Graphite

"Cultivate."

- Graphite's pre-battle catchphrase before transforming into his true Bugster form

Graphite (グラファイト) is one of the main antagonists of Kamen Rider Ex-Aid. As a Bugsters executive alongside Parado, his main goal is to annihilate the human race. Armed with the Gashacon Bugvisor, it is Graphite who is responsible for spreading the Bugster virus to infect victims, the first before him was Kuroto Dan.

As recorded by CR, Graphite is part of the High Tier of Bugsters within Kamen Rider Chronicle alongside Para-DX and Lovelica.

Origin
"At last! I'm finally complete!"

- Graphite after defeating Snipe

The boss of the Genm Corp. game Drago Knight Hunter Z, the character of Graphite was conceived by Kuroto Dan, the teenage son of Genm CEO Masamune Dan. As a Bugster, Graphite's origin is traced to the bug, which left what would be known as the Bugster Virus on the younger Dan's computer shortly following New Year's 2000. Secretly incubating the virus by infecting the young Emu Hojo with it, Kuroto Dan would arrange for its matured form to be extracted by Michihiko Zaizen ten years later, using it to execute the Zero Day incident in the following year.

Graphite himself was spawned as a result of Zero Day, having been born from Saki Momose, girlfriend of Dr. Hiiro Kagami. During the incident, Graphite faced Taiga Hanaya as Kamen Rider Snipe Proto Shooting Gamer Level 1 and successfully defeated him. By thwarting the doctor Rider's operation to terminate him, Graphite ultimately achieved his perfected form as Saki sucuumbed to the Game Disease and perished. Graphite inherited Saki's memories, which he knew as "save data".

Spreading the Bugsters
"Infection complete. The numbers of our comrades will soon grow greatly."

- Graphite reports Bugster's infection to Parado.

Five years after Zero Day, Graphite reported a new Bugster infection to Parado, proclaiming that they would soon be joined by an influx of comrades.

Continuing the spread, Graphite asked Parado if he was sure that they should not be acting directly, to which Parado conceded that he may as well introduce himself as he set off.

Catching up with his old nemesis, Taiga Hanaya, Graphite was stopped short of settling what began five years ago by Parado, who dared Taiga to clear the most games and become the strongest Kamen Rider before the two departed.

To create the next Bugster, Graphite infected coroner Yoshitaka Nishiwaki, kidnapping Niskiwaki's sister Riko to aggravate his stress.

Graphite was a central part of the Bugster's next scheme. In his human form, he "stole" the four Level 3 Gashats from Genm Corp. and infected Yoko Horiuchi with both the Gekitotsu Robots and DoReMiFa Beat Bugster strains.

Shamed by Brave
Graphite intruded on Dan's VR simulation, seeking to test himself as well. Questioned by Dan as to why he almost spoiled his identity as Genm, Graphite replied that no one cared about that. This vexed Dan who transformed into Genm Action Gamer from Level 1 Level 2, proceeding to prepare his Critical Strike finisher. Graphite asked him if he was serious about this to which Dan replied that he definitely was. Enduring Genm's Critical Strike, Graphite was defeated and so the simulation ended.

Back at Genm Corp., Graphite was still resentful following his defeat at the hands of Brave. Dan told him that he could have intervened but chose not to as a punishment for Graphite having ignored their plan and acted on his own accord. As well as that, Dan confiscated the Gashacon Bugvisor from Graphite for his own use. Graphite confronted Dan on Lazer being aware that he is Kamen Rider Genm only for Dan to retort that he had no proof while Parado told Graphite to calm down as the next game was beginning.

Drago Evolution
"With the power of this Proto Gashat, I can be the ruler."

- Graphite's proclamation before him used Proto Gashat.

Eavesdropping on Parado and Dan in the CEO's office, Graphite overheard Parado's warning that the Proto Gashats, while granting unlimited power, would eventually destroy their user. Willing to take this risk for greater power, Graphite later went to Dan's empty office and took the Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat for himself, unknowingly seen by Parado from a distance. Stepping out, Graphite, proclaiming to himself that he held the power to take the world now, triggered the Proto Gashat. Stabbing the Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z into his chest, Graphite cackled manically as orange and black streams of energy were released.

Last Plague
Following his evolution, Graphite personally confronted CR founder Kyotaro Hinata, whom he infected with a specially potent black Bugster Virus from the Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z. Vowing that the leader of his obstacles would become a sacrifice to his allies, Graphite took his leave as Hinata was rushed to care. Confronted by Ex-Aid and Brave as they embarked to save Hinata in the Game Area, Graphite revealed his new Dark form. Engaging the pair alongside the dragon Bugster Union formed within Hinata, Graphite easily overwhelmed the two Level 1 Riders because escaping with the dragon. Proceeding to create an army of new Bugster allies, Graphite dispersed his new potent virus across the general populace resulting in a mass epidemic. Confronted again by Ex-Aid now alone, Graphite engaged him again in the Game Area only to be met by Brave as Ex-Aid faced the now matured dragon. Having been given the refined Drago Knight Hunter Z by Dan, Ex-Aid unlocked the Gashat's power by taking down the dragon. Faced with Ex-Aid at his strongest yet as he assumed Hunter Action Gamer Level 5 Full Dragon himself, Dark Graphite unleashed his Dragon Fang of Rage only to have his technique overcome and beaten back by the out of control Level 5 Rider who was soon forced out of his transformation. With Ex-Aid was suspended from the Game Area, Graphite easily overpowered Snipe Combat Shooting Gamer Level 3 and Brave Quest Gamer - restricted to Level 2 with DoReMiFa Beat in Snipe's possession - as well as the late arrival of Lazer Chambara Bike Gamer Level 3, defeating the three divided Riders with the Dragon Fang of Rage. That night, Graphite observed with glee as cases of his virus continued to emerge and paralyze the populace with fear, looking forward to the prospect of soon subjugating humanity.

First Death
"I will never be defeated!"

- Graphite's last words before his final attack and defeat

Ultimately, however, Graphite was drawn to the Game Area for the last time as he was met by all four of his Kamen Rider opponents, Ex-Aid having overcome his rivals to lead them in a temporary team-up as they used the quartered Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat to each arm themselves with a piece of the Hunter Gamer. Though the four rival Riders found it difficult to fight in unison, they were nevertheless able to overcome their common enemy as they endured his Dragon Fang of Rage together. but the Riders easily block it. At least, each Rider struck to finish Graphite, triggering four Drago Knight Critical Strikes and firing a cavalcade of energy blasts; Graphite used his Graphite Fang blade to deflect as many of the attacks as he could, but eventually they got through and thus Drago Knight Hunter Z was cleared as Graphite was finally destroyed.

Post-mortem
With Graphite eliminated, the Bugster Virus that he had inflicted upon Kyotaro Hinata and numerous civilians was negated. The Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z was salvaged by Parado back in the real world; little did Graphite know, he had served as a pawn in the grand scheme of Kuroto Dan, which Parado was in on. Dan had infact allowed Graphite to take the Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z so as to finish the data collection he was performing with the Gashats through Graphite's ensuing fight with the Kamen Riders whom he provided with the refined Drago Knight Hunter Z. With the test performed, Phase One was completed and Dan moved to the next stage.

The Bugster Horde
Dark Graphite was part of an perpetually reviving army of Bugsters which emerged in the real world as a result of Kuroto Dan's plot to revive in the Game World. This endless horde was held off by Kamen Riders Brave and Snipe, sharing the Gashat Gear Dual β and Hunter Gamer between each other, while Emu was sent from CR to the Game World to stop Dan. Ultimately, the Bugster horde was suddenly dissipated in an instant as the destruction of the Game World brought about by Kazuma Kenzaki thwarted Dan's ambition to revive.

Kamen Rider Chronicle
As Parado takes over the completion of Kamen Rider Chronicle after Kuroto's death, he revives Graphite using data from the Bugvisor. Graphite, along with a brainwashed Poppy Pipopapo, are the final two Bugsters used to complete the data for Kamen Rider Chronicle.

Graphite revealed himself to his old nemesis Taiga, now accompanied by Nico Saiba. Daring Taiga to beat Kamen Rider Chronicle, Graphite promised Taiga that he would eventually face him one-on-one should he win enough times to reach his Level.

Learning of Lovrica's shaming at the hands of the Kamen Riders, Graphite wished to join the game but was held back by Parado who assured him that he would handle them for the time being. When Poppy experienced a flash of memory belong to someone else, Graphite explained that it was an example of the "save data" which she inherited from her late host just as he did from Saki Momose.

Graphite was surprised to see Emu Hojo arriving at his lair and greeting him only to soon learn that it was actually Parado returning after taking control of Emu's body. When Parado subsequently seperated from Emu, Graphite was eager to kill the doctor but was denied by Parado, who insisted that he would be the one to ultimately defeat M when the time is right.

Personality
"Fine with me. I'll smash you all up."

- Graphite's message to the four Riders, in the final battle before his first death

Unlike Parado, Graphite likes battle more than anything else and prefers to approach things more directly than Parado. However, he has no problem to follow his lead, showing great discipline and self-control. But strangely enough, he is later shown to be extremely impatient with Parado and his battle hungry traits become more prominent although that could be attributed to the Riders constant interference wearing out his patience. Unlike Parado, he's loyal to his race, and was upset when a Bugster was destroyed by the Kamen Riders. Eventually, his impatience resulting him in stealing Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat and using it to become Dark Graphite, before being destroyed by the Kamen Riders.

Upon being revived by Parado, his desire to defeat the Kamen Riders has not vanished. He challenges Taiga to clear Kamen Rider Chronicle by defeating all Low and Mid-Tier Bugsters in order to face him one on one. He also shows no sign of fear towards Masamune Dan, even when the latter transformed into Cronus and killed Lovelica permanently. Instead, he felt agitated and declared that the Bugsters will be the ones to defeat the Kamen Riders, including Masamune himself.

As shown in episode 34, Graphite seems to share the love of sweets with his host, as he was seen enjoying a piece of cake stolen from the CR. Also when he and Parado went into Kamen rider Chronicle's game world to get Gemdeus's data, Graphite volunteered to inject himself with Gemdeus's virus in order to replicate it, to make it up to Parado's choice of fighting alone while he was "dead", showing his deep relationship with Parado.

Equipment

 * Gashacon Bugvisor - Transformation & virus infection device. Originally Genm's standard side-weapon until Genm confiscated from Graphite, who later used it along with Bugster Buckle as his secondary transformation into Zombie Gamer Level X. Later regained sometime after his revival.
 * Bugster Buckle - First Bugster form only. Never been used in any means
 * Graphite Fang (グラファイトファング) - Graphite's personal double-bladed pole-arm weapon.
 * Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat - Secondary transformation & virus infection device.

Portrayal
Graphite is voiced, and later portrayed, by Shouma Machii (町井 祥真). As Graphite Bugster, his suit actor is Kazuya Okada (岡田 和也).

Etymology
to be added