Gaku Sano

is a Japanese actor who portrayed Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim in Kamen Rider Gaim, with his most recent reprisal of the role in Kamen Rider Zi-O. He also performed his character songs Rise Up Your Flag and Ranbu Escalation.
==Biography==
As a young child, Sano told his parents that he wanted to be an actor. In 2011 while in college, he won the 24th Junon Superboy Contest. He subsequently dropped out of college and debuted as a stage actor, later making various appearances in films and TV dramas. 
It wasn't until 2012 until he made his first stage debut in February. In the same year, he landed many various roles in films and TV dramas.
After Kamen Rider Gaim, Sano landed a role in a live-action adaption of the manga series , with star Kazuki Shimizu and Kamen Rider Fourze star Ryo Yoshizawa.
===Post Kamen Rider===
In 2015, he portrayed Akira Nishikiyama in a stageplay version of Yakuza.
In 2020, he and Yutaka Kobayashi appeared in a promotional video for the release of the CSM Sengoku Driver.
In 2022, Sano starred in the video game The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story alongside Den-O-star Wakana Matsumoto.
In 2023, Sano attended the third convention in Burbank, California.
==Personal Life==
*Sano is a fan of Kamen Rider Kuuga and hoped to inspire a new generation of boys with his portrayal of Gaim.http://mantan-web.jp/2013/07/25/20130725dog00m200031000c.htmlhttp://www.oricon.co.jp/news/entertainment/2026955/full/
*Sano has a twin brother named , who lives in Canada. A family photo of them both resurfaced sometime before the final episode of Gaim had aired, which led to false rumors that Kei was to appear in the show. 
*Sano has performed many of his own stunts in the show, with his physicality and agility being highly praised by Osamu Kaneda, action director and suit actor Seiji Takaiwa.Kamen Rider Gaim: Official Perfect Book pages 73、80-81、84.Uchusen Vol. 146 2014 pages 44-46Gaim COMPLETE TRACKS 2014 page 108
*According to Gen Urobuchi, his writing of Kouta was heavily influenced by Sano's cheerful shonen manga protagonist-like personality.Gaim The Guide 2014 , p. 103, "Interview SII Gen Urobuchi".Spacecraft 146 2014 , pp. 44–46, "[Interview] Naomi Takebe x Taku Mochizuki"
*On May 19, 2023, Sano announced his marriage to actress Keiko Sawaguchi,https://twitter.com/oxgakuox/status/1659393726568104002?s=61&t=hFlB22Ov-GsIINsFhNMaHg with the ceremony being held the following December.https://twitter.com/oxgakuox/status/1736631194132103226. Notable attendees included Yutaka Kobayashi, Atsushi Shiramata, Naomi Takebe, and Katsuhiro Suzuki.
==Filmography==
===Television===
*Kamen Rider Wizard, Episodes 52 and 53 (2013) - Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim
*Kamen Rider Gaim (2013-2014) - Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim
*Kamen Rider Zi-O (2018) - Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim, Kouta Kazuraba (Zi-O)
===Film===
*Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle (2013) - Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim
*Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai (2014) - Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim
*Kamen Rider Gaim: Great Soccer Battle! Golden Fruits Cup! (2014) - Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim
*Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle (2014) - Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim
*Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Zangetsu (2015) - Kouta Kazuraba
*Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Baron (2015) - Kouta Kazuraba
*Kamen Rider Heisei Generations: Dr. Pac-Man vs. Ex-Aid & Ghost with Legend Riders (2016) - Kamen Rider Gaim (voice, uncredited archival recordings) 
*Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Final: Build & Ex-Aid with Legend Riders (2017) - Kouta Kazuraba/Kamen Rider Gaim
==Notes==
*Sano was born on April 3, 1992, exactly 21 years after the premiere of the first episode of the original series.
*He is a fan of Marvel's Captain America. Coincidentally, one of his movies, Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai is similar to the Civil War event in the Marvel Comics.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ncu7Rt6N-M&ebc=ANyPxKpJ5UklPDWeFVIHWuTHBzkcPn1NLr49ap6WBCFHc2EZnVEKAO99Lvr13n1KFJ7zEcSjVhbcSMurFnDE3nCi5MBpdvL5fQ
*To compensate for Sano's absence from Kamen Rider Heisei Generations: Dr. Pac-Man vs. Ex-Aid & Ghost with Legend Riders, archival recordings of him were used instead of hiring a replacement voice actor.
*In 2019, he reunited with co-star Mahiro Takasugi in the film Cho Shonen Tanteidan NEO: Beginning.
*In 2022, he starred in Good Morning, Sleeping Lion alongside Shun Nishime, Masahiro Inoue, Takayuki Tsubaki, and Seiji Takaiwa.
*After Kamen Rider Gaim: Final Stage stageshow, a cast talk show was held. During that scene, Gaku Sano broke into tears after receiving a gift, which was a Team Gaim T-Shirt signed by casts of Kamen Rider Gaim.http://www.orendsrange.com/2015/02/kamen-rider-gaim-final-stage-clip-gaku.html
==External Links==
*Gaku Sano at AsianWiki
*Gaku Sano at Wikipedia (Japan)
*Official Instagram
*Official Twitter
Category:Actors
Category:Singers