Recap: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 22 – Engineered History

Ex-Aid 22

While Poppy freaks out about Kuroto, Emu is resolved to stop him.

Hiiro takes a proactive approach by asking to see Kiriya’s personal belongings at the coroner’s office. He looks through Kiriya’s laptop and finds information on Reprogramming.

Meanwhile, Kuroto is in his lair seeing that all he needs left are Bugsters from DoReMiFa Beat, Shakariki Sports and Drago Knight Hunter. Suddenly, the Ministry of Health barges in to raid his hideout and take him in for questioning on the charge that he spread the Bugster virus.

Ex-Aid 22

Kuroto sinks to the floor, but starts being overtaken by the virus.

Emu gets the call and he and Poppysuna head out to find the Charlie Bugster from Shakariki Sports attacking the Ministry officials. Emu henshins to Mighty Brothers.

Taiga and Hiiro arrive and see Parado is enjoying the show as well. The three of them decide to battle. Hiiro goes Level 2 while Taiga goes Level 50.

Ex-Aid 22

The Emus are able to force the Charlie Bugster back into its host… which is Kuroto.

Kuroto collapses to the ground. Seeing him, Parado decides to leave. The others approach Kuroto who cannot believe he has become infected with the virus. The Ministry officials arrive again to take Kuroto into custody. Kuroto says he doesn’t want to die yet.

Emu stops the Ministry officials and asks if he can take Kuroto to the CR to be treated. As a doctor, he must care for the patient. Hiiro backs Emu up and the Ministry backs off.

Ex-Aid 22

Kuroto is grateful to Emu. Taiga can’t believe they’re serious. But Hiiro says for Kuroto to atone for his sins, he must be cured and recover. Taiga doesn’t agree and says as soon as he has his new power, he’s coming back for Kuroto.

Emu thanks Hiiro who says he shares Emu’s feelings in wanting to avenge the dead.

Ex-Aid 22

Taiga and Nico are at GENM to pick up the brand new Monk of Temple Gashat Tsukuru has completed. Everyone in the room has a strange aversion to monks, but Hiiro arrives with the data from Kiriya’s computer to ask for the new Gashat.

At the CR, Kuroto is struggling. Asuna castigates Kuroto who takes it, but Emu stops her. He asks Kuroto directly why he’s doing all this.

Ex-Aid 22

Kuroto decides to tell Emu everything. He says this all started with Emu. In 2000, Kuroto was developing games for GENM Corporation like a wunderkind, but was very full of himself. He received a fan letter from Emu with ideas for new games. Emu vaguely remembers sending a letter.

Kuroto could not stand someone else being a more talented game developer than him. So he used the Bugster virus in the hopes of creating the ultimate game.

Kuroto sent Emu a sample game. Emu now remembers how excited he was receiving it. But Kuroto says it was that game that infected Emu.

Kuroto gets a virus attack and Emu’s eyes start glowing red again.

Ex-Aid 22

At GENM, Hiiro explains that the data being installed on the Gashat relates to Genetic Reprogramming in which they can manipulate DNA. He hopes this can be used against Bugsters and especially Kuroto.

Suddenly, an army of Bugsters arrive at GENM and wreak havoc. Taiga hands Hiiro the Level 50 Gashat so he can use the new Gashat himself. Hiiro reluctantly takes it and hurries to fight the Bugsters. Nico says Taiga did that just to keep the risk on himself.

Ex-Aid 22

Back at the CR, Kuroto continues to explain that it was six years ago at the tournament that the Bugster had fully grown in Emu. That’s when Kuroto had the surgery performed on Emu to extract the grown Bugster which was then used to spread the virus.

Ex-Aid 22

Kuroto gets on his knees, saying he knows he’s done the unforgivable and is ready to be punished.

Ex-Aid 22

But Emu says it’s alright. What they need to focus on now is to cure Kuroto of his Game Syndrome. As a doctor, he cannot hold a grudge against his patient even if he is a raging lunatic who wants to commit mass genocide.

Kuroto is grateful to Emu and his shining crystal heart. But the Bugster emerges from Kuroto and Emu henshins. They change the Stage.

The Gashat has finally finished installing the Reprogramming. Taiga takes it and joins Hiiro downstairs. Taiga tries to use it to uphenshin, but it doesn’t work. He tries it again, but it forces him to dehenshin.

Ex-Aid 22

The two Emus deliver a Critical Strike at Charlie Bugster and they clear the game. Kuroto gathers the data and laughs.

Kuroto says Emu has been a great help. He’s been playing Emu this whole time as he injected himself with the virus during the raid this morning to just gain himself some time and hide in the CR. It was all an act.

Ex-Aid 22

Kuroto says Emu has been so innocent and pure which only fed Kuroto’s ambition even more. Emu was the perfect guinea pig.

“Your entire life has been manipulated by my hands!”

Ex-Aid 22

Kuroto henshins and easily knocks the Emus down. He activates a Critical Dead which summons GENM copies which forces Emu to dehenshin and fry his Driver. Kuroto says he’s corrupted the Driver so Emu can no longer henshin.

Kuroto leaves. Parado has been enjoying the show and notes that Emu’s Final Game seems to have started.

Back at GENM, Hiiro is also forced to dehenshin just as a slicked-back hair and suited Kuroto arrives to take his seat in his old office.

Kuroto is excited for Chronicle.

Ex-Aid 22

Episode Thoughts

I was expecting a bigger impact, but this was an okay episode. It was a very procedural sort of episode, kind of checking things off to help lead into whatever climax is on the horizon.

First, I never really thought about Kiriya having found more stuff out than was shown. So it was nice to see Hiiro go digging and finding something. I do hope whatever that info/data Kiriya uncovered goes to something meaningful. But I can already assume it goes to activating the new toy next week.

With Kuroto’s Oscar-worthy performance in the CR, it felt kind of obvious early on that there was something fishy going on. So him acting and merely using the opportunity to gather even more data for Chronicle was expected and predictable. Though at the same time, I was expecting something much bigger from the preview last week. Because, like I mentioned, anytime someone goes shirtless on toku, sh-ts about to go down. But I didn’t really feel like it did this week.

I’m not sure what to make of the revelation that Emu’s cute crayon drawings basically triggered Kuroto into becoming a homicidal maniac. Maybe he already had some mental issues to begin with? But I think maybe the triggering and him basically being used as an incubator and then Patient Zero was merely to get Emu into that “Part of this is my fault?!”/”I feel bad, but I must fight to fix it!”/”Imma take high road and not kill you right now, but you’re still going to pay.” mentality.

Maybe to just lead in to whatever new toy pops up next week, or if it has longterm effects on his personality and his fighting philosophy. We did see his red eyes appear again, so I guess that’s also another lingering mystery about Emu’s condition too.

I do think that maybe they could have played up Emu apparently being a fan of Kuroto’s when he was a kid. Or at least of GENM’s games. But maybe playing up Kuroto being some wunderkind and Emu actually being a fan of his could’ve opened up some interesting possibilities at this point of the season.

Elsewhere, Taiga blowing into his Gashat was amusing. We’ve all been there. lol And Kuroto was looking and moving like a Titan this episode too. lol

Ex-Aid 22

Overall, it was an okay episode. I was expecting much more. But hopefully all this set up leads to a satisfying climax.

0 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 22 – Engineered History

  1. I thought this episode was pretty cool.

    Good characterization for Kuroto and Emu and more focus on their past. I like it, but I feel like there might be more to this than we think. Also, Nico’s reaction to Kuroto taking over GENM was hilarious.

    Next episode was pretty neat, too. It’s subbed already, if you want to watch it.

Share your thoughts!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top