All spoilers for Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Trilogy: Another Ending: Kamen Rider Genm VS Lazer and Zero-One Others: Kamen Rider Vulcan & Valkyrie are unmarked. You Have Been Warned!
- Written by: Yuya TakahashiDirected by: N/A
It's been sometime since Kamen Rider MetsubouJinrai blew up ZAIA Japan's headquarters, and Gai's looking to rebuild. Meanwhile, we learn that the Ark found another potential wielder before it and As were blown to smithereens, one who is also a source of ambition and hatred that transcended humanity like itself.
Gai Amatsu also has a new friend, a secretary HumaGear he named Rin, to help him build a new company. Unfortunately, one outbreak of Game Disease later the accumulated stress and the choice to set up office in MetsubouJinrai.Net's former hideout prove to be even worse for his health than expected. Things go downhill and into the rabbit hole from there. First, the Bugster that spawned from him is the Game Master, viral god, KUROTO DAN HIMSELF! Second, Kuroto proceeds to steal said secretary and try to convince her to join him instead. Now Gai has to fight him both for Rin's sake and his own life, because otherwise he will disappear and give the viral lunatic another lease on existence.
Tropes:
- The Bus Came Back: Kuroto and Masamune Dan return from Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Trilogy: Another Ending, with Genm vs. Lazer 3 years ago. This also makes Kuroto the first Legend Rider in a Reiwa installment. note
- And in another sense, Kuroto's usage of Action Gamer Level 2, which last appeared back in Ex-Aid Episode 11, nearly 5 years ago.
- Continuity Nod: Kuroto transforms via selecting with a kick, referencing Kiriya's method of character selection, who was the final victor in Genm vs. Lazer.
- Deus ex Machina: Kuroto attempts to kill Gai with a Mighty Critical Strike... only for time to stop and the familiar voice of the Bugvisor Zwei to ring out. Then Masamune Dan steps out, Rider Chronicle master Gashat in hand and ready to stop his son's rampage once more.
- Disease Bleach: Inverted. The usually golden Thouser has been stained black by the Game Disease.
- Finger Wag: Delivered to Rin by Kuroto to silence her.
- Expy Coexistence: This miniseries features three of the franchise's known Corrupt Corporate Executives — all coming from two series written by Yuya Takahashi, no less. And given how Gai is based on both Kuroto and Masamune right down to their similarities as they both share the same spotlight. And the real kicker, they both manifested from Gai's Game Disease.
- Foreshadowing: Another Bugster separates from Gai as he struggles to go after Kuroto. It turns out to be Masamune Dan.
- Forgot About His Powers: Aside from using them during his entrance, Masamune doesn't use his time powers at all while battling Kuroto, even though it would win him the fight
- A God Am I: Kuroto's rant about achieving godhood prompts Rin to ask Gai what's that all about. Naturally, he has no idea either.
- Greater-Scope Villain: The Ark, which is shown to still be active, is the one who infected Gai with Kuroto and Masamune's Bugster strains. Though since Gai corrupted the Ark, he's technically an even greater scope villain to himself.
- Ham-to-Ham Combat: The duel between Kuroto and Masamune is basically this.
- Hollywood Hacking: Kuroto can use Bugster virus to hack and control HumaGear.
- Incurable Cough of Death: The first sign of Gai's Game Disease.
- Late-Arrival Spoiler: Watching this special requires knowledge of Zero-One Others: Kamen Rider MetsubouJinrai's Sudden Downer Ending to understand why Gai's setting up shop in a decrepit concrete chamber all of a sudden.
- A Lighter Shade of Black: Gai is this to Kuroto, since the former made a full Heel–Face Turn while the latter is a case of a Heel–Face Revolving Door that is currently on Heel.
- Marionette Motion: Kuroto's movements are not as deranged as they could considering it's him, but they're still quite odd like when he bends over backwards to look at Rin instead of turning around to face her.
- No Sense of Personal Space: Kuroto sure enjoys getting handsy with Gai by rubbing his head or grabbing his chin among other things. It's creepy, ridiculous and very dissonant.
- Paint It Black: The Bugster infection turns Thouser's suit black, making it look like its Evil Counterpart Zaia.
- Power Creep, Power Seep: Kamen Rider Genm's Action Gamer level 2, a starter form, is able to stand toe-to-toe with Kamen Rider Cronus' Chronicle Gamer, which is the second most powerful form in their own series.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Thouser's new coloring is because they'd repainted the suit black to be used as Kamen Rider Zaia in Others.
- Worf Had the Flu: Thanks to the Bugster infection, Thouser is weakened and doesn't stand a chance against Genm. It gets taken up to eleven as not only does Kuroto use only Action Gamer Level 2, his normal form, but he sends Thouser rolling with a kick in his civilian form.
