Bugster Virus

The Bugster Virus (バグスターウイルス) are the foot soldiers of the Bugsters in Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.

The Bugster Virus initially start off as a micro-sized virus infecting humans. Bugster-infected may either show symptoms akin to normal human illnesses, or even show no symptoms at all. The Bugster Virus begins to develop inside an infected human as they begin to get stressed out, until the human is physically taken over and covered by the virus, transforming them into a gigantic virus-like Bugster Union.

Once a Kamen Rider in a Level 1 form extracts the virus from its human host by defeating the Union, the human host is released, while the extracted virus becomes a person-sized Bugster monster accompanied by a few Bugster Virus foot soldiers. The human host's body will gradually become transparent until he or she is "treated" by destroying the Bugster monster and the Bugster Viruses. If the Riders fail to defeat the Bugster monster and the Bugster Viruses fast enough, the human host will disappear completely like it happens to Saki Momose when Taiga fails to defeat Graphite. This process can be sped up by causing the host additional stress.

It appears that some games, like Bakusou Bike, also employ neutral Bugster Viruses.

Large-sized versions of Bugster Virus cells are seen in the Mighty Action X game as enemies that Mighty faces.

Salty Bugster Virus
A group of Bugster Viruses form with the Salty Bugster from small viruses that jumped off of Sota's giant virus form, many of them taking on chef/cook costumes. They fight against Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Action Gamer Level 2, but are quickly destroyed by the Gashacon Breaker.

Aranbura Bugster Virus
A group of Bugster Viruses form with the Aranbura Bugster after Rensuke's giant virus form is defeated, some of them taking on the same cook costumes as Salty's followers, but many becoming hooded monks; they escape the scene after Kamen Rider Genm's interference. The regular and monk Viruses later fight and are defeated by Ex-Aid and Brave and their Gashacon Breaker and Sword (the cook Viruses presumably changed costume prior to this).

Revol Bugster Virus
The Revol Bugster summons a group of Viruses when confronted by the Kamen Riders. Because of Yuki Kitami's high stress level, it can continue to summon more and more Viruses as the Riders defeat those present, even being able to turn them into copies of itself. However, when Yuki recovers from his stress, it loses the ability to summon more, and it is revealed that the Revol Bugster summoning the Viruses was itself a Virus copy of the real original a split second before it is destroyed.

Motors Bugster Virus
One Bugster Virus becomes the Motors Bugster's motorcycle, the Motors Viper. Another is seemingly summoned by the Bakusou Bike Gashat, acting as the race's checkered flag waver, and does not need to be fought and defeated to achieve a Game Clear.

Ex-Aid Team Up with Ghost
A pack of Bugster Viruses manifested to advance on Ayumu, the mysterious boy who carried the Shakiri Sports Gashat. Moving to defend the boy, Takeru Tenkuji engaged the Bugsters as Kamen Rider Ghost before being joined by Kamen Rider Ex-Aid as the Viruses were soon enough destroyed by the two Kamen Riders. After the Gashat was swiped by Kamen Rider Genm, a second pack of Bugster Viruses appeared but were quickly destroyed by the two Riders, with Ghost performing his Omega Drive Rider Kick while Ex-Aid utilized his Gashacon Breaker.

DoReMiFa Collabos Bugster Virus
The DoReMiFa Collabos Bugster summons a group of Bugster Viruses dressed as street dancers in hoodies and jeans to fight Ex-Aid and Brave. They are eventually defeated by the Beat Gamer's Sound Trap Attack.

Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z
A cloud of black-colored microscopic Bugster Viruses are released from the Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat by Graphite to infect Deputy Director-General Hinata and others. The Bugster Union released from Hinata's infection behaves differently from any other before, separating from his body instead of taking him over.

Arsenal

 * Tridents
 * By default, Bugster Viruses without costumes are armed with trident weapons.


 * Costume-themed Weapons
 * When they take on a costume, they become armed with weapons/tools/objects relevant to their costume.
 * As Japanese monks, the Bugster Viruses wield wooden rods.
 * As chefs/cooks, the Salty Bugster's Bugster Viruses wield whisks, large metal bowls, and/or staff-sized wooden spoons.
 * As hooded monks, the Aranbura Bugster's Bugster Viruses wield mace staffs.
 * As soldiers, the Revol Bugster's Bugster Viruses wield military guns.
 * The Motors Bugster's Virus takes the form of a motorcycle with a Virus head mounted in front of the handlebars.
 * The flagman Bugster Virus from the Bakusou Bike game holds a checkered flag.

Costumes
Bugster Viruses may equip themselves with various weapons and costumes during battle relevant to the Bugster they serve beside.

Portrayal
The Bugster Viruses are portrayed by various suit actors.