The destroyers of dreams: OOO 33 – 36
Aug. 29th, 2015 03:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akinoameFriendship, Out of Control, Left-Behind Belt (Mouri/Ishida): That Ptera Yummy Maki created at the end of last episode is attacking, and based off Dino Charge's hints, Gold will either be Sir Ivan or a sentient boot, so...going to call this one "Ivan" instead of "boot." Sorry, folks. Date fights Sir Ivan, with Kazari watching as Eiji and Ankh run in. Date and Goto warn Eiji not to henshin, out of fear he'll lose control again, but Eiji tells them if that happens, stop him. Easy for you to say—you're not the one fighting you. Birth and TaToBa tag-team Sir Ivan, but he fires a sonic blast that throws them away and cancels Eiji's transformation, targeting him next. Ankh plans to use the purple Medals to take back his body, making himself more powerful than Lost Ankh. He stops Goto from saving Eiji, knowing the purple Medals will appear if he's in imminent danger. Because something has to have a self-preservation instinct in that boy. Sure enough, the Medals burst out of Eiji and defend him against Sir Ivan. Ankh tries to grab them as Eiji's consciousness slips, but he can't hold them for long, and they enter the Driver. PuToTyra makes short work of the Yummy, but then he starts to attack Date again. Goto shoots at him, drawing his attention and pissing him off, all while running toward Kazari. In a brilliant move, he ducks as PuToTyra leaps and attacks Kazari, nearly defeating him and forcing him to retreat. Exhaustion finally stops Eiji, and he collapses, unconscious. Maki watches Goto and Date fail to wake him and wonders which of the purple Medals' vessels is most worthy to end the world.
Everyone watches anxiously at home for Eiji to wake up. He finally does, in pain, and Date urges him to sleep. Goto warns him to leave the fighting to Team Birth, but Ankh reminds him that normal humans can't defeat the Greeed. He tells Eiji to get OOO back under control, but Eiji loses his temper and gets on his case about losing the Medals, thus letting him lose control. This pisses off Ankh, and they grab each other, ready to fight, with Goto and Date trying to pull Eiji back. Interesting to see how things have developed—they're so afraid of Eiji's power that now, it's him they're worried about stopping, not Ankh anymore. Hina finally breaks it up, throwing Ankh into that stack of junk he calls a nest and the others in a pile on Eiji's bed. But Chiyoko hears the chaos and runs up to check on them, only to see Hina in the rocking chair with Date, Eiji, and Goto in bed, the covers pulled up. This only makes her more suspicious, obviously, but I guess she decides not to question their kinks. Instead, she delivers an envelope someone left for Eiji, containing tickets to the Leisureland amusement park. They come from Yuichi Kitamura, who claims to be Eiji's best friend from high school. The problem is, Eiji can't remember anyone by that name.
Eiji decides to take Ankh, Hina, Goto, and Date with him to Leisureland, which is less "rides and attractions" and more of an outdoor adventure park, up in the mountains. Kitamura's waiting at a camping cabin, and when Eiji still doesn't recognize him, Kitamura teases him. He admits that he wasn't precisely Eiji's best friend, but Eiji certainly was his; he'd been a loner shut-in from the class next door, and Eiji used to lend him his notes. This spurs Eiji's memory, finally, and he does confirm they were friends. Though, seriously dude, "best friends" when Eiji's memory of you is lending you his notes is kind of a stretch. Kitamura invites everyone to eat, showing off a couple of bags of groceries. This comes as welcome news to Hina and Date, who are starving. Kitamura then shows Eiji an article about himself in a business magazine, revealing he's become the president of an online company and bought out Leisureland. As they explore the park, Hina asks what Eiji was like in high school. Again, Eiji cannot be any older than 20. The war was a year or two ago, as Goto points out. Eiji probably went on that trip right after high school, as suggested by this episode and the next. So it's like asking, "What was Eiji like two years ago?" It would probably be better if the question was put as "What was Eiji like before the war?" to get the same effect, since all of this is about what has changed in Eiji since then. But the issue is that Kitamura doesn't seem to know much about what happened to Eiji—or rather, given that it was all over the news and this guy has a big problem with giving Eiji some free space, he probably knew but didn't understand the depth of the matter. So the question can't be posed with that. Kitamura says Eiji was popular and cared about everyone, always trying to help others—the same as now. So it's no surprise that he would do all he could to help a loner like Kitamura. What saved him was Eiji's talk about his dream. Eiji goes quiet, and Hina reacts in surprise to the idea that he'd even had a dream. Kitamura asks if it's changed, and Eiji hesitantly says it has a little, but Date saves him by deciding that they need to do the field athletics, and Kitamura leaves them to it. Meanwhile, Ankh and Lost Ankh sense each other, and Kazari admits he'd prefer for Lost Ankh to absorb him as soon as possible. But he understand his caution of endangering himself with Eiji around. He tries to figure out how to separate Ankh from the group, but Lost Ankh is already gone, with his own plan.
Hina handles the athletics course with ease, while the boys flail around. But as soon as she gets ahead of them, a net drops on her, and she screams. They hear her and start looking, but all they can find is her purse. Ankh says it wasn't a Yummy, and frantic, the others split up to search for her. Kitamura watches Eiji run around in a state of panic and notes that everything is going according to plan. But when he turns around, Lost Ankh is there. He tosses a Medal at Kitamura, encasing him in an egg as a Yummy hatches. Kazari catches up and notes that Kitamura's desire is interesting, and he asks him to do exactly what he says.
Date and Ankh have to call off the search when they pick up the Yummy, Ankh sending a hawk for Eiji while Date wrestles the shit out of the Yummy. Eiji's still searching frantically while Kitamura comes up to him and offers to help, saying he knows the place better than anybody and thus would know potential places for kidnappers to keep her. He insists that he wants to help Eiji and takes his hand. Eiji, look. This guy is in love with you. He's in love with you, and he's been in love with you since high school. Seriously, "best friends" after you lent him your notes? Inspired by you talking about your dream? The guy has a massive crush on you! Why else do you think he sent you tickets to Leisureland while waiting outside the door, his palms sweaty? He was asking you out on a date, and instead of you coming to the door, the closest thing you've got to a mom right now did. And honestly, this wouldn't be a problem, except for how things are developing. Kitamura isn't just in love with Eiji—he's obsessed with him. He doesn't reach for Eiji's hand—he grabs it when Eiji's not trying to reach out for him. And this is a problem, as we're going to see. For a moment, Eiji looks like he might comprehend what's going on, but at the last second, he misses it, accepting the help. Honey, you are a shoujo heroine. The Yummy reacts to Kitamura's desires being fulfilled and evolves into a snowy owl, throwing Date into a tree. It blasts him with wind and removes the belt from him before tying him up in black plastic. Goto watches Date be taken away and turns to see the belt left behind.
Kitamura brings Eiji to an electrical facility. While Eiji searches everywhere, Kitamura asks him to join his company, to help fund his former dream of a charity for kids all around the world. And Eiji says exactly what the audience is thinking right now: this is really not the time. And here's where you can see that Kitamura's obsession with Eiji is inappropriate and unhealthy. He stops Eiji from searching for his missing friend and insists that Eiji's friends—Ankh especially—are using him. So, one, go fuck yourself. Two, that's what you're doing—you're using Eiji's panic and sense of helplessness to satisfy a sick fantasy of "helping" him. Three, you don't even know them! Hell, you don't even know Eiji! Eiji has some fucking priorities, and number one has always been and will always be another person's wellbeing. Yes, it gets downright pathological, but if Kitamura really were Eiji's friend, he'd know that he's always going to put another person first. And all of this comes to the massive elephant in the room I avoided mentioning until right now: Kitamura kidnapped Hina. He saw somebody who was good friends with Eiji (and a girl, no less, the most likely romantic rival) and decided to kidnap her all so he could get Eiji to ask him for help, then went out of your way to isolate Eiji from the rest of his friends so he could get him to rely on him alone. This officially makes it an abusive relationship, and Kitamura is 100% a criminal for kidnapping someone. Go. Fuck. Yourself. Eiji even asks how Kitamura could even think that about his friends, but Kitamura doesn't listen, insisting he's different because he's doing this for Eiji's own good. You know, given Eiji's history with his family as mentioned in the last episode, I wonder how many times he's heard this speech. Kitamura says that best friends look out for more than their own self-interests (insert ironic laughter here) and promises to find Hina. Ankh's hawk finds Eiji, so he has to leave Kitamura to keep his word.
He catches up to Goto and Ankh, who explain what happened to Date. Ankh drags him to fight Hedwig, but Eiji reminds him that the Yummy hadn't taken Hina. Ankh explains that Lost Ankh created the Yummy, so Eiji has to go, but Eiji's insistent on saving Hina first. And in something that will develop later, Ankh looks hurt for a moment that Eiji's putting Hina ahead of him, then storms off. We'll see more on this later, and I'll be talking about it more in the endpoint, but goddamnit, Eiji, can you not read the atmosphere here? Ankh encounters Kitamura and recognizes him as the Yummy's parent. Kitamura asks him to leave Eiji, asking what he knows about him and if he can support him. ...Okay, I'm not going to lie; they do act like a married couple, so this question is legitimate. This whole conversation is at Goro and Kitaoka levels of gay here. But Kitamura's led Ankh into a trap, catching him in a net and saying he's "in the way."
Kitamura runs back to Eiji and Goto, saying he may know where Hina is. They follow him to another game field, where Eiji finds her unconscious and trapped inside a shelter. But the Yummy attacks him before he can free her, and Kitamura's shocked to hear it's created from desire. Eiji asks Kitamura to save Hina while he and Goto fight. Kitamura argues that Eiji will get hurt, but he insists he's used to it and continues to fight. Both he and Goto worry where Ankh is, since he should have been there by now, and Ankh finally manages to tear himself free, furious with Kitamura. With them losing and Ankh nowhere in sight, Eiji decides to try PuToTyra. Goto reminds him that he's not strong enough to stop Eiji when he goes out of control, so Eiji offers to buy him time to transform into Birth. He jumps on the Yummy, but Goto doesn't feel he's ready yet, tossing a Ptera candroid instead. But this only manages to get himself and the tank captured. With Eiji again in serious danger, the Medals appear, and he gets up, in a trance. But Ankh tosses over SaGoZou, knocking the purple Medals out of the way and back into him. He wakes up and transforms, but despite gaining an advantage, he loses the Yummy, which takes Goto and the tank away.
As Eiji drops to his knees in pain, Kitamura leads Hina out. She explains she was knocked out and never saw her kidnapper. How convenient. Ankh comes over to confront Kitamura, who immediately hides behind Eiji. Eiji once again completely misunderstands, and thanks him for helping. So Kitamura rubs it in Ankh's face that they're friends. Mean Girls, much? But when Eiji says they have to say Date and Goto, he's quick to run away.
Kazari and Lost Ankh watch, Kazari vowing that Ankh will be the next to disappear while Lost Ankh gives an unsettling, and decidedly un-childlike, grin...
Best Friends, Using, That Relationship (Mouri/Ishida): Eiji searches for Goto and Date, but loses sight of the Yummy. Ankh asks Hina if she really didn't see her kidnapper, and she repeats that soon after she was trapped, she lost consciousness. He tries to confront Kitamura, but he asks her to make them some tea. Did you just kitchen her? Does your villainy know no bounds? To Ankh, this confirms that yes, he kidnapped her, so he asks what desire his Yummy's trying to fulfill. When Kitamura doesn't answer, Ankh says that's fine, but he's telling on him to Eiji. Kitamura begs him not to and explains that he wanted Eiji to depend on him, to truly be Eiji's friend. Ankh thinks friendship is a weird desire (wait till next year) and laughs off any suggestion that he and Eiji are friends. Eiji finally arrives, and Ankh goes and tells him everything anyway, especially making sure Hina hears the part about how Kitamura kidnapped her. With them both in shock, Eiji thinks fast to protect both Hina and Kitamura, claiming that the kidnapping was a prank that he and Kitamura planned that got out of hand. Despite the fact that there's no possible way he could have coordinated with him on it, since they were all together the entire time. Your cover stories are getting weaker by the day, Hino. She accepts the lie, though she doesn't look entirely convinced. Eiji then drags Kitamura off to search for the others, a pissed Ankh behind them. Eiji, look around you. Kitamura is in love with you. Hina? Also in love with you, particularly considering she accepted your obvious bullshit. And Ankh? Yeah, the bird is in love with you too. That's why he's so damn offended that you're not on his side. Eiji, you are the center of a harem without even realizing it. More than that, you are the innocent little magical girl who has no idea that everyone around her wants to be more than just friends with her. You're Cardcaptor Sakura, Eiji. That's how oblivious you are.
With only the Ferris wheel and the greenhouse to check, Ankh confronts Eiji, pointing out that Kitamura is crazy and being led by Kazari to capture him. Eiji's concerned by this last detail, but an embarrassed Ankh tells him to shut up. Eiji admits that Kitamura's the only one they can depend on right now to find the others, and in any case, he feels responsible, as the object of Kitamura's desires. Ankh again says the desire to be friends is weird and very human. Eiji points out that he and Kitamura were high school friends, then realizes that as the object of his desire, anywhere they went together in high school would have meaning for the Yummy. Kitamura remembers them frolicking through the botanical gardens as teenagers...and oh god, this shot is almost directly lifted from "Memories of Mirinoi" in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. It's so gay that it's any two girls in Power Rangers gay. Eiji's Maya, Kitamura is Chandra, and Ankh is Kendrix.
Sure enough, Date and Goto wake in a nest, suspended in the greenhouse. Date again calls the Yummy a chicken, and Goto corrects him. They manage to detach the nest, and Goto apologizes for failing to transform into Birth. Date admits Goto might have been right to feel hesitant, since his training isn't complete, and ignoring his body's limitations will only get him killed. But he thinks Goto's ready, telling him not to hesitate again next time. Goto starts wiggling Ptera out of his pocket to contact Eiji, and it meets them as they approach the greenhouse. Eiji tells Kitamura to stay put while he and Ankh go inside, and when he finds them, he uses Kujaku to cut Goto free. But the Yummy attacks him, so Goto's left to free Date. Ankh tosses Eiji Sai-Unagi-Batta, despite Eiji's confusion, but the Yummy snares his leg before he can insert the last Medal, pulling him toward it. Goto grabs one of the nest's supports and swings like Tarzan with a fierce cry, kicking the Yummy out the window. Eiji's able to get the Medal and fight, using the Unagi whips to pull the Yummy down close enough to jump up and kick with Batta, while using Sai for headbutts. Meanwhile, Goto returns to Date, who calls him reckless. As he cuts him free, Goto reminds him that he needs courage to become Birth. But for now, Date will continue, taking on the Yummy while Kazari attacks Eiji. Kitamura watches Eiji fight Kazari and spots Ankh watching the same. He remembers Kazari's manipulations that Ankh is his enemy and willing to let Eiji die. So he assumes that Ankh is the source of Eiji's trouble, and the Yummy takes Ankh away. Shocked by Ankh's kidnapping, Eiji lets his guard down and loses Unagi to Kazari. Kazari comes toward him, with Date too hurt to reach him in time, but he stops himself from attacking, since he knows Eiji will only become PuToTyra out of instinct, and in any case, his target is Ankh.
Kitamura retrieves the other two Medals, but Eiji doesn't notice, so insistent on finding Ankh. He tells Kitamura to get to safety, but Kitamura says it should be enough that Eiji saved Team Birth. He stops Eiji from running off and says Ankh's caused him a lot of suffering. With Eiji not caring that he might get himself killed, he asks what happened to his dream. Above Eiji's protests, Kitamura insists he's changed: where once, he'd never fight, now he's a warrior who barely cares he might die. Eiji insists he's the same person he was when he went to Kitamura's house and told him about his dream, and he says he has to do what he can right now as he leaves to find Ankh.
Ankh manages to activate a Batta as the Yummy brings him to the forest, by a waterfall. Maki greets him, and Ankh recognizes the aura of the other purple Medals inside him, horrifying him at the prospect of a human becoming a Greeed. Worse, Maki warns that the same is happening to Eiji. And even worse, Lost Ankh appears. Eiji's only lead turns out to be the Batta candroids, his broadcasting Ankh's calls for help and the sound of the waterfall. Kitamura drives up, finally deciding to actually help, and Eiji tells him to take him to the waterfall. In the car, Kitamura confesses that he'd originally hated Eiji when he came over, resenting him for trying to help. He was too bright and carefree when he talked about his dreams, but still, Kitamura had told him his—the first time he'd ever spoken of it. And Eiji had encouraged him, even though he had no reason to believe in him. Eiji finally understands what he means to Kitamura, and he apologizes for losing his faith that he could change the world and make everyone happy. Kitamura asks why he's trying to save Ankh, if Ankh's just using him. But Eiji says Ankh's given him the power to help others, and since that's something he doesn't want to lose, he's the one who's using Ankh.
Lost Ankh approaches Ankh to absorb him, and they both begin to glow with a hazy iridescent light. But Kitamura's caught up and gives Eiji back the Medals so he can help. Eiji interrupts just as Ankh's losing the ability to hold on. He circles around, pleading with the Medals in his chest to let him become PuToTyra, despite the risk. Realizing what he's doing, Maki leaves, citing too much purple energy being dangerous. The Medals finally respond, and Eiji holds onto his mind long enough to scan them. But the moment he transforms, he loses control, violently attacking the Yummy and slamming it into a tree to release Cell Medals. When he sees Kazari, he attacks him with the axe, releasing a Cheetah Core for Ankh to grab. Lost Ankh kicks PuToTyra from behind, but he gets back up and attacks him. The Yummy jumps him from behind, allowing the Greeed to escape as PuToTyra inserts the Medal he'd taken earlier and converts the axe to blaster mode, destroying the Yummy as Kitamura watches. And then PuToTyra spots him. With Kitamura in his sights and Eiji completely unable to tell friend from foe, Ankh yells at Kitamura to run before he can get shot. He gets Eiji's attention, leading him away as he swings wildly with the axe. Ankh dodges and leaps to higher ground, shouting that although he doesn't personally care what happens to Eiji, he needs him if he's going to revive. He then leaps down as PuToTyra swings. Date and Goto catch up to Kitamura and see that Ankh's managed to catch the axe with his hand, matching PuToTyra's strength. He then pushes it away and gets close enough to deactivate the Driver. Eiji falls into his arms and wakes as the Medals return to him. He smiles in exhaustion and tells Ankh that he knew he'd stop him, before he passes out. Seeing that he's lost the battle for Eiji's heart, Kitamura sadly and silently turns and walks away.
Chiyoko has to tell prospective customers that they're closed for the day, but the others return, and she tells them it's fine. Turns out there's a party for 100 people, and she's putting Eiji and Hina to work immediately. Goto offers to help, and Date says he can cook Japanese, Chinese, and Western food, although not for free. Eiji asks Ankh to help, and annoyed, he slams his bandaged fist into his other hand before remembering he's hurt.
Dreams, Brother, Birth's Secret (Mouri/Tasaki): Hina's competing in her school's fashion show, with Eiji as her model. She's nervous, but Chiyoko reassures her, looking through her design book and noting that she stays after closing to complete her designs. The judge is Kentaro Sawaguchi, a designer in France whom Hina admires, and Chiyoko's confident that she'll impress them. But they also dragged Ankh out there to support her, and when he starts complaining, Chiyoko fiercely defends Hina's dream to be a designer, telling him to respect others' dreams. You know? Go, Chiyoko. Ankh needs to be taken down a peg, and he tunes out Eiji and Hina way too much. The time comes for Eiji to walk down the catwalk, and quite frankly, he looks amazing. The inspiration for the outfit is traditional Japanese style, with a modernized kataginu, a kind of long, sleeveless jacket, but with shorter shoulders than traditional and a large collar, all in traditional print with some added flair. His top is a little asymmetrical, one side purple and tied to one side while the other is black with a fishnet sleeve. His hair's been pulled back with a headband, with different colored extensions sticking out all over, makeup added what looks like the outline of a bird on one side of his forehead, and he makes OOO poses the whole time. Chiyoko cheers wildly while Ankh stares at Eiji like his appearance is a goddamn miracle, which it is. Hina, you need to be Eiji's full-time fairy godmother.
Rather unsurprisingly, given her amazing ability to make Eiji look really stylish, Hina is announced as the winner. Her friends all cheer, but the runner-up, Shoko Sugiura, has to fight her jealousy as she congratulates her. While Hina gets congrats from Eiji and Chiyoko, she can't help but notice Ankh staring off. Suddenly, he turns to her, with an emotional expression, and congratulates her—to everyone's shock, including his own, since he doesn't remember saying anything. Shoko's meeting with her father is less celebratory, telling her that because she only got second place, she has to hold to her promise to drop out of school. Devastated, she throws her trophy in the garbage. And while all this is going on, Kazari attacks Uva—his way of introducing him to Lost Ankh. Lost Ankh wants the Core that Uva took from TaJaDor, and he rips it out of him, though Uva blasts lightning and escapes. Still, even after absorbing it, Lost Ankh still feels lost, while Uva realizes he needs Mezool and Gamel.
Cous Coussier holds a fair to celebrate Hina's win. Eiji, his hair regrettably back to normal, wears the winning design while Hina and Chiyoko both wear other outfits she'd made. Though Hina's a little embarrassed to be showing off like this, Chiyoko encourages her dreams of going to Paris and becoming a professional designer, and Eiji insists she can do it. But Ankh worries about that weird slip, worrying that something might be wrong with him, now that Lost Ankh tried to absorb him. Did something happen, causing Shingo's body to reject him? Hina asks if he knows what her brother thinks of her dream, wanting to make him happy, but he doesn't answer. Sawaguchi arrives and offers her a chance to work and learn at his studio in France. It's her dream come true, and Eiji and Chiyoko support her 100%, but she still worries about her brother, and she asks for time to think.
Maki finds Shoko's trophy at the landfill and uses it to create the Unicorn Yummy. Now, I know that Kougami said that the purple Medals could also create "animals only seen in dreams" as well as extinct ones, but...this is the only imaginary creature we've seen. Furthermore, W Forever had a Unicorn Memory among its Gaia Memories, which were all the memories of the Earth itself, everything that had ever existed at any point on the planet. So does this mean unicorns are real in Kamen Rider? Just extinct? I don't know if that's amazing or depressing. The Unicorn attacks an athlete and manifests his dream, breaking it right in front of him, then does the same to a pair of musicians in the park. Goto and Date see it and go fight. Eiji joins in as Date wrestles the Unicorn. But Uva appears and snatches the Tako Medal from Ankh before he can toss it to Eiji. Ankh ends up fighting Trash Yummies, Eiji fights Uva, and Date fights the Yummy. Gorilla gives Eiji more of an edge, and Date gains momentum against the Unicorn, but a terrible pain shoots through his head, blurring his vision. He's thrown into Eiji, writing in pain. Still, Eiji destroys the Trash Yummies, but both Unicorn and Uva escape. Date still seems hurt after transforming back, but he insists he's okay. So too do the musicians, once he goes to check on them, even though they were in a state of shock for a while. But they get up and leave, abandoning their guitars, cases, CDs, and money.
Uva goes to an abandoned stage with his Cell Medal hoard. He now has three Gamel Medals and four Mezool, but he doesn't think it's enough and wonders if he should attack Kazari for them. Instead, he decides it might be better to continue going after OOO for them. Yes, I'm sure this will in no way result in you getting trampled by a rampaging purple dinosaur. Shoko prepares to turn in her application to leave school, but her friends interrupt her, letting her know about Hina's good fortune, only making her feel worse. Meanwhile, Kougami examines a head X-ray, asking Date for his professional opinion once he walks in. But right away, Date recognizes it as his own, confirming that there is a bullet lodged in his brain, which should have killed him. Maki had been the only person in the Foundation to know, explaining his hesitation to get his physical done (episode 23). Maki had left behind the X-ray when he destroyed the lab, and Kougami explains what he's learned since: Date had been attacked during a battle while he was practicing medicine overseas—possibly the same war Eiji had been in. He won't fire Date, though, encouraging him to keep going, since he has a new appreciation for Date's desire.
Hina watches some kids play baseball in the park, and when they lose their ball, she starts to throw it back over to them. Eiji distracts her suddenly, and she loses control of her strength, throwing the ball to where it ends up embedded in the fence. He asks her if she wants to go to France, but she says she can't because of her brother. She wonders if the kids all have dreams of going pro, then asks Eiji what he'd wanted to grow up to be. He admits he had a lot of dreams when he was little—astronaut, soccer player, musician. But now, he doesn't know. This little exchange may be the most honest and believable thing in all of Kamen Rider, the notion that you may have many goals and aspirations as a child, but when you're older, you realize you have no idea what you want anymore. As well as the notion of holding a dream back. Hina admits she'd always wanted to be a designer, but sometimes she wanted to give it all up. One time, in high school, she'd told Shingo that she wasn't going to college. The flashback is implicitly soon after their parents died, since he says he'll worry about the money. He asked her how she felt when he fulfilled his dream and joined the police. When she told him she'd been happy, he told her to make him happy this time. Hearing this, Eiji tells Hina to go, promising to take care of her brother so she doesn't have to give up her dream. Still, she's afraid, and Shoko appears, asking to let her have the chance to go instead. But the Yummy comes for Shoko, so Eiji protects them. Without Ankh, though, he can't fight, although he does try and gets pounded for his efforts. Ankh finally arrives, giving him Sai-Kujaku-Zou while Hina takes Shoko and runs to the woods. Uva attacks Eiji, but Date arrives to continue the battle with Unicorn, Goto following. Eiji notices how much stronger Uva's become, and Ankh gives him SaGoZou to keep up. As Uva sends Trash Yummies, Eiji's eyes flash and energy pulses off him. He reaches into the ground and removes the axe, destroying them all before turning to Uva. Date continues to wrestle the Yummy until the pain from his bullet wound flares up again. Goto runs to him, knowing it's as bad as he fears. The Yummy turns on Hina and Shoko. Shoko trips, but Hina grabs the Yummy's arm, trying to push it away. But this puts her in the direct path of its attack. Her dream manifests as the prize-winning outfit, and dazed, she begs the Yummy not to destroy it. But it's no use; the Yummy rips her dream apart, right in front of her, Eiji, and Ankh.
And that's when something strange happens. Ankh reacts oddly, almost getting pulled along to run toward her. He tries to fight the Yummy, but uncharacteristically, he hits with his left hand instead of his right. But because he attacks with his non-Greeed side, he's easily thrown aside, wondering why the hell he just did that. Kazari takes over fighting Uva, but he releases some Medals and runs off. Uva takes two more of Gamel's and one more of Mezool's and returns to battle. Ankh, having failed to retrieve more than one of Mezool's Medals, goes back to Shingo as Hina recovers and runs to his side. But to everyone's shock, Shingo's right arm twitches and he wakes up, crying...
Broken Dream, Body, Greeed Revival (Mouri/Tasaki): Awake though he is, Shingo has no strength in him, and it takes almost all he has just to call Hina's name. Despite his pain, Date manages to hit Uva just hard enough with Crane and Drill to make him go away. Eiji reverts and starts to run to Date when he sees Ankh floating and realizes what's going on. Shingo's able to smile and ask Hina if she's okay, but he loses consciousness again. Ankh, feeling confused and vaguely threatened, takes off. Satonaka drives up, prepared to rescue Date, but Eiji asks her to take Shingo too. With both loaded in the middle of the van, Eiji asks Hina how she is. She says she feels fine, but as she runs off to get in the van, she steps on the ruins of her outfit, not caring.
Goto and Eiji race to the hospital to check on everyone. Date, still hooked up to equipment, argues with the other doctors and nurses because he wants to leave with Goto. Eiji finds Hina, who tells him Shingo seems to be doing fine without Ankh, but no one knows when he'll wake up again. She decides to get clothes for him tomorrow, just in case, and she'll stay at the hospital as long as possible. Eiji asks about school, but she says she's quitting, feeling like it's selfish to want to make clothes during all this. But as Eiji fails to stop her from leaving, Shingo murmurs that this was her dream, and Eiji stays to watch over him while Ankh hides, abandoned in the rain.
When Kazari comes back, Maki notes that he usually wouldn't lose his Medals so easily. Kazari admits yeah, but he suggests that he and Lost Ankh need more allies. Uva, in the meantime, takes one Medal from Gamel's pile and two from Mezool's, since he doesn't want them to revive stronger than him. Which begs the question of why he bothered to collect them ANYWAY since he clearly doesn't need them in order to revive them. He then places those silk curtains we see all the time on top of Cell Medal stacks, shaped in approximations of their bodies. The Cores lie atop the silk, and they revive, taking shape and standing. He returns one Core to each of them (again, WHY, since you just took it from Gamel and you are an idiot sometimes, Uva) and uses the desire inherent in them to awaken them. Mezool remembers their destruction, and Uva tells them to be grateful to him for the revival. He plans to take back their Medals from OOO first, then get revenge on Kazari. Again, somebody please clue in our Evil Ben 10 bug boy that whenever Eiji's in danger, he becomes the plot of Jurassic Park?
The Yummy attacks a man sketching in the park, destroying his dreams of being an artist. Eiji meets up with Ankh there, and Shachi-Unagi-Cheetah lets him catch up with the Yummy, track its movements, and fire from a distance. But the Yummy breathes steam from its nostrils...because unicorns can do that, apparently...to stop Eiji from tracking its escape. Again, the victim appears to be fine, but he has no interest in his previous activities. Eiji finds the destroyed painting from the dream, and Ankh explains that it's his dream made manifest. Eiji realizes that Hina's dream was embodied by the outfit and now understands her strange behavior. He asks what happens when someone loses their dreams, but Ankh snarks that losing her desires and dreams makes Hina like Eiji. Low blow, assbird. Eiji then points out that Shingo's made a full recovery and asks what he'll do and if he's going to stay as just an arm. But Ankh gets defensive and leaves. He mopes around the docks, but before he can go elsewhere, Mezool grabs him with a water whip and Gamel takes him. Uva appears, which explains why he'd been interested in the other Cores. They start to rush Ankh, but he flicks Gamel in the forehead hard enough that he lets go. They end up hitting Gamel instead, and Ankh escapes, realizing he really can't stay like an arm any longer. He returns to Shingo, though hesitating to possess him again.
Shoko's friends tell her that Hina's been skipping school and even turned down Sawaguchi's offer. This infuriates her, and she leaves to confront Hina at work, but Chiyoko tells her Hina took the day off. Eiji recognizes her and takes her to visit at the hospital. Along the way, Shoko confesses that her father is forcing her to give up her dream. He wants her to join the family business, and because she didn't win, she has to quit school and join him. Because of this, she can't forgive Hina for giving up her dream. But when they get to the hospital, they learn Hina hasn't visited Shingo lately. Eiji then notices the last Yummy victim being wheeled in on a gurney, and he starts to worry that the loss of his dream may have created a medical emergency. They rush to Hina's apartment and find her cutting her clothing designs to shreds. Eiji takes the scissors from her, but she approaches him as if in a trance, asking what to do, since she no longer loves the things she used to. She then collapses in his arms, not responding to either of them calling out her name. They take her to the hospital, but like her brother, she won't wake up. Shoko asks if it's because of the Yummy, but Eiji insists it's because of her broken dream. Shoko asks what a dream is; if it's so painful to lose, is it better to never dream in the first place? Eiji, however, says it's important to take your time. He confesses that with his dream, he rushed and ended up making a huge mistake that cost him everything. So a dream has to be slowly handled, otherwise it won't grow and will only be another desire. He encourages her to talk to her father again and take it slowly. Ankh arrives, telling Eiji not to make him leave, since he still needs that body. But he watches over Hina as he says so. As Ankh gets himself released from the hospital, Eiji stops suddenly, sensing it, and Ankh confirms it's the Yummy again.
With the lab mostly back together, Goto asks Date about his condition. Date insists everything's the same as it was before and he'll keep earning. Crying, Goto asks if money is more important to Date than his own life. This makes Date pause, but he promises not to die. As he goes to fight the Yummy, Goto promises not to let him die.
Eiji saves a woman from being attacked, but the Yummy swats him aside before Ankh can get the Medals to him. The Yummy swats Ankh aside too and decides to focus on Eiji, cornering him and manifesting his dream. From Eiji's mind, the world appears, big enough to block out the sun and constantly growing. The Yummy realizes that it's too big to destroy, so it dispels the image, returning the dream to Eiji's mind. TaToBa and Birth take to battle, but Uva, Mezool, and Gamel attack and Ankh explains what he learned the hard way. Uva, with mocking politeness, asks for the Medals. Ankh, with the same level of snark, says no. So they attack. Both Eiji and Date are at a disadvantage: Date's no good against Greeed and has both Mezool and Gamel to worry about, and Eiji has his hands full as it stands with the Cell Medal-pumped Uva and then the Yummy joins in. With both Riders close to defeat, Eiji feels his Medals reacting. But with his dream recovered, he thinks he can try PuToTyra without losing control. They respond to him, and though he has to fight them a bit, they allow him to take the lead and scan. And now, we get PuToTyra's image song, "Power to Tearer". Shu Watanabe's joined by the voice of the OOO Driver, Akira Kushida, in a damn awesome rock song that continues Eiji's character growth, from the optimism of "Regret Nothing" to the realization of teamwork in "Time Judged All" to Eiji coming to terms with his inner darkness and his need to control his powers and become a protector instead of a destroyer. I'll review the music video down the line, though I don't think TVN did a fansub of it, but I will say my favorite translation of "Power to Tearer" comes from a Spanish fansub of a live performance. The words "power to tearer" themselves are translated as "the power to destroy everything," and while my Spanish is muy mal, I've got to say that I think it manages to get to the heart of everything: "El poder para destruir todo, con la fuerza de tu corazón"—"The power to destroy everything, with the strength of your heart"—really gets the point across of "un destructor se convierte en un protector"—"a destroyer becomes a protector," and given Eiji's backstory, yeah. This continues his quest to find the power he needs to protect people.
At first, Eiji seems just as wild as before, but he's able to stop himself, even looking at Ankh without seeing another enemy—self-aware and in control. Mezool and Gamel are caught completely off-guard, and Date's able to help hold off Uva and the Yummy until Eiji warns him to get down, using his tail to hit the Yummy over to the Greeed. With all of them gathered, Eiji shoots, but only the Yummy is destroyed, the Greeed running like hell. Ankh goes to pick up the Yummy's Medal, but he hesitates, aware that Eiji's still PuToTyra and still trying to come down from the adrenaline rush. But the moment passes, and Eiji maintains control.
Hina wakes up to Shoko's relieved face and she reveals she'd dreamed of her brother, shining with light. Seeing Eiji and Ankh, Shoko leaves so they can talk privately. And it's a good thing too, since Eiji asks a very awkward question: what are they going to do about Ankh? Does Hina want him to leave, now that her brother will be okay without him? Ankh is, understandably, angry, but Hina surprises them and says he can stay for now.
The beaten Greeed escape to the harbor, where Kazari and Lost Ankh approach them and blast them before they can run. Mezool decides she and Gamel will join them and defeat Uva, splitting his Medals between them. This is just what Kazari hoped for all along, and he stops Lost Ankh from attacking. Uva points out that Kazari betrayed Mezool, but she hasn't forgotten that he has too. See, Uva, this is why you don't have any friends. You're an asshole. Afraid of being split into their component Medals again ("bara bara" this time), they attack, destroying him and taking back their Medals. But a single, spinning Kuwagata Medal remains, Uva's consciousness inside and vowing not to let it end this way. The other Greeed gather at the mansion, yellow, grey, blue, and red banners unfurling as they plan their next attack...
Everyone watches anxiously at home for Eiji to wake up. He finally does, in pain, and Date urges him to sleep. Goto warns him to leave the fighting to Team Birth, but Ankh reminds him that normal humans can't defeat the Greeed. He tells Eiji to get OOO back under control, but Eiji loses his temper and gets on his case about losing the Medals, thus letting him lose control. This pisses off Ankh, and they grab each other, ready to fight, with Goto and Date trying to pull Eiji back. Interesting to see how things have developed—they're so afraid of Eiji's power that now, it's him they're worried about stopping, not Ankh anymore. Hina finally breaks it up, throwing Ankh into that stack of junk he calls a nest and the others in a pile on Eiji's bed. But Chiyoko hears the chaos and runs up to check on them, only to see Hina in the rocking chair with Date, Eiji, and Goto in bed, the covers pulled up. This only makes her more suspicious, obviously, but I guess she decides not to question their kinks. Instead, she delivers an envelope someone left for Eiji, containing tickets to the Leisureland amusement park. They come from Yuichi Kitamura, who claims to be Eiji's best friend from high school. The problem is, Eiji can't remember anyone by that name.
Eiji decides to take Ankh, Hina, Goto, and Date with him to Leisureland, which is less "rides and attractions" and more of an outdoor adventure park, up in the mountains. Kitamura's waiting at a camping cabin, and when Eiji still doesn't recognize him, Kitamura teases him. He admits that he wasn't precisely Eiji's best friend, but Eiji certainly was his; he'd been a loner shut-in from the class next door, and Eiji used to lend him his notes. This spurs Eiji's memory, finally, and he does confirm they were friends. Though, seriously dude, "best friends" when Eiji's memory of you is lending you his notes is kind of a stretch. Kitamura invites everyone to eat, showing off a couple of bags of groceries. This comes as welcome news to Hina and Date, who are starving. Kitamura then shows Eiji an article about himself in a business magazine, revealing he's become the president of an online company and bought out Leisureland. As they explore the park, Hina asks what Eiji was like in high school. Again, Eiji cannot be any older than 20. The war was a year or two ago, as Goto points out. Eiji probably went on that trip right after high school, as suggested by this episode and the next. So it's like asking, "What was Eiji like two years ago?" It would probably be better if the question was put as "What was Eiji like before the war?" to get the same effect, since all of this is about what has changed in Eiji since then. But the issue is that Kitamura doesn't seem to know much about what happened to Eiji—or rather, given that it was all over the news and this guy has a big problem with giving Eiji some free space, he probably knew but didn't understand the depth of the matter. So the question can't be posed with that. Kitamura says Eiji was popular and cared about everyone, always trying to help others—the same as now. So it's no surprise that he would do all he could to help a loner like Kitamura. What saved him was Eiji's talk about his dream. Eiji goes quiet, and Hina reacts in surprise to the idea that he'd even had a dream. Kitamura asks if it's changed, and Eiji hesitantly says it has a little, but Date saves him by deciding that they need to do the field athletics, and Kitamura leaves them to it. Meanwhile, Ankh and Lost Ankh sense each other, and Kazari admits he'd prefer for Lost Ankh to absorb him as soon as possible. But he understand his caution of endangering himself with Eiji around. He tries to figure out how to separate Ankh from the group, but Lost Ankh is already gone, with his own plan.
Hina handles the athletics course with ease, while the boys flail around. But as soon as she gets ahead of them, a net drops on her, and she screams. They hear her and start looking, but all they can find is her purse. Ankh says it wasn't a Yummy, and frantic, the others split up to search for her. Kitamura watches Eiji run around in a state of panic and notes that everything is going according to plan. But when he turns around, Lost Ankh is there. He tosses a Medal at Kitamura, encasing him in an egg as a Yummy hatches. Kazari catches up and notes that Kitamura's desire is interesting, and he asks him to do exactly what he says.
Date and Ankh have to call off the search when they pick up the Yummy, Ankh sending a hawk for Eiji while Date wrestles the shit out of the Yummy. Eiji's still searching frantically while Kitamura comes up to him and offers to help, saying he knows the place better than anybody and thus would know potential places for kidnappers to keep her. He insists that he wants to help Eiji and takes his hand. Eiji, look. This guy is in love with you. He's in love with you, and he's been in love with you since high school. Seriously, "best friends" after you lent him your notes? Inspired by you talking about your dream? The guy has a massive crush on you! Why else do you think he sent you tickets to Leisureland while waiting outside the door, his palms sweaty? He was asking you out on a date, and instead of you coming to the door, the closest thing you've got to a mom right now did. And honestly, this wouldn't be a problem, except for how things are developing. Kitamura isn't just in love with Eiji—he's obsessed with him. He doesn't reach for Eiji's hand—he grabs it when Eiji's not trying to reach out for him. And this is a problem, as we're going to see. For a moment, Eiji looks like he might comprehend what's going on, but at the last second, he misses it, accepting the help. Honey, you are a shoujo heroine. The Yummy reacts to Kitamura's desires being fulfilled and evolves into a snowy owl, throwing Date into a tree. It blasts him with wind and removes the belt from him before tying him up in black plastic. Goto watches Date be taken away and turns to see the belt left behind.
Kitamura brings Eiji to an electrical facility. While Eiji searches everywhere, Kitamura asks him to join his company, to help fund his former dream of a charity for kids all around the world. And Eiji says exactly what the audience is thinking right now: this is really not the time. And here's where you can see that Kitamura's obsession with Eiji is inappropriate and unhealthy. He stops Eiji from searching for his missing friend and insists that Eiji's friends—Ankh especially—are using him. So, one, go fuck yourself. Two, that's what you're doing—you're using Eiji's panic and sense of helplessness to satisfy a sick fantasy of "helping" him. Three, you don't even know them! Hell, you don't even know Eiji! Eiji has some fucking priorities, and number one has always been and will always be another person's wellbeing. Yes, it gets downright pathological, but if Kitamura really were Eiji's friend, he'd know that he's always going to put another person first. And all of this comes to the massive elephant in the room I avoided mentioning until right now: Kitamura kidnapped Hina. He saw somebody who was good friends with Eiji (and a girl, no less, the most likely romantic rival) and decided to kidnap her all so he could get Eiji to ask him for help, then went out of your way to isolate Eiji from the rest of his friends so he could get him to rely on him alone. This officially makes it an abusive relationship, and Kitamura is 100% a criminal for kidnapping someone. Go. Fuck. Yourself. Eiji even asks how Kitamura could even think that about his friends, but Kitamura doesn't listen, insisting he's different because he's doing this for Eiji's own good. You know, given Eiji's history with his family as mentioned in the last episode, I wonder how many times he's heard this speech. Kitamura says that best friends look out for more than their own self-interests (insert ironic laughter here) and promises to find Hina. Ankh's hawk finds Eiji, so he has to leave Kitamura to keep his word.
He catches up to Goto and Ankh, who explain what happened to Date. Ankh drags him to fight Hedwig, but Eiji reminds him that the Yummy hadn't taken Hina. Ankh explains that Lost Ankh created the Yummy, so Eiji has to go, but Eiji's insistent on saving Hina first. And in something that will develop later, Ankh looks hurt for a moment that Eiji's putting Hina ahead of him, then storms off. We'll see more on this later, and I'll be talking about it more in the endpoint, but goddamnit, Eiji, can you not read the atmosphere here? Ankh encounters Kitamura and recognizes him as the Yummy's parent. Kitamura asks him to leave Eiji, asking what he knows about him and if he can support him. ...Okay, I'm not going to lie; they do act like a married couple, so this question is legitimate. This whole conversation is at Goro and Kitaoka levels of gay here. But Kitamura's led Ankh into a trap, catching him in a net and saying he's "in the way."
Kitamura runs back to Eiji and Goto, saying he may know where Hina is. They follow him to another game field, where Eiji finds her unconscious and trapped inside a shelter. But the Yummy attacks him before he can free her, and Kitamura's shocked to hear it's created from desire. Eiji asks Kitamura to save Hina while he and Goto fight. Kitamura argues that Eiji will get hurt, but he insists he's used to it and continues to fight. Both he and Goto worry where Ankh is, since he should have been there by now, and Ankh finally manages to tear himself free, furious with Kitamura. With them losing and Ankh nowhere in sight, Eiji decides to try PuToTyra. Goto reminds him that he's not strong enough to stop Eiji when he goes out of control, so Eiji offers to buy him time to transform into Birth. He jumps on the Yummy, but Goto doesn't feel he's ready yet, tossing a Ptera candroid instead. But this only manages to get himself and the tank captured. With Eiji again in serious danger, the Medals appear, and he gets up, in a trance. But Ankh tosses over SaGoZou, knocking the purple Medals out of the way and back into him. He wakes up and transforms, but despite gaining an advantage, he loses the Yummy, which takes Goto and the tank away.
As Eiji drops to his knees in pain, Kitamura leads Hina out. She explains she was knocked out and never saw her kidnapper. How convenient. Ankh comes over to confront Kitamura, who immediately hides behind Eiji. Eiji once again completely misunderstands, and thanks him for helping. So Kitamura rubs it in Ankh's face that they're friends. Mean Girls, much? But when Eiji says they have to say Date and Goto, he's quick to run away.
Kazari and Lost Ankh watch, Kazari vowing that Ankh will be the next to disappear while Lost Ankh gives an unsettling, and decidedly un-childlike, grin...
Best Friends, Using, That Relationship (Mouri/Ishida): Eiji searches for Goto and Date, but loses sight of the Yummy. Ankh asks Hina if she really didn't see her kidnapper, and she repeats that soon after she was trapped, she lost consciousness. He tries to confront Kitamura, but he asks her to make them some tea. Did you just kitchen her? Does your villainy know no bounds? To Ankh, this confirms that yes, he kidnapped her, so he asks what desire his Yummy's trying to fulfill. When Kitamura doesn't answer, Ankh says that's fine, but he's telling on him to Eiji. Kitamura begs him not to and explains that he wanted Eiji to depend on him, to truly be Eiji's friend. Ankh thinks friendship is a weird desire (wait till next year) and laughs off any suggestion that he and Eiji are friends. Eiji finally arrives, and Ankh goes and tells him everything anyway, especially making sure Hina hears the part about how Kitamura kidnapped her. With them both in shock, Eiji thinks fast to protect both Hina and Kitamura, claiming that the kidnapping was a prank that he and Kitamura planned that got out of hand. Despite the fact that there's no possible way he could have coordinated with him on it, since they were all together the entire time. Your cover stories are getting weaker by the day, Hino. She accepts the lie, though she doesn't look entirely convinced. Eiji then drags Kitamura off to search for the others, a pissed Ankh behind them. Eiji, look around you. Kitamura is in love with you. Hina? Also in love with you, particularly considering she accepted your obvious bullshit. And Ankh? Yeah, the bird is in love with you too. That's why he's so damn offended that you're not on his side. Eiji, you are the center of a harem without even realizing it. More than that, you are the innocent little magical girl who has no idea that everyone around her wants to be more than just friends with her. You're Cardcaptor Sakura, Eiji. That's how oblivious you are.
With only the Ferris wheel and the greenhouse to check, Ankh confronts Eiji, pointing out that Kitamura is crazy and being led by Kazari to capture him. Eiji's concerned by this last detail, but an embarrassed Ankh tells him to shut up. Eiji admits that Kitamura's the only one they can depend on right now to find the others, and in any case, he feels responsible, as the object of Kitamura's desires. Ankh again says the desire to be friends is weird and very human. Eiji points out that he and Kitamura were high school friends, then realizes that as the object of his desire, anywhere they went together in high school would have meaning for the Yummy. Kitamura remembers them frolicking through the botanical gardens as teenagers...and oh god, this shot is almost directly lifted from "Memories of Mirinoi" in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. It's so gay that it's any two girls in Power Rangers gay. Eiji's Maya, Kitamura is Chandra, and Ankh is Kendrix.
Sure enough, Date and Goto wake in a nest, suspended in the greenhouse. Date again calls the Yummy a chicken, and Goto corrects him. They manage to detach the nest, and Goto apologizes for failing to transform into Birth. Date admits Goto might have been right to feel hesitant, since his training isn't complete, and ignoring his body's limitations will only get him killed. But he thinks Goto's ready, telling him not to hesitate again next time. Goto starts wiggling Ptera out of his pocket to contact Eiji, and it meets them as they approach the greenhouse. Eiji tells Kitamura to stay put while he and Ankh go inside, and when he finds them, he uses Kujaku to cut Goto free. But the Yummy attacks him, so Goto's left to free Date. Ankh tosses Eiji Sai-Unagi-Batta, despite Eiji's confusion, but the Yummy snares his leg before he can insert the last Medal, pulling him toward it. Goto grabs one of the nest's supports and swings like Tarzan with a fierce cry, kicking the Yummy out the window. Eiji's able to get the Medal and fight, using the Unagi whips to pull the Yummy down close enough to jump up and kick with Batta, while using Sai for headbutts. Meanwhile, Goto returns to Date, who calls him reckless. As he cuts him free, Goto reminds him that he needs courage to become Birth. But for now, Date will continue, taking on the Yummy while Kazari attacks Eiji. Kitamura watches Eiji fight Kazari and spots Ankh watching the same. He remembers Kazari's manipulations that Ankh is his enemy and willing to let Eiji die. So he assumes that Ankh is the source of Eiji's trouble, and the Yummy takes Ankh away. Shocked by Ankh's kidnapping, Eiji lets his guard down and loses Unagi to Kazari. Kazari comes toward him, with Date too hurt to reach him in time, but he stops himself from attacking, since he knows Eiji will only become PuToTyra out of instinct, and in any case, his target is Ankh.
Kitamura retrieves the other two Medals, but Eiji doesn't notice, so insistent on finding Ankh. He tells Kitamura to get to safety, but Kitamura says it should be enough that Eiji saved Team Birth. He stops Eiji from running off and says Ankh's caused him a lot of suffering. With Eiji not caring that he might get himself killed, he asks what happened to his dream. Above Eiji's protests, Kitamura insists he's changed: where once, he'd never fight, now he's a warrior who barely cares he might die. Eiji insists he's the same person he was when he went to Kitamura's house and told him about his dream, and he says he has to do what he can right now as he leaves to find Ankh.
Ankh manages to activate a Batta as the Yummy brings him to the forest, by a waterfall. Maki greets him, and Ankh recognizes the aura of the other purple Medals inside him, horrifying him at the prospect of a human becoming a Greeed. Worse, Maki warns that the same is happening to Eiji. And even worse, Lost Ankh appears. Eiji's only lead turns out to be the Batta candroids, his broadcasting Ankh's calls for help and the sound of the waterfall. Kitamura drives up, finally deciding to actually help, and Eiji tells him to take him to the waterfall. In the car, Kitamura confesses that he'd originally hated Eiji when he came over, resenting him for trying to help. He was too bright and carefree when he talked about his dreams, but still, Kitamura had told him his—the first time he'd ever spoken of it. And Eiji had encouraged him, even though he had no reason to believe in him. Eiji finally understands what he means to Kitamura, and he apologizes for losing his faith that he could change the world and make everyone happy. Kitamura asks why he's trying to save Ankh, if Ankh's just using him. But Eiji says Ankh's given him the power to help others, and since that's something he doesn't want to lose, he's the one who's using Ankh.
Lost Ankh approaches Ankh to absorb him, and they both begin to glow with a hazy iridescent light. But Kitamura's caught up and gives Eiji back the Medals so he can help. Eiji interrupts just as Ankh's losing the ability to hold on. He circles around, pleading with the Medals in his chest to let him become PuToTyra, despite the risk. Realizing what he's doing, Maki leaves, citing too much purple energy being dangerous. The Medals finally respond, and Eiji holds onto his mind long enough to scan them. But the moment he transforms, he loses control, violently attacking the Yummy and slamming it into a tree to release Cell Medals. When he sees Kazari, he attacks him with the axe, releasing a Cheetah Core for Ankh to grab. Lost Ankh kicks PuToTyra from behind, but he gets back up and attacks him. The Yummy jumps him from behind, allowing the Greeed to escape as PuToTyra inserts the Medal he'd taken earlier and converts the axe to blaster mode, destroying the Yummy as Kitamura watches. And then PuToTyra spots him. With Kitamura in his sights and Eiji completely unable to tell friend from foe, Ankh yells at Kitamura to run before he can get shot. He gets Eiji's attention, leading him away as he swings wildly with the axe. Ankh dodges and leaps to higher ground, shouting that although he doesn't personally care what happens to Eiji, he needs him if he's going to revive. He then leaps down as PuToTyra swings. Date and Goto catch up to Kitamura and see that Ankh's managed to catch the axe with his hand, matching PuToTyra's strength. He then pushes it away and gets close enough to deactivate the Driver. Eiji falls into his arms and wakes as the Medals return to him. He smiles in exhaustion and tells Ankh that he knew he'd stop him, before he passes out. Seeing that he's lost the battle for Eiji's heart, Kitamura sadly and silently turns and walks away.
Chiyoko has to tell prospective customers that they're closed for the day, but the others return, and she tells them it's fine. Turns out there's a party for 100 people, and she's putting Eiji and Hina to work immediately. Goto offers to help, and Date says he can cook Japanese, Chinese, and Western food, although not for free. Eiji asks Ankh to help, and annoyed, he slams his bandaged fist into his other hand before remembering he's hurt.
Dreams, Brother, Birth's Secret (Mouri/Tasaki): Hina's competing in her school's fashion show, with Eiji as her model. She's nervous, but Chiyoko reassures her, looking through her design book and noting that she stays after closing to complete her designs. The judge is Kentaro Sawaguchi, a designer in France whom Hina admires, and Chiyoko's confident that she'll impress them. But they also dragged Ankh out there to support her, and when he starts complaining, Chiyoko fiercely defends Hina's dream to be a designer, telling him to respect others' dreams. You know? Go, Chiyoko. Ankh needs to be taken down a peg, and he tunes out Eiji and Hina way too much. The time comes for Eiji to walk down the catwalk, and quite frankly, he looks amazing. The inspiration for the outfit is traditional Japanese style, with a modernized kataginu, a kind of long, sleeveless jacket, but with shorter shoulders than traditional and a large collar, all in traditional print with some added flair. His top is a little asymmetrical, one side purple and tied to one side while the other is black with a fishnet sleeve. His hair's been pulled back with a headband, with different colored extensions sticking out all over, makeup added what looks like the outline of a bird on one side of his forehead, and he makes OOO poses the whole time. Chiyoko cheers wildly while Ankh stares at Eiji like his appearance is a goddamn miracle, which it is. Hina, you need to be Eiji's full-time fairy godmother.
Rather unsurprisingly, given her amazing ability to make Eiji look really stylish, Hina is announced as the winner. Her friends all cheer, but the runner-up, Shoko Sugiura, has to fight her jealousy as she congratulates her. While Hina gets congrats from Eiji and Chiyoko, she can't help but notice Ankh staring off. Suddenly, he turns to her, with an emotional expression, and congratulates her—to everyone's shock, including his own, since he doesn't remember saying anything. Shoko's meeting with her father is less celebratory, telling her that because she only got second place, she has to hold to her promise to drop out of school. Devastated, she throws her trophy in the garbage. And while all this is going on, Kazari attacks Uva—his way of introducing him to Lost Ankh. Lost Ankh wants the Core that Uva took from TaJaDor, and he rips it out of him, though Uva blasts lightning and escapes. Still, even after absorbing it, Lost Ankh still feels lost, while Uva realizes he needs Mezool and Gamel.
Cous Coussier holds a fair to celebrate Hina's win. Eiji, his hair regrettably back to normal, wears the winning design while Hina and Chiyoko both wear other outfits she'd made. Though Hina's a little embarrassed to be showing off like this, Chiyoko encourages her dreams of going to Paris and becoming a professional designer, and Eiji insists she can do it. But Ankh worries about that weird slip, worrying that something might be wrong with him, now that Lost Ankh tried to absorb him. Did something happen, causing Shingo's body to reject him? Hina asks if he knows what her brother thinks of her dream, wanting to make him happy, but he doesn't answer. Sawaguchi arrives and offers her a chance to work and learn at his studio in France. It's her dream come true, and Eiji and Chiyoko support her 100%, but she still worries about her brother, and she asks for time to think.
Maki finds Shoko's trophy at the landfill and uses it to create the Unicorn Yummy. Now, I know that Kougami said that the purple Medals could also create "animals only seen in dreams" as well as extinct ones, but...this is the only imaginary creature we've seen. Furthermore, W Forever had a Unicorn Memory among its Gaia Memories, which were all the memories of the Earth itself, everything that had ever existed at any point on the planet. So does this mean unicorns are real in Kamen Rider? Just extinct? I don't know if that's amazing or depressing. The Unicorn attacks an athlete and manifests his dream, breaking it right in front of him, then does the same to a pair of musicians in the park. Goto and Date see it and go fight. Eiji joins in as Date wrestles the Unicorn. But Uva appears and snatches the Tako Medal from Ankh before he can toss it to Eiji. Ankh ends up fighting Trash Yummies, Eiji fights Uva, and Date fights the Yummy. Gorilla gives Eiji more of an edge, and Date gains momentum against the Unicorn, but a terrible pain shoots through his head, blurring his vision. He's thrown into Eiji, writing in pain. Still, Eiji destroys the Trash Yummies, but both Unicorn and Uva escape. Date still seems hurt after transforming back, but he insists he's okay. So too do the musicians, once he goes to check on them, even though they were in a state of shock for a while. But they get up and leave, abandoning their guitars, cases, CDs, and money.
Uva goes to an abandoned stage with his Cell Medal hoard. He now has three Gamel Medals and four Mezool, but he doesn't think it's enough and wonders if he should attack Kazari for them. Instead, he decides it might be better to continue going after OOO for them. Yes, I'm sure this will in no way result in you getting trampled by a rampaging purple dinosaur. Shoko prepares to turn in her application to leave school, but her friends interrupt her, letting her know about Hina's good fortune, only making her feel worse. Meanwhile, Kougami examines a head X-ray, asking Date for his professional opinion once he walks in. But right away, Date recognizes it as his own, confirming that there is a bullet lodged in his brain, which should have killed him. Maki had been the only person in the Foundation to know, explaining his hesitation to get his physical done (episode 23). Maki had left behind the X-ray when he destroyed the lab, and Kougami explains what he's learned since: Date had been attacked during a battle while he was practicing medicine overseas—possibly the same war Eiji had been in. He won't fire Date, though, encouraging him to keep going, since he has a new appreciation for Date's desire.
Hina watches some kids play baseball in the park, and when they lose their ball, she starts to throw it back over to them. Eiji distracts her suddenly, and she loses control of her strength, throwing the ball to where it ends up embedded in the fence. He asks her if she wants to go to France, but she says she can't because of her brother. She wonders if the kids all have dreams of going pro, then asks Eiji what he'd wanted to grow up to be. He admits he had a lot of dreams when he was little—astronaut, soccer player, musician. But now, he doesn't know. This little exchange may be the most honest and believable thing in all of Kamen Rider, the notion that you may have many goals and aspirations as a child, but when you're older, you realize you have no idea what you want anymore. As well as the notion of holding a dream back. Hina admits she'd always wanted to be a designer, but sometimes she wanted to give it all up. One time, in high school, she'd told Shingo that she wasn't going to college. The flashback is implicitly soon after their parents died, since he says he'll worry about the money. He asked her how she felt when he fulfilled his dream and joined the police. When she told him she'd been happy, he told her to make him happy this time. Hearing this, Eiji tells Hina to go, promising to take care of her brother so she doesn't have to give up her dream. Still, she's afraid, and Shoko appears, asking to let her have the chance to go instead. But the Yummy comes for Shoko, so Eiji protects them. Without Ankh, though, he can't fight, although he does try and gets pounded for his efforts. Ankh finally arrives, giving him Sai-Kujaku-Zou while Hina takes Shoko and runs to the woods. Uva attacks Eiji, but Date arrives to continue the battle with Unicorn, Goto following. Eiji notices how much stronger Uva's become, and Ankh gives him SaGoZou to keep up. As Uva sends Trash Yummies, Eiji's eyes flash and energy pulses off him. He reaches into the ground and removes the axe, destroying them all before turning to Uva. Date continues to wrestle the Yummy until the pain from his bullet wound flares up again. Goto runs to him, knowing it's as bad as he fears. The Yummy turns on Hina and Shoko. Shoko trips, but Hina grabs the Yummy's arm, trying to push it away. But this puts her in the direct path of its attack. Her dream manifests as the prize-winning outfit, and dazed, she begs the Yummy not to destroy it. But it's no use; the Yummy rips her dream apart, right in front of her, Eiji, and Ankh.
And that's when something strange happens. Ankh reacts oddly, almost getting pulled along to run toward her. He tries to fight the Yummy, but uncharacteristically, he hits with his left hand instead of his right. But because he attacks with his non-Greeed side, he's easily thrown aside, wondering why the hell he just did that. Kazari takes over fighting Uva, but he releases some Medals and runs off. Uva takes two more of Gamel's and one more of Mezool's and returns to battle. Ankh, having failed to retrieve more than one of Mezool's Medals, goes back to Shingo as Hina recovers and runs to his side. But to everyone's shock, Shingo's right arm twitches and he wakes up, crying...
Broken Dream, Body, Greeed Revival (Mouri/Tasaki): Awake though he is, Shingo has no strength in him, and it takes almost all he has just to call Hina's name. Despite his pain, Date manages to hit Uva just hard enough with Crane and Drill to make him go away. Eiji reverts and starts to run to Date when he sees Ankh floating and realizes what's going on. Shingo's able to smile and ask Hina if she's okay, but he loses consciousness again. Ankh, feeling confused and vaguely threatened, takes off. Satonaka drives up, prepared to rescue Date, but Eiji asks her to take Shingo too. With both loaded in the middle of the van, Eiji asks Hina how she is. She says she feels fine, but as she runs off to get in the van, she steps on the ruins of her outfit, not caring.
Goto and Eiji race to the hospital to check on everyone. Date, still hooked up to equipment, argues with the other doctors and nurses because he wants to leave with Goto. Eiji finds Hina, who tells him Shingo seems to be doing fine without Ankh, but no one knows when he'll wake up again. She decides to get clothes for him tomorrow, just in case, and she'll stay at the hospital as long as possible. Eiji asks about school, but she says she's quitting, feeling like it's selfish to want to make clothes during all this. But as Eiji fails to stop her from leaving, Shingo murmurs that this was her dream, and Eiji stays to watch over him while Ankh hides, abandoned in the rain.
When Kazari comes back, Maki notes that he usually wouldn't lose his Medals so easily. Kazari admits yeah, but he suggests that he and Lost Ankh need more allies. Uva, in the meantime, takes one Medal from Gamel's pile and two from Mezool's, since he doesn't want them to revive stronger than him. Which begs the question of why he bothered to collect them ANYWAY since he clearly doesn't need them in order to revive them. He then places those silk curtains we see all the time on top of Cell Medal stacks, shaped in approximations of their bodies. The Cores lie atop the silk, and they revive, taking shape and standing. He returns one Core to each of them (again, WHY, since you just took it from Gamel and you are an idiot sometimes, Uva) and uses the desire inherent in them to awaken them. Mezool remembers their destruction, and Uva tells them to be grateful to him for the revival. He plans to take back their Medals from OOO first, then get revenge on Kazari. Again, somebody please clue in our Evil Ben 10 bug boy that whenever Eiji's in danger, he becomes the plot of Jurassic Park?
The Yummy attacks a man sketching in the park, destroying his dreams of being an artist. Eiji meets up with Ankh there, and Shachi-Unagi-Cheetah lets him catch up with the Yummy, track its movements, and fire from a distance. But the Yummy breathes steam from its nostrils...because unicorns can do that, apparently...to stop Eiji from tracking its escape. Again, the victim appears to be fine, but he has no interest in his previous activities. Eiji finds the destroyed painting from the dream, and Ankh explains that it's his dream made manifest. Eiji realizes that Hina's dream was embodied by the outfit and now understands her strange behavior. He asks what happens when someone loses their dreams, but Ankh snarks that losing her desires and dreams makes Hina like Eiji. Low blow, assbird. Eiji then points out that Shingo's made a full recovery and asks what he'll do and if he's going to stay as just an arm. But Ankh gets defensive and leaves. He mopes around the docks, but before he can go elsewhere, Mezool grabs him with a water whip and Gamel takes him. Uva appears, which explains why he'd been interested in the other Cores. They start to rush Ankh, but he flicks Gamel in the forehead hard enough that he lets go. They end up hitting Gamel instead, and Ankh escapes, realizing he really can't stay like an arm any longer. He returns to Shingo, though hesitating to possess him again.
Shoko's friends tell her that Hina's been skipping school and even turned down Sawaguchi's offer. This infuriates her, and she leaves to confront Hina at work, but Chiyoko tells her Hina took the day off. Eiji recognizes her and takes her to visit at the hospital. Along the way, Shoko confesses that her father is forcing her to give up her dream. He wants her to join the family business, and because she didn't win, she has to quit school and join him. Because of this, she can't forgive Hina for giving up her dream. But when they get to the hospital, they learn Hina hasn't visited Shingo lately. Eiji then notices the last Yummy victim being wheeled in on a gurney, and he starts to worry that the loss of his dream may have created a medical emergency. They rush to Hina's apartment and find her cutting her clothing designs to shreds. Eiji takes the scissors from her, but she approaches him as if in a trance, asking what to do, since she no longer loves the things she used to. She then collapses in his arms, not responding to either of them calling out her name. They take her to the hospital, but like her brother, she won't wake up. Shoko asks if it's because of the Yummy, but Eiji insists it's because of her broken dream. Shoko asks what a dream is; if it's so painful to lose, is it better to never dream in the first place? Eiji, however, says it's important to take your time. He confesses that with his dream, he rushed and ended up making a huge mistake that cost him everything. So a dream has to be slowly handled, otherwise it won't grow and will only be another desire. He encourages her to talk to her father again and take it slowly. Ankh arrives, telling Eiji not to make him leave, since he still needs that body. But he watches over Hina as he says so. As Ankh gets himself released from the hospital, Eiji stops suddenly, sensing it, and Ankh confirms it's the Yummy again.
With the lab mostly back together, Goto asks Date about his condition. Date insists everything's the same as it was before and he'll keep earning. Crying, Goto asks if money is more important to Date than his own life. This makes Date pause, but he promises not to die. As he goes to fight the Yummy, Goto promises not to let him die.
Eiji saves a woman from being attacked, but the Yummy swats him aside before Ankh can get the Medals to him. The Yummy swats Ankh aside too and decides to focus on Eiji, cornering him and manifesting his dream. From Eiji's mind, the world appears, big enough to block out the sun and constantly growing. The Yummy realizes that it's too big to destroy, so it dispels the image, returning the dream to Eiji's mind. TaToBa and Birth take to battle, but Uva, Mezool, and Gamel attack and Ankh explains what he learned the hard way. Uva, with mocking politeness, asks for the Medals. Ankh, with the same level of snark, says no. So they attack. Both Eiji and Date are at a disadvantage: Date's no good against Greeed and has both Mezool and Gamel to worry about, and Eiji has his hands full as it stands with the Cell Medal-pumped Uva and then the Yummy joins in. With both Riders close to defeat, Eiji feels his Medals reacting. But with his dream recovered, he thinks he can try PuToTyra without losing control. They respond to him, and though he has to fight them a bit, they allow him to take the lead and scan. And now, we get PuToTyra's image song, "Power to Tearer". Shu Watanabe's joined by the voice of the OOO Driver, Akira Kushida, in a damn awesome rock song that continues Eiji's character growth, from the optimism of "Regret Nothing" to the realization of teamwork in "Time Judged All" to Eiji coming to terms with his inner darkness and his need to control his powers and become a protector instead of a destroyer. I'll review the music video down the line, though I don't think TVN did a fansub of it, but I will say my favorite translation of "Power to Tearer" comes from a Spanish fansub of a live performance. The words "power to tearer" themselves are translated as "the power to destroy everything," and while my Spanish is muy mal, I've got to say that I think it manages to get to the heart of everything: "El poder para destruir todo, con la fuerza de tu corazón"—"The power to destroy everything, with the strength of your heart"—really gets the point across of "un destructor se convierte en un protector"—"a destroyer becomes a protector," and given Eiji's backstory, yeah. This continues his quest to find the power he needs to protect people.
At first, Eiji seems just as wild as before, but he's able to stop himself, even looking at Ankh without seeing another enemy—self-aware and in control. Mezool and Gamel are caught completely off-guard, and Date's able to help hold off Uva and the Yummy until Eiji warns him to get down, using his tail to hit the Yummy over to the Greeed. With all of them gathered, Eiji shoots, but only the Yummy is destroyed, the Greeed running like hell. Ankh goes to pick up the Yummy's Medal, but he hesitates, aware that Eiji's still PuToTyra and still trying to come down from the adrenaline rush. But the moment passes, and Eiji maintains control.
Hina wakes up to Shoko's relieved face and she reveals she'd dreamed of her brother, shining with light. Seeing Eiji and Ankh, Shoko leaves so they can talk privately. And it's a good thing too, since Eiji asks a very awkward question: what are they going to do about Ankh? Does Hina want him to leave, now that her brother will be okay without him? Ankh is, understandably, angry, but Hina surprises them and says he can stay for now.
The beaten Greeed escape to the harbor, where Kazari and Lost Ankh approach them and blast them before they can run. Mezool decides she and Gamel will join them and defeat Uva, splitting his Medals between them. This is just what Kazari hoped for all along, and he stops Lost Ankh from attacking. Uva points out that Kazari betrayed Mezool, but she hasn't forgotten that he has too. See, Uva, this is why you don't have any friends. You're an asshole. Afraid of being split into their component Medals again ("bara bara" this time), they attack, destroying him and taking back their Medals. But a single, spinning Kuwagata Medal remains, Uva's consciousness inside and vowing not to let it end this way. The other Greeed gather at the mansion, yellow, grey, blue, and red banners unfurling as they plan their next attack...