you do if you're given another opportunity to spend a second chance with the loved ones you've lost, right? Tsurugi notices this, and his response is admirable. He's leaving the decision in Kotarou's hands. And boy oh boy, not only Kotarou steps it up by fully understanding what he must do, he also proves his strong resolution for it. Seriously, Kotarou might be the youngest member of the team, but he is certainly one of the stronger (if not THE strongest) character in this show. He might be small, but what a big heart indeed! And it helps that his actor truly sells it organically. As I've said over and over again, this boy is going to be HUGE moving forward! - Time for a 12-members transformation and roll call scene then! Yep... it might be a tad long (from 14:25 to 15:29), but also as grandiose and thrilling as one would expect. I personally love how it shows a close up shot from both side of Reds. Really stylish! Moreso, to think that it's already happening in episode 25 when previous seasons saved it for the last few episodes, only makes me wonder: what else will Kyuranger have in store for its second half?!! NOTE: For comparison sake, Kyoryuger waited until episode 39 to debut their glorious all 10-members transformation scene. While Zyuohger saved its 7-members transformation until episode 45. - The team is then separated into two. First half (Reds, Orange, Black, Green, and SkyBlue) deals with Tecchu. While the second (Commander, Blue, BN Thieves, Pink, and Yellow) sends Otaku-Madako back to where she truly belongs... the Comicket. Ahahahaha. And then everyone join hands to put down Tecchu for good, with their "Ultimate All Star Crash!". WHAT. A. COOL. FINISHER! All the while, Akemi watches as her son gallantly fights as savior for the universe. She might not be real, but I'm sure she's feeling really proud nonetheless. - Of course, why stop right there, eh? The great Kyutamajin is summoned, and this time around, EVERYONE gets to be brought onboard. Yes... just the way it's supposed to. And yes, it's undoubtedly a glorious and exciting sequence that would make any Super Sentai fans geek out and lose all sense of sanity. Just look at how those Kyu Globes light up, while their pilots can be seen behind them. STUNNING! The formation is 'effective' now, as different limbs can perform even stronger feat thanks to each cluster governing them. The Kyu Globes can also detach to their own Voyagers to give air support. Don't forget its over-powered "Ultimate Meteor Break! Super Galaxy!" finisher move. Suffice to say, this is one great mecha battle! Definitely the best one that the show has delivered so far. Farewell Tecchu, we barely knew ye... - We got our thrills, and a heavy share of amazing action... so it's time to end the episode, in a sentimental note. Yes, Kotarou needs to turn his key as the last piece of the contraption. Which means... it's goodbye time. His mom entrusts her eldest son to the team, asking them to watch over him. At this moment, I'm sure all the mellow-hearted audience (like yours truly) is beginning to lose their ability to hold back the tears. Rightfully so, because it's nothing short of a moving scene. Dang it, first Stinger and now Kotarou. Why does this season keep on giving us all these feels? - Horologium Kyu Globe is finally obtained, so what's next? Discovering the truth. It won't be easy though, because Don Armage has decided to send out... not one, but BOTH of his remaining Vice-Shoguns, Kukuruga and Akenba. Looks like dark times are about to loom over the Kyurangers fairly soon...

Overall: This was the kind of episode that made Kyuranger such a fun show to follow. It had great action, thrilling spectacle, the right amount of humor, but more importantly, it had heart. It boldly showed why a large set of characters just simply works. But at the same time, it still managed to include a powerful heart-tugging moment for the youngest member of the team. Whom, in case you forget, also serves as the surrogate for its intended audience. I came expecting this episode to be a total tearjerker fest, but I got a rollercoaster of emotion instead. That's wonderful! Also, this episode was all kind of smart. Debuting a Clock-themed Kyu Globe as some kind of celebration to having 12-members (who can represent each number)... was undeniably brilliant. Yes, it could've been more 'perfect' had it took place in episode 24 (get it? 24 hours?), but we know the circumstances that prevented one (remember those Golf delays that happened twice?). So it's an amazing feat nonetheless! Interestingly, and I've repeatedly said this before: we're only at the halfway point of the show (coincidentally, only around 48 out of 90-plus Kyu Globes -around half- have been used in the show/movie until now). Yet it feels like so many things have happened! Naturally, the major question would be: what more can we expect from this show? I guess we'll just have to continue tuning in and find out... Next week: Is having emotions truly a good thing? Go ask Naga about it...

Episode 25 Score: 8,3 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: August 15th, 2017 - Version 2.10. (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.

[furederiko]

What does a Policeman, Sheriff, and Rebellion have in common? Space. ...Because I'm talking about a Super Sentai multiverse crossover!

- Our episode begins right away with Madako SUCCESSFULLY stealing the Pyxis Kyu Globe! Don't know how this new sultry version was able to do that, it just sort of... happened. Off screen. Oh, in case you forgot why, we get a quick flashback of Scorpio commanding her to obtain the Carina Kyu Globe. How Madako even had the knowledge that Pyxis is the radar to locate the item is beyond me, but the most important thing is... she now accidentally gets sucked into a black hole. Yikes! - Since Pyxis is vital to their mission (though I'd argue they didn't really use it to locate Vela before), Leo Red simply ignores the factual threat of said black hole, and jumps in. Totally dragging his away team along with him. Speaking of team, this current away team consists of Lucky, Garu, Hammy, Naga and Commander Xiao this time. Why this particular combination, one wonders? Well, because aside from Hammy, the others are necessary to service the story. I'll get to this soon. - For some reason, our heroes pop out of the... MOON? Which means, yes, they are returning to Earth. But why does this one look... different? Is this even the same planet? NOPE, because a certain someone who witnesses their entrance kindly explains that arriving through a wormhole means... these illegal trespassers must have arrived from 'ANOTHER UNIVERSE'. Wait, WHAT? And this observer is none other than... Banban 'Ban' Akaza (Ryuji Sainei) of "Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger"! - Yeah, this brief moment of clarity firmly establishes that Kyuranger is NOT taking place in the same universe to previous, 40 Sentai seasons. So to those out there hoping for them to bump into everyone's favorite Gokaiger anytime soon (who have been established to be canon with Dekaranger, hence that crossover episode), don't get your hopes up too high. Unless the team stumbles upon another black hole once more. This also clears up the confusion to why no trace of Zyuland can be found on Kyuranger's Earth, meaning there's no continuity issue like I pointed out 17 weeks ago. Wait a sec, then how did they show up in "Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger vs Shuriken Sentai Ninninger" then? Hmmmm... - Oh, and Deka Red isn't alone, because Geki Juumonji (Yuma Ishigaki) a.k.a Space Sheriff Gavan Type-G is present as well. Yep, not the original metal hero series Gavan, but the 2nd generation who debuted in "Uchuu Keiji Gavan: The Movie" a few years back. Is this a coincidence, then? Absolutely NOT. Considering "SPACE SQUAD: Space Sheriff Gavan vs Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger", the crossover movie between Dekaranger and Gavan Type-G is arriving on Japanese theatres tomorrow. Specifically Saturday, June 17th, 2017! Yes folks, that means you're not wrong if you see this as shameless marketing. LOL. - Lucky and Naga are confusedly admiring a Consumarz-free Earth, when they notice Geki is escorting Madako like the dumb-heroic gentleman he's always been. Cue the misunderstanding! Aaaah, Gavan Type-G is so metalic... and SHINY ("PIKA... PIKA...", says Naga), my eyes hurts. Oh, and Ophiucus Silver kindly explains why he's being paired up with Leo Red this time, because obviously Deka Red is going to pair up with Gavan Type-G. Don't sweat it, it's a kids show after all. Just your daily Red and Silver situation! LOL. - Adding further insult to the injury, two more Dekaranger members arrive to... arrest Garu, Hammy, and Xiao. Just as our poor Kyurangers are being dumbfounded to see an Earth with so much PEACE, smiles, and laughters. On what reason? Due to the lack of proper 'interplanetary visa', complete with a nice joke that works as a follow up to last week's ending. Officers in charge are none other than our brainy Senichi 'Sen' Enari (Yousuke Itou), and bathtub-enthusiast Koume 'Umeko' Kodou (Mika Kikuchi). They are Deka Green and Pink respectively, in case you're not familiar with Space Police Dekaranger. For the record, the timeline of this universe chronologically takes place after their "Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger 10 YEARS AFTER" V-Cinema. We're getting some development regarding this pair later in the closing scene, as a prove to that. One that also explains why Umeko still hasn't changed her family name into Enari... (^^) - Hold on, make that THREE members. Considering our 'trespassers' are immediately taken to the Neo Deka Base, where they get to meet... Chief Doggie Kruger (VA: Tetsu Inada). Obviously he's present to become direct comparison to Garu, or vice versa. The wolfman even calls him... "ANIKI!!!". LOL. It works the same with Xiao, because both are non-human anthropomorphic leaders of their respective teams. So yeah, it's one of that small dream-sequence that only Super Sentai fans would understand and appreciate... *grins*. It's genuine hillarious though, and easily my favorite part of the episode. NOTE: Too bad fan favorite Marika 'Jasmine' Reimon (Ayumi Kinoshita) is a no-show. Her actress had recently announced her 2nd pregnancy via her blog. So likely that's the reason behind her absence. - Hot-headed hot-blooded loud-mouthed Gavan and Leo Red are busy fighting, they practically let Madako go unscathed. Ophiucus Silver senses that something feels off, and stops the fight by... getting punched in the face. By BOTH. OOWWWW!! Naga also nails this next joke, thanks to his naive curiosity about 'Policeman'. A term that apparently does NOT exist in their "Star Wars"-inspired Jark Matter-infested universe. But seriously though, it's really these character moments that makes crossover stories so great. Hey, even Sharivan, Shaider, and the original Gavan are making quick flashback-cameo! - The whole comparison between 'Policeman' and 'Universe Saviors' needs to be put on hold though, because Madako is running away using Geki's Dolgiran. She's using the spaceshuttle as her escape route to return home, because as Doggie had stated before, the dimensional rift is closing soon. Thankfully, hitching a ride on Leo Voyager (with siren! LOL), Geki jumps into the ship to regain control. Simply by crashlanding it to the ground. YIKES! Call me weird... but I haven't seen the Gavan series yet, nor any of those Space Sheriff title. But on the other hand, I've always dig the Akira Kushida's theme song. It just sounds so cool, catchy and... addictive to listen to, eventhough it could be regarded as an old tune. Speaking of old, I also just noticed that aside from looking older and darker-skinned than the last I saw him (in that 2013 "Super Hero Taisen Z" movie, assuming my memory is sound), Geki seems to be more buffed than usual as well. In a country whose people are mostly skinny as a stick, that's... NICE! *grins* - Ban arrives on scene and saves the day! I guess Lucky and Geki are too good of a combi (they practically share the exact personality, even their names rhyme! LOL), the equally hyperactive hot-blooded Ban doesn't have a place, eh? Similar to Gavan Type-G, I didn't actually see Dekaranger because of this... thing with police-themed shows. But dang it, the Dekaranger BGM sounds cool as well, particularly that high-spirited theme song by PSYCHIC LOVER. Anyway, Ban's the Fire Squad Captain now? I didn't remember that from the 10 YEARS AFTER movie. Perhaps he has gotten promotion ever since? He explains that the other Kyurangers, as well as Dekarangers (appearing via stock footage only. Old footage is OLD!) are using Ryutei-Oh and Deka Wing to stall the wormhole from shrinking. So it's up to the Red-Silver Team to tidy up their side of the table then. - Deka Red and Leo Red team up to take on Madako (who is equally Red...), while Gavan and Ophiucus Silver deal with the Deathworm she brought. Their joint-finishers are amazing, particularly that last one with the galactic backdrop. Truly fan-service delight, after all... these ARE Space Heroes. I guess Madako is gone for good this time, huh? Rather unceremoniously too. But since every Super Sentai episode needs a giant mecha fight, of course the Deathworm grows large. How to deal with this situation, when the other Kyurangers are busy with the wormhole? Time for Gavan's Electronic Star-Beast Dol (it's the blue lower part of Dolgiran, by the way) to steal the show. But hold that thought, because Draco Voyager comes rushing in for a SWEET double dragon-mecha combi. I have had an inking suspicion that this episode is going to pull this off, ever since I read the headline that Gavan Type-G would be guest starring in Kyuranger. But I sure didn't expect Leo Red to jump towards to Voyager's head, in order to mimic Gavan's movement. Now THAT is what I call pleasant surprise! - Lucky and the others make it back safely to the Orion, where Spada, maid-Raptor and maid-Balance (seriously, he's Sentai official queer character, guys! At least... IMO) greet them with some piping hot Takoyaki. A rather cruel way to celebrate the absence of Madako, huh? Nah... likely because takoyaki are ball-shaped. Pyxis Kyu Globe is back in their possession, so now they can proceed to locate the final piece of Argo Navis. All's well ends well. Or is it? We see Stinger removing his Constellation Blaster and Rebellion jacket, replaces them with his desert cape, and walks away from the Rebellion HQ. This is the appearances of when he debuted in the show, serving as a rogue spy. Does this mean Stinger officially walks out from being a Kyuranger? Hence that solo V-Cinema? We'll see...

Overall: Naruhisa Arakawa, the same guy who wrote Dekaranger was in charge of this episode. And he's truly the man when it comes to crossovers. As proven by "Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger", Arakawa has a strong sense of what makes each separate series and their characters shine, hence why this episode came equipped with a good amount of fan-service moments for our genuine pleasure. It wasn't perfect, nope, because one mere episode was a bit too short and brief to be considered a full-on crossover. Especially one that involves three different series! Hence why the opening started off rather rough and rushed, and the absence of the remaining Dekarangers/Gavan supporting cast. Which honestly felt a little disappointing somehow. Plus, the non Red-Silver team was easily sidelined, to the point we didn't even see them transform nor fight together on screen. IMHO, this would've been way better as a 2-parter, to allow more character interactions and bonding, which is easily the gem of any crossovers. Minor nitpickings aside, this was obviously still MUCH better than that bland Ex-Aid episode. Thanks to that whole multiverse angle, I'm now crossing my fingers, in the hope that one day the Kyuranger eventually runs into Gokaiger, or other Sentai team that is not Zyuohger (because they WILL have a Versus movie next year). Here's hoping if such wishful thinking comes to life, Arakawa will be given the privilege to write one. At the very least, he needs to do another episode in this show! Next week: Battle for Carina! And forest...Elves? PS: There's no episode on June 18th due to annual Golf championship. Kyuranger will return on June 25th...

Episode 18 Score: 8 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: June 11th, 2017 - Version 2.04. (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.

[furederiko]

Beware the sting of the Scorpion! This recap-view for Kyuranger's 3rd episode, also marks the end of February...

- Before I start, I need to state one important thing first! It just occured to me after watching episode 2 again... this show also feels like a Super Sentai version of "One Piece"! Not just from the theme of adventure from one place to another (in this case planets, instead of islands), but through its characters as well. Lucky might have had his name derived from Luke Skywalker, but it could also be a simple reference to Luffy. How could I have missed that? Spada the fighting chef is basically Sanji. Witty Hammy might feel similar to... Nami. Balance's personality is a mixture of Usopp's goofball and Brook's dandyness, while Naga Rei is a blend of Robin's silence and Chopper's naivety. Big robot Champ is basically a bull version of Franky. Hot-blooded Garu is... Zoro, and not just because they sound the same (duh?). And many other similarities. I might be overthinking this, but "One Piece" is being produced by TOEI Animation, and is still hugely popular. So it makes sense right? Okay, now that that's out of the way, carry on... - We get to see a glimpse of Champ's backstory in this episode. YAY! And hey, did Champ (who is a robot, unlike Balance, so he claims) just... dream? Wow, this bit easily reminds me of Zane from "The LEGO Ninjago" series. It also helps that Professor Anton (Tsuyoshi Ujiki), his creator even looks similar to Dr. Julien! His whole 'being in Robot Wrestling Championship' also reminds me of "Real Steel". I also just realized that Champ couldn't wear his Rebellion jacket properly due to his body size, hence why he hangs it on his right shoulder. On a side note, are the Kyurangers playing... pool? WOW. That's another ball reference! - Commander Xiao Long Bao debuts! He's obviously a Dragon, a Purple one, and I'm really digging his design. If you think we already have too many goofballs in form of Lucky, Balance, and Naga (basically due to him parroting other's expression), then you might need to bite your tongue. Don't expect a stern figure like Doggie Kruger of "Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger", or a wise compassionate one like Torin of "Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger", because Commander Xiao is easygoing, carefree, and well... can't seem to take things uhm, seriously. His cheesy/corny pun-tastic gags easily reminds me of Nariya Ookido (Samson Oak) from the new season of "Pocket Monsters"! At least Xiao's hillarious though (seriously, I'm chuckling like crazy with everything he does), and not annoying like Nariya. His voice actor Hiroshi Kamiya (the voice of Trafalgar Law in "One Piece", and Takashi Natsume in "Natsume Yuujinchou") sounds 'different' here. Which is a pleasant surprise, considering it's rather RARE to hear him sounding gruff and un-ikemen-like. At first sight, that is, because his natural voice does become familiarly recognizable after a while. - However, his personality and constant teasing to Raptor isn't the utmost important thing regarding this debut. Why? Two reasons. First, I might be mistaken, but it seems Raptor's the only one who has known him. I mean, even the first three members Hammy, Champ, and Spada looks at him like a stranger. Second, because our Commander shows up by bringing loads of Auxiliaries Kyu Globes... all at once! I count there are 13 of them at the table. WOW!!!! I know there are at least 45 of these collectibles confirmed so far (because... I have the list, duh?), and it could go on towards 48 if the show's following Ptolemy's Constellations instead of the 88 modern ones. But do they have to reveal so many at the same time? What's wrong with obtaining them one by one? At least, I thought the show is going to do that *sigh* - By the way, as suspected, we get an update for the Opening Sequence once more. It contains a 7-members transformation scene now. Although... the way Libra Gold and Ophiucus Silver are standing with a little distance from the others looks rather... awkward. I get that the empty space is meant to be occupied with the remaining two members, but it still looks odd. With what's happening in this episode, looks like we're going to get the full version after 5 episodes. - This week's destination is Planet Needle, a so-called desert planet. And it's about to go even dry soon (in just three hours!), because apparently, the planet is in danger thanks to Jark Matter draining on its Planetium, its vital energy source. This is accomplished through a special spaceship called Moraimarz. Sounds like a plot from Netflix's "Voltron Legendary Defender", right? To be honest, when I heard the phrase 'desert planet', I sort of expected something like... Tatooine, perhaps? Alas that's not the case, because obviously Japan doesn't have the kind of natural open-space setting to pull this off practically. It still acts as the inspiration for the new character's clothing choice though. - Aaah, yes, we have another new character, and it's Stinger (Yousuke Kishi)! Eventhough he has actually showed up on the closing scene last week, parading around that odd-looking pendulum. LOL. I wonder why he debuts alongside Commander Xiao? Could they be... linked somehow? Hmmm. Anyway, true to his namesake, Stinger has crazy... stinger! I've read about this ability before, but I never expected that it would be this cool. It is used as an offensive poison-inducing weapon, and I really love how it's conveniently serving as some kind of whip too. Particularly when it is used to strangle Champ during their duel! - Yes, intriguingly, Stinger is linked with Champ's backstory! This has got to be a red-herring, but for now he's being regarded as the man behind Prof. Anton's death. The twist of the day, is that he's already a Kyuranger, and even has his own Constellation Blaster! #2 The Poison Star Scorpio Orange debuts, but not on the same side. Yep, only episode 3 and we already have an anti-hero on the loose! One that even takes down 5 Kyurangers without breaking a sweat. - This is a wonderful development, because it signifies that Stinger could very well be the first Kyuranger ever, even before Raptor joins the team. Commander Xiao must have known him already too. Hence why he's evading all sense of urgency. In fact, I have an inkling feeling that Stinger is acting as some kind of... spy/undercover agent. A ruse to get him close enough to Eridron. Proof? The poison he had struck to the Kyurangers, wears off on its own, which means, it's never lethal! Not just that, the way he treats the Malistrate Moretsuyo-Indaver strikes me as odd. Sure, he does attack him because he hates to be interfered, but he might have said that as an excuse to fight alongside Leo Red. - Just like Garu, Champ is in this not just to protect the universe, but also for revenge. Which is why they get along nicely. This is where a naive character like Lucky organically comes into play. His pure sense of justice doesn't want Champ to have a grudge against Stinger, because both are Kyurangers. After all, they need ALL NINE to form a complete set, right? It would be wrong if one member is working with Jark Matter. Beside, his easy logic says that a bad guy wouldn't be able to awaken a Kyu Globe, which is a very valid reason, IMHO. I just hope this doesn't mean that Champ's story will be resolved very quickly. - Interestingly, Champ, Stinger, and Lucky are all zodiac-based Kyurangers, right? (Taurus, Scorpio, and Leo). Speaking of zodiac, Gemini Kyu Globe (Futago/Twins) becomes the first Auxiliary Globe used in the show. Obviously, it is used to create a twin/clone, and so we have two Leo Reds now! Raptor herself delivers this item for Lucky to use. Wait, if she's on the ground (and clearly enjoying the fight), who's piloting the Orion? Balance! After all, controlling other machine is his ability. And see? The other members have recovered easily as well. - I can't explain the reason why Scorpio Orange summons his Scorpio Voyager to stop Leo Red, but highly likely it's a fan-service to Super Sentai mecha fans. Yep, while Kyuren-Oh is duking it out with the Moraimarz (the spaceship has a robo form!), we're getting a parallel fight between the orange and black Voyagers as well. Poor Chamaeleon Green gets her Chamaeleon Voyager position-swapped by the more offensive Ophiucus Silver though. That's twice in a row! LOL. As for Dorado Yellow? We get to see his Voyager's finisher instead. "Kyuren-Oh! Meteor Break! Super Galaxy!". - In the end, angsty Stinger is NOT part of the team yet. Worse, he's officially working with Eridron now. Thus his silhoutte becomes Dark instead. Will Lucky be able to win him over as friend? Or will Champ's words be proven, that he's a foe? Friend or Foe, that is the question. Oh and one more thing, the ending dance only adds Xiao Long Bao, with Spada (who's having a blast with the choreo!) and Hammy taking the spotlight. Guess we shouldn't expect Stinger in it until he's officially part of the team, eh?

Overall: I knew it! I've suspected that Stinger would easily steal my attention when I first saw him, and he did. But that's not all. He's vying Balance's place to be my favorite character of the show, giving the mechanical lifeform a run for his money. I really liked Stinger's anti-hero debut, as well as Champ's backstory. Unfortunately, the latter is also the reason why I'm not giving this episode a higher score. Right now I'm worried that the robot wrestler's story would be resolved too quickly. I might be worried for naught though. With that said, the season's world-building continued to impress. The fun new Commander was a great addition, because it's clear that he might be something more than meets the eye. Can't help but wonder what kind of secret he has under his sleeves? Perhaps, a rather heroic one? Hmmm... ;D Next week: The Final (for now, at least) Kyuranger debuts... Clumsy dreamer Raptor-283 steals the spotlight!

Episode 03 Score: 8 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: February 26th, 2017 - Version 05. (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.

[furederiko]

The 2nd episode of Kyuranger paves way for an intriguing Duo of Thieves!

- Our episode opens with "The Space Shogunate, Jark Matter has designated the insurgent force Rebellion's Kyurangers..." Wow. Looks like the Shogunate is controlling the media as well, because the news comes up really quick. LOL at that bounty photos. Even Lucky is showing a "For real?" expression on his headshot. Hahaha. - As hinted last week, we get to see two more core characters of this show. Namely, the golden-colored robot(?) Balance (VA: Yuuki Ono, whose image song as Wen Yang in "Dynasty Warriors" series is to-die-for), and the silver-haired humanoid Naga Rei (Taiki Yamazaki) whose name might be derived from 'Nagareboshi' that means 'Shooting Star' in Japanese. Gold and Silver? Yep, that's a bit on-the-nose, eh? Both of them are already introduced in the opening, so not really a surprise. This duo is located in an industrial planet called Planet Jigama, and are inhibiting contrasting personalities. Hmmm... - Hooo... interesting! Raptor is briefing Lucky and Garu about the Jark Matter's... pyramid organizational structure! We actually always had this in past titles, but I think this is the first time it's been charted so... neatly. Above the cannon fodd... er I mean Combatants, there are Malisters (Daikaan in Japanese) who are essentially the MotWs. In higher rank, there are Menasters (Karo) who represents the 88 constellation systems (That's A LOT). And on top is Don Armage himself as the Shogun. I think the more important part would be that top-left part, the "Lecture by Raptor 283", because she IS acting like a lecturer. A strict one at that. I told you last week that her personality would clash with Hammy's, and well... it's happening already. LOL. We need more of this internal conflicts! By the way, Over-Time has changed Dorado Yellow's naming from Sparda into Spada (as well as Planet Jagama into Jigama, and Malicestrate into Menasters), which might be more appropriate. So I'll be following suit in my reviews. - Updated opening sequence! Lucky and Garu are in it now. Judging from the preview and the pattern so far, we're going to get the complete (9 Kyurangers) version come episode 5! Hey, I just noticed the sequence actually includes scenes from this episode too. Hope this trend continues. Oh, and yeah, the Lacerta Kyu Globe (Tokage/Lizard) has also debuted in this episode! During the CM that is (Kyuranger Choco!!!)... LOL. - Dumb Lucky is trusting people TOO easily. I'm considering to call him Dumb-Luck from now on. In case you're wondering why Balance and Naga call themselves as BN Thieves, that's simply their initials put together. All those colored-skinned aliens reminds me of "Guardians of the Galaxy", but this diner scene also easily reminds me of Star Wars' Mos Eisley. Does this mean the BN Thieves are nods to Han Solo (or should I say, Duo)? I used to think that way last week, in that Naga might be serving as a Han-esque figure, while Balance as his Chewbacca. But it seems I might have been inaccurate. In fact, Naga's lack of emotion might be a nod to a particular Marvel's movie character instead: Drax the Destroyer! Then again, he also has that lack of social knowledge, that makes him feels like... a robot? A clone? Okay, hold that thought. Turns out everyone in his silver-haired planet also LOOKS the same. Creepy. Like, "Children of the Corn"-level creepy. By the way, Naga's actor looks so MUCH better without that silver wig. It's amazing the effect of make up to people, right? - Dumb-Luck is also very naive, isn't he? Or perhaps, too... optimistic? But that's why I can't hate him, because he's basically acting like a little brat. Speaking of personality, Balance is VERY lively. And he's sleazy too. I LOVE HIM already LOL. He reminds me of Hondo Ohnaka from "Star Wars REBELS". The fansub might not reflect it, but he has a habit of spouting slang and/or making wordplay in his speech. Like that line "Nice to meetcha!"? In Japanese he actually uses the word 'Shiku-yoro' instead of the spelling-correct 'Yoroshiku'. Perhaps, this is his character's signature style? He makes a fun pair with Naga though. One half who doesn't know how to express emotions (and longs to obtain ones), the other is expressing a little too much (without caring for other's emotions). There's a hint that Balance is just using Naga though, so I can't help but wonder how the two of them get together in the first place? Hmmm... - We have a big cast, and that's a fact. Which is probably why, the transformation and stylish roll calls are incorporated in the battle. I like this approach. Of course, this goes for the Kyurangers who are not taking the spotlight. In this case, it's the other Kyurangers beside Lucky, who plot-wise, are put to the side. That's both the advantage and disadvantage of having a big cast. - Our MotW is Malistrate Gammetsui, who seems to be based on... a turtle? Salamander? He's the boss of Jigama, and he's interested about the Kyuranger's 50 million bounty. But the team is divided into two, so which one will he target? Lucky for him, it's Dumb-Luck's team. What about the other team? Eridron (who shoots arrows, obviously, since he's from Sagittarius) himself deals with Spada and the rest. This is just episode 2, but already a Menaster is on the front line? And forcing our heroes to run for their life? NICE. After all, it's 9 Kyurangers against... the galaxy *sigh*. - Great Gawd, Dumb-Luck triggers the alarm on purpose, and calls it LUCK *smh*. He sees the good in everything, doesn't he? Holy twist, Balance actually SELLS OUT Lucky to Gammetsui. That's 'GOI-SU'!! (FYI, 'Sugoi' means 'Awesome', but you've probably known that already). All for the sake of the blue-colored treasure he's trying to steal. Technically, he's acting like the episode's 2nd MotW, much to Naga's dismay. Hence, the part where Naga chooses to be a 'friend' for Lucky and betrays him, gives Balance the shock of his life. Worse that that, Lucky actually believes that all these are merely Balance's plan? He IS that naive, eh? Wait till he knows the truth... - Which won't happen. LOL. Of course, Balance's conscience wins over him, thus he chooses to rescue Naga. It seems they are connected with a bond that's stronger than... wait a sec?! Why do they remind me of... C3PO and R2D2?!! OvO... Anyways, thanks to this rescue, we get to know who, or WHAT exactly Balance is. He's a machine organism who has the ability to control other machines. Basically, like the antagonists of "Chouriki Sentai Ohranger". Hmm... it'd be great if he is from one, right? Because that would make both series canon. Naga on the other hand, has the ability to freeze enemies just by glaring at them with his glowing green eyes. A neat nod to Greek Myth's Medusa, perhaps? - Balance wants to team up with Lucky to get loots, and also emotions for Naga. So definitely NOT in this to play a hero. He blatantly says this goal outloud, and Lucky's okay with it! I think it's good that these 2 new members have their own 'selfish' goals to be part of the Rebellion. In fact, we need more heroes who function in grey-areas like these. And nothing's wrong with that, because hey, they have awaken their Libra and Ophiucus Kyu Globes JUST because of that. Random trivia: in the recent 13 Zodiacs concept, Ophiucus is also a horoscope sign just like Libra. It's closely aligned after Scorpio, which will have a representation in this show very soon. - Yep, Balance and Naga are the focus characters, so they have the rights for a full transformation and roll call sequence. #4 The Trick-Star Libra Gold and #6 The Silent Star Ophiucus Silver make their debut! Before you complain that Leo Red is tagging along, do remember one thing for the sake of being fair: he hasn't had the chance to do these properly last week! XD. And yes, though many might be annoyed with it, I'm loving Libra Gold's dandy atttitude and attention-seeker poses too. It makes him stands out and... unique. At least audience would be worried that Naga might be in some bad company! Hahaha. Also... LOL at that not-so-subtle Kyu the Weapon's sales promotion. But never mind that, because the cool group finisher "All-Star Crash" is genuinely cool. - First 'earth'-based mecha battle and also first shot of the enlargement method for the show's MotW. Looks like all Jark Matters have the ability to do this, with the help of that weird Empire's symbol. I'm liking how Libra Voyager and Ophiucus Voyager have two forms, the spaceship one and humanoid. And the way the two practically kicks Chamaeleon Green and Dorado Yellow out of Kyuren-Oh? LOL to that. They even have their own finisher, the yo-yo slam "Kyuren-Oh! Trick Break! Super Galaxy". Due to the limb-changing concept, looks like TOEI can't rely on stock footage for the mecha's transformation and final moves this season. I hope this means we'll be getting a variety of new combination every week. - Since they have officially joined the team, Naga wears the Rebellion's uniform, while Balance? He gets a new paint-job. The best part of this closing scene, is already we're seeing personality clashes. The easy friction between Hammy's manner of speech with Balance, or how Balance and Spada seems to be on the same 'dandy' page. Whoops, that's not the closing scene. We get a quick glimpse of the next Kyuranger. This mysterious man (seriously? XD) has an Orange Kyu Globe, but his pendulum looks like a Kyu Globe too, and it's colored... Blue? Hmmm... intriguing! - Ending sequence is obviously updated as well. The BN Thieves are now included, and put center stage. It looks even crowded now, and we still have two more! At least the dance is fun, right?

Overall: This episode introduced two more characters, and more importantly two more different types of personalities. It's going to be interesting to see how they interact with the previous six members (including Raptor). The dynamic of Balance and Naga Rei was more than just intriguing or fun to watch, it evoked questions and mysteries as well. These are great potentials that are prime to be explored in future episodes, and I sincerely hope that will indeed be the case. After all, opportunities to dish out and develop every characters are just too good to ignore. On a side note, we're only in episode 2, and we already have seven Kyurangers. Do you think the plot is moving too fast? I mean, they could've simply made the BN Thieves intro into a 2-parter, right? If the show gathers all its core heroes in just 5 episodes, I wonder how the story will play out in the episodes that follow? Hmmm... Next week: Meet the Dragon Commander! Also, beware the sting of... Dopplegangers?

Episode 02 Score: 8 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: February 19th, 2017 - Version 04. (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.