When he accidentally finds the Sengoku Driver, he accidentally converts the Fruits of Helheim into a pair of Lockseeds (Orange and Ichigo) and gains the ability to transform into Armored Rider Gaim, a name given to him by DJ Sagara due to his affiliation with Team Gaim. By doing so, he was labeled Test Subject 01 by Ryoma Sengoku. Later helping out the fourteen previous Kamen Riders, he inherits the name of Kamen Rider, becoming Kamen Rider Gaim, lit. "Armored Warrior"). However, it isn't until the Showa Rider vs Heisei Rider conflict does Kamen Rider 1 acknowledge him as a true Kamen Rider. For a short period, Kouta becomes Kouta-Yami (lit. "Dark Kouta") after being corrupted by Kougane.
Publication Information
- Protagonist : Kouta Kazuraba
- Japanese : 葛葉 紘汰
- Rider Users : Armored Rider Gaim, Kamen Rider Gaim, Kamen Rider Gaim Yami
- Gender : Male
- Season : Kamen Rider Gaim
- Homeworld : Earth (Main Timeline Continuity)
- Relative : Akira Kazuraba (Older Sister)
- First Appearance : The Kamen Rider Rings
- Last Appearance : Kamen Rider Gaim Gaiden : Zangetsu/Baron, Super Hero Taisen GP : Kamen Rider 3
- Number of Appearances : 2 (Wizard), 47 (Gaim), 7 (Movie), 1 (TV special)
- Portrayer : Gaku Sano, Hayate Torii (child)
- Main View : Full Episode, Movies & Download (Torrent)
History
Growing up, Kouta's parents died in an accident causing him to be raised by his older sister, Akira Kazuraba. Kouta throughout his High School years bumped into Kaito Kumon on various occasions. Sometime after High School, Kouta joined Team Gaim as one of their dancers to express himself as the youthful young adult he was. However, he later quits Team Gaim to help lessen the load that his sister deals with to financially sustain the two of them. This act of quitting causes his fellow dancer, Mai Takatsukasa to resent him as she views that Kouta simply got bored of dancing and has grown up to do "boring" adult work.
Beat Riders Saga
From the games, Kouta learns that the Armored Riders are guinea pigs for the Yggdrasill Corporation and that the Sengoku Drivers feedback data to Yggdrasill. Learning that Sid has been using Kouta and the other Armored Riders, Kouta tells Sid that he isn't a rat in their maze. Kouta, along with Team Gaim later dance off during their Christmas event with Kouta reminiscing about being an adult and that one doesn't become one because they want to, but rather it just happens.
Yggdrasill Saga & Helheim Saga
Kouta finds himself along with his fellow Beat Riders as scapegoats for the rampant Inves attacks as they naturally find their way to Zawame City. Kouta is unable to save those who are injured by these Inves and struggles with killing a human-turned Inves and former rival, Ryoji Hase. Stripped of his Sengoku Driver alongside Kaito, he meets Ryoma Sengoku, the belt's creator. Later in Kouta's cell, Kouta receives the recognition and admiration of DJ Sagara and is granted the Lemon Energy Lockseed and Genesis Core. While combating Yggdrasill's efforts to take back the Prototype Sengoku Driver.
Over Lord Saga
Aware of the Over Lord's existence, Kouta seeks out to find them, only to realize that they have become disillusioned after centuries of boredom. As the Over Lords view the human race as apes, Kouta struggles to gain their attention to stop the invasion of the forest. However, Kouta's journey to gain the Over Lord's support runs dry as he stops the fight between Demushu and Baron. Kouta teams up with Oren as the two aid Yggdrasill from Demushu's rampage, and Kouta's unwavering resolve allows Takatora to realize that the Over Lords are the key to saving humanity rather than culling humanity through Project Ark.
Forbidden Fruit Saga
With Zawame in tatters, the remaining Riders form a group that constantly patrols the outskirts of Zawame. Kouta comes to learn Yoko's allegience and realizes that he doesn't know what he will do after the Inves Invasion. He eventually fights Zangetsu Shin once more and helps destroy Dyudyuonshu and learns that Zangetsu Shin is an imposter. While trying to figure a way to save the remaining survivors of Zawame, he loses his sister as she gets captured with the remaining survivors. Kouta and Kaito defeat Grinsha after witnessing the powers granted by the Forbidden Fruit as Rosyuo redirects warhead missiles aimed at Zawame.
Kamen Rider Wizard Finale & Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard : The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle
Kouta later appears in the World within the Magic Stone. Summoned by Haruto and assuming Orange Arms, Gaim helps Kamen Rider Wizard and Haruto against Amadum's minions. Later, he is summoned once more by Haruto, this time, joining forces with all his other titular predecessors and inheriting the name of Kamen Rider Gaim. After this event, the Beat Riders have a dance off in a stadium filled with tons of fans, competing against each other.
Kamen Rider Gaim Hyper Battle DVD: Fresh Orange Arms Is Born!
During the Hyper Battle Video, Kouta's Lockseeds become rusted. Going through a great effort to revitalize the Lockseeds with Kaito and Mai, his Orange Lockseed eventually becomes fresh. Kouta uses the Fresh Orange Arms against Ryugen Pine Arms - defeating him with a Fresh Orange Squash (Rider Kick). He also defeats Baron Kiwi Arms with a Fresh Orange Au Lait (Rider Slash) and even manages to gain the upper hand against Zangetsu Mango Arms, defeating the unrivaled White Armored Rider with a Fresh Orange Sparking (Rider Slash), shocking the latter and marks the first time Kouta defeats Takatora.
Ressha Sentai ToQger Vs. Kamen Rider Gaim Spring Vacation Combining Special
Kouta attempts to send Mai away with the ToQgers, but she is captured by the Badan Underground Empire. He successfully saves her. During the events of Kamen Rider Taisen, he joins Mai into an abandoned construction site and meet a boy named Shu, who has otherworldly powers. The boy is targeted by both Badan and the Showa Riders, causing Kouta to watch over the boy. Eventually he faces off against the boy's father, Ren Aoi, who uses the Fifteen Lockseed and Heisei Rider Lockseed to transform into Kamen Rider Fifteen.
Kamen Rider × Super Sentai : Super Hero Taisen
Kouta also joins forces with the remainder of the Heisei Riders against the Showa Riders. With just Gaim and ZX left as the only two riders, ZX obtains all the Rider Lockseeds and flings them at Gaim, causing Gaim to surge with power and summon the defeated Riders causing the Showa and Heisei Riders to team up against Badan. Kouta uses the 1 Arms from the Showa Rider Lockseed to defeat Fifteen.
Great Soccer Battle! Golden Fruits Cup!
Kouta patrols the now Inves-infested Zawame City and meets Lapis, a mysterious boy who is intrigued by soccer. Kouta and everyone in Zawame City is thrown into a different Zawame City that replaces dancing and the ongoing Helheim Invasion with soccer. Though, confused, Kouta accepts the new world he's in until his fellow Riders start attempting to kill each other and vanish into thin air.
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim : Movie War Full Throttle
Kouta and Mai's planet are attacked by a mysterious enemy known as Megahex, who assimilates Mai and defeats Kouta, robbing him of his Man of the Beginning form. Kouta is later killed after losing the Kiwami Lockseed. When Takatora manages to retake the Kiwami Lockseed, the Lockseed's secondary function activates, restoring Kouta to a version before he was killed by Megahex.
Kamen Rider Gaim : Final Stage
Kouta is subdued by Maja and the revived Armored Riders and Over Lords and subsequently loses his memories. However, Kaito breaks from Maja's control and seeks to aid Kouta and regains his memories and fights against Maja (who assumes the Gaim Yami form). Kouta later revives and summons all of the previous Armored Riders to aid (with Duke and Sigurd included) to face off against Maja and the Over Lords.
Super Hero Taisen GP : Kamen Rider 3
Due to the timeline alteration caused by Shocker, Kouta's transition into an Over Lord was prevented, therefore he became one of the brainwashed Riders in that timeline, donning the name of Shocker Rider Gaim. He later volunteered in a Kamen Rider Grand Prix but he was eliminated by Kamen Rider 3 during the Rider Grand Prix, along with Double.
Video Game Appearances
- Kamen Rider Batton-Line
- Kamen Rider Travelers Record
- Kamen Rider : Battride War II
Personality
Kouta is a cheerful person who concerns himself with helping and protecting everyone and due to this, "protecting people" is his very reason in fighting when it comes to his duty as a Armored Rider. This is shown when he rescues the Yggdrasill Corporation scientists from a horde of Elementary Inves despite holding a grudge against them for using the Beat Riders dance crews and their Inves Games as tests and lab rats (this also includes the Armored Riders).
Still learning to live as an adult, his world view is very limited and as such, he is very naïve and can be oblivious to consequences and the price that comes with having great power. He does not have any interest in battling other Riders, or anyone if he can avoid it for the matter and decides that he and other Riders should use their powers to save humanity. During battle, he would announce, "This is my (our) stage now!". He would often take a horse stance before charging into battle.
Abilities
- Imagination : Being one of the few adults possessing imagination, he can see the Ressha of the ToQgers.
- Will of the True Kamen Rider : According to Takeshi Hongo/Rider 1 from Ryo Murasame/ZX, Kouta's heroic potential as a true Kamen Rider is much more powerful than other primary Riders. This ability is shown when he released most of the sealed Riders from the Lockseeds' seals, turning him into a living magnet and absorbs the Lockseeds by unsealing the Riders who were sealed within Helheim, thanks to ZX's Micro Chain assisting him in breaking the glasses where the Rider Lockseeds were held.
- Over Lord Powers : Being affected by the Forbidden Fruit's powers, Kouta gains some of the Over Lords' abilities, which are then further increased when he eats the Fruit of Helheim. Unlike Rosyuo, Kouta prefers close quarter combat, only utilizing his Over Lord powers when he needs to.
- Helheim Plant Generation : He has shown the ability to turn an empty lot into a field of Helheim plants.
- Helheim Plant Control : He can freely control Helheim flora, and even override other Over Lords' manipulation over the flora.
- Fruit Transmutation : He can turn a broken Lockseed back into its fruit form, before restoring its intact state.
- Healing Factor : He has increased health regeneration, allowing him to take lethal damage and still able to recover shortly afterwards.
- Crack Creating : He can open countless cracks to summon Inves from the Helheim Forest. Kouta gains this ability when he eats the Fruit of Helheim to stop Kaito's rampage.
- God-like Powers : After eating the Forbidden Fruit, Kouta gains God-like powers, which can reimagine the world at will.
- Enhanced Crack Creating : He can open a huge crack which leads to a planet at the edge of the universe.
- Reality Manipulation : He can globally control any number of objects, bypassing all physical laws of science. He used this power to drag all Inves and Helheim flora around the world to the huge crack.
- Dream Walking : He can penetrate anyone's dreams to communicate with them, even through Kouta himself is currently at the edge of the universe.
- Healing : He can heal someone with serious brain damage, even though Kouta himself is currently at the edge of the universe.
- Teleportation : He can turn himself into energy and travel to another planet via his huge crack.
- Exorcism : He can remove Kougane from his human host effortlessly.
- Transformation : He can transform directly into Kiwami Arms without the need of either a Sengoku Driver or having the Lockseeds on hand. The Driver with attached Lockseeds do still appear around his waist with full functionality though. With this skill in mind, it is possible he can transform into any other Arms of his choice.
- Attack Cancellation : He can effortlessly stop and cancel attacks. He showcases this ability by stopping a Darkness Squash from Kamen Rider Jam.
- Telepathy : He can read other people's thoughts and telepathically communicate with them.
- Mediumship : He can see and presumably communicate with souls.
- Appearance Changing : He is able to change his form to match what he looked like before becoming the Man of the Beginning. This ability will automatically kick in if Kouta's life force is lowered down to a certain level.
Like his fellow Lockseed-using Armored Riders, Kamen Rider Gaim's forms are called Arms. His Sengoku Driver plays Japanese horagai music and announces "Soiya" before every transformation, except when he transforms into Kiwami Arms, while his personal Lockseeds are styled with a mix of Japanese words and English words. With the exception of Suika Arms, all of Gaim's Japanese Samurai, Ninja and Shogun-themed Arms' helmets share the title Kabuto ("Helmet"), while his visors are called Pulp Eye.
Kamen Rider Gaim
- Main Article : Kamen Rider Gaim Arsenal, Weapon & Abilities
Related Post : Source : Wikipedia / kamenrider.wikia
