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Kamen Rider Kuuga

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Icon-krThis article is about a series entry (the 14th) in the Kamen Rider Series.
Red alert WARNING: This series contains scenes of blood, graphic violence, gun violence, and murder. Viewer discretion is advised!

For the series' main character, Kuuga, see Yusuke Godai.

Kamen Rider Kuuga (仮面ライダークウガ, Kamen Raidā Kūga, Masked Rider Kuuga) is a Japanese tokusatsu drama in Toei Company's Kamen Rider Series. It is the first series to debut in the Heisei Era, and the fourteenth overall. Co-produced by both Ishimori Productions and Toei Company, the series premiered on January 30, 2000, joining Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFiveIcon-crosswiki on TV Asahi. After the finale of GoGoFive, Kuuga was joined by Mirai Sentai TimerangerIcon-crosswikiThe series is the first to be broadcast in widescreen format (albeit presented in a letterbox format). The taglines for the series are "Henshin." (変身。) and "A New Hero, A New Legend".

The average rating of the series was 9.7%.[1]

Production[]

Development[]

The idea of reviving the Kamen Rider series had been in the works since 1996 and was planned to air on the Mainichi Broadcasting System, which also was the home of the Ultra Series at the time. Initial titles for the show included Kamen Rider XV (仮面ライダーX（クロスブ）V（ブイ）, Kamen Raidā Kurosu Bui) and Kamen Rider Kawakami (仮面ライダーカワカミ, Kamen Raidā Kawakami). The series was also going to introduce the concept of multiple Riders in a series, but the staff decided to keep it only to Yusuke Godai instead to pay tribute to Shotaro Ishinomori.

The series never was picked up by MBS and moved on to TV Asahi, who reluctantly picked up the series as they had no material. One of TV Asahi's main motivations of picking up the series was due to Hiroshi Fujioka's portrayal of Segata Sanshiro who helped revitalize the popularity of the franchise.

Writing[]

At this time, the franchise had no selling points other than being a "second-generation hero," so efforts were made to differentiate it from older works with a new generation in mind. Production also took longer than usual as to avoid opportunism and setting failure as much as possible. As such, much time was spent on writing the script, with production having employed series composition and a literary department, which is rare for a Toei production. Speaking on this, producer Shigenori Takatera said much of the writing was inspired by the American show " ER". The show has strong elements of both a mystery detective drama and a police procedural. In order to be realistic and faithful to real life police, writer Naruhisa Arakawa consulted with officers of the Saitama Prefectural Police, who provided insight to how the police would respond to supernatural and extraterrestrial threats, such as which departments would respond to what. The primary fighting force of the show are the police and not the JSDF, which would result in the show becoming a different genre.

The show's main antagonists are a monster race and not an evil organization like Shocker, which was done due to the then-recent terrorist attacks in 1995 by the cult Aum Shinrikyo, so no motifs could be utilized that would be reminiscent of them. The idea of the main Rider being a cyborg like in early Showa-era Kamen Rider was deemed unnecessary and was eliminated from consideration.

There was also talks of an ending where Yusuke would die in his final battle with N·Daguva·Zeba, with justification that to protect the people, Yusuke would die in order to hold himself accountable for all the violence he had caused. However Takatera later retracted this decision, stating that Yusuke was meant to give hope to children who will live in difficult times ahead, so a death was too cruel and he was written to have begun traveling abroad again in the finale.

Filming[]

The series was filmed in HDTV (HD1080/60i) format, and was broadcast in a 16:9 aspect ratio, which was unusual for the time as most series would be shot in SD and converted in post-production to HD. ADR recording was done in a simultaneous recording format.

A fair portion of the show's budget had gone into the burning church scene in Episode 2, which Toei gave the go ahead to film anyway.

Story[]

Long ago, the Gurongi Tribe terrorized the Rinto (リント) until a warrior named Kuuga appeared and defeated the Gurongi, sealing their leader within a cave. In the present day, a multi-talented man named Yusuke Godai finds himself linked to the mysterious stoned belt that was found within the excavated cave as the Gurongi are resurrected and resume their murderous game on the descendants of the Rinto, humanity itself.

It is up to Yusuke, along with the assembled Science Police, to use the various powers of Kuuga to stop and defeat the Gurongi Tribesmen from their continuous killing and ensure the happiness of others. However, as the endgame draws near, Yusuke learns that there is a horrible revelation behind Kuuga and the Gurongis' leader.

Characters[]

Kamen Riders[]

Kamen Rider Kuuga together with

Kamen Rider Kuuga together with Kaoru Ichijo

TV Show[]

Kamen Rider Kuuga Riku ► Yusuke Godai

Novel-exclusive[]

Kamen Rider Kuuga Ancient Kuuga ► Mika Natsume

Manga-exclusive[]

Kamen Rider Kuuga Riku ► Yusuke Godai
Kamen Rider Agito Yukina Tsugami ► Shoichi Tsugami
Kamen Rider Agito Reiko Takano
Kamen Rider G3 Tetsuya Suruga ► Kaoru Ichijo

Debatable Riders[]

Agito Giant Ape-like Agito, Shouma Kitagiri, Strong arm Agito, Failed Agito

Allies[]

Gurongi[]

La Group[]

Xu Group[]

Me Group[]

Go Group[]

Others[]

Episodes[]

Main article: Kamen Rider Kuuga Episodes

The series is divided into three story arcs[2]:

  • Episode 01-16: "Rebirth" Arc (「新生」編, "Shinsei"-Hen), this arc introduces most of the main characters and plot. It deals with Yusuke Godai fighting the Gurongi, upon becoming Kuuga.
  • Episode 17-35: "Evolution" Arc (「進化」編, "Shinka"-Hen), this arc deals with Yusuke upgrading his powers with the Rising forms after being brought back from the dead by the Arcle.
  • Episode 36-49: "End" Arc (「終焉」編, "Shūen"-Hen), this arc builds up Kuuga's further evolution into his Ultimate Form and his final fight against the Gurongi overlord, N·Daguva·Zeba.

The title of each episode of this series is written with only one word, consisting of two Kanji.

  1. Revival (復活, Fukkatsu)
  2. Transformation (変身, Henshin)
  3. Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō)
  4. Sprint (疾走, Shissō)
  5. Distance (距離, Kyori)
  6. Azure Dragon (青龍, Seiryū)
  7. Grief (傷心, Shōshin)
  8. Archer (射手, Shashu)
  9. Siblings (兄妹, Kyōdai)
  10. Fierceness (熾烈, Shiretsu)
  11. Promise (約束, Yakusoku)
  12. Teacher (恩師, Onshi)
  13. Suspicion (不審, Fushin)
  14. Omen (前兆, Zenchō)
  15. Armor (装甲, Sōkō)
  16. Creed (信条, Shinjō)
  17. Preparation (臨戦, Rinsen)
  18. Loss (喪失, Sōshitsu)
  19. Artifact (霊石, Reiseki)
  20. Smile (笑顔, Egao)
  21. Secrets (暗躍, An'yaku)
  22. Game (遊戯, Yūgi)
  23. Uneasiness (不安, Fuan)
  24. Strengthening (強化, Kyōka)
  25. Wandering (彷徨, Hōkō)
  26. Myself (自分, Jibun)
  27. Ripple (波紋, Hamon)
  28. Clarification (解明, Kaimei)
  29. Crossroads (岐路, Kiro)
  30. Fate (運命, Unmei)
  31. Retaliation (応戦, Ōsen)
  32. Obstacle (障害, Shōgai)
  33. Cooperation (連携, Renkei)
  34. Tremble (戦慄, Senritsu)
  35. Emotion (愛憎, Aizō)
  36. Complication (錯綜, Sakusō)
  37. Approach (接近, Sekkin)
  38. Transition (変転, Henten)
  39. Goma (強魔, Gōma)
  40. Impulse (衝動, Shōdō)
  41. Control (抑制, Yokusei)
  42. Battlefield (戦場, Senjō)
  43. Reality (現実, Genjitsu)
  44. Crisis (危機, Kiki)
  45. Archenemy (強敵, Kyōteki)
  46. Indomitable (不屈, Fukutsu)
  47. Decision (決意, Ketsui)
  48. Kuuga (空我, Kūga)
  49. Yusuke (雄介, Yūsuke)

Specials

  1. Kamen Rider Kuuga vs. the Strong Monster Go·Jiino·Da (仮面ライダークウガＶＳ剛力怪人ゴ・ジイノ・ダ, Kamen Raidā Kūga Bāsasu Gōriki Kaijin Go·Jiino·Da)
  2. First Dream of the New Year (初夢, Hatsuyume)
  3. Good Job (乙彼, Otsukare)
  4. Kamen Rider Kuuga: Special Chapter (仮面ライダークウガ 特別篇, Kamen Raidā Kūga Tokubetsu-hen) (director's cut of the first two episodes)
  5. Kamen Rider Kuuga: EXTRA EPISODE Revisited (仮面ライダークウガ EXTRA EPISODE「再訪」, Kamen Raidā Kūga Ekusutora Episōdo Saihō)


Other media[]

Manga[]

  1. Kamen Rider Kuuga (Televi-kun manga) (仮面ライダークウガ, Kamen Raidā Kūga)
  2. Kamen Rider Kuuga: Extra Episode ~Trust~ (仮面ライダークウガ エクストラエピソード「信頼」, Kamen Raidā Kūga Ekusutora Episōdo Shinrai)
  3. Kamen Rider Kuuga (comic) (幪面超人古迦, Mung Min Chiu Yan Gu Gaa)
  4. Kamen Rider Kuuga (manga) (仮面ライダークウガ, Kamen Raidā Kūga)

S.I.C. Hero Saga[]

  1. Odyssey (オデッセイ, Odessei)
  2. Dark Side

Novels[]

  1. Kamen Rider Kuuga (novel) (小説 仮面ライダークウガ, Shōsetsu Kamen Raidā Kūga)

Cast[]

Suit Actors[]

Songs[]

Main article: Kamen Rider Kuuga: Song Collection 1
Main article: Kamen Rider Kuuga: Song Collection 2
Opening theme
Ending theme
Insert theme
  • "Blue Higher
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Composition & Arrangement: Toshihiko Satou
    • Artist: Jin Hashimoto
  • ""Bara No Okite" (薔薇の掟, The Law of Roses)
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Composition & Arrangement: Toshihiko Satou
    • Artist:Mie Nanamori (La·Balva·De)
  • "TRY & CHASE
    • Lyrics: Nagae Kuwabara
    • Composition & Arrangement: Toshihiko Satou
    • Artist: Masayuki Tanaka
  • "Say Alright!"
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Composition & Arrangement: Toshihiko Satou
    • Artist: Jin Hashimoto
  • "Edge of Green"
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Composition & Arrangement: Kazunori Miyake
    • Artist: Jin Hashimoto
  • "PURPLE PRIDE"
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Composition & Arrangement: Kazunori Miyake
    • Artist: Norio Sakai
  • "Love is my life
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Composition & Arrangement: Toshihiko Satou
    • Artist: Yoshitaka Ootsuka
  • "Soukouki GOURAM" (装甲機ＧＯＵＲＡＭ, Armored Machine GOURAM)
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Composition & Arrangement: Keiichi Oku
    • Artist: MICKEY-T.
  • "BEATCHASER 2000
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Composition & Arrangement: Toshihiko Satou
    • Artist: Jin Hashimoto
  • "“t”"
    • Lyrics & Composition: Joe Odagiri
    • Arrangement: Joe Odagiri & Ichiro Koizumi
    • Artist: Joe Odagiri
  • "Kyuukyoku no Yami" (究極の闇, Ultimate Darkness)
    • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
    • Artist: Norio Sakai

Release[]

  • Kamen Rider Kuuga premiered in Japan on TV Asahi on January 30, 2000.
  • Kuuga was released on Blu-Ray in several box sets.

  • All episodes of Kuuga were released in North America on TokuSHOUTSU on May 1, 2020[3]
  • A physical Blu-Ray release was announced by Shout! at their panel at Anime Expo 2022, and pre-orders began on July 2, 2022. Containing all episodes with an optional subtitle track for the Gurongi language, the set will be released on September 20, 2022.[4]

  • All episodes of Kuuga were released in Latin America with a Spanish dub on Olympusat's FreeTV streaming app on September 7, 2021, however these dubs were taken down from FreeTV in 2024. They are now available through the membership function on the TokuSato youtube channel.

Notes[]

  • This show is the very first Kamen Rider series to be shot in 1080i, though some broadcast footage and frequent home video releases used the modified component masters (on-air versions with letterboxed 4:3 aspect ratio), which results in standard quality. The HD streaming and Blu-Ray Box releases, however: Uses the modified and upscaled versions of the SD component masters, making the term "remastered" completely null. This practice would continue until the end of Kamen Rider Den-O.
  • This series marked the first time the Kamen Rider franchise had returned to TV Asahi (before 1977 NET) since the final episode of Kamen Rider Amazon. Kamen Rider had moved to TBS due to a new seriesIcon-crosswiki spun off from the franchise debuting on NET. TBS would continue to house the series until the final episode of Kamen Rider Black RX.
  • This is the first season to air alongside a Super Sentai season on the same network, that being the final 2 episodes of Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFiveIcon-crosswiki followed by Mirai Sentai TimerangerIcon-crosswiki until Kuuga concluded it's airing. This practice with future seasons would later become the block known as Super Hero Time starting with Kamen Rider 555 and Bakuryu Sentai AbarangerIcon-crosswiki in 2003.
  • As a result of Odagiri's starring in the show, he became the namesake of the infamous television phenomenon known as the "Odagiri effect", in which a show primarily with a male demographic attracts a larger than expected number of female viewers due to the show's attractive male leads. Aside from the target audience of young children from the ages of 4 to 12, the producers noticed that Kuuga was also attracting the children's mothers as well, who were in their 30's. Toei deliberately attempted to do the same with Kamen Rider Agito, this time casting three attractive male leads. This was very successful as the effect was working as intended, much to the dismay of most male viewers.
  • This series is the last series to have no romanized translation of its title. Kamen Rider Agito would be the first to start this practice, continuing on until the present day.
  • The font used in the クウガ of the Kamen Rider Kuuga logo is modified version of JTC直線江戸文字「剣」by NIS Font.
Kamen Rider Kuuga english logo

Kamen Rider Kuuga english logo

  • An alternate version of the logo with both English and Japanese language was used in the 2018 Kamen Rider Exhibition in Macau.
  • There were plans to produce a Kuuga film featuring an overseas tribe of Gurongi led by a Wolf Gurongi, but it never happened due to the lack of proper funding.[5] Kuuga would not make his first theatrical film appearance until Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker.


References[]

  1. ↑ http://www10.atwiki.jp/shichouseiko/pages/87.html
  2. ↑ [1]
  3. ↑ https://twitter.com/tokushoutsu/status/1255196921985032192
  4. ↑ https://twitter.com/ShoutFactory/status/1543425350671036416
  5. ↑ https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5645381620

External links[]

Navigation[]

Icon-kuuga Kamen Rider Kuuga
Kamen Rider Kuuga
Riku - Yusuke Godai - Mika Natsume (Novel Only)
Arsenals
Transformation Gear: Arcle (Prototype)
Rider Machines: Gouram - Trychaser 2000 - Beatchaser 2000
Weapons: Dragon Rod - Pegasus Bowgun - Titan Sword - Mighty Anklet
Terminology: Amadam - Rinto - Rinto hieroglyphics - Gegel
Tokyo Police Department
Kaoru Ichijo - Hikari Enokida - Sadao Matsukura - Morimichi Sugita - Tsuyoshi Sakurai - Nozomi Sasayama
Other Allies and Characters
Sakurako Sawatari - Minori Godai - Shuichi Tsubaki - Tamasaburo Kazari - Nana Asahina - Jean Michel Sorrel - Mika Natsume - Shoji Kanzaki - Junichi Chono
Gurongi
N·Daguva·Zeba
Nu·Zajio·Re
La Group: La·Balva·De - La·Doldo·Gu
Go Group
Gevagel: Go·Gadol·Ba (Leader) - Go·Jaaza·Gi - Go·Babel·Da
Higher Tier: Go·Buuro·Gu - Go·Bemiu·Gi - Go·Gamego·Re - Go·Badaa·Ba - Go·Jalaji·Da - Go·Zazalu·Ba - Go·Jiino·Da
Lower Tier: Go·Raio·Da - Horseshoe Crab Gurongi
Xu Group: Xu·Gmun·Ba - Xu·Goma·Gu - Xu·Mevio·Da - Xu·Vazuu·Ba - Xu·Zain·Da - Xu·Gjil·Gi - Xu·Galga·Da - Xu·Miuji·Gi - Xu·Gazubo·De - Xu·Daago·Gi - Xu·Nezuma·Da - Xu·Nezumo·Da - Xu·Jamol·Re
Me Group: Me·Vagis·Ba - Me·Geega·Gi - Me·Byran·Gi - Me·Garido·Gi - Me·Gadra·Da - Me·Ginoga·De - Me·Galme·Re - Me·Garima·Ba - Me·Gaberi·Gu - Me·Agon·Gi - Me·Aguri·Da - Me·Ivae·Ba - Me·Gaage·Re - Me·Mugado·Ba - Me·Gorigi·Ba - Me·Gaera·Re - Me·Zoebi·Gi - Me·Uzaa·Da - Me·Demudo·Ba - Me·Ginee·Da - Me·Gegura·Gi - Me·Juuma·Da
Nu Group: Nu·Zajio·Re
Be Group: Be·Jimin·Ba
Misc: Gerage - Zalbo - Moth Gurongi - Doom - Wolf Gurongi - Poison Moth Gurongi - Crocodile Gurongi - Moray Eel Gurongi - Pufferfish Gurongi - Sarracenia Gurongi - Swallowtail Gurongi - Water Bug Gurongi
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