Disclaimer: the opinions herein are my own. If they sound overly serious, they’re probably not. At the end of the day I’m enjoying YSST. That said, I have every intent of projecting a bit of friendly psychic damage your way. I do my best to present correct information. Any mistakes within are my own.
The following contains spoilers for Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopers Episode 16.
Huh, a lot of things happened this week.
In a flashback to 5 years ago, Ryo is putting Shion and Ryusei through their paces via a sparring match. It lasts until Shion throws the bro code and in turn, the match, as an excuse to get out of the "intense" training.
Don't ask Shion for betting odds.
Out of earshot Shion complains to Ryusei about the training and wishes old man Ryo would teach them to armor up already. Ryo hauls his butt off to the school of hard knocks.
It's the hard knock life for us Shion.
Back in the present, we recap the moment last week when Shion threw the Green Ranger sword at Ryusei. This time we see the bro code scribbled on the blade in red lettering that may or may not be blood.
The gambit pays off now as Ryusei meets Shion in their old training grounds.
Elsewhere Gai and Kaito are motoring around town in search of the rogue Shion, but they're unable to locate him because the GPS tracker installed on their tech guy is mysteriously wrong. Fortunately Gai has the latest Ramaga personal assistant built into his sword and learns that Shion is nearby, along with someone from the Divine Realm. Notably, we're referring to them as the "Initiated" now.
Ramaga is perplexed by Sagume's intentions. He names the dragon/snake deity from last week as Yatogojin, a "god of destruction" with a piss poor track record of intercontinental relations. In the Tendoukai, Sagume asks Yatogojin to remove the magic barrier that's protecting the human city against her forces.
Is this the crossover episode with Saint Young Men?
Huh, Sagume's sleeve has the same motif as her eye.
Meanwhile, Shimei's snake familiar drains the poison from Gaimei's wound. Inmei asks her to locate Ryusei. This time she uses yellow magic, contrasting her purple magic last week.
There's a rift in the relations between Inmei and the other Beast Warriors. The others complain that Inmei failed to deal with the Samurai Troopers back in the Youjakai, while Inmei mocks their ability to do any better in light of last week's battle.
Back at the DST stomping grounds, Shion and Ryusei are locked in a battle of wills as Shion tries to suss out his motives. He's taken aback by Ryusei calling his current path with Sagume his "choice." But hey, Kaito's here to break the tension.
I don't know why this is funny, it just is. He really is Touma's successor.
Gai reminds Ryusei that "humans aren't such bad creatures" and credits Ryusei with that lesson. Our boy is experiencing the inverse of Gai's character arc, going from humans are worth protecting to humans are worthless trash. That Captain Planet marathon Inmei sat him through really did a number.
The moral struggle between Ryusei and the boys won't be decided here. Ryusei departs, and Shion confirms he was attempting to get through to their former ally. Kaito wonders if Ryusei is firmly on team Sagume now, but Gai expresses his doubts. In the next scene we see Ryusei's inner conflict reflected in his expression, but Inmei interrupts the moment. He places his trust in Ryusei and reveals his "true objective" (off screen).
A pretty face doesn't make up for Inmei's terrible judgement of character.
Instead of learning what Inmei is up to, we're treated to a light moment between the Hojo Bros and the Braves in VR. The Braves are struggling to find a reason to fight for humanity. Fortunately Shion has just the thing.
Aren't they adorable? Seriously how does DST crank out custom order jackets so quickly?
The Braves are assigned to evacuate civilians before the Divine Realm invades again. Shion recounts Ryo's lesson from the past which put him face to face with the people he was protecting. As with Shion, the simple gratitude and encouragement from the civilians instills the Braves with a sense of purpose.
Mr. Sanada beat my ass behind the tool shed.
The stage play is cute. I think it's nestled in an interview with the lady who wrote the novelization, but there's an anecdotal account of Samurai Troopers staged events like this at shopping malls or department stores or something. Conveniently, "Ryo" is fighting a normal soldier here comes the tin foil hat. Really, if the PM knew the former enemy generals were (presumably) alive and had been allowed to walk away, what are the odds he'd order the DST to drag them back to the human world for trial and execution? Just throwing it out there.
Back in the Tendoukai, Sagume orders Inmei to destroy Haoutei. Inmei reiterates that the other deities mind wiped and imprisoned Yatogojin in the snake/dragon form. I take it that Haoutei once belonged to him, and allowing Yatogojin to reacquire it will return him to his prior threat level.
It was a most unpleasant Zoom meeting.
Sagume questions Inmei's loyalty. Inmei defers, but Sagume now has Ryusei keeping an eye on him.
Back on the train, Ryo, Jun, and Kaede mull over the treasures. Ryo decides they'll have the Braves guard them. But before the Braves can be recalled, the Tendoukai swoops in for a rematch.
In VR world the Troopers share a bonding moment until they're interrupted by the emergency alarm.
You'd better pray that Mr. Sanada doesn't hear you.
In the city, Inmei has dispelled the barrier and started the attack. He turns the convenient civilians into divine soldiers. In the Tendoukai, Sagume assures the rest of her crew that she's letting this play out to expose Inmei's hidden motives.
The Troopers aren't on scene yet so the Braves get a moment to put their lessons in ai to seigi to practice. And I'd like to point out this nice strong visual parallel between Seikai and Shu here. Or maybe it's the copium at work on my brain. What can I say, I have a type.
If Yamato can succeed the orange guy, so can I!
Before Seikai has a chance to land a blow, Kamanosuke attempts to steal his thunder and adds a +1 to the Kamanosuke whump counter. At this point the poor guy is Krillan.
Bonding with humans (however brief) has clearly had an impact on the Braves, as they are unable to fight normally against the compromised civilians. This scene is pretty cute. The Troopers show up to rescue the Braves and even Yamato gives them a pep talk and tells them they're awesome. Friendship!
Inmei leaves Ryusei to deal with the boys while he hones in on the location of the treasures.
Shion again makes an emotional appeal to Ryusei and manages to get in a pretty good whump. Kaito is impressed by how far Gai has progressed since their first meeting.
Anyway, Inmei comes back to gloat about securing the mirror and the jewel and beating up an old man.
Ryo's going to have a full body cast to go with the crater in Gai's chest.
Inmei drops a hint about the treasures "bewitching" people. But he's on a schedule, so he puts a lid on the Braves and prepares to wrap things up. Gai gets in on that humans aren't your playthings! action and summons Haoutei. In response, Inmei pulls a real dick move and sucks the life force of all the nearby people into the jewel. Queen Beryl would be proud.
While Inmei puts the brakes on Gai and Haoutei, Sagume and co sneak into Inmei's room to snoop through his stuff. Sagume says that Inmei is hiding the Shield of Domination. When pressed for her source, Sagume is reluctant and instead we receive an ominous close up.
Back in the city things aren't looking good for Gaioutei. Ramaga is noticeably quiet. Anyway, that's it for this week's episode. Just kidding. Ryusei steps in to cut to the heart of the matter.
I'm again contemplating the origin of the "divine" treasures. To this point they're antithetical to the treasures from YST, especially with the Jewel of Conquest now sucking up human souls life energy.
With the Jewel of Life either MIA or defunct the boys may need to just make a new one of their own. With the power of prayer!
Those of you in the back, the ones who play JRPGs, you know what I'm talking about.
finalfantasymaintheme.mp3
There's more but I'll have to come back to this later.
I'm not actually clear if by "other continents' deities" Sagume is talking about other continents across the Earth or other continents within the Tendoukai itself. It lends to the theory that the Youjakai that Ramaga and the Braves inhabited isn't the same Youjakai that Kayura and the Masho inhabited, either as a geographical area or some other dimension stuff.
I have to sit back and think about Sagume's plan. Inmei was bothered by the idea of destroying Haoutei. Since Inmei was said to be hiding the Shield of Domination, and the Three Treasures have a bad habit of "bewitching" those who possess them, it's possible that the Shield influenced him in some way. Or, since Ramaga claims he's the one who hid the Shield somewhere in the Tendoukai, it might be that Inmei had some agreement with Ramaga. OR a friend suggested that the Shield might in some way be intended to protect its bearer from the treasures' influence. Like... like a shield... you know? You know how a shield protects people from... anyway.
Given that Ramaga started out in the Tendoukai, and we don't have any background on the Four Beast Warriors other than "they take orders from Sagume" there's not enough info yet to put it together.
Also got confirmation this week that Sagume & co really are "servants of the gods" since we got some elaboration on Yatogojin. Not clear on her relationship to Yatogojin yet. Since she asked for his power to break the barrier around the city, I thought she might be seeking Haoutei to return him to his past state. But with her acquiescing to the "other continent's deities" concerns (at least on the surface), and her opposition with Inmei, that isn't cut and dry anymore.
Throwing down some notes for later re: Sagume's plan/intent:
Ramaga discovered the Three Treasures and was apparently influenced by them; unknown origin, who put them in the cave, or who/what led Ramaga to them
Sagume's crew reclaimed the treasures and Ramaga went to the Youjakai along with Gai and the children who became Braves; unknown why he needed to claim their lives to fulfill whatever his ambition was
The mirror worked its way into Ujihara's hands at the orphanage. Ujihara was shown in monk getup like Jun. Ujihara also faded into motes of light as he died, which was said to be a sign of getting yanked by the Divine Realm. (I may have this wrong so take it with a grain of salt). Unknown how he gained the mirror in the first place, and what exact flavor of monk he and Jun are/were.
The jewel found its way to Nasuti/DST's hands through the letter left with Yoshie.
Sagume (with a distorted Divine Realm's crest) warned Jun to stay away from the OG Troopers because they would be "cursed" and "the world will hurtle toward its doom." Unknown why exactly she wanted to keep Jun from interfering, unless it's as simple as he was getting too close to the nature of the treasures.
Jun's staff was superimposed with the crest of the Divine Realm when he used it at the zoo.
Byakuen's stairway to heaven Ramaga's castle was paved with Divine Realm crests.
The current Troopers (minus Ryusei) were predestined to become Troopers because Sagume/Divine Realm branded them with the virtues. They were, more or less, manufactured through the orphanage to become Troopers. Which leaves open the question of how they just so coincidentally ended up at the orphanage in the first place.
There's probably other points I'm forgetting that I'll add in later.