#racules moment of all time

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Uchusen Vol. 182 (Autumn 2023) Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger | Detail of Super Sentai Main Cast Member Interviews (translations below)

Publication: October 2, 2023

Taisei Sakai x Watanabe Aoto x Kaku So x Masashi Ikeda Interview

The story has entered a new chapter! The actors who play the kings have grown just as much as their characters through more than half a year of filming. In this issue, we asked Taisei Sakai, Watanabe Aoto, Kaku So, and Masashi Ikeda about stories from filming and their enthusiasm for the new chapter.

"First, we'd like to talk about the battle against the Earth Empire, Bugnarak, which was depicted in episode 26. While filming, did you notice any growth in your characters?"

Ikeda: Jeramie has grown significantly. Gradually, he's become more human, and has shown new sides and changes in his feelings, which gave off the feeling that he was being "updated" as I played the role.

Sakai: Gira hasn't changed much in terms of his character, but I felt that the feelings he has for his people have changed greatly since becoming king.

Watanabe: The impact of Yanma's first appearance was strong, so I think the way he's depicted is to show the various sides of him. As an actor, it was fun to see developments continue, allowing me to play new aspects of his character.

Kaku: There was a big change in Kaguragi with the absence of Racules……I enjoyed acting and having conversations with (Masato) Yano-chan, who plays the role of Racules, and many people complimented us on our performance by saying, "It's like something out of a Taiga drama,* only more profound." However, I get the strong impression that Kaguragi remains the same, and is as relaxed as ever. Perhaps more impressive than the change in character, is the growing friendship between the cast members over the past six months. We even go out to eat after filming finishes….. (*annual historical drama by NHK)

Watanabe: With the exception of our days off, we're always together.

"Looking back, please tell us about any episodes that left a particularly strong impression on you."

Kaku: It would have to be episode 26. It's the last episode of the first chapter, and I was moved by the scene where Gira and the others resolve things with the Bugnarak. The one that was most fun to play was episode 24, which was the summer festival episode. Wearing a yukata in that worldview was also fun.

Ikeda: Episode 26 is definitely memorable, but if I had to choose the best one, I'd say it's episode 11. I think that the scene where Jeramie made his first appearance, taking off the spider mask he's worn for 2,000 years, was the first step in his new life. I'll never forget that scene.

Watanabe: The first film shoot I had was together with Gira. From there, everyone came together in episode 5, and after Legend King-Ohger arrived, Jeramie joined us…..When I think back on the process, the most memorable moment was when all 6 of us were together for the shoot. In particular, I was moved by episode 19, when it was announced that we were, "The Five Kingdom Unusual Incident Countermeasure Lifesaving Force," abbreviated as, "Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger!"

Sakai: The 6 of us transforming together in episode 19 left a deep impression on me as well. I was amazed when I saw the finished video for the first time. I was impressed by the wonderful effects of the screen cracking at the moments of impact.

Ikeda: It was fun to see everyone fighting together, and gave off an atmosphere unique to the Sentai series.

"We'd also like to ask about the retainers who support the kings. What are everyone's impressions of Douga, Shiokara, Kuroda, and Gerojim?"

Kaku: Despite the fact that he hides his face, I'm glad that Kuroda is very popular. I discussed with (Hajime) Kanzaki-san, who plays Kuroda, that the relationship between Kaguragi and Kuroda is that of a lord and a spy, but Kuroda's personality became alot more prominent, and he's since come to the forefront. Before I knew it, he became an essential part of King-Ohger.

Ikeda: Gerojim is so cute! When I watch the broadcasts, I can't help but laugh when Tomokazu Seki-san (Gerojim's voice actor) interjects between my lines. I never thought I'd have a retainer, or that he'd even ride in God King-Ohger. I did alot of acting with monsters, especially scenes with (Riichi) Seike-san, who plays Desnarak VIII. Seike-san is a really passionate actor, and before we performed the farewell scene between Desnarak VIII and Jeramie in episode 26, Seike-san encouraged me with, "Come at me with everything you've got!" In the beginning, I wasn't used to acting with Suit Actors, but thanks to Seike-san and the others, I was able to act naturally, which made me very happy.

Watanabe: Shiokara and the others are a good group of friends who react to every single thing Yanma does. On our days off, Chiwata Yuhei-kun, who plays the role of Shiokara, takes the initiative in arranging dinner parties for the N'Kosopa team. I'm very grateful that communication is connected through Chiwata-kun, and I'm also happy that just like in the show, Shiokara plays the role of connecting me with our citizens.

Sakai: Episodes between Douga and Gira haven't really been depicted, but it seems like a strong relationship was formed over the 2 years between episodes 26 and 27. They must have thought of ways to ensure that food would reach the children, and how to run the country while coming up with ideas together on how to better serve the people.

"Did the staff tell you about any changes that occurred during the span of those 2 years?"

Sakai: I haven't been told the specifics, but Director Kazuya Kamihoriuchi told me that he wanted Gira to be the same as before, but to show a casual composure when performing final attacks.

Ikeda: Although Jeramie's 2,000 years old, on the inside, he's as innocent as a child and is inspired by every single thing that happens to him. So, I think he's taken in alot during those 2 years. Especially in the new chapter, we can see his growth as he tries to express his feelings to the other kings in a straightforward manner. The biggest change was that Jeramie became king, so he must've been busy building a nation for the past 2 years, right? That's what I think atleast. Personally, I'm happy that my country is finally being projected on the LED wall.

Kaku: Kaguragi was arrested for using an underground cultivator called "Arijigoku," which could also be used as a weapon, but he was probably conscious of the fight against Racules, so was making agricultural machines that could be converted into weapons. However, even after 2 years, I still don't know what he's thinking. I wonder what forms of communication he'll start to use……Now that Racules is gone, it seems easy to deceive anyone, so I'm looking forward to seeing what he'll do (laughs).

Watanabe: Not only Kaguragi, but Yanma was also arrested for monopolizing electricity to create the Ultra PC called, "Under Heaven and Earth, I'm the only one." This just shows that even 2 years later, the kings can't sit still.

"The imprisonment of the kings was a surprise, but at the same time, the new chapter has brought changes in hairstyles and costumes."

Watanabe: I was told that the visuals would change when we started depicting what was happening 2 years later. So, I suggested a more mature haircut, thinking it’ll help Yanma settle down, but Director Kamihoriuchi immediately rejected it. Then came the blonde pompadour, and I thought that he was far from settling down, and that his "peak" was yet to come. I actually had the opportunity to suggest a new visual to the Director, and as it was also one of the choices for Yanma's original costume, the short gakuran was chosen

Kaku: Kaguragi has black hair, but I thought it would've been better if he had brown hair….but, that didn't work out (laughs). I'm looking forward to letting my hair down and seeing how the viewers react.

Ikeda: Jeramie now wears a cloak, which makes him look more dignified as a king. Also, the fact that he can now proudly show his Bugnarak hand is a sign that humans and Bugnarak have become closer over the past 2 years, and that the world has become more peaceful. This also seems to have had a significant change in his personality.

Sakai: My changes were left up to the make up artists (laughs). My hair is longer and parted down the middle, and I'm wearing the same clothes as Racules…..I've made a bunch of suggestions myself, but nothing's been approved (laughs). I wonder, will the reason for why he's wearing Racules's clothes and his hairstyle change be revealed in future episodes…..? That's what I imagine.

"By the way, when was everyone made aware of the new chapter?"

Kaku: I think it was right after the dubbing for "Adventure Heaven." The costumes were going to change from episode 27, and there were discussions of, "What are we going to do about it?"

Watanabe: It was about 2 weeks before we started filming, so we didn't have alot of time.

Ikeda: When they said it took place 2 years later, I had the image of a new development in an anime, so it made me very motivated.

"Episode 28 featured a difficult episode of switching roles. Gira and Jeramie, Yanma and Rita, Kaguragi and Hymeno switched, how did you like each of the roles you played?"

Watanabe: I tried to play the role in my own way without asking Yuzuki-chan too many questions. I tried to exaggerate Rita's image by keeping my distance from them except for the physical part, and I wonder, did it come out good? On the other hand, Yuzuki-chan asked me various questions, but since we didn't have many scenes where we talked to each other, I didn't know what was going on until I watched the broadcast.

Kaku: I was also looking forward to seeing how Marie (Erika-san) would play Kaguragi. In my case, I discussed this with Marie, and we began to imitate each other, starting with our finger movements one by one. However, at the start of filming, Director Kamioriuchi told me that it, "Wasn't interesting." I panicked when I heard his comments. The Director wanted her to play the role as if she were an exaggerated imitation of "Hollywood Zakoshisyoh,*" and from there, he expanded on the image he had for Hymeno. But, was I really becoming Hymeno? I was worried at first. Marie's performance as Kaguragi was so far out there, that it was almost too much. She would say, "Ro~Yal~Arms~!!" and I would respond with, "I've never said it like that!," and so she had to try again (laughs). (*Japanese comedian)

Sakai: It’s really difficult for one person to come up with a performance that took about six months to create. Ikeda-kun taught me in detail about Jeramie's gestures, the way he walked, and even the tone of his voice, and I studied and consulted with him alot during filming.

Ikeda: I could tell that we were thinking about the various elements of each other. I kept in mind that we should try to respect each other and exaggerate the other person's character to make it just right.

"We'd also like to ask you about the "Kingdom Dance Competition" that became a hot topic when it was released over the summer. What’s the story behind that video of you dancing "Zenryoku King" in a decisive competition?”

Kaku: It was difficult in many ways! (laughs). I thought I only had to do the scenes where I appeared, but then I realized that I had to dance to all of them. It was very hard, partly because we were filming the movie at the same time.

Sakai: But, that was the first time all the cast members got together for filming. King-Ohger had alot of filming done in the different countries, so it was rare for everyone to gather together, including the entourage. That's why filming it was lively and fun.

Ikeda: I personally have something to say about the distributed video! I was told that since it was being done in one take, even if we made a mistake, it would still be used. However, the other members mistakes weren't included, and only my mistakes were picked up......(laughs). This is to the staff! Couldn't you have just changed the order of the shots?!

Watanabe: But, the Bugnarak team's dancing was wonderful.

Ikeda: That's because Seike-san gathered the team's Suit Actors and even held a strategy meeting.

Kaku: The sexy poses of Rita and Morfonia in Gokkan were ordered by Director Kamihoriuchi. It was interesting to see that Morfonia didn't seem too happy about it (laughs).

"Finally, can you tell us about the development of the new chapter and its highlights?"

Kaku: I think that the pasts of Kaguragi and Suzume will be further explored, which will deepen your love for the characters. I'm looking forward to the future of this story, not only as an actor, but also as a viewer.

Ikeda: I think that not only the pasts of each king and their retainers, but also the mysteries of the world of King-Ohger will continue to be revealed. I want to know the ending as soon as possible, so I can't wait to receive the next script!

Watanabe: Not just Yanma, but past stories related to N'Kosopa will also be depicted, so I hope you'll continue to watch King-Ohger every week!

Sakai: Gira is especially mysterious. He was born into a royal family, and yet he ended up in an orphanage, and we don't know why he knows about the Wrath of God. Even I don't know the truth behind it, but I've been imagining alot of different things as I play the role. I hope that from now on, you'll continue to support King-Ohger! _

Murakami Erika x Yuzuki Hirakawa Interview

Following the male cast members, we asked Murakami Erika, who plays the role of Hymeno Ran, and Yuzuki Hirakawa, who plays the role of Rita Kaniska, to talk to us. The two of them will talk about everything, from the changes they went through during the six months of filming, the costume changes that accompanied the start of the second chapter, and even the untold story of the body swapping episode depicted in episode 28.

"With episode 26, the battle against the Earth Empire, Bugnarak, has come to an end. Having played Hymeno and Rita for six months since the first episode, how do you feel your characters have changed?"

Murakami: Hymeno was the type of queen who wasn't suited for collective actions, having led people according to her own selfishness. But, when the Bugnarak attacked, she decided to join forces with the other kings to save Chikyu. In episode 7, there's a scene where Hymeno couldn't respond immediately to Gira saying the words, "Let's be friends!" After that, I think she gradually developed a mutual relationship with Gira and the others, and was able to grow toward her goal of saving Chikyu.

Hirakawa: Rita has slowly begun to depend on others. I think that they're gradually becoming able to express their honest feelings. In the beginning, Rita was building walls against others on their own, but as the story progressed, their barrier against the other kings gradually grew smaller. As a result, their self control to suppress their feelings have weakened, which is why they've started to sometimes scream in front of others.

"Hymeno has her retainer Sebastian, and Rita has their retainer Morfonia. As Hymeno and Rita, were there many scenes where you interacted with those two characters?"

Murakami: Sebastian is the one who listens to Hymeno's every request and spoils her. But, when taking God King-Ohger into battle in episode 25, although she was afraid that she might get them killed in battle, she asked Sebastian and the others, "It's incredibly selfish, but will you hear me out?," as if begging them to fight with her. It really was a lovely moment where I felt the relationship of trust between the king of Ishabana and her entourage.

Hirakawa: Originally, Rita and Morfonia had a professional relationship only. Then, during episode 10, Morfonia approached Rita, and the distance between them changed. In episode 25, Rita asked Morfonia for a favor outside of work, and I think this showed that the relationship between the two of them has grown even deeper.

"How is your relationship with Hiroto Yoshimitsu-san, who plays Sebastian, and Kasumi Hasegawa-san, who plays Morfonia?"

Murakami: Yoshimitsu-san is really sweet to me (laughs). He's always buying me something tasty.

Hirakawa: It was daifuku the other day (laughs).

Murakami: It was delicious~ (laughs). Also, when I would raise my voice during a scene, (Mizushima) Marina-san, who plays Elegance Moun, would become worried and give me throat lozenges…..Since the members of Ishabana's entourage are all older than me, they spoil me as if I were their daughter.

Hirakawa: Kasumin (Hasegawa-san) is like a kind big sister who's always looking out for me. Possibly due to both of us being from Kyushu, we became good friends the more we started hanging out in our private lives. Recently, we've been doing live streams together, and have become closer than ever.

"Looking back up to episode 26, what were the most memorable scenes?"

Hirakawa: Rita's past being portrayed in episode 16 was the most memorable for me. Rita's past was hard to imagine and rather mysterious. Although not everything was explained, I think that episode 16, which explained why they became king and what happened to them in the past, was the episode that impacted me the most in the past six months.

Murakami: We've been filming for six months, but the most memorable was episode 3. Hymeno's selfish, but she's also a king, so she has her beliefs. I'm most attached to episode 3 in the sense that it depicts Hymeno's inner self. But, after learning in episode 7 that her parents deaths were caused by scorpion poison, she can no longer hold back her feelings…..This development was also important for Hymeno. Although she expresses her own strength, she also feels resentment toward the unsolved case, and I acted while thinking about Hymeno's inner thoughts.

"Has anything changed in the relationship between the cast members?"

Murakami: After about four or five months, everyone would laugh at me no matter what I said. I can now speak my mind without worrying (laughs). I'm not really good at expressing my opinions in front of other people, but I've become able to do so with confidence. My mother, who watched "King-chan" (TTFC talk show), even said to me, "I think you've become more comfortable with the other cast members, and your sense of humor has improved, hasn't it?"

Hirakawa: You really make us laugh over trivial things. I was surprised at first, because Marie's wasn't the comedic type. Now, I'm also in the mood to play along.

Murakami: Recently, Kaku-san, Aoto-kun and I went out for dinner, and we ended up going to 4 different places. We were having so much fun, that I didn't realize we were moving from one restaurant to another. I've come to trust them both with all my heart, and I even surprised myself at how well I could get along with people.

Hirakawa: I may not have changed in any way, but……What do you think? Have you noticed anything?

Murakami: In the beginning, Yuzuki didn't complain at all, right? But lately, she's started mumbling things like, "It's painful," and, "I'm tired."

Hirakawa: I'm not good at telling people that I'm having a hard time. I'm mindful of not saying anything because I'm concerned about worrying or bothering others. But, I think I've gotten too close to Marie and the others, so it comes out unconsciously. Because we're together every day, I feel like I don't have to care anymore, as we share the same physically and mentally demanding times.

Murakami: That being said, the stage greeting held in Fukuoka for "Adventure Heaven" was like a field trip. Even though it was work, everyone was having fun and it felt like being on vacation.

Hirakawa: Marie joined us on a different plane, but she was wearing big sunglasses and looked like a celebrity going overseas. I took a bunch of pictures of Marie and sent them in the group chat…..

Murakami: I suddenly noticed that there were alot of hidden photos taken of me in the group chat (laughs). As revenge, next time, I'll take lots of cool photos of everyone…..It was really fun. The cast of King-Ohger is friendly regardless of gender, so it really makes you feel like you're back in high school. Until now, I haven't had the opportunity to work with so many colleagues who are aiming for the same goal, so it's very refreshing,

"Episode 27 onward will be the second chapter, and will depict the battle against the Uchu Five Jesters in the world 2 years later. What was your impression when you first heard about the new chapter?"

Murakami: We know what happens next when we receive the scripts, so I was really surprised when I read the scripts for episodes 27-29. It's 2 years later, but worst of all, we're out of the picture (laughs). As I read on, I realized that we were imprisoned! I thought that was an interesting angle.

Hirakawa: I've never heard of time skips in the middle of a story within the Super Sentai series, have you? I was also told that the visuals would be changing. I felt very honored to be able to participate in a production that provided such a rare experience.

Murakami: I'm really happy because there are so many new things happening within King-Ohger, including filming with an LED wall.

"We'd like to hear more about when you learned about the new costumes."

Murakami: If I'm remembering right, I was having a review meeting with Director Kamihoriuchi at a yakiniku restaurant, when he casually said to me, "Think about what kind of visuals you want." At the time, I thought it would be for a one time episode, so I thought, "Gira with a shaved head?" or something…..I was thinking things like that, but then I heard that they were asking about new visuals to be used from episode 27 onward. In Hymeno's case, up until now it's always been about cute things, but I talked about how it'd be cooler to express herself with natural elements, rather than to dress her up. As a result, I ended up with a costume like that of a female knight. The hairstyle, which used to change each episode, was shifted to include more hair extensions and different colors

Hirakawa: Rita's costume has changed only in that the length of their jacket has become shorter, but their hairstyle has changed alot. Actually, I've been saying that I wanted to cut my hair since the beginning of filming. However, this wasn't allowed in the beginning, and filming proceeded with my long hair. Director Kamihoriuchi remembered this and suggested that, "Rita should cut their hair after two years." Rita was given a short hair cut and was able to turn their visuals in a cooler direction.

"Does this mean that the costumes were made lighter to accommodate the summer shoot?"

Murakami: I don't think so. It was still hot (laughs).

Hirakawa: It was hot……(laughs).

"2 years later, Hymeno was charged with arson, and Rita was imprisoned in Gokkan for violating the Labor Standards Law. How have Hymeno and Rita changed during the span of 2 years, and how will you interpret these changes through your performance?"

Murakami: I felt that we were able to fight while being aware of our respective roles. In the beginning, the kings weren't well organized, but over the past 2 years, they seem to have developed a sense of camaraderie.

Hirakawa: Their resolve as a king has become stronger, and I think it shows in their visuals. However, Rita has grown in their ability to talk with the others as friends, while also taking their feelings into consideration.

"Episode 28, the most recently aired episode, depicted the body swapping of the kings. Murakami-san plays Kaguragi and Hirakawa-san plays Yanma. How was the filming for that?"

Murakami: I'm so tired! In all my time in the entertainment industry, I've never acted in such a disorganized manner, so I'm worried that everyone will be turned off by my performance. Kaku-san is very kind, so he said, "It was fun!," but I was still worried about it! (laughs). I think the most obvious way to express Kaguragi's performance is through his eyes, so I tried my best to open my eyes while spreading my legs, but I overdid it and we had to reshoot. However, the reason I was able to do such a disorganized performance may be because I get along so well with everyone and am able to tell jokes and make funny faces.

Hirakawa: I didn't really prepare for the role of Yanma that much. That's because I'm abit like Yanma in some aspects of my everyday life (laughs). I studied yankii like postures, but other than that, I tried not to think about anything other than playing a passionate guy named Yanma. More than that, when I was playing the role of Yanma, I was showing my entire face, so I was very conscious of that. I've been performing with my face hidden for more than half a year, so I was surprised at how embarrassed I felt showing my face (laughs). While checking the monitor, I thought to myself, "This is what I look like……"

"What did you think of Hymeno being played by Kaku-san, and Rita being played by Watanabe-san?"

Murakami: I was surprised to realize that this is what Hymeno looks like from other people's perspective. When Hymeno couldn't accept Kaguragi's body, I think I would've wanted to say, "I can't take it!," and run away. However, Kaku acting all depressed was very cute. I was very happy that he opened up a side of Hymeno that I didn't have.

Hirakawa: Aoto just did whatever he wanted (laughs). Even though I thought to myself, "They wouldn't open their eyes that wide, would they?," I felt that Yuzuki Hirakawa's performance broadened the range of Rita's character. Due to the stress of having their body swapped, Rita's emotions are more tense than usual. It made me realize that I could show these kinds of facial expressions. It made it easier for me to do my future performances.

Murakami: Now that I think about it, during filming for episode 27, Director Kamihoriuchi was laughing while watching the monitor the whole time (laughs).

Hirakawa: Before I knew it, I became more determined to make the Director laugh.

"It was because of that determination that it turned into such an outrageous episode. Now, we're anxious to see what'll happen next, but what would you two like the fans to pay attention to when watching the show?"

Murakami: The foreshadowing from previous episodes are gradually being revealed, and there are episodes in which each character's pasts are explored in depth. For example, Sebastian's real name, which hasn't currently been revealed, may be mentioned, and even if you haven't watched it up to this point, I'd like you to watch King-Ohger, even if you start from the new chapter!

Hirakawa: Also, there's an all out action episode by Director Sakamoto Hiroshi. Although filming hasn't started yet (at the time of this interview), I've heard that there'll be lots of action, so I'm really looking forward to doing the performance. It'd make me happy if you could continue to watch every week!

_

Shinichiro Miki (Kamejim Voice Actor)

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger has entered its second chapter, but there's only one enemy leader that's survived from the first chapter. His name, is Kamejim Unka! He was the one behind the 2,000 year battle between humans and Bugnarak, and is one of the Uchu Five Jesters who serve under the Uchu King, Dagded Dujardin. The voice is provided by veteran voice actor Shinichiro Miki, making this his first performance in the Super Sentai series. Miki is a big fan of King-Ohger himself, so how does he approach the role of Kamejim Unka?

"Miki-san is also known for his role as Sieg in "Kamen Rider Den-O," but this is his first performance in the Super Sentai series. What are your impressions of the series?"

Miki: I love tokusatsu productions, and have been watching them since "Himitsu Sentai Goranger," which is from my generation. But, after I started working as a voice actor, whenever I heard the voice of someone I knew who was appearing in those shows, I stopped watching them out of jealousy (laughs). It was only after I started working on Den-O that those feelings toned down abit, and I was able to watch them again. These days, I listen to the voices of my juniors and think to myself, "(Yuki) Kaji-kun is really doing his best~." Even so, I still get jealous (laughs).

"What was your impression when you first heard about the setting of King-Ohger, and the role of Kamejim that Miki-san plays?"

Miki: I felt that there were alot of new elements, and thought, "This is interesting and different from previous Super Sentai!" When I first saw Kamejim's design, my impression was, "It's really cool!" I was told that he was a, "Sharp intellectual, and a faithful subordinate of King Desnarak VIII," although, I expected him to have something happening behind the scenes (laughs). I got the impression that he was polite with his words, but I couldn't understand his true feelings, and during the audition, I was conscious of trying to convey the nuances of that part well.

"There seems to have been various decisions made as recording progressed, so were there any changes in the way you created the role compared to the beginning?"

Miki: As the story progresses, we're learning more about his character, and there are alot more parts of him that, "Dare to say the opposite of what he means, but still holds true." Along with this, the range of my speaking style has expanded, and I try to be aware of the thought behind the dialogue as I go into recording.

"You said that you expected, "Something to be happening behind the scenes," and we have the impression that Kamejim evolved into a character with one or two quirks as a result of Miki-san's performance."

Miki: Thank you so much. Well, things just turned out that way (laughs). That being said, I think the result is from a good mix of not only my voice acting, but the performance of Suit Actor (Masato) Tsutamune-san acting out my character. Even though the meaning of the dialogue doesn't change, we're recording while focusing on the way he speaks during the action scenes. For this reason, during dubbing scenes, I try to pick up on the movements of Tsutamune-san's hands and fingers as much as possible from the footage.

"Capturing the theatrical elements from a Suit Actor's performance requires a different skill set from that of an anime."

Miki: In the sense that Tsutamune-san plays the role and adds his voice to the finished video, it's more similar to dubbing a foreign film than to an anime. However, being able to go and observe filming and talk with Tsutamune-san, and being able to work with the actors to create the show, is what makes it different from foreign films. I believe that communicating in this way is one of the most important aspects of perfecting a character.

"What kinds of conversations did you have at the recording studio with Shimura Tomoyuki-san, Desnarak VIII's voice actor, who Kamejim served until episode 26?"

Miki: I call him "Shimu-nii," as we've known each other for over 20 years. So, from the first recording session, we said to each other, "This is reassuring!" However, Shimu-nii is a "doer." When the Director asks him to do something on set, he does so many things that it becomes too much. Because of his personality, he brings smiles to everyone on set. The true character of Desnarak VIII……Although he's not a person, I think the kindness towards his fellow comrades is linked to Shimu-nii's kindness.

"Also, speaking of characters played by actors rather than voice actors, don't you have alot of interactions with Jeramie?"

Miki: We've never done the recording together. Kamejim doesn't have much to do with Jeramie, so there weren't many scenes where we had direct conversations. It's like we just talked to ourselves…..Jeramie has lived for 2,000 years, but he has a more child like side to him compared to Gira. From Kamejim's point of view, I think he thought that part of him is adorable.

"From episode 27, the story enters the second chapter, where the King-Ohgers confront Kamejim Unka and those from the Uchu Five Jesters. When did Miki-san learn of these developments?"

Miki: I had heard beforehand that, "There's an even more powerful enemy in the universe, and that Kamejim was a spy sent by that enemy," but when he was defeated by God King-Ohger and exploded in episode 26, I was worried that he wouldn't be coming back (laughs). In order to prepare for the role, I was given alittle more information than the viewers, and was shocked by the scripts around episode 27. After receiving a new script at the office, I often look them over while having a drink, and there were many moving developments, including the scene where Desnarak VIII defends Jeramie. I cry every time I read it. If I hadn't been able to participate after episode 27 though, I might've cried in a different way. I survived, so at that time, my tears were that of relief (laughs). The storytelling in King-Ohger has a wonderful way of creating a story that can also resonate with the hearts of adults.

"Now that Kamejim Unka has been revealed as one of the Uchu Five Jesters, how did you react to his change in position?"

Miki: I think he's most comfortable in a position like that, as a second in command. I think he's the type of person who leaves the big things to someone else and enjoys doing what he wants to do. The way he reappears in episode 27 is also typical of him. Objectively, I think of him with, "He always looks like he's having fun," and, "I wish I could live like that."

"Since your position changed, did your role change in any way?"

Miki: There were basically no changes. There's a change when the person he supports is nearby and when they’re not, but up until episode 26 and from episode 27 onwards, there's no change in personality, just a change in the person he serves. However, since his comrades of the Uchu Five Jesters have appeared and are in the same position as him, I think there’ll be new aspects in the interactions with them that have never been seen before.

"Characters in the same position consist of Goma Rosalia, Hilbil Leech, and Minongan Moth. What kind of conversations did you have with the cast members who play them?"

Miki: The Uchu Five Jesters cast has a great lineup, with (Kazuhiro) Yamaji-san and (Miyuki) Sawashiro-san. I don't have much of an opportunity to talk with them, but I talked to Tomokazu Seki the other day, and he said, "It seems like they picked me since Minongan Moth is a character who doesn't talk much" (laughs). Then I remember telling (Ishida) Akira-kun, "I'm happy we're working on the same program again."

"On the other hand, you were in charge of the narration for “The Secret of King Racules,” which is available on the Toei's Tokusatsu Official YouTube Channel."

Miki: In the main show, Jeramie narrates the story, but since "The Secret of King Racules" is the story of the "Worst King," it was decided that since I'm on the evil side, I would be in charge of the narration. However, if I did it as Kamejim, it would be too obvious, so I tried to do it in a calm manner, keeping the narration style in mind.

"What do you think about the story in "The Secret of King Racules?"

Miki: I cried. It's alittle more mature than the main story, and the final scene was especially emotional. I also liked the screen composition, where the faces of King Racules and Vedalia are alternately shown in close ups in the background. It was also very emotional that Kofuki, who appeared in that work, rode the 20 person combined God King-Ohger in episode 25 of the main story.

"Miki-san said he cries as he reads the script, but which scenes in the episodes that have aired so far have been most memorable?"

Miki: There's too many! Like the scene in episode 16 where Rita says, "Thank you," in a small voice after receiving the Moffun from Hymeno, or the scene in episode 25, where the retainers of each country expressing their feelings towards the kings is depicted…..There are really too many to choose from. I watch the broadcasts 3 times every Sunday. First, I watch the reactions on SNS in real time, saying things like, "I can see why people would react this way here," and, "I see!" (laughs). Then, while drinking, I would do it a second and then third time. Afterwards, while reading the script for the next episode, which had already been dubbed, I'd think, "This is what happens after this, huh," and then start to cry (laughs). Even though I didn't appear in it, I went to the theater to see "Adventure Heaven" as a fan.

"You're looking at this from a genuine fan's perspective, rather than from a performer's perspective."

Miki: Of course, there are things I can reflect on about myself, but that's something I can make use of in my next job. While I want to reflect, I also want to have fun with the fans. In all my years as a voice actor, this may be the first work that makes me feel this way.

"Why are you so enthusiastic about King-Ohger?"

Miki: There's one reason for participating in it, but I think there's also many other reasons, such as the story, the wonderful character designs, and the fact that the filming method is different from what we've seen before. Maybe it's the excitement and sense of being with everyone in an era and worldview that's different from usual.

"King-Ohger continues to have unpredictable developments, Miki-san, please tell us what you think we should focus on going forward."

Miki: The development of Gira's involvement with the Kyoryuger's has become an even newer development within the new developments of the second chapter. I'm sure that these developments will continue to go beyond the expectations of the fans who have been watching the show. Although I know the story alittle earlier than you readers, I'd like to look forward to the future developments with a passionate attitude. When I see words related to King-Ohger trending on SNS every Sunday morning, I feel happy as if they were my own, and this show has taught me how to enjoy watching it with the fans. I hope you'll continue to enjoy your time with me!

[bobcatmoran]

Can I ask you the fandom meme for the whole Kingohger team?:D if not, then just Gira and Kaguragi :D

I got distracted by a) making cookies to bring for fellow poll workers tomorrow, and b) rewatching bits of Kingohger, so it's gonna just be Gira and Kaguragi for the fandom meme (feel free to send me more. Goodness knows that I'll be able to use the distraction while waiting for election results that I'll be amazed if we get by the end of the week).

Anyway.

Gira:

First impression:

Awww, he’s good with kids, what a wholesome —HOLY CRAP DID HE JUST. IN THE THRONE ROOM. DID HE JUST SAY THAT A LEADER WHO PUTS HIMSELF ABOVE HIS PEOPLE IS GARBAGE? DID HE JUST SAY THAT IF THAT IS HOW THE “GOOD KING” HE HAS IDOLIZED BEHAVES, THEN HE WILL BE THE VILLAIN? I LOVE HIM

Impression now:

Oh gosh, I love how much he grew as a leader over the series. Probably my favorite Red out of all the sentai I’ve seen so far.

Favorite moment:

Honestly, it’s still probably that moment from the very first episode where he grabs Racules’ sword and says that his version of justice is no justice at all. I fell in love with him right then and there.

Idea for a story:

Nothing specific, but playing in the timeskip space where Gira had to figure out how to rule a country FAST sounds like fun.

Unpopular opinion:

I don’t know that I have any about him?

Favorite relationship:

I love him and Jeramie post-timeskip together, whether platonic or shippy.

Favorite headcanon:

I love the idea of Gira, post-canon, having lots of kids, whether biological or adopted. He’d be such a great dad.

Kaguragi

First impression:

Digging the aesthetics of his country, and an automatic leg up just for being king of the agricultural center. Toufu is a genuinely silly name.

Impression now:

How did they let this man be on a show whose target age is probably still working on mastering tying their shoelaces? I mean that with all fondness — characters who are working on that many levels very rarely make it into children’s media, and it’s a shame.

Favorite moment:

The reveal that he can’t be brainwashed by Hilbil because he’s constantly lying and keeping at least five different versions of reality in his head at all times.

Idea for a story:

Kaguragi (and Suzume) figuring out how to run a country, preferably with her being even more politically aware than her brother

Unpopular opinon:

Not sure how unpopular it is, but I genuinely respect the degree to which he puts his country first. There’s not a sense that any other country is self-sustaining, agriculturally, and Toufu is arguably the most important country on Chikyuu. Without it, the planet would starve.

Favorite relationship:

Kaguragi/twelve layers of plotting OTP

Favorite headcanon:

Kaguragi actually has an identical twin, who’s living his best life as a farmer in rural Toufu, far from his brother and sister’s political machinations, which he has zero interest in.

[sonia-kate]

Gira and reading between the lines

Ok, check this out...

We've had recently yet another sequence of Gira trying to figure out a subtext and failing yet again, even though all the other kings caught the meaning...

What if, with Racules' return and my theory that he's a mole to destroy Dagded from the inside, what if Racules would drop some super-vague read in between lines messages and this time only Gira will figure it out?

After all, yes, other kings might know Racules better and longer, since Gira barely remembers anything, but Gira has been seen having flashbacks from his childhood from time to time. If Racules would reference something from their childhood, Gira might catch it and figure out that Racules is planning something

Bonus points, if our speculations that Racules used to play the Evil King for Gira, just like Gira himself did for the kids in the orphanage, would become true and he'd start to act the same way and Gira would understand that Racules is playing the Evil King? After all, after that episode (don't remember the number) he should figure out that he should keep it to himself because the space-bug king is watching

Also, even if other kings caught something in Racules' speeches, they would most likely just cast it out without much consideration. They all seem to still consider Racules as the incarnation of evil and Gira seems to be the only one to see any good in Racules and have any sympathy for him

When (or rather if but I refuse to lay down that copium) Racules backstabs Dagded and turns out to be a hero, everyone will be so shocked except Gira who will finally get to hug his older brother. Other kings will ask what the hell happened and then Gira will be "What, you didn't figure it out?" Everyone having a moment of realization as they try to patch up everything, but in the end they are the ones who say they don't understand and Gira showing, yet again, that he's a master at reading people's hearts, explains everything to them

Of course, Racules' and Suzume's cover is blown now, but at least Dagded is off the picture (or at least the source of his OP power is, making him a more manageable threat). From then, those 2 can join forces with the rest of the sentai and fight off the remaining bad guys, who don't have omnipotence on their side anymore

Though, I'm confident that Racules and Suzume will keep on playing for quite a while and reveal their true selves when things will be nearing the end

Still, can't wait to see what happens next, regardless if I got it right or not (though, imo, it would be such a cool moment)

[mofffun]

Sakai Taisei first IG Live (Aug 29)

archive until Aug 30 7pm Japan time.

Kaku-san, Erica, Yuzuki all there in the comments section the whole time. Chiwata-san and Masashi showed up.

"Yano-san, are you here? Yano-san hasn't come yet?"

New costume

I look more like Racules…

like the mantle Gira took from Racules

Favourite King-Ohger scene?

a lot, because every episode is like the final episode.

the one all six gathered and transformed together against the diamond monster - which episode is it? 

(comments (with Erica & Chiwata-san) reminded him it's 19)

*ask audience for their favourites*

*doesn't know you need to scroll down to read comments*

Favourite movies?

well there's this french director.... *nervous laughs* Can I say this? I saw its re-showing with friends recently, The Mother and the Whore (1973 French film). For Japanese movies, it's "Machi no Ue de" by Imaizumi Rikiya.

Can I become King and cool like Gira? 

ehhh... how should I answer this? ummm anyone can do it with a Royal Arms.

Looking back on King-Ohger and Gira

Recently, really appreciates Gira's empathy. I grew together with Gira. Compared to when we first started, I feel calmer and more dependable on set.

What does the cast do in-between takes?

Impersonation. *manager (?) reminded him to try do it* "Otto" <- exactly the same as Jeramie

Would you like kids to call you by your own name or your character?

Both. I was very happy to hear little kids called to Gira, felt like I got energy from them.

What's your dream growing up and from now on?

Childhood dream was soccer player. Now... nothing big really. just giving my best every moment.

If King-oh cast is a family, what's your role?

eh? What do you think, Kaku-san? We need to discuss this together...

Kaku-san: Papa.

Aoto: Eldest brother

Mari & Yuzuyan: middle daughters

Me & Masashi: youngest

I don't know ><

Amusement Park in Kyushuu PR trip

Masashi is scared of the roller coaster. Aoto and I were sitting in front so we can't see the expressions of Kaku-san and Masashi behind us. When we looked back at the videos, Masashi's face turned blue.

Haunted House: Mari and Yuzuyan ran away. Yuzuyan is scared of haunted houses/ghosts so Mari ran away with her. (Erica comment: we went for a girl's date~) I'm not as scared of ghosts as much as I'm bad with jumpscares. But Kaku-san, even when I shouted at the jumpscare, he was always emotionless. That in turn scared me. Incredible, Kaku-san.

Summer Station

I was very nervous! I'm not good at facing a large crowd. Sorry for bringing trouble to the other five members. Thank you for saving me. The supportive atmosphere from the fans is overwhelming. I feel particularly encouraged by the little kids's energy.

Your parents' reaction to the movie?

They came to the greetings in Fukouka (Taisei's hometown), in the first row. Everyone can spot them at once. I didn't know we looked that much alike. Surprisingly, they don't have much to say, but I'm just happy we found time to share a meal.

*Erica emphasized SCREENSHOT TIME*

[t-u-i-t-c]

racules brother moment of all time

[meandmyechoes]

Kingohger ep18

緊張する!

i drank cola (zero dakedo) last night and couldn't sleep until 4. and then i woke up at 6

new junction for extreme-chan!!

ah Jeramie's voice getting more serious each narration

eh the first time we get magical girl transfromation sequence?

Racules sama!!

ah it has to be him who else can "miss the vital" for Gira

hmm everyone's op visual fits with what i expected of their screentime

eh? this shot for Gira? out of all the cool moments he should've had today?

i should've factored in Daigorg as a wildcard earlier 😅

Evil shall cease in face of the Righteous…

ahh it is Jeramie who rescued Gira

yes King chan this week too

Gira and Rita finally get to talk 😂

*clutches heart* the flashbck is from Gira's pov

Rita Racles beef get going

no sixth can escape the fate of comic relief

Gira and Kaguragi being each other's substitute sibling 😭

"We're going to get serious with Racles so I might never see you again. Just wanna tell you that first" 😭

LMAO virtual manual background

eh? eh?! the balls of Suzume?? 🙇

two parts past and i feel duped?? isn't today suppose to be the emotional wreck episode?

Galloping that one sec of himerita THANK YOU SAs

Eh 竟然喺呢個地方收第8集嘅伏筆？

iya shugoddom security is VERY worrying

almost zenkai brain moment there

ahh Gira doing the glasses adjust in suit

AHHHHH this part really is magical girl haha

oh my himerita stop being cute! (rita speaks first this time!)

new song!

sasuka man who overthrew his queen

hurts hurts… To think Gira's entire view on leadership/sense of justice is taught to him by Racles, what was once* Racles's dream + recall to ep1

nanka anticlimatic...

Racles's exit here... "Hero" coming back to an empty court is a powerful imagery but, 1) that makes him looks like a comic villain bad at his job 2) the emotional wave hasn't quite carried him/his defeat to that point?

The audicence should've sympathised with his actions/motive for the empty court imagery to mean something. Besides fan filter, just by the script of this ep, I don't think it has achieved that, let's hope i can process this better with subs

Gira's voice when he says "I am going to be the King of Shugoddom" is neither his theatric voic or usual voice, but deep like Racles huh

not to say this episode isn't interesting but definitely not the level all Tools were howling for a week? Speaking harshly, you could even say it's a bait and switch with the Toufu siblings instead of the Hustys? (someone said on twitter it'd be a Kagu episode too i think that's only yesterday? friday?)

um, yeah i'm glad they are a proper sentai next week but it feels like an afterthought? Else it's almost like it's NOT the time for this (but when is hoho). Shouldn't the Husty brothers' personal drama be wrapped up first? Before you guys go all sentai procedural about forming a team? Today and next week put together can't help feeling a little rushed toy ad.

Not that I'm asking for a remake of 17's scale but at least the tragic impact should be throughout instead of the flashback crumbs? I know there's my expectation involved but just in general direction i was expecting it to rise and this episode feels like a hard brake.

↓ Racles is totally gonna become comic relief darou

↓ himerita next week too thank you toei and takamina-san

[tsuki-sennin]

"The traitor known as Gira Hastie has fallen against the righteous King Racules in trial by combat." That's what the pages of your history books may tell you. In reality, Gira managed to scrape past the sawtoothed mandibles of death thanks to the four monarchs' plan. With the timely appearance of God Hopper and the conflicting machinations of Racles, Kaguragi, and the Bognaarok all wheeling on in the background, what strange trick of fate binds them today?

Well, only one way to find out, eh? Spoilers, I guess...

This is a bit of a quick one, I've got things to do in a little bit.

-These freakin' people

-Kogane-san :(

-"Find my brother's body. I get dibs on all of his jewelry."

-You dead, boy.

-See, Yanma got through to you!

-"Ohhhhh, did the boy lose his bluster? :3"

-"Did he... miss on purpose? Hehe.... Hahahhaha! How WONDERFUL~! Now's the perfect chance... the King of Evil has become a wicked revenant!"

-HOLY SHIT RITA JHLKHGH

-God Hopper! The most important of all these divine insects for... obvious reasons.

-"Ooooooh, it's gonna be messy~!"

-Awwww, have nostalgia for your beloved planet Dezzy?

-"We must unite!"

-"WEEEGH!"

-"See, Rita agrees with me~!"

-Aaaaaaaaaand we already lost.

-Everybody wants Gira! And to that I say "Get in line!"

Rita: "...by the way, Morphonia, do you need anything from the grocery store on my way back?" Morphonia: "BUG SPRAAAAAAY!"

-Everybody loves Gira!

-Shiokara's devotion to Yanma is quite adorable.

-KUROKO SPEAKS

-Ironic that Kaguragi's guy is the most direct with Gira about the situation.

-Hoooo, hot damn. Himeno's forever on her hot girl shit. Really Sebastian, that's all you needed to convince me, but

-"...okay, never mind. :<"

-I love the cyberpunk costumes

-Are those

-Mini Sanagim

-Haxxor Battles, always a good time.

-"t's yooooou!"

-Keet?

-D-Douga????

-"My son should be more like you" WOW OKAY

-Fuck that, Toufu then!

-Uwasa?

-Have you heard? Has anyone told you? The Rumor of King Racles~!

-There he is. King-Ohger.

-"Sheesh... can never breathe around that jerk... Must be his cologne."

-Rounding out the invasion is the Bee King's domain.

-Oh he flippin'

-He's eating the dirt.

-Asakura Moment.

-O-hiiiiii~!

-The boys are fightingggggg

-"Okay, I'm just... gonna go, goodbye!"

-Morphonia Jumpscare.

-"Rita told me to take you home~! You're going to die in prison, Bug Boy."

-Man in the Iron Mask Moment.

-That's how that movie went, right? I haven't seen it in a while, so

-Less of a Soundwave and more of a Starscream.

-"My tyranny tells me you're all scrubs!"

-Awwwww :(

-Gotta let those kids shine on their own eventually.

-Morphonia, you're quite the lady of little questions.

-"Pwease take your sword back, Gira-kuuuuuun :<<<<"

-God Hopper!

-"Dude, chill! Your beloved Sasorinne?"

-Ohhhhhhh

-They cucked him.

-"Stop pussyfooting around it and tell her!"

-We did it!

-...Morphonia's glasses...

-"...okay."

-...Clearly the correct answer here is a threesome.

-OHHHHHHH

-They down!

-Oh, everybody's own!

-Getting sucked into ground.

-Oh good morning, Kaguragi. We're fucked.

-Gira and Desnarak meet for the first time.

-The equality of getting chomped!

-Oh finally, we're becoming a proper team!

-Hell yeah~!

[takomenchi]

Thoughts on King Ohger Episode 45

I think this is my least favorite episode out of the ones that have come out so far

Highlights:

Character building for Suzume and Morphonia

Hastie bro moments are always great (I just wish we had more of them) I think on a rewatch it will feel weird that they don’t seem to be that interested in making up for lost time considering how they spent most of their lives apart and actively fighting each other.

Low points:

The baby subplot was so weird and difficult to watch. The actors did their best with what they were given but yeah I agree with the sentiment that someone in the writer’s room has a fetish.

I feel like Suzume’s plotline could have been handled better in that there should have been more scenes with her and Kaguragi since in present day, it is more his inability to let her go than it is her inability to build her own life that is the issue.

I feel like there was a better way to explore the need for the kings to have successors than pushing most of them to side and creating an episode that ultimately doesn’t add to the climax they are building towards with the Galactisects.

Side note: Racules is being very mentor-ish to the Ohsama Sentai which has been shown throughout all of the post-reveal episodes and it really suits him.

[sonia-kate]

Speculations and theories after 16th episode of King-Ohger

A new episode and a new theory! Or rather expanding on previous ones. Or even more accurately, in my case, adding new ingredients to the soup of ideas and speculations

So in the latest episode of King-Ohger (16th) we learned that the culprit behind the Wrath of Gods was actually identified and they are being held captive by the previous Supreme Judge (or whatever Rita's title is). The whole thing involved the Queen to fake her death and guard the cultprit for 15 years, while her husband takes the blame for killing her and spends said 15 years in prison and they leave the responsibility of ruling Gokkan to a 10-year-old Rita. They went with all those measures, because apparently, the crime committed cannot be judged by law (or sth like that). Well, causing a world-wide disaster and slaughtering lots of people seems like something that would easily get you a life sentence or even a death penalty, without going through all of that trouble, which means that this case can't possibly be that simple. Not only the guilt can't be clearly stated, but also, the case itself requires secrecy

Now, we've been given various glipses of information about the Wrath of Gods throughout the episodes, but during narration Jerami mentioned some interesting detail. He said that after the fated event, all the countries became dependant on Shugoddom. Now that we think about what we've got so far, it all makes sense. Rita and Himeno were just little children, N'kosopa was just a ruin at the time, used as a scrap heap of Shugoddom (as Yanma said). Meanwhile, Racules would be around 16 years old at the time and prepared to rule all his life, so it feels natural that he would take the lead in the world after the Wrath. The only exception being Kaguragi and Toufu. Kaguragi was in similar age as Racules and since he managed to lead a rebellion against the previous ruler, he clearly has leadership skills. But then, what is the very next thing that happens between Toufu and Shugoddom? Kaguragi secures help for Toufu in form of Demi-Shugods from Shugoddom in exchange for his own sister! Now, the only ruler that could potentially rival with Racules has become his puppet! Seems a little too convenient, doesn't it?

Let's go back to Shugoddom for a moment. So far, other kingdoms had rather clear themes. N'kosopa creates technology, Ishabana's domain are medicine and art, Toufu is all about agriculture and providing food and Gokkan is essentially an international prison colony, but Shugoddom was quite puzzling for the fanbase as to what does it do exactly? Sure, we've known it's the first kingdom or that it's aesthetic theme are gears and so on, but until recently we couldn't exactly figure out what could they provide to the other kingdoms. Now we know that Shugoddom's primary export goods are their Demi-shugods, like the snails and spiders traded for Suzume, those flying little TVs or pillbug taxi. This brings us back to the Wrath of the Gods, as Himeno mentioned that Shugoddom didn't send their demi-shugods to help them. And, of course, there is that gigantic swarm of cicadas

One can already see where this is going. Yes, indeed. I suspect that King Red killed with poison in Ishabana! (They're all even colour coded, anyway...) Previous king of Shugoddom and Gira and Racules' father, despite not showing up in the show so far at all nor being discussed by the characters, already has his name - Corsus Hastie - revealed back from the times when the show was just starting. Now that we know that not all previous kings are dead and could show up in the show, this could point to the relevance of the character to the story.

Before we'll go to his potential motives of let's go through means. As we know, Shugoddom produces demishugods, so if anyone could produce the swarm of cicadas, someone important in Shugoddom would be the best bet (unless it's some ancient army that layed dormant for years or sth). But he'd also need GodScorpion's venom. As we know, Sasorine's soul was in Gokkan, but the Shugod itself was called by Gira in Shugoddom. In episode 13 or so, Himeno wants Gira to communicate with Scopi, but he's unable to reach it in Ishabana, and he only hears the Greater Shugods underneath Shugoddom. This suggests that GodScorpion has been lying underneath Shugoddom the whole time and if so, even without the soul, King Corsus didn't have very far from the Shugod if he wanted to gather the venom for his purposes. The problematic would be actually going underground and knowing that GodScorpion is there in the first place. That's where the Bugnarok comes in! We saw them store the Greater Guardian Deities at their HQ and Gira sensing them under Shugoddom. Also, when Jerami emerges out of Bugnarok hiding place, he makes his first appearance in Shugoddom. This suggests that Bugnarok's main base lies right under Shugoddom (unless they have more than one and/or network of tunnels leading to every kingdom, but at least them sitting under Shugoddom is confirmed). That makes any potential cooperation between Shugoddom and Bugnarok far more convenient

But if he really was the one behind the Wrath of Gods, what would his reasons be? Of course, he could have simply wanted to seize the other kingdoms, but if his motive was simply conquest, then his conviction would be rather simple as well, wouldn't it? Unless the reason would be sth like not wanting for a conflict to break out between the kingdoms, but that's rather doubtful, imo. Far more probable, imo, would be if he had some good intentions behind his actions, but it still wouldn't justify, even slightly, what he bought upon the world, because whatever he was aiming at, sacrificing some people to make it better for others is completely unjust, as the other group could have lived just fine as they were and thus the improvement would have been just a whim and not a necessity. But what if it was? What if he sacrificed one group of people to save another one? Here we'd have a typical trolley problem

If, let's say, Bugnarok managed to plant giant cacoons (like the ones in episode 10) under every major city of Shugoddom and threaten to blow them up, destroying the whole kingdom? For example, of course. We already know that Bugnarok waited 2000 years not because they were dormant or anything like that, but because they were following Jerami's prophecy. Nothing prevents them from preparing for the foretold year. As we know, their hideout is right under Shugoddom so they could have prepared it without a problem and going to the King to blackmail him would be just a short trip as well. Add to that any of the variants of "Bugnarok meddles within Shugoddom court" theories and the king would find himself backed into a corner

Now, I don't know how would they possibly solve a threat like this in the show nor why wouldn't Bugnarok just do it with all of the kingdoms, but regardless of what the threat is exactly, it can't be really judged in an indisputable matter. As a king of Shugoddom, his duty would require him to save his people, even if it means dirtying his hands, as Kaguragi would say. On the other hand, he killed many other people to achieve that and it can't just go unpunished. What's more, revealing the threat will not only cause a mass panic among the population and may provoke the Bugnarok to fullfill the threat. Even if they don't if the king returns, they might just force him to do another horrible thing

With the king gone, the judgement remains unresolved and Bugnarok is left with no one to further blackmail. Well, except Racules who would become the new king. The question is, why wouldn't they blackmail him back at the time? Ah, yes, the prophecy that foretold Bugnarok's return 15 later. But then, why would Corsus have to disappear? Or maybe the disappearance wasn't something he planned, but was caught by the Gokkan crew? That being said, Racules being left with the country to govern, surrounded by Bugnarok spies would be hard enough, so having to also take care of his younger brother who could be used as another way to blackmail him would be exhausting

Here into play comes Gira's kidnapping. The reason why his very existance was erased, being that the information of his kidnapping would bring dishonour to the royal family always sounded like a bullshit excuse. If the situation described above would take place, though, Gira disappearing from the castle would not only ensure Gira's safety and lighten Racules' burden, it would leave Racules as the only remaining member of the royal family that would be available to Bugnarok. If Bugnarok tried to put a usurper on the throne, they wouldn't have as much support or devotion from the population like the rightful heir to the throne. What's more, power shift could raise people's suspicions and have them speculate on the reasons behind the power shift, risking Bugnarok to be revealed 15 years prematurely. To the equation we should add OhgerCalibur ZERO and King-Ohger ZERO. Those can only be used by someone with the genes of a Hastie family. Racules being the last of his family would make him untouchable to Bugnarok, if they want to make use of KingOhger ZERO

Bugnarok's involvement in Wrath of Gods is rather clear when we see Kamejim being dead-set on eliminating Shiron as soon as he left the prison. Shiron knows far too much and thus should be eliminated. If even he knows as little as who the culprit was, if it truly was Corsus Hastie, it would point everyone towards Shugoddom and could expose Bugnarok's machinations within the kingdom. Then why wouldn't Bugnarok kill him earlier, throughout those 15 years? Could be that they didn't want to draw attention to him, but if he spilled the beans they would be exposed and wouldn't be able to stop him on time. I guess it is possible that prison in Gokkan is just too well-secured to get in there. Sure, we saw Bugnarok break into the castle in episode 5, but it's possible that the cells are extra durant, as to prevent prisoners from digging their way out, and this way making it impossible for Bugnarok to reach

Why bring this up now? Well, if we remember the duel between Hastie brothers, Racules' demand regarding Gira's defeat was for him to be locked up in Gokkan. What's more, Racules thanked Kaguragi for his cooperation with capturing Gira, because if the matter didn't have international nature, Rita wouldn't take care of it. One could question whether Kaguragi was supposed to bring Gira back to Racules and decided to hand him over to Rita on his own accord, but Racules' reaction and the fact that Rita is seen investigating the case even before Gira was finally captured by Kaguragi suggests otherwise. If Shiron remained safely in his cell throughout 15 years, this suggests that so would Gira, yet not only Rita refused to put Gira into a safe cell in Gokkan, she also revealed to everyone Gira's identity as Racules' younger brother, putting both of them in even greater danger than before. No wonder that usually calm Racules lost his cool at that very moment

There are other things about Racules and Shugoddom that are yet to be covered. For example, his alliance with Bugnarok. If Bugnarok infiltrated Shugoddom, why make such a fuss about it? First of all, it's very possible that the infiltrating operation was Kamejim's doing and the meeting was supposed to have Desnarak involved. Another thing would be, that right now Racules' cooperation with Bugnarok is clear to everyone and no one is very surprised because they know that the peace negotiations took place. If they hadn't happen, it could make everyone question how did Shugoddom even manage to contact Bugnarok let alone to convince them to join forces. What's more, in current situation, it's very easy to shift the blame for the invasion on Jerami. After all, it's his silly idea of getting humans and Bugnarok to coexist that led to the disaster, didn't it? And he was the one who introduced Racules and Desnarak to each other! Because, of course, there is no evidence that the two had ever interacted between that very moment, isn't it?

Another yet unsolved mystery of Shugoddom and the Hastie family is GodKuwagata, it remaining dormant for years and Gira waking it up as well as Gira's ability to talk to Shugods. First of all, since we know that Shugoddom is filled with demishugods, can Gira talk to them too, can he only talk to guardian deities or maybe he'd be able to but the demi-shugods just don't talk much? Another thing is, since Shogoddom is literally State of Shugods (Shugod; -dom), could it be possible that whole Hastie family has that ability? After all, Racules still remains an enigma and he keeps his cards hidden, given above specultions, even from his closest coworkers. Maybe the ability to talk to shugods is related to the very same part of their genes that provides them with the red marks on their right temple and allows them to operate KingOhger ZERO?

But back to Kuwagon. When Gira manages to awaken it, Racules reacts by saying that it's impossible. He isn't shown to be accompanied by anyone, so we can assume that wasn't part of his act to keep Gira's identity hidden. This, together with the fact that GodKuwagata has been dormant for many years, suggests that Racules was genuinely surprised and didn't have an idea of what has happened. Again, if the theory above would turn out to be correct, it would mean that Racules has known about Bugnarok in Shogoddom's royal court, about Wrath of the Gods and circumstances of Gira's kidnapping. He's always seemed like he knows much more than other kings. He also seemed to recognize Jerami when he first appeared and Jerami's mention of history before the Great War seemed to mapke him realise something, but awakaning of Kuwagon seemed to be a surprise even for him. Again, Bugnarok weren't dormant themselves, they only waited 2000 years to reemerge because of Jerami's prophecy and thus they were able to still act and make their moves and preparations during that time. Imo, it's not impossible that the Bugnarok moles have been residing in Shugoddom for centuries. Maybe they were even the ones behind God Kuwagata going dormant or the fact that it's the only Guardian Deity without its soul being located within its cockpit

Another thing to speculate on is Suzume, she's been in Caucasus Kabuto Castle for 15 years already. I'm very curious on what did she learn over that time and what her relationship with Racules really is. Could she be in on the whole thing as well? Maybe they somehow cooperate together under Bugnarok's noses? It's worthto mention, that it's most likely thanks to her why Kaguragi decided to surrender Toufu to Racules and seeing what is about to happen in N'kosopa next week, I wouldn't be surprised if it was deliberate action to spare Toufu the same fate

What comes to mind are also flashbacks of Racules and Yanma working together in the past, contrasted with Yanma being now the one who opposes Racules the most. Coincidentally, he is the one that wasn't appointed as the ruler right after the events of the Wrath of Gods and he is the one who broke off from under Racules' leadership over the Quintet Alliance. Could Racules have done something to set Yanma against him? I mean, he sure had to, but did he do it on purpose? After all, (again, according to speculations above) the Wrath of Gods was specifically engineered to have all the other kingdoms to fall under Shogoddom's influence, that was by now in Bugnarok's grip. We remember how easy it was for Kaguragi to manipulate others in episode 4 as long as he ticked the correct boxes. Yanma and his drive to always emerge on top, as well as circumstances of his raise to power would make him the perfect target to sabotage the Alliance, if such necessity would occure. And if Alliance being led by Racules was orchestrated by the Bugnarok themselves, then it makes it quite possible that Racules purposefully discouraged Yanma towards himself, to sabotage Bugnarok's efforts. (Or maybe Yanma is on it as well? Though I doubt it)

That being said, I love all the little pieces we've been getting throughout the show and how such a complex intrigue is forming right in front of our eyes! I can't wait to see next episode and to finally see Racules back in action and working with Bugnarok, nonetheless. Many people already pointed out that Racules' evil mannerism from the preview resemble Gira's. Of course, that brings back suspicion that the two brothers used to play the exact same way as Gira did with kids in the orphanage, just with Racules playing the role of the Evil King, instead. I can't wait for more to be revealed and to see how the events unfold and what will the upcoming episodes bring to the table

Summary (speculations, not confirmed, major points)

Bugnarok has infiltrated Shugoddam's royal court over 15 years ago

Corsus Hastie, previous king of Shugoddom and Racules and Gira's father, is the culprit behind events of the Wrath of the Gods

He was forced to do so by the Bugnarok that infiltrated his kingdom and that's why judging his crime is such a difficult matter

Gira was taken from the royal court and erased from records for his own safety

Racules is in on everything: Bugnarok infiltrators, Wrath of the Gods etc.

Racules tried to imprison Gira in Gokkan to keep him safe like Shiron

Racules is forced to cooperate with Bugnark just like his father was

[t-u-i-t-c]

Top 5 Toku dramas!

this is a tough one, i've seen over 40 toku series and it's pretty hard to compare things and narrow it down. i'm also aware that some things i am very into aren't everyone's cup of tea as we value different parts of toku. for example, i don't care that much about mecha, but i do care about characters and details. i care about it feeling like the people on the show care. that being said, let me give you 5 toku series that changed my brain chemistry in no particular order with some brief notes.

(these are not my top 5 overall bc i'm indecisive, just 5 that had an impact off the top of my head.)

put "top 5 (anything)" in my inbox and i'll give you an answer

ohsama sentai king-ohger

the third sentai i watched while airing, but only the second from beginning to end

it's one of my favorite sentai, if not my favorite

has one of my favorite characters of all time, racules husty, and jeramie brasieri is not far behind

interesting lore that is pretty consistent and fleshed out

interesting conversations about grief, loyalty, guilt, and power

bug-themed

fashion icons hymeno ran and yanma gast are present

satisfying conclusion and fun crossovers

gender neutral representation

kamen rider saber

gorgeous suit designs

kento and touma are present and are a perfect example of loyalty and devotion - so much love that you can feel it in the air

dad swordsman who loves his young son and his son is also doted on by the guild

interesting discussions about trauma, existentialism, guilt, betrayal, and love

mei, girl of all time, is present and is the backbone of the guild even though she's not a swordsman herself

storious is there, which is all he has to do for me - also megid ot3

guy who fused with his sword and who's very interested in comics and mundane things, and is quick to call other swordsmen out

whatever desast and ren had going on

touma is one of the riders ever, he cares so much and wants to save everyone he possibly can and grasps onto hope with every ounce of strength he has

touma's entire wardrobe is iconic

trio of deep sin = cinematic masterpiece

gosei sentai dairanger

i'll never be over it, i'll never forget the ending and i'll never not feel something when i think about it

incredible episode in which red takes in the enemy and nurses him back to health - he even tucks him in

the iconic duo of kazu and shoji who stare at each other longingly and have really sweet moments

guy who is a turtle

the music>>>>

heated drama between women

the team genuinely feels so bonded like no matter where they go they'll always end up back together

the ending? an experience in and of itself

talks about cycles of violence and hope and the balance of good and evil

note: it's quite dated and has moments that may make one uncomfortable - sexual harassment mainly

kishiryu sentai ryusoulger

(i can't not talk about this one as i have a particular fascination with it)

canalo is in it and he's one of my favorite guys of all time - just a very lovely guy

i'm actually very into the mecha in this series and how they are used to show souls being bonded

koh is one of my favorite reds, he never looks down on fellow ryusoulgers and insists that there's no leader amongst them

lots of interesting lore that i've been taking a lot of notes on, some is explained and some is not but it fascinates me

tyramigo - a kishiryu that koh shrinks and who learned to speak from watching tv

the ending dance is so fun and cute, every time i see someone from the cast doing it they look like they're having the time of their lives

wyzul <3

asuna has great physical strength for some reason, it seems to be an oddity, and while she's a bit embarrassed about it in the beginning (it's not explained why but one could think she feels out of place being the only one with this ability) she prides herself in being strong later when protecting children and that always stuck with me

i think that it does some interesting things with the bonds between the ryusoulgers and discussing trust, strength, resolve, and care

dinosaurs

kamen rider build

banjo and sento best match - so much trust and belief in one another

discussions of grief, guilt, compliance, sins of the past, forgiveness, and war

stunning suits

evolt is a character that i very much enjoy watching in any form

lots of twists and turns done well with the help of foreshadowing

banjo wears shirts that say things

sento is one of my favorite main riders, and i would explain why but i don't want to spoil anything here

banjo is my favorite secondary so far too

the movies are very good and i love them

bonus series: kamen rider geats & tensou sentai goseiger

are these all perfect? no, a few have some very obvious flaws and holes and others are just not everyone's cup of tea but they did have a great impact on me. i don't particularly recommend anything as tastes differ but i think value can be found in all of these in one way or another.

[mofffun]

Takamina Space 24.02.09

list of topics + timestamps

(just content list need to orgainze my notes)

He started by reading fans' comments and after the 1 hour mark it's more him just going off on what he thinks the job of a screenwriter is in relation to a yearly kid-oriented toku. All around interesting stuff. Lore-wise, answered Sayonara Moffun, Glodi's origin and how he decide to contrast Morf and Suzume. The character creating order part he mentioned before in the Ch2 start roundtable with KMH and Giramie.

05:58 record-breaking number of fans coming in as extras, high-five on the finale set at Kamihori's order

07:58 Q: Jeramie's facial expression change at ep46

09:10 Q: ep3 Hime signature line

10:48 Q: drawn in because of Gira's scene ep1, no him no kingoh

11:32 Q: love Goroge's silence wheng Bugnarok forms their nation ep26

12:15* Q: love that characters of every age, gender and race has a moment to shine

14:42 Q: thought Himeno was selfish but saw her defend kogane, like her from there ep1

15:30 Q: review from ep1, all of Racules's expressions and lines now have different meaning

A: Yeah, right! I was the only one that get to say "Amazing! Yano-san!" for a long time…

15:56* any clues you prepped but can't use?

17:26 op song is difficult for kids to sing along

18:53 hime gira scene ep46

22:40* TKM not involved in g-ro so he enjoy "ko not written by me"

24:54* sayonara moffun

26:52* difficult vocab/"Living is hell" line - only possible because it's movie not for tv, not sth you drink down with dinner

27:58 love pollinator combi -> 29:00 build chara order, who's who's contrast

30:25* Glodi origin

34:40* what do you think of ep28?

36:08* how do you come up with action scenes?

38:21 Q: I made friends because of KO!

A: the power of television providing a common conversation topic for ppl

40:25* creating Yanma

42:20 Why did the crown lance change to chikuwa by Goma? (It looks like one)

42:50 Bug soldier

44:10** on (not)resolving Rita's undisclosed gender.

44:40** Suzume & Moru

48:33 the subtext of D8's akarui line/writing process

54:11 Who is easy/difficult to write (lit. make them move)?

56:55 Did you mark in script when a clue will be retrieved?

1:00:58 Did you decide how Gira will call his brother from the start?

1:02:51 How do you fulfill bandai's ad target?

1:03:35 What it means to be a screewriter

1:05:20 "I can do the Kingoh dance. I did it at CEYS."

1:05:40 on widening target audience

1:07:07 CG use

1:09:45 shows made for kids vs made for adults

1:14:10 the position of "screenplay" in a production

[meandmyechoes]

Kingohger ep33

i'm so normal in case Racules shows up in today's preview. so normal

i'm also so normal about this episode too. just a casual outfit dance. cool untransformed action. cool robot. rita-sama manspreading. with that cute red bruise on their forehead. completely normal.

OOOOOH NO OP this is gonna be good (they're saving it for the ED!!)

crying children… so classic toku…

oh no…not the ep21 gag coming back to punch my tearducts 😭

okay don't be that obvious by cueing Suzume 😅

phew glad we got the cute rita interaction out of the way first

this is so. not. Kingohger (neutral)

:D Erica showing off her piano

eh Earth Yanma Gira bickering looks even more like normal BL

plot is everything expected

absolutely giving the shiono fans everything they want (cool action, calm mentor, whump)

"amy-san is important to me" please don't be their son please don't be their son

"Nice to meet you, I am the evil king" 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂❤️❤️

SUUUUUUZUUUUUUUMEEEEEEEEEE MY QUEEEEEEEEEEEN

sorry there's no way either Ian or Himeno is straight

Jeramie spinning with his mantle flying like a magical girl 💕💕💕

"My lady? I am my own" SLAY HIMENO-SAMA

*30-second heart attack from Rita-sama's "Back down. I will protect you"

Since when Watanabe Aoto became the fanservice guy??? (right from the beginning)

Uh. Congratulations I guess. Love wins. Jeramie will be very happy to officiate another suit-human wedding.

(later: *checks PN* ohhh so I didn't mis-recgonized. Nossan's sister was someone familiar (Deka Yellow))

What 😂😂. What are you guys doing why are you roll calling 😂😂😂😂 so unlike them but

好型呀呀呀呀呀呀呀呀 我嘅戰隊魂呀呀!!!!!!!!!

Hachisuka-san's split?!!?!?!!!!!!!!

gee Rita how come you get all the girls?

"Kiryu Daigorou" *sigh* that's a cute blue black moment i guess better luck finding parents with a better naming sense next time

Thank god he didn't follow them home

get out of my way end credits

"Shugo Kamen" (Masked Guardian🤔): my longest yeah boy ever

I have not used my brain ONCE this episode and I am satisfied

p.s. preview: this is the fourth time you've recreated ep1 kings' march (good keep it coming)

[mofffun]

Hi! I have a difficult time reaching out to people and, when I do, I feel the urge to disappear and then just delete my account. I don't know why I can't handle talking to people but I thought I would just send this anonymously since that is the case

You always seem so lovely and kind and it's really fun seeing someone so involved in toku! I don't enjoy twitter very much... so I don't see people going to the live shows or anything like that. Reading through your days when you went to see the Kingohgera was so amazing, I felt like I was there!! I won't ever be able to travel there, so it's wonderful reading other people's experiences.

I really, really appreciate your translations and I enjoy reading your theories/general opinions! I wish I could be as open with my thoughts as you are here. I hope that you are having a good day, and I wish you all the best in life! Moffun hugs! 🤗

[This ended up a bit long😅]

Your message is so warm 🥺 thank you for taking the time to write this! I can understand the uneasiness of expressing oneself so thank you and good job for taking the step to reach out! It's okay, just do what you're comfortable with.

I'm glad you enjoy my babblings :D I love toku and I LOVE the Kingohgers. I love the familiarity of toku (sentai in particular) and you can just always count on it to feel like a child again. The sense of community. The creators paying homage but always aiming to refresh this genre with a long history. I just want more people to know how wonderful this show and the cast is! After 3 years of Ups, there may not be a sentai for me to be this invested in ever again. Besides, there's only NOW we have them with us! 😭

I can't believe my words have that power🥹 just know that i went partly wishing to be a "reporter" for my buds here. I wish I had written down more but I was way too tired and only had some voice notes and more photos to organise. I really should dust off those drafts. Or at least make a group chat/discord (next time 😏)

One day, one day you'll get there! I never imagined myself being there on my first toku trip either. It was surreal to visit the locations from TV and watch the locals just go by what we fans consider holy ground. and I only get to go from being in the right place at the right time. very spur of the moment but grateful 🙏

I'm too tumblr-old for twitter too so I'm staying in my comfort zone 😅. I also feel a duty because the english fanbase seem to be on the short end with bonus content or cast news that I thought was standard for a fandom this size or necessary context/fun bts (for example Racules *cough cough*) It's great practice to do translation too.

I had my doubts sharing my toku thoughts here at first, so I made this sideblog to balance things out. And it was SO freeing that I got to choose how much I'm comfortable to share.

Above all, I'm really happy toku tumblr is so tight-knit and I've made a lot of first steps because of kingoh this year. It was there for me during a rough time as well. I'm not leaving regrets in order to spend an excellent year with it.

So take your time, if you're being earnest with your passion, I think you'll be gladly accepted! As the great Carrie Fisher said, Stay afraid but do it anyway. Take a page from Himeno and shape the future the way you want! This is what Erica wished to convey with Himeno and the experience made her more assertive too. The power of Heroes™ 🥹

Have a good day! 🫶 Moffun hugs ⊂(・人・)⊃🤗

[sonia-kate]

Racules in episode 18 and further (theories, speculations & wishful thinking)

Week 18: Still trying to crack Racules, his masks, facades, plans and charades (if they really are there, unless they're just illusions to confuse everyone more). We've been through this, let's skip the entry (also, if it ends up too long fewer people will feel like reading it, so I'll try to make it shorter (EDIT: ok, didn't really work out)

We've seen this particular statement to hold true, not only during this episode, but throughout the whole show. Not only does Racules reveal far too much to Kaguragi, he also lets him slip away with multiple blunders. This makes me think that this is a result of either Kaguragi's charm actually working on Racules (and thus would mean that rumours of Kaguracules' death were greatly exaggerated) or Racules gives this information to Kaguragi on purpose as a part of some greater scheme of his. Or both

Now, if it's the case of Kaguracules being at work here, then the situation is quite simple, so let's delve into 5D chess variant instead

First of all, what would he achieve by that? Well, let's assume for now that everything went just according to the keikaku and he got desired result. Gira got the Crown Power-Up, he got beaten, Bugnarok revealed themselves and took over Shugoddom from the inside

Of course, it's most likely that Bugnarok wouldn't be able to take over so swiftly if they hadn't been preparing for this for quite some time and the treaty between Racules and Desnarak seems quite too recent. Thus, while it's not completely sure that any variant of Bugnarok has infiltrated Shugoddom theory is true, it's still a very likely option and it just fits so well

Now, if the result was what Racules had aimed for, then he must have known about the impostors within his kingdom and even the court itself (looking at Boshimar specifically). Racules is powerful, has King-Ohger ZERO and the Founder Crown, but still, being stuck in the Hornets' Nest all alone for 15 years? It's not very likely he would be able to take the court back all by himself and asking for help is out of question - all the infiltrators would automatically know that Racules knows and they'd have to rush to silence him as not to endanger their plans. As long as Racules is oblivious, he poses no threat to them and they can act hiding behind his authority. Revealing that he knows, would mean that he and the infiltrators would instantly jump to each others' throats and he'd need to win it all right that moment (while being completely outnumbered and surrounded - very risky) or else him losing would leave the throne empty, making it easier to take for the enemy

Racules' deal with Bugnarok being a public knowledge would make Bugnarok's takeover less suspicious, preventing people from figuring out that the plans have been in motion for more than 15 years. I believe that this, together with Racules' defeat and him losing the crown would make for an opportunity to finally take over Shugoddom, as they wouldn't face resistance from powered down Racules and their presence in Shugoddom's court would be attributed to Racules getting them there himself rather than them having been lurking in the shadows for years (thus, in case something goes wrong and Shugoddom is taken back, the espionage they established there would be able to still operate as it wouldn't have been compromised)

But was Racules really all alone, in the Hornets' Nest for 15 years? Well, there's one more hornet in the castle, being Suzume Dybowski. If everyone else in the castle is indeed a Bugnarok spy, she would be the only human living there aside of Racules. Now, with episode 18, we know that Kaguragi and his kuroko can do stealth mode and Suzume's outfit is the exact same as Kaguragi's. I can certainly see her going around the castle in the disguise, spying. Now, the question is, whether Racules was in on it or not. It's possible that Suzume was just spying in Caucasus Kabuto Castle for Toufu, but it's also possible that she was spying for Racules as well!

If we go with Shugoddom being infiltrated by Bugnarok route, Racules, as the only human in the castle, would be under constant watch. Meanwhile, Suzume was considered always locked up, so no one would suspect that, de facto, a political prisoner would be working for the king to spy within his own castle, especially if they had no idea that Racules knew about their presence. What's more, Shugoddom in Bugnarok hands would put whole world in danger as which means that helping Racules on that one would be in line with Suzume's goal of protecting Toufu

Now, in episode 18, Suzume was able to give Kaguragi a hint about the lance, she brought his eyesight to the lower level, the level that the button was on, and waving her feet brought attention to the podest of the throne. Now, she could have figured it out by strolling around the castle in the disguise mode, or she could have been told so by Racules himself. By revealing this information, she allowed Kaguragi to take the lance and the crown from Racules, which resulted in Bugnarok finally revealing themselves and taking over Shugoddom. Now, not only is the threat visible to all of the other kings, they also have means to actually fight it back, like the recent addition of the crown for example

Basically, if all of this went according to Racules' plan, he just got himself all of the kings to do a desinsection of his kingdom

Besides, he seems to be enjoying himself too much on the promo picture

It's literally the same face! XD I feel like this is the moment where Racules reveals (part of) his game and can't contain his amusement when everyone else gets so mad at him XD

But even if it all was just part of the plan, he still almost killed Yanma, did some warmongering and most likely committerd several war crimes, so he's not getting away easily (and, of course, we need to somehow put Gira on the throne). So, all of that, plus the fact that he most likely knows something about Wrath of Gods, as well as what happened 2000 years ago and other stuff. I'm still suspecting Corsus Hastie, Racules and Gira's father, to be behind the Wrath and that he collaborated with the Bugnarok (and that's why they're in the castle. More on that theory here), so it would make sense if Racules knew about this or maybe even be the one who ratted him out to the queen of Gokkan. Racules could have lived in the castle among Bugnarok impostors for 15 because they thought he knew nothing of their presence and because he could have been useful, but since now his knowledge would be revealed and Bugnarok would know that Racules actively opposed them so he would become a prime target to eliminate for them. But we already had one person presumed to know too much to be left alive but Bugnarok couldn't reach him. That's right, Shiron! This man managed to remain safely in his cell in Gokkan despite being on Kamejim's radar for all those years (even if in the end it turned out he didn't know anything)

We know that 3rd part of Racules special is going to be released after 20th episode so I think it's safe to say that Racules won't meet his doom in 19th. I think that after the current arc ends in (presumably?) episode 20th, Racules would be locked up in Gokkan, both for his crimes and to keep him safe and because Shugoddom can't remain without a leader, Gira will step in to take care of it. Now, the question rises, whether Racules will ever return to his possition or is Gira there to stay? As much as I'd like to have Racules return to being a king, Gira is still the main character (despite whatever Jerami says) so it would make sense if he remained a king from now on. But it could also be interesting to show if Gira was to willingly give up the power, because he doesn't need it to help the kingdom or because he realised that Racules is better suited for the job and it's no shame if it's for the well-being of the kingdom or sth like that

But before we start thinking of the finale of the whole series, let's see first how this arc resolves. I imagine that Racules ends up somewhat like Hannibal Lecter, with other kings (probably mostly Gira) showing up at his cell to ask for advise or information. I also imagine that as a king Racules knows Gokkan's laws much better than any of the other prisoners and I'm sure he's going to use loopholes to his favour XD Hell, even without it, no duties of the king, no worrying about one's life from being surrounded by Bugnarok spies, no need to put up a front anymore, I feel like he's going to feel like on holidays over there XD (please, don't kill him)