Kamen Rider Agito, Kamen Rider Decade, Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider 555, Kamen Rider Kabuto
Kamen Rider Kuuga(Japanese: 仮面ライダークウガ,Hepburn: Kamen Raidā Kūga, stylized in English as Masked Rider Kuuga) is a Japanese tokusatsutelevision series. It is the tenth installment of the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu shows and the first of the series to air entirely in the Heisei period. It was a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and was shown on TV Asahi from January 30, 2000 to January 21, 2001, replacing Moero!! Robocon in its timeslot. Kamen Rider Kuuga is the first Kamen Rider Series to be broadcast in widescreen presented in a letterbox format.
Long ago, the Gurongi Tribe terrorized the Linto (リント,Rinto) until a warrior named Kuuga appeared and defeated the Gurongi, sealing their leader within a cave. In present day, a multi-talented man named Yusuke Godai finds himself linked to the mysterious stoned belt that was found within the excavated cave as the Gurongi are resurrected and resume their murderous game on the descendants of the Linto, humanity itself. It is up to Yusuke, along with the assembled Science Police, to use the various powers of Kuuga in order to stop and defeat the Gurongi Tribesmen from their continuous killing and ensure the happiness and safety of others. However, as endgame draws near, Yusuke learns that there is a horrible revelation behind Kuuga and the Gurongis' leader.
Characters
Yusuke Godai/Kamen Rider Kuuga (五代 雄介／仮面ライダークウガ,Godai Yūsuke/Kamen Raidā Kūga): A young, multi-talented man who dons the Arcle belt, which turns him into Kuuga. He is a happy-go-lucky and honest person that fights to "protect everyone's smiles". Yusuke works at the Pore-Pore Tea Cafe, and continuously attempts to master 2000 different skills and talents which he uses to help others. He and his sister, Minori, lost their mother while they were both young and their father when they were older. He was born in Hokkaidō Prefecture on March 18, 1975.
Kaoru Ichijo (一条 薫,Ichijō Kaoru): The police inspector who is leading operative of the Science Police force formed for fighting the Gurongi. Like his father, who died on his tenth birthday, Ichijo is a model policeman who firmly believes in doing the right thing. Though he is very strict with himself, he will do everything he can, even bend police rules, to help Yusuke fight the Gurongi. He was born in Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture on April 18, 1974. After the Gurongi were defeated, Ichijo returns to Nagano.
Sakurako Sawatari (沢渡 桜子,Sawatari Sakurako): A friend of Yusuke who translates the ancient "Lintonese" transcripts that tell of Kuuga and the Gurongi. At first she was against helping because she was worried about Yusuke, but now she believes in him fully and works hard to help Yusuke understand his powers by deciphering the writings. She was born in Gunma Prefecture on October 30, 1976.
Minori Godai (五代 みのり,Godai Minori): Yusuke's younger sister who works a teacher at a local daycare. Yusuke will occasionally visit her there to entertain the kids. Like Sakurako, she was at first apprehensive about her brother transforming into Kuuga, but she believes in Yusuke and helps out however she can. She was born in Hokkaidō Prefecture on September 4, 1977.
Shuichi Tsubaki (椿 秀一,Tsubaki Shūichi): A trusted friend of Ichijo, he is the doctor that looks after Yusuke and treats him when he becomes injured, while also researching the effects of Yusuke's fusion with the Arcle. Though he's a light-hearted person, he was very serious and worried when talking about Yusuke's future transformations because of the constant dangers that surrounded the Kuuga legend. He also performs the autopsies of the Gurongi victims in order to determine causes of death.
Hikari Enokida (榎田 ひかり,Enokida Hikari): Another old friend of Ichijo, she is in charge of the Science Division of the Police Department. She studies the biology of the Gurongi in order to develop effective weapons against them. She also assists in the study of Kuuga and the Gouram. Because of the massive amount of work required of her to fight the Gurongi, she was away from home quite often and her child felt alone and neglected.
Tamasaburo Kazari (飾 玉三郎,Kazari Tamasaburō): He was friends with the father of Yusuke and Minori, who affectionately refer to him as Oyassan (おやっさん) like everyone else. He owns and runs the Pore-Pore Tea Cafe. He is a goofy, light-hearted character that keeps a scrap book of all of Kuuga's exploits from the newspaper, though unaware of Yusuke being "Number 4" and thinks that the name "Kuuga" is some nonsensical word made up by Yusuke. After learning the truth, however, he dons the Kuuga mark on his apron in the series epilogue. He was born on June 9, 1955.
Nana Asahina (朝比奈 奈々,Asahina Nana): Tamasaburo's niece, who helps out at the Pore-Pore Tea while aspiring to be an actress. However, since the death of her acting teacher at the hands of Gurongi, Nana has been troubled until Yusuke finally helps her overcome her sadness.
Jean Michel Sorrel (ジャン・ミッシェル・ソレル,Jan Missheru Soreru): A university student from America that shares the work office with Sakurako. He researched the broken fragments that later formed into Gouram. He has a crush on Enokida and hoped to help her reconnect with her child.
Sadao Matsukura (松倉 貞雄,Matsukura Sadao): The head of the security department of the Metropolitan Police Department with the head of the unidentified life forms joint investigation headquarters.
Morimichi Sugita (杉田 守道,Sugita Morimichi): A detective of the investigation dept 1 of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Tsuyoshi Sakurai (桜井 剛,Sakurai Tsuyoshi): A detective of the investigation dept 1 of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Nozomi Sasayama (笹山 望見,Sasayama Nozomi): A policewoman of the unidentified life forms joint investigation headquarters who sends communication from headquarters.
Mika Natsume (夏目 実加,Natsume Mika): The daughter of Prof. Natsume, one of Daguva's victims, she was greatly depressed when her father's murder was being overlooked for the Gurongi attacks, taking the findings her father had at their house. But after Yusuke reasons with her, Mika decides to aid in the Gurongi matter as Jean's assistant. However, she is unable to follow and decides to take up playing the flute her father gave her. But while attending the 12th Arikawa Group Flute Competition, a hostage situation by a disgruntled government worker traumatizes Mika as Yusuke tells her to not to run from her fear and continue. Three months later, Mika is attending a special college.
Akiji Kanzaki (神崎 昭二,Kanzaki Akiji): Yusuke's elementary school teacher, he served as an inspiration to Yusuke, and the two of them visit on certain occasions.
Junichi Chono (蝶野 潤一,Chōno Jun'ichi): A young troubled man, he saw the Gurongi as a salvation until he was saved by Kuuga. He later researched trying to make a living until he was knocked out by Gamego while on his way to a job interview.
The Gurongi
The Gurongi Tribe (グロンギ族,Gurongi Zoku) is a mysterious ancient civilization that can transform into monsters to kill people for their ruthless game, referred to in their language as the "Gegeru".
In the series, the Gurongi speak in their own Native language (originally created by the producers as a cipher of Japanese language) which was left purposely unsubtitled during the original broadcast in order to prevent the audience from learning the series' mysteries and plot twists (as it was referred by them in the early episodes).
Episodes
The title of each episode was written with only two Kanji.
Special Chapter (特別篇,Tokubetsu Hen, Compiled from the first two episodes with extra footage)
(SP) First Dream Of The New Year (初夢,Hatsuyume)
(EX) Good Job (乙彼（お疲れ）,Otsukare)
(Comic) Trust (信頼,Shinrai)
Kamen Rider Kuuga vs. the Strong Monster Go-Jiino-Da
In the Super Secret Video (超ひみつビデオ,Chō Himitsu Bideo)Kamen Rider Kuuga vs. the Strong Monster Go-Jiino-Da(仮面ライダークウガVS剛力怪人ゴ・ジイノ・ダ,Kamen Raidā Kūga Bui Esu Gōriki Kaijin Go Jiino Da), Yusuke reads through newspaper clippings of his actions as Kuuga before he is called upon to fight a new Gurongi called Go-Jiino-Da. The video also previews his Rising Mighty Form.
S.I.C. Hero Saga
Kuuga had two S.I.C. Hero Saga stories published in Monthly Hobby Japan magazine. The first titled Masked Rider Kuuga: Odyssey(MASKED RIDER KUUGA -オデッセイ-,Kamen Raidā Kūga -Odessei-) written by series producer Shigenori Takatera expands upon the mythology of Kuuga featuring original characters Riku (リク), the previous Kuuga chosen by the Linto, and the original N-Daguva-Zeba (Incomplete) (ン・ダグバ・ゼバ（不完全体）,N Daguba Zeba (Fukanzentai)). The second story Masked Rider Kuuga: Dark Side(MASKED RIDER KUUGA -DARK SIDE-,Kamen Raidā Kūga: Dāku Saido) continues the expansion of the series mythology. Odyssey ran from February to May 2002. Dark Side ran in a separate special issue titles Hobby Japan Mook S.I.C. Official Diorama Story S.I.C. Hero Saga vol.2.
Odyssey chapter titles
Linto (リント,Rinto)
Gurongi (グロンギ,Gurongi)
Gouram (ゴウラム,Gōramu)
Daguva (ダグバ,Daguba)
Novel
Kamen Rider Kuuga(仮面ライダークウガ,Kamen Raidā Kūga), written by Naruhisa Arakawa, is part of a series of spin-off novel adaptions of the Heisei Era Kamen Riders. The story takes place 12 years after the series, where Yusuke Godai defeated the Gurongi as Kamen Rider Kuuga. Ichijo is still trying to research the remains of the Gurongi Tribe until rumors of a mysterious "white warrior" (白い戦士,shiroi senshi) surfaces the internet, which reminds Ichijo of Godai. The novel was originally planned to be released on November 30, 2012, however it was delayed until June 2013.
Cast
Yusuke Godai (五代 雄介,Godai Yūsuke): Joe Odagiri(オダギリ ジョー,Odagiri Jō)
