Sakuya Tachibana

This article is about a rider in Kamen Rider Blade.

Template:Characterinfo

For the A. R. World version, see Sakuya Hishigata.

"It's because of this rushed Rider System, that my body...is falling apart!"

―Tachibana's infamous quote from the series^[src]

Sakuya Tachibana (橘 朔也, Tachibana Sakuya) is Kamen Rider Garren (仮面ライダーギャレン, Kamen Raidā Gyaren, Masked Rider Garren), the second Rider to appear in the Kamen Rider Blade series. Sakuya was the second wearer chosen by the BOARD organization to use the very first Rider System they created, transforming him into Kamen Rider Garren. The first was his senior, Kiryu.

Personality

Sakuya Tachibana is at heart, a kind and well-meaning person. Though somewhat serious and stern at times, if slightly awkward, Tachibana is shown to be truly determined in helping those in need. When BOARD had suddenly collapsed though, along with being tasked to use a prototype Rider System, Tachibana became riddled with doubt and fear, convinced that the Garren Buckle was causing his body to slowly break down. This had caused him to become somewhat bitter and cynical. Tachibana did however continue to fight against the Undeads whenever he could, feeling compelled to protect the innocent.

Eventually though, upon learning about the true cause of his body's slow breakdown, Tachibana tried to quit being a Kamen Rider all together. When realizing this cannot be done, he then resorted to using a special drug to calm his fears. This resulted in Tachibana becoming highly aggressive and addicted to the drug. When Sayoko Fukasawa (Tachibana's girlfriend) died at the hands of the Peacock Undead though, Tachibana realized that he had been blinded by his insecurities. Filled with remorse, Tachibana faced his fears head on, defeating the Peacock Undead and avenging Sayoko.

Though having conquered his addiction and previous fears by then, Tachibana was still shaken by Sayoko's death and felt unworthy to be a Kamen Rider. However, when his senior Kiryu went berserk as Kamen Rider Leangle, Tachibana decided to use the Garren Buckle once more to stop him. Kiryu, when fatally wounded by brainwashed Undeads, convinced Tachibana in his dying breath to continue protecting others as Kamen Rider Garren.

Later, as Tachibana continues to fight alongside Kazuma Kenzaki/Kamen Rider Blade, Hajime Aikawa/Kamen Rider Chalice, and Mutsuki Kamijo/Kamen Rider Leangle, he shows a more concerned, nice and friendly disposition, qualities that he had always had within himself but were initially suppressed. His love towards his friends and people in general become more pronounced, as his growing courage.

In the novel Kamen Rider Blade: Twilight, Tachibana is revealed to have become the head of BOARD, now using the company's resources to help others. According to the author of the novel, after the events of Kamen Rider Blade, Tachibana became determined to help Kenzaki regain his mortalty, going far as voluntarily experimenting on his own body, which turned him into a psuedo Undead. Depite decades having passed, Tachibana is still concerned about his friend, continuing his experiments with Undead D.N.A and keeping tabs on Kenzaki whenever possible.

Biography

Tachibana was originally a researcher of the Humanity Foundation who graduated from the Sazahaibu University and was selected to be the user of Rider System 01 after Go Kiryu was found to be incompatible with the system. By the start of the series, Sakuya begins to suffer a form of cellular breakdown with only sealing the Undead slowing down the process. That, combined with his feelings towards Kazuma being his backup when he can't manage it, Sakuya blames Karasuma for his condition. When he attempted in vain to seal the Locust Undead, Sakuya is forced to abduct Karasuma just prior to the Undead attacking BOARD. Though he intended to get the answers he needs, Karasuma was in a coma and put on life support with Sakuya safeguarding him until Hirose finds him. Though he leaves Karasuma in her care, it was revealed that the "Karasuma" he safeguarded was only a decoy. After his doctor and dear friend Sayoko Fukasawa relays Karasuma's message, that his subconscious fear is causing the breakdown, Sakuya encounters Isaka, the Peacock Undead, who personally attempts to retrieve him for his Leangle project. After escaping Isaka, Kotaro manages to talk Sakuya to not to let his fear control him though Sakuya denies that. He arrives to save Blade from the Trilobite Undead, however Garren's fusion rate goes down during his fight with the Undead. After being saved, Sakuya begs Karasuma for a means to be free of his fear, but Karasuma say he can't.

Though Sakuya attempts to resume a normal life by dating Sayoko, the Zebra Undead forces him to reveal himself as a Rider in front of Sayoko before vainly fighting the Undead before Blade arrives to aid him. In spite of Sayoko asking him to leave with her, Sakuya turns her down. While at BOARD's original location, Sakuya vainly battles the Peacock Undead, who defeats Garren and takes him with the intent to have Sakuya work for him by removing him of his fears with exposure to Schuld Kestner seaweed, an extinct plant that intensifies the aggressive nature of the subject. Though he became more aggressive and worked under Isaka for more of the seaweed, Sakuya was unaware of the eventual damage it would do to his nervous system. Though Sayoko warned him in vain, Sakuya shrugged it off until he learned that Isaka had murdered Sayoko for meddling in his affairs, defeating the Peacock Undead and sealed him. Later, as his way of repenting for being manipulated by an Undead, Sakuya takes Mutsuki under his wing.

Garren's mask partially damaged by Giraffa Undead with Tachibana's face partially exposed.

During the final few episodes, Kamen Rider Garren came face to face with the Category King of Diamonds and battled it out with him. The Undead told him that if he was sealed, Joker would be declared winner and that all of humanity would suffer because of his choice. Garren discarded this and answered, "I will believe in my friends." The battle ended with Garren nowhere to be found and the King Undead sealed leaving the Joker as the winner however, it would cause an unintentional death of billion species due to Joker's uncontrollable Undead nature. He is found upon the arrival of the Chief telling Kazuma that he was saved because of him. He arrived and assisted an unarmed Blade King Form, finished off the remaining Black Roach Undeads with the King Rouzer, and wished him good luck against Hajime. Due to his Rider system still being broken, Sakuya fought multiple Black Roach Undeads alone as a normal person while waiting for Kazuma to stop Hajime's suffering. After all Black Roach Undeads suddenly disappear, he and Mutsuki went to the forest where Kazuma and Hajime fought, only to find Hajime alone who is trying to follow Kazuma but lost track of him. They soon realized that Kazuma has become an Undead and disappeared in order to prevent himself from fighting Hajime in person again. After Kazuma's disappearance, Sakuya sees a photo of Kazuma together with him and remembered their good times, prior to Kazuma becoming an Undead.

Missing Ace

File:Tachibana.jpg

Kamen Rider Garren in Missing Ace.

In the alternate final episode, Kazuma Kenzaki seals Hajime Aikawa, he and Chief Karasuma decided to put away all the sealed Undeads after they discover all Category King cards combine into a Vanity Card as the second Joker existed. As they were transporting the sealed Undeads away, they got ambushed by the Albino Joker. Just as Chief Karasuma tries to escape with the cards, the Albino Joker kills him as he unseals some of the Undeads. Four years later, he hires Junichi Shimura, along with Natsumi Miwa and Shin Magaki to reseal the Undeads as he can't rehire Kazuma and Mutsuki due to the fact that some of the unsealed Undeads are Category Ace of Spades and Category Ace of Clubs. Sakuya later fights the Spider Undead and reseals it as Mutsuki regains the ability to transform into Kamen Rider Leangle. Later, Sakuya orders everyone to work together to reseals all the Undeads much to Natsumi's and Shin's chagrin.

Later, Mutsuki tells Sakuya that he suspects something strange about Junichi as he communicates with the Giraffa Undead with a strange language. But he declines it as Sakuya tells Mutsuki that Junichi learned to speak foreign languages from abroad. Later, he is shocked to discover that both Natsumi and Shin were killed by the Albino Joker as he realizes that the Joker is among all of the riders. When Amane is being targeted by the AlbiRoaches, Sakuya brought her to safety as he reveals that her father opened the Relief's Stone Door moments before he died. Due to this, she was targeted by the Albino Joker as her dad's replacement for the Relief's sacrificial lamb in order to gain it's power. Kotaro reveals to everyone that Junichi himself is the Albino Joker as both of his victims hold the cards 4 and Jack (both of which are a pun of his name (i.e. "Jack" and "Shi")). After Albino Joker kidnaps Amane and traps her into the vanity card, Sakuya and the others fight Albino Joker in Jashin-14 form. Sometime after Jashin-14's defeat, he and the others celebrates Amane's birthday at the Jacaranda Cafe.

Day After Tomorrow

Garren riding Red Rhombus while firing with his Garren Rouzer.

It has been a year since Kazuma Kenzaki transformed into Navy Joker and everyone is throwing a graduation party for Mutsuki and Nozomi. It was supposedly to celebrate them for getting into university but Mutsuki didn’t. All of all sudden, Blade bursts in from the front door and attacks Hajime.
Everyone is confused but then Garren shows up in the window and starts firing at Blade. He explains that he and Chief Karasuma were conducting on a research on how to turn Kenzaki and Hajime into humans by unsealing the Chameleon Undead, an Undead with similar powers to the Joker allowing it to copy the form and ability of anything it sees, and tries to copy this ability to the Jokers. However, it escaped and transforms into an imitation of Kamen Rider Blade by using the the BOARD data that he had stolen while chasing after Hajime due to his nature of being a Battle Fight competitor.
Tachibana hands over Hajime and Mutsuki’s cards and the Leangle Rouzer as they fight the fake Blade, but it transforms into Jack Form. Mutsuki remains useless as none of his powers grants him the ability to fly.
Tachibana warns Hajime as the Chameleon Undead has all of the BOARD data making it easy for him to fight. The Chameleon Undead transforms into King Form and finishes off the Riders. As the Rider about to finish Leangle, Joker steps in and takes the blow. At first he thinks that it was Hajime/Chalice but it has no slash mark and he was lying after sustaining the damage on its chest. Tachibana quickly tosses the Joker the Blay Buckle, Rouze Absorber and the Suit of Spades Rouze Cards in understanding. After the Chameleon Undead has been defeated and sealed, all of Blade's items were left neatly on the floor. Nozomi arrives late for the party, and tells Mutsuki that a letter arrived written that he did manage to get into university after all.

Decade

to be added

OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders

Sakuya Tachibana returned as Kamen Rider Garren, making a brief cameo appearance in the film, teaming up with Hajime Aikawa and Mutsuki Kamijou, as well as the rest of the Kamen Riders.

As Garren, Tachibana was also part of a group of reinforcement riders led by Akira Date/Kamen Rider Birth to aid the primary riders in defeating the Rock Great Leader. All the Kamen Riders got on their bikes and performed the All Rider Break attack which destroyed the Great Leader. ^{[OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders]}

Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3

Sakuya was found to be cruelly ambushed by Hajime as Chalice. After being saved by Kyoichiro, he revealed that his cover to attack Shocker alongside Kenzaki was blown and was being attacked so they would become a full fledged Shocker Riders. Asking for Kyoichiro for help, he alongside Go and Yuto moved to save Kazuma. But it was all a ruse to capture Go and Yuto instead as Sakuya, and Kazuma had been brainwashed from the start.

But later, he aided the Riders against Shocker after they despised how Shocker acts and also freed from the remains of Shocker's brainwashing inside them after Takeshi Hongo alongside Hayato Ichimonji broke free from Rider Robo.

Surviving the onslaught of the History Modifying Machine, Garren fought and destroyed Shocker's Marshal Machine with the Burning Smash shortly before the Rider Robo was destroyed along with the machine by Shurikenjin Tridoron. Among the remaining Riders who witnessed the farewell of Kyoichiro Kuroi as the perversion of history was reversed, Garren's place in history was restored.

Video Game appearances

Kamen Rider Blade (video game)

Kamen Rider Garren, with Blade, Chalice, and Leangle, is playable in the Kamen Rider Blade video game.

Kamen Rider: Battride War

Garren as he appeared in Battride War

Kamen Rider Garren appears as a Second Rider in the video game Kamen Rider: Battride War. In the level Double Jokers, which took place during the final episode, Sakuya somehow knows Blade's plan of turning himself into Joker in order to put the Battle Fight and stops Blade worrying of losing his friend, only to be defeated.

Blade vs Garren

Kamen Rider: Battride War II

Kamen Rider Garren appears as a Second Rider in the video game Kamen Rider: Battride War II.

Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis

Kamen Rider Garren in Battride War Genesis.

Kamen Rider Garren made his playable debut in the video game Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis. His models has been upgraded with Rouze Absorber to match the appearance of his only TV series/movie's final form in this game. Garren is mostly suitable as a long-range character. Like Blade, Garren uses a Rouze Card points via attacks, but unlike Blade is that Garren's boost-up (Bullet Armadillo) is much safer without having this effect removed after Garren riding his bike, and Garren's Jack Form is his only for final form as of Garren's last TV series appearance. Yet, Garren's Jack Form is lack of Rouze Card points, as Garren has less Rouze Card based attacks.

Kamen Rider Buttobasoul

Kamen Rider Garren is a playable character in Kamen Rider Buttobasoul.

Forms

• Default
• Jack
• King

Garren

File:KR-Garren AceForm.png

Kamen Rider Garren

"Turn Up!"

―Transformation announcement^[src]

Rider Statistics

• Rider Height: 200 cm.
• Rider Weight: 104 kg.

Rider Senses:

• Hearing: 5 km.

Ability Parameters:

• Punching Power: 260 AP (2.6 t.)
• Kicking Power: 450 AP (4.5 t.)
• Maximum Jump Height: 38 m.
• Maximum Running Speed: 100 m. per 5.4 sec.

Special Attacks:

• Armadillo Bullet: 400 FP (4 t.)
• Pecker Rapid: 800 FP (8 t.)
• Whale Drop: 1000 FP (10 t.)
• Fly Fire: 1000 MP (10 t.)
• Burning Smash: 2000 AP (20 t.)
• Fire Upper: 1600 AP (16 t.)
• Fire Bullet: 1400 AP (14 t.)
• Burning Divide: 3400 AP (34 t.)

Kamen Rider Garren can be assumed by using the Garren Buckle and Change Stag Rouze Card. The transformation fuses the user with the DNA of the Stag Undead. Though Garren possesses the weakest Ace Form, his long-range armament enables him to avoid direct confrontation. In addition, Tachibana's determination and skills are enough to compensate for the form's limitations, to the point where he was able to defeat both Go Kiryu and Mutsuki Kamijo as Kamen Rider Leangle, the Peacock Undead, and even the Giraffa Undead.

Appearances: Blade Episode 1-7, 9-15, 19-22, 24-30, 31 (flashback; archive footage only), 32, 35, 37 (flashback; archive footage only), 38-47, Missing Ace, Super Hero Taisen GP

Jack Form

File:KR-Garren JackForm.png

Jack Form

"Absorb Queen: Fusion Jack!"

―Transformation announcement^[src]

Rider Statistics

• Rider Height: 200 cm.
• Rider Weight: 114 kg.

Ability Parameters:

• Punching Power: 330 AP (3.3 t.)
• Kicking Power: 520 AP (5.2 t.)
• Maximum Jump Height: 118 m.
• Maximum Running Speed: 100 m. per 4.2 sec.
• Maximum Flying Speed: 250 km/h. (approx. 100 m. per 1.4 sec.)

Special Attacks:

• Fly Fire: 1000 MP (10 t.)
• Burning Shot: 2200 AP (22 t.)
• Burning Smash: 2000 AP (20 t.)

Jack Form (ジャツクフォーム, Jakku Fōmu) is a combat extension of the Rider System which harnesses the power of Category Jack Rouze Cards via the Rouze Absorber. Garren assumes his Jack Form by inserting the Absorb Serpent into the Rouze Absorber and scanning the Fusion Peacock Rouze Card. This endows the Rider Armor with the attributes and characteristics of the Peacock Undead's DNA, enhancing Garren's natural combat capacities.

In this form, Garren gains golden reinforced armor plating which increases his resilience to enemy attacks. Garren also gains wings on his back, enabling him to fly. Assuming this form additionally upgrades the Garren Rouzer into its Empowered Type, which equips it with a bayonet and expands its AP cache.

Appearances: Blade Episode 30, 32-33, 41, 45 (flashback; archive footage only), 47

King Form

File:Garren King.PNG

King Form

"Absorb Queen: Evolution King!"

―Transformation announcement^[src]

Rider Statistics

• Rider Height: 200 cm.
• Rider Weight: 135 kg.

Ability Parameters:

• Punching Power: 400 AP (4 t.)
• Kicking Power: 600 AP (6 t.)
• Maximum Jump Height: 28 m.
• Maximum Running Speed: 100 m. per 6.2 sec.

While never assumed in the series, Garren's King Form (キングフォーム, Kingu Fōmu) can be seen in concept art and the S.I.C. Hero Saga toyline. Garren would theoretically assume this form by inserting the Absorb Serpent Rouze Card into the Rouze Absorber and scanning the Evolution Giraffa Rouze Card.

Due to having his Garren Buckle broken when he sealed the Giraffa Undead, Sakuya never had the chance to assume this form. Unlike Blade, this form would in theory only allow Garren to fuse with the Category King instead of all 13 Rouze Cards in the Diamonds Suit due to his his fusion rate being normal. Due to this, the Rouzer that Garren wields in King Form has storage for Rouze Cards.

Appearances: Special Edition: King, Special Edition: Kamen Rider Garren King Form

Equipment

• Garren Buckle: Garren's transformation device
• Rouze Absorber: Used to access Jack Form
• Rouze Cards: Allow Garren to perform special attacks
• Garren Rouzer: Garren's personal weapon
• Red Rhombus: Garren's Rider Machine

Legend Rider Devices

• Rider Cards
• Wizard Ring
• Ridewatch

File:KR Garren Card.png

KamenRide: Garren

KamenRide: Garren: A Rider Card containing the power of Kamen Rider Garren. Used by Diend to summon Kamen Rider Garren.

File:Better Ring of Coins.jpg

Garren Ring

This Rider Ring which bears the likeness of Kamen Rider Garren is exclusive to Kamen Rider Wizard's Wizard Ring toyline. When used by a WizarDriver wearer, it would be able to summon Kamen Rider Garren.

File:Garren Ridewatch.png

Garren Ridewatch

The toy-exclusive Garren Ridewatch (ギャレンライドウォッチ, Gyaren Raidowotchi) would allow access to GarrenArmor if inserted into the left-hand side of the Ziku-Driver.

Behind the scenes

Portrayal

Sakuya Tachibana is portrayed by Kousei (Hironari) Amano (天野 浩成, Amano Kousei (Hironari)). Amano later portrayed Kouhei Hayami/Libra Zodiarts in Kamen Rider Fourze. As Kamen Rider Garren, his suit actor was Yoshifumi Oshikawa (押川 善文, Oshikawa Yoshifumi).

Memes

• The scene in the first episode wherein Garren spied Blade fighting Locust Undead from afar was made into various comedic situation where fans would place either Garren in other images peaking another character or parodying it in somewhere else. This scene is memorable as "Why are you just watching!!" (なぜ見てるんです!!, Naze miterun desu!!), which was the line delivered by Blade before he enacted the infamous Ondul meme.
• As mentioned above, the quote from episode 3 when Tachibana proclaims how the Rider System damaged his body has become a viral meme in the Japanese fandom, due to the way he delivered the line: "My body is falling apart!" (俺の体はボロボロだ!, Ore no karada wa boroboroda!). This line was also self-referenced in one of the ending bumpers for the Super Hero Time programming block.

• Tachibana is perhaps most infamously known for the final scene of episode 7, where the camera zooms in onto him screaming for his life as the Trilobite Undead approaches him.
• In episode 15, just before delivering the Burning Divide attack towards the Peacock Undead, Garren shouts out the name of his girlfriend, who was killed by said Undead. This scene has been parodied within the Japanese fandom.
• There is a running joke among Japanese fans where he is associated with a type of food known as Kara Miso (辛味噌, Kara Miso), due to the last line of his insert song, Rebirth, has the chorus (Gotta be strong) sounding similar to the name of said food.

Notes

• As acknowledged in the hero change battle between Kamen Rider Decade and Gokai Red in Super Hero Taisen, the Riders of Kamen Rider Blade share their card motifs with the heroes from Shotaro Ishinomori's second and last Sentai series J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai. Garren's Diamond motif would make him Blade's equivalent of Dia Jack.
• The name "Garren" is most likely derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the word "currency" (キャレンシー, Kyarenshī), tying in with the Minor Arcana version of the Suit of Diamonds; the Suit of Coins.
• He shares his surname with Tobei Tachibana. The family whose surname is Tachibana would later appear in the next season.
• Coincidentally, he bears a similar name to one of the protagonist in the God Eater franchise, Sakuya Tachibana, who also happens to be a gun user just like him.
• Tachibana is the only Rider in the series who has never been an Undead throughout the series (Kenzaki mutates into a Joker Undead in the final episode; Hajime is an Undead, and Mutsuki turns into both the Spider Undead & Tarantula Undead in the 42nd episode, although he later regains his humanity).
• Along with Kenzaki, Tachibana is the only Rider in Kamen Rider Blade to have managed to defeat a Category King Undead, disregarding the events of Missing Ace.
  • Much like Kenzaki's case, this was presumably done to showcase Tachibana's growth as a person, having gone from an insecure figure that frequently lost against lower class Undeads into an individual that can defeat a foe powerful enough to hold its own against even Kamen Rider Wild Chalice.
• Kamen Rider Garren and Kamen Rider Chalice have been through a long-running debate by fans regarding their status as the Secondary Rider of Blade. Ultimately both Toei and Bandai confirm it to be Garren as revealed through further appearances in video games and merchandising which features Garren with the other Secondary Riders.
  • In fact, since the start of show in 2004, Chalice has already been set to be the Tertiary Rider. It is unknown why this debate was sparked although it can be suggested because of Chalice's popularity amoung certain fans.

Appearances

• Kamen Rider Blade
  • Episode 1: The Indigo Warrior
  • Episode 2: The Mysterious Rider
  • Episode 3: Their Secret...
  • Episode 4: Immortality's Mysteries
  • Episode 5: The Challenge to the Past
  • Episode 6: Chalice's True Identity
  • Episode 7: The Trapped Two
  • Episode 8: The Revived People
  • Episode 9: A Fighter's Destiny
  • Episode 10: The Manipulated Warrior
  • Episode 11: The Whereabouts of Each
  • Episode 12: Category Ace
  • Episode 13: The Golden-Threaded Trap
  • Episode 14: Ace Sealed!
  • Episode 15: Fate's Conformer
  • Episode 16: Leangle's Power
  • Episode 17: The Evil Belt
  • Episode 18: Spirits That Manipulate Darkness
  • Episode 19: One Who Conquers Darkness
  • Episode 20: The Target is Kotaro
  • Episode 21: Battles That Feel for Friends
  • Episode 22: The Escape From Darkness
  • Episode 23: Who are You?
  • Episode 24: Mysterious Hunters
  • Episode 25: A Traitor's Sprint
  • Episode 26: The Power Which Moves Me
  • Episode 27: The Trembling Heart...
  • Episode 28: A Dangerous Gamble!?
  • Episode 29: The Two Chalices
  • Episode 30: Lost Memories
  • Episode 31: The 53rd Being
  • Episode 32: The Destroyer's Secret
  • Episode 33: The Targeted Kenzaki
  • Episode 34: Category King
  • Episode 35: A Dangerous Transformation!?
  • Episode 36: Strongest Form
  • Episode 37: Towards a New Destiny
  • Episode 38: One Who Takes Hold of Destiny
  • Episode 39: Reunion...Father and Daughter
  • Episode 40: Parting With the Past
  • Episode 41: A Desire to Get Stronger
  • Episode 42: Leangle Revives
  • Episode 43: Foe or Friend?
  • Episode 44: Four Cards
  • Episode 45: The New Card
  • Episode 46: The Ruler's Seal
  • Episode 47: Garren Eliminated
  • Episode 48: Prologue to Destruction (flashback; archive footage only)
  • Episode 49: The Eternal Trump
  • Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace
  • Kamen Rider Blade: Blade vs. Blade
• Kamen Rider Decade
  • Episode 1: Rider War
• OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders
• Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3