Mai Takatsukasa

Mai Takatsukasa (高司 舞) is an aspiring pro dancer and a childhood friend of Kouta. Her fate with the Woman of the Beginning is revealed that the two are the same person, with the latter being much later in the future.

History
Before the Yggdrasill Corporation took over Zawame, Mai was the daughter of a priest at a shrine, that housed a great tree. She would normally perform ceremonial dances as a child. Though Zawame was taken over by Yggdrasill, Mai found the same passion of ceremonial dancing into street dancing and joins Team Gaim. When Kouta quits Team Gaim to focus on providing income for his sister, she takes his leave to heart, and ignores Kouta's friendly attitude. She later lightens up to Kouta after he takes Yuya's stead as Team Gaim's leader and supports him and Mitsuzane Kureshima during the Beat Rider/Inves games. Mai encounters a blonde girl, who resembles her and warns her that she can choose a different route than staying in Zawame. Mai gives it some thought before deciding to stay in Zawame for her friends. During a Beat Riders Royale tournament hosted by Sagara, the Nephenthes Inhumanoid confuses her for the Priestess of Fate (運命の巫女), her future counterpart. She is kidnapped and taken to the Sengoku Period World and is targeted by Bujin Gaim. After Bujin Gaim and the Nephenthes Inhumanoid are defeated, Mai, alongside Kouta, Kaito, and Mitsuzane return back to Zawame. Eventually, Mai and the rest of the Beat Riders are blamed for the Inves attacks that occur throughout the city and eventually has the Beat Riders quit the Inves Games, allowing her to resume her passion for dancing while making the Beat Riders unrelated to the Inves attacks. Mai learns of Kouta's secret and becomes more concerned for his well-being and attempts to help lessen the burden that he has to deal with. Mai is ultimately kidnapped by Mitsuzane and is taken to the Over Lord King Rosyuo.

Mai's innocence and honesty wins over Rosyuo as he gives her the Golden Fruit, allowing her to become the Woman of the Beginning, granting her superhuman abilities, allowing her to trascend through time and space. Mai's physical body is killed and dissected by Ryoma Sengoku, who manages to steal the Golden Fruit out of Mai. However, the Golden Fruit erupts, transforming into the Woman of the Beginning, who then travels back into time. Sagara follows her back towards time and warns her that time itself will alter her messages and that even attempting to change the fates by changing the past is uncertain for even the bearer of the Golden Fruit. When Mai reaches the point at Yggdrasill Tower when Kouta obtained the Kachidoki Lockseed, Sagara (of the past) reveals that it was because of the Woman of the Beginning contacting Kouta, Kaito, Mitsuzane and her past self that gave him a vague idea that those four are the ones that are chosen to cross paths for the Golden Fruit.

Now she is lost on a different time stream, she can only be brought back into present time when either Kouta or Kaito won their battle for the golden fruit.

Personality
She has a friendship with Kaito Kumon, though the two aren't particularly fond of each other at first, the two learn to respect each other and value each other's assets such as their strengths. Like Kouta, Mai refuses to believe that Mitsuzane has been backstabbing them the entire time, unaware of Mitsuzane's feelings for her. Though, because Mitsuzane is in love with Mai, he forces her to bend to his will after he initiates a pre-emptive attack that brutally injures Peko.

As the Woman of Beginning, she tried hard to stop the conflict amongst Kouta, Kaito, and Mitsuzane. She even went back through time to warn the three of them about this future, but ultimately the future is already set as time itself altered her words.

Abilities
As the Woman of the Beginning, Mai has the ability to appear before people, almost like a phantom. Her right eye shines and glows when she appears and disappears. She also can create Helheim Fruits that follow behind her which is activated by her right eye, which also shines and glows just like when she appears and disappears before people. The Woman of the Beginning is able to traverse time and space allowing her to go to certain parts in time but whenever she tries to speak, her messages become cryptic due to interference from time.

She is never seen to engage in battle, so it's unknown how much physical power she has.

The Woman of the Beginning's role is like a container for the Fruit of Knowledge, she is entitled to grant the fruit to a man she deemed worthy. Also, she can do anything because of the Fruit's power, such as travelling through time.

Portrayal
Mai Takatsukasa is portrayed by Yuumi Shida (志田 友美), who also plays the Woman of the Beginning. As a child, Mai is portrayed by Shiori Saeki (佐伯 栞).

Etymology
Her surname, Takatsukasa (高司), is formed from the kanji for high (高) and ruler (司), while her first name Mai (舞) can be translated to dance.

Appearances
Mai Takatsukasa Woman of the Beginning
 * Kamen Rider Gaim
 * 1-16, 18-36, 38-
 * Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle
 * 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!
 * Kamen Rider Gaim
 * 1, 3, 5, 12, 23, 41, 43
 * Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle
 * Kamen Rider Gaim Hyper Battle DVD: Fresh Orange Arms is Born!