Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger Episode 20 Review

Twenty episodes in and only now, Hero Club is starting tokusatsu show reviews? I blame the booze, and the fact the site only launched back in June, but here we are. I, the VisibleNinja, small time YouTuber and problem causer will be one’s not, so humble guide through Cubed Animals and Phantasms (Kamen Rider Ghost). I roll heavy with SPOILERS, so those who dislike getting their party pooped on better run for the bunkers now. The button has been pressed and 50 megatons of show-ruining information is three minutes out.

One last note, is I use the Over-Time fan subs for my reviews of weekly series and I have three reasons why:

1. They are (usually) out within a day or two after the Show airs in Japan.
2. I don’t burn my eyes having to sit through flashy effects muddling
3. The translators seem to have actually completed Japanese 101

Now, on with the show:

With the six warrior now introduced to the series properly, one would expect the bog standard “Sixth starts off as an evil/controlled Ranger, but after a episode or two sides with the heroes and joins them” plot. What we got with this episode was a play on that cliché with an unexpected twist.

Zyuoh TheWorld, a skinny dude (even for Japan standards) named Masio, does turn against Master Mega Driv-, I mean Gensis as we saw at the end of the previous episode. However, we pick up here with ZAWORLDO not all Gung-Ho to join the good guys, rather taking the “My body is not fit to wear your shirt (plus its amazing and clothes are a cruel prison thrust on us by society)” road seen before with more guilt stricken Sixth Rangers. In this case, over the three Zyumen that had their powers stolen to create, TheWorld. This attitude is not helped by Masio hallucinating the Three haunting him from the afterlife. Because guilt ridden, possibly mentally ill people are funny apparently, and to be played off as something comedic… Yeah, stay Classy Toei…

Yamato, knowing what it’s like to feel like a ‘powers thief’ after Larri aged due to lending the Gorilla powers to him, talks things out with ‘TheGlobe’ and seems to get through to him. This of course happens while the others get their asses captured by ‘Vertical Pie-hole’ (Kubaru) and ‘Blockman’ (Azarudo). The standard ‘hostage plot’ kicks off with Red charging in and getting ‘REKT’ while Masio looks on, conflicted by the guilt and haunting delusions… Only for said delusions to pull a 180 and start encouraging him to fight (except the Wolf, who remains an Asshole). Honestly this guy needs to seek out a shrink, and not fight evil! However he does fight, showing off each Animal Mode in quick but quite well done fights, before calling in the ‘Mack Truck of Doom’ (Cube Rhinos) to deal with that Stupid Bowling monster from last week. This also is somewhat cool as we see TheWorld fight in both the Crocodile, and the Wolf mechas before actually forming Tousai Zyuoh.

They go home to close out the episode, as Masio vows to work on the whole “Feeling worthy” thing all while Bandai yells at the audience, “BUY THE NEW PLUSH ZYUMEN, BUT ONLY SELA AND AMU BECAUSE SCREW TUSK AND LEO!”

Final Thoughts:

This episode is dragged down not by a stock “Sixth joins” Plot or even merchandise pushing, but by making the new bad ass, TheWorld a joke by making him do and say silly things while clearly going through a serious mental episode. His “I have stolen powers and do not feel worthy” mindset didn’t help, but having someone on the main team go through something similar to maybe be able to help him through it, did advance the story and assisted on developing a relationship to strengthen the team. The action was pretty good, as the episode focuses on TheWorld’s varied powers/forms. Now, despite all the guilt and delusions Masio had, I did like Episode 20 and recommend it, as it was a ‘new’ way for a team to gain their Sixth Ranger. Just for now, it will be interesting to see how Masio, Zyuoh TheWorld will cope and overcome the guilt.

RATING: 3 out of 5