Recap: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 9 – Beat Up the Dragon!

Ex-Aid 9

Director Kagami and Emu are busy cleaning up the CR as the CEO of CR and the Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Health Hinata Kyoutarou will be visiting today. Emu is excited because Kyoutarou-sensei is the man who saved his life.

Ex-Aid 9

Kyoutarou-sensei arrives at the hospital, but is met by Graphite who activates the Gashat which debilitates Kyoutarou-sensei.

Kyoutarou-sensei gets brought into the CR. Emu wants to handle the examination himself. But Hiiro steps over his father bleeding on the floor and forces his way into the room. Hiiro wants to force the still-young Bugster virus out of Kyoutarou-sensei. Emu tries to stop him, but Hiiro shoves him to the floor and gets ready to henshin.

Something starts bubbling up from Kyoutarou-sensei. Emu will not allow Hiiro to be an asshole, so they both henshin. That drives the dragon Bugster out and Emu changes the stage to waterfalls in the forest.

Emu sees the Bugster is from Drago Knight Hunter Z. Graphite appears and says he wants to build a Bugster army using his new power. He stabs himself with the Drago Knight Gashat and morphs into a terrifying new form.

Ex-Aid 9

But Kuroto Dan has apparently planned and expected Graphite to steal the Gashat. Parado is amused.

Graphite takes on Hiro who wants revenge for the death of Saki. Emu takes on the dragon Bugster, but seeing it isn’t fully grown, Graphite whisks it away. Meanwhile, Taiga pops up at GENM and asks Kuroto where the 10th Gashat is. Wherever it is, Kuroto Dan says Taiga certainly won’t be the one to get it.

Ex-Aid 9

Emu is very upset at Hiiro’s recklessness and vows to save his Kyoutarou-sensei. Hiiro mocks Emu having his personal feelings affect his medical decisions. But Emu snaps back that Hiiro wanting revenge is the same thing.

Kuroto Dan walks in and says they must unite to defeat Graphite. He presents them a new, but incomplete Level 5 Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat. Kuroto says they need to defeat Hunter Gamer, the dragon, and obtain the data to complete it.

Emu and Hiiro fight over who will take on the challenge. Asuna tells them to calm down and Kuroto Dan says this game was designed for four players. They must work together because it is too dangerous to play alone.

Emu grabs it and is resolved to take this on himself.

Emu goes to Kyoutarou-sensei and vows to cure him.

As Hiiro sits down to enjoy some cake, his father tells him he shouldn’t have backed down. Hiiro says a doctor must always keep his emotions in check. He then asks his father why Emu knows nothing about the Compatibility Surgery. Director Kagami admits Emu never received it.

Ex-Aid 9

Kiriya is also looking into Emu’s medical history. The doctor just hands over all of his medical records. But it’s alright because Houjou Emu apparently had been sent to the morgue 16 years ago. The doctor mentions Dr. Kyoutarou operated on Emu.

Emu tells Kyoutarou-sensei how grateful he is for saving his life. That is why Emu wants to save other people’s lives in return. Kyoutarou-sensei advises Emu not to fight alone. He also admits that the public finding out about the Bugster virus is what would cause him stress. The Bugsters are likely planning a large Bugster virus epidemic.

Ex-Aid 9

Emu runs out of the CR and to downtown Tokyo. But Graphite has already released the virus out across the city. People are starting to collapse around Emu and he sees the virus coming from up where Graphite is on the roof.

Emu hurries up to confront Graphite.

Ex-Aid 9

Both Emu and Graphite henshin. Emu goes Level 2 and selects a forest stage by the river.

Ex-Aid 9

The dragon Hunter Gamer appears and Emu takes it on. Hiiro arrives to fight Graphite.

Taiga flies in and wants the new Gashat. Emu refuses, but Taiga shoots him in the back and delivers a Critical Finish. The Gashat goes flying and Taiga grabs it.

Ex-Aid 9

Parado watches from a tree and is a little disappointed Emu is getting knocked around so easily.

Emu responds with a power up coin and hits back at Taiga. He is able to retrieve the Gashat. Just then, the dragon swoops in and grabs Taiga. All Emu cares about is to save his sensei.

Kiriya enters Kyoutarou-sensei’s room and questions him about Emu’s surgery.

Emu borrows Hiiro’s weapon to deliver a Mighty Taddle Critical Finish at the dragon. Emu is then able to collect the data in the Gashat. Parado fanboys.

Ex-Aid 9

Emu activates the Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat and uphenshins to take on Graphite. But Emu suddenly goes crazy, spitting out fire and acting erratic. He is able to block Graphite’s most powerful attack.

Emu suddenly dehenshins and is back on the rooftop.

Ex-Aid 9

Episode Thoughts

Okay! That was a full episode. Lots of things to digest.

So, I think it’s been obvious that Emu’s near-death experience has something to do with his Rider compatibility. Kyoutarou-sensei is definitely hiding something. And if he did do something to Emu back then, he’d have been the first long before Hiiro and the others were even considered to get Rider-modified.

I kind of expected Emu’s doctor to be some kind of surprise reveal since they made a point to not show his face. But I guess they just didn’t hire an actor yet. lol

Anyway, I think the story has developed well. The developments this episode felt like they had ample build up instead of just coming out of nowhere.

First, Kiriya wanting to avenge his best friend’s death/suicide at the hands of the virus. Him digging into the past and figuring out how all this started is something he’s been about since we first met him. And he’s certainly getting close.

So we know Emu was near death, but apparently he was already sent to the morgue. And we’re led to believe Kyoutarou-sensei took him and fixed him right up, explaining how he’s Rider compatible now. But of course, there’s much more that just that which we are yet to find out.

Parado’s fanboying towards the end of the episode was very interesting since it seems to be planting the seeds at some sort of connection with Emu.

There was a lot of action this episode and the last third of it was almost too much insanity. But it was alright.

I was almost getting a little annoyed by Hiiro’s resting bitch face all the time. Him at the start of this episode felt repetitive so it was nice to see Emu snap back.

I enjoy when Emu gets fired up. It’s a nice contrast to his nice, clumsy nature. At least, it’s very amusing to see. But there’s inklings to that maybe being more than just one of Emu’s quirks.

Good things are definitely happening and things continue to move along.

2 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 9 – Beat Up the Dragon!

  1. Okaaaaaay, so it seems that Kyoutarou-sensei actually used Emu as a guinea pig for the Rider compatibility surgery. That brings in an interesting ethical dilemma regarding human experimentation. I am crossing my fingers that they would actually be able to build upon this, cause it ties in neatly with the whole doctor theme.

    I was under the impression that Kiriya mentioning that Emu had died and his body brought to the morgue after the accident was him lying again to get Emu;s medical records.

    1. That’s still weird because wouldn’t the medical records show he was still alive? And the doctor mentioned that the surgery couldn’t have been what killed Emu. Talk about ethics though, the doctor just giving out medical information so easily lol

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