Takatora Kureshima

"Those who own power and privilege have a duty they must fulfill. That's what Noblesse Oblige means. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty in order to do that."

- Takatora explaining his importance to Mitsuzane

Takatora Kureshima (呉島 貴虎) is known as Kamen Rider Zangetsu (仮面ライダー斬月 [ザンゲツ]), a form granted by the use of the Sengoku Driver and Melon Lockseed, and later becomes Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin (仮面ライダー斬月 真 [ザンゲツ シン]), a form granted by the use of the Genesis Driver and Melon Energy Lockseed, for a short time prior to Ryoma's betrayal until he later returns in the original Zangetsu form.

He is Mitsuzane Kureshima's older brother, who was a project leader in the Research and Development branch of the Yggdrasill Corporation until he finds out the company has been compromised, usurped by Ryoma. This causes him to team up with his old enemy, Kouta Kazuraba.

Past
At some point prior to the beginning of the story, Takatora was instrumental in testing the early prototypes of the Sengoku Driver. Though he suffered physical harm and scars from setbacks, he uses the Melon Lock Seed and a finalized Sengoku Driver prototype to become Kamen Rider Zangetsu to deal with the Inves in Helheim Forest. Despite his questionable methods, his intentions are well-meant, proven by the fact that he instructed Ryoma to lower the specs of the Sengoku Driver to facilitate easier mass production, so to save more people, instead of hoarding power to himself.

Beat Riders Saga
"Why do you ask? One who asks the question is a proof of unworthy in this battle. That belt gives too much power to you. I'll take that belt back from you. What's the true meaning in this battle you're looking for? You'll find your own death before you'll find the answer. In this world, there is too much senseless malice. If you living in this world without learning that, then you just live on your pointless life."

- Takatora's word during the first fight against Gaim in Helheim Forest

Takatora is seen throughout the Beat Riders Saga as the protector of the Helheim forest, protecting his men as they forage into the forest to harvest the Helheim fruits. During one of these expeditions, he battles Gaim and teaches him the cruelty of reality and that the Sengoku Driver isn't a toy.

During the events of the movie, Takatora finds that three of the Sengoku Driver users have gone missing. Entering the Sengoku Period World, he accidentally defeats Bujin Double before realizing that he has helped Bujin Gaim, a different Gaim than the one he is familiar with. He later picks up the Joker Memory, the remnants of Bujin Double And escape from Bujin Gaim's attack. As Zangetsu, he gives Ryugen the Suika Lockseed to ensure that the Sengoku Driver users return safely to their world, and picks up Bujin Fourze's Fourze's Rocket Switch remnant at night, after Bujin Gaim's attacks on Bujin Fourze and Wizard faction alliance. When the Priestess of Fate arrives, he realizes that the remnants of the Bujins resonate with the immature Lockseeds that was left in the girl's wake. Creating the Fourze, OOO, Double, and Wizard Lockseeds, he aids his fellow Riders, assuming the Fourze Arms, defeating the Nepenthes Inhumanoid together. In the aftermath, Takatora appears to have a prototype Genesis Driver and Melon Energy Lockseed.

Takatora later appears during the Lockseed gathering game, causing all 7 prototype Sengoku Drivers to appear in the forest. Takatora defeats Gridon, Baron, and Bravo without breaking a sweat, but in a rage, destroys Kurokage's Sengoku Driver by accident. He returns to Headquarters, unpleased that Gaim saved his men, calling him street trash.

With all the data feedback from all 7 prototype Sengoku Drivers, Takatora uses the completed Genesis Driver to take out multiple Kurokage Troopers, noting that the Genesis Driver is powerful.

Yggdrasill Saga
After the development of the Genesis Drivers and his new transformation into Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin, Takatora deems the Beat Riders to have outlived their usefulness. After learning that Mitsuzane was made an Armored Rider behind his back, Takatora shows his younger brother the ruins in Helheim Forest to convince him to help him for the greater good.

Helheim Saga
While meeting Kouta and showing him the ruins in the Helheim Forest, Takatora sees the same ideals he once embodied in the youth and it only makes him more adamant to crush Kouta's spirit. He succeeds when he reveals to Kouta that in his first battle as Armored Rider Gaim, he killed his friend Yuya Sumii who had been transformed into the Byakko Inves. However, Takatora is later shocked that the revelation has the opposite effect on Kouta, who destroys Yggdrasill's Scalar System in Kachidoki Arms.

Over Lord Saga
After Mitsuzane reports to the group that DJ Sagara is helping Kouta, concealing the full story of the Over Lord Inves, Takatora does not believe these turn of events at first. However, Takatora learns the truth when he confronts one of the Over Lords leading an attack on the research team with Kouta informing him of how the type of Inves may be instrumental in stopping Helheim Forest's expansion. Seeing a way to stop the invasion without massive sacrifices, he decides to ally with Kouta to stop the Over Lords. However, Takatora is oblivious to the fact that Ryoma's group is conspiring against him. This becomes Takatora's downfall as he is usurped by Ryoma's group and loses his Genesis Driver while being subsequently thrown off a cliff, but unknowingly betrayed by his own brother when he pleas him to help Kouta to save humanity. Eventually rescued by the Over Lord king, Rosyuo, Takatora learns the origins of the Femushinmu. Now realizing Ryoma's ambition, he realizes what Ryoma meant by him never understanding what he worked for. To his dismay about humanity being able to be saved, Rosyuo declares that humanity is foolish and will not obtain the Forbidden Fruit to repeat the tragedies that happened to his civilization.

While trying to find more answers about the Helheim's origins, especially Rosyuo's deceased wife, DJ Sagara later appears, informing that Demushu has recklessly struck the city, with Rosyuo unleashing the forbidden fruit he guarded from his hand, taking some seeds and turned them into the Kiwami Lockseed, much to Takatora's surprise, as DJ Sagara leaves to find a rightful person to be its guardian. He is soon spotted by Sid, and is about to be killed. Luckily Rosyuo protects him and kills Sid, but Takatora is shocked in horror at witnessing it. Shortly before finding out the Over Lords are setting their ways to invade Earth, Takatora takes Sid's hat as a keepsake shortly before Redyue takes it from him.

Forbidden Fruit Arc
When Redyue returns with a laptop that contains a camera that shows Zawame's landscape and leaves, Takatora asks Rosyuo what are the Overlords' intentions. Rosyuo replies to Takatora about broadcasting for their domination and sacrifices. Upon returning to Earth with Rosyuo inside Yggdrasill's former base, Takatora is shocked at seeing the base and the city become a hell. When the missiles that were launched by the government are about to destroy Zawame, Rosyuo vanquishes the missiles. However, it is still unsafe for Takatora when the Overlords are still at large invading Zawame for domination.

With Yggdrasill compromised and unable to save humanity, he finds Yoko Minato alongside the surviving Armored Riders and witnesses Kouta alongside her. This prompts Takatora to follow him and his allies in the shadow while Kouta, Kaito, and Yoko attempt to break in the Yggdrasill Headquarters to save the captured civilians. Trying to find a way to talk to Kouta, he observes Mitsuzane attacking Kouta and realizes that Mitsuzane has his Genesis Driver and has been masquerading as him during his absence. Getting in the crossfire between his brother and Kouta, he ultimately sides with Kouta and later obtains his Sengoku Driver and Melon Lockseed leading to a clash between Zangetsu vs. Zangetsu Shin.

Hyper Battle DVD
Sometime before the Lockseed Gathering games, Takatora enters the Helheim Forest to test New Arms, comedically calling Ichigo Arms too cute for him and disregards Budou Arms as he prefers katanas instead of guns. He eventually settles to test out Mango Arms. Sacrificing his defenses and agility granted by the Melon Lockseed in favor for pure strength, Takatora finds himself wide open numerous times to Kouta's attacks and eventually is defeated when he activates a Fresh Orange Sparking on him, knocking him out in disbelief that he was defeated.

Personality
Though a ruthless realist, Takatora still loves his family and spoils his younger brother, and especially cares about Mitsuzane's education. He is the most experienced and most powerful Armored Rider to date. In order to teach Gaim a lesson, who entered the Forest without his permission, without knowing that he's only looking for his friend, he brutally attacks him despite Kouta having no intention to fight him to make his point - that power given by the Lockseeds and Sengoku Driver is no game, letting Kouta go after clearly being the winner.

Despite his sense of realisim, he can show signs of arrogance and his wealthy upbringing has mildly affected his view of the world. He sometimes refers to the other Armored Riders as "street trash" that are beneath him and not worthy of his attention, the exception being if they directly interfere with his plans.

He also seems to have a bit of a temper when pressured, as seen when Kurokage provokes him while he was trying to reach his staff to rescue them from the Inves swarm. This caused him to have an angry outburst and unintentionally damage Ryoji's Sengoku Driver with a furious blow of sword slashes.

As stated by him back when he first encountered Gaim, he knows the Lockseeds carry a dangerous disease, which is also seen when he tries to warn Hase not to eat the immature fruit.

Under his ruthless realist personality shows that Takatora does have hidden feelings, grieving that he is only able to save about a billion of the Earth's population. More of this side is shown when he takes care of Oren after Oren takes a hit that disrupts his transformation as he falls into his arms. In addition, he finally lightens up, handshaking Kouta and thanking him for giving him an alternative means to save humanity rather than culling the world's population through Project Ark.

His ruthless realist personality was in fact used under the influence of Ryoma when he realized his own friend had been using him all along prior to his betrayal.

Arms
Like the other Armored and New Generation Riders, Kamen Rider Zangetsu/Zangetsu Shin's forms are called Arms (アームズ). All of his Japanese Samurai-themed Arms' helmets share the title Kabuto (カブト), while his visors share the title Eye (アイ).

Devices

 * Transformation devices:
 * Sengoku Driver - As Zangetsu
 * Genesis Driver - As Zangetsu Shin (formerly)
 * Lockseeds - Gives access to Zangetsu/Zangetsu Shin's Arms changes, depending on which lock is used

Weapons

 * Musou Saber - Side weapon, as Zangetsu
 * Arms Weapons - Weapons that come with the Arms, besides the Musou Saber:
 * Zangetsu:
 * Melon Defender - Zangetsu Melon Arms' personal weapon
 * Rocket Module - Zangetsu Fourze Arms' personal weapon
 * Mango Punisher - Zangetsu Mango Arms' personal weapon
 * Zangetsu Shin:
 * Sonic Arrow - Zangetsu Shin Melon Energy Arms' personal weapon

List of Appearances

 * Kamen Rider Gaim
 * 2, 4-24, 26-29, 31, 32, 34-36
 * Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle
 * Kamen Rider Gaim: Sengoku Battle Royale
 * Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai
 * Ressha Sentai ToQger Vs. Kamen Rider Gaim Spring Vacation Combining Special
 * Kamen Rider Gaim the Movie: The Great Soccer Match! The Golden Fruit Cup!

Portrayal
Takatora Kureshima is portrayed by Yuki Kubota (久保田 悠来), who previously portrayed Kakashi in Garo: Soukoku no Maryu. He also had a cameo in Kamen Rider The Next.

As Kamen Rider Zangetsu, his suit actor is Jun Watanabe (渡辺 淳), who was previously the suit actor for Kamen Rider Beast, Phoenix and White Wizard in Kamen Rider Wizard.

Legend Rider Lockseeds

 * The following Legend Rider Lockseeds are styled for Zangetsu:
 * Stronger - "Aku wo Taoese to Ore wo yo Bu!"
 * ZO - "Daijizen Neo Seimeitai!"
 * Agito - "Mezamero, Sono Tamashii!"
 * Ryuki - "Tatakawanakereba Ikinokorenai!"
 * Hibiki - "Tatakikome Kiyome no Oto!"
 * Momotaros - "Ore Sanjou!"
 * Fourze Cosmic States - "Minna no Kizuna de Uchu wo Tsukame!"