# Zatch Bell! season 3

The third and final season, titled level 3, of the Zatch Bell! anime series was directed by Tetsuji Nakamura and Yukio Kaizawa and produced by Toei Animation. Based on the manga series by Makoto Raiku, the Mamodo Rioh brings Faudo into the tournament, posing an existential threat to Zatch Bell, his human partner Kiyo Takamine, and all their friends; and Zatch confronts his begrudging twin brother Zeno Bell. The third season of the TV series, known formally as Konjiki no Gash Bell!! (金色のガッシュベル!!, lit. "Golden Gash Bell!!"), aired in Japan from April 3, 2005, to March 26, 2006, on Fuji TV. The season adapts volumes 18 through 22 of the manga. Toei proactively scripted a portion of the season's material as a delay resulted in the manga lagging behind the anime, producing a truncated plotline that is roughly parallel to volumes 23 through 29.
Shogakukan collected the episodes into seventeen DVD compilations released from July 7, 2006, to March 7, 2007. Only the first four episodes of the season were edited and dubbed in English, and they premiered on YTV's programming block Bionix in Canada from November 15, 2008, to December 6, 2008. The dubbing was provided by Viz Media. After the fourth episode (104th overall), the English broadcast of the show was discontinued, leaving the remainder of the series exclusive to Japan. Viz ceased the English translation of the manga series less than one year later after twenty-five volumes. The four dubbed episodes streamed on Crunchyroll in 2016.
Four pieces of theme music are used in the episodes: one opening theme and three closing themes in the Japanese episodes, and one opening and closing theme for the dubbed episodes. The Japanese opening theme throughout is "Mienai Tsubasa" (見えない翼, lit. "Invisible Wings") by Takayoshi Tanimoto. The first Japanese ending theme is "Kyou yori Ashita wa" (今日より明日は, lit. "Tomorrow will be better than today") by Echiura, used until episode 125; the second ending theme is "★Aso Fever 2005★" (★遊Fever 2005★, lit. "★Play Fever 2005★") by Tomoe Shinohara, used until episode 149; and the third is "Kasabuta" (カサブタ, lit. "Scab") by Hidenori Chiwata, used in the finale—this piece was also played as an opening theme during the first season of the series. For the English release, the opening theme is "Follow the Light," and the ending theme is the instrumental remix of "Zatch Bell! Theme"—both tracks were composed by Thorsten Laewe and Greg Prestopino.

## Summary

Set shortly after the events of the previous season, a Mamodo-made kaiju-like superweapon called Faudo emerges on Earth. It was brought along by a seditious Mamodo named Rioh, who plots on utilizing it to win the Mamodo tournament while also risking carnage on Earth's civilization. However, because Faudo is in a hibernation-like state, Rioh requires spells of several Mamodo to power it up. He coerces these Mamodo into his allegiance by instilling a curse on their human partners, including Li-en, that will kill them if Faudo is not reanimated in time.
With newer allies, Zatch, Kiyo, and their friends mount an all-out offensive on Rioh upon learning about his scheme. They manage to break his curse, saving Li-en and the affected humans, but are unable to prevent Faudo's release. When Kiyo's plan to stall the giant fails, Rioh sends it toward Japan to test its capacity, resulting in a frenetic clash between Zatch's allies and Rioh's forces during which Wonrei is sent back to the Mamodo world. At the height of the conflict, Zatch's twin brother Zeno Bell and his partner Dufort dispatch Rioh and take control of Faudo, with Dufort desiring to use it to wipe out humanity. Despite their numbers, Zatch and his allies are grossly surpassed by Zeno's spells and Dufort's telepathic ability. However, a miracle entity within Zatch arises, allowing him to overcome Zeno and return him to the Mamodo world, but not without losing control of Faudo. Zatch and Kiyo take the matter into their own hands and use this newfound power to destroy Faudo just off the shores of Japan, saving the world from doom.
In the season epilogue, Zatch and Brago, now the only Mamodo left on Earth, are about to battle each other for the crown of their world, but the series ends before a true winner is determined.

## Production and release

While airing the second season of Zatch Bell!, Fuji TV renewed the series for the third season. Toei Animation handled the animation of the season with Tetsuji Nakamura and Yukio Kaizawa continuing their posts as co-directors of the anime. Actress Ikue Ōtani, the Japanese voice of Zatch, left production for maternity leave after 140 episodes and was replaced with Konami Yoshida. Season 3 aired from April 3, 2005, to March 26, 2006, for 50 episodes, with the final two (episodes 149 and 150) debuting back-to-back in a one-hour slot.
Season 3, like the previous seasons, is adapted from the Zatch Bell! manga, but some episodes were broadcast before the corresponding chapters were released. Author Makoto Raiku paused the manga to recover from a hand injury he sustained while writing the pages for volume 23. Toei was unwilling to wait out the disruption and turned to raw outlines sent early on to create its own storyline. By the time the season neared the conclusion, Raiku had resumed the manga, while Toei began shifting its resources toward other anime projects, precluding additional episodes beyond this season. Thus, the finale’s post-credits closing scene with Zatch and Brago urges viewers to finish reading the manga to find out who wins the tournament.
After the third season concluded, Raiku rewrote the struggle over Faudo as he was dissatisfied with Toei’s approach. Notably in his version, Rioh murders Kiyo, who then comes back to life with a mysterious psychic ability that would become a crucial component for the manga. However, Raiku balanced the story. Zeno gives up his bid for the crown with compunction for battling Zatch, contravening the season in which Zeno tries to kill Zatch by inflicting certain apocalypse on Earth. Faudo’s fate was also lightened from the anime: Zatch’s strongest spell lifts it back into the Mamodo world rather than annihilates it.
In Japan, Shogakukan, the publisher of Zatch Bell!, licensed Pony Canyon to distribute season 3 through seventeen DVD compilations from July 7, 2006, to March 7, 2007, under the subtitle "level 3". Viz Media provided the English dub for only the first four episodes of the season (episodes 101-104), which aired on YTV’s programming block Bionix in Canada from November 15, 2008, to December 6, 2008. This comes after Cartoon Network removed the series from its TV lineup in the United States midway through the previous season. By 2008, Viz stopped adapting the anime as Raiku had pulled out of Shogakukan, so the season would be incomplete for English-speaking audiences. This was likewise due to the fact that Shogakukan owns a stake in Viz, and that Raiku’s departure meant that his manga would no longer be available outside Japan after volume 25. In 2016, the season's dubbed episodes were added to the streaming service Crunchyroll along with the previous one hundred episodes.

## Episode list

All episodes are directed by Tetsuji Nakamura and Yukio Kaizawa.
| No. overall | No. in season | English dub title / Japanese-translated title | Original release date | English air date |
| 101 | 1 | "A New Menace: The Boy that Speaks to the Wind!" / "A New Menace. The Boy that Speaks to the Wind. Baou Obliterated!" Transliteration: "Aratanaru kyōi Kaze wo gataru shōnen Baou massatsu!" (Japanese: 新たなる脅威 風を語る少年 バオウ抹殺!) | April 3, 2005 (2005-04-03) | November 15, 2008 |
| An ominous tower the height of Mt. Fuji spontaneously rises somewhere on Earth, with Zeno Bell looking on in shock. In Japan, a nomad named Jido and his Mamodo Ted arrive at Mochinoki, hometown of Zatch's bookowner Kiyo Takamine, looking for a job to pay for lodging. Ted wanders into the park and finds a cardboard box with Zatch sleeping inside it. They get into a quarrel over the box, but it quickly resolves into a mutual friendship. Before long, Jido finds Ted and scolds him for being sidetracked, yet accepts Zatch's invitation to stay at Kiyo's house. Jido confides with Zatch that Ted has a different ambition than becoming king of the Mamodo world. That evening, a sword-wielding Mamodo named Arth and his partner, 7-year-old Ellie, challenge Zatch and Kiyo to a duel. Arth positively pegs Zatch as the vessel of a fabled draconic spirit called Bao (evoked as the spell Bao Zakerga) and deems him a bane to the Mamodo and human worlds. Arth represses Zatch by siphoning his stamina into the sword and prepares to remove him from the tournament, but Jido and Ted arrive and save him at the last moment. |||||
| 102 | 2 | "The Beginning of a Friendship, and the End of a Spell?" / "Disturbance of the Moonlight. The Fist of Friendship. Arth's Finishing Strike!" Transliteration: "Tsukiyomaro no dōran Yūjo no kobushi Āsu ichigeki hissatsu!" (Japanese: 月夜の動乱 友情の拳 アース一撃必殺!) | April 10, 2005 (2005-04-10) | November 22, 2008 |
| Ted battles Arth in place of Zatch, whose energy has been absorbed into Arth's sword. Jido casts a series of spells that incrementally raises Ted's physical strength and agility but each require time before casting. Ellie responds with even higher-level spells to give Arth an advantage over Ted, who in turn raises his level of capacity again; the two parties try exceeding one another with ever-increasing powers, thus bringing the confrontation toward a pinnacle. Before Ted could attain his highest level, however, Arth and Ellie stand down and leave, but caution the protagonists about an impending peril on Earth. |||||
| 103 | 3 | "Ted's Blues: The Girl in the Wind" / "Ted's Blues: Restarting the Fate of the Girl in the Wind" Transliteration: "Tedo no Burūsu Kaze no naka no shōjo Unmei no saikai" (Japanese: テッドの哀歌 風の中の少女 運命の再開) | April 17, 2005 (2005-04-17) | November 29, 2008 |
| Ted and Jido's departure from Mochinoki is hampered when their motorcycle breaks down due to a faulty spark plug. Joined by Zatch, Ted heads downtown to buy a replacement. However, he spots a girl seemingly resembling Cherish, another Mamodo with whom he has a history, and tries to meet her. He inadvertently aggravates a group of uncouth juveniles, but with Zatch's encouragement he frightens them off. Ted eventually catches up to the girl but is disappointed that she is someone else than Cherish. Through it all, Ted procures a new spark plug for Jido to repair the motorcycle. The two head out of town, with Ted swearing to find Cherish someday. |||||
| 104 | 4 | "The Idol vs. the Schoolgirl!" / "Rival Idol. The Spark of Love. Suzume's Victory??" Transliteration: "Raibaru ha aidoru Koi no hibana Suzume no shōri??" (Japanese: ライバルはアイドル 恋の火花 鈴芽の勝利??) | April 24, 2005 (2005-04-24) | December 6, 2008 |
| Ponygon's partner Kafk Sunbeam moves into Mochinoki, so Kiyo decides to buy him a gift at the department store as a welcoming token. Behind Kiyo's back, Zatch invites Suzy Mizuno and Tia via telephone. Kiyo is delighted to meet the two, as well as Tia's partner Megumi Oumi who tags along for her free time. Suzy becomes extremely envious that Kiyo and Megumi are close friends. While shopping, Suzy presses Kiyo about his relationship with Megumi using a lie detector, but it malfunctions when Megumi jokes about herself and Kiyo sharing "the same secret" (referring to the battle with Zofis in the previous season), which leads Suzy to misinterpret this as having a romantic affair. As the group helps Sunbeam settle into his new residence, Suzy tries repeatedly to woo Kiyo from Megumi, but each attempt causes a disaster. She relents and decides to cook a meal for the others. Kiyo, Megumi, and Sunbeam see a TV news report on the mystical tower, which has since disappeared from view, and suspect that it is related to the Mamodo world. They eat Suzy's food that turns out to be rancid, much to her dismay.Note: This is the last episode dubbed in English by Viz Media. The episode also features a cameo depiction of Makoto Raiku, the author and illustrator of the original manga. |||||
| 105 | 5 | "Coral-Q's Battle Transformation" Transliteration: "Kyū shū! Kyū kyoku henkei? Waga na ha Kōraru Kyū" (Japanese: Q襲! Q極変形? わが名はコーラルQ) | May 1, 2005 (2005-05-01) | — |
| Kiyo begins his research into the mystery tower despite having little about its existence. Meanwhile, a technophile and self-ascribed nerd named Grubb abandons his class and sets to confront Kiyo and Zatch. Grubb sends his mechatronic Mamodo Koral Q to lure Zatch with a mechanized imitation of a yellowtail fish. Coming home from school, Kiyo notices this and tries fruitlessly to warn Zatch that it is a trick. Grubb and Koral Q ambush and trap the protagonists on a highway overpass. Through the first spell, Koral Q changes into a larger form to ready himself for battle, while also bragging that he and his partner already know about Zatch's repertoire of spells in spite of their first encounter with him. |||||
| 106 | 6 | "Coral-Q's Counterattack on Every Spell!?" Transliteration: "Pinchi tōrai Gyakushuu no Kyū Zenjubon fūsatsu" (Japanese: ピンチ到来 逆襲のQ! 全呪文封殺!?) | May 8, 2005 (2005-05-08) | — |
| As the battle begins, Koral Q states that he and Grubb have been accruing intel on Mamodo and their partners by spying on them, especially Tia and Ponygon whom they intend to target and eliminate after Zatch. With this extensive knowledge and a myriad of modular forms, Koral Q manages to outmaneuver Zatch spell by spell, although at one point he underplays a direct offensive, so Grubb boosts Koral Q's power output by means of a handheld computer. Having depleted nearly every alternative, Kiyo places his hopes for a win on two unused spells: Zagurzem and Bao Zakerga. |||||
| 107 | 7 | "The Evolution of Bao Zakeruga!" Transliteration: "Dengeki rensa! Kyuukyoku shinka!? Aratanaru Baou!!" (Japanese: 電撃連鎖! 究極進化!? 新たなるバオウ!!) | May 15, 2005 (2005-05-15) | — |
| With the scuffle reaching a climax, Koral Q and Grubb reveal that they have known about Zofis and his army of resurrected Mamodo, and criticize Kiyo and Zatch for warring against them. Thanks to this experience, however, Zatch manages to dodge Koral Q's forays but still cannot strike back. Re-strategizing, Koral Q uses his strongest attack in an effort to force Kiyo to conjure Bao Zakerga and tire him out; instead, the protagonists combine Zagurzem and Zakerga to stop it. Predicting that they will use Bao Zakerga, Koral Q switches into a mode with powerful levitating mirrors to defend himself. Realizing that Zagurzem can also refine Zatch's other spells and magnify their power, Kiyo casts it with Bao Zakerga on Koral Q, eliminating him. Before fading into the Mamodo world, Koral Q gives Kiyo a photograph of the tower, indicating that he and Grubb captured the image seen on TV. As Grubb grieves over his Mamodo's defeat, Kiyo encourages him to make friends, citing his own experiences. Grubb returns home and, following Kiyo's wisdom, accepts his classmates' invitation for school activities. At the end of the episode, Zeno grins menacingly as he recollects the tower's real purpose. |||||
| 108 | 8 | "Homesick!? Hana and Mother. Wanderlust Gash." Transliteration: "Hōmushiku!? Hana to haha ue Samayoeru Gasshu" (Japanese: ホームシック!? 華と母上 さまよえるガッシュ) | May 22, 2005 (2005-05-22) | — |
| Zatch reads a manga titled 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother. Inspired by it, he decides to search for examples of maternal figures in hopes of gaining remembrance of his own mother. When that proves unproductive, Zatch turns to Kiyo's mother, Hana Takamine, and is amazed at the amount of household work she puts in. Zatch inquires with Kiyo on what having a mother feels like, and he tells him to look to Hana as an example; Zatch is disheartened by the response and runs off. Following a brief search wherein Tia is also involved, Hana locates Zatch who tells her that he is too afraid to accept her as a parent because his feelings for his real mother might be forgotten. In response, Hana approves of Zatch having "two mothers", as she also thinks of him as her own child. Sensing that this was the answer to his moral strife, he lovingly embraces her.Note: This episode is a parodic dedication to the real-life anime. |||||
| 109 | 9 | "Duel in the Northern Country. Fated Rival. Umagon Frozen!!" Transliteration: "Kitaguni no kettou Shukumei no raibaru Umagon hyouketsu!!" (Japanese: 北国の決闘 宿命のライバル ウマゴン氷結!!) | May 29, 2005 (2005-05-29) | — |
| Sunbeam leaves Ponygon to Kiyo and Zatch's care as he heads to Hokkaido on a business arrangement for the week. However, Zatch helps Ponygon sneak aboard an airplane to catch up with him. Sunbeam is about to buy souvenirs for his return trip home when he finds Ponygon at a ranch. Although angered at Ponygon for following him, Sunbeam takes him for sightseeing around the region. At an eatery, Sunbeam learns of an unseasonal blizzard on the nearby mountains. The pair investigate, believing the weather to be the work of a Mamodo. They are soon met by a horse-like Mamodo named Kardio and his young bookowner Souza, who mocks Ponygon over his alliance with other Mamodo and foments a battle with the duo. The match appears even until Souza casts a spell that gives Kardio an upgrade to his armor, as well as the ability to manipulate ice. |||||
| 110 | 10 | "Cardio's Fierce Attack! Fighters Who Burn Up the Snow Field. Umagon's New Flame." Transliteration: "Moushuu Karudio! Setsuken ni moyasu toushi Umagon shintana honoo" (Japanese: 猛襲カルディオ! 雪原に燃やす闘志 ウマゴン新たな炎) | June 5, 2005 (2005-06-05) | — |
| Ponygon is outmatched by the blizzard-based powers from Kardio, who also immobilizes Sunbeam by freezing his legs in ice. As the opponents attempt to snatch the spellbook from Sunbeam, Ponygon grabs on Kardio to steer him off. This chain of events also leads to Ponygon gaining the new spell Diomur Shudoruk, which gives him a new layer of armor and the ability to manipulate fire, a polar opposite of Kardio's moveset. Ponygon's unconstrained use of the flames causes him to accidentally singe Sunbeam, who then forgives his Mamodo and tells him to fight with his heart rather than trying to control his attack. Recalling his promise to Zatch about coming home safely, he develops control of the flames and defrosts Sunbeam before the two flee. Though impressed at Ponygon's technique, Souza and Kardio decide to not pursue them. |||||
| 111 | 11 | "Dance! Burst Open! Swing! Huge Airport." Transliteration: "Odotte! Hajikete! Yureru! Dai kūkō" (Japanese: 踊って! 弾けて! 揺れる! 大空港) | June 12, 2005 (2005-06-12) | — |
| Dr. Riddles, along with Lady Susan from earlier in the series, calls on Zatch, Kanchome, Tia, Ponygon, Wonrei and their human partners to share information about the mysterious tower, which he believes belongs to the Mamodo Rioh. While the group waits at the airport for Kanchome, Wonrei and their bookowners Parco Folgore and Li–en, chaos ensues: Zatch and Lady Susan split from the group to guide a lost child to a daycare center; a paparazzi chases the group upon recognizing Megumi, who borrows a disguise from Riddles to outwit the mob; and a band of gunrunners holds the daycare captive after getting caught by a customs agent, but Lady Susan quells them and rescues the children. Later on, once Riddles presents his findings, Kanchome has an anxiety attack when he recognizes the tower from the images, but keeps silent about it out of concern for his friends. |||||
| 112 | 12 | "Spin! Spin! Fall! Fall! Explosive Ice Skating!!" Transliteration: "Mawaru! Mawaru! Korobu! Korobu! Bakuretsu aisusukēto!!" (Japanese: 回る! 回る! 転ぶ! 転ぶ! 爆裂アイススケート!!) | June 19, 2005 (2005-06-19) | — |
| After Kiyo and Zatch see their friends off at the airport, Suzy invites them for ice skating. Kiyo's classmates; Kane, Yamanaka, and Iwajima; overhear this and come along to challenge Kiyo to a friendly competition. Ponygon and Sunbeam, as well as Kiyo's school principle and his wife Sabae Nakata, join them. At the ice arena, all of the attendees are morbidly unskilled at the sport, resulting in humorous blunders made worse when the principal challenges everyone to a game of capture the flag. Kiyo ends the day mortified about all the happenings. |||||
| 113 | 13 | "A Letter From a Friend. Burn the Book!! Rein's True Identity." Transliteration: "Tomokara no tegami Hon wo moyase!! Rein no shōtai" (Japanese: 友からの手紙 本を燃やせ!! レインの正体) | June 26, 2005 (2005-06-26) | — |
| Zatch receives a letter from his long-forgotten friend Rein, an oversized polar bear-like Mamodo who requests that he personally oust him from the tournament. He and Kiyo trace the letter's return address to a mansion somewhere in Southeastern Asia. They arrive at the estate with a pompous and neglectful woman Jill and an impish boy Kyle, whom she constantly marginalizes, as its residents, though Rein is nowhere to be found. The boys soon learn that Rein has the ability to also assume the form of an adult male human. At a nearby town, a crowd heckles the duo after mistakenly associating Zatch with someone who drew mustaches on their face; Kiyo and Zatch manage to elude the angry crowd and return to the mansion. Recalling Rein's words about Zatch, Kyle attempts to climb a turret to spot him but gets stuck due to an unbalanced ladder. The protagonists attempt to extricate him, but the ladder gives out and sends the three plummeting, until Rein arrives on time to save them. Rein explains that the Mamodo tournament is too much for Kyle, his bookowner, and asks Zatch to burn his book. |||||
| 114 | 14 | "Weakling Kyle. Papipurio's Mustache. Rodeux's Trap." Transliteration: "Yowamushi Kairu hige no Papipurio Rodyū no wana" (Japanese: 弱虫カイル ヒゲのパピプリオ ロデュウの罠) | July 3, 2005 (2005-07-03) | — |
| Zatch has reservations about honoring Rein's request. He and Kiyo instead counsel Kyle to be more courageous in the face of Jill, who had in fact taken over his family estate and inheritance by illegitimate means. However, Kyle remains too deeply fainthearted and dependent on Rein, who justifies this as the main reason for returning to the Mamodo world. Kyle is then kidnapped by Purio and Lupa, who intend to take him as insurance, also separating the book from Rein. When Zatch and Kiyo chase them to the beach, Purio shows off his newly-grown mustache, indicating that he made the fake mustaches on the townsfolk as a prank, as well as a new spell that produces a highly corrosive slime. The move is merely a farce, however, as Zatch and Kiyo make short work of the pair. Meanwhile, Rein is approached by the vampiric Mamodo Rodeux with his partner, a one-eyed Brazilian girl Chita. Rodeux tries bargaining Rein's allegiance in hopes of making his powers an asset for Rioh, but Rein refuses. Infuriated, Rodeux prepares an assault on him, but Kiyo and Zatch intervene with Kyle watching from the sidelines. |||||
| 115 | 15 | "Rodeux's Fierce Attack. Dying Rein. Awaken, Kyle." Transliteration: "Mōkō Rodyū hinshi no Rein Mezame yo Kairu" (Japanese: 猛攻ロデュウ 瀕死のレイン 目覚めよカイル) | July 10, 2005 (2005-07-10) | — |
| Purio and Lupa collarborate with Rodeux and Chita, and the four quickly get the better of Zatch and Kiyo in the festering back-and-forth. Observing Zatch's valor, Rein is reminded of the first time he befriended him; back in the Mamodo world, Rein was widely dreaded for his volatile and incorrigible nature, but Zatch was unafraid as he aided and nourished him after a drop down a cliff. Following Zatch's example of courage before Kyle, Rein takes on his real form and tackles Rodeux. Zatch also levies a round of Zagurzem on Rodeux before he and Kiyo are snagged in a net generated by another of Purio's freshly-unlocked spells, inhibiting them. This distracts Rein, allowing Rodeux to break out of his clutch and inflict injuries on him. Seeing his Mamodo in agony, Kyle gains a newfound steadfastness and brandishes Rein's spellbook, which glows brightly as it feeds off his emotion. |||||
| 116 | 16 | "Ultimate Spell Explosion! Garubadosu Aborodio. Rein's Dream." Transliteration: "Saidai jumon sakuretsu! Garubadosu Aborodio Rein no Yume" (Japanese: 最大呪文炸裂! ガルバドス·アボロディオ レインの夢) | July 17, 2005 (2005-07-17) | — |
| For his first salvo, Kyle casts a spell in which Rein produces giant claws that undercut Rodeux, who then lunges back at Kyle whom Zatch protects by landing a hit with Zakerga. Kyle next conjures Rein's strongest spell that sends Rodeux unconscious. Purio, Lupa, and Chita break off the battle, the latter hauling her faltered Mamodo to safety. Kyle, who had collapsed from intense exhaustion, awakens the next day to discover that Rein has already returned to the Mamodo world. When Jill barges in and berates him and Rein by name, Kyle rises up for himself and threatens to tell everyone about her misconducts, to her complete shock. Kiyo and Zatch see this from a distance and head home, confident on how much Kyle has matured. |||||
| 117 | 17 | "Kung Fu of Passion. Wonrei's Tragedy. Last Chapter of a Love Song." Transliteration: "Ren'ai kanfū Higeki Wonrei renkashuushou" (Japanese: 恋愛カンフー 悲劇ウォンレイ 恋歌終章) | July 24, 2005 (2005-07-24) | — |
| One day, Li–en observes Wonrei in seemingly shady side-activities and follows him. When he interacts with another woman, Li–en presumes that he is cheating on her. In reality, the woman has enlisted Wonrei to a street fight which gives out money to the top player. Intending to confront Wonrei over his dishonesty, Li–en sneaks into the sparring match, unwittingly playing into the woman's scheme to have her and her father Li–akron assassinated in order to take over Li–akron's triad. However, both Wonrei and Li–en take down the woman's cohorts and derail her plan. Back home, Wonrei explains that he tried to claim the reward to afford an expensive new pair of shoes for Li–en—coincidentally, she receives the same shoes in a package from Kiyo and Zatch. In the final scene, Rioh tells Rodeux that his plan to "break the seal" of the mystical tower is in motion. |||||
| 118 | 18 | "Kidnapped Gash! Trap Over the Sea. Sinking Dartagnan." Transliteration: "Tsuresarareta Gasshu! Umi no ue no wana Darutanian gekichin" (Japanese: 連れ去られたガッシュ! 海の上の罠 ダルタニアン撃沈) | August 7, 2005 (2005-08-07) | — |
| The episode's prologue shows a macabre Mamodo Zaruchim marshalling another named Keith into Rioh's cause. Prof. Dartagnian visits Kiyo to tell about the destruction of the stone slate tablets, candidly unaware of his involvement with them. When Kiyo shrugs it off, Dartagnian promptly leaves while claiming to have taken something of value to Kiyo, which is actually Zatch whom he rescued from Naomi earlier in the day. Shortly thereafter, Megumi and Sunbeam report that Tia and Ponygon have gone missing, and Kiyo joins in their search. At the playground, the three receive a message from Dartagnian daring them to find their Mamodo on his private cruise ship, and presume that he kidnapped them. There, Dartagnian subjects the trio to humuliating scenarios to test their attachment with the Mamodo, threatening to detonate bombs aboard if they did not cooperate. He eventually gives in to their agitated demand to give back Zatch, Tia, and Ponygon. However, the three Mamodo reveal that Dartagnian was fostering them because their partners were too busy for them. Kiyo, Megumi, and Sunbeam apologize and promise to devote more time with each, thus helping set Dartagnian's point across. Dartagnian then accidentally triggers the bombs and sinks the ship, but everyone escapes on lifeboats. |||||
| 119 | 19 | "Tio's Spirit. The One And Only Partner. When Wounds Heal." Transliteration: "Tio no genki Tada hitori no pātonā Kizu ga ieru toki" (Japanese: ティオの元気 ただ一人のパートナー 傷が癒える時) | August 14, 2005 (2005-08-14) | — |
| Megumi leaves Tia to Kiyo's care while she goes on a circumnavigational tour. After a fun-filled day, Tia and Zatch turn in for the evening. In bed, Zatch asks why Tia is so spirited, and she gives an emotional story about her coming to Earth from the Mamodo world. After escaping Maruss' assault, she fell into the bay and soon washed ashore, interrupting Megumi's photo shoot. Megumi took her to the local hospital and periodically checked on her. The experiences had made Tia downtrodden and detached, having closed herself off everyone else to avoid a recurrent feeling of betrayal. However, once Maruss located and confronted Tia, Megumi stood up for her, thus helping her begin to mend her internal scars. This is expedited when Tia's spellbook shone brightly to portend that Megumi is her bookowner. The two managed to evade Maruss, and continued to do so until their first encounter with Kiyo and Zatch, both whom Tia also credits for becoming more outwardly to others. She finishes her story only to see that Zatch had fallen asleep. |||||
| 120 | 20 | "It was Seen? Oyoyo~ Prospering Momon. Tio's Gigantic Explosion!" Transliteration: "Mirarete Oyoyoyo~ Tokimeku Momon Tio dai bakuhatsu!" (Japanese: 見られてオヨヨヨ〜 ときめくモモン ティオ大爆発!) | August 21, 2005 (2005-08-21) | — |
| Zatch, Tia, and Ponygon are playing at the park when a timid nun named Elle Chivas asks them about her "child," euphemistically referring to her lascivious Mamodo Momon. Kiyo happens upon Momon on a tree but mistakes him for a stranded pet and tries to help him down. Momon surprises Kiyo, pulls down his pants and hurls him into a canal right in front of Suzy. Embarrassed, Kiyo brings Zatch to exact revenge on Momon, also meeting Elle for the first time. Throughout the pursuit, Momon repeatedly looks under Tia's skirt. Visibly revolted, she lashes out at Momon, who easily dodges her due to his uncanny ability to predict other Mamodo's actions. Because of this, Kiyo and Elle struggle to contain Momon who leads the group back to the park having succeeded in swiping Tia's briefs. Megumi returns from her tour in the Hawaiian Islands to find Tia fuming for a battle. |||||
| 121 | 21 | "Awaken, Jealousy. The Angered Goddess. Chajiru Saifodon." Transliteration: "Mezameyo Jerashī Ikareru megami Chājiru Saifodon" (Japanese: 目覚めよジェラシー 怒れる女神 チャージル·サイフォドン) | August 28, 2005 (2005-08-28) | — |
| As Megumi and Tia start the battle, Elle is revealed to have heretofore never been involved in a Mamodo confrontation, nor has she any knowledge about Momon's spells and their effects. Tia unleashes a rapid barrage of Saisu at Momon, none of the attacks able to hit her mark. Momon uses a spell that makes Tia completely stagnant, to which he flips her skirt and gawks at her undergarment, further riling her. Eventually, her uncharacteristic rage helps unlock the spell Chajir Saifodon, which summons a frightful saber-flaunting spirit that transfuses her negative emotion and charges toward Momon, who just then gains a spell that Elle impulsively recites. This causes Momon's ears to sprout like a propeller and fly him off site, barely avoiding the attack, a move that Kiyo derides as a "running away spell". Afterwards, Kiyo rejects Megumi's plea to eliminate Momon, believing that he is paramount to uncovering more about the mystery tower—the mentioning of it causes Momon to quaver, indicating that he is indeed aware of it. Additionally, Megumi notices another spell dimly glowing on Tia's book, but it remains indecipherable. At Kiyo's house, Megumi gives her friends souvenirs from her excursion, including a swimsuit for Tia that Momon snatches, prompting her to chase him again. |||||
| 122 | 22 | "Legend of Kaguya. Gash's Summer Festival. Girl Who Returned to the Moon." Transliteration: "Kaguya densetsu Gasshu no natsumatsuri Tsuki hekaetta shoujou" (Japanese: かぐや伝説 ガッシュの夏祭り 月へ帰った少女) | September 4, 2005 (2005-09-04) | — |
| Hana takes Zatch and Ponygon to an evening summertime festival. There, Zatch strays off and meets a girl named Natsuko, who claims to have been separated from her chaperones, and eagerly agrees to accompany her for the festivities. However, she soon reveals herself to be the mythological Princess Kaguya, who eloped her agents in an attempt to escape from a stringent lifestyle on the Moon. Soon, one agent spots Kaguya, resulting in a brief pursuit onto the rooftops. Kaguya relents and elects to return home with her escorts. As a helicopter picks them up, Kaguya tells Zatch that everything was a lie, and that she truly had fun with him before vanishing into the moonlit sky. |||||
| 123 | 23 | "Roar of Pride. Bari vs. Ted. Which Will Disappear?" Transliteration: "Unare poraido Barī tai Teddo Kieru no ha docchi?" (Japanese: 唸れプライド バリーVSテッド 消えるのはどっち?) | September 11, 2005 (2005-09-11) | — |
| Jido and Ted are resting at a hostel. Ted bumps into Vincent Bari, resulting in a physical squabble between the two Mamodo before Jido and Gustav restrain them, whilst also agreeing to a combat on a nearby hilltop in two hours. From the onset, the battle slants against Ted; after getting knocked down, he lays eyes on a flower, reminding him of his longtime goal of finding Cherish, and regains a measure of will. Ted's caliber of attacks is raised to the maximal Top Gear, and Bari uses his strongest spell to block them. The duel ends in an apparent stalemate as Ted, Bari and their bookowners are seen parting ways. Meanwhile, Kiyo confers with Megumi and Tia at his house regarding the mystical tower and a drove of Mamodo with their human partners inexplicably massing there, while proclaiming that he will make use of Momon's capabilities to scout out the tower and explore it in person. |||||
| 124 | 24 | "Premonition of Separation. Suzume's Confession. Hiking of Love and Youth." Transliteration: "Wakare no yokan Suzume no kokuhaku Ai to seishun no haikingu" (Japanese: 別れの予感 鈴芽の告白 愛と青春のハイキング) | September 18, 2005 (2005-09-18) | — |
| On the eve of his quest, Kiyo joins his classmates for a hiking trip, with Zatch and Ponygon following him. The night before, Suzy had stayed up late to knit a doll tethered to a red string as a good-luck charm for Kiyo. However, the item falls into the wrong hands after Suzy's friend Marylou presumes it to be her birthday present, and the other students confuse it for a love gift. Suzy manages to retrieve the present, and gives it to Kiyo when he reveals that he will be gone awhile. Though unaware of his motives, Suzy senses his mood as morose as when he and Zatch left last time, and tells him to return home safe and sound. The final scene shows Rioh seemingly welcoming Wonrei into his fold. |||||
| 125 | 25 | "Heartless Riou. The Cursed Demons. Now, to Faudo." Transliteration: "Hijou naru Riou Noroi wareshi mamono Iza Faūdo he" (Japanese: 非情なるリオウ 呪われし魔物 いざファウードへ) | September 25, 2005 (2005-09-25) | — |
| Kiyo notifies Folgore, Megumi, Sunbeam, Li–en, Elle and their Mamodo that he and Zatch are preparing to embark for the tower. Riddles then informs him that Li–en and Wonrei have not been heard from. Kiyo also receives a photo of Rodeux and Chita, both who are linked to the pair's disappearance. At that moment, a specter appears in Kiyo's bedroom disclosing Rioh's plan to employ the tower, designated as "Faudo", for his tactical advantage in the tournament, and that Rioh is selectively leveraging Mamodo with a curse that will kill their human partners in four days' time unless Faudo's seal is broken. As his friends arrange to join him, Kiyo sends Jido and Ted an email with instructions. Kiyo and Zatch then leave Mochinoki, vowing to rescue Li–en and Wonrei who they are now convinced are under Rioh's influence. |||||
| 126 | 26 | "Journey From Which You Cannot Return. Wavering Determination. Faudo's True Form!" Transliteration: "Modorenai tabi Yureru ketsui Faūdo no shoutai!" (Japanese: 戻れない旅 ゆれる決意 ファウードの正体!) | October 2, 2005 (2005-10-02) | — |
| Riddles and Apollo Genesis reserve an airlift for Zatch and his friends, with Apollo captaining the mission. At the airport, the group waits for a reticent Momon to divulge Faudo's whereabouts on an atlas. Folgore and Kanchome are the last to join the group; however, the airplane transporting them becomes stranded in the air when a negligent worker causes the landing gear to malfunction. Folgore uses Poruk to turn Kanchome into a wheel set so that the plane lands safely, saving the passengers. The team now fully assembled, Kiyo coaxes Momon into finally pointing to an islet off New Zealand as the destination. In flight, when asked by Kiyo about Faudo in the imagery, Kanchome describes it as a gargantuan humanoid creature with its arms folded in. |||||
| 127 | 27 | "Arrival at Faudo! Desperate Assault. Assassins That Awaited." Transliteration: "Faūdo touchaku! Kesshi no totsuryu Matteita shikaku" (Japanese: ファウード到着! 決死の突入 待っていた刺客) | October 9, 2005 (2005-10-09) | — |
| Upon hearing Kanchome's account, the group is alarmed that the tower is actually a gigantic vault encapsulating the inanimate Faudo and fears its destructive potential to Earth. Zeno and his partner are also on their way to Faudo, while remarking on others seeking out its raw power as well. Zatch and allies reach Faudo, which is magically cloaked, and parachute from directly above it onto a citadel encircling the vault. However, Rioh is apprised of the incursion and despatches Keith and the ornately iron-plated Mamodo Buzarai to confront the allies. Buzarai attacks them in mid-descent, causing Kiyo, Folgore and their Mamodo to get separated from the others and downing their aircraft. On solid ground, Kiyo's group encounters Keith, Buzarai and their respective partners Berun and Kazu, with Keith prating about being Bari's archrival in the Mamodo world. |||||
| 128 | 28 | "Keith, Buzarai. Symphony of Death. Goodbye, Kanchome." Transliteration: "Kīsu Buzarai Shi no kōkyoukyoku Saraba Kyanchome" (Japanese: キース·ブザライ 死の交響曲 さらばキャンチョメ) | October 16, 2005 (2005-10-16) | — |
| Keith and Buzarai outflank Zatch and Kiyo in the ensuing escapade. Despite this, Zatch manages to land a hit with Zagurzem against Keith but erroneously hits Folgore as well, prompting him and Kanchome to hide behind a bush. However, when Keith bets on defeating the protagonists before smoking out his last cigar, Kanchome returns to the battlefield determined to prevent this, which unlocks another spell in his book. His efforts to lead the opponents astray goes poorly, and he is injured as a result. Folgore swoops in to save him by reading the new spell Dima Buruk as Keith doles out the final blow on the hapless Mamodo. On the opposite side of the citadel, Sunbeam rescues Elle who nearly fell down an abyss. Elle gratefully shares him a kiss, and the two fall in love, much to Megumi and Tia's consternation. The group soon realizes that Momon had strayed off. |||||
| 129 | 29 | "Miraculous New Spell. Dima Buruku. I am not a Weakling!" Transliteration: "Kiseki no shin jumon Dima Buruku Boku ha yowamushi janai" (Japanese: 奇跡の新呪文 ディマ·ブルク ぼくは弱虫じゃない!) | October 23, 2005 (2005-10-23) | — |
| Keith's shot misses as Kanchome has spawned numerous physical copies of himself due to the effect of Dima Buruk. At first, they ignore Kanchome's commands and cower from battle, but they come back in time to protect Folgore and the alpha from Keith's next attack. Realizing that the clones only respond to his subconscious, Kanchome mobilizes them to descend on Keith, exhibiting a greater prowess than the prime. With Keith diverted, Zatch focuses on Buzarai whose spell produces a large bladed top that forcefully pins him down. Several of Kanchome's clones save Zatch by dismantling the top. Meanwhile, Megumi, Sunbeam and their Mamodo are confronted by Cherish and her partner Nicole, who bears an insignia of Rioh's curse. |||||
| 130 | 30 | "Buzarai's Fierce Attack. Dioga VS Baou. Reversal chain." Transliteration: "Buzarai mouko Dioga tai Baou Kyakutene no rensa" (Japanese: ブザライ猛攻 ディオガ対バオウ 逆転への連鎖) | October 30, 2005 (2005-10-30) | — |
| For his final move, Buzarai unleashes his strongest spell at the protagonists, but one of Kanchome's clones tosses Keith into the path of the attack, giving Zatch and Kiyo an opening. Using Keith's electrified body as a conductor, Zatch overtakes Buzarai's spell with his improvised Bao Zakerga and knocks him out of the tournament. Keith is unfazed by the hit, but his cigar has smoldered out. He flees with Berun, distraught at failing his own agenda. By then, the protagonists are found by Momon. At the same time, Ponygon is readying the finishing move on Cherish when Wonrei disrupts the fray and whisks the enemies out. |||||
| 131 | 31 | "Determination of the King. Friends? The World? Gash's Decision." Transliteration: "Ō no kakugo Tomo ka? Sekai ka? Gasshu no ketsudan" (Japanese: 王の覚悟 友か? 世界か? ガッシュの決断) | November 6, 2005 (2005-11-06) | — |
| Guided by Momon, Kiyo, Folgore and their Mamodo rendezvous with the others and have their wounds healed by Tia. Learning about the run-in with Wonrei, Kiyo deduces that he had defected to Rioh in a desperate bid to rid Li–en of the curse. The group is joined by an indigenous teen boy from Africa named Aleshie and his Mamodo Riya, who warn that Rioh is no longer able to break Faudo's seal and revivify it without Buzarai before the curse kills Li–en. Kiyo surmises that releasing Faudo is the only way to save her life, and that Zatch's spells are a suitable replacement for Buzarai's. Aleshie tests Zatch's probity by asking whether he values Li–en's life or those of everyone on Earth; Zatch replies that he and the others will find a way to save both, which pleases Aleshie. Now accompanying the group, Aleshie and Riya reveal a means of safely returning Faudo to the Mamodo world. |||||
| 132 | 32 | "Test Within the Stomach. Break Through Difficult Questions. Tintin Chance." Transliteration: "I no naka no shiren nanmon toppa Tin Tin chansu" (Japanese: 胃の中の試練 難問突破 ティンティンチャンス) | November 13, 2005 (2005-11-13) | — |
| Zatch and company enter Faudo's body through the mouth, all the while noting that it is both mechanical and organic. In the stomach, they encounter a childish guardian named Unko Tintin, who challenges each member with a trivial riddle that they must solve in order to pass, or they would be sent into a pit of acid below. After solving his, Kiyo helps each member of the team answer the riddles until only Ponygon is left. Unko asks him to prove Fermat's Last Theorem, which outrages Kiyo as Ponygon cannot speak. Entreated by Kiyo, Unko relents and issues Ponygon an easier riddle, which he answers correctly by swinging his tail. The group clears the stomach without incident. In the small intestine, they set off a booby trap which activates an enormous mechanized drill that bears down on them. |||||
| 133 | 33 | "Cool-Headed Zaruchim. The Truth of the Curse. Stand Up! Aleshie." Transliteration: "Reitetsu Zaruchimu Noroi no shinjitsu Tate! Arishie" (Japanese: 冷徹ザルチム 呪いの真実 立て! アリシエ) | November 20, 2005 (2005-11-20) | — |
| The allies run from the careening drill while also dodging tentacles that dissolve anything on contact. Kiyo discovers holes on the intestinal walls that lead to the liver but only open right when the drill passes over them. As the passageway slopes upward, Aleshie attempts to hinder the drill with Riya's spells but hesitates and cringes in pain. Elle casts Momon's spell that stops the drill, allowing the group to safely escape into the liver. There, they are encountered by Wonrei and Zaruchim with his human partner Raushin Mo. Zaruchim divulges that Aleshie is afflicted with Rioh's curse and has been exploiting Zatch to save his own life. When the ailing Aleshie passes out, Zaruchim immobilizes the allies with a spell that turns their own shadow on them. Aleshie regains consciousness and frees them from the spell, although Kanchome, Tia and their partners are taken prisoner. Aleshie and Riya gird for a battle against Zaruchim. |||||
| 134 | 34 | "Fighting For Whom? Wonrei and Aleshie. Decision of Suffering." Transliteration: "Daga tameni tatakau Wonrei to Arishie Kunou no ketsudan" (Japanese: 誰がために戦う ウォンレイとアリシエ 苦悩の決断) | November 27, 2005 (2005-11-27) | — |
| Content at having diluted the allies' resources, Zaruchim summons Wonrei to fight in his stead. As the battle rages, the allies rebuke Wonrei for his apparent duplicity, although Riya notes that he is fighting to save Li–en's life, just as Aleshie is trying to protect the people of his native village. Convinced that Wonrei cannot be trusted, Aleshie uses a combination of Riya's spells to conceal Zatch, Ponygon, Momon and their partners' escape through a hidden passage before losing consciousness again, much to Zaruchim's chagrin. Forced to leave Folgore, Megumi and their Mamodo in Rioh's custody, Kiyo leads the splintered group into a labyrinth of blood vessels. Meanwhile, a debilitated Li–en has a series of flashbacks showing her contracting Rioh's curse and being abducted from her farmland by Rodeux and Chita. |||||
| 135 | 35 | "Faudo: Deadly Zone. The Demon That Beats the Heart. Momon's Tears." Transliteration: "Faūdo kesshiken Shinzou utsu mamono Momon no namida" (Japanese: ファウード決死圏 心臓打つ魔物 モモンの涙) | December 4, 2005 (2005-12-04) | — |
| On Zaruchim's orders, Wonrei locks Kanchome, Tia and their partners in a brig, while Kiyo's group ventures through Faudo's circulatory system. Momon is still fraught with recalcitrance and repeatedly misleads them through the maze. Fed up by this, Elle slaps his face to impel him onward. Momon finally directs the group to Faudo's heart occupied by Heart Guardian, a minion tasked to keep the heart beating, who passively sends them to the spinal cord where they find schematics of Faudo's biology. From it, Kiyo discerns a fail-safe device that would transfer Faudo to the Mamodo world. Momon memorizes the chart while the group naps, following his advice. He piggybacks them to the device's location, a deed he hopes would make Elle proud. Later on, Zatch and Ponygon awaken and help Momon carry their sleeping partners the rest of the way. Arriving at the location, Momon detects two Mamodo beyond a doorway. |||||
| 136 | 36 | "Faudo's Revival Draws Near. Return Device Activated. Rivals Stand in the Way." Transliteration: "Semoru Faūdo fukkatsu Kikansouchi shidou Tachifusagaru Raibaru" (Japanese: 迫るファウード復活 帰還装置始動 立ちふさがるライバル) | December 11, 2005 (2005-12-11) | — |
| Arth, Kardio and Souza emerge from the door and launch a preemptive strike at the bookowners, but the commotion jostles them awake. A clash ensues in which Kardio overburdens Ponygon. Arth is intent on activating the fail-safe first, reasoning that Ellie has beckoned him to end her suffering for the sake of the world as she is also cursed by Rioh. Kiyo appeases him with a plan to undo the curse without sacrifices. Arth points out that the inscriptions on the device are the same as on the spellbooks and agrees to decode them for Kiyo. At the brig, Aleshie and Riya inform Folgore, Kanchome, Megumi, and Tia that Faudo's seal is to be broken within five hours, also making them wise of Kiyo's ongoing plans to thwart Rioh. |||||
| 137 | 37 | "The Curse's Time Limit. Crush the Seal! Reach, Gash's Feelings." Transliteration: "Noroi no taimurimitto fuuin wo kudake! Todoke Gasshu no omoi" (Japanese: 呪いのタイムリミット 封印を砕け! 届けガッシュの想い) | December 18, 2005 (2005-12-18) | — |
| Within one hour, Arth helps Kiyo master the Mamodo language, enabling him to operate the fail-safe. When asked by Sunbeam, Souza replies that he sided with Ellie because she reminded him of his sister. Kiyo programs the device but notes that it would require 51⁄2 hours to charge up, and Faudo would already have been released during this. With the fourth day's sun soon to rise, Rioh and his cohorts gather around the seal and attack it to no avail, until Kiyo and Zatch arrive and help them break it open in the nick of time. As a result, Rioh's curse diminishes, sparing Li–en and the affected bookowners their fate, and Wonrei reasserts his allegiance to Zatch. Kanchome, Tia and their partners also escape from their prison cell and rejoin the others as the vault begins to crumble apart and set Faudo free. |||||
| 138 | 38 | "Demonic soldier Faudo. Light in the middle of despair. Kiyomaro's secret plan." Transliteration: "Madou kyouhei Faūdo Ketsubou no naka no hikari Kiyomaro no hisaku" (Japanese: 魔導巨兵ファウード 絶望の中の光 清麿の秘策) | December 25, 2005 (2005-12-25) | — |
| Faudo emerges from the vault as a monstrous being, and Rioh integrates with a magical gemstone to symbiotically connect with it. However, he is livid when Zatch and his followers; backed up by Riya, Kardio, Arth and their partners; rebuff his demands for their loyalty. Rioh targets the allies with Faudo's built-in laser guns in an attempt to kill them as reprisal, but he is foiled as Kiyo had surreptitiously overridden its artilleries, so he attacks them with the behemoth's arms. After clinging on for five minutes, the allies leap off as Faudo is jettisoned into the sea over the Kermadec Trench where it begins to sink as part of Kiyo's plan to neutralize it. This backfires when Faudo unexpectedly demonstrates an ability to move across water. In response, Rioh sets it on a collision course with Japan to get back at Kiyo and disarms the fail-safe, trapping it on Earth. He escapes onto Faudo as it swims away, leaving the team stranded on the ocean. |||||
| 139 | 39 | "Aim for the brain! Roaring Faudo. Desperate re-entry." Transliteration: "Nou wo mezase Bakusou Faūdo Hisshin no saitotsunyuu" (Japanese: 脳を目指せ! 爆走ファウード 必死の再突入) | January 8, 2006 (2006-01-08) | — |
| Having failed the initial plan, Zatch and company develop a contingency to deter Faudo by seizing the gem from Rioh, who is hiding in Faudo's brain. Using Ponygon and Kardio's spells, the group catches up to Faudo and successfully reinfiltrates it. Once inside, they make their way to brain structure with a network of tunnels. To navigate them, the party splits into two groups, each member with their respective Mamodo. Kiyo; accompanied by Aleshie, Li–en, and Megumi; runs into Rodeaux and Chita, whom Wonrei and Li–en preoccupy so that the rest can continue ahead. The second group; consisting of Elle, Ellie, Folgore, Souza, and Sunbeam; encounters the two Mamodo Fango and Jedun with their partners Adler and Eskaruro Run. Unbeknownst to everyone, Zeno and his partner have been watching them from afar. |||||
| 140 | 40 | "Those who won't become King. Do or die! Wonrei. Final fist." Transliteration: "Ō niwanarenumono Kesshi Wonrei Saigo no tekken" (Japanese: 王にはなれぬ者 決死! ウォンレイ 最後の鉄拳) | January 15, 2006 (2006-01-15) | — |
| When Wonrei appears to gain the edge, Rodeux uses a liquid formula engineered from Faudo's hormones to create clones of himself. Wonrei is hurt trying to defend Li–en from a subsequent flurry of attacks, but she tells him to focus on the battle rather than her well-being. Her words raise Wonrei's spirit, and he manages to single out Rodeux's real analogue. In another frantic act, Rodeux infuses Chita with the formula to amplify his powers and sends out his strongest attack, but Wonrei counters it with Rao Diboren. The exchange of spells touches off a freak explosion that catches Wonrei's book. Memories of his time on Earth appear in a series of flashbacks as he passes into the Mamodo world, leaving his hachimaki to a devastated Li–en as memento. |||||
| 141 | 41 | "Burning Umagon. Freezing Cardio. Run to Victory!!" Transliteration: "Moero Umagon Kyouketsu Karudio Shouri e hashire" (Japanese: 燃えろウマゴン 氷結カルディオ 勝利へ走れ!!) | January 22, 2006 (2006-01-22) | — |
| Ponygon and Kardio engage Fango and Jedun, but a dissension arises between Sunbeam and Souza as their Mamodo's spells repeatedly negate one another. Taking advantage of this, Rioh activates a force field that entraps the combatants. Worried about the outcome, both Elle and Ellie implore their friends about the fate of Earth, which helps Sunbeam and Souza set aside their differences. The two acquiesce on a strategy between Ponygon and Kardio, and together they manage to eliminate their foes and knock their partners senseless before breaking out the barrier. While this is happening, Apollo and Riddles, who survived the earlier airplane crash, arrive at the fast-moving Faudo to drop off Ted and Jido, who have followed Kiyo's instructions. As the two jump into the mouth, silhouettes of a Mamodo and human companion swiftly pass them. |||||
| 142 | 42 | "Sealed room. Aleshie's fight. Destiny once more!" Transliteration: "Tozasareta heya Arishie no tatakai Innen futatabi!" (Japanese: 閉ざされた部屋 アリシエの戦 因縁再び!) | January 29, 2006 (2006-01-29) | — |
| Kiyo's unit encounters the Mamodo Gyaron and his partner Harry. Aleshie and Riya engage them, giving Kiyo, Megumi and their Mamodo a chance to recuperate. With a shapeshifting ability, Zaruchim takes on Li–en's form and interrupts the battle by pretending to be Rodeaux and Chita's hostage in order to confuse the protagonists. Kiyo and Zatch immediately react, permitting Aleshie and Riya to rout Gyaron, but see through Zaruchim's disguise when he makes inconsistent claims. Infuriated, Zaruchim eliminates Rodeux by mutilating his book. Zaruchim then binds Kiyo, Megumi and their Mamodo in the shadow spell, intending to execute them, which provokes Aleshie and Riya into confronting him. |||||
| 143 | 43 | "Burn Up Life. Warrior Aleshie. The Conclusion!? Zaruchim" Transliteration: "Inochi wo moyase Ikusabito Arishie Ketchaku!? Zaruchimu" (Japanese: 命を燃やせ 戦人アリシエ 決着!? ザルチム) | February 5, 2006 (2006-02-05) | — |
| As the brawl erupts, a flashback recounts that a vendetta between Aleshie and Zaruchim started with the former vehemently opposing his induction into Rioh's clan, for which Zaruchim threatened another villager's life to coerce him into joining. Back in the present, Zaruchim fools Aleshie and Riya into attacking a decoy created through an underhanded technique, exhausting their strength and opening them up to his strongest spell. With Riya unable to repel it, Zaruchim prepares to kill Aleshie along with Kiyo and Megumi. However, Ted and Jido intervene, rescuing the allies and mortally wounding Zaruchim, which forces Raushin to carry him off. Li–en catches up to the group, escorted by Jido who warns Kiyo about the Mamodo (who turns out to be Zeno) they saw on the way in. While the group resumes their advance, a limping Zaruchim is confronted by Zeno. |||||
| 144 | 44 | "We are Kings. Kanchomé and Momon. Defeat Keith!" Transliteration: "Bokura ha ousama Kyanchome to Momon Taose Kīsu!" (Japanese: ぼくらは王様 キャンチョメとモモン 倒せキース!) | February 12, 2006 (2006-02-12) | — |
| Folgore's unit encounters Keith and Berun in a music-themed chamber. Folgore and Kanchome battle them while Sunbeam and Souza regain their strength, and Arth and Ellie use the chaos to move ahead unimpeded. When inquired by Folgore, Keith states that he often sings Ode to Joy because he heard it while working at a potato tempura shop, which drove him into making richer meals for his clients. His unintelligible humming irks Elle into singing him the proper lyrics of the composition. Insulted, Keith snaps and savagely lashes out at Kanchome and Momon, until Bari and Gustav arrive and engage him in another foray. This allows the group to make their escape. |||||
| 145 | 45 | "Screams that won't reach. Ted vs. Cherish. Things more important than King." Transliteration: "Todokanai sakebi Teddo tai Cherisshu Ou yori taisetsuna mono" (Japanese: 届かない叫び テッドvsチェリッシュ 王より大切なもの) | February 19, 2006 (2006-02-19) | — |
| Progress by Kiyo's group hits another hurdle with Cherish and Nicole in their way. Ted opts to deal with them, affirming that Cherish is the girl he was searching for. Cherish aggressively attacks Ted, who is reluctant to fight back. Believing that he murdered her parents back in the Mamodo world, Cherish accuses him of betraying the kindness that her family shared and vows revenge. Ted responds that he found her parents already dead and witnessed another Mamodo fleeing the scene. He offers his forgiveness by helping her remember his promise to protect her but at that moment, Faudo's Heart Guardian, sent by Rioh, bursts in and attacks the two, burning Cherish's book. She reconciles with Ted before ascending to the Mamodo world. A new spell then appears on Ted's book, and he uses it to vanquish Heart Guardian but falls unconscious. |||||
| 146 | 46 | "Faudo's safeguards. From Arth to Gash. Trusted future." Transliteration: "Faūdo no shugosha Āsu kara Gasshu he Takusareru mirai" (Japanese: ファウードの守護者 アースからガッシュへ 託される未来) | February 26, 2006 (2006-02-26) | — |
| As Keith and Bari continue battling, the former reveals that he bested Bari in a tempura eating contest, thence beginning their rivalry. In the midbrain, Arth and Ellie encounter Rioh barricading the doorway to the main control room, Faudo's nerve center. Rioh uses a nearby switch to seal off points of entry to the antechamber, isolating them from Zatch and his reunited allies. In the ensuing conflict, Arth seemingly overtakes Rioh, who then ingests Faudo's hormonal formula to completely restore his health, repeating this after each exchange. Realizing that Rioh is intentionally wearing Ellie down, Arth sacrifices himself to reach the switch, successfully reopening the entrances for Zatch and allies, who are too late to stop Rioh from eliminating him and begin avenging their fallen comrade. |||||
| 147 | 47 | "Reversed future. Thunder emperor Zeon. Prelude to ruin." Transliteration: "Hanten suru mirai Raitei Zeon Hametsu-he no jokyoku" (Japanese: 反転する未来 雷帝ゼオン 破滅への序曲) | March 5, 2006 (2006-03-05) | — |
| Cornered by Zatch and allies, Rioh calls out to his bookowner Banikis Ghigau, who is in fact tucked in a pouch on Rioh's torso. Banikis crawls out to improve his spellcasting posture, which enables Rioh to repel Zatch and knock him and his allies out cold. Zeno and his bookowner, having already ousted Zaruchim, then arrive and challenge Rioh, boasting of their recent triumph. Despite Rioh's strong aggression, Zeno easily eliminates him and steals the control gem. By the time Zatch and allies regain consciousness, Zeno and his partner have locked themselves inside the control room with Faudo under their command. Simultaneously, Faudo reaches shallower waters on its continued trek across the Pacific Ocean toward Japan. |||||
| 148 | 48 | "Raging Zeon! Two fates. Gash's secret." Transliteration: "Dotou Zeon! Futatsu no shukumei Gasshu no himitsu" (Japanese: 怒涛ゼオン 二つの宿命 ガッシュの秘密) | March 12, 2006 (2006-03-12) | — |
| As the allies contemplate their next move, Zatch and Kiyo are dragged into the control room by Zeno, who introduces himself as Zatch's twin brother and confirms that he wiped Zatch's memories and created the apparition at Kiyo's house to goad them. His partner, Dufort, is revealed to be an esper who harbors ill will toward society after being incacerated and crudely experimented all his life for his innate powers. Dufort states that he will make use of Faudo to carry out his vengeance by killing off all humankind in order to live out his days without anyone interfering. Zeno divulges that he is obsessed over Bao entombed in Zatch's body by their father, King Dauwan Bell of the Mamodo world, and has gone on a crusade against his brother to claim it for himself. Zeno prepares to eliminate Zatch but is interrupted when Zatch's allies break in and storm the room to defend him. Dufort gauges the allies' minds, handily incapacitating them with Zeno's spells and eliminating Riya. However, Tia becomes so desperate to protect Zatch and the others that the unreadable line on her book becomes completely vivid, and Megumi prepares to cast the spell. |||||
| 149 | 49 | "The inheritor of Baou. Gash vs. Zeon. Jigadirasu's thunder." Transliteration: "Baou wo tsugomono Gasshu tai Zeon Jigadirasu no ikazuchi" (Japanese: バオウを継ぐもの ガッシュVSゼオン ジカティラスの雷) | March 26, 2006 (2006-03-26) | — |
| As Zeno launches his strongest spell Zigadiras Zakerga at the allies, Megumi uses her last ounce of strength to read out Chajir Seshirdon, which summons angelic entities that shield them from the attack. She and Tia then faint from exhaustion, forcing Zatch and Kiyo to fight on their own. During the grueling struggle, Kiyo and Dufort argue over the value of friendship and of the world, with Kiyo noting that the latter had never read his mind. Frustrated over their perseverance, Dufort peers into Kiyo's thoughts to learn of his next moves and instead sees images of the protagonists' every acquaintances. Overcome with despair, Dufort falls into a catatonic state, making him unable to cast spells. Now seeing how beneficial Zatch's friends have been, Zeno attempts to erase Zatch's memories once again hoping to demoralize him. Zatch resists letting go memories of his friends, causing Bao to awaken and changing his spellbook from red to gold. Panicked, Zeno and Dufort try to eliminate Zatch with Zigadiras Zakerga, but Zatch and Kiyo counter it with Bao Zakerga, the two spells colliding with equal might. |||||
| 150 | 50 | "Decisive battle against Faudo! The golden radiance. The kind king." Transliteration: "Kessen! Faūdo Konjiki no kagayaki Yasashii ousama" (Japanese: 決戦! ファウード 金色の輝き やさしい王様) | March 26, 2006 (2006-03-26) | — |
| Courtesy of a fully invigorated Bao, Zatch's attack pushes through to his evil twin, ousting him from the tournament. However, as Zeno returns to the Mamodo world, he destroys the gem to prevent Zatch from controlling Faudo, daring him to use Bao on it instead. Zatch and allies make one final bid to stop the now runaway Faudo from eradicating the human world. Preparatorily, they use a teleporter to send everyone offboard, but Kiyo teleports the allies out to safety as well, over their objections, believing that he and Zatch are better off with the plan alone. By now, Faudo is rapidly closing in on Mochinoki. From a ledge on shore, Brago and Sherry deploy a spell that halts it from making landfall, thus allowing Kiyo and Zatch to teleport into position on the beach nearby. With Bao Zakerga, Zatch produces a colossal three-headed manifestation of Bao that vaporizes Faudo, saving the town and ending the threat to Earth—an exhausted Kiyo then collapses as Zatch rejoices their victory. In the post-credit scene, Zatch, Brago and their partners meet at a grassland, the Mamodo being the only two left on Earth, and commence the final battle for Mamodo king. |||||