Bird Songs

 

I've gone over this through the course of my Jetman episode breakdowns, but it's something I've wanted to gather in one post. I see a lot of complaints -- A LOT -- about Jetman's love triangle. I've read it called not only one of the worst romances in Sentai, not only one of the worst romances in toku, but somehow one of the worst romances in ANY media. (Watch more stuff, people!) It's also INFURIATING when someone will say "Yeah, the forced drama in Jetman was cheesy, and that's why I like it." If you're a "fan" like this, just know that I think YOU'RE cheesy.

Look, I know Jetman's become popular to dump on. Hey, I can understand wanting to take things down a peg. But people have lost their minds in their Jetman hatred. The show was a smash and is a fan favorite for a reason, and maybe it's hard for the younger generation of viewers to keep in mind how fresh and different its approach was at the time.

We had never seen toku heroes who could have such self-centered motivations. And we never saw heroes who had a real animosity towards one another, this being most represented by the love triangle of Ryu, Kaori and Gai. The love triangle was main writer Toshiki Inoue's primary focus of the show, and he really had it worked out. If you look at the episodes he wrote, it's a really solid, layered, well-constructed arc. It builds onto itself, it has a logical progression and pace, there are character payoffs, it's consistent and probably the most serialized a Sentai storyline has been. (Everybody complains about one-off "fillers," yet they also hate this super-serialized storyline. Go figure.) Take away any of the episodes Inoue wrote, and you're missing a lot. The triangle also ends by about episode 30, so that's 21 drama-free episodes for you complainers!

I think a lot of people project what they feel are the "right" views of something onto the show. They're judging a 20+ year old work from another country with modern, Western viewpoints. So they warp or misread what the Gai character is all about. People act like he's just some sort of sleaze who's humping the leg of any female character who walks by on screen, who is constantly tormenting a supposedly oh-so-timid and frightened Kaori. That's not even close to what the show is presenting.

Gai is supposed to be a hoodlum, yes. He's a womanizer. He's a passionate guy, he's upfront about what he thinks, what he wants -- there's no bullshitting with him. For what a rough thug he's supposed to be, he's also supposed to be quite charming. He knows what he wants and will do whatever he can to get it, but he does have principles and a strong moral code. He's a cynical guy, but a guy who can still find things to enjoy in life, whether it's women or music or even just booze. He has a dark outlook on life, but still wants to enjoy life on his terms.

Gai is NOT some sociopath, psychotic, homicidal, depraved, soulless piece of shit criminal. I'm so tired of people patting themselves on the back for thinking they're so cool or in or PC for "calling out" Gai's behavior as being so awful and reprehensible and what a terribly sexist stalker he is. "OMG, he doesn't get the hint that Kaori's not interested, but he keeps after her, he's practically a rapist!" Well, you can say that about Kaori in regards to Ryu, too. And you'd be wrong in both cases.

Gai is no different than Captain Kirk or James Bond or Batman or Wolverine or Tony Stark or Tyrion Lannister or Don Draper or Barney Stinson or...I could keep going. Why do those characters get such worship, but Gai's the one you have a problem with? And I know some of you will say "OMG, he's a superhero from an LOL KIDSBOP, he can't be compared to dramatic characters from Game of Thrones or Mad Men or some sitcom," but...hey, that's why it was a different approach for a toku at the time! That's why Gai was so refreshing and why people liked him. We didn't see a character like that before Jetman, and try as they might, we haven't seen one since. There's more to Gai than being the cool ladies' man, there's a lot of subtleties to the character that's in the writing, but also a lot of it due to actor Toshihide Wakamatsu. In the hands of a lesser performer, Gai COULD be obnoxious, and that could have influenced the way he was written, but Wakamatsu's, thankfully, a talented performer.

They obviously want Gai to be smooth -- and yet dangerous -- like James Bond, but Inoue loving his grey characters, wanted to put Gai on the other side of the law. It works to Jetman's premise that, in dealing with four people who aren't meant to be the heroes, who are chosen at random, that the writers made one of them be a rebellious thug who plays by his own rules. He's a lone wolf, so I can't exactly imagine him joining the yakuza or anything. And since he does have morals and a line he won't cross, I don't even think he can really be called an "antihero." (Even though I've referred to him as such in the past.) He's a reluctant hero. Gai's also just rock 'n roll -- live fast, have fun, and know that such a lifestyle's gonna quickly catch up.

All that said, onto the triangle. While there's obviously a component to Gai who enjoys the pursuing of women, I never felt like it was completely meaningless to him. I think he's genuinely interested in the women he goes after, I don't think he just rushes towards every woman he sees. And while I think that maybe his initial interest in Kaori was a way to prove that he could attract any woman he wanted, even someone so far from his social stratosphere, I think that was only briefly -- I think he quickly and genuinely fell for Kaori, in a way that she wasn't looking for. That doesn't mean the old "she wasn't interested, Gai's a creep for not backing off!" I meant that Gai really wanted to protect and coddle her, and that's not what she wanted or what she sought by being a Jetman. And that's what draws her to Ryu, is that he DOESN'T baby her. He was really harsh with her when she was suffering psychosomatic symptoms, he treated her as an actual person, an equal, and not some porcelain figure protected by her wealth and status, not someone to be treated special because of her beauty.

Gai's care for Kaori is genuine, and one of the first indicators that there's more to him than meets the eye. He seriously puts his ass in the line of danger for Kaori again and again, and some heartless punk isn't going to bother doing that after a certain point in the hopes that this unbreakable woman will sleep with him. Gai had no shortage of women for that. He sees something special in Kaori, and just can't understand what she sees in Ryu. Ryu and Gai are just two personality types that clash. From Gai's perspective, Ryu is just a big dumb Boy Scout who probably doesn't even believe half of the bullshit speeches he makes. He thinks Ryu's a dork -- the guy walks into a small, dark jazz bar and orders milk, for cryin' out loud! He thinks Ryu's a big bore who doesn't even notice Kaori or would even let himself be with her if he did. He doesn't think Ryu cares about Kaori, especially not the way he does, and just finds it infuriating the way Kaori shuts him out as she pines for Ryu.

Little does Gai know the pain that Ryu is in. But Ryu is a professional and, sticking to his word, wants to keep his private life private, as he feels a soldier and hero should. The four others are all in his care, and it's his job to whip them into shape and keep the team going. Kaori's just a fellow soldier, he doesn't see her the way she sees him. And he won't, because he just lost the love of his life in Vyram's invasion. The love who, by the way, would be in Kaori's position on the team, so that has to be a torturous reminder to him. So, he's really cut himself off in that way of thinking and feeling and just keeping his mind on the job. So, it's an unignorable big splash of cold water in his face when Kaori makes such a big deal about his birthday in episode 13. He realizes the way Kaori feels, and tries to be quick and to the point about it -- he appreciates her gestures, but it's inappropriate and no, thanks. It's the straightfoward, honest and logical reply from a guy like Ryu. There, he let her know...

And here's more proof that Gai cares about Kaori as a person and not a conquest -- he gets mad at Ryu on her behalf about his reaction! If Gai was really such a one-track thinker, he could and WOULD have taken easy advantage of that situation. He does catch up to a crying Kaori and try to tell her to forget Ryu and pay attention to him, the one who ACTUALLY notices her, and forces a kiss on her, and she slaps him. This has become a "controversial" scene in the English-speaking fandom, that he forces a kiss on her, but...the way the scene plays, I think it's just supposed to be emotions running wild. I think he's trying to show her how assertive he is compared to the seemingly oblivious and uncaring Ryu. She slaps him and that's that. He doesn't keep trying or anything. Geez.

And this is the episode that begins with Gai accusing Ryu of being some unfeeling robot who's never loved, and that visibly affects Ryu and brings all of the stuff with Rie to the surface, so he's certainly within rights to just firmly let Kaori know to keep it professional. Again, the guy's in pain and mourning. (He didn't even really have time to mourn -- Odagiri punches him and tells him to get over it, ASAP.) Gai and viewers have it wrong that he's a dummy with blinders on for the sake of perpetuating drama.

When the dust settles from this situation, a frustrated Gai just needs to know -- does Kaori see anything in him or not. So he pulls her away from the others while shopping, confronting her in an elevator, in another scene that the English-speaking fandom overreacts about. Kaori's obviously not threatened by him in this situation, just kinda startled and thinks it's awkward. By this point, we've seen Gai take beatings from Grey as Grey pursued him and wheelchair-bound Kaori, we've seen Gai plead with Maria to return the captured Kaori, Gai went and fought Camera Jigen on his own to get Kaori back. He's made it clear how he feels about Kaori, Ryu's made it just as clear. Kaori's never said squat about Gai, so he just wants to hear her say something, anything, even if it's that she hates him. He feels like he's just stuck in limbo.

And he still doesn't even really get what he's after, because Kaori soon rushes off and the team encounters Juza; the episode ends with him taking a hit for Kaori, the one that causes painful crystals to burst through his skin, which will end up killing him! Here he technically gives his life for Kaori. And here's where some of Gai's armor chips away, because he's initially distant with Kaori, not wanting her pity, but he eventually breaks down and just says he's scared and you know, a guy like Gai, he doesn't want anyone to see him in a state like he's in -- in pain and frightened.

And I think -- other than the fact that a string of episodes written by the sub-writers follows this arc -- once Gai's saved and they deal with Juuza, Gai probably keeps quiet and keeps his distance for a while. His pining for Kaori goes on the back burner as he lets things try to get back to normal, but it's something that's going to rear its head in. It's always in the background, which leads Ryu to confront Gai...

Ryu's a character who's in pain. The biggest love of his love was taken from him, and he wasn't allowed to mourn her. He had to keep pressing forward and slap on a professional face for the sake of this team of amateurs he had to lead into battle. He's not a superman, he has his own emotions and feelings, but he gets by the best he can, and he can't let go of Rie. For the sake of the team's efficiency, he decides its best that everyone puts their cards on the table -- for Ryu, he's not interested in Kaori. He knows Gai is, and he urges him to pursue that if he's serious and cares about her. Ryu's being completely honest and straightforward, but this all rubs Gai the wrong way. He doesn't think Ryu's being caring enough of Kaori, he thinks Ryu's just playacting at being the nice, stand-up leader he claims to be. Gai even gets a dig in that he thinks Ryu's never loved anyone before, which hurts him, since Rie's often on his mind.

Ryu doesn't get through to Gai, so he tries Kaori. Maybe his method is extreme, but I think he felt the need to convey his intent by whatever means he could. Words weren't getting through to these two. And not only does Ryu have to keep the professional front up, but I feel like he's kind of a private person on top of it. Like, it's not right or professional for the Jetman members to know any business of his personal life, as the one pro there, as their leader. He's a military soldier, he can't afford to show any cracks. Some viewers criticize him for seeming hypocritical in that he lectures others on separating their professional and personal lives, when his private life is very tied up into his professional one, but I feel like the point is that Ryu IS flawed, he doesn't have all of the answers. But that's what's expected of him, so he tries, and tries his best.

At the start of the show, Ryu's shown to be a bit of a hotshot and risk taker; he endangers himself in order to put a stop to that rampaging android. He's in a relationship with a co-worker, which isn't exactly professional, and he knows it, because he brings up his concern to Odagiri if the two becoming Jetman will mean they'll have to break up. While Ryu IS a good and talented soldier, there's a lot he buries for the sake of putting up that professional front and...well, soldiering on. He might be the only qualified one on the team, but he's having to make adjustments, as well. Just because he was a Sky Force officer and chosen to be Red Hawk didn't mean they still weren't going to train and grow more into their roles -- he's thrown into things as quickly as Gai and the others.

So, as drastic as Ryu taking Kaori to Rie's grave is, I think it's a kind of big move for someone who wants to keep his personal life to himself to open up like that in such a big way. And since Kaori wasn't listening to him, it's the big bucket of cold water required to get her to listen. He wasn't trying to be malicious, he just thought that would get through. "You think I'm a coldhearted guy, that I'm ignoring you? No. If you want to know, here's where the body of my true love should lie, she only just died a few months ago, so...let me be. Let me grieve."

Kaori's right to be upset by that display, as she storms off home by foot and ignores Ryu, but...I also think she should have been able to sense Ryu's mood on the drive to the cemetery! She was so wrapped up in thinking it was a date and that he was taking her to meet his parents, that she should have paid more attention to Ryu's demeanor and felt the mood. Ryu's move was the best option! She really wouldn't have listened otherwise.

(And for everyone saying what a stalking, creepy harasser Gai supposedly is, they seem to forget the sweet scene where he's trying to console Kaori later that evening. She's still upset and talking about Ryu, but Gai's there for her. And when she admits that maybe she might have been better off falling for Gai, before leaving, he just smiles and says he'll win her over yet. There's nothing nasty or creepy or manipulative or anything about him here. He's genuine. He offers her words of encouragement and lets her go on her way. There's growth from the pushy guy/Gai who would have made some upsetting remark or gotten frustrated with her.)

And guess what? You might think Ryu's a jerk for the way he went about breaking the news of his heartbreak, but it still doesn't quite get through to Kaori! She's more upset than she was before, but she decides to make her next play getting Ryu to get over Rie. And while I think that's pretty cold and disrespectful to Ryu and what he felt like he had with Rie, it's at least an honest and believable reaction, and interesting in the way that the show doesn't always want to paint the heroes in the best light. (It's a bold choice. I noted in my series coverage that it's a Kaori moment I don't like, but I do still consider myself a fan of the character.) She's upset and not exactly happy with herself for going about it this way, but she wants to make it known that she's not a quitter and she wasn't broken by Ryu's revelation. Ryu just kind of throws his hands in the air at that point, wanting to move on. He ends up further agitating Gai by regifting Kaori's concert ticket to him, but honestly hopes it's the thing that can get the two to spend some time together and maybe have something spark.

I think the motivations here are solid. Ryu just wants to move on from this hindrance, Gai's frustrated and feels like Ryu's just careless and patronizing to both him and Kaori. There's been so many times in this show where feelings bubble up, but are cut off or held back, that it finally explodes and becomes an ugly fight between Ryu, Gai and even Raita. And before any of it can even be resolved -- and maybe that's for the best, because the fight was brutal and with no end in sight -- the Vyram attacks. And from then, they get pulled into the intense battle with Semimaru, and I feel like their seeing the Dimensians all get killed is what gets them to once again dial back their own resentments or unhappiness with one another. It shakes them out of their selfishness for a time. The Dimensians were a happy, functional team, showing a better Jetman in that Rei and Kanna were a happy couple and that even goofy young Dan had their love and respect. They had things worked out, but look what happened to them -- what chance do the Jetman have against the Vyram when they're at each other's throats all of the time? So, I think that causes things to blow over for a while...

The next events mark a big, big turn in The Triangle, and effect the rest of the series...

It all starts when Gai helps Kaori pull an all-nighter as she [TECHS THE TECH] on her mechas. Genuinely appreciative, she tries to make it up to Gai by treating him to a relaxing lunch in a beautiful location. (By a fountain at the Kawaguchi Green Center -- a lovely looking place that I've always enjoyed seeing in Super Sentai, even when I was a kid.) Kaori uses the opportunity to try to crack through some of Gai's armor, recognizing that he's a better person than he lets on, than he'd like people to perceive him. But this is cut short by an attack from Radeige, before the Majin Muu arrives and kidnaps Kaori -- he senses she's the true warrior he seeks in order to resurrect his comrades via blood sacrifice.

A panicked and upset Gai tracks down the Majin's cave; Kaori's been placed in a chamber, ready to be sacrificed. Gai offers his own blood instead, taking a straight razor and slashing his hand with it. The Majin's comrades pick up the scent of his blood and begin to drain Gai. He falls to his knees, shaking, he's turning pale...Kaori witnesses this through tears. It doesn't look good for him, this could very well be the time he dies. And it makes Kaori think of all of the other times he endangered himself for her sake. Emotions are running high, and she tells Gai that she's his. He gives her a smile, but is still incredibly weak.

Some critics think Kaori is just telling Gai what he wants to hear here, to encourage him. But I think with what Kaori was preparing to say at their lunch, I think she WAS going to bring up the idea of maybe trying to start something with him. But, of course, it didn't go the way she planned it would -- I always imagined she was going to try to feel him out and confirm he was genuine in his love for her -- and it all ended up happening in a really fraught situation...

But it happens. From here, Gai and Kaori -- Gaori -- are a couple. The triangle is over, people, and the relationship between Gai, Kaori and Ryu takes a new, interesting, surprising direction from here on.

Gai and Kaori, now an item, are just trying to enjoy themselves. For Gai, he bared his feelings for her. He placed himself in danger. This isn't early Gai, the thug, the James Bond type who could easily charm a woman he wants by just words or attention; he was intrigued by Kaori. He began to care and love her. His love for her was genuine. Maybe, unlike his past flings, it was the first meaningful relationship for him. So Gai just wants to make the most of it, even if it means they run late for Jetman briefings and business. After one too many lectures by Odagiri and Ryu, Gai storms off, dragging Kaori with him. In an angry outburst, he hands his Cross Changer over to a worried Raita. (Note that Kaori keeps hers.) Gai and Kaori ride off, cutting ties with Jetman, leaving Jetman to be a Sunvulcan/Liveman style of the classic Red, Blue and Yellow line-up.

And something funny happens on the way to Gai and Kaori's leave of absence. The Majin are different opponents for the Jetman -- and the Vyram! Not being prepared to face such adversaries, an attack causes Maria to revert to Rie. Ryu's not prepared for this, it really throws him. But there she is. And while Ryu noticed the resemblance early on, he dismissed that Rie could be the coldhearted Maria. But I also think that he's the kind of guy who just sees things logically -- what are the odds that Rie survived and became this Maria foe? It doesn't make sense, so he doesn't think about it. (Or maybe even buries the possibility because it's just too out there and too much to contemplate.) But there's the solid proof and confirmation -- Maria is Rie, and Rie is alive. Any of Ryu's most absolutely far-fetched hopes and dreams are actually real. The only woman he's ever loved is alive! Here's the chance to find happiness again, to get back to a sense of normalcy. But before he has time to deal with her, he puts aside his own needs and is off to fight as a Jetman. And before he can get back to her, Radeige finds her and transforms her back to Maria...

Having had that chance to reconnect with Rie and missed it, having that hope grabbed away as she's turned back to Maria, it completely breaks Ryu. He withdraws into himself, he falls into a deep, deep depression. He isolates himself, he practically goes catatonic. I think of two things here. I think of the Joy Division lyrics "Just for one moment/I thought I'd found my way/Destiny unfolded/I watched it slip away." (That whole song, "Twenty Four Hours" probably fits Ryu's mindframe well in this section of the show.) The other thing I think of -- to lower the bar from Joy Division -- is Spider-man 2, when a downtrodden Peter, having been so selfless and sacrificed so much as a hero, sees his personal life in shambles and is just like "Is this it? Am I not supposed to be happy? Am I not supposed to have what I want and need?" I think some of Gai's way of thinking creeps into Ryu's head.

A big point of Ryu/Red Hawk versus Gai/Black Condor comes down to Inoue's examining the motivations, beliefs and philosophies of a hero. It's a clash of personalities. Ryu is the traditional hero -- selfless. Bound by honor, duty. He cares about others and puts their safety and happiness above his own. As a soldier, he's most likely been trained to see beyond himself and focus on what needs done, and the tools required to get it done. This is what bugs him about the drama Gai stirs up, and why the set-up of the show is interesting in that the Red is the one guy who's supposed to be there, but the other four are just average folks who really need guidance and who don't have the training, so they're not going by the book and, initially, aren't even that good on the field. Ryu has his hands full, and he does a pretty damn good job of being the driving force of the team and look how well he whips everyone into shape! They become such good heroes, and a lot of it is because they look to Ryu. He has the heart and compassion and belief in others that most classic superheroes have and require, even if he himself is traumatized. That's the thing -- he's that classic superhero, and he's every bit the brave, good, decent guy the show says he is, but he's not invulnerable or perfect. He has his own faults, that's what Inoue does and likes to write, that's what makes characters like Ryu interesting.

And then you have Gai. You can't be more opposite. It's the difference between Cyclops and Wolverine, isn't it? One's the one who gets dismissed as being a square, order-following soldier, the other's the rule-breaking, pissed off, booze-guzzling troublemaker. Gai looks out for number one. He's selfish, but he's not uncaring. He has a desire to help people, he'll fight when he sees something he knows is wrong. He thinks there's more to being a hero than just the standard speechifying of "protecting justice!" Gai presents this slightly more realistic take and I'll just quote what I said about him one time at HJU.

I says:

"I also think Gai was supposed to be a more 'realistic' tokusatsu hero. As selfless as we think a superhero should be, here's Gai who says no, a hero needs to take care of themselves or else they can't take care of anyone. Here's Gai, who wanted to hang on to what was seen as just selfish behavior because he was afraid of losing himself to the demands of being a Jetman. Here's Gai, who knows it takes more than just repeating 'We're soldiers, we protect the world' to actually protect the world."

Gai's someone who's probably only ever fought for personal reasons. Being in a street brawl defending yourself or a principle or someone else's honor is quite different from what a soldier like Ryu experiences. Ryu can separate himself from his work, Gai can't...but here's a situation that makes it impossible for Ryu to place that divider any longer. It's the confirmation that not only is his long lost love alive, she was taken by the villains and he's been fighting her all along. Ryu can't take this, so he shuts down. And I feel like this coinciding with Gai's leave of absence from the team is Inoue's comparing and contrasting the two's differences, with Ryu taking on a Gai kind of thinking and reaching that whole Spider-man 2 bit I mentioned. His world, what he knew, and the rules that got him through it are upside down.

While Gai initially calls Ryu on what he sees as hypocrisy -- "A soldier's not supposed to let their personal life interfere" -- seeing Ryu in such a state really shakes him. While I think the show goes a little too far in having Ryu imagine he sees Rie next to him, it's probably the kind of thing that caused Gai to stop in his tracks and see the trouble his teammate's in. It's bonkers. He thinks Ryu's a lot of things, but bonkers ain't one of 'em. Gai doesn't know what to make of it, he wants Ryu to snap out of it. It even looks like Gai's about to strike him, but seeing a tearful Ryu look over at what he thinks is Rie stops him -- it's a sad sight, and he hugs him instead. Gai knows that the only person who can save Ryu from such trouble is only Ryu himself, so he lets him know that he'll give him the time to recover and resume his Jetman duties in his place. Gai, being a passionate person, knows the human spirit. He knows Ryu needs to cope, grieve, heal. He allows him the time that Odagiri and The Rulebook didn't allow him. He knows that Ryu is strong enough to overcome this ordeal; he returns the faith in Ryu that Ryu always had in Gai, which Gai is proving by setting off to help his teammates in the absence of their leader.

The Gai who was once at his throat, who's made clear that he thinks little of him, the selfish one, the hedonist who ran off because he was tired of being lectured...he ends up showing mercy and compassion. He does the right thing and steps up in the stead of his pained comrade. That has to be a "Holy shit, things must be looking bad if GAI is that worried" moment of self-realization for Ryu. Gai cares about him. And rather than retreat into delusions or thoughts of the past, he doesn't bury it any longer. His next encounter with Maria isn't denial, but a vow to save her, before he embraces her and goes off to help his friends. So, at this point, Ryu is healed of some of his trauma and heartbreak, Gai and Kaori have decided to date, and for the first time there's true harmony amongst the team. Gai notes that it feels like the true beginning for them.

For the next several episodes, we're shown glimpses of Gai and Kaori being close to one another. In the episodes where Odagiri takes the team for R&R to Yamada Ranch, Kaori notes that it would be nice to return there, just the two of them. (When Gai is later showing two women golfers some stances, Ako tries to get Kaori to admit she's angry at the display. While she's visibly bothered, Gai doesn't make a big deal about it. Fans make a big deal out of this scene, too, and it's not like he saw them and pursued them. They asked him! And he doesn't give a shit once Hirose comes along and steals them, either.)

There are several episodes where the two are supposed to be dating, it's just a given. And when it's put in the forefront again, it's the signs that it wasn't meant to last. Kaori trying to teach Gai proper dinner etiquette doesn't go well. The final straw, though, is when Gai is having a meal with Kaori's parents. Her parents are snobbish, constantly quizzing Gai on his place in society, his pedigree, his WORTH. That's when it finally sinks in to Gai. He excuses himself and leaves. Kaori's such a sweet, nice character. She's worried about Gai fitting in with her circle, hence the etiquette lessons, but she's still open minded, she knows Gai's actual worth, and expects her parents and their world and her circle will understand. Gai knows she's wrong, that they won't, and he rides off.

Kaori mentions to Ako that they're having trouble, knowing it's looking bad. Gai has gone about his business, going over his thoughts, and just knows it's not working and realizes a person can't just change -- he and Kaori could have made it work, but he's just not a part of her world. He can't be, he doesn't want to be. In his head, love should be enough, but that's not the real world, is it? And Kaori's the rare kindhearted, open-minded and understanding type of person in that world, who knows that worth goes beyond the monetary or materialistic, and she's trying her damnedest to make an effort. She thinks she has a chance at getting her parents to accept Gai once she can explain the extraordinary circumstances that brought them together, but she also can't have Gai completely change who he is, it's not right. She has to know it's a losing battle. KAORI NEVER CAVED IN OUT OF GAI'S PERSISTENCE! She appreciated how much she apparently meant to Gai, and felt like she should see if there was anything there. She gave him a chance. It ends up not working between them...

The next we see of them, Gai is entering the command center of Skycamp and catches Kaori's glance. They smile to each other and then get about their business. Coming after the scenes where they each, separately, realize the romance isn't looking good, it's plain that this is acknowledgement that the two have broken things off mutually, off-screen. It's such a nice, subtle way to address it, especially for how explosive the feelings and beginnings of this romance were, just how boldly the show depicted them. It's an interesting storytelling and stylistic choice. The exchange says, without words, "We gave it a shot. Can't ask more than that, but let's not make it weird so we can stay friends." And they don't let it affect their friendship or teamwork, and things remain harmonious for the Jetman from here through the finale.

I also like the growth of Ryu and Gai by this point. Gai, originally so dismissive of the type of person he thought Ryu was. He thought he was just an empty-headed, yes-man soldier who followed instructions and didn't have a thought or feeling of his own and was an android and big old nerd. However, he respected Ryu as a fighter, in combat, and so was willing to follow his orders when it came time to fight Vyram. (Which is another criticism I see of the show: "Gai hates Ryu but always falls in line for henshin scenes and attacks!") And here's the cool thing about Ryu: Gai had always misunderstood Ryu and had him pegged wrong from the start. Ryu, on the other hand, knew what Gai was like underneath -- that he was a good person. He had a soldier's intuition and a confidence in Gai, a respect for Gai, even if that respect wasn't shown towards him.

So in the Veronica two-parter, it's really interesting to see how far the two have come, how much Gai has evolved. Compare it to the Camera Jigen episodes, when Gai is so lost and unable to calm himself about Kaori's being taken that he's NO help to Ryu in the building of Fire Bazooka. With Veronica, the two are working together nonstop, with Gai even risking himself to hold together some of the mecha's faulty wiring in order for Ryu to finish the fight. They're in the trenches together, as they've been many times before. Ryu's turned them into good soldiers, and they've not only become good soldiers and heroes, but friends. Has a toku show ever shown a journey like Gai's? Not even the one from a thug to a hero, but someone who starts the show so antagonistic, hating our lead hero so much, and ending up best of friends?

The door is then open for Kaori to pursue Ryu. I think that scene in the penultimate episode between the two in the shack is well shot and acted. I'll admit I do think it could have used a tweak in the dialogue, but overall it's still emotionally honest and believable as a first step in getting the two together. People have a problem with how quickly it goes from Ryu-still-being-hung-up-on-Rie to his marrying Kaori, but take into account that the finale makes a THREE YEAR time jump, and that Inoue purposely avoids showing the two together in order to keep the groom's identity mysterious. He doesn't say right off that the wedding is between Ryu Tendo and Kaori Rokumeikan, the characters don't say anything until the reveal.

I find the show's romance is all done in a believable way that takes its time. It rewards your viewing patience, but it's all done at a believably steady pace. Nothing is rushed or unearned. There's growth and payoff. It works.

Look, it's OK if you don't like Jetman, if it's not your thing or if Toshiki Inoue's style isn't to your liking. But stop trying to act like it's poorly made or misconstrue its intentions or warp what it does to fit your modern senses and act like you're the one on the pedestal instead of this show. Jetman's a giant for a reason. Its flair for drama and the romantic clashing was a draw, and was INOUE'S WHOLE INTENT BEHIND THIS DAMN SHOW! It's supposed to be big and explosive and dramatic and messy and ugly and complicated! We've never seen heroes act this way in a toku before! (And as hard as they've tried, they haven't come close since, either.)

One more thing. Something I've always wanted to note, but it couldn't quite fit in anywhere here, is the way Gai acts around Odagiri. For all of his problems with authority, he always listens to her. He never smack talks her, he doesn't give her grief, he doesn't hit on her, he always shows her attention and respect. (I recall one episode where he practically stands at attention as she enters, as if he's an actual soldier.) If he was really the misogynistic monster modern fans paint him to be, I don't think this would be the case.