GoGoV is the next team to receive a tribute episode which features the return of Matsuri Tatsumi, also known as GoPink. I think it’s fitting that the Ahim/Luka focus episode has the return of a female Ranger rather than the regular Red Ranger.
Navi’s clue about GoGoV is ‘helping others shall guide you to a meeting’ which prompts the Gokaigers to perform good deeds around the city. I found these scenes hilarious: Gai convinces Marvelous to carry an old man up the stairs. After he’s done, Marvelous looks down at Gai at the bottom, now with a whole group of pensioners. I loved how Gai didn’t even bother carrying anyone, but just focused on gathering more people.
While doing good deeds, Luka and Ahim come across a pregnant woman who soon goes into labour. This is where they meet Matsuri, who rushes the woman off to hospital. They are attacked by Gormin, where they transform. This battle features the Gokai Changes of Fiveman and Magiranger, both family teams like GoGoV.
Later, while rushing a patient into an ambulance, Matsuri is attacked by a group of Gormin unexpectedly. Ahim and Luka soon arrive to protect her. After defeating the Gormin, they’re then attacked by Rio, Mele and Zuuban, which means the return of Basco. I like that Basco appears every few episodes which makes his appearances more of a surprise. It seems that his appearances will come with three Ranger Key minions. In Episode 20 it was MagiMother, DekaMaster and Wolzard Fire, and in this episode it’s another three.
Basco wants Matsuri in order to steal GoGoV’s Grand Power. Matsuri, Luka and Ahim retreat to the ambulance to discuss what to do. While in the ambulance, we learn more about Luka’s past and her sister, Fia’s, death. Gokaiger’s doing a good job at gradually revealing their back-stories rather than either focusing all on one Ranger or not revealing back-stories at all.
Eventually, Matsuri emerges, seemingly giving herself in. However, she fights back and reveals herself as Ahim in MagiPink form. Ahim used MagiPink’s ‘Magi Magiro’ spell to turn herself into Matsuri. I really like that the powers of previous teams are being utilized to solve problems like this.
The Gokaigers soon transform into GoGoV and eventually revert Rio, Mele and Zuuban into their Ranger Key forms. However, these Ranger Keys are taken back by Sally. I assume the Gokaigers will gain these keys in a future episode. I hope so because it’ll be interesting to see the transformations.
The Grand Power in the mecha battle is a GoGoV-inspired attack and the use of water cannons in the event of a fire. I wonder if these attacks will ever be used again in future episodes. I hope so, but I doubt it.
GRADE
It’s been a while since we had a focus on either Ahim or Luka, so I’m glad we’ve finally got another one. I give this episode a 5/5
Dana, the Pink Lightspeed Ranger was also a paramedic, so that aspect of the story could be used in a Power Rangers adaptation. The Fiveman Gokai Change could easily be reshot and replaced with another Pink and Yellow team.