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: The Gremlin

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 Sabbath's true intention is not creating 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 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.

Somehow, Gremlin evolves and defeats the White Wizard and steals his weapon. He goes face to face with Wizard Infinity Style.

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 actually has only one form, in the season finale, he becomes 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 gremlin as they were created during World War II to explain mysterious plane failures.