[DreadBringer]

So this episode finally focuses on Ace, more about him unravels here.

So actually the theory of Ace living for very old time is true, he has been fighting since 1 A.D. He seems to be looking after his mother, who told him to forget her and move on, and so this is how Ace thinks that the best solution, along with how the history of a DGP where all Riders are killed by the current final boss Saboten Knight Jamato got erased, is just to forget the tragedy and move on, which he demonstrated on Michinaga when he first met him. Ace seems genuine to try helping with this method, but of course, he's misguided as it's terrible solution as this'd downplay their problems, and toxic positivity is something that runs on this.

This creates even more questions around him, or his mother and DGP, which is good as more hook to the series, like why his mother left him, and what identity her mother held (who resembles Sophia in Saber for some reason), or if his mother was DGP participant and had a wish relating to Ace's immortality or if it's Ace's own wish in his early DGP, or if DGP also started that long and dunno how the world hasn't been fucked up by the wish considering how many despicable person can enter it, or if Ace has won all of them since 1 A.D, which also questions what list of wishes did he have, etc. Same question remains on why DGP is so secretive, like Tsumuri not telling that the can must be kicked outside the arena.

That's the explanation of Ace's nonchalant behavior towards any events around him, he may be successful in practicing that but doesn't mean others can. Otherwise though, as a kitsune, Ace can exhibit some textbook sociopathic qualities (which certifies him as anti-heroic lead), in how he's a smooth talker, which he uses as a superficial charm to bait others, a need for stimulation, and he can be manipulative as well as being apathetic to some degree, of which, the last one, is what his previous limited emotional affect towards events that don't concern him can manifest as, like his lack of concern to Keiwa's heavy injuries. He hasn't showed something as severe as this before, but it's not exactly an unexpected thing for him with his previous behavior. Keiwa calling Ace out for his games is likely the part of his stimulations.

Outside of being used by Ace, Keiwa still has grown more backbone here, as he refuses to give the Boost Buckle to Michinaga who demands it, and even guilt-tripping him to try making him give it up that it'd be his fault to try proving himself and fail, dooming everyone. Unfortunately for him, Michinaga's proven quite right that he'd not be able to win the game here with it, though it's against the final boss who has beaten Buffa up despite that Buffa underestimated him. And at the end he too, finally got mad at Ace for using him, not only to more minor characters like Morio before. Ace's behavior seems to have pissed off even Neon too, who confides to him before with their personal talk.

This episode (and moreso next one for Sakurai family, albeit by Sara being damsel in distress) focuses more on Sara as well, and her dynamic with Keiwa is a bit wacky and teasing but overall loving, and the big sister here feels more equal to the younger sibling compared to the likes of Airi or Akira Kazuraba who feels full-on mom. It's a joke on Keiwa's expense (he can be both lucky and unlucky..) that Sara thinks he's watching porn, but that connects to her big sister vibe to assure him that it's something fine for adult man to do. Continues on the reveal of Keiwa having his peacemaker desire since little as a note for his older self which Sara notes that he's still the same or has ninja fantasies, but is actually rooting for him to achieve that.

Fully expected that Sara would squee at a chance to meet both Ace and Neon at once, celebrities she's a huge fangirl of, though didn't expect for Neon to become a fan back at Sakurai family, albeit it's related to her established character of wanting to experience love which the siblings demonstrated behind the teasing part. This'd also even extend to a main plotline of Ace claiming he understands Keiwa's world peace wish to manipulate him, or likely there's some truth behind it to explore later in him moping against the Sakurai moments, likely longing for that experience, as Ace has mommy issues too, like Neon (more similarities other than them being celebrities). Other than the comedy of John crossdressing to catch Neon though, dunno why Neon still repeats the same stunt of livestreaming her escape after ep. 4 (though she'd be tracked anyway)....

The reveal of the other top-tier Buckle so far, Ninja, which can only be obtained via a rare sidequest, and it seems to be the most versatile Buckle so far, living up to the difficulty of obtaining it, to give you speed and some flight to avoid the Saboten Knight's attacks as well as multiplying yourself and giving you access to all elements. Dunno what's the drawback other than its rarity. Though despite his manipulation and said Buckle, Ace failed here, to kick the can into the boss instead, due to lack of information.