Red Ranger Isekai Episode 4 Recap and Thoughts
It’s time to catch up on Episode 4! Last time, the quartet went to Akalina to Akalina due to the suspicion that the lord of the town currently owns a mana seed. They were right, as they tried to confront the lord, however, the lord has no plans of relinquishing the seed that helps him contol his people. Togo was having trouble fighting the Lord with him exploiting his weak spots until…
Recap
A smoke bomb was thrown at a familiar as the party managed to escape. Turns out, they were saved by the woman in the previous episode. The woman is the leader of the resistance who aims to liberate the town from its current leader, Lord Loulugart. Grossa, who seeks to liberate the town from its oppressive ruler, reveals a crucial detail—the lord’s mana only affects the town. After Princess Teltina told Grossa about their plan to take the mana seed from the lord, she was willing to cooperate and even allowed them to use their base freely.
Grossa told them that they were unable to stop him from controlling the town. Lowji asked why they continued trying when they could move to a new town. Grossa explained that while many had moved to another town, they still loved their home and its liveliness and wished to return it to what it used to be. Togo, understanding their sadness and reminded of the time back in his previous world as a part of Kizuna Five, expressed his willingness to help them take back their town.
The four then devised a plan to remove the mana seed from Lord Loulugart. Yhidra was shocked that Togo struggled to fight against the lord. Meanwhile, Lowji silently chuckled about Togo’s difficulty fighting Loulugart and eventually burst into laughter. Teltina, the voice of reason, reminded him that he should keep that to himself.
Yhidra showed the team the rules that the resistance had put together. Breaking them will immediately summon a familiar to attack the blind spot. Togo tried to suggest sniping the town using Maximum Kizuna Kaiser. However, Yhidra told him it would also wipe the town out. Knowing that the mana field, a powerful force that the lord had created to maintain his control, is still active even when the lord is asleep, Togo suggests doing an aerial raid with his mech, but Yhidra objected, telling him that it would flatten the town. It’s funny how Togo loves to use Maximum Kizuna Kaiser to solve any tactical problem.
Yhidra had one suggestion in mind, but it was both the easiest and hardest to pull off—having Togo and Lowji work together to cover blind spots. However, there were some problems. First, Lowji hates it. Next, Lowji gets blown up whenever Togo transforms. Finally, they bicker a lot, making them a terrible team. Yhidra asked if they could work together. However, it still wasn’t working, as the two continued to bicker.
Teltina tried to calm Lowji down by patting him and telling him he should accommodate Togo since he was older. To convince him, Teltina teased him by offering to clean his ear. Lowji, being a simp as usual, got fired up and continued the training.
That night, as she bathed in the hot spring, Yhidra wondered about Lowji and Teltina’s relationship. But before she could think further, Teltina jumped into the spring, asking about her relationship with Togo. Although Yhidra didn’t respond directly on-screen, we learned that Yhidra and Teltina are about the same age.
We also learned how Yhidra continued sending reports to the royal capital even after his dad passed away. She designed documents for magic tools and compounds to make peoples’ lives easier and safer. Teltina admired Yhidra’s passion for using magic for the public good and was inspired by her determination to reclaim the title of Royal Scepter. This admiration fueled Teltina’s desire to meet Yhidra for a long time. When Yhidra discovered that Teltina had read her reports, she was genuinely shocked.
After taking a refreshing bath, Teltina encountered Togo on his way to the hot spring. Knowing that Yhidra stayed in the spring, Teltina lied about the spring being empty to set up Togo and Yhidra. She also complimented how Togo could fight without any mana. Togo also asked if she would join in attacking the lord’s manor. She responded yes since there was something she could do. Meanwhile, Lowji was watching in the shadows, getting extremely jealous of Togo and his closeness to Teltina.
Togo also took the opportunity to ask about Teltina’s motivation in embarking on her journey. She reminded him of his story as a member of Kizuna Five, and his willingness to save other people and she shares the same feelings in protecting her people. Before she left, she requested Togo protect her and her home.
As Togo jumped into the pool, thinking it was empty, both he and Yhidra were shocked to see each other naked. VERY BAD!
Amidst the commotion, Lowji took Togo’s Bond Plate to prevent him from transforming so that he is the only person who could protect Teltina.
The next day, the team invaded Lord Loulugart’s mansion to retrieve his mana seed. However, Togo couldn’t transform because his Bond Plate was missing. Lowji feigned ignorance about what he did, asking if something was wrong. But before he could try to find his Bond Plate, he was attacked by a familiar and got launched out of the manor and into the river. Without hesitation, Teltina leaped into the water to rescue him.
Now with Togo out of the picture, Lowji fought alone to prove he doesn’t need Togo.
As Togo plunges into the depths of the river, he gets reminded of a woman who tells him about bonds and how they’re like blades. Like a blade, bonds can be useful but can also hurt other people. Like a blade, bonds can be sharp and valuable, yet they can harm others. People often struggle to wield them effectively; if left unattended, they can become rusty and dull. Furthermore, letting go of these bonds can be a daunting challenge. I had never encountered this comparison before, but it makes sense. That was the reason why Red wanted to forge more bonds; he didn’t want to be lonely.
The dream then faded as Togo woke up after being saved from Teltina. Togo was thankful for being saved however Yhidra was stunned after she resuscitated him through her mouth. Togo, focused on the mission, wondered where Lowji and Teltina went. Yhidra then got pissed for ignoring how she felt after saving him.
Meanwhile, Teltina told Lowji that the plan has failed thanks to him taking Togo’s Bond Plate and ordered him to regroup with Yhidra and Togo. Togo, determined to prove that he’s the only Hero needed, fought against the familiars alone. He transformed his sword to defeat the familiars spawned by the lord.
It was revealed that Teltina first met with Lowji two years ago in the winter. She offered him to be her Hero since he was a great adventurer who didn’t have any mana. He was also compatible since one of its forms absorbs mana to offset the huge amount of mana it expends. Teltina, showing her compassion and understanding, touched Lowji with her offer, and he vowed to do his best to serve her as her Hero.
Loulugart was amused by Lowji’s efforts to fight him. However, he took advantage of Lowji’s weakness–Princess Teltina. Lowji rushed to protect Teltina as he suffered a severe beating by the familiars. Loulugart also pointed out that Lowji wasn’t used to fighting to protect others.
As the beatdown continued, Lowji vowed to create an opening for their escape. Teltina, however, remained confident that their comrades would arrive in time. Just then, Togo and Yhidra burst onto the scene, leaving Lowji stunned by how Togo was still there to save him. Yhidra quickly formed a protective barrier to defend them from the attacks while healing Lowji.
As Togo offered his hand to help him up, Lowji shrugged him off, insisting that he didn’t require Togo’s help. Knowing this, Togo naively thought Lowji wanted to transform into Kizuna Red. However, Lowji revealed to Teltina that he took his Bond Plate to eliminate him so that he could be the only Hero that she needed. Teltina revealed to him that her low standing meant she had no knight to save her; thus, she asked for his help to become her Hero. She reassured him that she wouldn’t abandon him for someone else.
Thanks to Teltina, Lowji can now work with Togo despite not agreeing with him or his personality. Togo retrieved his Bond Plate and transformed into Kizuna Red, but this time, Lowji was no longer caught in the explosion, signifying that a bond had formed between them. Meanwhile, Yhidra managed to protect them long enough and got exhausted.
With the bond formed, the duo executed their plan. By covering their blind spots, they swiftly defeated the familiars. However, the mana seed absorbed Loulugart and increased in size. Seeing the danger, Togo and Lowji saved their partners and left the manor.
Final Thoughts
In a departure from its usual format, this episode dives straight into the action, skipping the opening entirely. This episode was the most plot-heavy episode thus far, with a lot of backstory, character development, and great action scenes.
The story focuses on several relationships, such as the connection between Yhidra and Teltina. We learned how Yhidra’s reports made their way to Teltina, ultimately leading to their collaboration on the mana seed crisis. We also learned more about Lowji’s character, whose dedication to Teltina resembles Masato Kusaka from Kamen Rider Faiz. Both characters share a similar protective instinct born from being saved, and a tendency to undermine potential rivals for their savior’s attention. However, Lowji shows promising growth after Teltina reassures him of his irreplaceable position as her Hero, leading to a great fight sequence that showcases their new bond.
We also get to see three more Holy Sword forms, and while their showcases were brief, they show how Lowji is just as flexible as Togo when fighting enemies, as he can change his sword form depending on the situation.
Upon my first viewing, I didn’t quite catch it, but this episode subtly develops the romantic relationship between Togo and Yhidra, from how they met to how Togo admired her dream, the spring scene, and the unintentional kiss to save Togo! I’m intrigued to see how their relationship unfolds as the series progresses.
I also liked the comedic moments in this episode. From incorporating the Kizuna Brace’s VERY BAD! when Togo and Teltina saw each other naked to how Yhidra puked rainbows after enduring a drawn-out conversation between Lowji and Princess Teltina. However, this episode also cements the fact that this show leans heavily into fanservice with the hot spring scene. If fanservice isn’t your cup of tea, I can’t recommend continuing this series, as there might be more fanservice elements in future episodes.