Category:Bugsters

The Bugsters (バグスター), otherwise described as game illness (ゲーム病), are a type of computer virus and the main antagonists of Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.

Background
The Bugster virus is a variety of computer virus, born from glitches caused by Y2K. The original Bugster virus was secretly injected into Emu Hojo, and extracted 10 years later to create the basis for all modern strains. Unlike most malware, the Bugster infects human beings, replicating until they take over their host's bodies, eventually causing the host to disappear and be completely taken over. The only way to treat the victim is to use the Gamer Driver to remove the Bugster from the host and then destroy it before the virus completely takes over.

Many patients appear to be singled out and infected directly with the Gashacon Bugvisor. The growth of the virus within the patient is triggered by stress, leading to a weakening of the patient's immune system. When it first flares up, the infection takes over its host's body, transforming it into a giant virus-like Bugster Union monster. Bugster Unions which host patients can only be defeated by a Kamen Rider in Level 1; the reason why is unexplained, though it may be because other Levels are too strong and may injure the patient inside the Union. Once the Union is defeated, the Bugster itself manifests from the virus debris, and can call Bugster Virus foot soldiers to help them fight. The patient begins fading away, eventually will fade completely and die, letting the Bugster become a complete being.

There are two ways to cure the patient from Game Disease: The only currently known complete Bugsters are Graphite and Poppy Pipopapo. If a patient dies from some other means first, it appears as if the Bugster connected to them will also eventually die.
 * 1) Defeat the Bugster who infected the patient.
 * 2) Perform a "GAME CLEAR" according to the rules of the game that the Bugster infected, so the Bugster may survive depending on the rules.

The appearance and personalities for Most Bugsters are initialized from characters from the video games that they have infected. However, some Bugsters can later develop their own individual personalities by breaking their character motifs.

As hinted by Parad, unlike humans/riders who will be "Game Over" if killed, Bugsters can always "Continue" to infect more victims. It was demonstrated by the reappearance of Salty Bugster. It was later revealed that Bugsters who have achieved their complete forms can be brought back at any time whenever they are destroyed.

If a Bugster is killed or before gaining a stable body, they can be absorbed and preserved into a Gashacon Bugvisor in a form of data, as an efficient way to ensure the survival and the existence of Bugsters. They also can be released in any time.

Bugsters can also "Level Up" like game characters, in a similar manner of the mutation of general viruses to survive vaccines.

Origin
Though long kept a secret, the Bugster virus was born from a computer glitch in the year 2000 caused by the Y2K event, appearing on the laptop screen of then-teenage programmer Kuroto Dan.

Kuroto would later install this original version of the virus into a game known as Mighty Action C, and sent it to a fan of his known as Emu Hojo, causing Emu to become the first person to be infected with the Bugster virus. The virus would continue to mature in Emu's body until 2010; having watched over Emu, Kuroto hired Michihiko Zaizen of the Next Genome Institute to operate on Emu and harvest the virus. The harvested virus was then modified and infected into Genm Corp.'s game lineup to create at least ten unique strains.

Zero Day
The first Bugster outbreak took place in 2011 through an event designated "Zero Day". CR was founded by the joint efforts of the Ministry of Health and Seito University Hospital to fight the Bugsters. Kuroto helped design the Gamer Driver and Proto Rider Gashats as a method of counteracting the virus. Unknown to anyone else, Kuroto was merely using the Riders and the Bugsters as an opportunity to gather data for better games.

While the outbreak was mostly contained, there were at least three casualties, including Heiji Uesugi's son and Saki Momose (coroner Jungo Aihara was also infected, but he died in a car accident before the virus could manifest). The Rider for CR, Taiga Hanaya, lost his medical license for failing to save Momose. Genm Corp. CEO, Kuroto's father Masamune Dan, was framed for the outbreak and arrested for bio-terrorism.

Second Outbreak
In 2016, the Bugster virus re-emerged. The first known victim was a boy named Sota Suyama, who was infected by the Salty Bugster. Hoping to make the boy feel better (and not realizing the severity of the condition), his doctor Emu Hojo brought him to the release of Mighty Action X, where the Bugster took over Sota's body. In the resulting chaos, Emu was able to use the Gamer Driver and become Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, removing the Salty Bugster and defeating it, saving Sota.

Soon, more Bugsters began to appear as they were fought and defeated by the Kamen Riders. Graphite tried to start off a second Zero Day by using the Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat to spread the Bugster virus over a widespread area, but he was later defeated by the Kamen Riders. In an effort to find out the truth behind Zero Day, medical examiner Kiriya Kujo went to Masamune Dan, but Kiriya was later killed at the hands of Masamune's son Kuroto.

As part of his masterplan to complete Kamen Rider Chronicle, Kuroto began to create leveled-up Bugsters such that he could collect their data once they were defeated. But after Kuroto was killed, Parad took over his project in his own way.

Chou Super Hero Taisen
As Kamen Rider Para-DX, Parad joined in the Chou Shocker Taisen, fighting in a temporary alliance with his Rider adversaries as well as against the army of Shocker from the Game World.

The Perpetual Horde
As a result of Kuroto Dan's plot to revive in the Game World, an endlessly reviving horde of Bugsters emerged in the real world where they were held off by Kamen Riders Brave and Snipe while Emu was sent from CR to the Game World to stop Dan. Ultimately, the Bugster army was suddenly dissipated in an instant as the destruction of the Game World brought about by Kazuma Kenzaki thwarted Dan's ambition to revive.

"Tricks": Virtual Operations
Bugster Virus appeared in virtual simulation where Ex-Aid and Snipe was testing their powers.

Kuroto Dan simulated his own Proto Mighty Action X Gashat and faced Graphite who sneaked into VR world. When asked why, Graphite simply said that he needed to test his competence, too. Dan then transforms and activates his Critical Strike finisher using the Kimewaza Slot Holder and cleared the simulation by beating Graphite.

"Tricks": Kamen Rider Genm
Collabos Bugster in his prime body reemerged with Proto Gekitotsu Robots and Proto Giri Giri Chambara installed. After quick battle with Emu, who used Kaigan Ghost, Full Throttle Drive and Toukenden Gaim Gashats, he falls on the hands of Kamen Rider Genm, who uses the power of the Legend Rider Gashats to complete his Ganbarizing Gashat. Using the blank Collabos Bugster as a conduit to harness the power of Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing, a game Emu is unfamiliar with, Genm brings forth manifestations of Kamen Riders Double, OOO and Fourze.

Team of Bugster viruses appeared in the Game Area of Famista where they encounter Brave acting as baseball pitcher. Back in the real world, Poppy Pipopapo discovers the inert Collabos Bugster which she is unable to budge, projecting a blank Game Area which soon enough manifests as Ganbarizing, causing it to come back to life and go berserk before Ex-Aid arrives, allowing Poppy to get away. Taking out the Ganbarizing Gashat from the Bugster's head, Ex-Aid inserts it into his Gashacon Breaker, performing its Critical Finish to destroy the Bugster.

Major Bugsters

 * Parad (Kamen Rider Para-DX)
 * Graphite Bugster
 * Dark Graphite Bugster
 * Lovrica Bugster

Minor Bugsters

 * Salty Bugster
 * Aranbura Bugster
 * Revol Bugster
 * Motors Bugster
 * Collabos Bugster
 * Collabos Bugster (Gekitotsu Robots)
 * Collabos Bugster (DoReMiFa Beat)
 * Collabos Bugster (Giri Giri Chambara)
 * Collabos Bugster (Jet Combat)
 * Collabos Bugster (Legend Rider Stage)
 * Hatena Bugster
 * Burgermon Bugster
 * Gatton Bugster
 * Vernier Bugster
 * Kaiden Bugster
 * Charlie Bugster

Combatmen

 * Bugster Virus

Other Bugsters

 * Emu Hojo/Genius Gamer M (Kamen Rider Ex-Aid)
 * Poppy Pipopapo/Asuna Karino (Kamen Rider Poppy)
 * Genomes
 * Robol Bugster
 * Giril Bugster
 * Doral Bugster
 * Futago Bugster

Gallery
Major Bugsters=