This episode feels like something that was filmed very, very early in the series, but they held onto it because it wasn't up to par, and aired it in desperation. It's the first and last toku episode to be written by Keiji Terui, who has mainly a ton of '80s anime credits to his name. Japanese fans say that Toei was trying to be hip and with it by bringing in popular anime scribes like Toshiki Inoue, Michiru Shimada and Terui with Flashman, but, as we all know, Inoue's the only one who stuck. (Probably because his style is best suited for live action...and nepotism, after his daddy did so much work for Toei toku.)
This episode is just very plain, very generic. It could have been a script for anything. But that's not even the worst part. The worst part is that it makes no sense for this episode to exist at this point in the series. It's all about a super monster that absorbs energy and survives attacks, with Mess's big goal being to prevent Jin from becoming Red Flash and forming the Flash King. He gets caught in a battle and restrained by a troop led by Wanda, while Green Flash tries to pilot Tank Command in his absence, when all they need to do is form Flash King, dammit, and they can't do it without Jin! (You know how it goes, it takes all five to execute the Super Cosmo Flash.)
Well, baloney. They could have easily just used Flash Titan, don't you think? You don't need everyone to combine for that. You don't need everyone to even work it, Baraki worked it alone! (Even if he did lose control of it.) Flash Titan's not shown or mentioned even ONCE. And I find that just really bizarre, and really indicative that this episode was filmed well before Flash Titan was even brought into the show. I don't know if there's proof of that beyond the evidence the episode itself presents, but...you got a better theory?
This episode also curiously returns to some old traits of Jin and Dai; we're back to the Jin who doesn't want to trouble his team, so he sets out to take care of things himself, while this is also that cockier, Rolling-Knuckle-first-questions-later Dai from way early on. (You know, the one who punched Magu's head off.) And the heroes are seen mainly in their clothing from the Flash planets, another tip off that this episode had to have been produced earlier than its air date indicates.
The episode has enough good action to recommend it, though. It's not a bad episode, just pretty light on plot and puzzling in its placement. I love that tense scene when Ulk and Kiruto are holding Jin prisoner and Wanda's moving in for the kill, just laughing his ass off. Hirose's one of the few people who can really pull off a good sinister laugh, a villain who takes that kind of delight in the pain they bring.
I always liked this episode for considering it ... different.
ReplyDeleteChangeman was my first sentai, and throughout the series the use of vehicles was always well defined: Dragon on Jet Changer I, Gryphon and Mermaid on Heli Changer II ...
So when I first saw this episode, I was fascinated to see Green Flash piloting Tank Commando and Yellow Flash alone in the Jet Delta.
Of course, that doesn't impress anymore, as we've seen it many times since then (and it had happened before, like the many times Battle Japan piloted Battle Fever Robo alone).
I get what you mean -- I still think it's cool when Green and Blue get into the driver's seat of Flash King to fight that monster made from Jin's genes. Even if things like this became the norm, it's still cool to see ideas like this when they were still fresh.
DeleteIt also felt like an episode that was going to lead to something new, especially with that title, then I had to remember that Liveman was the first one with two robos combining. Either way, it was nice having them have to work harder to win rather than get bailed out by Bandai. I think the last time that happened was GoGoV.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting, if not a bit dull. It kind of reminded me of the movie in lots of ways. I generally liked it. It didn't have the depth that most Flashman episodes have had so far.