Yusuke Godai

"I don't want to see people crying anymore. I want everyone to smile! So have a good look... at my... transformation!"

- Yusuke's words to Kaoru Ichijo before transforming into Mighty Form for the first time

Yusuke Godai (五代 雄介), born in Hokkaidō on March 18, 1975, with a blood type of O is a happy-go-lucky and honest person that fights to protect everyone's smile as Kamen Rider Kuuga (仮面ライダークウガ).The police called him the Unidentified Life Form #4 (未確認生命体第４号). He and his younger sister, Minori, lost their mother while they were both young and their father at Afghanistan when they were older, living with their father's friend Tamasaburo Kazari.

Personality
As mentioned above, Yusuke is a happy-go-lucky and honest person that fights to protect everyone's smile. Yusuke constantly seeks to better himself and as a result, gained 2000 skills because of it. While serious about keeping his vows, Yusuke will break some if he considers it absolutely necessary. Along with having the spirit of a fighter, he also has a strong will as he not only obtained, but also successfully gained full control over Ultimate Form and it's upgraded form Rising Ultimate Form, proving Daguva wrong and showing himself worthy as Kuuga.

Biography
On the day he returns from Indonesia to Japan at the airport, Yusuke's life changed the day that he visits Sakurako Sawatari (with a mask for her), who was helping in Professor Natsume's archaeological finding of the Linto Tribe and a mummified corpse, whose disruption marked the unsealing of a strange monster that attacks the archaeologists. Receiving a distress call from them, Yusuke makes his way to the excavation site, seeing the light that marks the rebirth of the Gurongi Tribe. By the time he arrived at the scene at daybreak, he finds the police investigating the area and meets detective Kaoru Ichijo, finding a strange belt tied to the visions he's been seeing. He later meet Ichijo and he and Sakurako are brought to the police station to learn the archeologists were all slaughtered by the mysterious monster, later referred to as "Unidentified Lifeform 0", before being given the Arcle to translate the markings on it.

However, as they leave, the two encounter the Gurongi Zu-Gumun-Ba attacking the station upon being revived, Yusuke puts on the Arcle to fight him, resulting with the belt fusing onto him as he assumes Kuuga's Growing Form and saves Ichijo from the Gurongi, the detective recognizing Yusuke. After 11 hours of rest, Sakurako suggests they return to Tokyo as they are visited by Ichijo who tells him not to meddle in police affairs and go to Tokyo to see Shuichi Tsubaki. Later that night, Yusuke goes against Ichijo's wishes to help fight Zu-Gooma-Gu, only to be beaten by the stronger monster and later gets chewed up by Ichijo.

But after seeing the daughter of the late Professor Natsume cry over her father's death, Yusuke's resolve to fight for the sake of keeping people from suffering led him to assume Mighty Form, taking the name of "Kuuga" as he saves Ichijo from Gooma and destroys Gumun. Starting with inspector Kaoru Ichijo, Yusuke eventually gains the trust of the police department by receiving the TryChaser 2000 from Ichijo. While brought to Doctor Shuichi Tsubaki for a confidential check-up, Yusuke learns that the Arcle's fusion onto him is more complex as it had spread vein-like connections into his muscular and nervous systems.

During his first battle with Zu-Badzū-Ba, Kuuga assumes Dragon Form and eventually masters it with Sakurako's aid to kill Badzū. Then while fighting Me-Bajisu-Ba, Kuuga assumes Pegasus Form but was overwhelmed by his enhanced senses as Bajisu escapes, vowing revenge on Kuuga. Unable to change, Yusuke decides to help Ichijo by finding Mika Natsume, who is on the verge of being suicidal when her father's murderer not yet caught. After talking Mika into letting things resolve themselves over time, Bajisu attacks and Yusuke is able to effectively use Pegasus Form's power to kill the Grongi sniper.

While dealing with Me-Giiga-Gi, and Minori's apprehensive feelings for being Kuuga, Yusuke is able to become Titan Form to defeat Giiga after convincing Minori that it all be right. Yusuke later meets Junichi Chono, a young man who lost his faith in humanity and thought to be able to relate more the Unidentified Lifeforms. However, his encounter with Me-Biran-Gi said otherwise when Kuuga saves the boy before killing the Gurongi. During the fight however, Yusuke felt the reawakening of the Gouram as it was excavated and whirled to life to make its way towards him, providing its power for him to counter Me-Gyarido-Gi.

Later, when poisoned by Me-Ginoga-De, Yusuke manages to survive the near death experience due to the Amadam countering the poison when induced with shock therapy, allowing him to arrive to the police's aid to destroy Ginoga and later his clone. But since then, Yusuke begins to feel a numbing pain during his next few battles as Kuuga against stronger Gurongi. He learns that it may be tied to a greater power that maybe needed as he believes that stronger Gurongi will eventually appear. After training to bring out the "golden power" with Enokida's help, Yusuke's battle against the promoted Go-Garima-Ba leads to an upgraded version of Kuuga's Titan Form, Rising Titan. The next two fights allow Yusuke to become bring Rising Pegasus and Rising Dragon while learning that the Arcle had fused further into his body.

After healing from being wounded by Go-Gamego-Re, Yusuke meets Chono as he took up being an artist since their last encounter before he finds the Gurongi and kills him once achieving Rising Mighty, accidentally causing mass devastation. Because of the incident, the BeatChaser 2000 would not to be given to Kuuga as the Go-Badā-Ba finally begins to play, saving Kuuga as his final victim. While Ichijo convinces his fellow officers, Yusuke is aided by Sugita in tracking down Badā until Ichijo arrives with the Beat Chaser which allows Kuuga to destroy Badā. However, the incident with the sadistic Go-Jaraji-Da, influences Yusuke's behavior for the worse, causing him to subconsciously assume Kuuga's Ultimate Form while killing the Gurongi in a brutal rage.

Later, Yusuke goes to Enokida when she wanted to investigate the reason on how he can turn everyday objects into weapons like the Go Gurongi before going after Go-Zazaru-Ba when she went up against an evolving Gooma, worried that two Grongi fighting each other was a very bad omen. This is made worst when Yusuke learns the "Kuuga" character is not of Linto origin, but is actually an incomplete Gurongi character and may be tied to Number 0, later revealed as the Gurongi lord N-Daguva-Zeba when he arrived to slaughter Gooma before making his way to Tokyo for end-game. Yusuke's fears of their relation were confirmed as Sakurako fully translated the Linto text and the Gurongi characters on it, revealing his mental wellbeing during the incident with Jaraji while understanding that he'll be alright as long as he doesn't fight out of hate.

After learning from Enokida that the Gurongi may also share Kuuga's ability to change form, Yusuke leaves when Go-Jāza-Gi makes her move. During a flawed attempt to get her, Kuuga senses Daguva and got wounded while his guard was down before he finally kills Jāza in the next confrontation. After a post-discussion of the recent Gurongi/Kuuga connections after the death of Go-Baberu-Da, Yusuke makes his way to the 12 Arikawa Group Flute Competition, having brush in with Daguva before arriving to the Arikawa Group building after a hostage situation is resolved with Mika traumatized by the incident. As he escorts Mika to her train for home, Yusuke tells her not to run away even if things get scary.

During the battle with the last of the Go Gurongi, Go-Gadoru-Ba, Kuuga is overwhelmed by the Gurongi's ability to assume forms similar to his own. Severely wounded as a result, Yusuke is brought to the hospital where after a question of ethics, Tsubaki agrees to induce an electro-therapy charge after his heart gave out. By the time he leaves the hospital, Yusuke arrives to the stadium where Gadoru is fighting Ra-Dorudo-Gu. However in the ensuing rematch, Kuuga assumes the dark-armored Kuuga Amazing Mighty to kill Gadoru. With all the Gurongi warriors dead, Daguva finally reveals himself, overpowering Kuuga's Amazing Mighty and cracking the Amadam while killing numerous people before taking his leave, sparing Kuuga so he can get even stronger.

"Thank you. I think it was a good thing, because it let me meet Mr Ichijou." "Godai." "Now, please look at my transformation."

- Godai before transforming into Ultimate Form

Knowing that he has no choice but to break his word and assume that form, Yusuke visits to his friends one-by-one, knowing that he may not come back, with Sakurako realizing his intentions as Daguva finally makes his move, telling Yusuke to meet him at Mount Kuro. With Ichijo joining him, Yusuke tells him to shoot him in the Arcle should he go berserk and becoming the entity that bring ultimate darkness, though the officer is reluctant to do that. Once assuming Ultimate Form, powered by his gentle nature rather than hatred, Kuuga battles Daguva to the point of exhaustion and nearly getting himself killed. As Yusuke narrowly defeats Daguva while getting his Arcle damaged, he is taunted by Daguva who hopes that Yusuke becomes as big a monster as Daguva himself. Three months after the final battle, Yusuke has begun a new adventure to travel the world, starting at a Cuban beach where he helps some kids before walking off. It was shown that the Arcle was repairing itself after the battle, proving that Yusuke will regain his powers at some point. In later sequels, Yusuke does indeed transform into Kuuga as well as gained full control without worry over Ultimate Form as well as it's upgraded form Rising Ultimate Form.

Kamen Rider Decade

 * In the version of Kamen Rider Decade episode 31 shown in reruns, an unidentified Ultimate Kuuga, with black eyes, appears as one of Wataru Kurenai's companions, who antagonize Decade after he failed in his mission of saving the worlds. When more Riders appear and the Rider War starts, Kuuga seemingly reverts to Mighty Form and boards the TryChaser 2000, although he's knocked out during the conflict. In the original version of the episode, the Ultimate Kuuga in the final battle was a brainwashed Yusuke Onodera, but all references to his identity are removed in the rerun version, which just makes him appear as another member of Wataru's group. Tv-Asahi site also lists this Kuuga as a separate character.

OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders

 * Kamen Rider Kuuga, in Mighty Form, appears in OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders. He reappears alongside the other Heisei era Riders, fighting against Gurongi that allied themselves with Shocker and other Kamen Rider villains from the 40 years of the franchise. Kuuga defeats N-Gamio-Zeda who had become one of Shocker's executives and stops the Gurongi's offensive. Afterwards, he joins up with every other Rider for a final battle against the Great Leader of Shocker.
 * When all the Riders board their vehicles for a combined attack against the Great Leader, Kuuga goes with the Rising BeatGouram.
 * Although Kuuga's human form isn't shown in the movie itself, he has no lines and isn't listed in the credits, Kuuga is confirmed to be Yusuke Godai by the movie's official website.

Kamen Rider Fourze

 * The previous Riders, Kuuga among them, are remembered as urban legends. In episode 2, there's brief new video footage of four past Riders, including Kuuga. Kuuga's video footage shows him in Mighty Form facing three Gurongi who look similar to Zu-Gooma-Gu in Ultimate Form, Zu-Zain-Da and Me-Badjisu-Ba.

Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
Kuuga, among the majority of the Kamen Riders, was caught up in the "Super Hero Taisen" incident which resulted in the Kamen Riders and Super Sentai joining forces to defeat both Dai-Shocker and Dai-Zangyack. Kuuga is being shown when he is team-worked with Tsukasa at first (as Decade in 1 form) while riding his TryChaser 2000.

Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z
Kuuga was part of a force of Rider and Sentai reinforcements led by Kamen Rider 1 and that came to assist the Riders and Sentai of recent years who were overwhelmed by the revived monster army of the. The combined forces of superheroes were able to turn the tide against the Madou army. They lined up and used their various finisher attacks to destroy the revived monsters.

After was destroyed and the battle was finally over, Kuuga appeared standing on a cliff with all the other heroes who appeared to help, to say goodbye to the heroes of recent years before taking their leave.

Kamen Rider Wizard
When a young boy and a young girl attempt to escape from the World within the Magic Stone, they use the Kamen Rider Rings to summon many Riders to help them, and among them there's Kuuga. Using the Mighty form, Kuuga takes on the Armadillo Orphnoch, Beetle Fangire and Same Yummy at the same time. However, the powerful Beetle Fangire counter attacks, stunning both Kuuga and Blade at the same time. Surrounded by the monster army alongside Agito, the three Riders are hit by many energy blasts and are temporarily expelled.

Amadum, recovers the Rider Rings and summons all Riders from Kuuga to OOO, besides Decade, attaching them to a giant magic stone that absorbs their energy. Later, Amadum summons again all of the Riders from Kuuga to Fourze, and orders them to take on Kamen Rider Wizard. However, the Riders reveal they aren't just puppets and turn against Amadum. Kuuga fights against the Mole Imagin,Tortoise Undead and Bakeneko. Afterwards, Kuuga uses his Mighty Kick to finish off both the Hound Zodiarts and Rat Fangire at once. When the battleground changes to the air, Kuuga and Agito are left behind on the ground, but Decade uses his Final formride ability to change them into Kuuga Gouram and Agito Tornador. Kuuga is surprised by Decade's ability, while Agito tells him to ask before doing that the next time. Flying through the air, Kuuga destroys many Hydragoons.

Facing Amadum himself, all Riders fall before him one by one, including Kuuga. Amadum attempts to open the way to Earth, but a New Rider is called to that world, Gaim. Amadum is unable to absorb Gaim's powers and loses the powers that he had absorbed before. Most Riders go to their ultimate forms while others transform into other powerful forms, with Yusuke Godai showing on screen for the first time his Rising Ultimate Kuuga form. Flying through Amadum's blasts, Rising Ultimate Kuuga and Shining Agito hit Amadum with a Rider Double Kick which knocks him down, and they're soon followed by all other Riders present, destroying Amadum. After the battle, the boy wakes up next to the chest with the Rider Rings, and Kuuga gives him a thumbs up, telling him that everything will be fine. Afterwards, he leaves that world alongside most other Riders, and the Rider Rings disappear.

Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai
Kuuga was defeated by unknown means and sent to Helheim, alongside other Riders, from where they planned a surprise attack against the Badan Empire. In the beginning of the final battle against Badan, Kuuga can be seen briefly facing the Ika-Jaguar Yummy, which is shown to not have been defeated in a later scene. Afterwards, Kuuga faces Destron Combatmen and Chaps alongside the Ganikomoru. Kuuga is shown one last time during the battle taking on Badan's Combatroids when the arrive to help.

During the battle between the Heisei and Showa Riders to prove the strength of the Heisei Riders, Kuuga initially faces Kamen Rider ZO, but he takes on Kamen Rider J when the battleground changes to the coast. Kuuga's Mighty Kick and J's J-Kick match each other during the battle. Both Riders are still fighting when the battle is interrupted. Afterwards, Kuuga and ZO are seen shaking hands when both groups stand together.

Kamen Rider Kuuga
In all versions, Kamen Rider Kuuga (known simply as Kuuga, in the original series) is a fighter who battled the Gurongi, assuming his Rider form through the Arcle, which was created by the Linto Tribe.

However the symbol for "Kuuga" is not a native character that came from the Linto but is actually an incomplete Gurongi character, tied to N-Daguva-Zeba who, like Kuuga, possesses an Amadam.

So in theory, Kuuga's form may actually be based off Daguva himself and the Arcle was created to mimic his abilities.

Fighting skills
From the beginning of the series, Yusuke was already skilled at various things which presumably included some forms of fighting. After becoming Kuuga and gaining experience from fighting the Gurongi, Yusuke becomes even stronger and becomes able control Ultimate Form which he uses against their leader. He not only fought equally against Daguva as Kuuga Ultimate Form, but also defeated him in their human forms while both were equally exhausted showing how much skill, will and stamina Yusuke has. It was shown that after defeating Daguva and getting his Arcle repaired, Yusuke managed to unlock and master Rising Ultimate Form showing how much potential he has as Kuuga.

Kuuga's Forms
Kuuga is the Kamen Rider with the third most forms to date (when adding both the forms assumed by Godai and Onodera), 14 in total, one shy from Kamen Rider Double with 15 different forms, and 115 shy from Kamen Rider OOO with 129 different forms (if you exclude the Random Combos involving Medals from the Movies or anywhere outside the series). Aside from his first form, Growing Form, he had four base forms that he relied on and would upgrade throughout the series, and in Decade, even Ultimate Form also gained an upgrade which he can alternate in between by saying "Cho Henshin!" (超変身!). His armor and eyes would change color depending on the form. Like the Go-Gurongi, Kuuga can alter any item he has into a weapon by temporary changing its atomic structure.

Device

 * Arcle - Transformation belt.

Vehicles

 * Gouram - A mysterious, stag beetle-shaped entity that assists Kuuga.
 * TryChaser 2000 - Kuuga's bike. The bike can combine with the Gouram to become TryGouram.
 * BeatChaser 2000 - Kuuga's secondary bike after TryChaser 2000 was destroyed. Like the TryChaser 2000, the bike also able to combine with Gouram to become BeatGouram. The BeatGouram can be powered up with Kuuga's golden power to become Rising BeatGouram.

Weapons

 * Mighty Anklet - Used in Kuuga Rising Mighty and Amazing Mighty.
 * Dragon Rod - Used in Kuuga Dragon Form.
 * Rising Dragon Rod - Used in Kuuga Rising Dragon.
 * Pegasus Bowgun - Used in Kuuga Pegasus Form.
 * Rising Pegasus Bowgun - Used in Kuuga Rising Pegasus.
 * Titan Sword - Used in Kuuga Titan Form.
 * Rising Titan Sword - Used in Kuuga Rising Titan.

Kamen Rider Kuuga video game
Yusuke appears as Kuuga in the Kamen Rider Kuuga video game. The player may play as Kuuga in his Mighty, Dragon, Pegasus, Titan, Growing, and Ultimate Forms.

Kamen Rider Agito & Kuuga Wild Battle
Kuuga appears with Agito in Kamen Rider Agito & Kuuga Wild Battle. He is playable in all forms except Growing Form.

This was the first Kamen Rider video game to feature Kuuga Amazing Mighty as a playable character and also feature Kuuga's Rising Forms as fully playable. Rising Forms and Ultimate Form can only be selectable during battle by pressing Down (Rising Forms must select pre-existing forms first (for example Mighty Form can select Rising Mighty etc.)) Amazing Mighty is only playable in Survival Mode on normal difficulty (replaces Mighty Form automatically after Mighty Form's life is lower than 30%).

Kamen Rider: The Bike Race
Kuuga appears riding the Beat Chaser 2000 in Kamen Rider: The Bike Race, a racing game featuring the majority of Kamen Riders and Rider Machines up to Kamen Rider Agito.

Kamen Rider: Battride War
Kamen Rider Kuuga appears as a Main Rider in the video game Kamen Rider: Battride War, which unites the riders of the Heisei era from Kuuga to Wizard.

Kuuga's Rising Forms (with Amazing Mighty as Rising Mighty's special finisher) can accessable via normal string charge attack.

Kamen Rider: Battride War II
Kamen Rider Kuuga reappeared in Kamen Rider: Battride War II.

Timeranger Stage Show at Double Hero Korakuen Yuenchi

 * In a stage show where the are seen fighting their usual foes, a Gurongi shows up and winds up defeating them. Kuuga in Mighty Form arrives to assist the Timerangers.

Timeranger Stage Show at Super Hero Nagoya Dome
In a stage show where the Timerangers are seen fighting their usual foes, a Gurongi shows up and defeats them. Kamen Riders Ichigo, Nigo, Shiro Kazami|V3 & Kuuga, &  & Robocon arrive to assist the Timerangers.

Names
"Kuuga" in Japanese comes from the readings of "clear-self" (空我). This possibly relates to how the user of the Arcle must have a "drive" to fully use the power of the belt. "Godai" translates to "five great" and is also one of the names for the five elements in Japanese philosophy. This relates to Kuuga's forms and their relations the five elements.

Portrayal
Yusuke Godai was portrayed by Joe Odagiri (オダギリ ジョー). In , Kuuga was voiced by Naoki Imamura (今村 直樹). In the newly released Kamen Rider Battride War, he was voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki, who also voices his A.R. counterpart.

As Kamen Rider Kuuga, his suit actor was Kenji Tominaga (富永 研司), his motorcycle action suit actor was Takumi Narita (成田 匠). Kenji Tominaga returned to do suit work for the A.R. World Kuuga in episodes 25 and 26 of Kamen Rider Decade and in Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker. He once again served as suit actor for Kamen Rider Kuuga in Super Hero Taisen.

Rider No.
As the leading Rider protagonist of Kamen Rider Kuuga, Yusuke Godai (Kamen Rider Kuuga) is labeled Kamen Rider #16 (仮面ライダー16号) and Heisei Rider #1 (平成ライダー1号).

In Popular Culture
In the Haiyore! Nyarko-san OVA "How to Defeat a Kind Enemy", Nyarko paraphrases Godai's famous speech from episode 2 of Kuuga: "For the sake of protecting everyone's smiles, I will become a magical girl! So please watch!" She then performs Godai's transformation pose to change into her magical girl identity. Additionally, in episodes 1 and 6 of the 2012 anime, Nyarko performs the Mighty Kick against her opponents, complete with Godai's trademark shout "Oriyaa!".