Kamen Rider MY-TH: Episode 2 {Tokusatsu Thursday #7-KR}
Hello, Internet, and good mornight to you all!
My name is Taffryne, shoppekeeper of Midnight on Memory Lane, and it is my absolute delight to welcome you to this week's gathering of Tokusatsu Thursday featuring Kamen Rider MY-TH!
'Tis a pleasure, 'tis a pleasure indeed.
As the title of this post says, we're going to be talking about the second episode of the Toei Tokusatsu Series, Kamen Rider MY-TH
I humbly present my thoughts for your enjoyment and consideration. Accordingly, please mind that there will be spoilers ahead!
MyDramaList Link: click here!
Youtube Link (English Subtitles): click here!
T/N: The video will only be available until October 12, 2026!
Disclaimer: I apologize if there are any crucial cultural notes or nuances that I misunderstand or fail to recognize. I, unfortunately, must trust the accuracy of the translated subtitles to accurately represent the story and characters.
Trigger Warnings: Cartoon-level Violence, Trypophobia via Costume Design, Invasion of Privacy
Episode 2 ~ The Running Tortoise and Modern Hare
Recollection
- Asao is actually a reliable tutor to Yuna, but that doesn't stop Otosumi from constantly teasing or being petty towards him
- Tatsuomi is still secretly spying on Otosumi, but Otosumi isn't giving him much of anything to work with
- Kamuri was supposed to have "gotten rid" of the Mouse 100 years ago...evidently something happened to put the Mouse in Otosumi's possession and alter how it works
- DATT is on the prowl to find Inexplicables and also investigate the Mouse; she learns some new gyaru vocab along the way
- Otosumi and Yuna go to investigate a report of the local florist being "eaten by a monster"
- Asao uses the time left alone at the house to snoop and finds out three major things: 1) Otosumi comes from a generational line of servants to the Mizuki family dating back to the Edo period 2) Otosumi and Yuna have been on their own since age 12 and 7 respectively and 3) Otosumi is absolutely obsessed with cheese
- Turns out it was an Inexplicable of the vaguely sea-creature related variety (bobbit worm? some cephalopod? barnacle???)
- MY-TH reveals that has various different eggs for various different animals AND CAN ALSO USE THEM ALL
- DATT is impressed(?) by MY-TH, but still steals half of the eggs he got from defeating the Inexplicable
- Asao ate nearly all of Otosumi's special 17-month aged cheese that he was saving
- Asao sends his reports to Kamuri via a little owl dude that's adorable
- OTOSUMI'S DAD IS ALIVE AND INVOLVED SOMEHOW???
"THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE IN A RACE! WHICH ONE WILL END UP DATT THE FINISH LINE FIRST?!" (okay, not the best pun, but...)
Okay, okay, okay. The opening? So good. It's very shounen-opening coded and I like how it jumps around from past/future, action/calm, and all the in-betweens. It fits the series well and sonically stands up on it's own outside of the show. Very good, very good.
As for MY-TH's multi-animal powers...curious. Very curious indeed. DATT's surprise tells me that multiples of animals is not supposed to be a thing. Or maybe they just didn't know? So many questions!!! I think the turtle specifically was really fun in how they utilized the panels within his fighting. I'm also intrigued by how the powers combine to mimic his normal mouse-based ones. I wonder how many others we'll see as the series goes on.
Also, also, Yuna definitely controls Otosumi's belt. I wonder if she somehow became the special belt attachment that the 12 Animals use? Maybe it's like that thing with the sister in Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Is THAT why he has to infuse her foods with the eggs?
Kamuri...your voice. My word it's so velvety and smooth and it has this like...candlelight-ness to it??? Agh, I want to see more of youuu!!!
Again, I love how we can see more of the quirks in the 12 Animals. KEI's yellow socks and boots make his legs look like rooster feet and I think that's adorable. MUTN...how I wonder what your sleep schedule is. I also really, really enjoy how each animal's "stereotype" has a profound effect on the person. KEI, the rooster is always hyperactive, MUTN the sheep is always sleeping, Mouse Man is infatuated with cheese...it just really helps them each stand out and be interesting.
To speak on DATT specifically, I like how they show her blending between the past and present as it fits with her personality. Based on her outfit, she would have absolutely been a gyaru or socialite type back in the 1920s. Naturally, she would enjoy learning new slang terms and expressions. Her fixation on using her stopwatch to time how well or how fast she's doing something is a another fun quirk of hers. I do wonder how the whole rabbits and timepieces thing started...surely it wasn't only because of Alice in Wonderland, right? Also, carrot knife? Genius.
T/N: I'm so happy that we're seeing more and more woman Kamen Riders as we get deeper into the Reiwa era. I hope a proper woman-led Kamen Rider series isn't too far away!
For the Inexplicable...I NEVER want to see that suit ever again. Absolutely not. Do I have trypophobia? Not to my knowledge. But eheuhgugheughueggueh get it away from me the texture makes my skin crawl and my joints recoil.
Otosumi's dad...WHO ARE YOU??? What do you know??? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??? EXPLAIN YOURSELF!!!
Episode 3 Preview
"TATSUOMI'S INFILTRATION CONTINUES! A MEOWNTIFUL DEBUT! KAMEN RIDER RID!"
OH DANG! ASAO IS GONNA BE THE BLACK CAT??? AND WE'RE GETTING LORE ABOUT THE PARENTS???
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you've been able to watch and experience the story for yourself!
What do you think about the whole multi-animal thing? Were you also violated by the Inexplicable's appearance? Do you think Yuna has a more complicated connection to Otosumi's belt? Any thoughts about Otosumi's father suddenly showing up?
If you haven't seen it yet, that's okay too! My thoughts are here to keep you updated and entertained in the meantime.
This caps off this week's gathering for Tokusatsu Thursday, so off into the nighttime we go in preparation for tomorrow!
I hope you'll come back for the next Sunday Midnight Book Club! We'll be discussing chapters 4 and 5 (technically 11 and 12) of Part Two of A Study in Scarlet!
May we meet again at Midnight!