This is the finale arc which consists of EIGHT episodes in total. Yes, that's how the finale arc of Janperson is because of the multiple factions. The first one to fall is none other than the Super Science Network. The two episodes are written in tandem by Nobuwo Ogizawa and Takahiko Masuda.
I saw the finale episodes in Tagalog back in ABC-5. Now, I saw them in the original Japanese. This episode has some nightmare fuel, a probable reference to Jiban, and a guest star that Atsuko Takahata worked with back in BLACK RX. Yes, we're going to discuss the downfall of Reiko Ayanokouji. These two episodes make you think of the Well-Intentioned Extremist. Though, it seems rather out-of-place (or not) since most of Reiko's episodes were about her trying to gain power.
Super Science Network begins its final battle against humanity. Reiko decides to take things into her own hands by becoming the Super Beast God(dess). This new form allows Reiko to turn humanity into... FERTILIZERS?! Yes, that's what Reiko is planning as part of her new domination scheme. It's the final battle and she's serious about trying to turn humanity into fertilizers as punishment. There's also the 100% adoration rating by loyal subjects. Then there's some interesting flashbacks too.
What interesting flashbacks are there? It's revealed in some 3.5 inch floppy disk (which in reality, has VERY LIMITED SPACE) that several episodes were linked with the final project. Projects such as the Iceman project, the Memory Cells project, the worms that control technology project, and the articificial human project were but precursors to Reiko's final plan. Wait, what? I felt that the memory cell foam done by Dr. Saoinji was but a wacky but effective typical Toku scheme. Meanwhile, the others were linked to creating a super being. Reiko intends to be that super being and judge humanity herself.
So, where you wondering who from BLACK RX appeared? I didn't notice this but SHOKO IMURA (one of the Sahara kids) was there. Takahata managed to interact with Imura during the Princess Garanoia arc. I guess BLACK RX for all the flak it got - Maribaron is probably still a favorite character. Back then, I thought Maribaron was just Bishium from BLACK in another outfit. That was when I saw BLACK RX on some Hong Kong channel and never understood a thing. Yeah, too bad ABC-5 was that dumb to air Saban's Mashed Rider instead. Here, Imura is the younger Reiko from her childhood. She was once innocent child that became the witch she is today. Takahata also had her short role in Juspion as Witch Gilza. Imura did also have guest roles in the Rescue Police Trilogy too. Strange but true!
Reiko's monster form looks like it was ripped off from the pages of Jiban. It turns out that Professor Giba in Jiban was born from toxic waste. Giba has a deep hatred for humanity and seeks to restart the world as he saw fit. Giba also has a group of genetically engineered goons to do his bidding. Here, Reiko has genetically engineered goons to serve her in her final battle. Reiko would later have her own followers who requested they become fertilizer too for her grand scheme. Reiko's monster form though is still unstable so she has some adjustments to do.
I wonder what took it SO LONG before we got to know more of Reiko? Dr. Hirose is one of the people in her past. Reiko is a victim of tragedy. Reiko saw some delicate plant (which was dubbed as Sand Grass in the Tagalog dub) unable to grow in the Earth's current condition. Reiko ends up having her mission to save the Earth but in a twisted way. Reiko slowly loses her humanity the more she uses genetic experimentation on herself.
This has Kaoru Saegusa wanting to talk Reiko out of her insanity. Reiko just killed the man who raised her after losing her humanity all the more. Kaoru confronts Reiko out of her insanity. It's also amazing that Janperson only knew that Reiko was the head of Super Science Network later on. I guess it was meant to keep it realistic. Sometimes, we never know who the real mastermind is in real life. The audience knows it but not Janperson. Both Janperson and Gun Gibson are into some argument yet again. That's especially when they know of Reiko's past.
A tragic past though doesn't justify what Reiko does. That's what Kaoru is trying to talk. Commander Kuroki was practically the realization of Modoki from way back. Sadly, Modoko wasn't mentioned. I even wonder what happened to Dr. Saonji after that hilarious mishap. It's not even explained about what happens to Reiko's scientists who drop into the bottomless pit such as Dr. Tony Lechon ahem Dr. Ishikawa. I guess they were all turned to fertilizer or ended their own lives. Janperson fires the Jic Cannon. Gun Gibson uses the Spindle Cannon to destroy the synthetic human guards.
I can't exactly know if I should pity or hate Reiko. Granted, people are destructive yet there's potential for change. Yet, Reiko's actions are still evil through and through. Reiko starts to watch the film one last time before her body turns into petals. Janperson still vows to fight for the environment. At this point, I was almost reminded of the Winspector episode which almost gave a tribute to The Blob. I guess this was a good way for the villainess to go. At the same time, it was probably intentional to write her end this way - as a tribute to Jiban's Bioron monsters.
Just for a bit of a tidbit...
Janperson is pretty much a mixture of several concepts. Robocop was definitely in the equation. Robocop 2 had a female villain named Juliette Faxx (acted by Belinda Bauer). Quite interestingly, Reiko does wear or less the same hairstyle. I felt it was purely intentional and no coincidence. It's possible that Reiko herself was probably once a member of some powerful firm before creating her own firm. I guess, like Clarence Boddicker, Juliette was practically given an ascended extra in the form of Reiko. I guess Toei Ltd. decided to reimagine what if Juliette had her own sinister organization?
I don't know if it's true that Reiko was supposed to put her brain in the robot body. However, the plot was changed to where Cain (the drug addict) became the brain donor for the Robocop-2 model. Juliette went as far as to unplug Cain's life support AND use the brain. Juliette had her own sinister experiments. I even wonder if Reiko's initial desire to take control of Janperson was a throwback to the scenes Juliette had with Robocop in the movie. All we know is that Juliette was arrested for her reckless experiments.
Pretty much, Reiko was a lighter version of Juliette. We never had Reiko unplug anybody's life support and transfer it into a robot body. I still think Juliette had a role nonetheless in creating Reiko as a villain.
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