A New Page of History, Kamen Rider Ghost Reviews Episodes 3 and 4 · 6:07pm Jul 23rd, 2020
Video belongs to Toei.
So, you're probably wondering why I didn't go back to Kuuga again.
Honestly, I don't know, I do want to continue those reviews and I plan to, but I kinda wanted to revisit Ghost. After all I actually thought the first two episodes were mostly okay. And frankly, after the day I've had at time of writing this intro, I could use a bit of Neo Heisei Era goofiness. So, what all can we expect this time?
Oh boy... I just glanced at the description of this episode. I'm trying to do this blind, but I've got some questions as to exactly how this is going to work. I'll get into why soon enough. This is gonna be a weird one, that much I can tell. So, shall we begin and see what happens this time? Probably more supernatural denial.
Let's begin. Henshin!
Episode 3: Bullseye! Archery of the Righteous!
Well, might as well start with the episode title of course. It's an interesting title, from what I know about the episode it definitely fits. So, we've got an archer of some sort. And given the theme of the show it'll be someone historical, right? We'll get to that, let's just move on.
So we start out with a recap of the plot of the show and that Takeru has two of the Eyecons so far with 90 days left to go. The episode proper starts with a bunch of Men in Black cosplayers... err, I mean security guards standing outside a building before the lights turn off suddenly. They run inside, only to have it cut to a man in a hood mask taking them and two other guards out. He then walks up to a vault and blows the doors open, walking into a room filled with gold, and he has a green hood.
Oh great guys, Oliver Queen came back and he's become a thief.
We are then showed the same old man in black as before giving the hooded figure a photo of a man. He says that the man has been purchasing artwork using money from loan sharking. But he also seems to have an object that is of interest to the Ganma, gee I wonder if they're up to something here.
Meanwhile back at Daitenku Temple, Takeru is reading his book again, stopping on the page about Edison. He remembers what the Ganma said about humans just being tools and he asks Sage exactly what the Ganma are after. However Sage is, uh... he's... he's riding on a toy horse while dressed like... I don't even know, some sort of weird magician? A jockey? See this is why I said I needed this today. I am not even joking, see?
This kind of thing is why I think Japanese shows have a budget for drugs. That and the entirety of Super Sentai.
Anyway, Sage says that it isn't important because he only has 89 days left and questions if he has what it takes. Takeru says that he'll get them all, and we get our clue as to who our next Hero is.
"I can see it clear as day! The woods of England! He's the noble thief who robs from the rich and corrupt, and gives to those in need."
Yeah, I don't even have to say it, we all know who it is. And this is where I really start to question the premise of Kamen Rider Ghost. But at the same time it kind of makes sense, I will explain why.
So here's kind of the thing. Sentai and Kamen Rider has a bit of a weird relationship with fictional characters, and yes Robin Hood is a fictional character. This isn't the only time they do this either, Arsene Lupin is featured prominently in the Sentai series Lupinranger vs. Patranger's mythos. But that being said these characters are also in the public domain, so you can kind of get away with it. Though I still find it a little weird that a series about historical figures would use a person so easily identifiable as fictional.
Anyway, we get more fic... I mean historical trivia.
Anyway, Sage has run off again... you just know he's really just hiding behind the furniture until Takeru leaves. But he doesn't have time to check because Onari comes running into the room because there has been a supernatural incident. Plot convenience news is on again, talking about the mysterious thief Little John and his seemingly invisible power. And naturally the money stolen has been distributed to the needy, and the news outright calls him a modern day Robin Hood.
Apparently the money stolen was illicit political funding (gee, I'm shocked). Onari is of course sure that this is the work of a Ganma, and he's apparently had business cards printed for their supernatural hunting business. Shockingly Akari doesn't outright deny it and says she's going to look into what Takeru's father was studying to see if it helps figure things out. Which actually makes sense, though she refuses Onari's help when he tries to offer it. And, yeah Takeru doesn't want his help either... geez, Onari, you're getting no love today.
Anyway, uh... that glasses guy from last time comes in excited because they now have a client. Takeru comes back, but Onari tells him not to get distracted and says he'll deal with it. And in comes Mr. Kuratani... the guy from the photo Little John was given. Oh boy, this is gonna get interesting. Anyway, he asks if they can solve supernatural dilemmas and Onari says the answer is in his heart. Yeah, that doesn't sound weird at all.
Anyway, we now go to Cosmos TV where Takeru is sneaking around invisible. He catches up to the reporter from the news report and asks her why did she equate Little John to Robin Hood. So, uh... yeah, I'm not sure why he's asking that. Little John not only has the same M.O. as Robin Hood, Little John is the name of a character from the stories. So exactly why the heck are you asking that It's a rather obvious comparison to make really.
Anyway, Takeru introduces himself and gives the woman his business card and tells her that he's a ghost hunter. He goes back the Robin Hood thing.
"Well, Robin Hood fought against corruption, right? And Little John was one of his Merry Men."
"I see. But do you really think Little John is doing what's right?"
"The public seems to want to applaud him. There are plenty of people who suffer at the hands of the powerful and unjust."
Oh come on, I watch Kamen Rider to escape reality!
Anyway, we get a flashback to the reporter as a little girl over her dad's dead body. Apparently he was killed because of that corruption and violence right in front of her. Takeru remembers what happened. The reporter believes that he understands what needs to be done, and Takeru says that he wants his father to be able to rest in peace so he has no reason to hide in the shadows. She calls him naive, saying that she's still powerless as a reporter. Those darn kids today and their internets and their youtubes and all that. She asks what could he possibly do, but he doesn't answer and she walks off.
Back at the temple Akari is working on a computer, when this happens:
Great, her computer has been infected with the eye virus.
And if that's not ominous enough the lights in the lab turn off to dramatic music. And now the eye monolith thing begins to glow, shining on her before the lights turn on again. The strangely old computer systems start to turn on with the wheels turning. Akari's computer turns on again, showing information on the monolith. Then information called the Shiranui Method to Make Ghosts Visible comes up on the screen.
We go to where Onari is talking with Mr. Kuratani who had gotten a calling card saying he's going to steal from him (isn't that more Lupin's thing than Robin Hood's?). Apparently the police are unreliable (how shocking in Japan), and he wants Onari's help, calling him enlightened one. And then it cuts to Little John breaking into the building and we get as usual, a shot of the monster:
Little John also finds a bow and arrow, and now Onari decides to show up. He then literally gets his butt kicked by the ghost, causing him to fall on the floor as Takeru comes in. Takeru tries to go after Little John, and the Ganma gets in the way, so we all know what time it is now, right?
"AYE! WATCH THIS!"
HENSHIN!
"EYES OPEN! IT'S ME!"
"LET'S GO! DEAD SET! G-G-GO GHOST!"
And now we get a good look at the Ganma this week:
And... yeah that's kind of a weird design. I mean I've seen weirder, but... yeah, I'm not sure what to think of the monster designs for this show just yet.
Anyway, the monster says that he wonders if Takeru will be a worthy opponent and attacks him. And then they magically teleport beneath a bridge... yeah, this happens a lot in Kamen Rider, the sudden scene changes. Sometimes it's justified like in Ex-Aid, but... yeah.
Anyway, the fight between Ghost and the Ganma continues with Ghost flying around while the Ganma tries to hit him with his axe. The Ganma manages to get a hit off on Takeru, knocking him into the water while Little John escapes with the bow and arrow with Onari close behind. Back in the fight, Takeru changes to Musashi form and deflects axes being thrown at him. But after that, the Ganma is gone
We go back to Mr. Kuratani's home where he's lamenting over the loss of the Robin Hood bow. Back in the lab Akari is working on the compound but is missing an ingredient. There's also Sage dressed as Einstein considering whether or not to help her and distracts her before putting a vial on the table. She adds it to the compound which turns it gold before it explodes in her face, sending gold dust around and revealing Sage to her. So yeah, she can see ghosts, temporarily, which he tells her and then walks through a bookcase.
Onari on the other hand has actually found the car. Takeru arrives back at the lab and asks why Onari isn't back yet, but Anari is more excited about having found a way to make ghosts visible and that she talked to Sage. Onari then calls them to tell them he's found the location of the hideout, only to be beaten up by Little John. Geez, Onari you're going to be the butt of so many jokes, aren't you? So yeah, they don't know where Onari is, at least until Yurusen comes in and says the Condorphone can help them find him. What the heck is a Condorphone?
Yeah, turns out the phone is a robot, neat.
Yeah, we've got a robot helper, something that appears every so often in Kamen Rider. You don't see them that often these days, unless you count Izu I suppose, but yeah. Honestly was not expecting that.
Anyway the Condorphone leads them away and Onari is of course bound and gagged. The Ganma is about to kill him, but the Condorphone intercepts the attack and Takeru and Akari come in and free Onari. And at this point, Little John reveals himself, or should I say herself.
Yeah, I probably should've shown a picture of her earlier, this is Mari Shirase. The reporter from before, yeah, she's taken up the name Little John because of what happened to her father. Takeru says he undersands, but questions if this is really the justice she believes in. He tells her that she needs to remember what she used to believe in and try and start over. However, the Ganma is telling her she's doing the right thing, and she belives she can't turn back, that she wields this power for justice.
Yeah, the Ganma is clearly up to something and is egging her on. There is a light around Mari which Yurusen explains is the Ganma's influence. Apparently the Ganma are trying to drive people insane until their life is exchanged for a ghost, and this is how the Ganma summon eyecons and they're about to summon Robin Hood. However Takeru, being the hero of the show, insists that he doesn't need Eyecons if they're at the expense of a person's life,
"The power you wield has nothing to do with justice! It was granted by invisible ghosts, called Ganma! You'll die if you don't stop!"
I know this because a ghostly old man told me! I'm not crazy! I'm not!
But yeah, Mari rejects him and says she doesn't care where the power comes from because she'll become a modern day Robin Hood. The Ganma is of course happy about all of this, but Takeru says he can stop it because he believes in himself. And then he goes up to Mari and hugs her. He realizes that she wants to live, and saves her... somehow offscreen. The Ganma is furious and tosses his axe at Takeru and Onari, cutting Takeru as he gets the monk out of the way.
But now, it's Akari's time to shine as she takes out a leaf blower and loads it with the Shiranui compound and blasts the Ganma with it, which freaks her out because now she can see the Ganma, but she doesn't want to believe it. What exactly were you expecting, Akari? Meanwhile, Mari is freaking out, but Takeru gives her some advice:
"You want to be just like Robin Hood, Mari? If that's really true, then why don't you wield journalism as your bow and arrow of justice?"
That gets to Mari and she starts to glow along with the bow and arrow. Yurusen seems a bit disconcerted about this, but Takeru transforms and Akari thinks this whole thing is insane while Onari is envious. Takeru turns the bow and arrow into an Eyecon upgrade, and we get this image of the suit and Robin Hood:
The Ganma insists that it's his of course and they take the fight out into the forest. Takeru gets hit by an axe again and switches to Edison, shooting at the Ganma but the ghost has a shield of course. But Now, the time has come, to unveil, Robin Hood.
"EYES OPEN! ROBIN HOOD! HELLO ARROW! INTO THE WOODS WE GO!"
Takeru shoots at the Ganma, but this form isn't doing much better. And axes fly towards Onari and Akari before exploding as they run away. Takeru tries to ask Yurusen for help but he doesn't have any answers either. However, of all people Onari tells him what to do, telling him that there is a hole in the shield when he throws an axe. Takeru uses the hole to his advantage, firing a shot right through it and finishing off the Ganma in one shot, gee must have a glass body.
However, someone was watching and he walks off unseen. At the same time, the Ganma leaders are watching. There is a brief moment between Takeru and Mari before we cut back to the temple. Takeru compliments Akari for finding the means to see Ganma. Onari apologizes for causing trouble before, but Takeru thanks him for his help.
We learn that Mari turned herself in and they will gain recognition for solving the mystery of Little John. But it ends with those two guys who's names I forget saying they've found someone that Onari asked them to track down.
Episode 4: Amazing! The Castle in the Sky!
Yeah, I honestly have no idea who that's a reference to this time. I guess we'll all find out together.
So after the theme song and opening narration and recap, the older Ganma leader tells his younger compatriot that he can handle the next one personally if he wants. Back in the Daitenku Temple, Onari is saying that Shibuya and Narita have heard a rumor that someone is offering to make all wishes come true. Akari is of course reluctant to believe this, which is fair given it's just a rumor. Though I seem to recall a previous monster faction offering you your wishes for a cost, so I'd be very, very weary. Or worse, it could be this guy:
So yeah, Onari wants to investigate and Akari yells at him. However Takeru laments that he's worried about the people being used by the Ganma, but of course he still has 12 Eyecons to find. He starts to say that he should be fine at this rate, only to get interrupted by Sage who is... I don't even know how to describe his outfit, its weird. Anyway, Sage says that it won't always be that simple, and in fact this time it's going to be more complicated, because of course it is.
And we get another clue:
"If the cuckoo does not sing, then I shall kill it."
Oh no... no, no, no, no... you were doing so well Kamen Rider Ghost, couldn't you have waited longer? Please? No? Alright fine, next up is the Japanese Feudal lord Oda Nobunaga:
So for anyone who isn't knowledgable about Japanese history, Oda Nobunaga was a Daimyo, a Japanese Feudal Lord during the Sengoku Era of Japan. Regarded as the first Great Unifier, Nobunaga was a great innovator of warfare during his era and set out to reunify Japan during the fractured Sengoku era, waging war on the other lords. He died before this was carried out and his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi was ultimately the one to complete Nobunaga's war of unification.
So yeah, generally a pretty important figure in Japanese history, so I'm not against his inclusion here in theory. The problem is that Kamen Rider has this weird obsession with Oda Nobunaga. This is not the first time he's shown up in Kamen Rider, and it will not be the last, like give some other people from your history some love.
I will say though that's a pretty good picture of him though.
Anyway, Sage has once more vanished behind the furniture, and we get more historical trivia.
He also... wait I haven't reviewed Zi-O yet, that joke won't make any sense.
Onari get's a call on his cell phone, and it seems:
Video belongs to Columbia Pictures.
Anyway, we meet our client this time, Kuroda Hideo. He works for the Sengoku Corporation (because subtlety doesn't exist in Kamen Rider), and he seems nervous to say the least. Apparently there is a problem with the President of the corporation, Hashiba Nobuyoshi who has become a ruthless tyrant. So basically he's acting like a normal executive, got it. He now plans to completely dominate the Japanese economy and bring more companies under his control by any means necessary.
So yeah, Hideo is understandably worried about what's going on here. And apparently strange things have been happening in the office such as paper levitating, and this happened ater Nobuyoshi's personality change. Takeru asks Onari and Akari to look into the unusual incidents while he goes to talk with Nobuyoshi himself.
At the Sengoku Corporation, Nobuyoshi is talking with the President of one of the affiliates, or rather arguing with him. Apparently he wants a controlling interest in the company, but before Takeru can question him some nearby office equipment starts levitating and the President of the affiliate starts getting dragged away. And, yeah, we get our Ganma of the week:
These monster designs just get weirder and weirder. That being said it's clearly deliberate as this monster is apparently based on Alice in Wonderland in design. Weird.
Anyway, we cut to the rooftop where the Ganma pulls a Joker in the Dark Knight and drops the Affiliate President to the ground. Takeru quickly transforms and catches him before hitting the ground which still hurts of course. The Ganma jumps out of the building and the fight between the two begins. The Ganma causes an explosion, sending the otherwise unaware people around. We also learn that this Ganma can multiply, useful power really. And the two gang up on Takeru.
Yurusen decides now is a good time to appear and give advice, telling him to split his weapon into parts and connect them. So we get a double sided weapon, or a Naginata as he compares it to.
Anyway, he basically goes all Darth Maul on the two Ganma, using an Omega Stream finisher on one of them. However that wasn't the real one as the real one had a bird on his hat and runs off. Takeru realizes of course this means there's got to be an Eyecon nearby, but someone else is watching him, someone in a Kamen Rider suit who I can't get a decent shot of so I'll show you when he gets introduced fully.
Takeru goes back to the Sengoku Corporation where the Affiliate President is freaking out after talking to this woman:
Yeah, I don't blame him, something about her is just off.
Anyway, we go to the subsidiary Azai Construction where Onari and Akari are asking about a floating objects incident there. However, there is something weird going on as Akari spots that there are markings on a map that resemble the shape of an eye. The same woman from before is here with Takeru following behind her invisible as she goes into the President's office at Sengoku. Takeru is investigating a piece of paper when Nobuyoshi comes in and asks who he is.
So, yeah turns out Nobuyoshi is at least aware of the Daitenku temple. It turns out that Takeru's father had met him about the paper he had been looking at which belonged to Nobuyoshi's ancestor and was signed by Nobunaga as recognition of his work. His family had served the Oda family and he see's Nobunaga as his idol.
Okay... so here's where I gotta actually address an issue with Ghost. I kinda touched on this back with Edison, but Ghost does not exactly focus on the negative aspects of the historical figures. Yeah Nobunaga did a lot for the arts and the civil system along with of course working to reunify a broken Japan, he was still a brutal warlord. It's a bit of hero worship, looking at the past through rose tinted glasses. That's not to say these figures don't have their positive aspects, but they only focus on the positives. The closest we get for Nobunaga is the drive to take more companies under his control.
Anyway, the woman from before enters at this point wanting to speak with Nobuyoshi. Hideo runs up to him and tells him that the woman is Sakuma Risa, Nobuyoshi's secretary, and then Takeru vanishes freaking Hideo out more. Takeru is now in the President's office listening in on the conversation, apparently Risa is convincing Nobuyoshi to do all of this.
"With your talents, you may be able to succeed where Nobunaga failed, and unite the nation."
Okay, so I'm not really an expert on Japanese politics, but aren't they already a united nation and have been for centuries? Geez lady, you should've either convinced him to start a dance group two years ago or found him in an alternate reality where Japan was divided into three countries and got him to unite Japan then.
Anyway, the preparations are nearly complete. We go back to that map with the eye on it, though Onari completely misses the point of why it's odd. Its a map of the businesses that have been acquired and Akari draws the eye on it. However after that the levitating office equipment starts up again and Akari takes out her leaf blower again and reveals the Ganma in all the buildings, freaking people out. It however also does this:
So, now the title makes a bit more sense as yeah a good portion of the city is now rising into the sky. Were they watching a lot of Avengers: Age of Ultron when this was being made? Anyway, Risa points at it and says that this is his city, his very own Azuchi Castle (one of Nobunaga's primary castles outside of Kyoto) from where he will rule over Japan. Hideo demands to know what's come over Nobuyoshi and he says this is his true self, he's under the influence of a Ganma as shown by the purple glow.
"I will be Oda Nobunaga!"
Takeru tries to tell him he's being used, but Nobuyoshi insists that his life is of no consequence if it means he get's his wish. But it seems like it's too late now and Takeru... hugs Nobuyoshi into realizing he needs to live. And now, it's speech time.
"Mr. Hashiba, people always assume Nobunaga was a terrifying warlord, But he always took care of his people regardless of station or class."
"He did?"
"That's right, and your letter is proof of that."
Well, that may be true, but Nobunaga was still a terrifying warlord by all accounts. Even if you want to argue that Nobunaga was more than just a Demon Emperor, there are multiple sides to every story. Though in this case it's also clearly to try and get Nobuyoshi to realize that he can be like his idol without going that far, so I'll let it pass.
The Book Ganma appears at this point to attack Takeru, and you know how that goes, HENSHIN! He goes to Robin Hood form as Hideo goes to talk to Nobuyoshi and he realizes that he needs to be more like the humane side. So, yeah it's time to get another Eyecon. The fight with the Ganma continues with him forming more clones and Takeru trying to figure out which one is real. And he... creates copies of himself too? Since when can he do that?
Anyway, he takes out the Ganma and now the section of the city is falling back to Earth. Yurusen gives him the Newton Eyecon that was used back during a crossover with Kamen Rider Drive at the end of the latter show's run (I'll get to that someday). So he uses that and it's time for a form change.
"EYES OPEN! NEWTON! APPLE FALLS FROM THE TREE! IT'S DOWN TO GRAVITY!"
Takeru uses his new powers to slow down the descent of the part of the city and thinks he's about to get crushed but Yurusen reminds him that he has powers and yeah he's fine. However there is another problem, see he did that instead of getting the Nobunaga Ghost so he has to now rush back to that rooftop.
Back on the rooftop Risa is grabbing Nobuyoshi by the neck but Takeru saves him in time and creates the seal. So we get another Eyecon ghost, yay!
Turns out that the secretary was also possessed by a Ganma which Takeru beats quickly. However, he's not going to get Nobunaga. See, remember I mentioned that other Kamen Rider earlier? This is where he decides to make his appearance.
Meet our secondary Rider for the show, and he gets his hands on the Nobunaga Eyecon, saying Takeru is too soft. The younger Ganma general appears at this point, and gives our new Rider his name, Kamen Rider Specter.
So back at Sengoku Corporation we learn that Risa doesn't remember anything that happened. Onari questions why they targeted Nobuyoshi's assistant, but it seems that the Ganma were using this as a distraction. When Takeru confronts Sage about Specter, he says he's not the only Kamen Rider (no duh he isn't). And yeah, Takeru has to look for more Eyecons to use them, and we get some more information on what's going on with the ghosts when he asks why they didn't possess Nobuyoshi.
"A heroic ghost can only be born from a sincere sentiment. A Ganma possession would create a different personality, of course it wouldn't work."
Alright, fair enough, that makes sense. And of course Sage vanishes when Takeru says he should've been told they can possess people.
Final Thoughts:
It's not a perfect couple of episodes that much is obvious. But it get's in a bit of worldbuilding and Akari actually loses her more skeptical attitude for the most part. Really, it's not a bad couple of episodes and is a preview of things to come with Specter in episode 5. And yes, Nobunaga is overused in Kamen Rider, but I kinda liked the way they used him here. It at least fits the style of the show and characters.
Overall, it's not a bad couple of episodes. That being said, there is still the issue of focusing too much on the positives of the historical figures. But hey, that's why I'm here, to expose them in all their grittiness. So, who's next? I have absolutely no idea, we'll find out next time.
Next time I should finally get back on Kuuga.
See, here's the thing about the Ghost Monster designs, they're based off historial figures as well. We see an Al Capone monster later on, and our Alice in Wonderland monster is based off Lewis Carol. The sword gamma? Sasaki Kojiro, who was struck down by guess who, but Miyamoto Musashi.
5319984 Ah, yeah, I should've read up more on the monsters, I kinda realized that during episode four.
5320013
To be fair, most of them aren't explicitly obvious.
5320016 I'll make a note of it when I get to episodes 5 and 6.