Gundam Build Fighters Ep. 24: Dark Matter

After examining the completed form of the Amazing Exia, The Meijin tells Allan that tomorrow’s battle will thrill Gunpla fans around the world. Mashita then walks in with a bunch of goons and declares that’s not good enough. Mashita dismisses the Meijin’s beliefs and wants him to focus only on crushing his opponent, like the second Meijin. The Meijin wonders if Mashita forced his beliefs onto the second Meijin, so he rejects Mashita’s philosophy. The goons then grab the both of them, while Barthes puts a pair of Embody glasses on the Meijin. Mashita says that the glasses will turn the Meijin into a demon who fights only for victory. The next day, the Meijin enters the arena with the remodeled Exia Dark Matter, and Reiji jokingly asks about his new look. The Meijin emanates a hostile will, and Chinan comments to Ral and Takeshi that it reminds him of the second Meijin. Sei notes that the Meijin seems to have a strange aura, and Reiji says that whatever’s going on, they’ll find out during the battle. The Star Build Strike launches and is immediately attacked out of the gate, causing it to crash into the Moon. Reiji then uses the absorb shield to start taking in the energy from the Meijin’s shots. Once the charge is full, Reiji fires the discharge system at maximum output, but the Meijin slices the enormous beam in half with Nils’ technique. The Meijin gets in close and tries to take out the Star Build Strike’s main camera, and he slices into the rifle before kicking Reiji into the Moon’s surface. Takeshi wonders why the Meijin is fighting this way. Allan pleads with Barthes that this battle isn’t what the Meijin wanted, but Barthes counters that it’s what Mashita wants. Underneath the arena, Nils and Caroline are tied up, and he wonders if the glowing crystal is resonating with something. The Meijin outmaneuvers Reiji and slices the Universe Booster apart, with Mashita cheering from his box. Mashita is surprised that Arista can be used to interfere with human consciousness. Baker notes that Mashita’s drive is behind heightened by the crystal and is controlling the Meijin. She adds that such power could control the world, but Mashita says that’s too much work and he’s just happy being rich. He recalls being a petty thief on Arian who tried to steal the crystal from the palace, but both he and the crystal were transported to Earth. It was then that he met Baker and built up the Gunpla Battle business. Mashita doesn’t want to return to Arian and be arrested as a criminal, which is why he doesn’t want Reiji to remember him. Baker suddenly changes the battlefield to a confined corridor that traps Reiji in a dead end. One of the Meijin’s swords freezes Reiji’s beam saber, while the other burns. The Meijin uses one sword to pin the Star Build Strike’s right arm into the wall, while the other stabs the torso. Reiji responds by firing his vulcans, but the Meijin smashes them. The Star Build Strike then loses power.

Reiji tries to get the Star Build Strike to move, but nothing happens. The mindless Meijin starts punching the Star Build Strike repeatedly. Takeshi wants to officially complain as a referee, but Chinan tells him not to meddle in Sei’s battle. Baker suggests finishing off Reiji immediately, but Mashita dismisses her concern and says that the Meijin’s victory is assured. Aila, who is still wearing Sei’s gem, is able to hear Mashita’s voice through the resonance with his gem. She realizes that the Meijin is being controlled with Embody, and Sei thinks about the Meijin’s words to him about having a thrilling battle. Aila concentrates and uses her gem to contact Reiji and tell him that the Meijin is being controlled. Sei wants to stop the battle to help the Meijin, but Reiji insists on fighting and says they’ll awaken the Meijin and win the tournament simultaneously. The Star Build Strike reactivates and purges its right arm to break free. Reiji kicks the Meijin away and pulls the Dark Matter’s sword out of the Star Build Strike’s torso. The resonance from Reiji’s gem starts to affect the Meijin, so Mashita orders him to do whatever it takes to win. The Meijin activates Trans-Am, and Reiji slices into the Exia Dark Matter. The Meijin starts to retreat, and Baker changes the battlefield again to open space. Mashita wants Barthes to increase the Embody output, but at that moment Allan breaks free from the goons and tackles Barthes. The Meijin separates the Dark Matter Booster and has it attack Reiji independently. Reiji uses the discharge system to power the sword and destroys the booster, although the GN drive survives and returns to the Exia Dark Matter. Sei activates the RG system at full power, but the Meijin is still able to dodge the Build Knuckle. Reiji dodges the Meijin’s GN vulcans, and Sei spots the missing arm. Reiji reconnects the arm and uses the RG Double Build Knuckle to repel the Meijin’s attack and overwhelm him. The Embody glasses shatter, and the Exia Dark Matter’s shell bursts, revealing the Amazing Exia beneath. The Star Build Strike stands and emerges victorious, winning the tournament. The entire arena cheers for Sei and Reiji, and Takeshi starts crying. Ral notes that Sei became the best builder in the world while Reiji became the best fighter. Sei and Reiji run over to the Meijin, who apologizes for ruining the battle. Sei says it’s ok and that they can fight again in the future. Reiji asks who is responsible for this, and the Meijin points to Mashita. Mashita starts to panic, and the resonance overloads the giant crystal. Caroline’s butler Sebastian arrives to rescue her and Nils. Plavsky particles flood the entire arena and generate a space battlefield. The crystal then bursts through the roof and transforms into a gigantic representation of A Baoa Qu.