Recap: With Deboss on the rampage, the Kyoryugers’ hopes rest with Yayoi and the trapped Plezuon.

Zigg’s Thoughts: This was a big, crashing episode but it was also something of a come down after last week’s hugely enjoyable nuttiness, since it’s a much more conventionally constructed story, complete with the classic Sentai ending of an awesome new toy getting them out of a pinch. It’s definitely not bad, just a touch predictable and somewhat light on the jokes.

I think one of my problems with the episode is how incredibly Daigo-centric it is. I like Daigo and I accept that most key story episodes are going to be a Red Ranger parade, but he so sidelines the others here it feels unfair. The rest of the team is basically warm bodies and it cuts down a lot on the entertaining character interaction which is part of what makes Kyoryuger cool.

A lot of that character burden is shunted onto Yayoi instead, and it’s only partially successful. Yayoi seems a nice enough girl but we haven’t known her long enough to become invested, and so it’s sort of difficult to take her internal struggle too personally. The ending is just dumb too – ‘courage is the key’ is a silly but acceptable conclusion but try and present it a bit more clearly and concisely. And the less said about jumping off a balcony into the mouth of a giant dinosaur the better.

As it is, the episode climax is elevated by the arrival of, in another time-honoured tradition, an incredibly unwieldy, stupid looking mecha powerup. With Rocket Kyoryuzin it’s the depth that’s laughable, and since Gabutyra’s head and tail basically stick straight out, it has the turning circle of a battleship. Still, with Deboss dispatched, and the preview promising a new look for the team, it’ll be interesting to see where Kyoryuger takes its plot from here.

Random Observations

• Dancing hero of the week – who else but the man in the kappa suit?