2006: Next Level Kabuto

is the thirty-seventh episode of Kamen Rider Zi-O. It is the first part of the Kamen Rider Kabuto tribute arc. Thus, it features the return of Arata Kagami, So Yaguruma, and Shun Kageyama, portrayed by Yuuki Sato, Hidenori Tokuyama, and Masato Uchiyama, respectively. It also features the return of Tsukasa Kadoya after his last appearance in episode 28, and the debut of Woz Ginga Wakusei.
==Synopsis==
Recently several meteorites are colliding in the city! Furthermore, an extraterrestrial race known as Worms start to emerge from these meteorites! Earth is in the midst of a deep crisis as Sougo goes off to search the city for Kamen Rider Gatack! But not only did Sougo find Gatack, but Another Rider also appeared...
==Continuity and Placement==
*Kamen Rider Kabuto: 12 years after the end of the season finale.
==Plot==
When searching for the vessel of Another Kabuto, Uhr sees a meteor fall to Japan, destroying the surrounding. Inside the meteor, some insect-like extra-terrestrial creatures crawled out, and one of them transforms into a human...
Meanwhile at 95 DO, Sougo and co are watching the news about meteor falls, wondering if Kamen Rider Ginga is responsible of this phenomenon. In the news however, the reporter is transformed into a monster, attacking the cameraman. Woz said that the monster is a Worm, creatures that can mimic humans, and noted that Kamen Rider Kabuto used to fight them. Geiz wonders if this is a clue to the Kabuto Ridewatch...
Sougo asks Tsukuyomi to come with him, leaving Geiz with Woz (again). When they're running towards the destination, Tsukuyomi asks about the recent appearances of Another Riders, noting that the rule of "Another Rider cannot co-exists with the original Rider" is changing as Kazuma Kenzaki is still Blade and Shoichi Tsugami is still Agito. But Sougo is not hampered about this curious turn of event, because this means he can meet the senior Riders, much to the girl's exasperation.
Geiz and Woz arrive to a point of impact of the meteor when they're attacked by some Worms. Geiz transforms into FaizArmor and Woz transforms into Futuring Kikai. They're winning easily when a Worm molted, assaulting Geiz in incredible speed. Woz explains that when a Worm molts, it can use an increased speed ability, Clock Up. Fighting speed with speed, Geiz changes form into GeizRevive Shippu while Woz into Futuring Shinobi, and successfully defeats them.
Sougo and Tsukuyomi go into the news site and were also attacked by Worms. Sougo transforms into Zi-O II, but he is swarmed until a heavy armored Rider comes to help him. But, someone with incredible speed attacks them. The heavily armored Rider changes forms into a sleeker one, and begins to fight the unknown assailant with incredible speed.
The fierce battle destroys the debris, threatening civilians. Tsukuyomi once again uses her time stopping power, realizing that it's becoming stronger. Swartz, who observes this, notes that she is nearly awakened as Tsukasa Kadoya approaches him. Tsukasa asks if Swartz intends to control Tsukuyomi...
Meanwhile, Sougo is caught in the crossfire, until he uses the future prediction ability and knocks the assailant, revealing himself as Kamen Rider PunchHopper. As they move to defeat him, Another Kabuto appears and took the opposite Rider away. The allied rider de-transforms and introduces himself as Arata Kagami, Kamen Rider Gatack.
Sougo invites Arata to 95 DO and explains that he is affiliated with ZECT, an organization tasked at protecting humanity from Worms. Sougo doesn't know about ZECT though, and this confuses the senior Rider. Moving on, his mission now is to defeat Shun Kageyama, who died some years ago and is now mimicked by a Worm, but his sworn brother So Yaguruma, the identity of Another Kabuto, is protecting him. Arata leaves the shop, before wondering why Shibuya looks so advanced after being utterly destroyed by a meteor in 1999. Sougo also doesn't know about this, leaving Arata confused.
In the city, Tsukuyomi is moping about her ability when Geiz arrives and assures her not to worry. Suddenly Tsukasa appears, he explains that the time-space continuum is on chaos, and want to investigate it. He offers Tsukuyomi to accompany him as this maybe has a connection to her origin. In the end, Tsukuyomi follows Tsukasa. They arrive in the year 2058.
Sougo and Woz were wondering in the city when Shun approaches them. He asks Sougo's help to save his sworn brother that is becoming a monster. Sougo agrees despite Woz's hesitation, and follows the Worm mimic into a factory.
Shun attacks him from behind, but foiled by WozGinga. Apparently Sougo predicted this trap, and asks Woz to foil it. The Worm transforms into PunchHopper, with Another Kabuto assisting him. Arata also appears as he directly fight Shun. As the battle commences, suddenly Sougo detects a giant meteor threatens to fall down to Japan. He immediately change form to FourzeArmor to deal with it, leaving Woz fighting the Another Rider.
Another Kabuto's speed proves to be too much for Woz however, and he change form into Wakusei to counter it with an area attack. The monstrous Rider explodes... but in the midst of flame, stands Kamen Rider KickHopper. He assaults Woz with a Rider Kick, only to escape afterwards.
In space, Sougo destroy the meteor with Limit Time Break, only to see yet another meteor behind it... a huge one at that. He laments in despair...
==Cast==
*: 
*: 
*: 
*: 
*: 
*: 
*: 
*Ziku-Driver, Ridewatch Voices: 
*Ziku-Driver Voice: 
*Beyondriver Voice: 
===Guest Cast===
*: 
*: 
*: 
*: 
*Zecters Voice: 
*Swartz (Teen): 
*Tsukuyomi (Child): 
*Reporter: (Uncredited)
===Suit Actors===
*Kamen Rider Zi-O: 
*Kamen Rider Geiz: 
*Kamen Rider Woz: 
*Kamen Rider Gatack: 
*Kamen Rider KickHopper: 
*Kamen Rider PunchHopper: 
*Another Kabuto: 
==Forms and Collectibles Used==
===Ridewatches===
*Watch used:
**Zi-O
***Zi-O Ridewatch II, Zi-O, Fourze
**Geiz
***Geiz, Faiz, GeizRevive
*Rider Armor(s) used:
**Zi-O
***Zi-O II, FourzeArmor
**Geiz
***FaizArmor, GeizRevive Shippu
===Miridewatches===
*Watch used:
**Woz
***Kikai, Shinobi, Ginga
*Futurering(s) used:
**Woz
***Futurering Kikai, Futurering Shinobi, WozGingaFinaly, WozGingaWakusei
===Other Form Changes===
*Gatack - Masked Form, Rider Form
==Errors==
*A Salis Worm transformed into a Gryllus Worm although they are two different species in the original series.
*Although the Gatack Zecter has a unique voice, the "Clock Up" sound used, as well the second "Cast Off" (Though not the first) is that of the other Kabuto Riders.
*Yaguruma's transformation jingle was heard when Geiz transforms into GeizRevive, while Woz transforms from Kikai into Shinobi
==Notes==
*As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside episode 11, .
*Viewership: 2.9%
*Closing Screen Ridewatches:
**Kamen Rider: Zi-O, Geiz, Woz
**Ridewatches:
***Zi-O: Fourze
***Geiz: GeizRevive (Shippu)
***Woz: Ginga (Wakusei)
*Count at episode end
**Watches in Zi-O's possession: Zi-O, Build, Ex-Aid, Fourze, OOO, OOO Tadajol Combo, Gaim, Kodama, W, Kuuga, Decade, Zi-O II, Ryuki, Zi-OTrinity, Blade, Chalice, Agito, Hibiki, Kiva, Phone, Bike
**Watches in Geiz's possession: Geiz, Ghost, Cross-Z, Drive, Faiz, Wizard, Genm, Knight, GeizRevive, Phone, Bike
**Watches in Tsukuyomi's possession: Phone, Taka
**Watches in Woz’s possession: Woz, Shinobi, Quiz, Kikai, Ginga, Phone
Next Level Wings.png|NEXT LEVEL begins to play.
Next Level Break out.png|NEXT LEVEL breaks before Over "Quartzer" started.
Next Level to Over Quartzer.png|20 Kamen Rider Kicks logo appears as Over "Quartzer" begins to play.
*As a Kamen Rider Kabuto tribute arc:
**The title of this episode is a reference to NEXT LEVEL, the opening theme of Kabuto.
***Additionally, this episode's opening sequence also briefly begins with NEXT LEVELs scene with the Worm wings and then changed into Over "Quartzer".
**Yaguruma protecting the fake Kageyama is referring to the reason that Yaguruma in fact, only chooses to kill Kageyama during his past because it's Kageyama's wish as Yaguruma still cared with Kageyama when he was turned into a Native.
**Interestingly, all three returning Legend Riders in this arc have all been users of Kamen Rider TheBee at some point.
***Although Masato Mishima doesn't return, the Gryllus Worm suit was reused in this episode. Additionally, Mishima's actor, Tomohisa Yuge, did in fact return in Zi-O reprising his role as Goro Yura/Kamen Rider Zolda in Rider Time: Kamen Rider Ryuki.
**Following the Kiva tribute, this arc features the soundtrack from Kamen Rider Kabuto.
**Woz's post-finishing pose and quoting after defeating Another Kabuto probably references but mimics Soji Tendo's 'point to the sky' pose after defeating a Worm.
**The appearance of the colossal meteor behind the one destroyed by Zi-O brings to mind the events of Kamen Rider Kabuto: God Speed Love.
*Kamen Rider Geiz using the FaizArmor at the beginning of the episode may reference the fact that Faiz Axel can move at lightspeed similarly to the ZECT Riders' Clock Up.
*Kamen Rider PunchHopper uses the Clock Up ability for the first time on screen in this episode. Kamen Rider Gatack also demonstrates the ability to launch blades of energy with the Gatack Calibur, an attack never seen or mentioned before.
*Kamen Rider Gatack and PunchHopper's suits are visibly worn out, though not to the same degree as the Kamen Rider Kabuto suit seen previously.
*Kamen Rider Zi-O II's counter Clock Up stab is similar to the way of his Another Rider counterpart fought against GeizRevive Shippu in episode 27.
**Interestingly, this is also similarly close to how Tsukasa defeated a matured Worm during his first time in Kabuto's World by using Kuuga Pegasus' enhanced sense, especially with Tsukasa is appeared again in Kabuto's arc of Zi-O.
*Probably due to the filter or the suits' damage, some Salis Worms variants are colored black/dark green in this episode.
*Possibly due to undisclosed space-time anomalies, the destruction caused by the Shibuya Meteor Strike has disappeared, and Sougo has no knowledge about it at all, much to the confusion of Kagami.
*The instrumental version of Black&White, Woz's theme song is played in this episode first time, and followed by the next episode as regular song debut.
*Just like the Fourze, Wizard, Hibiki and Kiva tribute arcs, Hiro Mizushima does not return as Soji Tendo, though the character had previously made a suit-only appearance in Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Forever.
*Final TV appearance of Woz Futurering Shinobi and Kikai.
*While Hidenori Tokuyama and Masato Uchiyama previously reprised their roles in a voice-only role in Kamen Rider Decade this marks the physical appearance of So Yaguruma and Shun Kageyama since the conclusion of Kabuto.
**Kageyama appear slightly more heavyset than he appeared during Kabuto. According to Uchiyama, he was alerted to the role at short notice, and would have attempted to shed the extra weight had he been alerted sooner.
*The Rider Armors used have a relation to Kabuto.
**Faiz - The Transformation Devices in the show have been used by multiple people and both had fought alongside each other in Episode 52 of Kamen Rider Wizard.
**Fourze - Both shows having a relation to space in a certain manner.
==External links==
*TV Asahi's official episode guide for 2006：ネクスト・レベル・カブト
*Heisei 20's official episode guide for 2006：ネクスト・レベル・カブト
==References==
ru:2006: Кабуто: следующий уровень
Category:Crossovers
Category:New Kamen Rider Episode
Category:New Form Episode