Recap / Kamen Rider Saber Ep 1 In The Begininng There Was a Flame Swordsman

In the Beginning, There Was a Flame Swordsman.

Original Airdate: September 6, 2020
Written by: Takuro Fukuda
Directed by: Takayuki Shibasaki

Summary

They see you as small and helpless;
They see you as just a child.
Surprise when they find out that
A warrior will soon run wild.

Tassel: Bonne lecture, my friends! My name is Tassel.
This is a bit sudden, but books are quite the novel thing, aren't they?!
Absolutely everything can be found in books, like unknown knowledge or experiences.
This world we live in was created from an extraordinary book.
That book is the source of all myths, stories, living creatures, scientific techniques, and more, as well as containing all of human history.
Swordsmen, chosen by the Holy Blade, have been keeping the peace by protecting that book.
But one day, some bad people who wanted to snatch it away appeared, and the book was split and scattered!
The battle between the two sides has continued for countless years, and they fight even to this day...

Renowned novelist and owner of the Fantastic Kamiyama Bookstore, Touma Kamiyama, wakes up after seeing a dream where Wonder World suddenly pops up on Earth. Amidst a war between several Kamen Riders, Touma helplessly witnesses a little girl crying for help, until a swordsman saves her, leaving a Wonder Ride Book was left in Touma's hands. As Touma takes his editor in charge of his latest manuscript, Mei, to give a child his latest story, the sky suddenly changes, as Touma is caught in the crossfire of a war between a monster and a Rider...

Episode tropes

• As You Know: Touma and Mei discuss each other's occupations and personalities in detail. Megid members also monologue about what they are doing.
• Book Ends: The episode starts and ends with Tassel talking to the viewer.
• Calling Your Attacks: Touma does this when he's summoning Kaen Jyuujizan to defeat the MOTW in its giant form.
• Cliffhanger: Rintaro appears in the bookstore and asks Touma to hand over Saber's gear.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Naturally, as it is the first episode. When Touma wields Rekka and transforms into Saber, he instantly turns the tide and defeats the Megid no problem.
• Downer Beginning: Touma's flashback shows Megids attacking the town, Luna getting sucked into Wonder World, and the previous Saber performing a Heroic Sacrifice.
• Early-Bird Cameo: Kamen Rider Espada appears in the ending theme.
• Easter Egg: The Forest Wizard picture book from Kamen Rider Wizard makes a cameo appearance in Fantastic Bookstore Kamiyama.
• Foreshadowing: The opening narration shows that Sword of Logos had 10 swordsmen, who are the Riders of this season.
• Imagine Spot: Touma reading Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves to kids takes place in one of those.
• I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Touma's childhood friend Luna gets Trapped in Another World and it's unclear what happened to her, but Touma feels extreme guilt about it. Almost happened again with Mei.
• Living Crashpad: Mei lands on Touma when he saves her.
• Only the Chosen May Wield: Rintaro says that "no ordinary Homo sapiens" can use Kaenken Rekka, which Touma seemingly disproves by becoming Saber.
• Or Was It a Dream?: Touma has a dream about his childhood, but doesn't understand any of it until Megid reappear in the present day.
• Pinky Swear: Touma holds Luna by a pinky before losing her. While it's not shown, Touma believes he did promise something back then.
• The War Sequence: Tassel's narration shows a fight between massive armies of Sword of Logos and Megids.

---

Tassel: A section of the city suddenly disappeared, and was moved to another world.
That certainly was an unexpected event!
However, Touma, who was caught up in the incident, transformed and returned the city to normal.
That is what they call fate.
But who is the young man riding a lion, I wonder?