All spoilers for Kamen Rider Geats: 4 Aces and the Black Fox are unmarked. You Have Been Warned!
Kamen Rider The Winter Movie: Gotchard × Geats — The Strongest Chemy ☆ Gotcha Grand Operation is the annual Kamen Rider crossover movie between Kamen Rider Gotchard and Kamen Rider Geats.
Following the appearance of the "Strongest Chemy" X Wizard, humans are being transformed into Chemies. X Wizard then challenges the alchemists to a game: if they can capture some Level 10 Chemys, he'll undo his transformation spell. So now the group teams up with some transformed Riders to break the spell, and also meet a familiar God of Creation...
This film has examples of:
- Back from the Dead: Fuga appears to empower Rinne’s Alchemist Ring, allowing her to become Kamen Rider Majade. It’s not clear if it’s this trope, or Faking the Dead.
- But for Me, It Was Tuesday: Ace doesn’t recognise Kugiyama from their previous bout.
- But Now I Must Go: Kon departs for the afterlife after Licht is defeated.
- Call-Back:
- The other Geats Riders' roles in the dream world (detective, princess, and guy eating high-quality wagyu) are all references to their wishes in the Geats finale (world peace by studying to join the police, finding a prince charming, and eating delicious meat).
- One of Ace's past lives defeated Licht long ago, prompting him to study alchemy so he can get revenge.
- Casting Gag: Team 3 is composed of characters whose Rider Identities have the same suit actor.
- Cerebus Retcon: Ace's Affectionate Nickname for the Boostriker, "Kon-chan," is revealed to be the same nickname he gave a pet dog of his before it was killed in a car crash.
- Connected All Along: It’s revealed Ace used to live in Houtaro’s neighborhood growing up.
- Disc-One Final Boss: X Wizard appears to be the main villain, but he's usurped by Licht Kugimiya after he's absorbed by him.
- Early-Bird Cameo: This is the first appearance of Rinne as Kamen Rider Majade before her appearance in the series proper.
- Forced Transformation: As a result of X Wizard, Keiwa, Neon, and Michinaga all get transformed into Chemys based on their rider forms. This also nearly happens with Ace, but a mysterious spirit intervenes and becomes the Geats Chemy instead.
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: Four groups are made between the heroes to capture all four Level 10 Chemies: Team 1 has Sabimaru, Renge, and Neon; Team 2 has Spanner and Michinaga, Team 3 has Houtaro and Keiwa, and Team 4 has Rinne, Ace, and the Geats Chemy.
- Man of Kryptonite: Majade is created to utilise the two Chemies who can counter X Wizard’s magic.
- Mythology Gag: Geats Killer’s appearance makes him Another Geats in all but name.
- Product Placement: At one point, Ace and Rinne are seen eating from a conspicuously large stockpile of Maruchan-brand instant kitsune and tanuki udon as part of the company's continued collaboration with Geats.
- Swapped Roles: As part of the "Nightmare Game", Houtaro becomes an experienced graduated alchemist that hates Chemies while Spanner is the one now saying that they aren't just tools.
- Taking the Bullet: Ace is prevented from being turned into the Geats Chemy by a spirit blocking X Wizard's attack. It turns out to be that of his childhood pet, Constantine (or "Kon," as he nicknamed him.) He does this again in the climax to protect Ace.
- Villainy-Free Villain: X Wizard never intended to harm any humans through his actions, and is shocked to learn how harmful they truly were.
- Your Princess Is in Another Castle!: After the five Level 10s are captured, X Wizard seems to give up and let himself be captured as well. The theme song plays as Hotaro narrates that he eventually managed to collect all the Chemies and become a big-shot alchemist. This ending is actually All Just a Dream created by X Wizard, however. There's still another half a movie left to go.
Cards used:
Gotchard: X-Assemble (comprised of BeetlX, Exceedfighter, Lixion, X Fortress, and Xeggdrasil)
Majade: Unicon + The Sun = Sununicorn
Chemies recovered:
Gotchard: BeetlX and Xeggdrasil (aided by Keiwa), X Wizard (solo)
Rinne: Utsubocchama (aided by Renge, Sabimaru, Supana, and Houtaro), X Fortress (aided by Ace and the Geats Chemy), Unicon and The Sun (solo)
Sabimaru and Renge (aided by Neon): Exceedfighter
Supana (aided by Michinaga): Lixion
Additional Information: Due to BeetlX, Exceedfighter, Lixion, X Fortress, and Xeggdrasil reassembling with Houtaro to form the X-Assemble Card, they are all in Houtaro's possession.
