Phoenix (Wizard)

This article is about a villain in Kamen Rider Wizard.

Template:Characterinfo Phoenix (フェニックス, Fenikkusu) was a Greater Phantom that was born from the body of a youth named Yugo Fujita (藤田 雄吾, Fujita Yūgo), whom he killed and assumed his form. More overbearing than Medusa, Phoenix pressures their subordinates into following their orders.

Profile

• Gate: Yugo Fujita (藤田 雄吾, Fujita Yūgo)
• Mythological Basis: The Phoenix
• Destroyed by:
  • Kamen Rider Wizard Flame Dragon's Dragon Breath (9)
  • Kamen Rider Wizard Water Dragon's Dragon Tail (16)
  • Kamen Rider Wizard Hurricane Dragon's Hurricane Slash Strike (22)
  • Kamen Rider Wizard All Dragon's Strike Dragon (23)
  • Kamen Rider Wizard Flame Dragon's Dragon Breath & Hurricane Dragon's Dragon Wing (Magic Land)
  • Kamen Rider Wizard Flame Style's Kick Strike (Super Hero Taisen GP)
• Height: 246cm
• Weight: 162kg

History

Background

Phoenix came into being the day that Yugo Fujita, a kind, quiet and hard-working florist, was abducted as a sacrifice for the Sabbath ritual. As a result, Yugo died with Phoenix assuming his original self's form. However, Phoenix is very hot-blooded and violent, a stark contrast to the Gate he was born from. That mindset and berserker habit had also got him to be an observer with Medusa after he killed an assigned Gate by mistake. From there, he observed the other Phantoms as they attempt to create more Phantoms from despairing humans.

Battling Against Wizard

But after Minotauros, Hellhound, Caitsìth, and Gnome were all killed by Kamen Rider Wizard who foiled their plans, Yugo loses his cool and begins to rage because of Haruto's interference. When Medusa turned down his offer to handle a young Gate named Hiroki Itoh, Pheonix talks Wiseman into letting him do it and is given directions to go after the boy's parents. Though he used his chance to overpower Wizard, Phoenix is quickly destroyed by Wizard's Flame Dragon yet revived at nightfall with much of his mana depleted. Phoenix later confronts Wizard to prevent his interference in a Phantom's attack, introducing himself.^{[Dragon's Cry]}

2nd Battle Against Wizard

During Christmas Eve, Phoenix goes after a Gate named Tatsuro and sends him into despair by burning the presents that Tatsuro was going to give to the children of the orphanage he grew up in. Though he overwhelms Flame Dragon, Phoenix is destroyed by Water Dragon and revived only after Wizard undid the Phantom's handiwork. ^{[The Miracle of Christmas]}

Movie War Ultimatum

He, along with Medusa were order from Wiseman to work with the Akumaizer, but they have no interest of them. They let Wizard enters one of the Gates' Underworld to stop the Akumaizer.

3rd Battle Against Wizard 

When Wiseman orders him to not meddle in Medusa's affairs or attack Wizard, Phoenix took his anger out on some drunkards by picking a fight with them. It was at that time that Phoenix learns he is being followed by Rinko Daimon, who learned of Yugo yet was not fully aware of his true identity other than being a Phantom. After being amused by her determination, he gave her intel on Beelzebub's method of controlling people and won her trust. Eventually, the two got into discussion about his reluctance to make people despair before Rinko convinces Phoenix to make his own decisions. Taking her words to heart, Phoenix reveals his true form to a shocked Rinko before knocking her out, planning on using her as a hostage for his scheme to settle things with Haruto on Sora's advice.

Phoenix then takes Rinko to a warehouse and waits for Haruto to come. Sora then comes to check up on Phoenix. After Sora tells Haruto to come to the warehouse, Rinko regains consciousness and Phoenix thanks her for her advice. Medusa arrives to deliver punishment to Phoenix for his disobedience, and the two Phantoms engage in a battle, ending with Medusa outsmarting him and using her ability to turn Phoenix into stone. Medusa leaves Phoenix thinking that she had finished her job, but the stunned Phantom doesn't stay a stone statue for long and breaks free from the ocular curse, shocking Medusa and forcing her to flee. When Haruto arrives to save Rinko, Phoenix was already waiting for him, still having the energy to fight. Haruto then changes into Wizard to battle Phoenix. Wizard changes to Water Dragon due to Flame Style working poorly against Phoenix, knowing that water can put out fire and uses the Blizzard Ring against the firebird Phantom. However, Phoenix's heat now can now withstand and overpower the Dragon Freeze attack, much to the mage's shock. Wizard then changes to Hurricane Dragon and using the Hurricane Dragon Strike Wizard then Dragon Slash Strike and successfully destroy Phoenix. However, much to Wizard's dismay, Phoenix instantly resurrected with no delay and grew more powerful. Wizard then use Land Dragon's Dragon Levitate only for Phoenix to break free from the imposed gravity with little effort. With Wizard exhausted from the fight, Phoenix continues beating Wizard without mercy.

Final Battle

Phoenix strengthened after resurrecting

Thanks to a distraction in the form of Kamen Rider Beast, Wizard changes to Hurricane Dragon, takes Rinko and escapes, letting Beast keep Phoenix busy. After defeating Beast, Phoenix starts wreaking havoc across the city in order to call out Wizard so they can finish out their fight at the place where it all started. Haruto steels himself to face Phoenix for their last battle and changes to Kamen Rider Wizard in Flame Dragon form. The two battle with both on equal footing but Phoenix then quickly overpowers Wizard, even when he summons the Dragon Styles clones via the Drago Timer.

However, remembering that he is everyone's final hope to give him resolve, Wizard unleashes All Dragon. Phoenix is quickly overpowered by the combined might of Wizard utilizing WizarDragon's powers at its very limit. Though he confidently reminds Wizard that he will still resurrect, Phoenix realizes that the magician has no intent to kill him before being sent out of the stratosphere by the Strike Dragon and hurtling toward the Sun.

As a result, due to Phoenix's ability to resurrect after dying and that he is fully trapped in the Sun, the ability has become an endless curse. Phoenix will have an endless loop of rapid deaths and rebirths all at the same time, to which Haruto claims that he will have no finale due to this happening.

Super Hero Taisen GP

The Shocker army.

Through an alteration to history rewritten by Shocker's History Modifying Machine, Phoenix is among the many monsters that serve Shocker that rules the world in this alternate timeline created by Kamen Rider 3's assassination of the Double Riders in 1973. During the final battle against the Kamen Riders, Phoenix is destroyed by Wizard Flame Style's Kick Strike. ^{[Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3]}

Zi-O

In an alteration to history brought about by the Time Jacker Uhr transforming Hayase into Another Wizard on December 25th 2012, Phoenix was erased from history just as he was about to be slain for the second time by Haruto, who lost his identity as Kamen Rider Wizard. ^{[Beauty & Beast 2012]}

Magic Land

An alternate version of Phoenix was present along with Medusa and Gremlin 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 Water Dragon and Land Dragon dealt with Gremlin, Flame Dragon and Hurricane Dragon faced Phoenix, manifesting their Dragon parts to destroy him. Unlike his counterpart, this version of Phoenix is not immortal and therefore does not have the ability to regenerate after being destroyed. ^{[Kamen Rider Wizard in Magic Land]}

Video game appearnaces

Kamen Rider: Battride War

Phoenix in Battride War.

Phoenix appears in the video game Kamen Rider: Battride War, with Atsumi reprising his role. He appears in the mission "Like the Phoenix", which is loosely based on the events of the Kamen Rider Wizard episode "Dragon's Cry". By reliving the memory of this past battle, Wizard is able to regain his sense of self and escape from his imprisonment, which allows him to help his fellow Riders do the same. Phoenix in the game has the ability to create a huge fireballs that can deal huge damage. He also can create a fire barrier which he uses to create fire tornadoes. Phoenix can perform a slashing combo with his Catastrophe.

Kamen Rider Travelers Record

Phoenix facing off against Wizard Flame Dragon in Kamen Rider Travelers Record.

Phoenix appears as an enemy in Kamen Rider Travelers Record.

Kamen Rider Batton-Line

Phoenix facing Kamen Riders Den-O, Accel and Birth in Kamen Rider Batton-Line.

Phoenix appears as an enemy in Kamen Rider Batton-Line.

Kamen Rider Megaton Smash

Phoenix appears as a boss in Kamen Rider Megaton Smash.

Abilities

File:Phantom-Phoenix.png

Phoenix

Phoenix's flame wings

In his true form, Phoenix can control fire and wields the Catastrophe (カタストロフ, Katasutorofu) broadsword, whose blade is wreathed in flame. He can regenerate from any injury he suffers from an opponent. He can also revive from any attack that would be fatal to other Phantoms, but it takes a lot of energy to do so. Phoenix also developed the ability to fly with flame-wreathed wings after being strengthened by resurrection.

Once back at full power after reviving, he's stronger than he was in his past life. Also the more times Phoenix resurrects himself, the faster his resurrection is, to the point where he can resurrect with no delay. 

Behind the scenes

Portrayal

Yugo is portrayed by Atsumi (篤海, Atsumi). As Phoenix, his suit actor is Jun Watanabe (渡辺 淳, Watanabe Jun), whom among the majority of his various roles, are Kamen Riders. He is also the suit actor for Kamen Rider Beast.

Conception

Concept art of Phoenix from Uchusen Yearbook 2014.

Phoenix was designed by Hiroshi Maruyama, who designed all of the Phantoms in Kamen Rider Wizard.

Notes

• Phoenix's overall design bears elements similar to the designs of Guyferd and Deathferd from the Toho-produced tokusatsu series Shichisei Toshin Guyferd.
• Phoenix is the first Phantom that has been defeated by Wizard multiple times.
  • He is also the first Phantom to severely beat Wizard.
  • He is also the first Phantom that has multiple Gate targets.
• Phoenix is the first monster whose fate is left ambiguous due to his resurrection ability still working while in the sun. Because of this, fans are unsure if he will return alive or he will eventually die.
  • Atsumi reprised his role as Yugo/Phoenix in Kamen Rider Wizard in Magic Land, where he only appears in Magic Land, meaning that the Phoenix in the film is the Magic Land incarnation of Phoenix.
  • In the Kamen Rider Wizard in Magica Land installment Client: Yugo, Koyomi Fueki said that Phoenix will be back in a million years, but also noted that by that time humanity would be long extinct so it wouldn't matter.
• A modified version of Phoenix's costume was used to create the Ogre suit.
• As well as being a main villain, Phoenix fills the role of monster of the week/fortnight in episodes 8-9, 16, 22-23.

Appearances

• Kamen Rider Wizard
  • Episode 1: The Ringed Magician
  • Episode 2: I Want to Be a Magician
  • Episode 3: Transform! Live Broadcast
  • Episode 4: The Doll and the Pianist
  • Episode 5: The Deciding Match of the Contest
  • Episode 6: To a Beautiful Flower
  • Episode 7: Buying Memories
  • Episode 8: A New Magic Stone
  • Episode 9: Dragon's Cry
  • Episode 10: National Security Agency's Section Zero
  • Episode 11: The Promise to Defend
  • Episode 12: The Wagashi of Hope
  • Episode 13: The Heir to the Dream
  • Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Wizard & Fourze: Movie War Ultimatum
  • Episode 14: The Film Director Came Back
  • Episode 15: After the Last Scene is...
  • Episode 16: The Miracle of Christmas
  • Episode 17: Another Magician
  • Episode 18: The Magic of Food
  • Episode 19: Today's Life, the Life of Tomorrow
  • Episode 20: Learning the Truth
  • Episode 21: The Dragons' Wild Dance
  • Episode 22: The Phoenix's Rampage
  • Episode 23: The Decisive Battle
  • Kamen Rider Wizard in Magic Land (Magic Land counterpart)
• Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 (as Phoenix only)
• Kamen Rider Zi-O
  • Episode 8: Beauty & Beast 2012 (archive footage only)

External links

• TV Asahi's Kamen Rider Wizard cast page
• TV Asahi's Kamen Rider Wizard Phoenix page