Ep. 4: What are Friends For?

This article is about an episode in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger.

WARNING: This episode contains scenes of blood and bloodshed. Viewer discretion is advised!

Ep. 4: What are Friends For?
Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, Episode 04
Air Date(s)	March 6, 2011
Production Information
Written by	Naruhisa Arakawa
Directed by	Katsuya Watanabe
Episode Guide
Previous	Ep. 3: Changing Courage into Magic
Next	Ep. 5: Judgement Pirates

Ep. 4: What are Friends For? (何のための仲間, Nan no Tame no Nakama) is the fourth episode of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. 

Synopsis

Joe's past is revealed when Action Commander Zodomas is sent to fight the Gokaigers.

Plot

After attempting to use the J.A.K.Q. and Battle Fever J Ranger Keys on GokaiOh, the GokaiGalleon realize they can not take a short cut in mastering the Ranger Keys' power as Captain Marvelous sends Joe and Ahim de Famille to pick up some food. However, the two stop in response to the Action Commander Zodomas, whose swordsmanship attracts Joe's attention and fights him as the Gokaigers battle the Gormin. However, the Action Commander overpowers Gokai Blue and takes his leave as the other Gokaigers arrive. While the others eat, Joe proceeds to hone his fighting style to counter Zodomas's fighting style with Ahim forced to watch before Joe tells her. As Luka tells Ahim to accept his reasons out of friendship, Joe completes his training. The next day, Joe finds Ahim waiting for him and as she gives him her Gokai Saber to use in his upcoming duel with Zodomas. However, Zodomas uses Sugormin to as Gokai Pink arrives to his aid before the other Gokaigers arrive. After the others assume the forms of the Gekirangers and Dekarangers to take out the Sugormin, they give their GokaiSabers so GokaiBlue he can use a five-blade fighting style to defeat with his Five-Blade Style Blue Slash. When Zodomas and the Sugormin are enlarged, the Gokaigers form Magi Gokaioh to ground Zodomas before destroying him. Soon after, Joe presents a "thank you" cake to the crew and is modest about it.

Cast

• Captain Marvelous (キャプテン・マーベラス, Kyaputen Māberasu): Ryota Ozawa (小澤 亮太, Ozawa Ryōta)
• Joe Gibken (ジョー・ギブケン, Jō Gibuken): Yuki Yamada (山田 裕貴, Yamada Yūki)
• Luka Millfy (ルカ・ミルフィ, Ruka Mirufi): Mao Ichimichi (市道 真央, Ichimichi Mao)
• Don Dogoier (ドン･ドッゴイヤー, Don Doggoiyā): Kazuki Shimizu (清水 一希, Shimizu Kazuki)
• Ahim de Famille (アイム・ド・ファミーユ, Aimu do Famīyu): Yui Koike (小池 唯, Koike Yui)
• Navi (ナビィ, Nabyi, Voice): Yukari Tamura (田村 ゆかり, Tamura Yukari)
• Commandant Warz Gill (司令官ワルズ・ギル, Shireikan Waruzu Giru, Voice): Hirofumi Nojima (野島 裕史, Nojima Hirofumi)
• Chief of Staff Damaras (参謀長ダマラス, Sanbōchō Damarasu, Voice): Kōji Ishii (石井 康嗣, Ishii Kōji)
• Development Technical Officer Insarn (開発技官インサーン, Kaihatsu Gikan Insān, Voice): Kikuko Inoue (井上 喜久子, Inoue Kikuko)
• Special Duty Officer Barizorg (特務士官バリゾーグ, Tokumu Shikan Barizōgu, Voice): Gaku Shindo (進藤 学, Shindō Gaku)

Guest Cast

• Zodomas (ゾドマス, Zodomasu, Voice): Hideo Ishikawa (石川英郎, Ishikawa Hideo)

Gokai Changes

• Gokai Changes in What Are Friends For?:
  • Gokai Red - GekiRed, DekaRed
  • Gokai Blue - N/A
  • Gokai Yellow - GekiYellow, DekaYellow
  • Gokai Green - GekiViolet, DekaGreen
  • Gokai Pink - GekiChopper, DekaPink
• With this episode, Don has transformed into both of his non-Green and Black Ranger counterparts at least once.
• This is the first episode where the Gokaigers change into a past team even though one of them is absent.
• Both of the Gokai Changes in this episode involve teams who, like the Gokaigers, have a Blue Ranger with a perfectionist attitude who obsessively train to hone their abilities like Joe.
  • Dekaranger: Houji Tomasu (DekaBlue) is a highly skilled sniper.
  • Gekiranger: Retsu Fukami (GekiBlue) is a practitioner of Fierce Beast Jaguar-Fist obsessed with studying and perfecting techniques.

Episode 04 - Gekiranger Change.jpg

Gekiranger

Episode 04 - Dekaranger Change.jpg

Dekaranger

Ranger Key Summons

File:Joe's about to make a splash.jpg

Ranger Keys for the Blue Slash

• Gokai Blue summons five Blue Rangers for his one-man Final Wave, the Five-Blade Style Blue Slash:
  • Gosei Blue
  • Shinken Blue
  • MagiBlue
  • HurricaneBlue
  • GingaBlue
• Coincidently, the 5 Blue Ranger Keys used in the Blue Slash attack all control the element of water.
• Joe's attack, Blue Slash, is one letter away from becoming "Blue Splash", the water-based magic of MagiBlue. Incidentally, MagiBlue was one of the five keys used for the Final Wave attack.
  • With the five Blue Ranger keys in reverse chronological order, the MagiBlue key is the central anchor of the five keys.

Notes

• As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside Kamen Rider OOO episode 25, The Boxer, the Left Hand, and the Bird Yummy.
• Viewership: 5.6%
• Alongside the used Big One and Battle Cossack keys, the keys Luka holds in her hand at the beginning include Goggle Yellow, NinjaYellow, OhYellow, MegaYellow, GekiYellow, Go-On Yellow, and ShinkenYellow.
  • The two tested teams, J.A.K.Q. and Battle Fever J, were the only two Sentai at the time where Luka did not have a equivalent of the same color.
• When Joe and Ahim leave the mall, there are 9 shop "cards" on a signboard each referring to a Super Sentai series:
  • First row: Chuuka Shokudou Sankai Kaku (Chinese Restaurant of the Shangai stand, Dairanger), Kyouryuu-Ya (Dino House, Abaranger) and SCRTC (Gekiranger).
  • Second row: Ikkan Kenjou Kin no Sushi (Ikkan Kenjou Gold Sushi, Shinkenger), Tomorrow Research (Timeranger) and Wagashiya Imochou (Japanese Confectionery Imochou, Carranger).
  • Third row: Shinobi Crepe (Kakuranger), Game Riribabita (Megaranger) and Snack Gon (Gorenger).

DVD/Blu-ray releases

Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger Volume 1 features episodes 1-4: Ep. 1: The Space Pirates Appear, Ep. 2: The Worth of this Planet, Ep. 3: Changing Courage into Magic and Ep. 4: What are Friends For?. It was released on July 21, 2011.

Gokaiger Volume 1, DVD cover

Gokaiger Volume 1, Blu-ray cover

See Also

• Blue Saber Saga - Power Rangers counterpart in Power Rangers Super Megaforce. See comparison page.

External links

• Episode 4 page on the TV Asahi site