Start the New Game!

This article is about an episode in Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.

Start the New Game!
Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 25
Air Date	April 2, 2017
Production Information
Writer(s)	Yuya Takahashi
Director	Shojiro Nakazawa
Episode Guide
Previous	Go Together, Embracing Your Ambitions!
Next	Players Who Bet on Survival

Start the New Game! (New game起動！, Nyū Gēmu Kidō!) is the twenty-fifth episode of Kamen Rider Ex-Aid. It features the debut of the Ride-Players from Kamen Rider Chronicle.

Synopsis

Recently, Emu has been feeling a little worried. He is very quiet and hasn't talked much since Poppy Pipopapo suddenly disappeared. Just then, Hiiro is shocked by the sheer number of emergency calls coming to CR, all reports of the game illness! As the only CR doctors, Emu and Hiiro rush to the indicated locations, but what they find there is an unbelievable sight...

Plot

Emu looks with horror at the scene before him of a group of identical Rider-armored people with various Gashacon weapons fighting Salty and his cook Virus henchmen; Parado walks up and welcomes him to the ultimate game.

Earlier that day: Emu is in CR with Hiiro, moping over Poppy's recent absence, but they receive an emergency call, then another, and another. Emu goes to a construction site and diagnoses a patient with a new version of Salty's game illness before they take out a Gashat and transform into a Ride-Player, racing off. Emu chases him to a crowd of Ride-Players fighting Salty and his cook Viruses; Hiiro has meanwhile found other patients transforming to fight Aranbura and his monk Viruses. They transform into Ex-Aid and Brave Action and Quest Gamers Level 2 to help, but the Ride-Players toss them back for interfering. A new person, Tsuji, walks up and triggers his own Gashat to transform before asking about a tutorial; Poppy Pipopapo appears to explain the game to Ex-Aid's surprise. At his clinic, Nico shows Taiga a commercial for Genm Corp.'s new game, Kamen Rider Chronicle: reality and virtual are mixed, players transform into heroes to fight Bugsters in the real world to gather trophies from beating 13 bosses and unlock the final boss. Salty easily knocks down the Ride-Players and leaves, but Poppy adds that throughout the game are rare characters called Kamen Riders who will drop special items when defeated; the Ride-Players turn and attack Ex-Aid and Brave. Brave covers his escape with Gashacon Sword flames, while Ex-Aid upgrades to Maximum Gamer Level 99, the Ride-Players seeing they're out-leveled and giving up. Only the first patient stays, but he collapses from the infection, and is taken to CR.

Taiga and Nico arrive at Genm Corp. and intercept CEO Ren Amagasaki, pointing out that Kamen Rider Chronicle was Kuroto Dan's idea; Hiiro also arrives and questions Poppy's involvement in the game. Ren dodges Taiga's question and tells Hiiro that Poppy accepted his offer to become the game's mascot. Hiiro and Taiga can tell that only trouble will follow. At CR, Emu explains the game illness to the patient, Tenma, who wants to defeat Salty himself to cure his own illness; Emu responds to another call. At their hideout, Ren congratulates Poppy on the new game's success and Poppy congratulates Parado on his dream coming true.

Emu finds Tsuji and five other Ride-Players fighting Salty and his cook Viruses again, transforming to Ex-Aid Level 2, but Salty reveals himself to now be Level 10. Ex-Aid tries using Mighty Brothers XX, but the Ride-Players attack the "rare character", stealing and using the Gashacon Breaker to knock him out of his transformation, grabbing up his other Gashats to get the Gashacon Key Slasher and Gashacon Sparrow (the Player who took Mighty Action X got nothing, as the Breaker was already claimed by someone else). Emu watches as the Ride-Players attack Salty and the Viruses, Parado walking up and welcoming him to the ultimate game, his dream. Parado then transforms into Para-DX Puzzle Gamer Level 50, removing Salty and his minions to face the Ride-Players himself; despite their new weapons, they are no match. Para-DX uses Speeding-Up, High-Jump, and Muscular Energy Items to power a Perfect Critical Combo, Hiiro, Taiga, and Nico arriving to see him hit and defeat the six Ride-Players, knocking them out of their transformations, followed by the announcement "Game Over". Tsuji tries triggering his Kamen Rider Chronicle Gashat again, but starts disappearing; Poppy arrives to announce that players only have one life, and those who lose and Game Over will die. The doctors can only watch as the players digitize and fade away, leaving Emu's stolen equipment behind. Parado untransforms, asks if Emu is having fun, and explains that Kamen Rider Chronicle isn't a game where humans defeat Bugsters, but where Bugsters defeat humans; it's now the disease's turn to hunt the people to extinction.

At their hideout, Poppy wants the players to have more fun, and Ren presents her with a bouquet of roses; inside are a green Gashacon Bugvisor and a new Gashat.

Cast

• Emu Hojo (宝生 永夢, Hōjō Emu): Hiroki Iijima (飯島 寛騎, Iijima Hiroki)
• Hiiro Kagami (鏡 飛彩, Kagami Hiiro): Toshiki Seto (瀬戸 利樹, Seto Toshiki)
• Taiga Hanaya (花家 大我, Hanaya Taiga): Ukyo Matsumoto (松本 享恭, Matsumoto Ukyō)
• Poppy Pipopapo (ポッピーピポパポ, Poppī Pipopapo): Ruka Matsuda (松田 るか, Matsuda Ruka)
• Parado (パラド, Parado): Shouma Kai (甲斐 翔真, Kai Shōma)
• Nico Saiba (西馬 ニコ, Saiba Niko): Reina Kurosaki (黒崎 レイナ, Kurosaki Reina)
• Ren Amagasaki (天ヶ崎 恋, Amagasaki Ren): Shinya Kote (小手 伸也, Kote Shinya)
• Graphite (グラファイト, Gurafaito): Shouma Machii (町井 祥真, Machii Shōma)
• Ren Amagasaki (Voice): Junichi Suwabe (諏訪部 順一, Suwabe Jun'ichi)
• Rider Gashat (ライダーガシャット, Raidā Gashatto, Voice): Hironobu Kageyama (影山 ヒロノブ, Kageyama Hironobu)

Guest Cast

• Tenma (テンマ, Tenma): Yukito Nishii (西井 幸人, Nishii Yukito)
• Tsuji (ツジ, Tsuji): Manahiko Unakami (海上 学彦, Unakami Manahiko)
• Construction Worker: Yoshihiro Sato (佐藤 良洋, Satō Yoshihiro)
• Salty Bugster (ソルティバグスター, Soruthi Bagusutā, Voice): Takeshi Maeda (前田 剛, Maeda Takeshi)
• Aranbura Bugster (アランブラバグスター, Aranbura Bagusutā, Voice): Dai Matsumoto (松本 大, Matsumoto Dai)

Suit Actors

• Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Level 2, Level 99: Seiji Takaiwa (高岩 成二, Takaiwa Seiji)
• Kamen Rider Brave Level 2: Jun Watanabe (渡辺 淳, Watanabe Jun)
• Kamen Rider Para-DX: Kazuya Okada (岡田 和也, Okada Kazuya)
• Ride-Players: Satoshi Fujita (藤田 慧, Fujita Satoshi), Eitoku (永徳, Eitoku)
• Salty Bugster: Akira Murai (村井 亮, Murai Akira)
• Aranbura Bugster: Hajime Kanzaki (神前 元, Kanzaki Hajime)

Rider Gashat

• Gashat Used:
  • Ex-Aid
    • Mighty Action X, Maximum Mighty X
  • Brave
    • Taddle Quest
  • Para-DX
    • Gashat Gear Dual
      • Perfect Puzzle
  • Various Ride-Players
    • Kamen Rider Chronicle, Mighty Action X (only for weapon), Mighty Brothers XX (only for weapon), Giri Giri Chambara (only for weapon)
• Level Used:
  • Ex-Aid
    • Action Gamer Level 2, Maximum Gamer Level 99
  • Brave
    • Quest Gamer Level 2
  • Para-DX
    • Puzzle Gamer Level 50

Energy Items

• Energy Items Used:
  • Para-DX
    • Speeding-Up, High-Jump, Muscular
  • Unused
    • Iron-Body, Instigate, Recover, Shrink, Giant, Invisible, Confusion, Emission, Liquefaction, Separation, Dark

Errors

• When Hiiro activates the Taddle Quest Gashat, its activation sound was not heard because the scene cut to Emu triggering Mighty Action X's Gashat in another location.

Notes

• As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside Uchu Sentai Kyuranger episode 8, Space.8: Secret of Commander Shou Ronbou.
• Viewership: 3.5%

• Closing Screen:
  • Text Color: Pink
• Count at episode end
  • Gashats in Ex-Aid's possession: Mighty Action X, Gekitotsu Robots, Shakariki Sports, Bakusou Bike, Giri Giri Chambara, Mighty Brothers XX, Maximum Mighty X, Tenma's Kamen Rider Chronicle
  • Gashats in Brave's possession: Taddle Quest, DoReMiFa Beat, Drago Knight Hunter Z
  • Gashats in Snipe's possession: Bang Bang Shooting, Jet Combat, Gashat Gear Dual β
  • Gashats in Para-DX's possession: Gashat Gear Dual, Dangerous Zombie
  • Gashats in Poppy's possession: Toki Meki Crisis
  • Gashats in the Ministry of Health's possession: Proto Mighty Action X, Proto Taddle Quest, Proto Bang Bang Shooting, Proto Bakusou Bike, Proto Gekitotsu Robots, Proto DoReMiFa Beat, Proto Giri Giri Chambara, Proto Jet Combat, Proto Shakariki Sports, Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z
  • Gashats in unknown possession: Ju Ju Burger
• Video Game References in this episode:
  • Poppy being a 'game navigator' for Kamen Rider Chronicle is a reference to first level/world game tutorials, where an NPC or the game itself explains to the player how to use the controls or do certain actions when starting the game for the first time.
  • Poppy saying that the Kamen Riders are "Rare Event" characters refers to certain MMORPGS where the players can encounter a rare event or a character to fight and get special gear or bonuses from completing the task.
  • Most of the Ride-Players behave erratically and keep playing despite the dangers of their Game Illness. This is a reference to actual video game addiction, as some gamers refuse to put down a game and keep playing even at the risk of their own health.
  • Taiga is shocked to find that Genm Corp.'s stock price has gone way up and soon after Nico reveals that Kamen Rider Chronicle is out in stores. Video game companies that produce a "killer app" that hypes consumers often has their stocks go up in value as the confidence of investors in that company increases and they purchase more shares of the stock. An augmented reality game of Kamen Rider Chronicle's caliber in the real world would have the same effect on an actual game company, as it would represent a huge advancement in technology and investors would want to be part of the profits that tech makes.
  • Kamen Rider Chronicle's box has a CERO rating, a ratings scale in Japan similar to America's ESRB ratings scale that determines whether or not a game is suitable for a family audience or a specific age group.
  • The long lines for Kamen Rider Chronicle reflect real life, as gamers will wait for hours outside a store on events such as Black Friday or the launch of a new game or console to make a purchase.
  • Para-DX's Critical Combo in this episode is similar in style to Spider-Man's Maximum Spider attack from the Marvel vs. Capcom series.

• Asuna trapped in the screen.
• Genius Gamer M laughing.
• New screen scene for Hiiro and Taiga.
• A Ride-Player's briefly showing.
• Tons of Ride-Players.
• Kuroto Dan has been edit out of opening.
• Nico inserted in between Kiriya and Kuroto's scene.
• Para-DX and Graphite, with a silhouette of Cronus in the screen.
• Poppy standing next to a screen.
• New transformation scene.
• Ex-Aid Double Action Gamer Level XX L & R now wielding Gashacon Key Slasher.
• New forms showing: Brave Fantasy Gamer Level 50.
• New forms showing: Snipe Simulation Gamer Level 50.
• New forms showing: Ex-Aid Maximum Gamer Level 99.
• Para-DX's Perfect Knock Out Gamer Level 99 is shown in the dark.
• Ex-Aid fighting Para-DX.

1/16

• This episode reintroduces the opening sequence to the series. Many changes have been made to the visuals to reflect events that have occurred in the series:
  • Poppy and Asuna have swapped places, with Asuna now being the one trapped in the screen.
  • As Emu is surrounded by the different game screens, instead of fading away, he now smiles and raises his Gashat while his eyes glow red, the game screens that surrounds him being fired as he does so signifies his role as the Progenitor of all Gashats and Bugsters.
  • The scene where Emu is seen walking next to a screen showing his "M" persona has now been replaced with similar scenes featuring Hiiro and Taiga, with the screen respectively showing Saki's death and Taiga's defeat at the hands of Graphite.
  • A Ride-Player is briefly seen during the brief shot of Emu in his "M" persona.
  • As Emu walks in front of Hiiro and Taiga, the three disappear after a while, and the background showing random civilians is replaced with one featuring tons of Ride-Players.
  • Due to Kuroto's death, he is no longer present in the scene showing the Riders holding up their Gashats. His and Kiriya's blank spots remain, though a shot of Nico Saiba was inserted in between.
  • The next scene after has Kamen Rider Para-DX and Graphite, with a silhouette of Kamen Rider Cronus in the screen next to them. The scene with Poppy standing next to a screen follows, though now with Kamen Rider Poppy added in.
  • Instead of the initial four Riders facing each other transforming into their Level 1 forms, Emu now stands in the middle transforming into Ex-Aid while being surrounded by Hiiro, Taiga, Poppy, Parado, and Nico, now all facing away, who also transform into their respective Rider forms.
  • The short battle clip during the chorus now features Ex-Aid Double Action Gamer Level XX, Brave Fantasy Gamer Level 50, Snipe Simulations Gamer Level 50, and Ex-Aid Maximum Gamer Level 99.
  • A brief silhouette of Para-DX Level 99 is seen facing off against the three main Riders.
  • Originally Ex-Aid was fighting Genm in the end, now his opponent is Para-DX Fighter Gamer Level 50.
• This is the first time since its debut that Taiga doesn't assume Snipe Simulation Gamer Level 50.
  • As a result, this is the first episode since its debut that the Gashat Gear Dual β isn't used.
• This is the first time Asuna assumes her Bugster form throughout an episode.
• The ending of the episode features the first appearance of the Buggle Driver II and the Toki Meki Crisis Gashat.

DVD/Blu-ray releases

• Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Volume 7 features episodes 25-28: Start the New Game!, Players Who Bet on Survival, Love & Peace for the Winner! and Beyond Your Identity.
• Blu-ray Collection 3 comes with 12 episodes.

Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Volume 7, DVD

Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Collection 3, Blu-ray

External Links

• TV Asahi's official episode guide for New game起動！
• Toei TV's official episode guide for New game起動！