Goggle V, Episode 31

Wow, what a week! For those who didn’t get the chance, the eclipse was awesome!

So here we are, Episode 31. Just when you think Deathdark can’t get any lower, they resort to kidnapping children. Their aim is to recruit more people into the organization as their numbers have been dwindling as of late. This does add credence to a hypothesis of mine, that being that Mazurka was brought into Deathdark as a child. They don’t just want any children, though. They want smart children and you’d think the Japan of 1982 would be overflowing with such children, but apparently Deathdark’s looking for the right kind of smart kid. Now, you’d think that Deathdark would just let the not-so-smart kids go, but nooooo, despite being public knowledge, Deathdark doesn’t want word to get out and so plans on executing the poor kids! This doesn’t even phase Deathgiller, who previously had qualms about Desmark berating innocent children.

Fortunately, Aoyama picks this day to befriend the local baseball team.

Which Bad News Bears movie is this again?

Specifically, he befriends Kouta, that one kid who always makes the team, but can’t play worth a damn. Kinda like myself when I played the game. Kouta wants to be just like Aoyama, to the point that he waits around for him to show up while Aoyama is out doing Goggle Five work. Naturally, Kouta gets kidnapped. This works to Aoyama’s advantage, though, and he stops Kouta’s execution with moments to spare. I mean, gee, just because the kid wasn’t smart enough for Deathdark he’s sent to the chair! Shoot, even a poor Madaraman gets sent to the chair!

What the Hell did this guy do? No wonder your numbers are dwindling, Deathdark!

Towards the end, I think poor Deathgiller starts to see the writing on the wall. He’s out there trying to dominate the world for his bosses, kidnapping kids, keeping Mazurka in line, sending out the Kong… He’s waited who knows how many years (or centuries if you believe what is said in Episode 1) and now it seems like it’s all starting to go to pot. I mean, he just doesn’t seem to have it towards the end of this episode. Poor guy.

Regenerating Power! (God, I need a vacation!)

Goggle V, Episode 30

Wilf from Doctor Who!

Tetsuo Suzuki is the last of his line. He is the 25th generation guardian of the Golden Sword, a sword so powerful that whosoever wields it will be invincible. Deathdark desperately want this sword, Deathgiller chief among them. They enlist the aid of Tengu Mozu, a… something. Kind of a cross between a bird and a proboscis monkey.

Tetsuo wishes to pass along the burden of protecting the sword, but, alas, he was only blessed with a granddaughter. Only wanting the best for her, he brings the team along, hoping she will choose one of them to be her groom. However, Mishio is smitten with the young guitarist, Tesetsu.

Deathdark arrives and takes Tetsuo and Mishio hostage, sealing them within the mountain and go looking for the sword on their own. Tesetsu plays a quick tune to get Mishio’s attention and upon freeing them, Tetsuo directs the team to where the sword is hidden. Deathgiller has already found it, though and is made invincible, repelling everything the team throws at him.

A very well written episode and action packed to boot. Thirty episodes in, folks. Twenty more to go.

Goggle V, Episode 29

Before we begin, eagle-eyed viewers will see that I changed the title of the episode. Terror of the Sleeping Quarter just didn’t sound right. I ran it through the translator and came up with the above title. I’m getting the titles from the Goggle V wiki, so, you know. I’ll fix these as I go back and do second versions.

Deathdark is having an off week and thus enlists the services of the African tsetse fly, here known as Hae Mozu, to put the citizens of Asakyama to sleep. From there they plan on mass producing Hae Mozu’s sleep gas and knock Tokyo out as well. You do kinda feel sorry for these Mozu’s sometimes. They’re created to test out something, then Deathdark decides to go and mass produce their secret weapon for use against Tokyo. Defeats the purpose of the Mozu, if you ask me. Not to mention, when they’re defeated, where does Goggle V dispose of the body?

So that’s what happened to Suika Mozu!

Kuroda saves a boy and his brother from Deathdark after the latter stumble upon their secret hideout, which looks suspiciously like the house from episode 19, but in the process he loses his Goggle Bracelet, rendering him powerless. Undeterred, he proceeds to kick ass.

He still forgot the bubble gum.

Eventually the team shows up, returns Kuroda’s bracelet and the serious ass-kicking starts. Naturally, the Kong shows up at the end, but the team proves prepared for anything.

And you thought the flies in South Texas were big!

Episode 30 looks like it’s going to be a really good one.

Don’t ask.

Goggle V, Episode 28

Meet Same Mozu, the shark monster. He’s been created for one purpose – to cry for the Mozus that came before him. That’s it. That’s his sole purpose.

Deathdark’s latest plan involves showing a bit of propaganda to Same Mozu, forcing him to cry. However, his tears are bombs. At the same time, this crying will lead Deathdark to a place to revive the 27 Mozus that came before, though why they don’t just run their genes through the Super Proliferator is anyone’s guess.

In the midst of this is Kazuo and his older sister, two kids who live by the sea. After a group of teens destroy their house boat, they encounter Same Mozu who appeals to their environmental side and convinces them he’s one of the good guys and just wants to pray for his dead friends. This, of course, is a trap as the dead Mozus demand a sacrifice in order to come back from the afterlife.

No, but you should try this weed, man, it’s awesome!

You kind of feel bad for the Mozu in this episode. His sole purpose in life was to cry for his fallen brethren. In the end, he gets to join them.

The ghost of Same Mozu lives on!

Goggle V, Episode 27

After a pretty good Mozu in the previous episode, Deathdark goes backwards again and decides to use a plant monster, namely Suika Mozu, the watermelon monster. That’s right, watermelon, that sweet juicy fruit that you get overcharged for right before summer starts, then pay ridiculously low prices for right in the middle of summer. And don’t get me started on what they charge you if it’s already sliced and packaged for you.

I mean, you want your monster to be something that instills fear in people, right? I just don’t see how a watermelon can do that, despite people’s reactions upon first seeing Suika Mozu. Personally, I’d just grab the kitchen knife and start slicing him up and eating him.

So yeah, a watermelon monster. That shoots seeds that turn people into plants. Not watermelons, mind you, but an assortment of plants, mostly coconut palms. Three of Tatsuya’s classmates are the first victims of Suika Mozu.

Those aren’t seeds!

Sucked into the middle of all this is Tatsuya’s teacher, Miss Hiroko. She’s immediately blamed for the children’s disappearance. Tatsuya comes to her defense and offers a strong alibi — she was busy teaching art to the rest of the class. The parents, however, still don’t buy it and so Miss Hiroko quits her job. Akama is not happy with this and figures it has to be a Deathdark plan (because, when isn’t it?). The team opens their own investigation and catches Suika in the act. However, they quickly deduce that the only way to turn people back to normal is to take out Suika and thus set a plan in motion to draw him out. Deathdark hears about this and sends Mazurka to sneak Suika into the local hospital.

If you don’t hurry, well, he looks do delicious that I might eat him!

The plot works, naturally, and the team defeats Suika and children all over Japan are scared of watermelon for the next twenty years.

Goggle V, Episode 26

The second half starts with a bang!

Deathdark has enlisted the aid of Pumbaa, I mean, Inoshishi Mozu in it’s latest attempt at world domination. Inoshishi has the ability to throw flash-bang devices which cause amnesia. They test this out on one of the Keystone Cops and a bumbling crook with great results.

Hakuna Frickin’ Matata, bitches!

The team splits up to search the city after the latest attack which leaves a poor little girl not realizing her mom is right in front of her. Kuroda quickly deduces that Inoshishi will only attack when the team isn’t present and so tracks him to the warehouse district. Kuroda’s there to kick ass and chew bubble gum, but he forgot both. Inoshishi proceeds to hand Kuroda’s ass to him.

Ow!

Fortunately for Kuroda, the team shows up and forces Inoshishi to retreat, but not before detonating one of his Shock Bombs. Everyone is okay, except Kuroda, who seems to have forgotten who his friends are. He runs off and is chased by Mazurka and Inoshishi while Deathgiller fights the rest.

Ow, my brain! The subs don’t make sense! It hurts!

One of the cool things about this show is that the actor portraying Kuroda, Jyunichi Haruta, did many of his own stunts. You can see his awesome skills on display throughout this episode, especially before and after the break. In this age where actors and actresses do their work against a green screen and in a harness, it’s refreshing to look back at a simpler time when it was done the old-fashioned way and they actually had to dodge the explosions.