Emu is injured, but he wants to defeat Graphite as soon as possible to stop the epidemic that’s spreading quickly. Kyoutarou-sensei scolds Emu for being so careless with his own life especially when he’s supposed to be a doctor. He says Emu and the others must work as a team, just like a team of surgeons and doctors and nurses work on a patient together.
Kyoutarou-sensei points out that he had his own team of various people who helped to save Emu’s life before.
Asuna helps Kyoutarou-sensei back to his room. Emu slumps on the floor, lamenting how being a genius gamer is pointless in the grand scheme of things when he didn’t even consider relying on others.
Meanwhile, Hiiro, Taiga and Kiriya are arguing while trying to fight the Bugster who just sends them flying and back into the city onto a rooftop.
Emu joins them on the roof. He apologizes to them and suggests this is a time for them to work together as a team. The three have no interest in playing with each other. Kiriya then brings up the fact that Emu can henshin without having gone through the Compatibility Surgery.
The three guys leave Emu and Asuna on the rooftop.
Parado and Kuroto Dan are watching from above.
Graphite smiles as he watches more people getting taken in with the virus. He looks forward to his comrades rising.
Kyoutarou-sensei tells Director Kagami to take care of the CR when he’s gone. Meanwhile, Emu and Asuna are still on the roof. Emu is crying and upset he was not able to bring everyone together. Asuna tells him not to give up.
Hiiro is getting treated by his two personal nurses when Emu calls and humbly says he will give Hiiro the Drago Knight Gashat.
Hiiro meets with Emu next morning. Taiga and Kiriya also show up. They were all apparently promised the Gashat.
Emu’s eyes suddenly glow and his gamer smile appears. He tells the guys to play against him if they want the Gashat. Asuna is surprised by Emu’s early shift into game mode.
They all henshin. The three go Level 3. Emu goes Level 5.
Parado happily watches the game start, intrigued
Emu has no problem knocking the three of them around, but the three manage to send an attack that forces the Drago Knight Gashat off him. The three attempt a Critical Finish at the Drago Knight form, but it ends up releasing four virtual Gashats for four players.
That was Emu’s plan all along. The four each grab a Gashat and face Graphite who also henshins.
The four guys uses their Fang, Blade, Gun and Claw Gashats to all go Level/Gear 5. Poppy pops in to watch the battle.
With a Drago Knight Critical Strike, the guys are able to blow Graphite up. Poppy is excited.
But the Gashats eject themselves and return to its one form and back into one Gashat which Parado picks up.
The three want the Gashat, but Poppy says it’s a draw. They leave. Emu realizes working together won’t be as easy as he thought.
Hiiro reconsiders his vengeful reasons for fighting and being a doctor.
Kyoutarou-sensei recovers and congratulates them on a job well done.
Kyoutarou-sensei thanks Emu who thanks Kyoutarou-sensei.
Parado is with Kuroto Dan and says they have all the data they need now. The test is complete, Kuroto says. And it’s time to move on to the next phase.
Episode Thoughts
So no big bombshells this episode, but I still enjoyed it. Probably because we got to see more of gamerEmu.
gamerEmu has been very fascinating. Like, I still don’t know if that shifting into game-mode/split personality kind of thing is just a simple quirk or an effect of whatever happened to him as kid or what makes him Rider compatible.
Another interesting thing about this episode though was that we didn’t really get any insight into Kyoutarou-sensei’s possible involvement. Other than Kiriya suggesting that the surgery that saved Emu’s life is suspect, Kyoutarou-sensei was basically treated like a simple victim of the week. Hmm…
Anyway, I just really enjoy seeing the different sides of Emu. I admit, the clumsy doctor and genius gamer contrast has really worked. Especially as we’re getting more into the actual story now and with more action.
I don’t know what to think about the Gaim-like vibe between the four Riders so far. At least until we learn more about what Kuroto Dan is doing with them.
I’m more interested in Emu and whatever connection he might have with Parado/Parad/パラド. There definitely seems to be something there so that’s something to look forward to.
Kinda sad Graphite is gone already, if he really is. I should never assume that anymore lol
Overall another good, enjoyable episode.