天下制覇

Seriously, where do they get those scarves?

Impressions:

Bleh. I’m up far too late from playing Act Cadenza online against random people, and then heard the news that Pratchett has early onset Alzheimers and really wasn’t in the mood for fanservicey nonsensical slapstick. Luckily, this episode didn’t have almost any of that. On the other hand, it didn’t help that the first half was kind of lame and the second half started off pretty… well… let’s just say that while it won’t top JCStaff’s Ikki Tousen for disturbing raunchiness, it’s certainly one of the more disquieting things I’ve seen in awhile. What is it with this season and rape? First Prism Ark flirting with it, now this. Bleh. Color me conservative, but the less of it that gets sprung on me, the better.

The slavish devotion to fanservice was especially obvious during that scene too as Reika’s bust size was easily three or four times what it normally is, especially given the number of times they’ve gone for the "Reika is flatchested" jokes. Perhaps she’s one of the Fey women whose heart chest grows three sizes and then she returns all the presents she stole from the Whos of Whoville. At this point, I’m mixing my stories pretty haphazardly, but this episode felt pretty out of place anyway. It wasn’t bad, especially for Ninomiya, but it didn’t really feel like it belonged with the rest of the show either. Even the previous plot-filled episodes were spaced out with plenty of humor instead of crammed to the brim as the writers realize how many loose ends they’ve got to wrap up.

Ninomiya does not do serious particularly well. It’s kind of hard to when your cast is made up of sex demons and combat maids. It especially does not do it well when you’ve got a near-rape scene followed up by people running around with giant scarves on like they’ve just come from participating in a Speed Racer reenactment. Having a plot is great and all, but that’s a bonus to the Ninomiya experience, not why I watch it. Alright, so I watch it because there’s nothing else of value that airs on Wednesdays, but if I wanted a joke of a plot with disturbing fanservice, that’s what Dragonaut is there for. I don’t know, maybe just chalk my cynicism up to coming into this episode being down and there not really being much to hold my interest. Next week’s the ‘thrilling’ conclusion to the series, maybe I’ll drink heavily before I watch it.

Pre-episode is Mayu reading tabloids about aliens invading. Ryoko gets up, spies on Area 51, and George Bush shaking hands with an alien, then, all well in hand, heads home while Mayu keeps thinking how gross they’d be while a tentacle waves behind her.

Reika struggles with her inner self. The voice tells her asks her what she’ll do now that Ninomiya has forgotten his promise. The little girl of her past tells her that it’s fine, and puts Reika to sleep. She looks down at a necklace in her hands fondly.

At the Ninomiya estate, their school mates are looking for the two of them. They think it strange that the mansion is wrecked.

At the jail, Ninomiya struggles to figure out what’s going on. Hosaka comes up and lets him out. As they head out in a limo with escorts, Hosaka tells him that Reika has finally become serious. Ninomiya still doesn’t understand, especially about the terrorists, but Hosaka tells him it’s fine; it’s all Reika’s doing.

They arrive at their location, a neighborhood that should be familiar to Ninomiya.

He gets out and is overwhelmed with the memories. He used to live and play here with two girls. He chases after his ghostly memories of them. Eventually, he comes to an abandoned apartment. Ninomiya heads inside and finds Reika waiting for him. She tells him that it’s the place they and Mayu shared.

He asks who she is. She tells him Hojo Reika, but he says that’s wrong. She admits that maybe she’s just Reika then. He demands to know what happened to Hojo Reika, but she makes him remember the past.

A bunch of boys were bullying Reika, led by Tasuku.

Ninomiya stopped them by offering his necklace in trade. Tasuku gladly took it and the bullies ran off. Reika followed Ninomiya home and then helped him with the chores in order to repay him. His sister had basically abandoned him during that time, so the two were left to play and cook together. At that time, she gave him the "Onion Man" nickname.

She holds out the necklace, asking if he remembers.

His memories take over again. After trying to recover the necklace, Ninomiya was beat up. A tomboy then burst in and kicked away Tasuku before picking up Ninomiya and helping him fight off the boys. Little girl Mayu then ran off with the other two to their older siblings, who laughed at the story.

The three of them lived together, played together, the works. One day, the two kissed. She later made him promise to wait for her until she’s ready for him. He promised and gave her the necklace. He then leaned in and kissed her again.

Back in the present, Reika tells him that she worked and studied all for their promise, but Mayu ruined everything. Ninomiya doesn’t understand why it’s Mayu’s fault, but a vision of Mayu’s lips flashes in his mind and he starts to collapse. Reika forces him to try to remember. Ninomiya falls over with the effort. Reika stands over him, telling him that it doesn’t matter anymore.

Mayu breathlessly stumbles through an alleyway, thinking that she’s almost out of time.

In the past again, Mayu looks through a book, thinking how great it would be to be a princess. Reika finds a flier to an amusement park and all three decide to go together.

Ninomiya is strapped to a bed with his shirt off. Reika giggles and then crawls up his body. She straddles him and tells him that she’ll be fulfilling the promise now. Ninomiya angrily tells her that his promise was not with ‘her.’ Her blood red eyes pulse, and Ninomiya again realizes the succubus within.

Reika continues to caress Ninomiya’s face and then moves downward. She bites into his chest and he writhes in pain. She unzips his pants, but the alarm sounds. Hosaka is immediately there to report intruders.

A voice apologizes for getting in the way. The Okushiros are there (in super sentai getup) to rescue him. Tasuku wanted to repay Ninomiya for causing all the trouble, so they’re here to help. As they head out, Tasuku asks Ninomiya about kissing Mayu. Ninomiya doesn’t remember, but Tasuku reminds him that Mayu is a succubus and she’ll need male energy in order to live. They have no clue where she is. Ninomiya panics and runs to find her, but is immediately spotted by Reika and crew.

He demands that she let him go, but she basically tells him that it’s not an option. She does make him the offer that she’ll help him if Ninomiya will become her’s. He grits his teeth and walks forward. He thinks that there’s no helping it, but a voice cuts him off and Shinobu jumps in. Hosaka intercepts her sword with his own and the two face off.

Shinobu levels her sword at Reika. Shinobu tells her the same as Ninomiya, that she’s not the real Reika. Reika starts to respond, but pulses and then collapses. Shinobu charges, but Hosaka blocks her. Shinobu tells the rest to run. The three take off while Ryoko watches them from above.

An explosion rocks the soldiers following Ninomiya. A jet plane pilotted by Mayu’s brother then takes off and chases more soldiers away as well. Ryoko runs out of the wreckage and tells Ninomiya to continue. More soldiers jump out to stop him, but Super Sentai Okushiros knock them out.

Ninomiya runs through the forest and is picked up by his classmates. He remembers the girls saying how they all wanted to go to the Neverland amusement park and tells them to step on it.

They drive off with Reika and Hosaka watching. He’s knocked out Shinobu.

Mayu continues to struggle breathlessly, but is finally at Neverland.