Tokusatsu Review: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Another Ending 2: Paradox with Poppy (Spoilers)

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 Welcome back to Ending 2 of the Ex-Aid Gaiden movies. For those who missed on the final exploits of Brave and Snipe here's the link for the review. Now that that's taken care off we can move on to the trials of the two Bugster Kamen Riders, Paradox and Poppy. I have to admit I'm definitely looking forward to this one since unlike Brave and Snipe who've been Kamen Riders since the start of the show we're getting screen time with one who was a villain for the majority of the show as well as one of the rare female Riders who haven't been killed off. (Ok she technically died by the end of the show but I knew she would resurrect before the last episode ended since she's a perfected Bugster which could only die for good by the power of Chronos, BTW I called it ever since she debuted as a Rider!)

 After the cold opening we open on Parado just chilling out on the helipad bored out of his mind since  he can't think of any way to help Emu since there's no need to transform. Poppy comes by to remind him that this is one of those problems that's good to have and encourages him to find a way to help CR in his own way. That's when Dr Feelgood (who I remind you all is EVIL) comes by with a job she needs Parado's help with. After Poppy leaves Feelgood pulls out a Bugvisor and steals not only Parado but Builds catchphrase! Later on Emu and Poppy meet with Feelgood and the new CEO of Genm Corp Tsukuru Koboshi (the guy who created Juju Burger and its good Bugster; Burgermon) to see the results of their collaboration.

 That being "Let's Create a Bugster" a Bugster cultivation game that's apparently capable of restoring humans from raised Bugsters. Emu's more then happy to be the first test player and starts it up, his Bugster that he has to raise, is Parado.

 No, no Brick he just has a different hairstyle, dresses in all black and doesn't seem to have all of his gaming skills but that doesn't mean he isn't Parado I mean come on! Koboshi points out that the collar Parado's now wearing isn't because he's going through his experimental phase but to gauge how close he is to becoming human. Poppy in the meantime will be raised by Feelgood while Emu focuses on Parano.

Sure thing Parado, now put on the gimp suit, bring me the meatballs, get on all fours and call me Daddy!

 While Emu spends some time with his new boy toy Feelgood and Poppy get started. After Poppy indulges in some fans fetishes in-between her Wonder Woman homages Feelgood gets her on track by having her put on a wedding dress. This particular dress causes Poppy to flashback to when her host; Dan Sakurako was trying this same dress with her soon to be husband Dan Masamune. Once she regained those memories Feelgood sucks her into the Bugvisor. Back with the boys Emu notes Parano's lack of gaming skill but he just writes it off as being out of practice. Afterwords Parano drops the act after shooting him in the shoulder with the Bugvisor 2's gun.

 Emu passes out from the pain and is rushed to intensive treatment. Afterwords he tells Kujo what happened who goes off to confront Koboshi who doesn't know what happened. He does tell him however that he was collaborating with Feelgood on the project. He goes to confront her who feigns innocence and walks off after he brings up her father again from the first movie; that he was the one who inspired her to become a Gene Therapist. So where's the real Parado and where did Parano come from? Those are answered in Feelgood's hideout at the remains of the Next Genome Research institute.

 She abducted Parado to swap him out with Parano, binding him in cables that contain Level 0 Data so he can't muster any strength. She reveals that she's working with Kuroto to "raise Parado again from scratch". Back at the hospital Kujo shares with Emu the result of his research into Feelgood. Apparently when she was young her parents divorced and she went with her mother leaving behind her father, Zaizen Michihiko aka Dr Pacman! Since he was the one who originally extracted Parado from Emu Feelgood was able to extract Parano from the revived Dan Masamune. Since both Masamune and Emu were patient Zero of the Bugster virus she was able to extract Parano from Masamune's original strain.

 So wait does this mean that the purest form of Bugster is Parado? I mean it has to be since Parado is extracted from the original strain and both Emu and Masamune have that strain.

What I'm getting from this is that Parado is the Kid Buu of Bugsters. Albeit without the mindless homicidal rage, destructive nature and mindless insanity. Though they both have ridiculous outfits and childlike personalities.

 After hearing that Parano almost killed Emu Parado tries to break free but is smacked around by Feelgood.

Doc stop it right now, you never told him the Safe-word!

 She leaves the two to fight in order to finish Parano's cultivation into the ultimate Genius Gamer. So Parano pulls out a Gamer Driver and a Black Duel Gear (as seen on Kuroto's desk in Episode 41) and transforms into Kamen Rider Another Paradox. Speaking of the God Dan Kuroto we finally catch up with the opening of the movie where we find him chilling in his backyard like a boss.

So while his former allies are getting the shit beat out of them as part of his grand plan he's just sitting there in a bright pink shirt having his massive ego stroked by Dr Feelgood while sipping on a frou-frou drink, a frou-frou drink! 

 So Parado transforms as well to fight his Doppelgänger but gets his ass handed to him with a side order of bitch cakes and eggs. Apparently this is because the human genes Parano is cultivating are from his host, so Parado is up against a Bugster who got his human genes from someone who attained the power of Chronos as well as his ruthless and evil personality, makes sense to me. Speaking of we find Masamune restrained by the level 0 cables while his maniac son rubs his talents and god complex in his face. He finally breaks down and confesses to his greatest sin, helping give life to a psychotic piece of shit like Kuroto. Parado manages to escape after a heart to heart with Emu, frees Poppy and confronts Dr Feelgood by not only calling her out on her hypocrisy but also the real reason why she's helping Kuroto, all she really wants is to restore her father.

 This causes her to snap and summon both Parano and a second Crimson Dynamo she created from her fathers data to get her two test subjects under control. The Bugster riders transform and fight, culminating with with Poppy destroying Crimson Dynamo and both Paradox and Poppy defeating Another Paradox, all while giving more cheesy speeches about the worth of a heart then a Kingdom Hearts game. But this particular game isn't over just yet.

"Doc, I don't feel so good"

 No it's not the purple monster with the blinged out Power Glove, it's the purple monster with the Bugvisor 2; the God Dan Kuroto who sucked Parano back into the Bugvisor and, for lack of a better descriptor, eats all of his data. With this, Kuroto has no further need for Dr Feelgood and kicks her to the curve, I mean, why would he need her when he's going to surpass God and bless the world with his Perfect Game? Poppy asks "what the hell I thought you were trying atone for all of the insane crap you pulled?" But really, did you really think that Poppy? This is the same guy who infected countless innocent people with a deadly monster creating virus, attempted to kill other people to advance his goals, revived four dead Riders (somehow) to revive himself using their despair, set up his own father as a patsy for his crimes and even indirectly killed Zaizen by having him extract Parado from Emu (who he infected out of spite) to even cause all of this and you honestly thought he wanted to atone?

 No no no he played all of you at CR like a damn fiddle just so he can get revenge on Masamune for stealing Kamen Rider Chronicle for himself. Like father like son he'll manipulate and exploit anyone and thing he can to fulfill his insane ambitions. He teleports away leaving Feelgood feeling not so good after being exploited by him and stumbles off in a delusional stupor at the notion of Poppy and Parado actually having hearts. We end this Gaiden movie with Kuroto at a waterfall and OH SWEET JESUS WHY?!

 Oh dear baby Buddha what were Toei and Tetsuya Iwanaga thinking?! Well I guess they had so much of Poppy in fetish outfits I guess they decided to include that scene to give the ladies and guys who swing that way something to go crazy over. To clarify, I'm not going to cover that scene, or describe it. But I will say this, it's on par with and perhaps even worse then that one scene from The Room. Anyone who's seen that movie or the Disaster Artist you all know that scene; just, why, WHY?! Ok, ignoring, THAT scene this movie was decent.

 It gave some more action with Poppy as a Kamen Rider and we all definitely need more of that. Dr Feelgood while having understandable motivations was despicable in her methods, willing to sacrifice Emu, Parado and Poppy just to see her father restored and restore Kuroto to being a full human again. Now we've all seen Infinity War so I don't have to tell you all that when you have to sacrifice people to save people you're doing something wrong! Parano sadly wasn't really all that interesting, but then again the guy was only given life only a few days ago in story so the whole point was that he had little time to develop. All in all aside from that scene which shall not be mentioned this movie was passable.

 So we've seen Brave and Snipe take their bows. We just had Paradox and Poppy discover their humanity. All that's left is to settle an old score as a mad God descends upon the world and the only one who can save us from his cruel game is a habitual liar who loves to take people for a ride. Wrapping up the Ex-Aid Gaiden trilogy is Ending 3: Genm vs Lazer. Now if you'll excuse me I need to take 25 showers and get myself brainwashed to get that scene out of my head.

Special thanks to my Patreon backer Jesse for his support.

Kamen Rider is owned by Ishinomori Productions, Toei Productions, and Bandai.
Anchorman the Legend of Ron Burgundy is owned by Dreamworks Pictures, Judd Apatow, Apatow Productions and Adam McKay
Dragon Ball, Dragonball Z and Dragonball GT is owned by Funnimation, Toei animation, Fuji TV and Akira Toriyama.
The Ren & Stimpy show is owned by Bob Camp, John Kricfalusi, Spümcø, Games Animation and Nickelodeon.
The Simpsons are owned by Matt Groening, Gracie Films, and 20th Century Fox Television.