Kamen Rider Kuuga

Kamen Rider Kuuga (仮面ライダークウガ Kamen Raidā Kūga, Masked Rider Kuuga) is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It is the tenth installment of the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu shows and the first of the series to air entirely in the Heisei period. It was a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and was shown on TV Asahi from January 30, 2000 to January 21, 2001. Kamen Rider Kuuga is the first Kamen Rider Series to be broadcast in widescreen format (albeit presented in a letterbox format). The catchphrase for the series is "A New Hero, A New Legend".
== StoryEdit ==
Long ago, the Gurongi Tribe terrorized the Linto (リント Rinto) until a warrior named Kuuga appeared and defeated the Gurongi, sealing their leader within a cave. In present day, a multi-talented man named Yusuke Godai finds himself linked to the mysterious stoned belt that was found within the excavated cave as the Gurongi are resurrected and resume their murderous game on the descendants of the Linto, humanity itself.
It is up to Yusuke, along with the assembled Science Police, to use the various powers of Kuuga in order to stop and defeat the Gurongi Tribesmen from their continuous killing and ensure the happiness of others. However, as the endgame draws near, Yusuke learns that there is a horrible revelation behind Kuuga and the Gurongis' leader.
== CharactersEdit ==
=== Kamen Riders ===
==== TV Show ====
Kamen Rider Kuuga	Riku ► Yusuke Godai ► Mika Natsume
==== Novel-exclusive ====
Kamen Rider Kuuga Prototype	Mika Natsume
=== AlliesEdit ===
* Kaoru Ichijo
* Sakurako Sawatari
* Minori Godai
* Shuichi Tsubaki
* Hikari Enokida
* Tamasaburo Kazari
* Nana Asahina
* Jean Michel Sorrel
* Sadao Matsukura
* Morimichi Sugita
* Tsuyoshi Sakurai
* Nozomi Sasayama
* Mika Natsume
* Shoji Kanzaki
* Junichi Chono
=== GurongiEdit ===
: Main article: Gurongi
N-Daguva-Zeba	N-Daguva-Zeba
==== Ra GroupEdit ====
* Ra-Baruba-De
* Ra-Dorudo-Gu
==== Zu GroupEdit ====
* Zu-Gumun-Ba
* Zu-Gooma-Gu
* Zu-Mebio-Da
* Zu-Baduu-Ba
* Zu-Zain-Da
* Zu-Gujiru-Gi
* Zu-Garuga-Da
* Zu-Miuji-Gi
* Zu-Gazubo-De
* Zu-Daago-Gi
* Zu-Nezuma-Da
* Zu-Nezumo-Da
* Zu-Jamoru-Re
==== Me GroupEdit ====
* Me-Badjisu-Ba
* Me-Giiga-Gi
* Me-Biran-Gi
* Me-Gyarido-Gi
* Me-Gadora-Da
* Me-Ginoga-De
* Me-Garume-Re
* Me-Garima-Ba
* Me-Agon-Gi
* Me-Aguri-Da
* Me-Ibae-Ba
* Me-Gaage-Re
* Me-Mugado-Ba
* Me-Gorigi-Ba
* Me-Gaera-Re
* Me-Zoebi-Gi
* Me-Uzaa-Da
* Me-Demudo-Ba
* Me-Ginee-Da
* Me-Gegura-Gi
* Me-Gaberi-Gu
* Me-Juuma-Da
==== Go GroupEdit ====
* Go-Buuro-Gu
* Go-Bemiu-Gi
* Go-Gamego-Re
* Go-Badaa-Ba
* Go-Jaraji-Da
* Go-Zazaru-Ba
* Go-Jaaza-Gi
* Go-Baberu-Da
* Go-Gadoru-Ba
* Go-Jiino-Da
==== OthersEdit ====
* Nu-Zajio-Re
* Be-Jimin-Ba
== EpisodesEdit ==
: Main article: Kamen Rider Kuuga Episodes
Season 1 had 49 episodes, the same amount as Kamen Rider Build. Season 2, however, has 24 episodes, mainly due to the events of the novel and other bits and pieces.
# Revival (復活 Fukkatsu)
# Transformation (変身 Henshin)
# Tokyo (東京 Tōkyō)
# Sprint (疾走 Shissō)
# Distance (距離 Kyori)
# Azure Dragon (青龍 Seiryū)
# Grief (傷心 Shōshin)
# Archer (射手 Shashu)
# Siblings (兄妹 Kyōdai)
# Fierceness (熾烈 Shiretsu)
# Promise (約束 Yakusoku)
# Teacher (恩師 Onshi)
# Suspicion (不審 Fushin)
# Omen (前兆 Zenchō)
# Armor (装甲 Sōkō)
# Creed (信条 Shinjō)
# Preparation (臨戦 Rinsen)
# Loss (喪失 Sōshitsu)
# Artifact (霊石 Reiseki)
# Smile (笑顔 Egao)
# Secrets (暗躍 An'yaku)
# Game (遊戯 Yūgi)
# Uneasiness (不安 Fuan)
# Strengthening (強化 Kyōka)
# Wandering (彷徨 Hōkō)
# Myself (自分 Jibun)
# Ripple (波紋 Hamon)
# Clarification (解明 Kaimei)
# Crossroads (岐路 Kiro)
# Fate (運命 Unmei)
# Retaliation (応戦 Ōsen)
# Obstacle (障害 Shōgai)
# Cooperation (連携 Renkei)
# Tremble (戦慄 Senritsu)
# Emotion (愛憎 Aizō)
# Complication (錯綜 Sakusō)
# Approach (接近 Sekkin)
# Transition (変転 Henten)
# Gooma (強魔 Gōma)
# Impulse (衝動 Shōdō)
# Control (抑制 Yokusei)
# Battlefield (戦場 Senjō)
# Reality (現実 Genjitsu)
# Crisis (危機 Kiki)
# Archenemy (強敵 Kyōteki)
# Indomitable (不屈 Fukutsu)
# Decision (決意 Ketsui)
# Kuuga (空我 Kūga)
# Yusuke (雄介 Yūsuke)
=== Season 2 ===
# A New Beginning
# Hatred
Specials
# Kamen Rider Kuuga: Special Chapter (仮面ライダークウガ 特別篇 Kamen Raidā Kūga Tokubetsu-hen)(director's cut of the first two episodes)
# Kamen Rider Kuuga: First Dream of the New Year (初夢 Hatsuyume)
# Good Job (乙彼 Otsukare)
# Kamen Rider Kuuga vs. the Strong Monster Go-Jiino-Da (仮面ライダークウガＶＳ剛力怪人ゴ・ジイノ・ダKamen Raidā Kūga Bāsasu Gōriki Kaijin Go Jiino Da)
# Kamen Rider Kuuga: Remnant's New Hero (Kamen Rider and RWBY)
# Kamen Rider Build: Vault of the Spring Maiden (Kamen Rider and RWBY)
# Kamen Rider Zi-O: Road of Unexplained Truths
== Other mediaEdit ==
=== MangaEdit ===
# Kamen Rider Kuuga (Televi-kun manga) (仮面ライダークウガ Kamen Raidā Kūga)
# Kamen Rider Kuuga: Extra Episode ~Trust~ (仮面ライダークウガ エクストラエピソード「信頼」 Kamen Raidā Kūga Ekusutora Episōdo Shinrai)
# Kamen Rider Kuuga (manga) (仮面ライダークウガ Kamen Raidā Kūga)
=== S.I.C. Hero SagaEdit ===
# Odyssey (オデッセイ Odessei)
# Dark Side
=== NovelsEdit ===
# Kamen Rider Kuuga (novel) (小説 仮面ライダークウガ Shōsetsu Kamen Raidā Kūga)
== CastEdit ==
* Yusuke Godai (五代 雄介 Godai Yūsuke): Joe Odagiri, Nobunaga Shimazaki. English Voice: Miles Luna 
* Kaoru Ichijo (一条 薫 Kaoru Ichijō): Shingo Katsurayama. English Voice: Zach Aguilar
* Sakurako Sawatari (沢渡 桜子 Sawatari Sakurako): Kazumi Murata. English Voice: Stephanie Sheh 
* Oyassan (Tamasaburo Kazari) (おやっさん (飾 玉三郎) Oyassan (Kazari Tamasaburō)): Kitaro. English Voice: Clancy Brown
* Minori Godai (五代 みのり Godai Minori): Wakana Aoi. English Voice: Jen Brown
* Shuichi Tsubaki (椿 秀一 Shūichi Tsubaki): Yoshitaka Otsuka. English Voice: Pat Seymour
* Hikari Enokida (榎田 ひかり Hikari Enokida): Kaori Mizushima. English Voice: Trina Nishimura
* Nana Asahina (朝比奈 奈々 Asahina Nana): Shio Mizuhara. English Voice: Rebecca Fraiser
* Jean Michel Sorrel (ジャン・ミッシェル・ソレル Jan Missheru Soreru): Serge Vasilov. English Voice: J. Michael Tatum
* Mika Natsume (夏目 実加 Natsume Mika): Yuka Takeshima, Satomi Sato (Season 2). English Voice: Anna Hullum (Season 1), ? (Season 2)
* Sadao Matsukura (松倉 貞雄 Matsukura Sadao): Yudai Ishiyama (石山 雄大 Ishiyama Yūdai)
* Morimichi Sugita (杉田 守道 Morimichi Sugita): Takashi Matsuyama. English Voice: Clancy Brown
* Tsuyoshi Sakurai (桜井 剛 Sakurai Tsuyoshi): Nobuyuki Yoneyama (米山 信之 Yoneyama Nobuyuki)
* Nozomi Sasayama (笹山 望見 Sasayama Nozomi): Eri Tanaka (田中 恵理 Tanaka Eri)
* Junichi Shiina (椎名 純一 Shiina Jun'ichi): Makoto Hatayama (畠山 真 Hatayama Makoto)
* Hitoshi Kashihara (柏原 仁 Kashiwabara Jin): Takashi Kikuchi (菊池 隆志 Kikuchi Takashi)
* Gohei Ebisawa (海老沢 吾平 Ebisawa Aira): Fujio Mori (森 富士夫 Mori Fujio)
* Tsurumaru Kameyama (亀山 鶴丸 Kameyama Tsurumaru): Katsuaki Nishide (西手 勝秋 Nishide Katsuaki)
* Shoji Kanzaki (神崎 昭二 Kanzaki Shōji): Takashi Inoue (井上 高志 Inoue Takashi)
* Junichi Chono (蝶野 潤一 Chōno Jun'ichi): Daisuke Uchida (内田 大介 Uchida Daisuke)
* Keiko Motoshiro (元城 恵子 Motoshiro Keiko): Rie Okada (岡田 理江 Okada Rie)
* Atsuko Enokida (榎田 篤子 Enokida Atsuko): Machiko Naka (中 真千子 Naka Machiko)
* Sae Enokida (榎田 冴 Enokida Sae): Kentaro Niibo (新穂 健太郎 Niibo Kentarō)
* Hiroyuki Yashiro (社 広之 Yashiro Hiroyuki): Yutaro Kamata (鎌田 雄太郎 Kamata Yūtarō)
* Shuto Terashima (寺島 周斗 Terashima Shūto): Tomoaki Takagi (高木 智晃 Takagi Tomoaki)
* Ra-Baruba-De (Rose-Tattooed Woman) (ラ･バルバ･デ (バラのタトゥの女) Ra Baruba De (Bara no Tatu no On'na)): Mie Nanamori. English Voice: Elizabeth Maxwell
* Ra-Dorudo-Gu (ラ･ドルド･グ Ra Dorudo Gu): Tenmei Basara (婆裟羅 天明 Basara Tenmei)
* Zu-Zain-Da (ズ･ザイン･ダ Zu Zain Da): Akira Nogami (野上 彰 Nogami Akira)
* Zu-Gooma-Gu (ズ･ゴオマ･グ Zu Gōma Gu): Mitsuru Fujio (藤生 みつる Fujiō Mitsuru)
* Zu-Badzū-Ba & Go-Badā-Ba (ズ･バヅー･バ＆ゴ･バダー･バ Zu Bazū Ba & Go Badā Ba): Nobuyuki Ogawa(小川 信行 Ogawa Nobuyuki)
* Nu-Zajio-Re (ヌ･ザジオ･レ Nu Zajio Re): Tadashi Takatsuki (高月 忠 Takatsuki Tadashi)
* Me-Biran-Gi (メ･ビラン･ギ Me Biran Gi): Hironobu Ohashi (大橋 寛展 Ōhashi Hironobu)
* Me-Garume-Re (メ･ガルメ･レ Me Garume Re): Masaharu Mori (森 雅晴 Mori Masaharu)
* Me-Garima-Ba (メ･ガリマ･バ Me Garima Ba): Miho Iijima (飯島 美穂 Iijima Miho)
* Go-Buuro-Gu (ゴ･ブウロ･グ Go Būro Gu): Koichi Takao (高尾 晃市 Takao Kōichi)
* Go-Bemiu-Gi (ゴ･ベミウ･ギ Go Bemiu Gi): Seiko Ito (伊藤 聖子 Itō Seiko)
* Go-Gamego-Re (ゴ･ガメゴ･レ Go Gamego Re): Kazuyoshi Sakai (酒井 一圭 Sakai Kazuyoshi)
* Go-Jaraji-Da (ゴ･ジャラジ･ダ Go Jaraji Da): Masayoshi Okawa. English Voice: Josh Grelle
* Go-Zazaru-Ba (ゴ･ザザル･バ Go Zazaru Ba): Chiaki Asakura (朝倉 ちあき Asakura Chiaki)
* Go-Jāza-Gi (ゴ･ジャーザ･ギ Go Jāza Gi): Sumire Arai. English Voice: Samantha Ireland
* Go-Baberu-Da (ゴ･バベル･ダ Go Baberu Da): Kensho Sakurai (桜井 顕生 Sakurai Kenshō)
* Go-Gadoru-Ba (ゴ･ガドル･バ Go Gadoru Ba): Masato Gunji (軍司 眞人 Gunji Masato)
* N-Daguva-Zeba (ン･ダグバ･ゼバ N Daguba Zeba): Kenji Urai. English Voice: Garret Hunter
* Narrator (ナレーター Narētā): Fumihiko Tachiki. English Dub: Kyle Hebert
=== Suit actorsEdit ===
* Kamen Rider Kuuga: Kenji Tominaga (富永 研司 Tominaga Kenji)
* Gurongi: Hirofumi Fukuzawa (福沢 博文 Fukuzawa Hirofumi), Makoto Itō (伊藤 慎 Itō Makoto)
* Go-Zazaru-Ba: Shoji Hachisuka (蜂須賀 昭二 Hachisuka Shōji)
* Go-Jaraji-Da: Toshihiro Ogura (小倉 敏博 Ogura Toshihiro)
* Kamen Rider Kuuga (Motorcycle Action): Takumi Narita (成田 匠 Narita Takumi)
* Go-Badaa-Ba (Motorcycle Action): Ryo Narita (成田 亮 Narita Ryō)
== Songs Edit ==
; Opening theme
* "Kamen Rider Kuuga!" (仮面ライダークウガ! Kamen Raidā Kūga!)
** Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
** Composition: Toshihiko Sahashi
** Artist: Masayuki Tanaka. English Voice: Miles Luna and Casey Lee Williams (2018), 
; Ending theme
* "Aozora ni Naru" (青空になる "Into the Blue Sky")
** Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
** Composition: Toshihiko Sahashi
** Artist: Jin Hashimoto. English Voice: Miles Luna (2018)
== Reception ==
The English Dub received critical acclaim throughout it's run with some receiving universal praise from the fans and critics.
Episode 35, Emotion, was met with universal acclaim for Miles Luna's performance throughout the entire episode.
== NotesEdit ==
* This is the last Rider Series to have only a Primary Rider overall until Kamen Rider Ryuken.
* There were plans to create a Kamen Rider Kuuga movie. Due to funding issues, it did not come to pass, leaving Kamen Rider Agito as the first Heisei Kamen Rider series to get a movie and for Kuuga to not appear in a film until Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker (which featured a different Kuuga than from the series). Kuuga was also the only Kamen Rider not to appear outside of the Kamen Rider franchise until the Kamen Rider RWBY series. 
* At Japan World Heroes 2017, Noboru Kaneko revealed at a panel that before getting the role as GaoRed, he auditioned to be Kuuga in 1999, but was not picked in the final round of auditions and Joe Odagiri got the part instead.
* An alternate version of the logo with both English and Japanese language was used in the 2018 Kamen Rider Exhibition in Macau.
* Kuuga was the only Kamen Rider series not to have an English Dub even after Agito's dub being in 2007. This was due to some time constraints and staff issues. However, Kuuga would eventually get an English Dub in 2018, done by Rooster Teeth and Viz Media.
* In RTX 2018, it was revealed that Miles Luna was chosen as Yusuke because of his performance as Jaune, which amazed the English Dub crew for various Kamen Rider series.