Metalder Episode 18: Mai’s Secret Information – Poolside’s Trap

Metalder fights Zargen, a Grim Reaper robot, over control of a LaserDisc containing secrets about God Neros’ human alter ego.

Episode Summary

Mai tells Ryusei that the US has some documents on Japanese military personnel from World War II, and that her dad in Washington is willing to send some over. Maybe they can give Ryusei more information on his enemy, God Neros.

Elsewhere, Kirihara Gozo relaxes by a pool. He gets word about these documents and starts losing his shit, worried that Ryusei will learn his secrets.

The Disc

A courier arrives at the airport with a LaserDisc (!) containing the military files. Ryusei and Mai head over to meet him, but he’s suddenly kidnapped by Zargen, God Neros’ Grim Reaper-themed robotic warrior.

Ryusei shifts into Metalder and chases Zargen to a warehouse, but after a short fight, Zargen retreats with the disc and the courier is dead/replaced by an android duplicate that also dies.

Gozo watches the disc and finds an old photograph of himself with a group of scientists 40+ years ago. He’s been careful all this time to cover his tracks and even had a facelift so no one would recognize him, but this photo slipped through the cracks. He has it destroyed.

Rematch

Zargen has a bomb placed in his body and goes out to fight Metalder again; the bomb is set to go off when Metalder uses his laser arm technique.

So Metalder cuts off his arm and throws it at Zargen from a safe distance, and the bomb detonates. Bye bye, Zargen.

Thoughts

This episode seems to pick up the storyline of Ryusei trying to learn more about his past and dig up dirt on Neros. When was the last time he was interested in that stuff? Episode 8?! We get some tantalizing clues on God Neros/Gozo’s origin, but nothing concrete yet. Just enough to keep us interested.

Among all of Neros’ minions, Zargen’s probably one of the more memorable-looking ones: a creepy skull robot with a scythe and long robes. What’s not to love? Probably the fact that he meets his demise in this episode never to be seen again. At least their fight in the warehouse was pretty memorable. Indoor fights (not including the Ghost Bank) are typically rare in the series.