Sora Takigawa

Sora Takigawa (滝川 空) is a young serial killer, who later becomes Gremlin (グレムリン), his own Phantom, as he didn't lose his old personality.

Profile

 * Gate: Sora Takigawa (滝川 空)
 * Mythological Basis:
 * Destroyed by: Kamen Rider Wizard Water Dragon's Dragon Tail & Land Dragon's Dragon Claw (Magic Land); Kamen Rider Wizard Flame Style's Strike Dragon (via Hope Ring)

History
Before Sora become the Phantom Gremlin, he was a hairdresser/homicidal killer who went after girls with long black hair while wearing a white dress after his heart was broken. However, Sora still has some of his real personality even after Gremlin was born from within him, due to the control he has over his Phantom.

Sora first appears in front of Koyomi. He tosses a yellow Magic Stone to her, saying that she must give it to Wizard. Koyomi actually senses that Sora is a Phantom, but Sora flees before she could do anything. Sora appears once again, when Wizard Land Style changed into Land Dragon. Sora is pleased that Wizard put the Magic Stone to good use, stating that "all four elements have awakened". However, he became bored and decided to leave without being detected by Koyomi.

Sora later meets up with Medusa, who asks him where Phoenix is. However, Medusa then knew that Phoenix might release his rage. Later, when Phoenix rampages, Sora gives Shunpei a gift, which is Rinko's bloodied ID. Shunpei then rushes to Haruto. Sora then meets Phoenix who injuring Rinko. Sora then prepares to arrange Phoenix to meet with Wizard. Phoenix asks Sora why had he helped him. Sora then answers that because Phoenix is the same like him, listening to himself. Also, Sora feels that Wiseman's plans are somewhat fishy. Later, Sora tells Haruto about Rinko's bloodied ID and tells Haruto to save her.

After Phoenix is defeated, Sora meets Medusa, who tells him that Phoenix had been defeated. Medusa then greets Sora with his true Phantom name, Gremlin. Sora then skips and changed into his Phantom form.

Gremlin then appears to aid Weretiger for battling two magicians. Gremlin decides to battle Wizard, while Weretiger battles Beast. Not only that, Gremlin also uses Shunpei as his hostage. He then trick Haruto and Rinko to the bowling alley, which is Medusa's private place. After the battle, Medusa angrily attacks Gremlin. Though, Gremlin managed to trick Medusa that he think Medusa could defeat Wizard. Unfortunately, after the incident, Medusa keeps distance from Gremlin.

Later, he and Spriggan play on helping Osamu Nakamoto for stealing the Beast Driver. Though, in the end Kosuke retrieves the Beast Driver and even gets the new Beast Hyper form. After that, Gremlin intends to release Legion. After Legion was released, Gremlin was chained by Wiseman. However, before Gremlin could be executed, he reveals his plan to Wiseman which involved the Philosopher's Stone. Later, in Wiseman's bedroom, Gremlin proclaims that he controls his own Phantom, making sure he doesn't lose his real personality. Gaining Wiseman's trust, Gremlin becomes Wiseman's right hand.

In episode 34, Gremlin saves Chiaki Shimizu, a popular model from Argus, even though it resulted in Gremlin being thrown into the river by Argus. Though Haruto saved him, as he thinks Gremlin still has Sora's personality. After spending some time searching for Gremlin's hat, he leaves Haruto while giving some words. While Beast was fighting Argus, Gremlin takes Chiaki to his salon. However, what he wants to do is to kill her. Though, the plan was soon foiled by Haruto, Kosuke and Argus. While Beast fights some more with Argus, both Wizard and Gremlin fight, even though they are not willing to do it. Gremlin soon overpowered Wizard, before the magician switched to Infinity Style. Wizard Infinity Style soon overpowered Gremlin, even when using his super speed ability. Gremlin was almost hit by Wizard's Dragon Shining attack, but he manages to evade the attack at the last second. He then departs from the battle, after puzzling Haruto about the Philosopher's Stone.

Later, Wiseman talks to Gremlin about the current situation. Though, Gremlin states the two magicians always interfere with their plans. Wiseman then says that he needs a lot of Phantoms' mana to execute Sabbath not on a eclipse day. He also reveals that the Sabbath's true intention is not to create more Phantoms. However, the action is the one which create more Phantoms. Gremlin then asks Medusa if she happy if there are more Phantoms and if the Sabbath's true intention is not creating more Phantoms.

Later, he stops Medusa for interfering her to attack the magicians and Yuzuru, claiming he wants to know more about the White Wizard. Gremlin later informs Kosuke, Rinko and Mayu about White Wizard's hideout, which is Wiseman's abandoned hideout. After Kosuke battles the White Wizard, Gremlin states he can't play around anymore  Some time later, Gremlin is thinking about Wiseman and Sabbath's true goals isn't creating more Phantoms. He later sums up it with Koyomi's appearance and soon work out it. He then tells Medusa about his dream, which is becoming a human. Though, he needs the Philosopher's Stone and once he get it, it will be the Phantoms' end.

Later, Gremlin talks to Haruto, hinting that he knows more about Koyomi. When Koyomi meets Gremlin to talk about the red crack in her hand, Gremlin took this as a chance to kidnap her. Though Haruto arrives, Gremlin beats up Haruto and Koyomi. However, the White Wizard arrives and despite putting his best effort, Gremlin was defeated and forced to retreat. Gremlin then changes his plan by tries to kidnap Mayu and tells Haruto that his intention is to kidnap one magician and trade it with Koyomi. When the Sabbath will begins, Gremlin tells Kosuke, Rinko, and Shunpei about the Sabbath and told them to stop the Sabbath.

Gremlin attempts to kidnap Koyomi again after the second Sabbath ends in failure, but once again is stopped by Fueki, who impales Gremlin with the Hamel Cane in the gut and prepares to kill him, only to be distracted by a fleeing Koyomi and leaves the Hamel Cane behind. Gremlin later makes his return by killing Fueki with his own weapon as well as stealing Koyomi's Philosopher's Stone and leaving her to die with Haruto.

With the Philosopher's Stone in his possession, attaches the magic stone onto his wounded body and changes into a stronger form of his Phantom's state. To become human again, Gremlin decides to wreak havoc in Tokyo in order to gather mana regardless of the people he slaughters are Gates or not. As the three Kamen Rider Mages fight off his Ghouls, Gremlin easily defeats them and is about to impale Mayu for her mana only to be stopped by Haruto who came to reclaim the Philosopher's Stone as Koyomi's last request. As Sora explains his motives to Haruto, they fight just as Sora said he would when first fighting against Infinity Style. As both sides take a few blows, Gremlin uses the Philosopher's Stone to damage Wizard enough to make him revert to Flame Style. Haruto then grabs the Philosopher's Stone and removes it from Gremlin reverting him back to his original form. The Philosopher's Stone transforms into the Hope Ring and Wizard uses its power to finally kill the throughly evil being once and for all. With his dying breath, Sora mocks Haruto for stealing hope from another person, with Haruto retaliating by revealing that Sora had lost his humanity a long time ago, something the Phantom agrees with as he turns to dust.

Magic Land
An alternate version of Gremlin was present along with Medusa and Phoenix in a altered version of the world called Magic Land. They appeared before the young Gate Shiina, easily overpowering the boy when he transformed into Kamen Rider Mage and forcing him into despair. They were then met by Haruto and Kosuke who proceeded to face them as Wizard and Beast. Wizard used the Drago Timer to split himself into his four Dragon Styles while Beast Hyper took on Medusa. As Flame Dragon and Hurricane Dragon dealt with Phoenix, Water Dragon and Land Dragon faced Gremlin, manifesting their Dragon parts to destroy him.

Kamen Rider Wizard: The Promised Place
A version of Gremlin (Philosopher's Stone ver.) was evidently consumed by the cannibalistic Phantom, Ogre, who channeled his power while fighting Kamen Rider Wizard, using Gremlin's strength to enhance his sword skill and swiftly counter Wizard, vanishing his three Drago Timer clones.

Personality
Gremlin is sadistic by nature, despite appearing playful and carefree with a habit of making a girly giggle when things go his way. However, he sometimes gets very serious to see what happens next. Unlike most Phantoms, he tends to refer to Phantoms by their Gate's names, which never fails to annoy fellow Phantoms. He is also a calculating trickster who doesn't mind using his own kind for his schemes and cares little for consequences, including playing an important part in orchestrating Phoenix's demise at Wizard's hands, and leading Haruto to Medusa and having them fight when the former is trying to save Shunpei, whom he kidnapped. He is also rather fearless as he manages to keep up his playful nature even when Medusa got angered enough to threaten to destroy him, and instead of merely running away, he runs up to her and explains his earlier scheme.

His cleverness probably rivals that of Medusa's, as despite being asked to help out with things initially, Medusa now wants to keep her distance instead after being used once. Though he is not as powerful as Phoenix, his cleverness  makes him very dangerous. Gremlin also has his own agenda to fully understand Wiseman's plan, intending to use fellow Phantoms to fulfill his desire to know the full story of the Phantoms' overall goal.

Unlike other Phantoms who are monsters capable of taking a human guise in the form of the Gates they are born from, Gremlin managed to properly retain his human self both in body and in mind and thus far, being the only Phantom capable of doing so. As such, he does not see himself as a Phantom like others and prefers to be called "Sora" instead of "Gremlin", going so far as to repeatedly tell others that he is not Gremlin.

It was revealed that Sora had been a serial killer before he became a Phantom, killing former clients that resembled the woman with long dark hair and white dress that betrayed him. Which may be the reason why he still has his old personality, as he had already fallen into despair and into madness before becoming a Phantom. It could also be the reason why Gremlin is trying to get close to Medusa, so he could kill her for his own twisted amusement.

Gremlin Phantom
Though Gremlin originally had only one form, in the final episode, he became Evolved Gremlin Phantom.

Portrayal
Sora is portrayed by Takahisa Maeyama (前山 剛久). The suit actor of his Phantom form is Kazuya Okada (岡田 和也).

Etymology

 * Gremlin's human name Sora is also the Japanese word for "sky" (空), which is fitting of the mythos of the as they were created during  to explain mysterious plane failures.