Kamen Rider Fourze (2011) Episode 12 Review

The Zodiarts that you see here is the Pyxis Zodiarts, which has two main abilities to speak of: First is it’s Dowsing Blades, which not only help with close-quarters combat but can also track down any item or person if it has a mental image of it, then there is it’s ability to telekinetic-ally deflect any long-range attack, making it a formidable enemy enough to give Fourze quite a bit of trouble. In this episode we see Hiroki get a little too starstruck, Kengo gives us our first Emo Moment for this year’s Kamen Rider show, and we see some more smart Switch using by Fourze.

As Pyxis revels in his success in causing Yuki pain, Fourze tries to go on the offensive with Fire States, only to have Pyxis deflect the shots back at the KRC, then leave the area as he intends to chase after other “stars”. Gentaro then tries to use the PowerDizer to launch himself out into space, but it’s not enough as he’s still stuck in Earth’s gravity. Tomoko decides to take her leave as she feels something is off about the whole situation, then Kengo calls the group to berate them for even trying to use the Fourze equipment in such a manner, before going into what I like to typify as the “Emo Rider” Moment, where one of the main characters in a Kamen Rider show flies out into a rage, striking down everything before them, trying to hurt every person around them, and then getting into the fetal position while trying to cry. Needless to say this is pulled off very well and to the dot with Kengo as he laments being stuck on the Moon alone to die. Yeah, if you were really annoyed by these scenes before, you aren’t going to like this one, but hey, it could be worse, like demonstrated through 40% of Kamen Rider Kiva.

Yup, he's going to go listen to Linkin Park now.

While Kengo weeps, the KRC tries to figure out how to get him back as well as what Hiroki is planning next. For the former, Yuki decides to go off on her own and pull in a meeting with Mituaki Gamou in order to use his influence to gain passage to the moon.

An interesting encounter with the Big Bad of Fourze.

Miu interrupts the proceedings in order to stop Yuki from revealing the secret of the KRC, pulling her out of the office, in which then we get a sense of foreshadowing as it seems Ms. Sonoda is in cahoots with Gamou. So, what Zodiarts will she turn out to be? As Miu tries to explain the importance of the KRC in fighting Zodiarts, Yuki finally breaks down as she has felt the most responsible for what has happened to Kengo. This scene is pretty nice in that it shows the more emotional side to the Yuki character, although some real tears would’ve been better for the sake of realism.

JK, Shun, and Gentaro then are seen in the Astronomy Club’s room, where they uncover a chart of beautiful women that are now apparent targets of Hiroki, as well as his plan of what to do with them (put them in a bus and dump them in a river). We do see Miu’s picture on the board as a bit of foreshadowing as she is then forcibly made to walk on to the bus with the other girls, with Yuki trailing behind. As Gentaro tries to intercept his is briefly deterred by the Scorpio Zodiarts, allowing Pyxis to speed off with the girls. We do see however that Fourze is becoming more than a match for Scorpio, as he is forced to trail off when confronted by Fire States. Gentaro then is able to arrive at where Yuki is, entrusting her with dealing with Kengo while he chases down Hiroki.

We then get a nice battle montage in which Yuki forces Kengo to come to his senses and realize that the KRC is trying to do what they can to defeat the Zodiarts while trying to save him, all while Shun uses the Power Dizer to stop the bus from running off in to the river and Fourze battle Pyxis to keep it distracted. Kengo then realizes what he needs to do, which is of course help Fourze, and then has Fourze active Elec States along with the Stealth Switch to disable Pyxis’s Dowsing Blades, then finish him off with the Rider Ten Billion Volt Shoot Limit Break. As Hiroki wakes from his Last One slumber to be confronted by all of the ladies he kidnapped, Gentaro and the others try to find Kengo, who has decided to put up the KRC Flag on the Moon, leading to a very touching ending that I won’t spoil for those who haven’t seen it yet and I was really surprised by, making me feel at this point things are going to ratchet up faster and more furiously than I had originally anticipated. Let’s just say Tomoko’s hunch is important.

They pulled the drama off very nicely in this episode as all actors helped to bring this arc to a very sastifying conclusion. One should also keep in mind that this will effectively end the first arc of the show, as starting from now is when the 2nd Rider should turn up along with a probable battle with the Scorpio Zodiarts, as he seems defeat-able at this point. So, is the an episode worth watching? Definitely, and it makes me excited to see where things go from here. HENSHIN!