The final episode of season 1 of “The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World” delivers on its premise in spectacular fashion! Kizuna Black enters the fight, putting not only Togo’s friends in danger, but his own life as well. The forbidden power threatens to engulf him, but the strong bonds he’s made in this new world pull him from the brink.
Kizuna Black
With the introduction of Kizuna Black, Togo’s violent alter ego, we get a deep dive into his trauma and insecurities. His greatest strength, his ability to form bonds, is turned against him when old emotional scars open. The trauma of losing his parents, then a beloved team member, triggers Togo’s desire to destroy anything that would sever his bonds.
Evil alter egos are a great device to inject some personal drama into the story, especially when it preys on a character’s values. The visual of bandages attempting to cover a gaping wound was very evocative and sums up Togo’s entire character. It was such a satisfying development.
The overwhelming power of Kizuna Black comes at the cost of Togo’s common sense. He drives off the two Royal Demons, but also indiscriminately attacks everything around him. Lowji, Yihdra, and Raniya combine their powers to subdue him and cancel his transformation. When the theme song starts playing, you know it’s about to go down.
After a good rest, Togo reaffirms the bonds he has made, noting how it’s like a new Kizuna Five. The after credits scenes show a glimpse of the Demon Queen and reveal that Kiyohiro, Togo’s adoptive brother, has joined the Kizuna Five.
Final Thoughts
“The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World” was a valiant attempt to shake up the standard isekai formula. The addition of tokusatsu elements added variety and freshness to the power scaling and action scenes. The comedy of genre clashing (fantasy vs. tokusatsu) was enough to hook viewers, before diving deeper into an otherwise standard isekai adventure.
World building took center stage, but sadly, 12 episodes weren’t really enough to expand on it. Given that the manga is still ongoing, it’s possible we could see those tidbits of story reach fruition.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable anime. There is a clear vision behind the series. Fans of tokusatsu and isekai will find plenty to love. The premise takes itself just the right amount of serious and indulges in the clichés of its primary genre to satisfying effect.
It can stumble under its own ambition, sometimes. It doesn’t offer a lot of originality, however, it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be original. It has a good sense of what works and leans into that.
Much like Togo, this show is fully dedicated to its premise and always finds ways to one-up itself. Through friendship, magic, and giant robots, anything is possible.
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