As we begin to race towards the conclusion of Kamen Rider Build, the tension continues to mount. After the reveal in episode 38 that Utsumi is willing to side with Evolt to become Kamen Rider Mad Rogue, the fight continues and we see where the “Mad” in his new title comes from. Utsumi fights and acts like a rabid dog without a leash, and claims to do it so that he can explore his own scientific brilliance. To accentuate the danger here, and add to the tension, we see a great deal of what Utsumi can do as a front-line combatant, including a first-person view from the perspective of Gentoku as a devastating hit lands.
Our heroes are ultimately defeated, and forced to retreat.
This episode, overall, is heavy on themes of friendship, trust, and what people can and will do to one another. This is shown in a few ways, the largest of which being a declaration that Banjou must be defeated alongside Evolt to keep the world safe. The words come from Kiryuu Sento, but are truly spoken by Katsuragi Takumi, with the cold, calculating logic of a man who has long since closed himself off to others. Katsuragi is arrogant and self-aggrandizing after completing the Genius Bottle, and all of these little moments build up to Kazumin tracking Banjou far away from the Build Cave, with a surprise attack.
It’s only after the fight ends in a draw that we learn Kazumin is trying to help Banjou get stronger so they can all survive.
On the other side of the coin, we see a more introspective look at Utsumi, staring out at the river over the bridge where he was shot by Gentoku early in the series. He regrets that he has had to come this far, but acknowledges, to himself and the world, that he believes his actions since that incident are justified. He screams this declaration, “I’m not wrong,” to the sky for all to hear. It’s an interesting look at a quiet character who, up to this point, has largely been a background player. Utsumi has come into his own since the Nanba arc began, much more so than he did as a member of Faust early on.
There is a bonding moment between Kazumin and Banjou, following their training session, where Banjou turns a solemn vow into a joke, but the two don’t have much time to enjoy it before Utsumi leads a squad against the remaining government of Touto. After hearing of this, Gentoku comes to terms with his part in the conflict, and insists on joining the fight. This is made harder to watch as Gentoku can hardly stand, falling even as he declares to Katsuragi to trust him one more time.
When Build finally enters the fight, he and Utsumi debate the merits of what Evolt has to offer. It is a debate, at its heart, about ethics in science. Neither man has a good record here, but Katsuragi speaks of intent and contribution to mankind. Utsumi, rightly, puts the technology of the Rider System at the heart of the conflict.
He illustrates this point in his speech well, and shows a clear difference between them. Katsuragi Takumi’s lack of experience in battle is made clear as Utsumi attacks and he can hardly fight back. When their talk concludes, he tries to use the Genius Bottle, only to find it unresponsive.
The intense pressure of the situation, as well as a hard hit to the head, lead to an introspective view of the split personalities that make up the man who is Build, and Kiryuu Sento is reborn, with both men’s memories intact. Only with Sento restored is the Genius Bottle able to work.
The episode ends with the first transformation of Sento into Build’s final form, Genius, a white suit made up largely of bottles and tubes.
What did you guys think of this week’s Build? How do you feel about Build’s final form? Leave a comment and let’s discuss!
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