The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World

Episodes 11-12

Episodes 11 and 12 of The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World give the audience everything they could want, perhaps a bit too much near the end.

This is it, folks, the final battle for the fate of everything. The new Kizuna Five have been formed as Togo gathers his brand new allies to face off against the fantastical demons of this world. It's nice to see that they've all come together and get to do the most important thing that a team can do: pilot a giant robot together to beat up a floating clown and demon prince with mommy issues. Serious mommy issues, as it happens. Turns out some bonds can be, uh, somewhat toxic…

Speaking of which, we also get the reveal of Togo's Kizuna Black form, and this is where I am somewhat more mixed.

Positives first, I like both the form and the thematics. It's a tokusatsu - nay, a superheroic tradition writ large - to have a superpowered but uncontrolled form where the hero risks it all to achieve victory. This is just good storytelling as far as I'm concerned - tropes become tropes for a reason! The thematics make sense as well, with the root cause being a bond that was lost, leaving Togo with a wound that never quite healed. I like that! It's a great inversion of the fundamental theme of the show. The visual effect is equally effective and well-rendered, where the band-aids stretch and warp to become mummifying tendrils that encase his entire body while surrounding him with visible miasma. Superb stuff all around.

My issue is with how out of the blue this feels. I think in a “normal” tokusatsu series, revealing that your hero has a tragic scar in episode 11 or 12 would be no big deal - these seasons are usually 50ish episodes long, and that's pretty early in the developmental period. Here, though, it's getting revealed as part of the final battle, so it feels a bit too convenient and sudden. Not to mention the pacing of episode 12 is constantly interrupted by multiple layers of flashbacks (normal Kizuna times, Togo joining, silver joining, pink joining, Togo meeting and losing silver, etc.). Some of this should have been done earlier to not break up the consequential final battle and resolution.

That said, the series ends on very solid footing. I have enjoyed the season immensely and think it would be great to see more going forward - let's hope the bond remains strong.

Rating Episode 1: 4.5
Rating Episode 2: 4