Kamen Rider Revice, Episode 33: Lovekov's Rebellion, Sakura's Resolution
Following after the previous episode, we get the excellent scene of Sakura facing off against Aguilera and declaring that she'll defeat her properly and personally. Aguilera does stomp off on her own, followed by Tamaki, but, again, I absolutely love the fact that Sakura's going to deal with her antagonist on her own.
Akemi then does a pretty badass sofa leap, grabs the oversized revolver on Akaishi's table and straight-up tries to shoot him. Vail shows up, however, and Akaishi asks Gifu to give Vail his power, and Vail fully materializes in the flesh. He sure is a 'remixed' version of Vice's suit, sans the mask. Akaishi also stamps a bunch of random Vistamps -- the Kong and Megalodon at the very least -- which jacks Vail up with even more power.
Tamaki and Aguilera hang out at the Sea World aquarium, and Tamaki tries -- rather unsuccessfully -- to talk Aguilera into trying to consider a life as a human civilian. Again, it's not a whole ton and the focus of this two-parter is still on Sakura, but I really do like that Tamaki's character isn't just entirely forgotten.
Speaking of Sakura, we get a rather... interesting scene as Sakura, Ikki and Vice discuss the Lovekov situation. We get a rather hilarious sequence as Vice goes into Sakura's mind and finds Lovekov's adorable door. With an adorable 'keep out' scribbled on it next to an equally-adorably-drawn Lovekov scribble. Vice enters Lovekov's adorably pink room and... And I love this sequence, where Lovekov is just headbanging to some giant headphones... and then Vice removes them and turns out Lovekov has a taste for heavy rock! Good snake demon! Lovekov can speak normally in this realm, apparently, and kicks Vice out of the room, citing that "Sakura's no good right now".
Tamaki takes this point to return to the Happy Spa, and talk to Sakura and Ikki about how he's trying to at least persuade Aguilera to try out stuff that resemble a more normal life, since all that she has known had been the Deadmans cult. A combination of Tamaki's words and Lovekov's little tantrum finally galvanizes Sakura to go off and talk to Aguilera.
Daiji finally decides to interrogate Director Akaishi, citing that "justice comes before rank"... which... honestly is a conclusion that Daiji should come to like, six or seven episodes ago. Around the time that the Hiromi storyline happens and he discovers that there's a rat in Fenix. But okay, I guess Daiji really needs a friend in trouble before he moves. Daiji barges into Akaishi's room and finds the dazed Akemi, and Akashi is in full psycho-mode where he gloats that he is 'best buds' with Gifu.
Aguilera and Sakura confront each other and Sakura makes a request... "let's have some fun". It's not apparent at all until later in this episode that Sakura doesn't actually have access to the Libera Driver, and I don't think I missed a scene where they tell us that it's being fixed by Weekend? But Sakura basically gets inspired by Tamaki's earlier talk and brings Aguilera on a date. It's kind of baffling, but ultimately turns into something genuinely heartwarming as Sakura and Aguilera... have a lot of fun, y'know? It's just adorable.
This is juxtaposed with Vail showing up and attacking Ikki, who refuses to tell Vail where Genta is. It's kind of bizarre that Vail's return as an antagonist is so... so oddly executed where he's kind of a distraction and we keep cutting back and forth between the Vail-vs-Revice fight and Sakura and Aguilera's date. Revice goes into ta couple of his forms, but Vail just creates dark-energy versions of their power-ups to counter Revice's Megalodon, Kong and Eagle forms. But Thunder Gale manages to knock Vail around a bit, before Vail says something ominous about them not having reached the 'heights' and disappearing.
While all of this is going on as well, Daiji attacks Akaishi... without transforming? And then Akaishi quotes an admittedly cool saying, before blasting Daiji with a fiery red explosion and steelifying his jaw to block Daiji's punch. Akaishi leaves Daiji stunned, before dragging Akemi out of the room.
All of these don't get any real follow-ups, though, because clearly the main plot is the Sakura/Aguilera one. Interrupting their little ice-cream dessert, that punk Hikaru (see, I remember his name!) shows up with the Libera Driver and we get a great look of irritation on Sakura's face that quickly turns into determination. Sakura and Aguilera fight again, and this time Lovekov is ready to fight. I'm... I'm not sure why Lovekov is happy now. I guess one of Sakura's regrets or doubts is that she didn't try harder to 'reform' Aguilera?
We get a pretty standard fight featuring Jeanne's base and Kujaku form, but then George shows up and lobs a brand-new Vistamp at Sakura, the hashibirokou (shoebill) Vistamp. This one turns Lovekov into a goddamn scythe. We get a pretty cool beatdown, and then we get to see Sakura and Aguilera in their human forms conversing with each other as they clash. Aguilera straight-up says that "I loved you, Sakura"... and Sakura replies with "drop that past tense!" Pretty surprising that they actually acknowledge the pretty heavy romantic subtext from Aguilera towards Sakura, and it all leads to a very satisfying finisher as Sakura uses her scythe to break Aguilera's demon contract form. Sakura tells Aguilera that regardless of whether Aguilera would hate her or not, she had vowed to split her from her demon.
We do get a brief explanation as to what the shit the shoebill Vistamp is, and apparently Weekend begged George for help in creating a Vistamp for Sakura that can give her demon-separation powers. And I guess George was the one that designed Thunder Gale, so it's not too far-off for George to be able to make that shoebill Vistamp instantly.
Aguilera cries about how she doesn't have a place to belong, but, of course, she belongs with Sakura, who hugs Aguilera while she cries. Her real name is Hana, apparently! I do like the little extra scene where Ikki and Vice note that Ikki doesn't need to be nosey and butt in, since Sakura clearly have this under control. We get a scene of Aguilera and Sakura in then Happy Spa hot bath together, and then we see that Sakura's recruited Aguilera into Weekend.
Again, it's... it's a bit messy at times, but I actually really do like this two-parter a fair bit. I feel like the episode could've been a bit more explicit in the Lovekov tantrum side of things, or to focus a bit more on telling us what Sakura's doubts really are. Is it her realizing that she didn't do enough to help Aguilera? Is it her realizing that she needs to do it herself? Is it realizing that she's in love with Aguilera as well? Ultimately, though, a pretty fun episode, and I do enjoy the B-plots in this episode as well.
Random Notes:
- I get that Fenix being kind of corrupt from the inside has been foreshadowed for a while, and Akaishi is pretty obviously evil even when we first see him (he has very strong Blofeld vibes) but if that's the case, was it necessary, then, for the Deadmans to have the Chameleon Deadman sneak and replace Wakabayashi? Although I guess Akaishi and Olteca aren't exactly communicating fully at that point...
- The scene is cool and all, but there are some rather terrible CGI effects as the bullets fall of Akaishi's skin and we get a rather terrible showcase of Wolverine-style instant-healing.
- Okay, I admit that I'm not the most up-to-date about the location of these plot devices, but aren't the Kong and Megalodon Vistamps with Ikki? Why does Akaishi have them? Or I guess these just aren't like the Fullbottles or Eyecons or Core Medals, and there might just be extras lying around?
- I love the little head-knocking motion that Sakura makes after Vice leaves her head.
- I like Akemi, but I really do wonder why Akaishi doesn't kill her instantly. Does Akaishi need her for something?
- What's the cutest part of their date? I would have to say the bumper car ride.
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