Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Episode 7 Live Reaction

Kamen rider Ex-Aid Episode 7 – The Reason for Some Lies Live Reaction

One thing I do admit is kinda annoying about this series is that they often don't actually mention the name of the Bugster of the week in the episode. But for reference: the Bugsters that use the Gashats are called Collabos Bugsters.

The episode begins with a nightmare of Kujos' were he finds a person dead in the morgue before waking up in his hospital bed where he's been recovering from nearly dying at Genm's hands. Okay, call me intrigued.

An old man was listening in and notes he had a nightmare before his daughter visits...and he tells her not to visit her so often and they have an argument...when the Gaming Disease activates...More to this than meets to eye.

To Kujo's credit, he does the right thing and takes the old man to the CR...but isn't allowed to do much more given, well, he was JUST in the hospital himself.

Meanwhile, Graphite is still enraged by his loss to Brave, but Pallad isn't very annoyed, rather he's excited.

Kuroto arrives and notes he COULD have helped Graphite, but chose not to to punish him for acting without permission.

Now you see, here's the confusing thing: just who's in charge here. I THINK Pallad is in charge, but Kuroto seems to have a good deal of decision making power.

Like being able to keep Graphite's transformation trinket, the Bugvisor. Graphite then says something interesting: are you gonna use it?

Now, here's the thing: YES, Genmu has used it as a weapon, but it also is used for Graphite to switch between his monster and human forms. I wonder if there's more to that question.

He then points out that Lazer knows Kuroto's true identity, but Kuroto counters he has no proof and Pallad seems to be viewing all of this as a game.

Back at the CR, Hiiro's dad is praising him, but he isn't found of the constant praise. Given what we learned last episode, I can see WHY. But Kujo uses this argument to sneak back in.

As for the patient, we find something out: like the last Victim of the Week, he has two different sets of symptoms, meaning two Bugster strains incubating inside him.

Hiiro might have gained a bit of respect for Emu, but he still tells him to stand down and let him handle this...and Emu refuses to leave it to him. However, this time Hiiro isn't annoyed nor shows signs of anger. He just accepts it. So that's some development.

The two transform as the Bugster Union emerges, the two Bugsters united as a single double headed serpent.

While it's IN their base, I imagine it's better designed to handle this kinda thing, given that's the ENTIRE POINT of bringing them there.

However, Kagami meanwhile is a bit downtrodden about the argument with Hiiro...until he hears the sound of the monster fight. Apparently the room isn't meant for the ENTIRE monster fight, but seemed durable enough for at least the opening STAGES until they can Stage Select to a more fitting location, in this case a beach.

And it's actually pretty dang cool to see those two fight together like this, not butting heads. They destroy the Union and yeah, it WAS two Bugsters. Also, the man's name is Yoshio.

As with the last one, each is a Collabos Bugster with a stolen Gashat in their head. One is called Giri Giri Chambara, a samurai Hack and Slash game. The other one is...Emu doesn't get to tell us because Genmu arrives. You know, you'd think they'd make that Stage Select feature transport them to more SECURE locations...but then again, Genmu is the one who MAKES THE FREAKING THINGS so it stands to reason the locations ARE secure, but he knows them like the back of his hand.

The heroes decide to do the same thing as Genmu and skip the small stuff straight to Level 3 and a multistage battle takes place with Ex-Aid fighting the Giri Giri Collabos and Brave fighting Genmu, but before more can happen, the Bugster and Genmu flee.

Also, something to note, is that whenever Giri Giri Collabos slashed and Ex-Aid dodged, he got a 'Miss' pop up effect, I think that probably has to do with his game.

Taiga was monitoring the situation from a distance and heads out, apparently knowing something about this. Also, the fact he was able to track them lends credence to the idea Kuroto can do the same.

Back at CR, the group discusses the situation, acknowledging it was Genmu's interference that let the Bugsters escape. Also, I should note one thing: the heroes DON'T know Genmu's actual name, merely calling him 'the black Ex-Aid'. I like this little tidbit, as Genmu is ALSO the name of the company, so that'd be a red flag for his identity if he let that slip.

However, Kujo arrives and states they'll need his help if they want to deal with the Black Ex-Aid. When questioned on WHY he keeps getting involved, he starts to tell the same lie from before...and Emu instantly calls him on it, as does Hiiro about him saying Genmu was Graphite's human form.

He goes for the 'you can't handle the truth' argument for why he lied.

Asuna points out that he is logically up to something and Hiiro agrees, leaving. Followed by Emu to check on the patient, leaving Kujo alone.

Yeah, that's the problem with lying pal, people don't believe you when you actually tell the TRUTH.

Hiiro, however, decides to do some fact checking.

Back with the patient, his daughter, Shiori, arrives to visit him. Yoshio does the same 'why are you visiting me' speel from before, and Shiori counters by pointing out she's been helping him all this time. And she needs to get back to work.

Emu interrupts the argument (again, stress makes the gaming disease worse) and explains it...while Kujo watches and actually looks somewhat sad. And has flash backs to explaining the disease to a friend of his who had it...who reacted as one would to learning they had a fatal illness...and runs off.

Yoshio fires his daughter Shiori...yeah, let me guess: he's driving her away so he doesn't hurt her if he dies.

However, Kujo arrives and remarks, in his opinion, Emu is 'so honest it hurts to watch' and he better learn to deliver bad news... “Telling the truth is not always the right thing.” Yeah, I think I get what's going on with him now.

Kujo backs off and looks genuinely shaken...and after regaining his composure, points out that yes, Yoshio is driving his daughter away so she can have her own life. However, before this can go further, the Bugster virus accelerates...and Kujo points out the obvious: the Bugster is targeting his daughter to stress him out more, which is indeed true.

They find Giri Giri Collabos chasing Shiori and Kujo offers to partner up with Emu again to destroy it, since as established, his Level 2 form is useless on his own...but Hiiro shows up and says he looked up Kujo's record and the man is simply impossible to trust and transforms to Brave Level 2 (okay, good, Level 2 isn't just being thrown away) and gets into a sword fight with Collabos...until Genmu shows up and interferes, forcing Emu to trust Kujo who claims 'I'm being honest today'. Emu decides to trust him, at least right now (not that he has a choice given the situation).

The two of them take on Collabos in their Level 2 forms, the speed edge letting them outspeed Collabos' sword slash and destroy his sword. Nice use of the speed advantage. Also interesting is Ex-Aid uses the Bakusou Bike Gashat in the Gashacon Breaker for a Critical Finish rather than in Lazer's finisher slot for a spin out slash that kills Collabos and nets them the Giri Giri Chambara Gashat and lets them go help Brave, who's fairing better but still on the defensive against Genmu.

Ex-Aid let's Lazer use the Gashat (guess cause he already HAS a Level 3)...and instead of being a motorcycle upgrade, Lazer's Level 3 is a combination of him and the helper droid the Gashat summons, giving him a humanoid, samurai inspired form. I'm going to say this: it's cool, but honestly my least favorite LOOKING of the Level 3 designs. Also makes me wonder how the heck the toy version will work.

Lazer confronts Genmu...and spills his secret identity for all to here, revealing he did indeed see him transform into Genmu.

In Genmu's defense, he just calmly Levels up into Level 3.

Lazer summons his new weapon: the Gashacon Sparrow, a bow and airror that splits into two hand held scythes. Cool weapon!

Lazer decides to prove his claim by attacking Genmu.

And...while all this has happened, Taiga has tracked down the OTHER Collabos Bugster and is fighting it. Huh, wondered where that one had gone. Also, this Collabos is able to fly and the fight is pretty much a shoot out. Unfortunately, the Collabos escapes. See you next week!

Lazer and Genmu continue their fight, which is fairly even and Lazer's Level 3 has a pretty cool fighting style and fight music. Still not my favorite design, but cool fight. The fight ends with a Giri Giri Critical Finish from the Gashacon Sparrow in bow mode...which creates a RAIN of arrows.and forces Kuroto to detransform...

But Pallad rushes in during the explosion and shields him.

When the smoke clears...Pallad now has the Belt instead of Kuroto, and pretends it was him under the mask the entire time...

Credit where it's due to the bad guys, that was a brilliant move on their part.

Pallad and Kuroto comment after Pallad escapes that they've effectively discredited Lazer.

Back with the heroes, Hiiro reveals that Kujo's friend didn't die from the Bugster virus, but of a traffic accident and accuses him of just using them to get his Level 3 before leaving.

...And we learn that Lazer's friend's traffic accident...was because he told him the brutal truth about his condition...

So that's why he's a liar: last time he told the brutal honest truth, it got his friend killed...I appreciate this show for making me see these characters as jerks then showing me how they got that way and make me feel sorry for them.

Kujo lies, again, telling Emu Hiiro was right and he shouldn't trust so easily before leaving...Poor Emu...

Overall, good episode, and made me feel for Kujo when I didn't before, but ALSO shows the damage lying, no matter for what reason, can do. And I did find Pallad competent and give the baddies props.