Fujii returns with another good episode; another atmospheric episode directed by Nagaishi. In it, we have a sorrowful teenager (played by future Ako-chan Sayuri Uchida -- the episode gets a thumbs-up just for that) who's desperate to make it to the school's music competition. (She's at the same school, but one grade lower than the Turboranger.) She's a flutist with tendonitis and the music teacher is doubtful she'll make the cut. One night, she prays to God for her hand to heal enough for her to make the concert, but it's a Bouma-Beast who replies to her...
Most of the Bouma-Beasts we've seen in the show so far have been set free by one of the regular Bouma villains. (I think it's an interesting set up, that the villains have to seek out where their sealed compatriots are. The monsters aren't just whipped up in a lab or created on the spot; they were sealed in ancient times with the others, so they have the same rage, and a shared history.) In this episode, the flutist, Yumi, is the one who's called by the Bouma-Beast and breaks him out of his prison; it's funny that it's Zuruten who takes the credit, when he had jackshit to do with it!
The Bouma-Beast manipulates her and resides in her flute -- she can play again, but she now has to fulfill the Bouma-Beast's demands, which is to entice kids with music so he can absorb their life-force. It's a take on the old musician-who-sells-their-soul story, needless to say that it's appropriate for this show, just as the previous episode's haunted house story was.
Shunsuke has taken a liking to the Yumi's playing; it calms him and cheers him up after struggling with his gymnastics. So he understands and sympathizes with the girl's desperate need to make the competition because he's similarly struggling with his gymnastics, and wants to pay her back for her music by helping her out. I'm a fan of the slimy and crude Zuruten character -- he's like a Japanese Beetlejuice -- and he gets a lot to do here, a couple of funny bits, including a fun little chase when he becomes his cart form and Shunsuke grabs on to try to save an unconscious Yumi. (It's not the most excitingly arranged action scene, but they sure try to film it like it is.)
And the episode doesn't end as you think it would, with Yumi magically healed and winning that competition; she's still injured, she doesn't attend -- AND she lost her flute by coming to her senses and destroying it to be rid of the Bouma-Beast's influence. The Turboranger chip in to buy her a new flute, presenting it to her with hopes that she'll continue.
On a side note, Zuruten attacks the Turboranger by picking crud out of his belly-button and letting loose a stench. He would have gotten along with the Bowzock guys.
I should also highlight voice-actor Eisuke Yoda as the Bouma-Beast. Yoda's done a ton of monster-of-the-week voices -- nowadays, it's a different seiyuu for each monster of the week, but back in the day, they rotated pretty much the same three or four guys. Yoda was one of those guys. But what's great about his performance here is the calm and soothing voice he uses when the Bouma-Beast is trying to entice Yumi, compared to the monster's usual voice.
Nobody points out that the statue was in her house
ReplyDeleteI just assumed, for as weird as it was, that it was thought to be some kind of art piece. One of the interesting and creepy things about the Bouma in this show, that I think makes them unique, is the idea that a Bouma-Beast can be sealed in just about anything and nobody may ever know. There ends up even being one sealed within a painting at the very same school the Turboranger attend!
DeleteI think what's neat about that is that the Bouma are not sealed in the usual objects which toku monsters make use of (pencils, vacuums, etc). They seem to rely on objects which hold at least some form of history behind them. Which is pretty sweet I feel.
DeleteEver heard of a MOTW that's a tiny plush bear that control other people
DeleteI love the idea of Bouma beasts lurking all over the world, be it within artifacts or natural land formations. I'm surprised other shows haven't picked up on this idea as much.
ReplyDeleteUchida and Yoda both put out excellent performances, making Yumi's Faustian bargain believable and tapping into the supernatural parts of the show's mythos. Possession Bouma also has a fantastic design, what with the bits of cape drooping off of its arms and the two faces. Their dialogue together, combined with the direction and the effects, makes for an atmospheric episode (in a different way from Mansion Bouma).
Uchida and Katagiri have good chemistry with each other, as both their initial awkwardness and heartfelt dialogue comes off as natural. It's better than any relationship Ako gets in Jetman (ugh, I just remembered we'll have to deal with that cup noodle creep in this series).
I can see why some people would have a hard time differentiating Youhei and Shunsuke, but that's never really happened with me. Shunsuke is decidedly less cool and less outwardly comedic (save for episodes like Painting Bouma, but that's more just goofing off and a joke at his expense). It also helps that he's not shown to be an "athletic superstar" like Riki, Daichi, Youhei, or Haruna (cheer-leading requires a crap-ton of coordination and flexibility), making his relationship with Yumi more believable. Katagiri works well with what he's given, handling both comedic (the faces he pulls during the weapon disposal scenes) and dramatic (dead brother) pretty well. It's a shame he's given some of the worst civilian outfits of '80s Sentai, as they're a mishmash of patterns and are too big for his scrawny frame. Then again, it kind of fits his "younger" character.
The variety of objects a Bouma-Beast can be sealed in is one of the best, most unique features of the Bouma. And I feel like it kinda had to have creeped kids out at the time. If there's some weird painting with a sealed Bouma-Beast sitting at the Turboranger's own high-school, then...a Bouma-Beast could be anywhere.
DeleteI laughed at the "cup noodle creep" moniker. That guy...he's even worse and creepier in his Turboranger episode! Not sympathetic at all. At least we didn't really find out much about the cup noodle guy -- maybe we're being judgmental. But his Turbo character? Despicable from his first scene.
Good point about Shunsuke not being as skilled at his sport as the others. It plays into the idea of Shunsuke's being a little more immature, a little more of an underachiever. He has a reputation of being an idiot character, but I never thought he was. (Like you said, he dresses sillier than he ever acts. I know there are people out there who take an instant disliking to him because of how he dresses; they'll say he's only tolerable when he's in his school uniform.)
Shunsuke I always saw as more of the average joe of the team. He's not super talented. He's not a standout. He's a bit more casual and... "normal"? I'm trying to find the right words here. But perhaps like you said Shougo, he's an underachiever. And his character just shines from that.
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