Comparison of Exceedraft E13 and the Red Spade two-parter

Exceedraft's E13 marks the growth of our heroes at the start of a new cour. A cour is a block of 11 to 13 episodes of a Japanese TV show typically covering at least 1 important story within the larger story.

The most important story in Exceedraft's first cour centres on the criminal organisation Red Spade. In E7 & E8, Exceedraft's captain Hayato aims to take in its leader by going on an undercover mission which shares some important similarities with Ken's undercover mission in E13.

Both the covers of Hayato and Ken are based on what's true and exceptional about them. Hayato brings up his martial arts and marksmanship skills as valuable assets for Red Spade, while Ken's powerful 'Great Whirlwind Kick' proves his value as a fighter to Fujio. Their covers also involve the overlap of what's true and false as they pretend to be less heroic versions of themselves. Hayato pretends to have turned to the life of crime while Ken fakes being pursued by loan shark and desperate to get rich quick through illegal means.

Their undercover missions eventually involve schemes laid within schemes with heroes and villains alternately taking turns to lay their trap and become ensnared in one. As the detective most central to their respective cases, both Ken and Hayato are never totally in control. But their strengths eventually allow them to do what only they could do when facing a uniquely tortured victim of the villains.

In turn, the false image that they take on for their mission clarifies what truly defines and differentiates them from others.

The difference between Exceedraft E13's case and the Red Spade story lies in the different levels of disorientation portrayed. For E13, Ken is just momentarily disoriented, while in E7 & E8, Hayato's infiltration efforts leave his subordinates disoriented at multiple points. Hayato's direct involvement with Red Spade results in Kosaku, Ken and Ai, the Exceedraft members in non-command positions, having to operate independently without a captain and commander in E8. Suspicion towards Hayato becoming an actual traitor heightens before the case's resolution. While in E13, Exceedraft's main trio stay united throughout the case with Kosaku and Hayato supporting Ken's efforts to rescue Ken's old friend. The team's unity is reflected in the outfits that the trio wears to put on a show for the villain’s henchman during which they appear as a matching set [LINK].