Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: S37E05 - Boom! The Cavities of Ankydon.

Last week was a return to form for a Sentai series that is fast becoming my favourite since Shinkenger, here is hoping it only gets better!


What starts as what seems like a filler episode and a really stupid one at that, quickly becomes perhaps the most interesting episode so far because I think it changes certain perceptions I had about this series thus far. Although it doesn't have the time to be explored here, it certainly gives the suggestion that there are much bigger things in play than initially suggested and it looks like the Kyoryuger have a much richer lore and a much grander legacy than they could have initially imagined as well. Exciting!

Firstly is the introduction of Warrior Spirit Ramires, despite his stupid appearance he was one of the Kyoryuger around 500 years ago when the team was originally ten members. Maybe I am overthinking this but is it the fate of all the Kyoryuger to fight on long after they've died? That doesn't really sound like a very pleasant afterlife and if it is a played as darkly as that notion would suggest, it will certainly be an interesting aspect for the series to explore.

The second crucial aspect of the episode is the introduction of a new, mysterious monster that Ramires seems to recognise but the Debo Generals do not. What is all that about? More importantly whoever this Monster is, he has some insane powers. He can take control of the Voltasaur and the Debo Monsters alike, manipulating them to do evil and in the monsters case, turning them into much more dangerous versions of themselves. Awesome, can't wait to see more of this guy.

Obviously the other focus is on teamwork, now the team has been officially established but of course the team never works very well together for the first chunk of the series so our first rivalry is between Souji and Ian. I guess Souji is just butthurt because Ian is actually an interesting character. Obviously their rivalry is solved by the end and I'm actually really excited to see their bromance play out in the future.

We watch Sentai for the Toku team so I certainly found this episode a lot more entertaining because now the characters can start to play off one another and we can start exploring them and their abilities in greater depth. It certainly helps that the team have a lot of chemistry and are very fun together.

I also like how each Kyoryuger has a unique and recognisable fighting style, that makes them all stand out from one another. It feels like each member of the team is important in a much less artificial sense than just giving people different weapons like in past iterations. For a show built around teamwork, there aren't many iterations where any of the team really stand out alongside the Red and Sixth members and so I'm hoping as soon as new members are added to the team, they still manage to retain this sense of unique importance in each member.

This week Canderrilla gets to step up to try and revive their boss, after Aigallon got two attempts and failed twice. As said Debo Patissiyay starts off seeming like a filler villain who sends people to the dentist but as the mysterious new monster takes him over and transforms him, he becomes a pretty awesome and threatening villain that can make the world itself decay - even if that only happens in a throwaway scene and he spends the rest of his time shooting his rotten teeth. Ew. Plus seeing Ian trying, and failing, to do the roll call with his cavities was pretty hilarious. And hell, I hope the enemies are grateful they each get a send off of the kind that is usually saved for the commanders much later in the iteration.

I'm also so glad they sped up the Snap-Together Combination, the full version was awful. We also finally have all five of them piloting a Megazord together - although not with all the Voltasaur combined, still pretty epic though.

Time will tell whether it's played like it's suggested but there seems to be a dark future ahead for the Kyoryuger, whether it turns out goofy or not I'm grateful that they are widening the lore of this iteration already, it's well structured and well paced. Aside from that this has to be one of the best Super Sentai teams ever and all round it was another incredibly enjoyable episode that leaves me eager for the next instalment  I love this series!

Pros;

• The fact they are adding depth already.
• The whole team are great but especially Ian.
• Ian and Souji's future bromance.
• The fact that each member of the team feels important.
• Patissiyay got pretty awesome by the end.
• They finally sped up that horrible Combination.
• It's well written enough to have me incredibly eager for the next instalment. 

Think About It!

-Locke

What would you rate, 'Boom! The Cavities of Ankydon'?