Takatora Kureshima

is a research development leader at Yggdrasill Corporation who transforms into and later .
==History==
===Background===
Takatora Kureshima was born as the first child of Amagi Kureshima, a successful and powerful businessman, though his father had passed away sometime ago. From his birth, Takatora was expected to follow in his father's footsteps. After joining Yggdrasill Corporation, he discovered the existence of the Helheim Forest and began developing the Sengoku Drivers alongside Ryoma Sengoku. Though a finalized Sengoku Driver was complete, Takatora was scarred from the dangers it posed. As a result, Takatora raised his younger brother, Mitsuzane Kureshima in hopes that Mitsuzane would be led down a different path unaware of Helheim.
===The Inves Games===
Takatora is seen as the mediator of the Helheim Forest, destroying numerous Inves to protect his R&D researchers and allowing them to continue their research. Takatora clashes toe to toe against Kouta Kazuraba and reveals the cruelty of the world to him. Takatora would later defeat all of the Sengoku Driver users in a different encounter to prevent them from lurking within the Helheim Forest, accidentally destroying a Sengoku Driver in the process. Takatora learns that Mitsuzane was a Sengoku Driver user and the two forge a bond to oversee humanity's safety.
===Hyper Battle (DVD)===
Sometime before the Lockseed Gathering games, Takatora enters the Helheim Forest to test New Arms, comedically calling Ichigo Arms too cute for him and disregards Budou Arms as he prefers katanas instead of guns. He eventually settles to test out Mango Arms. Sacrificing his defenses and agility granted by the Melon Lockseed in favor of pure strength, Takatora finds himself wide open numerous times to Kouta's attacks and eventually is defeated when he activates a Fresh Orange Sparking on him, knocking him out in disbelief that he was defeated.
===Gaim Gaiden: Duke===
Takatora and Ryoma investigate the reappearances of Kugai Kudo, a former researcher of Yggdrasill who was killed during an early test for the Sengoku Driver. As Takatora saves Ryoma from a group of suicide bombers under Kugai's control, both of them recall their past and how they met together in the first place.
Kugai demonstrates to Ryoma that he is the final task he must overcome, utilizing a Genesis Core Unit as an extension of his Sengoku Driver with his Zakuro Lockseed modified to summon a variant of the Sonic Arrow called the Saver Arrow. Initially gaining the upper hand, fighting Duke and Zangetsu as he can overpower them one on one, he is defeated by their combined efforts. 
In a later confrontation with Kouta, he crushes the boy's spirit when the two clash once more by revealing that Kouta killed his best friend without realizing it. Though his attempts to push Kouta away from the Helheim conspiracy fails, Takatora is later met with resistance by Kouta as he annihilates an armada of Kurokage Troopers with Dandeliners and destroys the Scalar System, a failsafe that will destroy Zawame City in the event that Inves overrun it.
===Gaim Gaiden: Zangetsu===
Afterwards, Takatora gains the Genesis Driver, a transformation device that is stronger than the Sengoku Driver. While meeting Kouta once more in Helheim, he decides to show him the ruins left behind in Helheim and later starts to doubt himself. During this time, he faces against Kamen Rider Idun, an unknown Armored Rider who has incapacitated Sid and Yoko Minato. Takatora reunites with a childhood friend Touka Akatsuki, who was the former Kureshima housemaid. It had seemed so strange to him that Touka appeared at the same time the unknown Armored Rider started attacking. It led to Takatora deducing that it might have had something to do with his father. He visited an old Yggdrasill laboratory that once belonged to his father. It was there that he is horrified on what his father had done to most of the children as Yggdrasill's guinea pigs, then was attacked by Idun and he discovers her identity as Touka, who is Amagi's guinea pig. She reveals that she is doing this as an act of revenge, where Amagi Kureshima experimented on her and on numerous other children to be potential future Yggdrasill members. Since then, she vowed to erase all traces of Kureshima blood off the face of the Earth. However, after a fierce battle with Takatora, he defeats her, sparing her life in the process. However unknown to him, she was later killed by Ryoma Sengoku.
===The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle===
Takatora was alerted about the existence of another world and followed the other Armored Riders into that world. He unintentionally helps a red-colored version of Gaim to defeat Kamen Rider Bujin Double, and retrieves the Joker Gaia Memory, which was later passed to Ryugen allowing him to access W Arms. Takatora also retrieved the Rocket Astroswitch belonging to Kamen Rider Bujin Fourze, allowing him to become Zangetsu Fourze Arms during the final battle.
At the end of the movie, Takatora tests out the newly created Genesis Driver made by Ryoma Sengoku.
===Kamen Rider Taisen===
In Ressha Sentai ToQger vs. Kamen Rider Gaim, he was informed by his little brother that a multiple monster organization called the Badan Empire is attacking Zawame, also feels concerned why there wasn't any data about them in Yggdrasill's record. Takatora was called by some citizens about there being a giant Lion Inves attacking the city and battling a giant robot (a Ressha Gattai ToQ-Oh piloted by ToQgers), he disbelieves that Inves can grow large and of a giant robot, however, he wasn't aware that the giant Inves and the robot did fight in front of Yggdrasill Tower in a few minutes disappeared before Takatora turned around. Upon doing so, he sees nothing outside the window. Upon getting info of the unknown crack that isn't Helheim related comes out of nowhere in Zawame territory, he would call his troops for investigation, but his younger brother, Mitsuzane would do it instead.
Takatora and Mitsuzane transform to aid Kouta and Kaito against the Badan monsters. He was defeated by Kamen Rider Fifteen, turning him into an unseen Lockseed. However, he was revealed to be in the Helheim Forest and showed up to defeat some of the monsters along with Baron and Ryugen in the climax. Afterwards, Mitsuzane reported to him that all of these events have nothing to do with the Helheim Forest.
===Betrayal===
Takatora eventually learns the truth that Helheim does have sentient beings, prompting him to hold off Project Ark in favor of attempting to negotiate and potentially saving everyone instead of one billion people. However, his new forged alliance with Kouta causes Ryoma to enact his coup d'etat, forcefully throwing Takatora off a cliff in Helheim and erasing his existence from within Yggdrasill's database. Takatora is saved by Rosyuo, the leader of the Over Lords who explains to him Helheim's goal and the Forbidden Fruit that Ryoma is seeking. However, Rosyuo does not care for humanity and kills Sid when the latter attempts to challenge the Over Lord King for the Forbidden Fruit. 
After Sid's death and Rosyuo's ignorance of preventing Helheim from overtaking Earth, Takatora returns back to Zawame, learning that his younger brother, Mitsuzane Kureshima has taken the mantle of Zangetsu Shin and realizes that the way he raised Mitsuzane has made the latter nothing more than his shadow. Takatora regains his original Sengoku Driver and Melon Lockseed, but is ultimately defeated with his Driver and Lockseed both destroyed in a clash against his brother. Takatora suffers brain damage in the battle and is left in a coma, where he is found by boats outside of Zawame City.
Following his brother's supposed death, a hallucination of Takatora developes in Mitsuzane's psyche, frequently taunting his younger brother as the latter attempts to get out of his brother's "shadow", while shaming him for betraying his friends.
===Movie War Full Throttle===
Takatora eventually awakens from his coma when Kouta, by then having transformed into the Man of the Beginning by ingesting the forbidden fruit, heals his brain damage, and resumes trying to amend for his sins alongside restoring Zawame and helping Mitsuzane recover from his own experiences. As a precaution, he confiscates and destroys all of the remaining mass-produced Sengoku Drivers and Lockseeds, except for one Driver and a single Matsubokkuri Lockseed in case of emergencies. Though the last Sengoku Driver is destroyed during Kohgane's invasion of Zawame City, Takatora receives another Sengoku Driver stolen from a Mecha Kurokage during Megahex's invasion on Earth. With Mai able to give Takatora a Melon Lockseed via a Helheim plant left in the Team Gaim Garage, Takatora and Mitsuzane head out to stop Megahex's invasion together.
In an encounter with the revived Ryoma, Takatora defeats his former friend and uses the latter's Genesis Driver with his own Melon Energy Lockseed to become Zangetsu Shin once again. Takatora would later steal the Kiwami Lockseed and helps revive Kouta, allowing him, Kouta, and Mitsuzane to defeat Megahex. However unknown to them, Megahex is simply an avatar and there are thousands more to fight against.
===Kamen Rider Gaim (novel)===
After the Helheim Holy Tree was destroyed due to Yggdrasill's destruction of Zawame's forests, the technology used to make the Sengoku Drivers and Lockseeds were leaked. To prevent its technology from being abused in order to exploit the power of Helheim for themselves, Takatora Kureshima traveled around the world. In Russia, Takatora defeats several members of the Russian underworld disguised as Kurokage Troopers, and finds a business card of a company named "Black Bodhi".
Takatora investigates and finds out that the Russian underworld has relations to an Asian affiliate, who is the head of a Foundation in a South Asian country. The Foundation provides Sengoku Drivers and Lockseeds to members of the Russian underworld. Takatora calls Oren Pierre Alfonzo over and hands him a Sengoku Driver.
Takatora and Oren locate the rebels' warehouse. There, they witness an artificial Helheim where the blank Zakuro and other artificial Lockseeds were made and sent to other places. A "Saver System" is found in the computer data, and Takatora deems it as a weapon of mass destruction. As they continue their investigation, the warehouse is suddenly set on fire, in which the duo escape.
As Takatora leaves, he hears Kugai calling out to him from the shadows.
Later Mitsuzane tracks her location through radio communication. Zack heads towards her location to save her, and Mitsuzane stays to explore the Black Bodhi hideout. He is joined by Takatora. The Kureshima brothers find a "Saver System" shaped in the form of a Bodhi Tree. Kugai appears again, and Takatora fights him. Mitsuzane tries to destroy the Saver System but realizes that the system is not exactly a weapon of mass destruction, but a resurrection portal.
Unknowingly, the system starts to operate, and tremors form around Zawame City. All information regarding Kugai Kudo and his experimental records at his time of death has been deleted, alongside all data of the Helheim Holy Tree. Takatora speculates that the information could be stored in Ryoma Sengoku's computer. The Kureshima brothers attempt to break into the computer's security system, up to no avail. Just as they were about to give up, a short clip pre-recorded by Ryoma starts playing.
Takatora, Mitsuzane, Hideyasu, Zack, and Oren gather in the city and transform to fight Kugai, resting in the form of a Lotus Position. Kugai declares his intention to assimilate all human beings, and turn them into Overlords. He brings the souls of Zawame's citizens by his side and disappears. On the rosette of the Bodhi Tree Kugai was sitting on, is a Golden Ringo Lockseed.
The belts are no longer able to protect the riders. The five of them dissolves and disappear into the light. Knowing that Mitsuzane has escaped from the illusion, Kugai summons Kamen Rider Duke to stop him. However, Duke disappears upon Mitsuzane locking the Dragon Fruits Energy Lockseed into his Genesis Core unit. The four other riders also had escaped from their respective illusions and gathered, Zangetsu attains two new forms, Suika Arms, and Jimber Melon Arms and aids in the combat against Saver who has changed into Darkness Arms. The riders continue to defeat Saver, and Saver begins to lose his mind after resurrecting repeatedly. Finally, Saver transforms into Maja Arms, intertwining between a rider form and a snake form.
The riders are exhausted, but they do not give up. They manage to destroy Saver's rider form, exposing his snake form which enlarges into a giant snake. The riders have fought into a void of emptiness, where dreams become reality. Through Takatora’s thoughts, Kamen Riders Sigurd, Marika, Duke and Baron return and help the tired riders to fight Saver. Finally, Zangetsu lands a fatal blow to a heavily injured Saver, destroying him in the process. Zawame City has returned to normal. At that very moment, the Man of the Beginning appears and opens up a crack and the Riders manage to barely escape from Predator Saver. The riders are relieved.
===Kamen Rider Zangetsu: -Gaim Gaiden-===
Takatora travels to the Republic of Torkia - a country formerly used as a testing ground for Yggdrasil's experiments - to conduct some form of investigation, and successfully fights his way through a battalion of soldiers. Seeing that the nation is decrepit and has 90% of its citizens live underground, Takatora is convinced he can do something for Torkia. Just then, an unknown figure sneak-attacks Takatora, resulting in the latter's memory loss. The Melon Lockseed is also stolen from him by a man dressed in a white suit. Takatora ends up unconscious in a place called the "Underground City", where several gangs, each led by a Kamen Rider, engage in brawls frequently.
Takatora wakes up and finds out he has been saved by Aym, a youth of Team Orange Ride. Upon learning that his friends are in danger, Aym goes to save them, with the amnesiac Takatora shocked that he can recognize the Orange Lockseed Aym's holding. Intrigued, he decides to follow the young man and see what happens.
Aym transforms into Kamen Rider Gaim to fight Kamen Rider Baron and Kamen Rider Gridon, who earlier have put his friend in danger. As the three are battling, Kamen Rider Zangetsu joins the fray, fends off Baron and Gridon, while targeting Takatora personally. Fortunately, Aym saves him, and chides him for his recklessness afterwards. 
At the Team Orange Ride's place, Aym explains to Takatora that the reason why the gangs are constantly fighting in Underground City is because they want to escape from it: The Sengoku Drivers are given to them by the nobles of the country, and they are forced to fight as the winner will be allowed to get out of the city. Even worse, the nobles enjoy watching them suffer, having installed cameras there to watch them slaughter one another. Aym's team, as it turns out, has already been killed. Takatora simply asks how he has dealt with this situation so far, and whether he has killed a man before. Aym affirms, being adamant he has to get his hands dirty if it means saving more lives, and that he never thinks about the lives he has killed, since he has power - the Sengoku Driver and Orange Lockseed. Upon hearing that, Takatora spaces out, having visions of himself killing some of the "infected" along with a man named Masahito. The two then have a heated argument on whether taking lives is the right choice, even if it's for the greater good, with Takatora disagreeing with the notion of dirtying one's hand with blood too much.
Aym's two friends return, apparently not pleased at the presence of a stranger. Takatora asks the Team to help him regain his memory, and he will help them defeat Zangetsu in exchange. Aym's friend takes offense to this and attacks, but Takatora easily disarms him, reassuring them he is not their enemy in the process, as he has been targeted by Zangetsu too. Aym agrees, much to the reluctance of his friends, saying that his team needs a leader, who apparently has disappeared long ago, leaving behind the Driver and Lockseed for him. Takatora proposes they should lure out Zangetsu, since the Rider seems to be the key in restoring his memory. Aym attempts to try and ask Team Baroque (Baron's team) and Team Dolls (Gridon's team) to help with this task.
Takatora follows Team Orange Ride to Team Baroque's hideout. While agreeing that Zangetsu is a tough opponent, the Team's leader, Glasya, refuses to assist, and Team Orange Ride leaves empty-handed. Elsewhere, Takatora asks why he cannot see any adults in the country besides the nobles. Aym proceeds to tell him the rest of the story: 8 years before, there used to be a big company there that treats the citizens as lab rats. The company has failed at whatever experiment they seems to have been conducting, and has ultimately burned everything to the ground after that. At this point, more pieces of memory emerge: Takatora realizes that he may have been actually the one who used to travel to Torkia and activate the Scalar System to destroy everything when things go awry and nearly everyone involved is infected. He then reminisces the details of the event: Masahito and Takatora are partners in the experiments on Torkia. Masahito also comes from a wealthy and powerful family like him - the Shizumiya family - and the two has worked together on Project Ark. During those times, he and Masahito always have each other's backs, and neither of them has to do anything by themselves. In Takatora's recollection of events, he manages to remember his real name.
After the recollection, Aym starts to suffer from severe chest pains. His friends tells Takatora that their previous leader used to have the same kinds of strange symptoms before mysteriously disappearing. Just at that moment, a Byakko Inves appears suddenly and attacks the group. The Inves monsters have been appearing for some time in the Underground City, and wreaks havoc on the people there for seemingly no reason. Takatora stays behind to stall the monster so that Aym's team can escape. After a brief scuffle, a mercenary - Belial - shows up. Belial has been hired to assassinate Takatora, and he quickly begins his assault. During their battle, yet another party - Kamen Rider Ryugen - makes his entrance. Thinking that Ryugen is his brother Mitsuzane, Takatora escapes with him while the others are left behind with the Inves.
Having lost their tail, Ryugen detransforms, but it is not Mitsuzane, but a stranger. However, since Takatora has not yet fully recovered from amnesia, the stranger plays along and pretends to be Mitsuzane to pry information from him. Takatora asks his "brother" whether the name "Masahito Shizumiya" rings any bell, to which he replies that the person used to be a close friend to Takatora, but he is already dead 8 years before, because of the failed experiment in Torkia earlier. This bit of information further triggers Takatora's memory: It is actually Masahito that has activated the Scalar System, with Takatora desperately trying to stop him from doing so. Masahito, also an infected, leaves everything to Takatora as he is destroyed along with the others.
Takatora demands his "brother" to tell him more, but the stranger leads him to another place to talk. On the way, the stranger informs Takatora of his Kamen Rider identity as Zangetsu. However, since he has still not remembered everything, Takatora does not respond much. Unbeknownst to the two, members of Glasya's team has been spying them for the whole conversation. The spies go back and relay the information they have gathered: The man pretending to be Takatora's brother is Kagemasa Shizumiya, the younger brother of Masahito Shizumiya. Glasya suspects he is out for revenge against Takatora, but cannot explain why he has not killed him when he has the perfect chance. Glasya also learns of Takatora's identity as the original Zangetsu, and is determined to get him to his side.
Kagemasa takes Takatora to the former Scalar System's control room, where Masahito has died. He explains the Kureshima and Shizumiya families used to be the backbone of Yggdrrasill, until Amagi and Kagiomi part ways. Kagiomi has become the ruler of Torkia, and is the one behind the killing game in the Underground City. Kagemasa further notes Takatora's original intention of coming here is to investigate the strange happenings of the nation, and that Kagiomi may have been the cause of his memory loss as well. Still not convinced enough, Takatora asks his "brother" who he really is. Another spell of memory occurs, and Takatora remembers his identity as Masahito's younger brother. Just then, Kagemasa shoots him, revealing that he wants revenge for his older brother's death. Masahito, apparently, has used an incomplete Sengoku Driver to test the power of the Melon Lockseed in place of Takatora, and has been turned into an Inves as a result. In truth, Takatora, knowing full well of the harmful effects of an incomplete Sengoku Driver as he has experienced it first hand, has tried to stop Masahito, but the latter is too determined and ends up going on with it anyway, but Kagemasa never knows any of this, and blames Takatora for everything. The vengeful brother continues to violently beat Takatora up, and ultimately holds him at gunpoint. Takatora expresses his sympathy, and says Kagemasa can kill him if he wants to, but not at the moment, since he still has works to do. Right there, Kamen Rider Zangetsu appears out of nowhere and assaults the two, hurting Kagemasa. Takatora takes Kagemasa and escapes with him.
Having successfully evaded the white Rider, Takatora asks if Kagemasa is alright, only for the latter to lash at him, ranting it is a disgrace to have been saved by his brother's "murderer". He continues to rant about how Takatora has lead Yggdrasill and saved the world from the Inves threat before and become a hero, justifying that all that glory should have been his brother's. Takatora, nevertheless, denies having ever been a "hero", and tells him the one who actually has saved the world is Kouta Kazuraba. At the same time, Zangetsu catches up to the two again, this time undoing his transformation. To everyone's shock, it is actually Masahito in the flesh.
Masahito comes to his brother and comforts him, taking away his gun. However, in an unexpected turn of event, he shoots Kagemasa, becasue he cannot let Kagemasa kill Takatora in his place. He expounds further on the accident: The experiments are a failure, and the people eat the Helheim's fruits out of despeartion and are turned into Inves monsters, and he has to activate the Scalar System to wipe all of them out. In the process, he is exposed to a great amount of radiation and mutated into an OverLord Inves. Upon receiving this new power, he makes it his desire to rule the world. As Masahito attempts to finish off Takatora, Kagemasa yells at him, only for his brother to come back with the intention of delivering the finishing blow. Before he can do that, however, Glasya intervenes, making way for Takatora and Kagemasa to leave the scene.
Kagemasa is outraged with grief over having witnessed how his brother has changed, and runs off. The mercenary Belial also catches up with Takatora, having terminated his prior contract with the Shizumiya upon learning about the true nature of the Sengoku Driver. Aym's friends manages to find Takatora as well, recounting Aym's forced murder of their former leader - who has been turned into the Byakko Inves earlier. Takatora tells them that eventually, one has to learn to live with the grief of having blood on their hands, consdering their enemies are the ruthless nobles. At this point, he has ultimately regained all his memory. All of a sudden, Torkian troops surround them, having taken orders to kill off Belial and Takatora. A massive brawl breaks out, with Takatora's group gaining the advantage. In the scuffle, Takatora asks to be taken to where Aym is.
Meanwhile, Masahito has taken Glasya to the Shizumiya mansion, where they meet Kagiomi. Glasya is furious at the sight of the noble because of his machinations. Masahito reveals to him Kagiomi is the reason why the Scalar System has to be triggered 8 years before. Kagiomi wants humans to become Overlords rather than just regular Inves, so he secretly plots with Ryoma Sengoku to find a way to forcefully evolve humans into Overlords. He has hidden the true nature of the experiment from Takatora and Masahito back then, which eventually results in the experiment's failure and the infection of nearly everyone turned into an Inves, and the ultimate activation of the Scalar System. However, despite that failure, Kagiomi intends to continue, and has decided to use the residents of Underground City as guinea pigs, resulting in their receiving incomplete Drivers to fight to the death. Kagiomi calls in his men to kill both Glasya and Masahito, as he has no needs for them. Nevertheless, having obtained the power of an Overlord as a consequence of the incident, Masahito easily dispatches the guards and kills his father, taking his place as the ruler of Torkia.
Takatora's group finds Aym as he is being ambushed by the Shizumiya's men and manages to save him in time. Takatora explains everything to Aym, including his involvement in the Scalar System incident 8 years before. Overcome with agony, Aym drops to his knees, blaming Takatora for all the misery that has happened to to them. Takatora makes no effort to justify his actions, but is adamant that he has come to Torkia in order to atone for his past mistakes. Desperate, Aym storms off, but Takatora notes to him the only way to honor the fallen comrades is to continue living and fighting. Just then, Foras, having been turned into a half-Inves, attacks them, making Aym finally find his resolve and kill Foras to protect everyone. Takatora muses that the youth reminds him of Kouta. Subsequently, Kouta descends and takes over Aym's body for a while, complimenting Takatora for his actions throughout the years. Kouta gives him the Kachidoki Lockseed, saying he can use it should he ever be in a pinch before disappearing.
Masahito later prepares a broadcast, announcing he has killed Kagiomi and become the ruler of the nation. He challenges Takatora to come and find him if he really wants to atone for his sins. Takatora accepts, picks up a swords on the ground, and goes away to find his old friend. At the Shizumiya mansion, Taktora confronts Masahito, exchanging their worldviews for a short while. Masahito thinks humanity is doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again in their quest for power, but Takatora is confident they can break that vicious cycle as many times as needed. Masahito is still not appeased, being unwavering in his opinion that the strong should survive and the weak are second thoughts, as he expresses his desire to kill Takatora so that he can bid his old self farewell. However, Kagemasa unexpectedly holds his brother, with a bomb hidden within his coat so that he can blow himself and Masahito up to end his brother's dark path. Unfortunately for him, Masahito emerges from the explosion unscathed, revealing his Overlord form as he begins his showdown with Takatora.
During the fight, Takatora admits he has found and acknowledged his greatest weakness in trying to bear all the burden himself without sharing them to his trusted friends. Masahito brushes it off, claiming Takatora is not fit to be a leader. Just as he can land the killing blow on Takatora, Kagemasa stands before him, begging him to stop. Regrettably, his brother is too deep in the dark path to listen to his reasoning, and kills his brother in cold blood. Before dying, Kagemasa gives Takatora his Sengoku Driver, asking him to put a stop to Masahito's madness. Takatora complies, dons the Sengoku Driver, and uses the Kachidoki Lockseed to transform into Kamen Rider Zangetsu Kachidoki Arms. With his new power, after some initial struggles, Takatora is able to defeat Masahito. Masahito cannot understand why he has lost despite all the power he has gained, to which Takatora replies Masahito is just alone, while Takatora has learned to share his burden with others, with everyone he has fought alongside. Finally understanding Takatora's viewpoint, Masahito accepts his loss and asks Takatora to honour his memory. He agrees, and uses the DJ Gun Taiken Mode to deal the finishing blow to his former friend, ending his life.
With the Shizumiya family gone, Torkia country's citizens are no longer in threat of opression in the near future. Aym and his friends desire to rebuild the country from the ground. Takatora leaves the nation, saying he still has battles to fight, and a desire to straighten up the world as a form of atonement. Aym says thank you to Takatora, who smiles back at him in return as he departs.
===Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Gridon VS Kamen Rider Bravo===
Many years after the events of the series, Takatora is still taking the responsibility of watching over and protecting Zawame City from possible threats.
At some point, Takatora discovers that someone has been using Hideyasu Jonouchi's patisserie business as a front to distribute Helheim's fruits to the world. With this information, he asks Oren - Jounouchi's former teacher - to go fight Jonouchi so that he can lure the main culprit out. However, Oren himself does not know about this, so Takatora has to don Jonouchi's Kamen Rider Gridon armour in order to start the fight between teacher and student and advance his plan.
Unfortunately, Oren's Bravo armor gets corrupted by Helheim's vines into the Kingdurian armor when fighting Jonouchi, transforming him into a mindless monster that goes on a rampage. Takatora, as Gridon, stops him from killing Jonouchi and fights him for a brief while before detransforming, noting the difficulty of not using his own Zangetsu armour in battle. Afterwards, he gives Jonouchi his Sengoku Driver and the Donguri Lockseed, tells him about his plan, and asks him to take care of Oren from that point on.
Eventually, he finds out that Jonouchi's new secretary - Masako Suzuka - is the person behind the schemes. As her cover is blown, Masako transforms into Kamen Rider Sylphi and intends to kill Takatora. Using Zangetsu Kachidoki Arms, Takatora is able to defeat Sylphi without too much effort. Before vanishing, she tells the white Rider that his fight will never be over, and Takatora simply says he is perfectly aware of it.
With the main threat gone for the time being, and the reconciliation between Jonouchi and Oren, Takatora stands on the sideline and smiles in victory.
==Other Events==
===Chou Super Hero Taisen===
An iteration of Zangetsu-Shin from the Game World was part of a Sentai-Rider team which was led by Kiriya Kujo/Kamen Rider Lazer. 
===Kamen Rider Zi-O===
====Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Forever====
Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin appears as a toy, when Sento Kiryu and Sougo Tokiwa they find Ataru Hisanagahe brings them to his room which is filled with Kamen Rider memorabilia, with Sougo and Sento stunned to see toys of themselves. Ataru reveals that Kamen Riders are fictional. 
====Kamen Rider Zi-O: Over Quartzer====
Zangetsu Kachidoki Arms appears from a poster as he protect civilians from the multiple Kasshines.
==Video Game Appearances==
===Kamen Rider Break Joker===
Kamen Rider Zangetsu appears as a playable character with other Riders and monsters in Kamen Rider Break Joker.
===Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing===
Zangetsu and Zangetsu Shin is among the vast majority of Kamen Riders that are available in this arcade game. Notably, he is shown to use additional Legend Rider Lockseeds to assume Kabuto Arms, Agito Arms, and the rest of his many forms.
===Kamen Rider Battride War II===
Takatora is a playable character as a DLC in Kamen Rider Battride War II, as Zangetsu Shin.
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===Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis===
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==Personality==
Though a ruthless realist, Takatora still loves his family and spoils his younger brother, and especially cares about Mitsuzane's education. He is the most experienced and most powerful Armored Rider to date. In order to teach Gaim a lesson, who entered the Forest without his permission, without knowing that he's only looking for his friend, he brutally attacks him despite Kouta having no intention to fight him to make his point - that power given by the Lockseeds and Sengoku Driver is no game, letting Kouta go after clearly being the winner.
Despite his sense of realism, he can show signs of arrogance and his wealthy upbringing has mildly affected his view of the world. He sometimes refers to the other Armored Riders as "street trash" that are beneath him and not worthy of his attention, the exception being if they directly interfere with his plans.
He also seems to have a bit of a temper when pressured, as seen when Kurokage provokes him while he was trying to reach his staff to rescue them from the Inves swarm. This caused him to have an angry outburst and unintentionally damage Ryoji's Sengoku Driver with a furious blow of sword slashes.
As stated by him back when he first encountered Gaim, he knows the Lockseeds carry a dangerous disease, which is also seen when he tries to warn Hase not to eat the immature fruit.
Under his ruthless realist personality shows that Takatora does have hidden feelings, grieving that he is only able to save about a billion of the Earth's population. More of this side is shown when he takes care of Oren after Oren takes a hit that disrupts his transformation as he falls into his arms. In addition, he finally lightens up, handshaking Kouta and thanking him for giving him an alternative means to save humanity rather than culling the world's population through Project Ark.
Takatora's core beliefs and sense of realism were violently uprooted upon discovering Mitsuzane had not only been masquerading as him using the Melon Energy Lockseed, but manipulating all sides of conflict in his favor regardless of the consequences. Realizing his teachings had ended up turning his little brother into a monster, Takatora immediately tried to take responsiblity for his mistake, resulting in the brothers fighting each other. Despite his stronger fighting experience, Takatora was ultimately unable to strike his younger brother down, showing he still greatly cared for Mitsuzane despite the atrocities he had commited.
His ruthless realist personality was in fact used under the influence of Ryoma when he realized his own friend had been using him all along prior to his betrayal. It actually starts in Gaiden, when he finds out his father's dark secret of experimenting on young children as slaves to work for Yggdrasill, this causes Takatora to realize and fear that he might end up being as ruthless as his father was, especially when he finally uncovers Touka's identity as Idunn and defeated, but spared her, reminds him of Kouta's words about his way to save humanity without sacrifice and try to find a way to cure the victims from the Helheim infections, thus Takatora trying to restart finding a way to save humanity, following a bit of Kouta's heroic path.
Like his former archenemy Kouta, Takatora can easily feel guilty of himself when witnessing the trouble that he faces that was all of his previous doing. Like Mitsuzane in his first betrayal against Kouta, he was also unable to defeat his own brother due to the happier times they had. When finding out Idunn's identity as his former friend Touka, while attempting to finish her, Takatora was reminded what Kouta said about killing a poor victim who has a tragic life and needs help, especially after Hase's death.
As seen in the Gridon vs Bravo special, Takatora can prove to be manipulative, even if it is for the greater good, as exemplified when he sends Oren to "kill" his own student Jonouchi without letting him know about his true intentions.
== Abilities ==
* Expert Combatant: To be added
* Gifted Intellect: To be added
==Arms==
Like the other Armored and Genesis Armored Riders, Kamen Rider Zangetsu/Zangetsu Shin's forms are called . His personal Lockseeds are styled in pure Japanese. All of Takatora's Japanese Samurai-themed Arms' helmets share the title , while his visors share the title .
As Armored Rider Zangetsu, Takatora's Sengoku Driver plays Japanese horagai music and announces (or in Gaim Gaiden 2, it announces ) before every transformation. By pressing the Sengoku Driver's Cutting Blade down on the Lockseed after transforming from one to three times, he can activate one of three finishing moves based on his current Arms form: , , or . In addition to the Sengoku Driver's finishing moves, Zangetsu can perform a finishing attack by inserting a Lockseed into the Drive Launch of his Musou Saber.
As Genesis Armored Rider Zangetsu Shin, Takatora's Genesis Driver announces before every transformation. By pushing the Genesis Driver's Seaboll Compressor into the Energy Lockseed after transforming from one to two times, he can activate one of two finishing moves based on his current Arms form: or . In addition to the Genesis Driver's finishing moves, Zangetsu Shin can perform a finishing attack by inserting an Energy Lockseed into the Energy Drive Bay of his Sonic Arrow.
==Equipment==
===Devices===
*Transformation devices:
**Sengoku Driver - As Zangetsu, destroyed by Zangetsu Shin II. He obtains a new one to use, given to him by Mitsuzane, having recovered it from a Mecha Kurokage created by Megahex.
**Genesis Driver - As Zangetsu Shin (taken by Mitsuzane to transform into Zangetsu Shin, later disabled by Professor Ryoma's self-destruct fail-safe). He later obtains a new one to use, recovered from Mecha Ryoma Sengoku.
*Lockseeds - Gives access to Zangetsu/Zangetsu Shin's Arms changes, depending on which lock is used
*Musou Saber Holster - Carrier strap for Zangetsu's Musou Saber
===Weapons===
*Zangetsu:
**Musou Saber - Zangetsu's side weapon in every single one of his forms
**Arms Weapons - Weapons that come with the Arms, besides the Musou Saber:
***Melon Defender - Zangetsu Melon Arms' personal weapon
***Ichigo Kunai - Zangetsu Ichigo Arms' personal weapons
***Budou Ryuhou - Zangetsu Budou Arms' personal weapon
***Mango Punisher - Zangetsu Mango Arms' personal weapon
***Watermelon Gatling - Zangetsu Watermelon Arms' personal weapon
***Rocket Module - Zangetsu Fourze Arms' personal weapon
***Kabuto Kunaigun - Zangetsu Kabuto Arms' personal weapon
***Ride Booker - Zangetsu Decade Arms' personal weapon
***Hinawatenka-DJ-Ju/Kachidoki Bata - Zangetsu Kachidoki Arms' personal weapon
*Zangetsu Shin:
**Arms Weapons
***Sonic Arrow - Zangetsu Shin Melon Energy Arms' personal weapon
***Melon Defender - Temporary weapon loaned by Gaim Kiwami Arms
***Storm Halberd - One of Zangetsu Shin Agito Arms' personal weapons
***Flame Saber - One of Zangetsu Shin Agito Arms' personal weapons
===Vehicles===
*Lock Vehicles - Vehicles that unfold from special Lockseeds:
**Sakura Hurricane - Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin's main Rider Machine in Kamen Rider: Battride War II and Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis.
==Legend Rider Devices==
==Family==
File:Mitsuzane Kureshima.png|Mitsuzane Kureshima (Brother)
File:Amagi Kureshima.png|Amagi Kureshima (Father)
*Mitsuzane/Kamen Rider Ryugen: to be added
*Amagi: to be added
==Relationships==
===Friends===
*Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim: to be added
*Kaito Kumon/Kamen Rider Baron: to be added
* Mai Takatsukasa: to be added
===Allies===
*Hideyasu Jonouchi/Kamen Rider Gridon: to be added
*Ryoji Hase/Kamen RIder Kurokage: to be added
*Oren Pierre Alfonzo/Kamen Rider Bravo: to be added
*Zack/Kamen Rider Knuckle: to be added
*Yoko Minato/Kamen Rider Marika: to be added
*Akira Kazuraba: Kouta's sister who can relate to Takatora's situation as they spoke for the first time at Oren's restaurant.
===Enemies===
*Ryoma Sengoku/Kamen Rider Duke: to be added
*Lock Dealer Sid/Kamen Rider Sigurd: to be added
==Behind the Scenes==
===Portrayal===
Takatora Kureshima is portrayed by , who would later go on to play in . He previously portrayed in . He also had a cameo in Kamen Rider The Next.
As Kamen Rider Zangetsu (Shin), his suit actor is , who was previously the suit actor for Kamen Rider Beast, Phoenix and White Wizard in Kamen Rider Wizard.Uchusen, Vol. 142
===Conception===
Zangetsu Melon Arms concept art.png|Kamen Rider Zangetsu Melon Arms Concept Art
Melo Kabuto & Pulp Eye concept art.png|Melo Kabuto & Pulp Eye concept art
Zangetsu Fourze Arms concept art.jpg|Kamen Rider Zangetsu Fourze Arms concept art
Zangetsu Shin Melon Energy Arms concept art.png|Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin Melon Energy Arms Concept art
Barilon Kabuto & Steering Eye concept art.png|Barilon Kabuto & Steering Eye concept art
Zangetsu Watermelon Arms concept art.jpg|Kamen Rider Zangetsu Watermelon Arms concept art
==Notes==
*Gen Urobuchi, the head writer of Kamen Rider Gaim, has referred to Zangetsu as the "Ouja" of this series, possibly referring to his status as either a counterpart to the main Rider, Ouja's homicidal tendencies, or both.https://web.archive.org/web/20130907080613/http://risingsuntokusatsu.com/?p=9943
*Takatora having the Fourze Lockseed during the Movie War film is a sense of irony as his personality is the exact opposite of Fourze. This is why he's the only Rider not to complete his transformation counterpart's catchphrase.
*Despite the fact he is mainly represented as Zangetsu in promotional materials, Takatora switched to Zangetsu Shin at an early point in the series and was more prominently featured as such compared to Zangetsu.
*Takatora is the only Rider in Gaim to have two headshot transformations, in which we see the Arms Helmet form over his head inside the Armor Part, with his transformation into Zangetsu and Zangetsu Shin. While Mitsuzane has also transformed into two different Riders (Ryugen and Zangetsu Shin), and Kaito's (Baron) usage of both the Sengoku Driver and Genesis Driver technically counts as different Riders, they do not share this distinction.
*The majority of the time the suit actor is the one manning the suit, with the actor providing ADR and is never seen wearing the suit itself. Takatora is one of three Gaim riders, the other being Kouta in Kamen Rider Taisen and Yoko Minato to have been seen onscreen wearing the Ride Wear without the helmet.
===Legend Rider Lockseeds===
*The following Legend Rider Lockseeds are styled for Zangetsu, as well as Mars/Jam:
**Stronger - "Aku wo Taoese to Ore wo yobu!"
**ZO - "Daijizen Neo Seimeitai!"
**Agito - "Mezamero, Sono Tamashii!"
**Ryuki - "Tatakawanakereba Ikinokorenai!"
**Hibiki - "Tatakikome Kiyome no Oto!"
**Momotaros - "Ore Sanjou!"
**Fourze Cosmicstates - "Minna no Kizuna de Uchu wo Tsukamu!"
==Appearances==
==References==
==External Links==
*Kamen Rider Zukan page on Takatora Kureshima.
*Kamen Rider Zukan page on Kamen Rider Zangetsu.
**Kamen Rider Zukan page on Kamen Rider Zangetsu Melon Arms.
**Kamen Rider Zukan page on Kamen Rider Zangetsu Mango Arms.
**Kamen Rider Zukan page on Kamen Rider Zangetsu Fourze Arms.
**Kamen Rider Zukan page on Kamen Rider Zangetsu Watermelon Arms.
**Kamen Rider Zukan page on Kamen Rider Zangetsu Kachidoki Arms.
*Kamen Rider Zukan page on Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin.
**Kamen Rider Zukan page on Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin Melon Energy Arms.
==Navigation==
hi:टाकाटोरा कुरेशीमा
ru:Такатора Курешима
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