Kamen Rider Kabuto

is the seventeenth entry of the Kamen Rider Series. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei.
The series was broadcast on TV Asahi. The first episode aired on January 29, 2006, and with the final episode airing on January 21, 2007, completing the series with 49 episodes. It aired alongside for Super Hero Time 2006. The series represents the 35th anniversary of the Masked Rider Series, as indicated by a notice at the beginning of the pilot episode reading, in Japanese, "Kamen Rider 35th Anniversary Production".
Kamen Rider Kabuto is the first Kamen Rider Series to be broadcast in high-definition format. The series' catchphrases are and .
==Plot==
Seven years prior to the series, a meteorite struck the Shibuya district in Tokyo. An alien lifeform, known as the Worms, emerged from the meteorite and became a threat to humanity. Souji Tendou has trained seven years while waiting for the Kabuto Zecter so that he may properly take up the mantle of Kamen Rider Kabuto.
Making many enemies while at the same time meeting other Riders with mysterious origins, Tendou attempts to accomplish his goal at all costs: to destroy all Worms that threaten humanity. He meets ZECT operative Arata Kagami, who later becomes Kamen Rider Gatack. The two soon work together to save humanity from the alien Worms—but not before uncovering the conspiracies within the ZECT organization and the "Natives" species.
==Characters==
===Kamen Riders===
Kamen Rider Kabuto 	Souji Tendou
Kamen Rider TheBee 	Sou Yaguruma ► Shun Kageyama ► Masato Mishima (Other Users)
Kamen Rider Drake 	Daisuke Kazama (Other Users)
Kamen Rider Sasword 	Tsurugi Kamishiro (Other Users)
Kamen Rider Gatack 	Arata Kagami
Kamen Rider KickHopper 	Sou Yaguruma
Kamen Rider PunchHopper	Shun Kageyama
Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto	Souji Kusakabe
====Movie exclusive====
Kamen Rider Caucasus	Issei Kurosaki
Kamen Rider Hercus 	Hidenari Oda
Kamen Rider Ketaros 	Tetsuki Yamato
===Allies===
*Hiyori Kusakabe
*Jyuka Tendou
*Yumiko Takemiya
*Gon
*Jiiya
===Villains===
====ZECT====
*Negishi
*Masato Mishima
*Shuichi Tadokoro
*Riku Kagami
*Yuzuki Misaki
*Renge Takatori
ZECTrooper 	ZECTroopers (Multiple Users)
Shadow 	Shadow (Multiple Users)
Bright Trooper	Bright Troopers (Multiple Users)
=====Neo ZECT=====
*Shura Hokuto
Neo Trooper	Neo Troopers (Multiple Users)
====Worms====
*Mutant Worm
*Uca Worm
*Cassis Worm
*Scorpio Worm
*Sisyra Worm
*Gryllus Worm
* Aracnea Worm Rubor
* Aracnea Worm Flavus
* Aracnea Worm Nigritia
* Verber Worm
* Verber Worm Rota
* Coleoptera Worm Aeneus
* Coleoptera Worm Croceus
* Coleoptera Worm Argentum
* Sectio Worm
* Sectio Worm Acuere
* Formicaalubus Worm
* Formicaalubus Worm Oculus
* Formicaalubus Worm Maxilla
* Brachypelma Worm Aurantium
* Brachypelma Worm Viridis
* Geophilid Worm
* Acarina Worm
* Acarina Worm Amber/Fake Daisuke/Kamen Rider Drake
* Camponotus Worm Oculus
* Camponotus Worm Maxilla
* Lanpyris Worm
* Bellcricetus Worm
* Epilachna Worm
* Pulex Worm
* Musca Worm
* Viella Worm
* Sepultura Worm
* Tarantes Worm Purpura/Makoto
* Genomyas Worm
* Culex Worm
* Foliatus Worm
* Cammarus Worm
* Cochlea Worm
* Leptophyes Worm
* Subst Worm
==Episodes==
==Cast==
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===Guest cast===
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===Suit actors===
*Kamen Rider Kabuto, Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto: 
*Kamen Rider Gatack, Kamen Rider TheBee: 
*Kamen Rider Drake, Kamen Rider TheBee: 
*Kamen Rider Sasword, Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto: 
*Kamen Rider KickHopper: 
*Kamen Rider PunchHopper: 
*ZECTroopers: , , 
==Songs==
;Opening theme
*"NEXT LEVEL"
**Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
**Composition & Arrangement: Cher Watanabe
**Artist: YU-KI (TRF)
**Episodes: 1-48
;Ending theme
*"FULL FORCE"
**Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
**Composition: nishi-ken
**Arrangement: RIDER CHIPS & Cher Watanabe
**Artist: RIDER CHIPS
**Episodes: 2-32
*"LORD OF THE SPEED"
**Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
**Composition: Cher Watanabe
**Arrangement: RIDER CHIPS & Cher Watanabe
**Artist: RIDER CHIPS featuring Kagami Arata (Yuki Sato)
**Episodes: 33-48
==35th Masked Rider Anniversary File==
During episodes 23 through 27, this segment called the 35th Masked Rider Anniversary File, acted as a look back to the franchise and an early advertisement for the God Speed Love movie. These look backs are held in a movie theater and the segment is hosted by Souji Tendou (Kamen Rider Kabuto), Arata Kagami (Kamen Rider Gatack), Tetsuki Yamato (Kamen Rider Ketaros), Yuzuki Misaki, and Masato Mishima. During these five segments, they discuss the history of the Kamen Rider franchise, sometimes in a comedic tone, but always with serious background music.
*Episode 23 (Rider Kicks): The group watches and Yamato narrates the variations of Rider Kicks during the course of the years. Yamato mentions about the Rider Double Kick of Kamen Riders 1 and 2, Kamen Rider V3's V3 Kick, Kamen Rider X's X Kick, and Kamen Rider Super-1's ten various kicks. In the end, Kagami stands up and does his own Rider Kick (he even shouts the attack name) and falling into his seat with Yuzuki looking. Tendo asks Yamato, "Who are you?"
*Episode 24 (Criminal Organizations): The group watches and learns about the different criminal organizations the Kamen Riders had to fight. Villains include Shocker & Gel-Shocker in the first Kamen Rider, Destron from Kamen Rider V3, and King Dark (of the Government of Darkness) in Kamen Rider X. Footage of Black Satan, first enemy of Kamen Rider Stronger, is also shown. Tendo then supposes that it is the Kamen Rider's destiny to fight an organization. Mishima tells Tendo that ZECT will show no mercy to anyone who fights them. Yamato then says that he will definitely smash Neo-ZECT for rebelling against and splitting off from ZECT.
*Episode 25 (Rhinoceros Beetle-Themed Kamen Riders): The group watches Kamen Rider Stronger, and Kagami quickly thinks that Stronger himself is Kabuto, and looks at Tendo confused. Misaki corrects him, informing him that this is a different Rider, using the rhinoceros beetle as a design. Mishima then announces that it is Kamen Rider Stronger. The camera then zooms on Tendo's face as he says that while this Rider may be Stronger, he (referring to himself) is the strongest. Tendo pronounces "Stronger" and "Strongest" in English, (due to the fact that Hiro Mizushima, who portrays Tendou, is fluent in English). Yamato then also speaks of the Kabutech Riders (Caucasus [Caucasus beetle], Heracus [Hercules beetle], and Ketaros [centaurus beetle], the last of whom Yamato happens to be), which are also Rhinoceros Beetle Riders (as the Caucasus, Hercules, and Centaurus beetles are rhinoceros beetle sub-species). Also, despite being a Rhinoceros Beetle Rider, Kamen Rider Blade (also a Hercules beetle) was omitted. At the end, Tendo stands up and miniature hexagons with Tendo's face appear, forming a compound eye pattern as Tendo says once again that he is "the man who walks the path of heaven that will rule over everything."
*Episode 26 (Riders Everywhere): The group watches Kamen Rider and Yamato comments on Skyrider's Sailing Jump, then says that the Riders can go anywhere around the world. In addition, they are not restricted to the ground. Then, Misaki mentions the Riders can even now go into space. During this segment, they watch footage of Kamen Riders 1 through ZX training with each other in Kamen Rider 1's base on Arizona in the final episodes of Kamen Rider Black RX, followed by footage from God Speed Love. Tendo then coins a variant his trademark quote ("Now, I will truly walk down the path of heaven and rule over all.").
*Episode 27 (Kamen Rider Ultimate Forms): Kamen Rider Stronger's upgrade is not mentioned (as it is not an "Ultimate Form", but rather a temporary power upgrade) and the short starts with Yamato commenting on Black RX and his modes RX Roborider and RX Biorider. It then moves on to Kamen Rider Kuuga Ultimate Form, Kamen Rider Agito Shining Form, Kamen Rider Ryuki Survive, Kamen Rider Faiz Blaster Form, Kamen Rider Blade King Form, and Kamen Rider Armed Hibiki. Suddenly, Yamato and Tendo are about to duel with the others looking on and showing on screen is Kabuto's Ultimate Form, Hyper Form.
==Novel==
, written by Shoji Yonemura, is part of a series of spin-off novel adaptations of the Heisei Era Kamen Riders. The mysteries behind Kamen Rider Kabuto will be revealed as Souji Tendou fights his final battle with the Worms. After the battle, he travels around the world starting from Bangkok, Thailand to Varanasi, India. During this time, the story follows Arata Kagami as he tries to court Hiyori Kusakabe. The novel was released on November 30, 2012.
==Video game==
A video game based on the series was produced by Bandai for the PlayStation 2, under the name Kamen Rider Kabuto. Released on November 30, 2006, it is a fighting game featuring all Riders seen in the show and movie, along with Hyper Gatack. The game features 5 different modes of play, ranging from a story mode to several multi-player modes.
==International broadcasts==
Kabuto was broadcast in South Korea as Masked Rider Kabuto ( in 2008. In the Philippines, this show is currently broadcast on Cartoon Network dubbed into English. In Singapore, this show is also dubbed and debut on June 20, 2009, on Okto. In Malaysia,this show was dubbed in malay version on NTV7.
==Parodies==
Episode 327-B of Sgt. Frog titled "Keroro, Invasion in a Blink!" (ケロロ あっというまの侵略！ であります) features the members of the Keroro Platoon trying to invade Earth in Clock-Up mode.
==Notes==
*This was the last Heisei-era Kamen Rider series to use only episode numbers in the titles for the entire series. From Den-O onward, the episode number is now includes the title at the beginning of each episode of the series.This phrase has also been translated as "The man who goes road of god and manages all..." in Hyper Hobby magazine's Details of Heroes EX: Masked Rider System Kabuto photobook.
==References==
==External links==
* at 
*Kamen Rider Kabuto at Japanese Wikipedia
*Kamen Rider Kabuto at TV Asahi
Category:Kamen Rider Series
Category:Over-Technology
Category:Heisei Era