Monday 22 August 2011

Tiger & Bunny - Episode 21

To say that Kotetsu was in a tight spot come the end of the previous episode of Tiger & Bunny would be to put it mildly - framed as a wanted man by Maverick and with none of his hero colleagues or those related to his work able to remember him thanks to Maverick's NEXT powers, where does our protagonist turn next?

For much of this episode, Kotetsu's thoughts are trained solely on surviving the next five minutes without capture as his former hero friends set out to catch Stern Bild's "most wanted" man - a trick but not impossible task, even as the realisation dawns that none of his new-found foes even remember his name or face.  The one possible exception to this is Blue Rose, who wavers as Kotetsu recounts stories that stir memories in her mind that nobody else but the real Wild Tiger would know - sadly, such progress is soon ruined by the appearance of the "real" Wild Tiger, complete with upgraded power suit.  If you can't figure out the secret behind the new-look Wild Tiger, then you've either missed or forgotten about episode fifteen...


As an aside to all of this, Kotetsu's daughter Kaede is finally told the truth about her dad's real job and identity - a major shock to her of course, and one that sends her shuffling through her back catalogue of magazines in an attempt to find understanding in what she's been told.  Not only does she find this, but it also spurs her decision on what to do next, as she takes off for the city in an attempt to help and protect her father as he has always sworn to do for those close to him.  As for Kotetsu himself, the appearance of his old friend Ben sets a plan of his own into motion, while he's also found himself with another unlikely friend in the form of Lunatic...

Clumsy though reaching this point might have been in places, and predictable thought it undoubtedly is, you can't deny the entertainment value of Tiger & Bunny during an episode like this, which makes top-notch use of everything available to it while stringing together its plot and characters expertly before topping it off with a helping of Kotetsu's inimitable personality.  I am still hooked to this series, foibles be damned?  You bet I am.

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