Yutaka Kobayashi

is a Japanese actor, singer, and dancer who portrayed Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron in Kamen Rider Gaim, as well as his doppelganger Shapool in Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Baron. 
==Biography==
After graduating high school, Kobayashi had intended to become a pastry chef but became an actor after a friend entered him into the Junon Super Boy Contest, and later debuted as a member of the boy group BOYS AND MEN. 
In late-2010, Kobayashi auditioned for and won the role of . However due to previous commitments, he was forced to give it up to , with Kobayashi later admitting that he and Ozawa had looked alike.http://henshinjustice.com/2013/10/27/kamen-rider-baron-the-banana-who-split-on-gokaiger/ Kobayashi later returned to Tokusatsu in his debut television drama role as Kaito Kumon in Kamen Rider Gaim.
===Post Kamen Rider===
After Gaim ended, he continued his acting career through roles in dramas such as Aichi Policemax and Why Can't Seiya Todoin, 16-Year-Old, Get a Girlfriend?. In 2018, he reprised his role as Kaito in Kamen Rider Zi-O. 
In February of 2018, Kobayashi was one of the several Japanese torch bearer representatives for the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games opening ceremony.http://www.jefusion.com/2018/01/kamen-rider-baron-is-torch-bearer-for.html
In March of 2022, Kobayashi was the Nagoya-based ambassador for the in-town THE Kamen Rider exhibition.https://twitter.com/kr50_exhibition/status/1501903452678811652
On April 9, 2022, Kobayashi's contract with BOYS AND MEN was terminated following his shoplifting incident months prior.http://ukiyaseed.weebly.com/ukiyaseeds-other-blog/actor-yutaka-kobayashi-arrested-for-shoplifting Since his departure, Kobayashi had temporarily relocated to Paris to hone his pâtissier skills, and returned to Japan in late-October 2022 where he opened an online food shop called "Chum's Kitchen" while expanding his cooking repertoire. 
In 2023, Kobayashi recorded lines for the CSM Genesis Driver in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Kamen Rider Gaim.https://p-bandai.jp/item/item-1000199328/
Currently, Kobayashi has not announced any plans to continue his entertainment career.
==Personal Life==
*Kobayashi watched Kamen Rider Ryuki as a child, which would inspire him to audition for Kamen Rider, which he also sought a motorcycle license for.Gaim Official Complete Reader 2014 , pp. 14–19, "ARMORED RIDER COLLECTION_02 Kamen Rider Baron / Kaito Kumon Interview with Yutaka Kobayashi" 
*Kobayashi admitted he was very unathletic and struggled to perform action scenes, even having sprained his legs when filming in the Helheim Forest.
*Ironic to Kaito, Kobayashi dislikes bananas as he had to eat it for an entire day for a marathon in elementary school, later getting sick from it. Since getting cast in Gaim, Kobayashi was able to overcome this. 
*Besides acting, Kobayashi also has a specialty in cooking, which can be seen in his spin-off series Yuta Cafe, to which he bakes items and interviews relevant cast members of his show and other Tokusatsu. In-show, Kobayashi has demonstrated his skills through his character Kaito in Kamen Rider Gaim Hyper Battle DVD: Fresh Orange Arms is Born!, as well as Shapool in Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Baron. Since leaving entertainment in 2021, Kobayashi has resumed his cooking career. 
*Kobayashi has a bright and spirited personality that is the complete opposite of Kaito's, a gap many fans of the character were attracted to.Gaim COMPLETE TRACKS 2014 , p. 18, "Interview with Yutaka Kobayashi (published in Hyper Hobby November 2013 issue)""Production Note Kamen Rider Gaim / Gaim 4 "180 degrees different from my bright self" Cool Baron = Yutaka Kobayashi as Kaito Kumon" "Weekly Kamen Rider Official Perfect File" No.30, Deagostini Japan , May 12, 2015, pp. 30-31, magazine code: 30652-5/12. There were always plans to make use of Kobayashi's real personality and baking skills in some capacity, which brought about the creation of Shapool.Gaim Gaiden Kamen Rider Zangetsu / Kamen Rider Baron Official Visual Book" Hobby Japan <Hobby Japan MOOK>, April 22, 2015 ISBN 978-4-7986-1003-0
*Kobayashi is very good friends with Gaim co-star Gaku Sano, having attended the latter's wedding and baked his wedding cake. 
===Health Issues===
*On December 22, 2020, Kobayashi had tested positive for COVID-19.https://tokusatsunetwork.com/2020/12/yutaka-kobayashi-tests-positive-for-covid-19/ He has since recovered. 
===Shoplifting Controversy===
On October 1, 2021, Kobayashi had arrived in Fukuoka to attend a BOYS AND MEN event. On the 3rd, Kobayashi had entered a pharmacy in the Shitencho shopping district just around closing time, and shoplifted $90 USD worth of cosmetic items from a CCTV blind spot. As Kobayashi was caught by passerby eyewitnesses, he pleaded to them to not involve the police and had offered to reimburse the store but the authorities were still called anyway. However, charges were dropped due the stolen merchandise being worth less than $100 and bail being posted for Kobayashi. He ultimately returned to the store the next day to apologize to the employees for his unacceptable behavior, which he told them he did it because he was upset at the time. After a thorough police investigation, it was discovered Kobayashi had shoplifted before in middle school.https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e2a4cf1aab8c9ed44dfc04e7fc6d54d9553fa203?fbclid=IwAR3SixFNPlBuKs66D0O5cqylcrQm9nwyqCIIaxM2WtYDzCFmTqefnEUJA2A 
Kobayashi left Fukuoka on October 4th and returned to Nagoya, with his crime going unnoticed by his agency. Some time since, Kobayashi had been planning to graduate from the group with a reason not related to his shoplifting incident.https://www.daily.co.jp/gossip/2022/04/08/0015203709.shtmlhttps://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e2a4cf1aab8c9ed44dfc04e7fc6d54d9553fa203?page=3 However on April 9, 2022, on the day his graduation was to be announced, a question was raised to his agency, Fortune Entertainment, regarding their knowledge of Kobayashi's arrest. After Kobayashi admitted fault to his actions, his contract was subsequently terminated due to "breach of trust" and "breach of contract."https://bunshun.jp/articles/-/53420https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/57de4191e09cd8fe67fcb0188f6a695fb3d9c87e 
On May 31, 2022, Kobayashi created an Instagram account and spoke on this incident, having profusely apologized for his actions and for letting those who looked up to him down.
==Filmography==
===Film===
*Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle (2013) - Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron
*Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai (2014) - Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron
*Kamen Rider Gaim: Great Soccer Battle! Golden Fruits Cup! (2014) - Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron
*Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle (2014) - Mecha Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron
*Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Baron (2015) - Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron, Shapool
*Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Knuckle (2015) - Kaito Kumon
===Television===
*Kamen Rider Gaim (2013-2014) - Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron
**Ressha Sentai ToQger Vs. Kamen Rider Gaim Spring Vacation Combining Special (2014) - Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron
*Kamen Rider Ghost: Legendary! Riders' Souls! (Gaim Chapter; 2016) - Lord Baron (voice only)
*Kamen Sentai Gorider (2017) - Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron/Aka-Rider
*Kamen Rider Zi-O. Episodes 11&12 (2018) - Kaito Kumon
===Stage===
*Kamen Rider Gaim: Final Stage (2014) - Kaito Kumon
==Notes==
*He starred as the titular character in Seiya Todoin alongisde Kamen Rider Taisen-star Itsuji Itao.
*In 2019, he starred in the live-action film adaptation of Meiji Tokyo Renka alongside Kyuranger-star , Gaim-co-star Yuki Kubota, and Ex-Aid-star Tetsuya Iwanaga.
==External Links==
*Yutaka Kobayashi at Wikipedia (Japan)
*Official Twitter (Deactivated) 
*Official Instagram (Active)
Category:Actors
Category:Singers
Category:Kamen Rider Actors Who Have Played Multiple Riders