More explosions!
Nine months after the Akibarangers defeated the Guerilla Marketers, Nobuo and his team returned to their normal lives. As for Nobuo, he starts reminiscing the events that happened nine months before. Wait a minute; the Akibarangers didn't defeat the Guerilla Marketers last season! What is happening here?
This episode is basically a glorified clip show, or should I say, a compilation movie with narration coming from our main characters. Aside that Kozkoz has more speaking lines compared from the previous season, is the budget of this episode. I mean seriously, they used the S.H. FiguArts figures of the 3 Super Sentai teams for the flashback scene! Also, the opening sequence of this episode looks like it is not yet finished! The use of the storyboard art, and that we have one of the staff members appearing in one scene just to hold the S.H. FiguArts Itasshar Robo in one scene is pure gold.
As for the actual episode, half of it is content coming from the first half of the first season with some original content inserted in between that is why it is not advisable to skip parts if you don't want to miss something new. Most of the new stuff include that Mitsuki didn't defeat Kabukicho because of her watching Boukenger, but because of she used a skimpy bikini cat suit to defeat him... which we didn't see. Other things that were added are three new Super Sentai cosplays, namely: Dekaranger's Mari Gold, Carranger's White Racer and Hurricaneger's Frabeejo.
But the biggest addition, more like change is that Delu-Knight likes little boys and can summon a gate from hell to bring back dead enemies! But the biggest change is that instead of Nobuo, Mitsuki is the one who is scouted by the Pentagon! One thing I observe in this scene is the rather lazy editing. Instead of refilming the entire scene, what they did is cut and paste some scenes from first season and insert the new footage! You'll notice Mitsuki's hair is longer in some scenes and that the lighting of the new footage is inconsistent with the older footage.
To be honest, I am fine with Mitsuki being scouted by the Pentagon even though she is one of the best things about the first season. It makes logical sense that she is the one to be scouted because she is one strong fighter, and that removing Nobuo and Yumeria for the second season is basically removing the "heart" of the series. Mitsuki is a closet otaku and this show must explore every single Super Sentai trope, and every single otaku stereotype and trope. So why stay with a three man cell instead of adding new heroes? I have no idea.
Anyway, so why the heck this episode is called "Delusion War"? Like what the flashback implied, the Akibarangers are helped by three official Super Sentai hero teams, namely: Jetman, Dekaranger and Boukenger. The best part about their appearances is that they are voiced by random voice actors who might attempt to make the characters sound like the original, or just downright say their lines without trying to sounds like the original. But hey, at least it made the scene more hilarious. It didn't help that the Akibarangers took pictures with the official heroes while the official heroes are busy doing their team pose!
As for the war itself, it is really epic. Aside from the return of the past Chief Clerks, is how they manage to make the Delusion War last for 3 days and 9 hours... by showing us some fight scenes then showed us our heroes doing fighting poses while beating the Chief Clerks. What's interesting about it is that their poses are the typical poses seen in magazine shots. What's great about this scene is that you can clearly see that they are like holding their breaths just to make the pose perfect. To add up the effect, they played the opening instrumental track of Jetman's ending theme!
After they defeated the Chief Clerks and Delu-Knight with the Penta-Penultimate Cannon, it is time for the giant battle! What made the giant battle more interesting is that Malsheena doesn't know how to pilot a giant mecha and just button mash the machine's console! Finally, the best thing about this episode, the use of the S.H. FiguArts Machine Itasshar. I mean seriously, they just use some strings to make the Itasshar move, and to make this giant battle more "realistic". Speaking of which, I just love how the fight between the Guerilla Marketer's giant robot and the Itasshar look like some adult playing with his toy! This scene looks so fun that I am enjoying every bit of it.
At the end, the Akibarangers defeated the Guerilla Marketers... thanks to a giant can and a conveniently placed self-destruct button. At the end, Mitsuki leaves for America, Yumeria must do something really important and finally, Nobuo is back doing his day job. As for Malsheena's fate, it is not that clear if she lives or she dies. Oh, and Sayaka is now living in Bhutan to help his uncle's company. Now that we are done with this sorta epilogue scene, it is time to officially start season 2 now that we are done with this compilation "movie" that is made to tie up the events of the first season fit with the events of the second season!
Season 2 officially begins with Akagi discovering that there is something wrong with the toy shop he likes to pass by. The DX MMZ-01 - Moe Moe Z-Cune is sold in public as the DX AkibaLaser! What's more, is that the Akibarangers now have their own figures, and other merchandise... you know, for kids! But I guess is the biggest surprise, aside from the appearance of Kamen Rider OOO's Doctor Maki as the shop owner is that Akibaranger is the 17th Super Sentai and is considered to be a legendary work! So yeah, they are now official, only to turn Dairanger unofficial in the process. Can Nobuo figure out how the heck the Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger ended up becoming the Five Star Sentai Akibaranger?
