These Drivers were made so that humans could process Helheim's fruit (Lockseeds) and survive the forest. Each and every Driver has it's own suit design programed in aka Pre-Arms form. The Pre-Arms form comes from the belt, not the fruit. The armor (Arms) comes from the fruit. We know Ryouma takes a guilty pleasure from designing the Riders. All Pre-Arm designs and belt sounds are a result of Ryouma's playtime (except for Kachidoki Arms, which is DJ Sagara's doing).


Zangetsu's Sengoku Driver: This is the original prototype created before the show began. We do not know if it's DNA locked. All we know is that it was made for Takatora when he voluntarily became the first test subject and it did harm him.

Takatora likely still has this belt.


Sengoku Driver prototype experiment: There are 6 these given to "random" people through Sid. This was a blind experiment to test what effects of the driver had on a normal person before fine tuning the mass production model. These are DNA locked for data gathering purposes. If these were not DNA locked, then the data would be very inaccurate at best. Pre-Arms designs were most likely matched to the Lockseeds they were sold with. The belt is yellow.

The following Riders currently use this model: Gaim, Ryugen, and Baron.


Mass Production Sengoku Driver: This is the final product after the experiments above. These are not DNA locked and mostly use Hase's Kurokage Pre-Arms suit (with minor changes). It's worth noting that Knuckle's belt was stolen from Ryouma's desk. He was most likely playing with the Pre-Arms design and that's why Knuckle is different from Kurokage. The belt is silver.

The following Riders currently use this model: Bravo, Gridon (both upgraded some time ago), Knuckle, and all Kurokage troopers.


Genesis Driver: The Driver made for Energy Lockseeds. This is a mass production model made to use a more rare Lockseed type the Sengoku Driver cannot normally use. Like all mass production models, the Genesis Driver is not DNA locked. Ryouma had the "leaders" in mind when designing the Pre-Arms suits. Giving Sid a "heroic" design and giving himself a king like design. Baron's Genesis Driver was programed with his normal Pre-Arms (Baron's and Duke's Genesis Drivers are not the same driver).

The following Riders currently use this model: Shin Zangetsu, Sigurd, Duke, Marika, and Baron.


Genesis Core: A unfinished, but functional, prototype Ryouma created to allow the Sengoku Driver to use and "mix" Energy Lockseeds. DJ Sagara stole this prototype and gave it to Kouta. Ryouma doesn't seem to have the ability to make another at this time or dropped it for a different reason.

Kachidoki Arms: This one's all DJ Sagara's doing. He maybe Q. :p

Fuck Urobochi for introducing belt swapping this late into the show.

It's not even the problem of explaining how the belts work. For his so called "amazing" foreshadowing and setting up for elements used later, that everyone seems to be sucking his dick for, he pulls this out of his ass.

This episode was okay. I like the fact that Ryoma and gang finally came out and did something to Takatora (even if its on the basis that he's teaming up with some kid). Takatora's not dead, so I don't know.

Micchy is definatley giving off some Kusaka vibes. From the fact he's using someone else's belt and Rider identity to get the two into conflict, its really starting to piss me off. Let's hope he doesn't go full on Tiger and kill his mentor and friend.

I still don't understand how people think the lock seeds determine the suits. When the prototypes were put on, they generated the faceplate, showing the rider's face. The driver determines the base suit, not the lock seed.

Angry, much? Need a time out?

Kusaka + Tiger would equal the biggest asshole in Rider ever. And I'd probably like him :lol

So is it safe to say that Miichi is beyond redemption now?

I think I'll put Micchy in the same category as Kirei Kotomine from Fate/Zero (Stay Night).

What's wrong with belt swapping? I thought it was established only the Prototype ones (with yellow belts) were locked into your biological signature?

It seems to be this way and to be honest we all knew Ryugen was going to be evil. We just didn't know how evil he really was once word of who White Tiger Invess reached Mai and all that fake sweetness faded away like ink in the summer sun.

Though I do wonder if we can make cantaloupe puns for the new Zangetsu Shin and should we use Mitch's full name now that he's not the little guy in Team Gaim anymore? Seems weird that most everyone here hates him (and with good reason I might add) yet we call him by his pet name. A name that doesn't really fit a evil mastermind.

I wouldn't call it a pet name. It's the name he goes by with his (former) friends and it's how Kouta, Mai, and the other Beat Riders think of him. That's the name and persona they will associate with his betrayal and it doesn't seem out-of-place to refer to him as that in discussion.

That's just my $.02 on the matter.

No, I wouldn't say he's beyond redemption. He's definitly done some bad things, but he hasn't sucessfully done anything irreversable yet(Kaito stopped him from killing Kouta, and there's no real way he could have stopped Ryouma's attempt on Takatora's life). There's still time for him to realise he's become a villain and try to fix it. Though knowing Urobuchi it would most likely be a 'redemption means death' scenario, and he dies after taking a hit for Kouta, Takatora or Mai.

Personally I kinda hope he does figure out what he's become. I feel kinda bad for a guy who spent his whole life following other's instructions and plans, then goes mad with power once he gets some control himself. He finally seems happy for a little while, and then Takatora shows him the secret of Helheim and his whole life starts crumbling around him.

If Micchy is going to pull it around he needs to do it fast, he's really close to the point of no return right now (if he hasn't already crossed it).

IS Micchy going to pull a Homura and go all physcho to do whatever to make Mai happy?

He's already at that point.

I feel like his creepy possessive attitude towards Mai has contributed more to Micchy's villanous turn than most anything else. It's really kind of set the stage for his other awful deeds. That's just my opinion, though.

The real reason why Micchy is mad at Kouta :lol
http://i.imgur.com/9oiYnkr.png
http://i.imgur.com/9rpEUim.png
http://i.imgur.com/1a8tAPo.png
http://i.imgur.com/eYXEP04.png
http://i.imgur.com/qmjE81Z.png

:lol

Locke, take notes.

Y'know, it's great that Kouta finally has a job now.

But if I were Bandou, I'd make him work off his tab first.

I think that's implied.

Watched the subs- Damn. Damn. Damn. Micchy you asshole. Sid you evil bastard. Ryouma, eh Ive known about your evilness.

Wait, what is Oren gonna do when he finds out about Takatora?

...rampage!

One other thing that stuck out to me were those two secretaries.

Unless they were in on Ryoma's plot or new hires, there really is no way they could forget someone as important as Takatora.

…unless Takatora never used his last name at work.

I don't get the whole Driver issue tbh.

From what I've gathered:

1. The original 6 Sengoku drivers are the only ones that are shown to be user-locked. The mass-produced drivers are confirmed to NOT be user-locked. The Genesis Drivers COULD potentially go either way (I don't remember too much regarding this).

2. The base forms don't seem to be tied to DNA. Even when Zangetsu switched to Shin-Zangetsu, the base form changed, even if just a little bit.



Ryoma probably copy-pasted the suit data from the original Baron onto Kaito's Genesis Driver but used a slightly modified the base suit for Shin-Zangetsu. Furthermore, even if the Genesis Drivers were user-locked, Ryoma could have easily altered Takatora's to not be user-locked, since if he had planned on betraying, it seems like a waste to just have a genesis driver that nobody can utilize.

Excuse me, but I can't seem to find where it says he's still alive. I just double checked the next episode preview, but it doesn't show Takatora. It shows Shin Zangetsu, which is already established has been taken and is being used by Micchi. It also has a voiceover of Kouta saying "Takatora, so it IS you", but given that he doesn't know Takatora's out of the picture, the interpretation I'm getting is that Kouta's being fooled or he's misunderstanding a situation.

Are you referring to an episode summary from a magazine or an episode list from a wiki?

Micchi's never been good, and he's certainly become more antagonistic. But I wouldn't say he's EVIL evil yet. So far he's been prevented from crossing the line. He hasn't "rape the dog" yet. Kicked it? Yes. But he's thus far kept from crossing the line. Who knows, maybe he'll accidentally kill Mai, and that'll turn him full on villain. But he's not yet done anything that can't be redeemed yet.

He's also hardly in Kusaka's league. Kusaka was more of a troublemaker than a big bad, but by golly, he was glorious in his inability to have any decency in him.

My problem is that we are only learning about being able to use different Rider identities as the same person wasn't a plot point until now, in such a critical turn.

In Faiz, they told you about the belt swapping identities before any of the Kusaka identity stuff happened. In this, they never told the audience or showed an example of identity swap. You know how people got pissed that Ouja pulled contract cards out of nowhere? That's my level of anger with this issue.

Let's not forget the Taros being able to now magically possess anyone without a contract. Grrr, Onore Dikeido!

...Wait here.

Personally, I'm not bothered by that. It simply means a new plot element has been introduced. Not only that, it's been introduced in a natural manner. The infighting of the Energy Riders has been hinted at for quite some time. And this is the first point in the show where the opportunity and motivation for identity theft has presented itself.

One of the good things about Gaim is that it doesn't drag out it's plot points too much. The consequence of which is that it has to introduce new plot elements to keep the story going. Like I said, I think this new plot point has been introduced in a manner that makes sense. In contrast, the existence of the Overlords or DJ Sagara's "magical" status, came out with minimal hinting. I'm not bothered by any of this though.

Yes I was referring to the written episode summaries on the Gaim homepage. Here is a qucik translation for you :)

http://henshinjustice.com/2014/05/04...im-episode-29/

Don't you mean first name, his family name would be his last name. Plus they kind of run the place, so yeah I doubt he'd be informal enough to have employees know his first name (though yes, it is still weird that they don't at least have it registered on record or something. Then again, Ryouma might have something to do with that).

The man did watch his own brother basically get jumped, and did nothing but pick up his belt afterwards and try to murder his own former friend, while disguising his identity. Still not "rape the dog", but it is at least "punting it with a blunt object till it cries".

All I have to say about this one
https://31.media.tumblr.com/8f5f4c28...jfT1rmiit9.gif

Dear Mitsuzane:

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps35572739.gif

He's officially beyond Leangle levels of nasty. And I'm not calling him Micchy anymore.

http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399394456
http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399394456

I so hope this is foreshadowing. Please let this be foreshadowing. If they turn Mitsuzane around from heel to good guy I'm gonna hurl. Because this...

http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399394456

deserves a Wizard-level Rider kick into the sun. THE SUN.

Of course, we knew it was going to all go sour anyway.

http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399394456

When you face off with a lemon.

Personally, I could care less about the driver and suits thing. It's done for effect, and it is Ryouma's driver tech, and by proxy Yggdrasill's tech. Mituzane could have gone and jury rigged it to work for him without a DNA signature. Remember, the lock seeds could be hacked, Sid was the one who was doing that. You know. Sid.

http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399394862

Come on down to CRAZY SIDDY!!!! His deals are so insane, HES WONKO FOR LOCKSEEDS! WONKO FOR LOCKSEEDS!

Some people just want to watch the world burn.

I just had a thought. Maybe Mitsuzane isn't really bad. Perhaps its those sweaters he's wearing.
http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399395556
http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399395556
http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399395556

See? EVIL......

http://www.tokunation.com/attachment...1&d=1399395696

Nope. Rider kick. Sun.

I mean...I don't see why this would be that big of an issue. The show never told us at any point that base suits would be locked to someone regardless of the driver and it wouldn't be something worth bringing up because unlike Faiz, it doesn't happen that often. Even with Takatora, his base suit was modified when he upgraded to the Genesis Driver so that should've tipped it off right there that the base suit isn't dependent on who's using it. And from a logical standpoint, it makes more sense (and is probably more believable) that the base suit depends on the belt rather than the person using it.

i want to stab mitccy sooo much right now

Hey remember when Micchy used to be likable? Those were the days.

You mean back when the only problem they really had was Bravo being a wild card? Feels like years ago, man.

He tried to actively murder Kouta.

Twice.

Because the girl he liked slapped him and his brother complimented him on his choice of friends.

murder

His supposed bestie.

Murder.

...
...

..



Murder. Twice.

Like someone else said, the only reason I love Micchy is because we hate him FOR HIM. It isn't that he's terribly acted, terribly written or terribly directed. He's actually perfectly acted, written and directed to elicit the most vile stomach wrenching hatred within you and that is kinda awesome.

Gaim is a show I appreciate more and more as I look back on it, as it elicits such strong emotional reactions from me and not from cheap novelty devices but from actually taking the time to get me to truly understand the pieces on the board and grow to hate them or love them on who they are AS PEOPLE.