Beetle Mania

Metabee is captured by the Rubberobo Gang and taken to the Miyama ruins. Ikki and Koji manage to track him down with the help of Shrimplips. Ikki is surrounded by the Rubberobo Gang, but Erika, Karin, Rintaro and the Screws arrive to help bail him out. In the ensuing confusion, our heroes are separated. Ikki, Koji and Samantha make it to the chamber where Metabee is being held, only to run into three powerful Belzelga Medabots, controlled by Rubberobo guards. When it appears that Sumilidon and Peppercat are about to be trashed by the Belzelgas, Rokusho suddenly steps in, vowing to defeat the forces of evil, and to protect the rare medals.

Rokusho easily defeats the Belzelgas. He then explains to Ikki what the leader of the Rubberobo Gang wants with Metabee. Metabee's rare medal is the product of an ancient civilization, unearthed during excavations. Professor Hushi, it seems, perfected a way of duplicating these rare medals. (This was the Professor's "medal theory.") Metabee's medal is, in fact, the parent medal for countless Hercules beetle medal clones made by the Medabot Corporation. By using Metabee's medal, the Rubberobos can take control of all beetle medals around the world.

The shadowy Rubberobo leader activates Metabee's medal, taking control of beetle medal Medabots, and ordering them to attack humans! Karin and Erika are attacked by Brass. Rintaro, Spyke and Sloan are attacked by Kantaroth. And the Medabot Corporation building is under attack from within by rampaging Tankar Medabots. The Rubberobo leader announces that he will wipe out the human race unless the leaders of the world bow down before him.

Ikki, Koji, Samantha and Rokusho finally arrive at the chamber of the Rubberobo leader. The leader finally steps out of the shadows, revealing his true identity. He is Doctor Meta-Evil, a former apprentice to Professor Hushi, and a contemporary of Doctor Aki's. Meta-Evil takes credit for burning down Hushi's house and for stealing the medal theory from him. Furious, Rokusho attacks Meta-Evil. He is repulsed by the arsenal of Medaparts that Meta-Evil has attached to his cyborg body. Meta-Evil is part man, part Medabot!

In the ensuing battle, Phantom Renegade bursts on the scene with Arcbeetle, having miraculously survived a watery grave (in "X-treme Measures"). Ikki manages to crack the holding tank containing Metabee. Metabee comes to life, destroying Meta-Evil's equipment. The beetle medal Medabots return to normal- disaster averted. Meta-Evil vows revenge, but his cat intervenes, popping out his medal and making off with it. He installs the medal in a massive Medabot called Giganko, and he sends it off on a mission to destroy the human race... starting with Ikki's town, and with the Medabot Corporation!

Ikki Tenrio, Mr. Referee, Samantha, Metabee