Recap: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 17 – A Nonstandard BURGSTER?

Ex-Aid 17

Poppy gives Emu the day off from the CR to rest after Director Kagami gives him a day off from surgical training. Emu is enjoying a game and a burger downtown… until he meets a big Burger Bugster.

Emu informs the CR and chases the Bugster to a parking garage. A man tells the Bugster he should’ve stayed in the car and waited while got hamburgers.

Ex-Aid 17

Asuna arrives and Emu confirms the man has Game Syndrome, but the man says the Bugster is not a bad guy.

Ex-Aid 17

Taiga and Nico arrive. She begs him to beat M up then calls Asuna an eggplant. Taiga suggests he and Emu duel to see who can defeat the Bugster first. But Parado arrives and henshins so it’ll be a 2-on-2 fight.

But as they fight the Bugster, the patient grows weaker and weaker. Emu realizes what’s wrong as Taiga brutally shoots and tries to kill the Bugster. The man hands Emu a JuJu Burger Level 4 Gashat to help save his friend.

Ex-Aid 17

Emu decides to try it out and he uphenshins to Burger. He shoots at Taiga to stop him from killing the Bugster and whisks him away from harm. Parado is intrigued.

Nico asks Taiga how could he have possibly lost to the “skating asshole.” Taiga appreciates Emu’s quick thinking.

Ex-Aid 17

Emu and Asuna bring Koboshi Tsukuru to the CR and he introduces them to Burgermon. Tsukuru is from the development team at GENM and has been trying to keep the company together after Kuroto Dan went missing by creating this new game.

The JuJu Burger game was infected and spread to him, causing Burgermon to emerge. But Tsukuru hugs Burgermon once he sees him. Tsukuru sees Burgermon as his son.

Emu explains that the Bugster will take over Tsukuru’s body. Burgermon decides it’s best that he leave. But Tsukuru says he can’t live without him.

Ex-Aid 17

While Burgermon shows Poppy how to play JuJu Burger, Emu struggles with what kind of possible treatment he can could give Tsukuru. Hiiro arrives from his full day of surgery and immediately wants to kill the Bugster who are “humanity’s enemies!” Poppy says not all Bugsters are bad.

A sad Burgermon realizes it is his destiny to die someday.

Ex-Aid 17

Parado reports the interesting developments to Kuroto Dan. It’s very interesting how someone other than Kuroto was able to make a Gashat. Kuroto Dan wants to eliminate it.

Next day, Burgermon is gone, but has left a message on fresh pickles. Emu is able to unscramble the message to say “I will cure Tsukuru.”

Burgermon is trying to attack people downtown. Nico orders Taiga around and tells him to kill the Bugster before Emu arrives.

Burgermon is resigned to the fact that getting killed is what’s best for Tsukuru. He is very grateful for all Tsukuru has done for him and the moments they’ve shared.

Ex-Aid 17

Emu, Poppy and Tsukuru arrive and Burgermon puts on his act as he resumes trying to attack people with ketchup. Taiga shoots at him some more which causes Tsukuru’s stress to rise dramatically.

Emu henshins to stop Taiga.

Tsukuru asks Burgermon why he is doing this. Burgermon says he’s been tricking him all this time and that he’s actually a dangerous enemy character. But Emu knows Burgermon is just putting on an act so he can die and save Tsukuru.

Not all enemy characters must be defeated! Emu says. Poppy agrees. She remembers that if a player gets Burgermon’s hamburger orders right, he will be happy. “He’s a loveable monster!”

Ex-Aid 17

Emu uphenshins to JuJu Burger. Taiga tries shooting at the all the ingredients Burgermon is tossing at them, but Emu knows how to play the game. He skates along and makes as a pretty heart burger with a JuJu Critical Strike. Emu presents Burgermon with his order and he is so happy, he cries. That’s a Game Clear for Emu and Tsukuru’s Game Syndrome is gone.

Nico scolds Taiga for not knowing how to play the game.

Emu wonders why Burgermon is still here. But Poppy is sure that making him smile is the condition to clear the game, not to defeat him.

Ex-Aid 17

Burgermon and Tsukuru happily reunite. That is until they are all transported to a different stage. Kuroto Dan and Parado appear. Kuroto Dan wants to eliminate the unlicensed game while Parado wants Emu to play with him. They both henshin.

Emu and Taiga fight Kuroto and Parado. Parado uses Speed and Muscle power ups to knock both Emu and Taiga off their feet. He then delivers a Critical Combo at them to force them to dehenshin.

Ex-Aid 17

Parado picks the JuJu Burger Gashat up as Kuroto Dan summons zombies. Burgermon pushes Tsukuru away and fights the zombies himself. But it’s too much for him to handle as the zombies overpower him.

Burgermon tells Tsukuru to continue making the games of his dreams even if he’s gone.

Burgermon explodes and dies.

Ex-Aid 17

No one can believe Kuroto Dan’s disgusting move. But Emu is absolutely enraged.

“Helping a Bugster, did your body make you do that?”

Ex-Aid 17

Back in their lair, Parado questions Kuroto Dan as he thought they were only supposed to retrieve the Gashat, not to kill the Bugster. Kuroto Dan says no games shall be created as long as he is gamemaster. Parado says he should delete the game data then, but Kuroto Dan claims ownership to the game and to not lump the Gashat and Bugster together.

Ex-Aid 17

Kuroto Dan says he will create Kamen Rider Chronicle where each Gashat is important.

Episode Thoughts

Aww man. I’m a sucker for the nice, innocent MOTWs who have to get killed. In that sense, this episode certainly added more examples of Kuroto Dan being a raging madman lunatic. He’s basically what Zyuohger‘s Ginis was supposed to be, except without a chill pill.

Also, it’s another example of Bugsters not necessarily being all bad monsters. Poppy being the first we learned about. And now Burgermon. We don’t know yet what Emu’s Bugster is, so maybe that one might be another as well.

I will say that I was definitely more affected by Burgermon’s death than anything the show has done since Kiriya’s death. lol Even though I just knew what was going to happen and that Kuroto Dan would be the one who eventually finishes him off.

It was also good to see at least one other person who works at GENM and that it’s not only Kuroto Dan. Tsukuru’s little story helps fill out that little plothole I think.

The JuJu Burger uphenshin was fun. And I guess it definitely matched well with Burgermon’s personality. (Though the rubbing noses between Tsukuru and Burgermon was very awkward lol) Looks like Toei got good use of these roller skates:

Elsewhere, I don’t know what they ‘re doing with Nico, but she was especially annoying this episode. I can feel Taiga’s pain. Though they’re playing it off like they’re some old married couple. I guess that’s a different direction for them to go with. But if Nico is merely here to just tug on Taiga’s face and wait until he admits his feelings for her, then I don’t know if that’s really worth all the time and effort. We’ll see.

I guess without Gashats, Hiiro is unnecessary to the greater plot for now. So having him pop in and remind us he’s actually a surgeon outside of the CR was a nice little detail.

And finally, I definitely enjoy #EmuRage. Like I’ve mentioned before, the sharp contrasts, split personality have been intriguing to watch. Seeing him relaxing with a game and burger at the start of the episode then slip back into noble Emu for most of the ep and then to the ultimate #EmuRage scene at the end; it was all fun to watch.

Overall, I enjoyed this episode very much. The most satisfying and enjoyable episode for me since the Christmas murder of Kiriya. (Well, as enjoyable as the death of a likeable character can be lol)

0 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 17 – A Nonstandard BURGSTER?

  1. I initially thought this one was filler content for a movie and nearly did not watch it. My only gripe with this type of mini-stories is that they pop out from nowhere then end without having any effect on the plot (*cough* Roimude 027 *cough*). Luckily, it did, edging it closer to the reveal of Emu’s condition. Though, it was a missed opportunity for them connecting this to the fact that Asuna herself is a Bugster. That would have really built the dilemma more. Im kinda worried now that they seem to be dropping that little plot detail.

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