Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger/Recap/E45 Confused Ninja
On the Gokai Galleon, the crew review their twenty-nine powers they obtained and the five that Basco has taken. When they realize one of the greater powers is missing, Gai reveals that the only one yet to be found is that of the Ninja Sentai Kakuranger team. With it being his last fortune, Navi's only clue is saying "a ninja is playing hide and seek", which makes no sense to the Gokaigers. When Ahim mentions praying at a shrine to better their chances, the crew remembers their meeting with Domon and the mission he gave them to save the Negakure Shrine, which they realize has the same characters as "kakure". Upon returning to the shrine, the crew searches the grounds while Captain Marvelous enters the shrine and finds a strange pot that seems to be speaking and asking to be freed. He takes it for his crew to examine when Ahim uses a mallet to break it open, releasing Ninjaman. Identifying himself as the Kakurangers' ally, Ninjaman proceeds to reveal how he was sealed in the pot, again, a decade ago. Having no idea what happened in the world while he was sealed, and worried why the Three God Generals did not release him once his sentence ended, Gai informs Ninjaman of the Legend War that happened in his absence and the sacrifice that the Kakurangers made along with the other Super Sentai teams. Ninjaman takes this hard as Ahim, Doc, and Gai advise Captain Marvelous, Joe, and Luka to be subtle in getting the greater power from Ninjaman while cheering him up. During their attempt, Ninjaman learns of the second Zangyack Empire invasion occurring at the moment and how the Gokai Galleon crew are fighting them as the Gokaigers with the powers of the previous Super Sentai teams. After showing him how the Ranger Keys work, Ninjaman gets pumped up as Captain Marvelous tells him of the Greatest Treasure in the Universe and how they can obtain it by obtaining the greater powers of the Super Sentai teams. As the sun sets, Ninjaman learns of Basco ta Jolokia how he can steal greater powers before the Gokaigers ask him to give the Kakurangers' greater power to them so they can fulfill their dream. However, due to his history with humans, Ninjaman refuses but decides to stay on board and help fight the Zangyack Empire to see if he can trust the pirates completely. But as Captain Marvelous, Luka, and Joe do not take it well, Tsuruhime watches them from from afar and is impressed that they have managed to find Ninjaman. She decides to let Ninjaman guide the Gokaigers on their way before she leaps off into the rising moon in the horizon.
Tropes
- Aside Glance: the team Gokai Change into various Rangers as a Pop Quiz for Ninjaman to ask him what the present transformations have in common. Nijaman and Navi turn to the audience to ask if they know the [1]; cue commercial break.
- Clip Show
- Eureka Moment: the Gokaigers decide to pray in a temple to look for the Kakurangers. Joe makes a Call Back to the temple they were last in, muttering Negakure Temple to himself several times. It's like asking them "What's 2 + 2?"
- Gendered Outfit: Played straight during the all-Blue change. [2]
- The Last of These Is Not Like the Others: since there was no Lion-themed Pink Ranger, Ahim is the only one to change into a color outside of her own, Ginga Red.
- Mythology Gag: Ninjaman admits that he was sealed in the bottle following an incident 10 years ago, where he attacked escaping zoo animals. Look carefully at the animals - a lion, tiger, gorilla, elephant and alligator. All of which had prominent roles in Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger exactly ten years ago.
- Also, the Gokaigers turn into a group of lion-themed Rangers to test Ninjaman's knowledge. When he guesses correctly, Joe (who has turned into Go-on Blue) utters "zubari seikai" ("just correct"), Renn's (the original Go-on Blue) Catch Phrase.
- Ahim is the one to break open Ninjaman's jar; it was Tsuruhime who freed Ninjaman during Kakuranger.
- Stealth Pun: when they reach the temple, Marvelous tells the others to search thoroughly. Joe proceeds to try to upturn one of the stone statues.