[DreadBringer]

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So that's what the new DGP format is about that can potentially make Ace lose. After the reveal of it as a reality show, it'd also work like it too, with the winners being decided by the votes of the audience. I guess Ace's wish of turning him into The Star of The Stars of The Stars can help him somewhat into giving him the popularity for getting votes, but the new (to viewers) contestants Sae and Daichi are also famous themselves and can get more votes than said Ace by that, and also their progress on the game. The difference for the game being based on votes is that, now the game isn't determined by results alone, even when Ace is the one who found and killed the principal Jamato. So it's what can make Ace potentially lose, as questioned in the episode's summary.

As I'd expect, Sae and Daichi are introduced as the strongest (athlete) and smartest (prodigy) respectively, so obviously they'd be strong players, but even more didn't expect them to be the veterans before even the Dawn DGP Shirowe was in. They both are probably stronger than Keiwa, Neon, AND Michinaga, or probably even the ones actually on Ace's league based on them getting the upper hand, at least due to DGP's new format. They're the brains and brawn pair, and I'd say they do have the stereotypical personality of either to some extent, but not fully so far, at least in how they actually responded to Neon's greetings at them. From how previously with Keiwa and Neon gone, they're temporarily "replaced" by Ittetsu and Yukie respectively, I see a pattern of the new Riders replacing another missing main Riders too (using their main Buckles too), in Sae being Michinaga's stand-in and Daichi for Win, though the former comparison is stronger for now.

Daichi for most part, is just calm and serious, and shown to be a bookworm in his spare time compared to the others playing cards. And as the intelligent one, he's able to do Sherlock scan on people to deduce people's wishes, from Keiwa and Neon's behavior of him uttering Jamatos and ideal world and Neon craving fans, also explaining to the audience about Sae's wish, as well as making use of the battlefield to make use of the sand to trap the Delinquent Jamatos... as well as Neon. So he can actually fight too, unlike Jonouchi in Gaim. I'd also expect that those who are defined by their talents can have a wish of simply expanding it, in him wanting to obtain all human's memories, showing human's nature of never being satisfied, though dunno if Daichi has bigger things on mind after getting it. The stereotypical part is shown a little in him being condescending on occassion as the smart one, like dismissing Keiwa and Neon as simple.

And Sae is given the aloof, cold, dismissive, and rather aggressive type of personality, typically what the 'tough girl' type would be depicted as (and what I expected tbh), more similar to the likes of Yoko, Yua, and Reika. Though obligatory girl bonding happens here as she forms a duo with Neon, making her the exception other than expecting her to be a dead weight at the beginning, or probably thinking her friendliness is fake. She also seems to be less dismissive towards those cooler, like her actually asking for Daichi's wish compared to brushing off Keiwa's question. Her wish about maintaining her strength with age, is important to her athlete career, as other than not delivering as good results when declining, it also can damage public's perception on them, like accusing them as never good at the first place using their recent performance. Ace's wish that makes him immortal is better suited for her lol, and she knew him too. The difference of her and Michinaga also seems to be how her rushing is rewarded here compared to the main trio sneaking, at least due to new format.

Ace's wish is now changed to become the Game Master, I suppose this is based on how Win said to him in ep. 14 that, a staff like him wouldn't know much about DGP and Game Masters can ask further questions he'd like to know, thus it makes Ace change the wish from staff to Game Master, so he can obtain at least Girori-level of DGP knowledge instead of Win-level. The episode also opens further mystery regarding him, according to Niram where Ace "claims" Mitsume is his mother, implying that there's something wrong within Ace's memories like Fuwa's fake memories, and also Niram suspecting Ace as lying. For now, Niram lets Ace game the system as he'd slip eventually, but dunno what's in store in DGP's higher ups.

The new Game Master Chirami (a.k.a "glancing") is the opposite of Girori who pretends to be friendly, and is overall subdued even in his downfalls, Chirami is the loud, over the top, boisterous type, probably even has sneaky or mischievous side judging by him pretending to be menacing before he opens his mask. The current game of looking for who is appointed as the Desire Star (Deza Star - likely pun of disaster as well), resembles Among Us of looking after impostors... and even some dialogues had the characters saying "among us". The game and episode is well-made to leave the viewers guessing, due to how everyone can be suspicious.

There can be even various speculations on why each player is suspicious, Ace for his connection to the management as family, or his meeting with Gene as Daichi suspected, etc. Keiwa probably for the focus on the Joker card he got; it's Takahashi's staple to put his nice guys through hell (and make them reach breaking point), but I'd hope that his insane bad luck in this episode is something more like related to the game/show instead of just standard butt-monkey abuse (and I really hope that his development sticks, to live up his name as a tanuki). Neon for her connections, or apparently 'fake' friendliness as Sae suspected, or her behavior towards Keiwa like leaving him out in the beginning, including her asking if it's the time to wave, despite previous episode of all 3 being chosen (dunno if her slapstick to Keiwa along with Sae also qualifies for this). Sae for her kill stealing Tycoon, which was highlighted when Desire Star was announced. Daichi due to him deflecting his faults to everyone else, and using smart talk to convince others.

Michinaga wakes up in Archimedel's lair, and Archimedel doesn't hide his actions or intentions in growing up the Jamatos. So far, Michinaga is confrontational over Archimedel's actions, but the opening seems to indicate that Michinaga would join the Jamato's side to fulfill his goal of destroying all Kamen Riders, the opposite of Zero-One of Fuwa actually redirecting his hatred towards the actual culprit in Gai, and increasing the analogy between him and Kaito, of their turn to villainy too. As the end episode showed the Jamato seemingly evolving to be able to take human form, in Takeshi (wonder which personality he'd display later), perhaps Archimedel will convince Michinaga by bringing back Toru to make him join his side.

For the fights itself, the Creation Buckle is the new one, for the secret mission of defeating a non-delinquent Jamato. Poor one he's just studying with even some characters sympathizing for him. It provides the means to lure the Principal Jamato by creating a principal room, dunno if this is the shortcut or the only way to clear this game. I'd also say that the Gigant Strike is another finisher I'd consider cool in this series, to create a sword a size of building (to the point that it's highlighted behind the school building), similar to Wizard Infinity's Dragon Shining.