Some refugees including Kouzuki and his friend grab some supplies by the Tohoku mountains. Kouzuki’s friend wonders if anyone can defeat the Gaizock. Kouzuki worries for a girl with them, Chieko, but finds her nearby where she has captured some bugs. Some explosions ring out from the mountains nearby as the Zambo Ace fights a Mecha Boost. Kouzuki grabs Chieko and brings her to one of several trucks being used. Kouzuki complains about Kappei fighting near their camp. The Zambot fires at the Mecha Boost Dabongar, which knocks the Zambo Ace to the ground. Using its bird gun attack, Kappei realizes the Mecha Boost’s weakness is near its bottom. The Dabongar launches a fire attack on the Zambo Ace after it runs out of ammo. Kappei notices Kouzuki is nearby when he yells at him while driving a truck away from the battle. Chieko thinks of her parents getting killed in a previous Gaizock attack. Suddenly the Dabongar disappears causing Kappei to think that the Mecha Boost has arrogantly believed him defeated. Kappei talks to Ichitaro, who tells him to patrol the area. Kouzuki talks to his rather pessimistic colleague as they continue to drive on. The road collapses underneath many of the trucks ahead of them. Kouzuki and his friends realize they can’t go any further. The Zambase and Zambull soon head by above them. Kappei realizes the road has been cut off and wants to help, telling Kouzuki and the others to get back in their trucks. Chieko is scared of the Zambo Ace as it remind her of the Mecha Boost that killed her parents. Kouzuki asks Kappei to help them get to the other side of the road and Kappei lifts up the truck with the Zambo Ace. Kappei mistakes Chieko for Kouzuki’s lost sister and Kouzuki tells him she’s scared of it since it reminds her of the Mecha Boost. He tells her she has lost the ability to speak and that there are many like her. He says he should rethink how he fights as a result. The two continue to argue, but Kappei lets him off on the other side of the road. Kouzuki tells him to stay away from them so as to not endanger them. Kappei screams, upset at Kouzuki’s words for him. Heizaemon asks Kappei what he is doing and that they have found the Mecha Boost launching an attack 10 kilometers away. Kappei flies there, noticing the city on fire and many people fleeing through the woods. He thinks of Kouzuki’s earlier words as he sees the various children there. The Zambo Ace fires at the Dabongar but runs out of ammo and is knocked aside by it. Uchuta tells Kappei they need to combine but Kappei says he doesn’t have the time. The Dabongar lifts up the Zambo Ace and as such Keiko can’t launch an attack. Uchuta is able to launch attacks at the Mecha Boost’s legs though. The Mecha Boost slams down the Zambo Ace into the Zambull. Kappei fires some more at it, but gets knocked back by an attack launched out of the Mecha Boost’s abdomen. More civilians are killed by the Mecha Boosts attacks as the Zambo Ace avoids the attacks. Kappei stares out at the burning city and thinks again of Kouzuki’s words from earlier. Kappei realizes things like this happen because he gets so hot tempered.
Kappei continues to think of what Kouzuki said. Ichitaro asks him what he’s doing and to head after the Mecha Boost. Kappei says nobody understands him and he shouldn’t be fighting any longer, upsetting Ichitaro and Heizaemon. Heizaemon tells him he needs to head near the Zambull, but Kappei decides to get out of the Zambo Ace entirely. Heizaemon says they can operate it by remote control. As Kappei lays on the ground Chieko approaches and looks at the burning city, getting scared. Kappei tells her they are far away and she is safe, and looks for an insect to catch for her. He grabs a grasshopper and gives it to her, and she talks to him. Kouzuki arrives and asks Kappei what he is doing, and if he beat the Mecha Boost. He tells Kappei he must have deserted and they execute people for such things. He tells Chieko more about Chieko. One of Kouzuki’s friends shows up and says they should go. Kouzuki tells Kappei he should keep fighting and Kappei gets angry, saying he doesn’t fight because he enjoys it. Kappei starts attacking Kouzuki, saying he’s not the only one suffering. The two continue to fight each other. Chieko starts calling out for them to stop fighting and Kouzuki realizes she can talk. Kouzuki agrees to not fight any longer. Chieko’s bugs escape from her bag. Kappei says he has to go and heads back into the Zambo Ace, telling the others he’ll be here soon. Kouzuki tells Chieko that Kappei will use the good robot to beat the bad robot. Kouzuki calls out good luck to Kappei as does Chieko. The Dabongar has the Zambase and Zambull caught in an electric current. The Zambo Ace fires at it, enabling them to get out of it. Kappei calls out for them to combine, and the crafts do so. Keiko tells Kappei the Dabongar is trying to destroy as much as possible and is more concerned with that then fighting them. The Zambot gets in front of it and launches its Moon Attack, but the Dabongar is able to deflect it. Kappei uses the Moon Attack again but it just gets deflected again. The Zambot launches its buster missiles and Zambot Grap attacks, cutting into the Dabongar, causing it some damage. Kappei continues the attacks, knocking the Dabongar to the ground. The Dabongar tries to go underground and Keiko says now is the best time to attack. They use the Zambot Grap attack and are able to pull the Dabongar out of the ground, stunning it. They then use the Moon Attack and destroy it. Later, Kouzuki drops Chieko off with some old people and wishes Kappei luck. Kappei helps Chieko find another grasshopper with the Zambot. He says farewell to Kouzuki and helps find another grasshopper.
Kouzuki returns after a lengthy absence and continues to show some animosity towards Kappei at first, but by the end of the episode they are able to leave on good terms. Kouzuki’s words towards Kappei and the impact the battles have had on Chieko and other civilians, many of whom are killed in this episode seems to have quite the effect on Kappei. For a little while he even shows some of the pilot angst that Tomino used to greater effect with Amuro Ray in Mobile Suit Gundam. Hopefully this results in some permanent improvement to Kappei’s character. Killer the Butcher fails to appear for what I believe is the first time in the series, and the Mecha Boost for this episode is rather lackluster compared to others we’ve seen to this point. Still, an overall good episode with the reappearance of Kouzuki and the development for Kappei.
Director:
Yoshiyuki Tomino
Writer(s):
Fuyunori Gobu
Hiroyuki Hoshiyama
Soji Yoshikawa
Yoshihisa Araki
Katsuhiko Taguchi
Mechanical Designer(s):
Kunio Okawara
Ryoji Fujiwara
Character Designer:
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Musical Composer(s):
Takeo Watanabe
Yushi Matsuyama
Format:
23 episodes
Airdates:
Japan 10.08.1977 – 03.25.1978
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