Kamen Rider Kiva


 * For the series' main character, Kiva, see Wataru Kurenai.

Kamen Rider Kiva (仮面ライダーキバ) is the title of the 2008 Kamen Rider Japanese tokusatsu television series produced by Toei Company and Ishimori Productions. It premiered on January 27, 2008, following the finale of Kamen Rider Den-O. It aired as a part of TV Asahi's 2008 Super Hero Time block with Engine Sentai Go-onger. Advertisements showed a horror film theme to the series, with the motif for Kamen Rider Kiva as a vampire. The advertising slogan for the series is "Wake up! Break the chains of destiny!!" (覚醒（ウェイクアップ）! 運命（さだめ）の鎖を解き放て!!). The first episode began with a commemoration of the series in honor of the seventieth anniversary of Shotaro Ishinomori's birthday.

Synopsis
Twenty-two years after the disappearance of his father, Wataru Kurenai lives in an infamous "haunted house" where he is destined as Kamen Rider Kiva to fight life-draining monsters called Fangires, the very race his father fought years ago before his disappearance. Wataru must also deal with Kamen Rider Ixa who is part of an organization seeking to destroy the Fangire menace, as well as the Fangires' own Rider, Kamen Rider Saga. The story is split between the actions of Wataru in the present (2008-09) and his father Otoya in the past (1986-87), slowly revealing the link between the Fangire Race and Kiva.

The characters of Kamen Rider Kiva are spread throughout two time periods, each related to one another. There are the actions of Otoya Kurenai and the Fangire Hunter Yuri Aso with the Wolfen Jiro in the year 1986 with the first Ixa Ver.I that result in the various Fangires that persist to the current day, in 2008, with Otoya's son Wataru (as Kamen Rider Kiva) along and Keisuke Nago (as Kamen Rider Ixa Ver.X) and Yuri's daughter Megumi (also a Fangire Hunter), dealing with the Fangires to prevent deaths.

Fangire
The Fangires (ファンガイア) are stained glass-based vampires who feed off of the Life Energy (ライフエナジー) of humans to survive, with which they can disguise themselves as humans. Because of this, aware humans have formed a group to hunt the Fangires. Though Kiva usually captures a Fangire's soul to feed to Castle Doran, Fangires can be completely destroyed when shattered as seen by Ixa and stronger Fangires.

Climax Deka
A movie titled Movie Edition: Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva: Climax Deka (劇場版　仮面ライダー電王＆キバ　クライマックス刑事（デカ）) opened in theaters on April 12, 2008. It features a meeting between the characters of Kiva and the characters of Kamen Rider Den-O. They team up to fight a new evil Imagin who has teamed up with the Fangire Clan. Alongside Climax Deka, a short film titled Momotaros's Let's Go Kiva! (モモタロスのキバっていくぜ！) will be shown as double feature.

King of the Castle in the Demon World
Movie Edition: Kamen Rider Kiva: King of the Castle in the Demon World (劇場版　仮面ライダーキバ　魔界城の王) opened in Japanese theaters on August 9, 2008. It featured two new Riders who have been shown in silhouettes in Japanese children's magazines, Kamen Rider Rey (仮面ライダーレイ), who is a monster hunter named Takato Shiramine (白峰 天斗) played by Shouma Yamamoto (山本 匠馬), partnered to Rey Kivat (レイキバット) and the villain of the movie Takashi Sugimura (杉村 隆), a death-row inmate who transforms into Kamen Rider Arc (仮面ライダーアーク) with Arc Kivat (アークキバット), portrayed by Ken Horiuchi of the comedy troupe Neptune. The movie takes place in an alternate universe, as trying to place the story of the movie anywhere within the story of the series always leaves events out of place and would cancel out other events. Furthermore, Shouma Yamamoto plays Takato Shiramine in the Kamen Rider Kiva movie, but he also plays Taiga Nobori in the actual series.

"Den-Liner, Into Space!"
"Kamen Rider Kiva & Den-O: Den-Liner, Into Space!" (仮面ライダーキバ＆電王 デンライナー、宇宙へ！) is a planetarium show using the cast of Kiva and Den-O to teach children about the universe. It was being shown at the Kagoshima Municipal Science Hall's planetarium between January 2 and March 30, 2009.

Adventure Battle DVD
The Hyper Battle DVD Kamen Rider Kiva: You Can Also be Kiva (仮面ライダーキバ キミもキバになろう) Wataru Kurenai, Keisuke Nago, and Otoya Kurenai introduce themselves to a boy (the viewer) who has wandered into the Café mald'amour and offer to teach him how he can be like each of them. This DVD is referred to as an Adventure Battle DVD (アドベンチャーバトルDVD) and it takes on the form of a Choose Your Own Adventure story. After having an "Ixa-cise" with Nago and a special lesson from Otoya, a Fangire attacks and the viewer can choose to transform Kiva into Garulu Form, Basshaa Form, Dogga Form, or the secret DoGaBaKi Emperor Form.

King of Vampire
For Kiva's S.I.C. Hero Saga side story Kamen Rider Kiva: King of Vampire (仮面ライダーキバ -KING OF VAMPIRE-), the story follows the life of the characters following the finale while expanding on other instances in the history of the 1986 storyline. The story is set to begin running in the January 2010 issue of Monthly Hobby Japan magazine. Like the series' episode titles, the titles of the first three chapters of the S.I.C. Hero Saga follow a similar format, but features two musically themed titles separated by an item from musical notation (the former is an opera while the latter is a song from said opera, the third names the composer and one of his songs). The first chapter uses the Segno. The last chapter is a retelling of the final scene of the TV series, except instead of Masao and the Neo-Fangires, Kiva-la comes to warn them about the Lion Fangire having turned into a giant Sabbat.
 * Chapter titles
 * 1) A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March (夏の夜の夢・結婚行進曲)
 * 2) Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus 2 (ローエングリン・結婚行進曲２)
 * 3) Saint-Saëns: Marche Héroïque (サン・サーンス・英雄行進曲)
 * 4) The Last Scene Again (ラストシーンをもう一度)

Cast

 * 2008 side
 * Wataru Kurenai (紅 渡): Koji Seto (瀬戸 康史)
 * Keisuke Nago (名護 啓介): Keisuke Kato (加藤 慶祐)
 * Megumi Aso (麻生 恵): Nana Yanagisawa (柳沢 なな)
 * Kengo Eritate (襟立 健吾): Kouhei Kumai (熊井 幸平)
 * Shizuka Nomura (野村 静香): Rina Koike (小池 里奈)
 * Taiga Nobori (登 太牙): Shouma Yamamoto (山本 匠馬)
 * Mio Suzuki (鈴木 深央): Yuria Haga (芳賀 優里亜)
 * Tatsulot (タツロット): Akira Ishida (石田 彰)


 * 1986 side
 * Otoya Kurenai (紅 音也): Kouhei Takeda (武田 航平)
 * Yuri Aso (麻生 ゆり): Yu Takahashi (高橋 優)
 * King (キング): Shinya Niiro (新納 慎也)
 * No side
 * Mamoru Shima (嶋 護): Kazuhiko Kanayama (金山 一彦)
 * Akira Kido (木戸 明): Houka Kinoshita (木下 ほうか)
 * Jiro (次狼): Kenji Matsuda (松田 賢二)
 * Ramon (ラモン): Yuuki Ogoe (小越 勇輝)
 * Riki (力): Eiji Takigawa (滝川 英治)
 * Maya (真夜): Saki Kagami (加賀美 早紀)
 * Rook (ルーク): Tomohide Takahara (高原 知秀)
 * Bishop (ビショップ): Mitsu Murata (村田 充)
 * Ryo Itoya (糸矢 僚): Sohto (創斗)
 * Kivat-bat the 3rd, Kivat-bat the 2nd (キバットバットⅢ世、キバットバットⅡ世): Tomokazu Sugita (杉田 智和)
 * Fangire (ファンガイア): Katsumi Shiono (塩野 勝美)

Guest actors

 * Kaoru Tsugami (津上 カオル): Nobuo Kyō (姜 暢雄)
 * Hitomi Miyazawa (宮澤 ひとみ): Masako Umemiya (梅宮 万紗子)
 * Takeo Ōmura (大村 武男): Katsuyuki Murai (村井 克行)
 * Tohru Miyake (三宅 徹): Satoshi Jinbo (神保 悟志)
 * Ladybug Fangire (レディバグファンガイア): Ryūsei Nakao (中尾 隆聖)
 * Tanahashi (棚橋): Atsushi Ogawa (小川 敦史)
 * Aberu (阿鐘): Akira Kubodera (窪寺 昭)
 * Kurosawa (黒沢): Kazuoki (和興)
 * Kaede (楓): Tomomi Miyashita (宮下 ともみ)
 * Masao Kurenai (紅 正夫): Kouhei Takeda (武田 航平)

Suit actors

 * Kamen Rider Kiva, Kamen Rider Dark Kiva, Garulu, Kamen Rider New Kiva: Seiji Takaiwa (高岩 成二)
 * Kamen Rider Ixa: Jiro Okamoto (岡元 次郎)
 * Kamen Rider Ixa (Yuri/Megumi Aso): Yūichi Hachisuka (蜂須賀 祐一)
 * Basshaa, Pearlshell Fangire: Naoko Kamio (神尾 直子)
 * Kamen Rider Saga, Dogga, Kamen Rider Dark Kiva (King/Otoya Kurenai/Taiga Nobori): Eitoku (永徳)
 * Fangire: Eitoku, Hiroyuki Muraoka (村岡 弘之)
 * Grizzly Fangire (ep. 23-24): Yasuhiko Imai (今井 靖彦)

Songs

 * Opening theme
 * "Break the Chain"
 * Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
 * Composition: Shuhei Naruse
 * Arrangement: Tourbillon, Shuhei Naruse
 * Artist: Tourbillon


 * The single "Break the Chain" was released on March 26, 2008. In its first day of sales, it hit #3 on the Oricon daily charts for singles. It then reached #3 on the weekly charts. In the finale, "Break the Chain" is used as a true ending theme, playing over the end credits, instead of over the battle.
 * The single "Break the Chain" was released on March 26, 2008. In its first day of sales, it hit #3 on the Oricon daily charts for singles. It then reached #3 on the weekly charts. In the finale, "Break the Chain" is used as a true ending theme, playing over the end credits, instead of over the battle.


 * Ending theme
 * "Destiny's Play"
 * Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
 * Composition: NKMD
 * Arrangement: Shuhei Naruse
 * Artist: TETRA-FANG
 * Episodes: 8-14, 17-18, 22


 * The single "Destiny's Play" was released on April 23, 2008. A special edition CD/DVD single was also released containing the music video. TETRA-FANG is a "Limited Rock Unit" for Kiva, with KOJI on vocals, YUJI on guitar, ROY on bass, and SHUHEI on keyboard. Unlike with Den-O, Kiva will not have a different ending arrangement of Destiny's Play for each of Kiva's form changes. It entered at #15 the Oricon Daily Charts on it´s release date, went on place #24 in its first week in the Oricon Weekly Charts and in the second week to place #44. On the Kamen Rider Kiva Original Soundtrack was included a track titled "Destiny's Play IKEMENS Ver. ~feat. Kengo Eritate~ (Destiny’s Play イケメンズVer.～feat.襟立健吾～), the performance from episode 12.
 * "Individual-System"
 * Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
 * Composition & Arrangement: Shuhei Naruse
 * Artist: TETRA-FANG
 * Episodes: 15-16, 20-21
 * Episodes: 15-16, 20-21


 * "Individual-System" is described as having a blend of 1980s pop music and contemporary music. It was initially revealed to be the second ending theme when a posting on the Avex blog for Kiva mentioned that an ending theme song for Kamen Rider Ixa was to be arranged by Naruse with lyrics by Fujibayashi, initially called "Individual System." The single was released on June 25, 2008. "Individual-System" is still performed by TETRA-FANG with KOJI on vocals, but there will be multiple versions of the song to reflect the different users of the Ixa System.
 * "Innocent Trap"
 * Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
 * Composition & Arrangement: Shuhei Naruse
 * Artist: TETRA-FANG
 * Episodes: 19
 * Episodes: 19


 * Toei's website for Kiva lists "Innocent Trap" as Basshaa Form's ending theme.
 * "Shout in the Moonlight"
 * Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
 * Composition & Arrangement: Ryo (of defspiral)
 * Artist: TETRA-FANG
 * Episodes: 23
 * Episodes: 23


 * "Shout in the Moonlight" is Garulu Form's ending theme.
 * "Supernova"
 * Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
 * Composition: NAOKI MAEDA
 * Arrangement: Shuhei Naruse
 * Artist: TETRA-FANG
 * Episodes: 24-27, 29, 31-33, 37-39, 41-42, 45, Finale
 * Episodes: 24-27, 29, 31-33, 37-39, 41-42, 45, Finale


 * "Supernova" is Emperor Form's ending theme.
 * "Fight for Justice"
 * Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
 * Composition & Arrangement: Shuhei Naruse
 * Artist: Keisuke Nago (Keisuke Kato)
 * Episodes: 28, 30, 40, 44
 * Episodes: 28, 30, 40, 44


 * This arrangement of "Individual-System" is the first ending theme to be performed by someone other than TETRA-FANG. The single was released on July 30, 2008, with Keisuke Kato providing the vocals. This version was initially titled "Individual-System～Fight for justice～," however the single has since been renamed "Fight for Justice" on the single "Fight for Justice ~Individual-System NAGO ver.~" The song was sampled for a preview in the "Individual-System NAGO advance fist" track on the "Individual-System" single. In its first week on the charts, "Fight for Justice ~Individual-System NAGO ver.~" peaked at 28 on the Oricon Charts.
 * "Roots of the King"
 * Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
 * Composition & Arrangement: Shuhei Naruse
 * Artist: TETRA-FANG
 * Episodes: 34-36, 43
 * Episodes: 34-36, 43


 * "Roots of the King" is the theme song for Kamen Rider Dark Kiva and his son Kamen Rider Saga. On September 13, 2008, Naruse announced on the Avex Movie blog for Kiva that the next single to be released by TETRA-FANG is to be titled "Roots of the KING." He also refers to the song as "Roots of the King" on his personal blog, which has since become the title of the song.
 * "Roots of the King" is the theme song for Kamen Rider Dark Kiva and his son Kamen Rider Saga. On September 13, 2008, Naruse announced on the Avex Movie blog for Kiva that the next single to be released by TETRA-FANG is to be titled "Roots of the KING." He also refers to the song as "Roots of the King" on his personal blog, which has since become the title of the song.

Avex's blog for Kiva mentions a song entitled "Bite There Soul" that was written by Naruse and YUJI as a heavy metal song played by street musicians in episode 9 which was planned to be released at a future date, and was subsequently put on the final CD box set as "Bite Their Soul" set for release on January 21, 2009. A mini-album released on August 6, 2008, titled SUPERNOVA features the theme songs for Kiva's four additional forms performed by TETRA-FANG. The tracks include "Innocent Trap,", "Shout in the Moonlight," and "Supernova," which has a music video included on a special DVD edition of SUPERNOVA. An unfeatured song from SUPERNOVA titled "Silent Shout" is Dogga Form's theme. Another track from the album "Message" is a tribute song for the character Otoya Kurenai.

Kouhei Takeda has recorded a song titled "This love never ends" as the theme song for Otoya as Ixa. Nana Yanagisawa and Yu Takahashi have also provided their voices for tracks to be included on an album for all characters who have become Kamen Rider Ixa. This song has since been revealed to be titled "Feel the same" on an album titled Inherited-System. Other songs on this album include "Don't Lose Yourself" performed by Keisuke Kato as Keisuke Nago and "Inherited-System" performed by the Wonderful Blue Sky Organization (素晴らしき青空の会). Kenji Matsuda as Jiro performs the song "Keep alive" for the album. Koji Seto has recorded the vocals for a song titled "Mind garden." Several songs from this album are theme songs for the members of the Checkmate Four group: "Lightning to Heaven" for the Rook, "Exterminate Time" for the King (Kamen Rider Dark Kiva), "Eternity Blood" for the Bishop, and "Rainy Rose" for the Queen (Maya). Also on the album is "Prayer~Message 2", another tribute to Otoya.

An album titled Masked Rider Kiva Re-Union was released on June 24, 2009, with some original Kiva songs to be rearranged. "Destiny's Play" will be rearranged, Koji Seto & Shouma Yamamoto will sing "Roots of the King" together, Koji Seto shall give his own rendition of "This love never ends", and in turn Kouhei Takeda will give his own rendition of "Supernova".