- Written by Riku SanjoDirected by Ryuta Tasaki
One night at Japan, a sudden strange phenomenon called Global Freeze occur where worldwide time surroundings become slower saves the human conciousness. New breed of monsters whom declared themselves Roidmudes went on their killing spree. Some of the citizens cannot save themselves due to the slowdown period. an unknown warrior appeared out of nowhere and battled the Roidmudes with his Shift Cars companions. At the same time, police officer Shinnosuke Tomari and Akira Hayase were apprehending criminals. Hayase was cornered in between a flammable generator and one of the two criminals. Panicking, Shinnosuke pulled out his gun and tried to aim at the criminal, but due to the Slowdown effect, he accidentally shot the generator, causing it to explode and in the process, causing some pipes to collapse. As he tried to save Hayase from the falling pipes, the Slowdown effect happened once again, causing him to be unable to save his partner from being crushed.
Half a year later, while Shinnosuke was slacking at Kuruma Park, Kiriko dragged him to the Special Investigation Unit base, hearing that the team would investigate the Heavy Acceleration cases with Lieutenant Otta. Shinnosuke went to Tridoron, remembering back the incident back then had broken his fighting spirit. After another Heaviness detected, the team was sent Kiriko and Shinnosuke (being forced by Mr. Belt) to the location. While investigating, the victim shown was drained, with his body turned red. Shinnosuke picked a sample and Mr. Belt warned him that the culprit is still nearby. Soon the Heaviness started again and Roidmude 029 appeared and attacked Shinnosuke until 3 Shift Cars attacked him. The Roidmude retreated from the area while cancelling his Heaviness.
After composing how the depicted culprit looked like, Shinnosuke straightened his tie and began on his search of the culprit, whom also known as Nobou Masuda but with a hair. He went to a nearby gym where Nobou/Roidmude 029 had just plan an attack on an unsuspecting gym member out on a jog. Roidmude 029 initiate the Heaviness again but Mr. Belt managed to summon Max Flare Shift Car to help Shinnosuke adapting into the Heaviness. The Roidmude summon his aides, Roidmude 042 and Roidmude 088 until Kiriko and Tridoron appeared to help. She assisted Shinnosuke to transform into Drive and the latter managed to turn the tables until 029 take the lead and throw him in a warehouse. It wasn't long until Kiriko sent all of her Shift Cars, Funky Spike and Midnight Shadow Shift Cars battering 029 enough to help out Drive. 029 was soon pelted by a discarded Type Speed Tire as Drive went Type Speed Flare. Annoyed, 029 tried to attack Drive, only for the strong fiery attacks of Drive to make him fall flat on his back, and was soon jettisoned out of the warehouse thanks to his Flare Stream attack. 042 and 088 got back their bearings when 029 was ejected out of a warehouse by the Flare Stream attack from Drive's Max Flare Tire, and it and 088 briefly fight Drive until Drive equips the Funky Spike Tire, and mortally wounds 042 with its Spike Tornado attack, reverting it to its Core. The Rider switches to the Midnight Shadow Tire, and mortally wounds 088 with its special attack, reverting it to its Core form. 042's Core eventually succumbs to death when 088 was destroyed.
Now alone, 029 tried to attack Drive, only for him to reassume Type Speed and pelted the Roidmude with the All Tire Attack, leaving the Roidmude wide open to be destroyed by Drive's Spee Drop finisher. Shinnosuke felt relieved after he was able to save a life for the first time after his traumatic failure.
At night, Kiriko took him to a secret lair, Drive Pit where she and Mr. Belt acted secretly to assist Drive. Despite all red colored victims were reverted to normal, but Shinnosuke knew that the case isn't over. Meanwhile, 029's Core manages to escape the battle. Returning to the Roidmude lair very much exhausted, he is given a Viral Core by Heart to form a new body.
- Big Damn Heroes: Max Flare, Midnight Shadow and Funky Spike save everyone's bacon when 029 attacks in the skate park.
- Proto-Drive for, well, the entire world during the Global Freeze incident.
- Cliffhanger: 029 is still alive, albeit barely, and Heart is about to give him a new body.
- Defeat Equals Explosion: During the Global Freeze, Roidmudes 006, 012 and 066 are seen losing their bodies explosively to Funky Spike, Midnight Shadow and Max Flare respectively, though their Cores make it out. In The present day, Drive makes the first Roidmude kills with 042 and 088, destroying both their bodies and Cores, while 029's Core escapes the destruction of his body.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: When Kiriko walks up to the car after Drive Driver fastens himself around Tomari's waist, he hurriedly... covers up his groin with his suit coat...
- Downer Beginning: The entirety of Global Freeze. We're are talking about mass destruction on a global scale.
- Establishing Character Moment: We first meet Shinnosuke when he's lazing on the job... and then promptly meet Kiriko, who's less than accepting of that.
- Insistent Terminology: The Drive Driver insists that he is just a belt.
- Instant Expert: Shinnosuke has no problem figuring out Drive's powers.
- It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: The Global Freeze occurred on such a night.
- Kidnapped by the Call: Played quite straight. When Shinnosuke doesn't want to go to a crime scene (mostly because he's more preoccupied with a talking belt strapping around his waist), the Drive Driver simply takes control of the Tridoron, while Shinnosuke can only yell in protest.
- Monster of the Fortnight: Roidmude 029
- Neck Lift: Shinnosuke's first meeting with an Roidmude starts this way.
- Sinister Silhouettes: Heroic example - Proto-Drive only appears in shadows during the Global Freeze.
- Two-Part Episode: Part 1 of 2.
- The Roidmude Count: 106The Answer: Because of the Roidmudes
