The Best Episodes Directed By Kenzō Maihara

Usagi is saved by a new girl in town from the bullies. When Usagi realizes the girl who saved her is at her school, she befriends her. The new girl, a tomboyish Makoto Kino, seems tough on the outside, but when she lets her guard down for a popular basketball player who turns out to be a Youma in disguise, the vulnerable Makoto must awaken as Sailor Jupiter to defeat him.

As Yuri demands to know why Jiro was chosen for IXA over her, she learns of the cost of using the still-incomplete system while in 2008, Wataru is injured after the attack by Nago, causing him to struggle with his role in the band…

In 1986, Rook begins to target women getting married, and Yuri finds herself face to face with him when he shows up at a wedding she was attending. After his attack, she begs Jiro to let her use IXA, but he continues to refuse while Otoya creates a distraction and steals the IXA Knuckle. Meanwhile, in 2008, Wataru meets with Kengo once more, who is convinced that Kiva will be his inspiration for his music. But when they attempt to learn more about Kiva, Wataru finds himself out cold as his body is suddenly inhabited… by his father?!

Wataru discovers rock music when he’s asked to help a musician with his band while in 1986, Yuri tries to position herself to become the first IXA in order to take revenge on the Fangire that took her mother.

As the Ladybug Fangire escapes from the Otoya-possessed Wataru, it takes Kengo and Keisuke as hostages to force Megumi into a fight as IXA. As “Otoya” tries to teach her about the resolve needed to be a warrior, she refuses to listen, and time is running out for the hostages. Meanwhile, in 1986, the actual Otoya runs into a mysterious woman at a wedding while looking for Yuri, who is revealed to be the queen of the Checkmate Four, Maya…

In search of Otoya, Yuri and Maya battle the Silkworm Fangire as Otoya’s life is drained into Castle Doran. As time is nearly up, he requests that the King allow him one final performance, playing a song to act as a beacon for Maya and Yuri. As they escape with him, Otoya dons IXA to defeat the Silkworm Fangire while Maya is stripped of her powers. In 2008, Shima acts strangely as the Sungazer Fangire appears, but everyone is stunned when it changes back into Shima! Meanwhile, Taiga and Mio begin the wedding ceremony, but Mio has plans of her own…

When Ami feels that her friendships with Usagi and Rei are not genuine, she reads a book on how to be a true friend. This causes friction between her and Usagi, and Ami gets into more trouble when she tries to defeat a Youma without calling for help.

After a disastrous attempt to try to warm his neighbors up to him with a violin performance, Wataru pleads with Nago to help him become more confident. Nago tasks him to trail Megumi as her bodyguard, but he finds himself working with a strange man claiming to also be working for Nago!

As a bizarre Fangire attacks mother and daughter in both the past and present, both Otoya and Wataru must save their respective female targets before the Fangire is able to make them his bride!

In 1986, Otoya battles Dark Kiva with IXA but is hopelessly outmatched and is taken prisoner by the King, intending to feed him to Castle Doran. Maya pretends not to care, but she seeks out Yuri and begs her to help rescue Otoya after she admits she is in love with him. Yuri agrees, and the two enter the Lost Woods, where Castle Doran sleeps. In 2008, Taiga is upset by Wataru’s decision to fight for humanity, pointing out they’ll end up fighting one another eventually. As Shima visits Yuri’s grave, he is attacked by a Fangire and gravely wounded, but Taiga offers Wataru a way to help him…