 This article is about a villain in Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.
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- "In this whole world, I love you."
- ―Ren Amagasaki's motto[src]
- "You are no longer a valuable product to me. Toki Meki Crisis is out of print."
- ―Kamen Rider Cronus's final words before killing off Lovelica with his Critical Crews-Aid finisher.[src]
- "Lovelica... is dead?"
- ―Parado's horrifying confirmation of Lovelica's death at the hands of Kamen Rider Cronus.[src]
Ren Amagasaki (天ヶ崎 恋, Amagasaki Ren) was the third CEO of Genm Corp.. His true identity was the Lovelica Bugster (ラヴリカバグスター, Ravurika Bagusutā) from the game Toki Meki Crisis, transforming into it by using the Gashacon Bugvisor.
As recorded by CR, Lovelica is part of the High Tier of Bugsters within Kamen Rider Chronicle alongside Para-DX and Graphite. [The Forbidden Continue!?]
History[]
Background[]
Lovelica is born from the date of the Genm Corp. game, Toki Meki Crisis, conceived by Kuroto Dan. As a Bugster, Lovelica's origin is traced to the Y2K 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.
After Lovelica became a Perfected Bugster and assumed a human form, he took on the name "Ren Amagasaki" and also became the third CEO of Genm Corp. following the disappearance of Kuroto Dan. Under his watch, an in-house competition was held, led by Tsukuru Koboshi and his development team, to create a new game to save the company.
Kamen Rider Chronicle[]
Ren in Genm Corp. office.
Ren Amagasaki arrives at CR and meets Asuna Karino as he explains one of the Game Illness patients, Sora Iwamoto, and her band were auditioning to play the theme song for Genm Corp.'s newest game, lamenting that the company may be forced into bankruptcy if the game is delayed. Not wanting to see her "birthplace" shut down, Asuna reveals her true identity as Poppy Pipopapo, a Bugster from Genm Corp.'s DoReMiFa Beat game. He visits Sora, but tells her that her band wasn't selected; the stress from this causes Motors to reemerge. As Poppy tries to leave, Amagasaki says he wants her to sing the new game's theme song and she complies with singing PEOPLE GAME. It is later revealed to be his strategy to brainwash Poppy while she is separated from the Kamen Riders. Revealing himself and the brainwashed Poppy to Parado and their fellow Bugsters, Amagasaki witnesses the completion of the Kamen Rider Chronicle Gashat.
Sometime afterwards, Kamen Rider Chronicle was released to the public much to the surprise of the Kamen Riders regarding the impromptu release of the game. Hiiro Kagami, Taiga Hanaya, and Nico Saiba went to confront Amagasaki over this, but to no avail.
As customers of the game began to decline following the Ministry of Health's warning, Amagasaki made the public announcement that if there's a victor who clears Kamen Rider Chronicle, all the disappeared victims of the Bugster Virus will be revived. He even transformed into a Ride-Player likely for safety appeal. When confronted by the Doctor Riders, Amagasaki revealed his true nature as the Lovelica Bugster and accompanied by his entourage, the Lovely Girls. While the Kamen Riders had a hard time making a hit against the Bugster due to Toki Meki Crisis' effect that makes him invulnerable to violent attacks, Nico's insults were enough to literally hurt him and caused him to withdraw.
Following his humiliation, Lovelica had remained hidden from his fellow Bugsters as he was trying to recuperate the damage received from Nico's insults. During that time, Ex-Aid was able to free Poppy from Lovelica's brainwashing.
With the low and mid tier Bugsters all bested, Lovelica, Graphite and Para-DX remained as the high tier Bugster left of the game, thus a confrontation against the Doctor Rider trio, now joined by the revived Genm, was inevitable. Haima Kagami was also infected by Lovelica's infection after becoming a Ride-Player himself. After Masamune Dan had finally been released from prison after being acquitted for his crimes, Amagasaki was angered that the original founder reclaimed his office from him and warned him not to use the Gashacon Bugvisor II as Kuroto created it to be used by Bugsters.
Demise[]
Lovelica, permanently destroyed by Kamen Rider Cronus.
- "It's finally time to see who will be crowned as the victors."
- ―Ren Amagasaki prior to the final battle.[src]
Alongside Graphite Level 99 and Para-DX, Lovelica faced the four Kamen Riders in a final confrontation. Engaging Brave Fantasy Gamer once more, Lovelica summoned his Lovely Girls to support him. Seeing Brave overpowered by Lovelica's charm, after Ex-Aid Maximum Gamer destroy the Lovely Girls to allow Lovelica to be rendered susceptible to Brave's attacks. However, the battle was interupted by the arrival of Masamune Dan, revealing his true intentions to take over Kamen Rider Chronicle. Masamune uses the Gashacon Bugvisor II to become Kamen Rider Cronus and displays his Pause ability to terminate Lovelica in battle, remarking that Toki Meki Crisis is "discontinued". This shocked Parado and Graphite as Lovelica was incapable regenerating due to him being destroyed while time stopped, meaning Lovelica is permamently dead.
Other Events[]
Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Trilogy: Another Ending[]
Lovelica was revived by Kuroto Dan after he escaped from CR's custody and the Bugster had brainwashed Saki Momose to his disposal. He appears himself to Hiiro Kagami and declares that Saki is now his. Although Lovelica against him as Brave Taddle Fantasy, his advantage of being unable to be harmed allowed him to emerge victorious. He is also revealed to be tied with Saki's lifeline meaning if he is destroyed in battle, Saki's data will erase once more. Lovelica is also the target to Taiga Hanaya due to his infection affecting Luke Kidman. At night, Taiga transformed into Kamen Rider Cronus and use Pause to free Saki from Lovelica's influence. After defeating Cronus in battle, Lovelica was finally vanquished by Brave Legacy Gamer Level 100.
Kamen Rider Genms -Smart Brain and the 1000% Crisis-[]
When Gai Amatsu commissioned a Humagear to learn Genm Corp.'s business history, the Humagear had initially encountered an error with the learning process. As Rin proceeded to investigate, she discovers that the process had summoned Amagasaki as well, since he too was also a former president of the company. Eventually, Rin manages to find Kuroto Dan and chooses him for the Humagear to assume his form, causing Amagasaki to be erased yet again.
Personality[]
Returning to his office, Ren confronts Masamune Dan.
He is shown to be somewhat vain, shrewd, and flirtatious, as shown as when he 'fell' for Poppy twice (first while being Asuna and second while she revealed her Bugster form). He also tends to exaggerates his actions and be rather dimwitted. This was shown when he told Sora Iwamoto her audition failed, thereby increasing her stress and precipitating her infection to break out.
In reality, Ren is a manipulative person who could brainwash others with an unknown method, although so far, this only works for Poppy.
Most of his traits are from those of simulation games.
Powers and Abilities[]
As confirmed that he is a Bugster with a human form, similar to Graphite, Parado and Poppy Pipopapo.
- Mind Alteration/Reset
- As shown with Poppy Pipopapo, Ren is able to use mind alteration/reset on women to do his bidding. When he used this ability, his eyes glow in a bluish-indigo color.
- Self-Digitization
- Much like most Bugsters, Ren is able to traverse between the real world and the digital world.
- Voice Disguise
- Ren is able to switch between two different voices; one being used when posing as Genm Corp.'s CEO, and another being his true voice, used when he drops the CEO facade while speaking with the other Bugsters.
- Fire Breath
- In his human form, Ren can breath fire.
Forms[]
Lovelica Bugster
- "Infection! Let's Game! Bad Game! Dead Game! What's your name?! The Bugster!"
- ―Transformation Announcement[src]
By using the Gashacon Bugvisor, he can assume this default monster form, though unlike Graphite, he does not need to attach the Bugvisor to its handle.
Lovelica's Level was never identified, though he was observed to be a match for Level 50 Kamen Riders and was viewed by CR as equal to Level 99 Bugsters Graphite and Para-DX.
- Powers and Abilities
-
- Invulnerability
- Originating from a dating simulation, any physical attacks and bullet attacks, or any violent attacks as he describes them, do not work against him.
- Attack Reversal
- Besides his immunity to physical attacks, he can redirect an enemy's bullet attack back to themselves and his surrounding enemies.
- Lovely Girls (ラヴリーガールズ, Ravurī Gāruzu)
- Lovelica's Bugster Viruses, taking the form of a harem of maids. They can also help him empower his attacks via his charm towards women. However, due of Ex-Aid's reprogramming, his harem is destroyed, allowing him to become vulnerable to physical attacks.
- Weaknesses
-
- Women's Rejection
- He can take a huge amount of damage when being insulted and rejected by females, to the point of de-transforming himself. Causing Lovelica being 'heartbroken' from love.
- Maximum Mighty X
- Like all Bugsters, Lovelica is susceptible to being reprogrammed by Maximum Mighty X.
Ride-Player
- "Enter the Game! Ri-Riding the End!"
- ―Transformation announcement[src]
Statistics
- Height: 198.0 cm.
- Weight: 96.1 kg.
- Ability Parameters
- Punching power: 5.0 t.
- Kicking power: 9.0 t.
- Maximum jump height: 25.0 m.
- Maximum running speed: 100 m. per 8.0 sec.
Ride-Players are the "Kamen Rider" form used by civilians to play Kamen Rider Chronicle. To transform into a Ride-Player, a person must activate their Kamen Rider Chronicle Gashat, and press its button again to transform. In this form, all Ride-Players are equipped with the Ride Weapon, which can transform between a sword and a gun.
They also have the ability to use other Gashacon Weapons used by the Riders by stealing their Gashats and activating them, as shown when several Ride-Players stole Emu's Gashats and activated them to summon the Gashacon Key Slasher and Gashacon Sparrow. However, this ability is limited, as if a Ride-Player takes away the Gashacon Weapon for the corresponding Gashat (seen with the Gashacon Breaker of Mighty Action X), no matter how many times another Ride-Player activates the Mighty Action X Gashat, another Gashacon Breaker will not appear.
Ride-Players detransform by pressing the Kamen Rider Chronicle Gashat's button again. Where they store the Gashat while transformed is unclear.
Currently, this form has no formal finisher.
Ren briefly used this form during a live broadcast by Genm Corp. to promote Kamen Rider Chronicle.
This form is exclusive to Ex-Aid Episode 27Equipment[]
- Gashacon Bugvisor - Primary transformation device.
- Kamen Rider Chronicle Gashat
- Ride Weapon (default weapon)
- Blade Mode
- Gun Mode
Behind the Scenes[]
Portrayal[]
Ren Amagasaki is portrayed by Shinya Kote (小手 伸也, Kote Shinya). His other voice for his true form is voiced by Junichi Suwabe (諏訪部 順一 , Suwabe Jun'ichi), who is also the narrator for Ex-Aid. In his initial cameo, he was portrayed by an unidentified stand-in. As the Lovelica Bugster, he is portrayed by suit actor Hajime Kanzaki (神前 元, Kanzaki Hajime).
Etymology[]
Lovelica's name, when translated to his Japanese text name "Ravurika" is a pun to "love freak", henced by his home game world and his personality.
Concept Art[]
Lovelica Bugster concept art
Lovelica Bugster was designed by Katsuya Terada (寺田 克也, Terada Katsuya).
Notes[]
- Loverica Bugster is the only Perfected Bugster whose human host remains to this day unknown.
- On April Fool's Day in 2022, Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club jokingly announced a Kamen Rider Lovelica (仮面ライダーラヴリカ, Kamen Raidā Ravurika) special to be released on April 1, 2066.[1] The next day, the TTFC officially announced a special titled Kamen Rider Genms -Smart Brain and the 1000% Crisis- featuring Amagasaki.
Appearances[]
Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
- Episode 18: The Truth Exposed (obscured cameo)
- Episode 24: Go Together, Embracing Your Ambitions!
- Episode 25: Start the New Game!
- Episode 26: Players Who Bet on Survival
- Episode 27: Love & Peace for the Winner! (debut as Lovelica Bugster and brief appearance as Ride-Player)
- Episode 28: Beyond Your Identity (mentioned only)
- Episode 29: We're Me!? (mentioned only)
- Episode 31: The Forbidden Continue!? (image only)
- Episode 32: Judgment Received! (death)
- Episode 33: Company Reform! (flashback; archive footage only)
- Episode 35: Rescue the Partner! (flashback; archive footage only)
- Episode 39: Goodbye Me! (flashback; archive footage only)
- Episode 40: Destiny Reboot! (mentioned only)
- Kamen Rider Ex-Aid "Tricks": Kamen Rider Para-DX (image only)
- Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Trilogy: Another Ending
- Kamen Rider Brave & Snipe
- Kamen Rider Para-DX with Poppy (flashback; archive footage only)
- Kamen Rider Genms -Smart Brain and the 1000% Crisis-
Sources[]
- Uchusen Yearbook 2018 - Pages 8 (Ren Amagasaki)-9 (Bugster)
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