Alright folks we are jumping right into things with another episodes of Gaim but first a quick note from last week.  I will correct myself and saying that Pine Arms' weapon is not a mace but a Flail.  My bad on that one.  With that said let's get into episode three this week entitled Shocking! My Rival's Bananas Transformation.

          We open up with DJ Sagara talking about how Kouta as Armored Rider Gaim has changed the Inves Game by taking on the monsters himself and has turn the team around from the bottom of the rankings to become one of the big contenders.  Also Sagara loves the camera because he just has to get up close we he says something dramatic.  We cut to Kouta looking for something in his closet. He proceeds to hit his head as he finds what he wants and we move on to the opening.  Weirdest ending to a cold opening I have seen.

          We pick up on the other side of the opening at the Heaven's Tree Private High School.  We see two girls talk about the Beat Riders and the Inves Games and how dumb it is and commenting that those people have too much time.  Some other guy comments that giving thought to these things is a waste of time and tells them to be more like Micchy, nickname of Mitsuzane, who apparently attends this school and has oddly colored green and purple books for no reason at all.   He tells the guy to leave him alone and says he is a rival while they are in class.  Quite the difference of personalities.  After school ends I guess he sneaks off changes to his Team Gaim uniform and runs into Kouta who shows off his uniform with a completely coincidentally image of a old samurai armor that looks like Gaim.  Sorry but these are too obvious for me to not crack jokes at.  They have a little back and forth conversation related to the past two episodes and we see that Micchy wishes to be stronger to help the team.  We get a quick shot of a open portal to the forest where we see Inves eat some raw Lockseeds and gain the power to fly.  We see the rest of Team Gaim watching recordings of Kouta in Inves Games and having fun with it.  Mai isn't happy about this because she feels like Kouta is doing all the fighting for them.  She also comments that Kouta hasn't rejoin the team just in time for Kouta to come in and pretty much rejoin the team.  Mai hauls Kouta off by his ear for a private conversation.  We find out he is stepping in since Yuuya is still missing and he quit his two jobs because he caused trouble for them and it is for the better.  He also quit them because he is a bit stupid.  Mai tells him this exact thing and says he always helps out other people and puts others before himself, because that is a terrible thing apparently.  Kouta answers back by saying he really wants to do this and by doing this he feels like he has a home.  Something Micchy said to Kouta just two minutes ago.  Mai answers back by saying that he is stepping in because she is weak.  Kouta tells her to not worry about it and he will take care of his problems.  The rest of the Team comments on how they make a great couple.  Although Micchy seams disheartened by this comment.

          We cut to the team on their required stage dancing while Team Invetto's leader Hideyasu Jounouchi looks on with two of his fellow teammates I assume and Team Raid Wild's leader Ryouji.  They discuss Team Gaim and Ryouji decides to go pick a fight with them while Jounouchi plots to just use Raid Wild as a stepping stone to get Team Gaim's stage.  We have a near repeat of the first episode with Kouta easily handling the Inves while showing off and having the stupidest grin I have ever seen him have yet.  I say yet because I am sure something will top this.   

          Kouta takes Ryouji's Lockseeds and we cut to Team Baron watching the match and commenting on the situation at hand.  Kaito is not happy about this and use some fancy card tricks to turn the TV off because reasons.  He says Kouta doesn't know how to use the belt and he is an eyesore.  Sid decides to call in and tells Kaito that it is time to shake things up again as we see a second belt with the Banana Lockseed.  Also Sid has a Lockseed of his own because that is the perk of selling Lockseeds.  After your 500th sale you get a personalized one to ominously open and close while you talk to people. 

          We cut to Kouta giving his sister some money he got from winning the Inves Game from earlier. His sister doesn't accept it because a job should help better the lives of strangers something Kouta isn't doing I think.  I think it just more that Kouta seems full of himself and not being humble about it than anything. 
She says she saved up enough for the both of them from and I quote "a real job".

          We cut to the juice bar called Drupers since I don't think we have seen the name of the place till now.  We see Kouta contemplate his situation as Bandon the owner I believe give him a free drink on the house as Kaito walks in.    Kaito calls him spineless for not using his new power to challenge other teams and take their stages and simply stay back and play defense.  Kaito tells him to man up and take everything from his opponents and crush their souls beneath your boots like a villain because Kaito is a bit antagonistic again.  Kouta buys into the macho play and two decide to fight him in a Inves Game. 

          We cut to the two squaring off as a crowd gathers including members of the two teams.  Kaito brings out his trump card, the belt from before, and proceeds to transform into Armored Rider Baron complete with spear that looks like a pealed banana.  The two are about to duck it out but Sid interrupts and says that the Inves Game rules need updating with the inclusion of Armored Riders.  He proceeds to give the two their bikes, which come as small Lockseeds that grow bigger.  He calls them Lock Vehicles and they are the Sakura Hurricane and Rose Attacker for Gaim and Baron respectfully.  He says they are prototypes which hints at what is to come later on.  The two proceed to settle it in a drag race which ends with the two taking a surprise trip back to the forest because they apparently went fast enough for me to make a Back to the Future reference but I will pass this time.  The two proceed to get into a fight with the flying Inves and Baron finishes them off with his own fruit looking final attack.  Red Eye appears during the fight to give the same warning to Baron as she did to Gaim.  Baron brushes it off and says he will chose his own path and doesn't care about faith.  This is where we leave things off for this week.

          Overall I would say this was a good episode besides the odd messages they were trying to get across.  I felt that they didn't explain why certain characters felt the way they did and a few extra lines would have helped.  Baron seems to be very concerned with how one uses strength and as I have said before this may be connected to his past in some way.  Micchy gets some time to himself to build to next week with an episode I am sure that will feature him more.  This maybe the weakest of the three episodes but that doesn't say that much since it is still a good show outside of the few hiccups it has.  Next week we see the appearance of a fourth rider, the gun wielding Ryugen.  If you want to watch the show yourself check out Aesir Subs and TV-Nihon for subbed episodes.  Till next week folks and remember never exceed 88 MPH in an experimental vehicle because it always ends with trip to another word or time.