Kamen Rider Fourze (2011) Episode 14 Review

The Kajin that this arc has focused on is the Scorpio Zodiarts, shown here in it’s Supernova-mode. To be honest, it ends up becoming more like a tank of sorts, with some added mobility so it’s not completely slowed down via it’s scorpion-legs, but to be honest it’s designed more for sheer power, along with it’s super-stinger. This episode concludes the arc in which Miura has to make a choice whether or not to become the Orion Zodiarts again, and the viewer has to deal with the shocking revelation of Sonada’s true identity as the Scorpio Zodiarts.

That's the face that everyone was going gaga for up until Episode 13. Seriously.

Soooo, we left off with Miura acting like Robert Downey Jr. in Less Than Zero, Gentaro really not knowing what to do, and Sonada basking in her own glory. We basically begin to see that she is a follower totally devoted to Gamou, in a very psychotic kind of way, and for her efforts she is rewarded the “Supernova” power to help in dealing with Fourze. While she’s almost having an orgasm from said power boost, Gentaro is busy trying to figure out how to reach someone who is lost in the heart as Miura is, settling for at least trying to find out locations that he could hang out at (as in the beginning of the episode, Scorpio had told him that he would give him his switch at the place where they had first met). While on the prowl for Miura, Gentaro bumps into Sonada, who’s trying for the Dark Villainous Chick look:

This doesn't scream "Bad Guy" to me, sorry folks.

Yup, that’s kinda of a FAILBOAT right there. You see, the things working against her being a Zodiarts mainly lies in the fact that while in her Scorpio mode, she speaks through a male’s voice rather than her own. I can understand the wanting to shield her identity from the students and such, but as a result we only get glimmers of her true personality, and even then, it just looks like she’s doing a moe-moe-kyun pout than really trying to be vicious. My personal POV is that they should have either kept her as the sweet teacher archetype, or done more to allow the actress to show her true colors, vocally and physically.

Ranting aside, back to the action. Well, Sona-chan ends up luring Gentaro into a dark room where she can transform and hit him with her poison stinger to slowly weaken/kill him while she goes off to meet with Miura. Following a scene in which Sonada and Hayami discuss matters at hand (with a very jealous Ohsugi commenting away), we see Yuki running off to check up on Gentaro. After being given a picture book by Miura’s girlfriend, Yuki heads to the Rabbit Hutch and gives it to a struggling Gentaro, who is subcumming to the effects of the poison. As he looks at the picture book, Kengo discusses methods on how to treat him via this week’s switch, Medical. At first they are lost on what to do as Fourze itself is needed to use Medical, but luckily Tomoko comes in with her scene for the arc, and creates a temporary solution, only for Gentaro to dissappear after Miura, running into JK  who had just found out where Miura was heading.

Turns out, Miura was just hanging over at the Designated Toei Rooftop (go watch this, then watch the OOO cameo in A-Z: Gaia Memories of Fate), where JK and Gentaro show up to give him the picture book, only to be met up by Scorpio, who goes into Supernova Mode and knocks everyone around silly. Even the PowerDizer is not enough as Shun in manhandled and then stung by the Scorpio’s poison, leaving it to chase after Miura. Kengo shows up with the others at this point with a Power Glove designed to heal Gentaro who can then heal the others.

When then speed over to a Stonehenge-like structure where Scorpio and Miura have their final talk about things, and of course Miura finally rejects the Zodiarts switch, leading Gentaro to save him from a very angry Scorpio and then transform into Fourze to heal the others. What follows next is a couple of fight sequences, first involving the Dustards, then Scorpio Supernova Form, the former not really being that interesting, the latter a bit more so. As Supernova mode involves heavy CG, it means a trip out into space for the Limit Break, where Gentaro activates the Lever twice for a Big Rocket Drill kick to take out the Zodiarts, which I have to say was well done and thought out, although I’m wondering what consequences that could have, ala when Eiji would use his full combos in OOO…..

We also get the reveal of Hayami as the Zodiarts Libra, who is forced to rescue Sonada from being discovered by the KRC, and now has to actively distribute switches, something that just seems troublesome compared to the heaps of ladies he should be making sweet love to right now, at least that’s what I could tell from the way he was acting about it. With Hayami/Libra as the main switch handler, things should get a little bit more interesting. As for Sona-chan, she now has to make do without her Scorpio Switch, and pout endlessly about her fate, all while Gentaro is having so much fun.

I do have to say, this was a nice episode other than my thoughts about Sonada being the Scorpio Zodiarts, I liked how they continued to emphasize the friendship of the KRC and their willingness to defend each other and help each other out, which is really nice compared to other Rider shows, which makes me think when Meteor shows up, he’s going to be the one screwing things up. So does this episode get a yea? Indeed, although you may be wishing they had gotten someone different to be the Scorpio Zodiarts. HENSHIN!