Summary: Phoenix decides to ruin Christmas, because he’s just a bit of a bastard like that.

Dragonzigg’s Thoughts: Welcome back, and I hope you all had a very merry Christmas. We’ve got that rare thing this week, a one episode arc for Wizard. It’s a Christmas miracle! Actually, I rather enjoyed this little trifle, the shorter runtime resulting in a snappy, well paced episode that trims all the fat and still gets all the important stuff on screen. It suggest to me that maybe the writers should reconsider the two episode plot arc format that has been standardized since Kamen Rider Den-O. That’s not to say that I’d like to see it go the Super Sentai route (mostly singles with the rare two parter) but it might certainly help some of the slight drag that most Rider series tend to exhibit in the first third.

Leaving that aside, we have a rather predictable, but very charming little story here. It’s always a pleasure to see Phoenix back in action with his effortless cocky swagger and if there’s one important plot element in this episode it’s the demonstration of his increased resilience even to the Dragon forms. Phoenix appears to basically be a Saiyan – every time he’s destroyed he comes back far stronger than he was before.  Haruto shows some really neat thinking to combine Blizzard and Water Slash Strike and freeze him solid, but it’s way way tougher than it was before, and it looks as if Wizard will get one kill per Dragon form if he’s lucky.

The Gate’s dilemma was a little cliched this week, but in a thoroughly good way. A delinquent with a heart of gold is perfect for a Christmas episode, and it’s a well told little tale. Santa Claus’s appearance is totally silly in all the best ways, especially given how obviously not Japanese he is, and it’s extremely funny to hear the Driver say MERRY KURISTUMAS PUREASE. Rinko in a santa suit is gratefully received as well. Overall it’s exactly what a Christmas episode should be – a silly romp with a little bit of heart as well. 

Next week – Beast mode!

Random Observations

• How sweet was that backflip-off-a-wall transformation?
• Also amazing – the super cheesy trumpet rendition of ‘Jingle Bells’ that sounds when the Christmas ring is activated
• Rider #2 – whose name you probably all know by now – appears in the previews complete with obligatory super dumb hairstyle. Also in the previews – a mysterious mustachioed man whose identity remains unclear. And it looks as if Wiseman himself  will be entering the battle.
• There won’t be an episode next week because of the new year. Look for something a little retro in its place.