Ep. 12: Delusional Apostle

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Season 2, Episode 12

## Episode Guide

**Delusional Apostle** (妄想使徒, *Mōsō Shito*) is the twelfth episode of Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Season 2.

## Synopsis

It's now time for the climax! Can the Akibarangers defeat ©Na and return the world to normal?

## Plot

After defeating Delu-Knight through triggering multiple "defeat" flags, the Akibarangers attempt to battle ©Na, but are quickly defeated by her, and she even destroys the team's Ludicrous Cannon Bazooka mid-formation. Without any options left, the trio receive a call from a oddly sounding Hiroyo, who tells them to pray to the heavens for a miracle. The miracle comes in the form of Prism Ace, whom they believe is their fourth member. Ace, being gigantic, easily dispatches ©Na, with her knowledge from Tsu Shogun flowing back into his doll.

When the Akibarangers return to the Secret Base, they find it to have been converted into a maid cafe by Hiroyo, now dressed as a schoolgirl and speaking in her childish, Aoi-like voice. She then gives them a "present" in the form of transporting them a strange world, where their Moe Moe Z-Cunes are locked by a scorpion. They are soon joined by Kozukozu, who explains that Hiroyo activated the scorpion tatoo, changing her character completely. Meanwhile, a badly injured ©Na retreats to Hatte's World, begging his lifeless self for another chance at a finale. Back in the Delusion World, Kozukozu gives Nobuo a magazine that previews Prism Ace's debut with an 80% blackout effect. However, what even further distresses Nobuo is that the 7:30 AM timeslot normally reserved for Super Sentai on Sundays has been replaced by*Unofficial Giant Prism Ace*, handing off the timeslot to a new company, Chigauyo Productions. Even more confusing is the fact that Hiroyo remains as a character in the show, and that Sentai itself is ending. The group are then approached by ©Na being carried by Tsu Shogun.

However, Tsu Shogun explains that he is merely a voice for Sentai creator Saburo Hatte. He and ©Na explain that Chigauyo executives had planted spies in the hospital where Hatte was, and took advantage of his semi-conscious state to seduce him into signing over the 7:30 timeslot. He further explains that their unofficial world was poorly defended, and that Hiroyo would be retained in *Prism Ace* to keep familiarity with the fans. Forced to save Super Sentai's rightful place on TV Asahi, Nobuo devises a plan in the form of a Versus movie.

In his world, Hatte signs off on *Unofficial Giant Prism Ace vs. Akibaranger*, while Luna distracts Hiroyo while Nobuo and Yuko cover her forehead prism. With the Z-Cunes unlocked, the three head to fight Prism Ace. They break the conventional versus trope and start firing on Ace, until he uncovers Hiroyo's bandage. Infusing Ace with her powers, he begins to smash things, until Hatte delusimports the Wolzaphone to Nobuo, growing him to giant size. Ace and Nobuo fight while Hiroyo returns to normal thanks to ©Na, who puts her hat over the prism. Once Nobuo moves to the right, he explains to Ace about the right-to-left technique that is critical in Sentai, a holdover from Noh theater in which action unfolds in this direction; that is, whoever is attacking from the right side of the screen to the left will always win. Charging his final attack, Nobuo becomes Cho Akiba Red Super and finishes off Ace.

A previous concept for a massive space invasion that Yuko thought up is brought back for the Akibaranger finale. The plot dictated that Prism Ace should sacrifice himself to destroy the armada, but with the oversight of his defeat, it fell to the trio to defeat the fleet. After Hiroyo accidentally triggers a series of suicide flags (such as reminding them of a supposed promise to return), the Akibarangers unwillingly sacrifice their lives, as well as Itashar Robo and Itashar Boy, by pushing the lead alien craft into the sun.

## Cast

* Nobuo Akagi: Masato Wada (和田 正人, *Wada Masato*)
* Luna Iwashimizu: Shione Sawada (澤田 汐音, *Sawada Shione*)
* Yumeria Moegi: Karin Ogino (荻野 可鈴, *Ogino Karin*)
* Hiroyo Hakase: Maaya Uchida (内田 真礼, *Uchida Maaya*)
* Kozukozu Mita: Kozue Aikawa (愛川 こずえ, *Aikawa Kozue*, of Danceroid)
* ©Na: Honoka (穂花, *Honoka*)
* Tsu Shogun: Ryo Horikawa (堀川 りょう, *Horikawa Ryō*)
* Prism Ace (Voice): Toru Furuya (古谷 徹, *Furuya Tōru*)

## Tropes and References

* This episode draws on many concepts and parodies of Toei's main tokusatsu rival, Tsuburaya Productions and their main hero, *Ultraman.*
	+ Prism Ace, the main Ultraman parody, has multiple connections that appear to make it similar to Sentai:
		- "Prism" may be referring to the "Flash Prism" (as opposed to Prism Flash) used by Ultraman PoweredFile:Icon-crosswiki.png, an American Ultra character originally portrayed by Kane Kosugi (Jiraiya of *Kakuranger*)
		- "AceFile:Icon-crosswiki.png" is the name of one of the Ultra BrothersFile:Icon-crosswiki.png (as well as another Tsuburaya hero, Jumbo AceFile:Icon-crosswiki.png) as well as a name used by a Sentai hero. Like Ultraman Ace, Prism Ace is empowered with the combined powers of a male (himself) and a female (Hiroyo Hakase)
		- Prism Ace is also similar to Toho CompanyFile:Icon-crosswiki.png's MegalomanFile:Icon-crosswiki.png, which both of them are giant long-haired Ultraman-like superhero.
		- The words in the sky is a reference to the Ultra SignsFile:Icon-crosswiki.png from UltramanFile:Icon-crosswiki.png franchise.
		- As he turns big after affected by ©Na's Douza Uru Ugaro spell, AkibaRed imitates the famous pose used by Ultramen when they turn giant sized.
		- Chigauyo (which literally means "that's wrong") Show Productions is probably a reference of Chaiyo Productions, the Thai-based studio production that Tsuburaya sued long ago due to the legal dispute made by Chaiyo.
		- Giant Super AkibaRed turned into golden when he's more powerful to defeat Prism Ace  is a reference of how 8 Ultra Brothers gained their powers and turned into gold to defeat evil Black Silhouette in the *Superior Ultraman 8 BrothersFile:Icon-crosswiki.png* movie.
* Prism Ace is voiced by Toru Furuya, who did the voice for AkaRed in Boukenger vs. Super Sentai movies and several episodes in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger.
* The anime parodies of the Space Sheriffs are mentioned.
* Nobuo comes up with the idea to turn Prism Ace's show into a "Sentai VS" special. Hatte then approves the VS series.
* Tsu gives ©Na Wolzard's WolzaPhone and she uses the Douza Uru Ugaro spell to make Nobuo grow.
* Luna does a JK finger pose, like JKFile:Icon-crosswiki.png did in Kamen Rider FourzeFile:Icon-crosswiki.png.
	+ The JK that Luna draws in the air is a shorthand for “joshikousei”, which literally means “high school girl” in Japanese. The term is used to refer especifically to high school girls wearing sailor-suit-style uniforms.
	+ When Saburo Hatte appears, the digits of Luna's hands are counted to 8, with the 8th one using the kanji 八, the first kanji in Hatte's name 八手三郎.
* In the magazine, the Prism Ace's figure was covered in black called area fill 80%. Area fill 80% refers to the way they introduce new heroes with a shadow over them to give reader's a glimpse but without giving away the whole thing.
* If you look closely at the explanation of the Right to Left Rule, you will see silhouettes associated with Kamen Rider and Ultraman alongside the footage from Sentai of the Power Bazooka, Rolling Vulcan and Shot Bomber.
* In spy movies and most notably the TV series *Get Smart*, spies often carry around what are referred to by the trope name "shoe phones", this term is also used to refer to cell phone morphers by western Power Rangers and Sentai fans(though that might be a coincidence). The corporate spy in this episode not only takes her job too literally by having a shoe phone, but the trope is actually played straight by said phone being in the shape of a shoe.
	+ A similar "shoe phone" was used by Bulk and Skull in Power Rangers Zeo, however this is most likely a coincidence, but still worth noting.
* In the roll call, AkibaRed recommends Fiveman's Ep. 29: Fusion vs. Combination. Funnily, this episode has nothing to do with the Versus series.
	+ AkibaBlue then recommends the idol story with the fuda priest (Chapter 14: The Two Sayas) from Gingaman.

## Notes

* The ending cover is *Shot Bomber Zenryoku Shuuchuu*, the theme to the *Maskman* film.
* The Right to Left Rule applies to more than just japanese theater, many classic(or classic-style) JRPGS have the heroes on the right side of the scene and the enemies on the left, but never the other way around, however sometimes the heroes will be all around the enemies like some cases in Final Fantasy VI and in Chrono Trigger, and most of the time the heroes won't be on the screen at all.

## DVD/Blu-ray releases

*Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Season 2* Volume 4 features episodes 10-13: *Ep. 10: Delusional Pillow Talk*, *Ep. 11: Delusional Cemetery*, *Ep. 12: Delusional Apostle*, and *Ep. 13: Delusional Collection*.

AkibarangerS2 DVD Vol 4.jpg*Akibaranger* S2 Volume 4, DVD coverAkibarangerS2 Blu-ray Vol 4.jpg*Akibaranger* S2 Volume 4, Blu-ray cover