Hurry! Save the Earth (急げ! 地球を救え) – A pure adrenaline opener that’s difficult to describe and review, but I’ll give it my best shot. The intergalactic Empire Mes have arrived on Earth taking a liking to its life, and wishing to use said life to create their own artificial beasts. This is similar to Kamen Rider‘s Shocker, with them extracting DNA from animals, only instead of crossing it with humans, they combine it with their own twisted alien machinery. And the only ones who can stop them are five twenty-somethings deep in the Flash Nebula who were apparently abducted from Earth as children and have been awaiting this day for a long time. So much happens in such little time, and a lot is left unexplained (Particularly just how or why the Flashmen were abducted and how they came to be), but it’s a pretty fun start.
Behold! The Giant Robo (見たか! 巨大ロボ) – Picking up not long where the last episode left off, with the obligatory giant robot of the series introduced, apparently stored within the vessel the Flashmen escaped to Earth on. The origin of how they came to be is revealed – they were captured and taken from Earth by scouts of Mes for specimens, only to be rescued and trained by the Flash aliens. Certainly an interesting backstory, and one that gives them good reason to fight against Mes, though the Flashians don’t seem like spring chickens either, putting them through intense training instead of simply sending them back to Earth (And not even giving Sara proper pants while he trains on a snowy moon). Like the previous episode, so much action in so little time, it can be a bit hard to comprehend, but still fun.
Movie – Just two episodes in, we already have a movie. It being so early into the show actually works somewhat to the film’s advantage, as the plot is simply Mes’ Lie Köpflen creating the ultimate monster to destroy Flashman, combining the DNA of various animals. One animal used is a dog, who just so happens to have been a mother with a puppy. There are some legitimately heart-wrenching scenes present with the puppy and what was once its mother, which has an only vague memory of her child, but ultimately, the monster is beyond repair. Given the puppy is considered a weak point, the movie is essentially a big chase to keep it safe, and its pretty enjoyable, not at all trying to be “epic” or outdo the show.
An Old Enemy? Hunter! (宿敵? ハンター!) – The introduction of the Alien Hunters, a race employed by Mes to hunt out specimens, among them being the Flashmen as toddlers. Being the oldest, Jin has the most memories of the incident, and holds a serious grudge against them, something Mes uses their advantage. His hatred comes off as borderline xenophobic towards the Hunter, apparently being the same species as the one that kidnapped Jin. Their plan of Jin following the Hunter (Who has abducted a baby for specimens) and luring him into a trap is fairly clever, if a little undercooked.
Mag is a Genius Robot?! (マグは天才ロボ?!) – An episode with a very goofy plot, with the newest Beast Warrior emitting a beam that makes people see upside down. Apparently, it has DNA extracted from a “space turtle” which swims upside down. Among those affected is Dai, who is put through training by their robot Mag to fight while hand-standing. The episode provides some surprising development for Mag, and also further shows Flashman’s harsh training on the Flash system, with Mag scolding Dai for even considering giving up after everything. There are some good moments showcasing the team’s camaraderie and refusal to give up, but the story itself of the monster making people see upside down is a bit too goofy.
In the Care of the Female Warriors! (女戦士に御用心! ) – A “girl power” episode with Sara and Lu taking a case by themselves as the guys are off touring the country on a bullet train. Said case involves a runaway refrigerator that almost gives one a Gridman vibe, which turns out is possessed by the newest Beast Warrior that has the ability to travel through the atoms of metal. What animal’s DNA they incorporated to give it that ability is never stated. Mes apparently intend to cause a “machine revolution” with it, which does feel a little impractical, unless they intend on creating an army of the monster. Said beast’s powers do give it the upper-hand against Flash King, possessing the robot. Had that been stated reason for its creation, the episode may have been a bit better to swallow. But as it stands, a relatively enjoyable romp. The episode ends a slightly dark note, with Sara and Lu being perceived as freaks by the public given their powers, but does have some optimism that they’ll eventually be accepted.
Roar! Machine (ほえろ! マシーン) – A Jin-focused episode that centers around the Flash Hawk bikes and his relation with them. The monster is another downright insane one, being a lizard-like beast with a flute tail that when played by Le Nefel, emits sound waves that control plant life and attack people. What animal that trait is cued from is again not said. The one thing that interferes with the sound waves is the sound of the Flash Hawks, resulting in them being damaged, greatly upsetting Jin. His pain is felt, with us seeing flashbacks of him training with it on Flash. Though the flashback is touching, them being on Flash would indicate Suzuki Motors exists in space. Some good “teamwork” scenes and a funny defeat of the monster make this a solid episode.
Balloon! Become a Weapon (風船よ武器になれ) – A Bun-centered episode that introduce his newfound love of balloons (Which he initially thinks are ostrich eggs). The latest Beast Warrior, made from a Chameleon has a blending ability that throws the team off, resulting in the multi-colored balloons coming into play. Bun’s fascination with balloons is rather cute, with him pondering how much he would have loved them had he grown up as a normal child on Earth. In order for us the viewers to still see the monster while our heroes can’t, a blue filter is put around the area, which just looks odd. It honestly would have been better if we only saw what Flashman see.
Father!! Mother!! Little Sisters! (父よ! 母よ! 妹よ)/The Doctor Who Travels Through Time (時をかける博士) – The show’s first two-parter that introduces the eccentric Dr. Tokimura and his attempts at building a time machine. His reasons for creating one is something pretty major to our heroes – 20 years ago, he insists he had an infant son that was abducted by aliens, something none of his family recalls. The fuel used to power the time machine, apparently left behind after said abduction, is the same found in an Alien Hunter’s ship, all but confirming that one of the three guys is Tokimura’s son. The lack of memories from any of the Tokumura family could explain the Flash aliens not returning the children back to Earth – none of their loved one will remember them. The latest Beast Warrior has the ability to transport and trap people in another dimension, first testing it out on some children and then the Flashmen. Mes apparently intends to send all of humanity to it, which is again pretty impractical, unless they intend on making more of the monster. It just so happens the machine’s tests are breaking down the dimensional walls and freeing people, resulting in Mes trying to get their hands on the fuel and prevent the machine from being created. Even with such an outlandish plot, there are some genuinely emotional scenes to be had with Jin, Bun and Dai realizing they may have found their parents and sisters, and doing all they can to protect them, regardless if they truly are their family or not.
Attack! The Flower Girl’s Trap (撃て! 花少女の罠) – A Dai-centered episode that has him falling for a girl, something that seems to be a common trope with all Green/Black rangers. Said girl is a florist named Sayuri of Yoshinaga Flowers (Get it?), who Mes use Dai’s feelings of to their advantage by luring him into a trap with their man-eating rose monster. Pretty predictable, but competent enough with some good character moments for Dai. The episode would essentially be remade in Maskman the next year as Explode! Kenta’s Love, complete with the same actress as Sayuri’s, Masami Hosoi, playing Kenta’s love interest.
Lu is the Beast Warrior’s Mother (ルーは獣戦士の母) – A Lu-focused episode and a pretty tragic one at that, with a newborn Beast Warrior imprinting on her, believing her to be its mother. This leads to some heartwarming bonding between the two that, inevitably does not last. The scenes of the two together doesn’t last quite long enough due to the show’s runtime for it to make as big an impact as it should, but the unfortunate outcome is still pretty heartbreaking. Mes’ Le Galus seems to have a strange symbiotic bond with the newborn creature, often powering it up by breathing into its mouth, in some truly bizarre bits. For the first time ever, Emperor La Deus is shown to be genuinely furious at Lie Köpflen for his failed creation, actually causing him psychical harm.
Super Power! Wanda (超パワー! ワンダ) – The beginning of the obligatory red/henchman rivalry of the series, in this case Jin and Le Wanda. The supercharged Wanda strikes Jin in a place it hurts – literally. Finding a scar left by the Alien Hunter during his abduction, Wanda digs deeper into the wound with his powers, causing Jin intense pain. Wanda gets some news from Lie Köpflen about his lineage, explaining why he’s so super-powered at the moment, in a somewhat convoluted explanation about the biorhythms of all the DNA within him aligning every 50 years. Jin’s initial horrified reaction but gradual acceptance is certainly fun. Jin’s pain is rather lazily cured once Wanda’s powers run out, but an important episode given it’s the start of a rivalry that will last until the end.
Intense Battle! Danger, Jin (激闘! 危うしジン) – Right away, Wanda is out for revenge against Jin, creating a Beast Warrior that utilizes Jin’s DNA, replicating all of his moves and strength. It’s certainly a cool concept and the beast really puts up a fight. Jin, apparently thinking he’s the strongest of the team rather egotistically, insists he fight alone. Jin believes him and the monster’s constant fighting will just hold the others back, with him fully prepared to make a sacrifice, as envisioned by Wanda’s plan for the two of them – given both have the same strength and abilities, they will inevitably wear each other out, both eventually succumbing to death. Though it is noble of him, the notion of the team being “held back” isn’t really seen apart from Wanda and the cat girls attacking them while they attempt to assist Jin, with them managing to retreat. Of course, the episode has a “teamwork” message which is all good, albeit is figured through a slightly contrived way – a rabbit appearing out of the blue.
Love!? Bun and the Gang Girl (恋!? ブンとスケ番) – The very first Tokusatsu episode to be written by Toshiki Inoue, and while nothing to write home about, a entertaining enough little romp with some nice moments for Bun. Le Nefel is tasked with assassinating Bun, who’s out patrolling in broad daylight, and it soon becomes an obsession of hers, using the titular biker girl that he’s befriended to lure him. The scene of Bun and the girl competing on their motorbikes feels reminiscent of a Kamen Rider show, which makes sense given who Toshiki Inoue’s father was – Kamen Rider scribe Masaru Igami. Fairly typical stuff with Bun’s bravery gradually “softening” the gang girl, but not a bad episode.
The Giant Robo Collapses (巨大ロボ破れたり) – The introduction of Sa Kauler, the leader of the Alien Hunters that kidnapped Flashman 20 years ago, brought to Earth by Le Deus to assist them in their conquest. The team realize his connection to them, and desperately want him defeated but alive to admit to just what families he stole them from and why. Kauler certainly makes an impression, wiping the floor with Flashman (Who certainly can’t learn of their heritage for as long as he keeps beating them), with more than a little help from his Alien Hunters and Beast Warrior that has the ability to replicate itself with Kraagen inside it absorbing energy. Not a whole lot of story to be had, but certainly opens a whole new can of worms and ends on a explosive (Quite literally) cliffhanger.
The Human Miniaturization Plan (人間ミニミニ作戦) – Picking up where the last episode left off, with Kauler and his hunters commencing a massive hunt of humans for specimens, trapping them in capsules that turn them tiny, certainly reminding one of Dada from Ultraman (Or Bride of Frankenstein). Among those entrapped is Sara, who shares a capsule with a young girl who’s been eagerly awaiting to see her mother again after years. Being a child who’s been taken from her family by Mes, Sara certainly forms a bond with her. A solid episode that has the team working without any of their heavy arsenal such as Flash King (Though there’s no option given the events of last episode) and Rolling Vulcan, instead relying on their intelligence. Part of the episode as set at the Izu Cactus Zoo, and features the infamous bird statue seen in numerous Tokusatsu shows including Ultraman, Kamen Rider, Goranger, Bioman, Maskman and more.
The Mysterious Giant Runaway Truck! (謎の巨大暴走車!)/Big Turnaround! The Transforming Robo (大逆転! 変身ロボ) – The introduction of Titan Boy, the first secondary mech in Sentai, driven by a being named Le Baraki, whom Mes seems to know. With Flash King still inoperative, Kauler takes advantage of the team by holding a school bus hostage, and forcing them to cross through a large minefield, created by a mantis-like Beast Warrior that poops explosive eggs that multiply rapidly. Ew. Though the large truck is certainly the most notable element, the bravery displayed by Jin in particular and his determination to save the bus of kids is more than admirable. Introduced is the legendary Flashian warrior Titan, who battled Mes in the past. He has a clear fascination with the planet Earth, predicting Mes’ eventual invasion of it and the birth of warriors to defend it, instructing Flash Titan be kept on the planet until that day. Not much is gone into detail, but given Titan’s legendary status, it’s clear the Flash aliens took his prophetic words seriously, and trained Flashman to be those very warriors for when Mes invades. A few parts that could have been explored more, mainly the scenes with Titan, but a decent pair of episodes.
Baraki’s Dying Warning (バラキ決死の伝言) – Picking up where the last episode left off, with Baraki in Mes’ hands, and them forcing him to do their bidding. Baraki has a message he was told by Titan to tell the five warriors…and there’s a pretty surprising twist regarding it. Baraki is forced against his will to fight Flashman, though rather than simply being brainwashed, he’s controlled like a puppet via strings by a Beast Warrior. It’s an odd, but certainly unique visual.
Revival! Giant Robo! (復活! 巨大ロボ!) – The introduction of Sumire, a girl that seems to share a psychic link with Dai, perhaps indicating she is his younger sister. The latest Beast Warrior emits sound waves that interferes in the repairing of Flash King, in addition to draining people of their blood, something Mes intends to use for more creations. Bun prays to God and Buddha for Flash King to be fixed, which is certainly odd given he was raised on Flash, though I guess he could have picked up on Earth religions. Apart from some new hairdos, the team begin to wear civilian clothes when out in public.
Sorrowful Sara (悲しみのサラ) – Another episode featuring a possible sibling of a member, in this case a man named Milan, who believes Sara may be his sister. It is revealed that more children than just the team were abducted by Kauler 20 years ago, including Milan and his baby sister, who were separated. There are a lot of interesting ideas present in the episode, though none are quite explored to their fullest potential (Likely a result of the short runtime) and there are some questionable bits left unexplained, like why Mes was sitting on a particular specimen for 20 years, and the monster’s an-hour-a-day ability, but an intriguing and pretty emotional episode. Milan is played by Hiroshi Kawai, who previously played Sho/ChangeGriffon in Changeman the year before.
SOS! Phoenix! (SOS! 不死鳥!) – A pretty “out there” concept of an episode, with non other than the Phoenix making her way to Earth, and Flashman racing to retrieve her before Mes does, intending to use the legendary bird for their own creations. A lot of the episode just has the team snooping around the zoo looking for the Phoenix (Who can disguise herself as an ordinary bird) with Mes on their trail, but it’s a relatively fun time, if basic. The Phoenix has apparently been bringing life back to planets that have had their ecosystems destroyed by Mes. The Beast Warrior bears a resemblance to Toho’s Varan.
Heart-Throbbing Wishes! (お願いドキドキ!) – Another zany episode that has a few too many plotholes, but some fun moments that don’t make it a total waste. The latest Beast Warrior has a magical horn capable of granting wishes, which Mes uses to lure children, who when they make wishes, they become slaves to Mes (Apparently, only children become brainwashed when they make wishes). Exactly where they got that horn from (Which is only capable of granting seven wishes is detached from the monster) is never explained. We can assume somewhere out in the far reaches of space, but a bit of backstory would have been appreciated. Lu and Sara get a hold of the horn and have some fun with it (Including a fanservice bit of Sara in a swimsuit), though do eventually realize they could wish to see their parents (This also begs the question as to why Mes don’t just use it for themselves to wish Flashman dead or something, but maybe it doesn’t work like that). A very “Power Rangers” feeling episode, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The Occult Summer Vacation (オカルト夏休み) – A “summer vacation” episode that quickly becomes a “summer horror” one, with Bun spending time with a family that are haunted by the ghost of an old foe. Said foe is none other than Kauler’s monster Zukonda, last seen swallowed by a fish in The Human Miniaturization Plan, in a very nice touch of continuity. By possessing Le Galus, the ghost wrecks havoc around a small fishing village…and that’s about it for plot, but it is relatively enjoyable. The most notable thing is Keflen’s growing resentment for Kauler and his disregard for his creations, even attempting to outdo him during the climax.
Hurry, Jin. Combination Impossible (急げジン合体不能) – A simplistic, but solid enough episode, with the latest Beast Warrior having the ability to absorb the team’s prism attacks, growing stronger each time. Much of the episode has Jin separated from the others, initially leaving to investigate where the monster’s body went (All while having an injured arm), and being held back by Wanda and others, as the remaining team tries to fight off the monster. Not a whole lot to say, but a decent little episode.
Space Pumpkin Cooking (宇宙カボチャ料理) – Without a doubt, the craziest episode up to this point, with the latest scheme of Mes’ involving feeding people “space pumpkins”, which when consumed, turn them into pumpkin people (Eat your heart out, Matango). The episode centers primarily on Lu, who befriends a mother that’s desperately trying to find a way to improve her cooking. Their relationship is pretty nice, with Lu learning to appreciate the beauty of home cooking vs. restaurants. Said home cooking leads to the solution in the episode, which is so dumb, it’s kind of hilarious.
Dai’s Punch of Friendship (ダイ友情のパンチ) – A Dai-centered episode with him befriending a ramen chef/newspaper deliverer/amateur boxer/trumpet player, whom Mes targets to be used for their latest Beast Warrior. As also shown in Sorrowful Sara, it’s apparent that directly modifying humans into warriors leads to problems, with the modified man still retaining elements of his humanity. Keflen has the ability to simply “separate” the human element from the alien genetics of the Beast Warrior, freeing the man but losing all of his fighting abilities/intelligence, something they targeted him for, indicating this was a much cruder fusion than normal. The friendship between Dai and the man is decent enough, if a little underdeveloped due to runtime. The team’s disillusionment with Mag’s cooking still prevails from the previous episode.
Heroic! Garus in Flames (壮絶! 炎のガルス) – The final appearance of Le Garus, a character that brought next to nothing to the series. Deus has finally had it with the failures of his men, and forces Garus, Wanda and Nefel to fight Flashman themselves or face death. Keflen has apparently been growing “Devil’s Flowers” (In a cave a bunch of kids like to play in, no less) in preparation for this, magma-powered flowers that boost one’s powers immensely, at the cost of their sanity. During a fight with the powered Garus, Jin’s prism energy begins to seriously decline, making him wonder if this is what Baraki intended to warn the team about.
Monstrous Warrior Wandarla (妖獣士ワンダーラ) Continuing from the last episode, with Wanda being voluntarily upgraded into a “Monster Warrior”, apparently made using the spirits of fallen Beast Warriors, dubbed “Wandarla”, who has the ability to freeze time for three seconds. This time-bending winds up causing harm to Professor Tokimura, who’s once more experimenting with time travel. The whole team is distraught with his injuries given he may very well be the father of one of the guys, but Bun seems to be hit the hardest. It doesn’t help that Bun’s prism energy begins to falter like Jin’s previously did. Despite Wandarla very much being the primary foe of the episode, another Beast Warrior is dispatched alongside him, mostly just so we can get an obligatory mech battle at the end.
Bizarre Nefelura (怪奇ネフェルーラ) – Once more picking up where the last episode left off, with Nefel being upgraded into a Monster Warrior and Lu beginning to lose her powers. Nefel is turned into the kawaii anime kitty Nefelura, who has the ability to cause psychedelic illusions. In order to further frustrate the team, Nefel orders the Alien Hunters to capture babies just like 20 years ago, with their cries reminding the team of their traumatic experience, all while they struggle in Nefelura’s psychedelic environment. Tokimura continues to recover in the hospital after coming to thanks to Bun’s prep talk, and winds up assisting the team during the climax, in a pretty heartwarming sequence. Once more, a random Beast Warrior accompanies Negel, just so the status quo isn’t dare changed a bit.
Gone! The Power of Five (消えた! 5人の力（パワー) – The conclusion to this arc of the team’s power declining, with all five losing theirs. The reason for their loss and what Baraki was warning of might be a little underwhelming to some, being an astronomical phenomena, but it is helped by Professor Tokimura being the one to figure it out and help resolve it. It’s hear fully established that the team and any other inhabitant’s powers are sourced from the Flash system’s energy, and will be lost during these times, as was the case with Titan. The scene of the team fighting without their powers, basically having no choice but to hold off Wandarla by running from him is pretty fun, though it does lose a bit of its impact when you realize they’ve just been running for an hour straight. There is of course another Beast Warrior present, though it is certainly among the show’s more unique, being a Killer Whale-like beast with the ability to spew goop that hampers people’s movement. Though not the perfect conclusion, still a pretty solid episode.
Love, Love, We Love Mag (すきすきマグすき) – A Mag-centered episode that actually has the team hating him for much of the episode despite its title. This is thanks to him tampering with their prism crystal in an attempt to boost their strength, where he winds up destroying them. This results in the team being without their powers for a portion of the episode, which does feel a little redundant given the events of the previous episode, but one could theorize those events prompted Mag’s programming to act on increasing the strength of their powers. Deus has apparently forgiven Wanda and Nefel for their failure, as they’re back on the field with a Beast Warrior that has the ability to turn things invisible, prompting chaos. It’s not a terrible plan, but it once more feels really small-scale and impractical when they’re bent on world domination, unless they intend on creating an army of the monster.
Papa Won’t Lose! (パパは負けない!) – A somewhat different episode that focuses more on the young son of a Judo champion who’s spirits have been broken after witnessing his father lose a fight. Said fight was against Wolk and Kilt, who are housing a Beast Warrior comprised of their DNA within the both of them (Don’t ask how that works), and going around disguised as ordinary citizens and unleashing the beast into important buildings. Sort of a fun concept, but it’s most underplayed in favor of Jin trying to get the kid to spit out what he witnessed, while Kauler chases after him to prevent him from mentioning Wolk and Kilt’s harboring secret. Of course, the sexist little twerp seems most distraught that it was a bunch of girls that defeated his dad. Not a terrible episode, but kind of uninteresting and underwrote.
Bun Disappears in the Rapids (激流に消えたブン) – A Bun-centered episode with him being separated from the team and taken in by a forest woman who quickly becomes a motherly figure to him. Even if the woman is definitely not his actual mother (Her actual son, whom Bun reminds her of died years ago) it’s pretty clear he’s the most homesick of the team, as evidenced by this episode and his determination for Professor Tokimura to live. The Beast Warrior is a spider/moth hybrid that feeds off poisonous plants located in a remote forest, where in turns emits a lethal poison powder, something Bun’s mother-like figure just might have the right herbs to cure. It’s not a bad solution, and hammers home the beauty of nature – one small plant can kill a man, the other can save him. It might have been interesting to tie the woman’s son’s death with poisonous plants as opposed to him just dying in a hiking accident, with her perhaps devoting her time to finding a cure (And Bun being her first test), but a solid and often emotional episode.
The Starry Sky’s Duet (星空のデュエット) – A “girl power” episode with Sara and Lu initially getting into a scuffle that starts over a broken earring and evolves into them constantly competing, until they eventually must put aside their differences to defeat the monster of the week. Said monster has the ability to grant Wandarla extra seconds for his time-freezing powers, accomplished through sound vibrations from the monster’s wings. The certain notes emitted from a piano countermand the monster’s ability and scare it off, resulting in Sara and Lu being tasked with perfecting those precise notes in order to defeat it. Sara and Lu’s rivalry turned comradely is good fun, but the bogus science at play is a bit too weird to really swallow. Jin cites the piano as a beautiful part of Earth worth protecting. It’s too bad Keflen doesn’t challenge the girls to a duel using his beast warrior creating keyboard at any point during the episode.
The Shocking Wonder Slug (ドッキリ不思議虫) – Another bonkers episode, albeit played pretty straight, with Mes (Under Kauler’s lead much to Keflen’s anger) selling metal-eating space slugs that defecate gold when fed, when in actuality they emit gas that is not only toxic but extremely flammable. It’s not specified if these slugs are actual creatures found by Kauler, with the Beast Warrior being created from them, or if they are artificial creations of Mes. A subplot concerns several boys attempting to extract gold from the slugs in order to buy a girl all of them are crushing on a new violin. Maybe the most notable part of the episode is a small scene in which Kauler tells Keflen he knows the truth about him…
A Ghost’s First Love (幽霊の初恋) – The return of Sumire, the girl with the psychic link to Dai last seen in Revival! Giant Robo!. The general consensus is she is Dai’s sister, but here we learn her real nature, and it’s certainly unexpected (Unless you read the episode’s title, that is). The reason for her psychic link with Dai is also fairly clever, though it perhaps could have been made even more so by connecting her possession of said object to the Flash aliens’ rescuing of the team as babies. The Beast Warrior is apparently made from a Yokai (So just where to Keflen find one of those?) and has the ability to turn the unrested souls of children into demons. Certainly a disturbing concept, though it isn’t explored to its fullest potential. Though there’s a lot to take in with this big revelation, a solid and occasionally emotional episode.
The Day Jin Dies?! (ジンが死ぬ日?!) – A Jin-focused episode with Kauler sending a Beast Warrior to possess his teammates (On his birthday, no less), making it impossible for Jin to want to fight back, therefore killing him. A dirty scheme and a pretty solid episode with some emotional moments of Jin trying to get his friends back. Once more, the most notable aspect is the feud between Keflen and Kauler – Keflen takes note of where the Beast Warrior’s DNA hails from, and uses it to his advantage, solely to smite Kauler.
Burn, Angry Sara (燃えろ怒りのサラ) – A Sara-centered episode that reveals her desire for a significant other. Nefel discovers this via mind-reading glasses derived through the latest Beast Warrior, and uses it to humiliate Sara. You certainly feel sorry for her, especially with her worrying her feelings become public knowledge would make her teammates feel less about her. Mes’ plan to spread distrust and anger between humans with those glasses is kind of fun, but as usual, a bit undercooked.
Execution City, Operation XX (処刑都市XX作戦) – Without a doubt, Mes’ largest-scale plan, with Kauler abducting many humans and taking them to a remote stadium-like structure where they are gathered like cattle to be turned into a Beast Warrior army. The whole thing is somewhat of a joint operation between Keflen and Kauler, where they naturally butt heads. The operation is manned by Siebelle, a prodigy of Kauler’s who grew up among the Space Hunters, who’s few forms of solace was an Earth children’s book brought back by Kauler on the day of Flashman’s abductions. Jin happens to be those abducted, but not for modification, but rather assistance from a mysterious figure. The whole episode has a very distinct feel, with a dark blue hue throughout most of it, and the empty, echoing stadium-like setting gives it a very uncomfortable, concentration camp feel (Somewhat reminiscent of Ultraseven‘s Nightmare on the Fourth Planet). In addition, there are some genuinley touching scenes along with a great fight between Jin and Kauler, where he admits to having his heart, blood and feelings removed (Essentially making him the Dick Cheney of Sentai villains). The solution to the Beast Warrior’s weird cuffing powers is a bit odd, but it does lead to a powerful finale. A great episode that’s vague in the right ways and explicit in others. Siebelle is played by Mina Asami, who will go on to play Princess Ial and Prince Igam in the next series.
Dai Becomes a Child (子供にされたダイ) – Somewhat of a mixed bag, with a plot that’s a little harder to swallow than usual but some genuine emotional moments and a big revelation at the end. The plot of course concerns Dai being turned into a child, with his memories being reverted back to his days on Flash, where he longs for his mother. Him outright being turned into a kid physically is definitely a little far-fetched, with the Beast Warrior’s ability to turn him back gone unexplained. It reverting him just mentally would have been a lot easier to swallow. That said, there are some legit emotional moments present, with Setsuko Tokimura, the possible real mother of Dai, coming to comfort him. Their “bond between a mother and child” unfortunately leads to a really contrived way of Dai being reverted back to normal, but the whole shock of the incident suddenly has Setsuko remembering bits of her abducted child from 20 years ago…including one shocking part that contradicts her husband’s claim.
Don’t Cry! Female Warriors (泣くな!女戦士) – Picking up where the last episode left off, with the girls being awfully excited about Setsuko’s revelation, with Sara even stopping by an observatory to see if there are any UFO reports from 20 years ago that may help. Unfortunately, the latest Beast Warrior has the ability to travel through computers and similar electronics (Feeling like something out of Gridman), putting a bit of a hamper on her research. The monster has the ability to capture people and take them to the computer realm, which makes no real sense, but results in a scene of Flashman rescuing them via a crazy side-scrolling game-like battle, complete with stock footage from Legend of the Dinosaurs and Monster Birds. More is built up on the mystery behind Keflen, with him wanting to use the monster’s computer-intercepting powers to access Mes’ main computer. Apparently, he is unaware of his true nature, suddenly mirroring Flashman’s mystery to a degree.
Kauler’s Treachery! (カウラーの反逆!) – The end of the Alien Hunters, as Keflen’s latest Beast Warrior feeds on them to grow stronger. This is clearly done to spite Kauler for the events of last episode, with Keflen only stopping if Kauler tells him what he knows regarding his “truth”. Despite proclaiming to be heartless a few episodes back, Kauler display genuine remorse for his comrades, which results in him fighting the Beast Warrior, labeling him a traitor to Mes. Really, the episode should have been called Kefelen’s Treachery, not Kauler’s. Another ally of Kauler’s does show up to assist – Bo Gardan. One of the Alien Hunters, the same species as the one featured prominently in An Old Enemy? Hunter!, manages to escape and is taken in by several alien-obsessed boys. Bun initially tries convince them he’s evil and only using them, but over time they form a bond. It’s touching and ends on a heartbreaking note. While Bun fits the role perfectly, Jin being in his place might have been interesting, showing how far he’s come since An Old Enemy? Hunter!.
Deus Beast Warriors Appear (デウス獣戦士出現) – The beginning of the endgame arc, with Deus using his own DNA to create the ultimate Beast Warrior, which also utilizes the spirits of the killed Alien Hunters. In order to lure Flashman out to fight it, the Tokimura family is held hostage, only for Kauler, now a fugitive, to swoop in and want the Professor for his own needs. All of that is bad enough, but things only get worse when suddenly, the team begin experiencing a form of rejection reaction, where touching an Earthling results in an electric shock, dubbed “Anti-Flash Phenomena”. After all they’ve been through and them growing closer to possibly discovering their family, it is pretty heartbreaking that this happens. The method of defeating the Deus Beast Warrior, which bears a resemblance to Return of Ultraman‘s Beacon, isn’t bad (And once more shows Kauler cared for his comrades), though is glossed over pretty quick given how much else occurs in the episode.
Warriors! Leave the Earth (戦士よ地球を去れ) – The final appearance of Wolk and Kilt, two characters that probably should have been done away with a while back, with Kilt being turned into a Beast Warrior through more of Deus’ genetics (Who has the ability to drain the life out of people, turning them old). The team continues to experience Anti-Flash phenomena, with them now being unable to touch plants without experiencing a nice electric shock. Jin hypothesizes that THIS is what Baraki intended to warn the team about before his death. Meanwhile, we find out the reason for Kauler’s capturing of Tokimura, with him promising to reveal just which Flashman is his child in exchange for his work. The same greenhouse seen in Attack! The Flower Girl’s Trap is featured in this episode. A solid episode that continues to build tension.
Only 20 Days to Live!! (たった20日の命!!) – Continuing from where the last episode left off, with Tokimura at work on Kauler’s own Gene Synthesizer and Earth becoming less and less inhabitable for Flashman, with them now unable to process even water. Mag’s computer calculates they have 20 days remaining to live on Earth. The episode marks the apparent end of Nefel, who offers to sacrifice herself to defeat Flashman. As her ending, its a little underwhelming, with her not even assuming her monster form, instead having a Beast Warrior that serves as an extension of her conscious (That has a self-destruct/rebuilding power that gets used frequently). It’s almost as if this isn’t meant to be her demise.
Wanda! Death Cry (ワンダ! 死の絶叫) – The end of Wanda, who like Nefel before him, is forced out on the battle field in an attempt to spare his father Kefeln’s life. He too is given a monster that has a symbiotic relation with him, it giving his time stop powers unlimited time (But perhaps at the cost of his energy). The true nature behind Deus and reason for all of these constant experiments from Keflen is revealed – he’s not so much interested in conquering the Earth, he just wants something that can, for his very own sake. Wanda’s demise is a bit of a mindscrew and how Professor Tokimura managed to return to his basement via a lever in Kauler’s saucer is anyone’s guess, but decent build-up to the finale.
The End of Kauler!! (カウラーの最期!!) – Another big episode, with Deus apparently destroyed and Kauler revealing Keflen’s true nature. It’s not the greatest of twists ever, emitting more of an “Oh, okay” response, but it does make his long series of attempts to destroy Earth suddenly a lot more disturbing, both to him and the viewers. Perhaps had it been revealed a bit earlier, we could have gotten a closer look at the psychological implications it has on Keflen. Bo Gardan is turned into Beast Warrior, only for him to flip flop between Mes and Kauler. Kauler seems to specifically want Sara to play Synthesizer (built by Tokimura). There is a beautiful sunset battle between Red Flash and Kauler, who wound up having the stronger rivalry than Red Flash and Wanda. The twist comes a little too late into the series to really leave much of an impact sadly, but not too bad of a finale so far.
Counterattack, La Deus (逆襲ラー・デウス) – The final battle between Flashman and Deus (Who was revived by Keflen into a Beast Warrior, only to break free of his command), and the revelation as to which member is the Tokimura’s child.
Farewell! Our Home Planet (さらば! 故郷の星) – The finale, which features the team using what few hours they have left on Earth to defeat what’s left of Mes. How Tokimura knows the team has only 8 hours left to inhabit the planet from a letter written at least a day ago is anyone’s guess. The ending is a total tearjerker, though it ends on an optimistic note. While the final revelations of Mes’ true nature have been mixed to somewhat underwhelming during these past final episodes, the elements with Flashman and their limited time have been great (Despite some slightly wonky timing).
Beta Capsule Reviews 