Turboranger Episode 39

This one's called "The End of Ragon." Usually you see a title like that and you're like "C'mon, they ain't writing out the head villain at episode 39." And then you remember that Turboranger just killed three of their main villains 10 episodes back, so anything goes!

This is one of my favorite Super Sentai episodes, and one of Turboranger's best. And if Riki Honoo wasn't already on my list as one of my top favorite Reds (and he was), this episode alone would have put him there.

Yamimaru and Kirika stage a takeover. (Fitting with the themes of youth the show's explored, this sets off a kind of arc looking at the arrogance of youth.) The have their eyes on an item guarded by several Uras in the Bouma Castle, the Life Jewel, said to be the life of the castle. That's only part of their agenda in this episode, the other is...they kidnap Riki and drop him in the center of the Bouma Castle...they drop him RIGHT IN FRONT OF RAGON. Masao Minowa again directs, and I love how this reveal is handled -- Riki gets up with his back turned to Ragon, who sits silently in the dark. Suddenly, the light comes on revealing him, with Ragon growling out Riki's name in surprise. This is the first time Riki's set eyes on Ragon, he doesn't know who it is until Yamimaru announces it, and there's a "Holy shit!" moment before he steels himself in a fighting pose.

I already wrote at length at how great and intimidating I find the Ragon character/set-piece to be. He's one of the more truly imposing and actually frightening lead villains in Sentai (or any toku, IMO). And now we have one of our heroes standing before him alone, unarmed, unprepared. And if that's not bad enough, Yamimaru and Kirika place a spider-web-like barrier before Riki and Ragon, cordoning off the area they're in. Yamimaru informs them that the barrier can't be broken until either Riki or Ragon is dead, and if they hesitate, both their lives will be drained and they'll both be dead. (I like how Ragon fires at the barrier and Riki transforms to try to cut through it, like they don't believe Yamimaru.)

When we first see Riki in this episode, he's just strolling through a garden area. For all we know, he just woke up, it's a gorgeous day, he's just enjoying it and taking it in. And in one quick moment, Yamimaru and Kirika swoop in (literally; Yamimaru's on the Dragras, which picks Riki up in its claw), grab Riki and lock him in a death cage match with the show's main villain. Riki just woke up, he wasn't expecting this shit. But once they realize Yamimaru's telling the truth, the fight is on. Red Turbo doesn't hesitate, he's diving at the humongous Ragon with everything he's got.

And since the show knows they're getting rid of Ragon as we know him, they don't hold back with what they do with the set. There's stuff movin' all over the place, arms and tentacles extending dozens of feet across the room, they're setting off sparks and pyrotechnics everywhere. It's really cool the way Ragon uses one extended arm to hold Red in place (meaning Niibori is levitating on a wire) while holding a sword in another arm to fight on. It's a confined space, a seated villain who's technically more of a set-piece than costumed character, but they make the fight big and thrilling and dangerous and just epic, yet it still manages to feel really closed-in and personal. There's more ambition and action in this scene alone than there's been in the past ten years of toku action. (Toku action is a fucking joke anymore, ruined by CGI and stupid Bandai toys, but that's another topic.)

While Red and Ragon are engaged in MORTAL KOMBAAAAAAAAAT, Yamimaru and Kirika fight their way through Ura guards and steal that Life Jewel. With it, they plan to take control of the Bouma Castle and have it collide with Turbo Builder, proving their superiority over both Bouma and humans alike, and taking out their major enemies. And they come close! It's a tense battle between Yamimaru and the other four Turboranger while Red's still in a fight to the death with Ragon. When a panicked Zuruten appears on the other side of the barrier, crying out about Yamimaru's plan, Ragon remains confident...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Takeshi Watabe is my favorite villain voice-actor, and he does a phenomenal job as Ragon. Especially in this episode, his work is outstanding. The evil, demented cackle he lets out when he thinks he has Red Turbo cornered. The freakish howling once Red Turbo gets a fatal jab in. The rage in his voice once Ragon makes his big move -- literally, transforming himself into a giant to take on his enemies on both sides...

That's right, Red gets in a fatal blow, and the shot is impressive; just a wall of sparks emitting from the Ragon set, so many that they completely cover Red Turbo from the shot. Red Turbo's knocked back from the explosion, reverting to Riki. The barrier disappears, Ragon is gone. RIKI KILLED THE HEAD VILLAIN ON HIS OWN, IN A STEEL CAGE DEATH MATCH! With nothing but his courage and awesomeness and skill in battle. No Bandai toys or upgrades, no magical catchphrases to spout. A plain old up-close-and-personal and ugly battle.

Ragon's vanished, but uses the last of his strength in order to steal the Life Jewel from the Nagare Bouma's hands, then returning to the Bouma Castle to reveal a normal, standing form. (This reveal is shot with such ominousness, as Ragon stands before Riki, covered in shadows and mist.) "I'll not hand over the Bouma Castle to anyone. I'll revive in order to protect it and the Bouma Hyaku Zoku." He then becomes a giant, going to the surface and setting his sights on the Turbo Builder.

Since Hideaki Kusaka plays Turbo Robo, I'm not sure if the substitute is in the Turbo Robo or the Ragon suit, but whoever's playing Ragon really makes him seem giant and formidable; he carries himself confidently, projecting such strength. The design is interesting, but it looks far more arachnid to me than the regular Ragon did, which looked more snake-like.

Knowing of the fight-to-the-death scenario, Team Turbo is understandably freaked when Ragon appears, thinking that means Riki must have lost and paid with his life. The four carry on, fighting Ragon with Turbo Robo, which is no match for him. Suddenly, a Garzoku ship lands -- Red Turbo, heading off to get the Rugger Fighter to join the battle! I would have liked to see Riki navigate the Bouma Castle, finding a Garzoku ship and piloting it. That's all pretty crazy sounding, and I assume he probably threatened Zuruten or an Ura to show him the way. This episode should have probably been a two-parter. Anyway, Super Turbo Robo is still no match for the giant Ragon, so Dazai hauls out the big guns, telling them to merge the Super Turbo Robo with the Turbo Builder. This is the big reveal of Super Turbo Builder, the first we're seeing of it, but the Turboranger act like they've known about it and have just wisely been waiting for the right time to use it. A blast of its powerful energy seemingly defeats Ragon...

Yamimaru and Kirika take over the Bouma Castle, announcing their rule. Zuruten seems cowardly to fall in line, instructing the Uras to do the same. The episode ends with a shot of the Life Jewel, returned to its original spot, with an image of Ragon appearing within it, warning he won't die so easily.

Damn! What an episode. They don't make them as intense as this anymore. Go watch it.