Recap / Ohsama Sentai King Ohger The Secret Of King Racules Ep 01

Ohsama Sentai Kingohger: The Secret of King Racules Episode 1

Original Airdate: April 23, 2023
Written by: Sawako Kawamitsu
Directed by: Kazayuki Chatani

Summary

Narrator: 2,000 years ago, five heroes along with God KingOhger saved humanity.
Five Shugods and five heroes created five kingdoms; Shugoddam was the first kingdom, fated to be strongest.
In the year the Bognaarok were fated to return, sitting on the throne is a man who bears the world on his shoulders in order to fulfill that destiny: Racules Hastie.
This is the tale of the man who would later be known as Shugoddam's evilest king.

Prior to the events of Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, Racules was researching attempts to activate the King-Ohger ZERO to help secure his rule. To this end, he conscripts the criminal researcher Vedalia to aid this endeavor, promising her nothing else but an execution for her labor. Yet, the tear of joy he sheds in celebration of the Shugod's revival leads to a conflict...

Tropes

• Bad Boss: Racules has criminals working on his secret projects, making it no secret that they'll be disposed of after. Douga's suspicion of Vedalia is also met with hostility rather than understanding.
• Barehanded Blade Block: A more realistic variation. Racules blocks Vedalia with his bare hands, wounding him, but somehow the wound heals and Racules gets to wield the OhgerCalibur ZERO anyway.
• Brutal Honesty: Vedalia points out that once her task is completed, Racules will have no further need of her, and he doesn't even try to deny it.
• Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Racules protects Kofuki from Vedalia's rampage - Not out of kindness, but because he still needs researchers.
  Racules: "I can't let you die yet."
• Captured on Purpose: The episode ends with Racules calling Rita Kaniska and asking her to put him on trial in Gokkan for Vedalia's murder.
• Chekhov's Gun: When ZERO is unveiled, Racules sheds a tear, which Vedalia graciously tries wiping off. Turns out that having Racules' DNA on her gives her the authorization to wield the Ohgercalibur ZERO...until Racules takes the weapon back, at least.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: OhKuwagataOhger dispatches Vedalia easily once he transforms. The only reason Racules was even hurt at all during the scuffle was because he protected Kofuki before taking his sword back.
• Dude, Where's My Respect?: Douga calls Vedalia out for addressing Racules in a casual tone instead of bowing in his presence. She gives a very half-hearted apology.
• Foreshadowing: Vedalia makes a noncommittal joke about quitting her research and fleeing. She would've absconded with the OhgerCalibur ZERO if Racules and Douga hadn't barged into the lab later.
• The Infiltration: Vedalia is a Boggnarok agent trying to seize the OhgerCalibur ZERO.
• Prequel: As revealed later, the events of King Racules explicitly take place between Episodes 2 and 3 of the show; serving as the backstory of KingOhger ZERO's creation.
• The Promise: Vedalia asks Racules to give her a proper burial after he gets rid of her.
• Properly Paranoid: Douga is suspicious of Vedalia's involvement in the ZERO project, but is superseded by Racules. Not a minute later, the two stumble into her trying to steal it.
• The Reveal:
  • The OhgerCalibur ZERO is the Hastie family's personal blade passed down through the generations; seemingly independent from the other rulers' OhgerCaliburs. It's also DNA-locked.
  • The Boggnarok were aware of the OhgerCalibur ZERO and sent in an infiltrator to steal it.
• Single Tear: When Kingohger-ZERO is revealed, Racules sheds a single tear of joy. Vedalia tries to wipe it off, but has her hand slapped away.
• Villain Protagonist: The spin-off has King Racules as the main character, detailing his rise to kingship.
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Discussed. Vedalia is a criminal that Racules has in his employ to do research on King-Ohger ZERO. They both acknowledge that he will dispose of her once her research is done.