Kamen Rider Kabuto

**Kamen Rider Kabuto** (仮面ライダーカブト, *Kamen Raidā Kabuto*?, translated as **Masked 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 *GoGo Sentai Boukenger* 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 "Walking the path of heaven, to rule everything!" (天の道を行き、総てを司る!, *Ten no michi o iki, subete o tsukasadoru!*?) and "I am justice." (俺が正義, *Ore ga seigi*?).

## 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

### Allies

* Hiyori Kusakabe
* Jyuka Tendou
* Yumiko Takemiya
* Gon
* Jiiya

### Villains

#### ZECT

* Negishi
* Masato Mishima
* Shuichi Tadokoro
* Riku Kagami
* Yuzuki Misaki
* Renge Takatori

 Bright Trooper | Bright 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

*Main article: Kamen Rider Kabuto Episodes*
The episode titles in this Kamen Rider Series is mainly in Japanese, even words that would normally be in English wording.

1. The Strongest Man (最強男, *Saikyō Otoko*?)
2. The First Two-Step Transformation (初２段変身, *Hatsu Ni-dan Henshin*?)
3. I am Justice!! (俺が正義！！, *Ore ga Seigi!!*?)
4. Love Explanation!! (愛を説く！！, *Ai o Toku!!*?)
5. Order to Capture!! (捕獲指令！！, *Hokaku Shirei!!*?)
6. My Flower (オレ様の花, *Ore-sama no Hana*?)
7. No. 2 Appears (２号新登場, *Nigō Shin Tōjō*?)
8. Angry Tofu (怒れる豆腐, *Ikareru Tōfu*?)
9. The Bee's Insanity!! (蜂の乱心！！, *Hachi no Ranshin!!*?)
10. I'm Not Your Friend  (友じゃねぇ, *Tomo ja Nee*?)
11. The Party Burns (合コン燃ゆ, *Gōkon Moeyu*?)
12. The Makeup Thousand-Man Cut (化粧千人斬, *Keshō Sennin Giri*?)
13. The Team Dissolves (チーム解散, *Chīmu Kaisan*?)
14. Back of the Back of the Back (裏の裏の裏, *Ura no Ura no Ura*?)
15. The Monster Noted Doctor!? (怪人名医！？, *Kaijin Meii!?*?)
16. An Unthinkable Storm (まさかの嵐, *Masaka no Arashi*?)
17. Restored Memories!! (甦る記憶！！, *Yomigaeru Kioku!!*?)
18. Farewell, Gon… (さらばゴン・・・, *Saraba Gon…*?)
19. Scorpion Millionaire (さそり富豪, *Sasori Fugō*?)
20. Hey, Jiiya (ねぇじいや, *Nee Jiiya*?)
21. VS Stag Beetle (ＶＳクワガタ, *Tai Kuwagata*?)
22. Birth of a Special Compilation (誕生特別編, *Tanjō Tokubetsu Hen*?)
23. Riddle + Riddle = X (謎＋謎＝Ｘ, *Nazo Tasu Nazo Wa Ekkusu*?)
24. The Ramen Way (ラーメン道, *Rāmen Dō*?)
25. The Proud Searchlight (驕る捜査線, *Ogoru Sōsasen*?)
26. Love That Shook the Earth (激震する愛, *Gekishin Suru Ai*?)
27. Me!? A Murderer (俺！？殺人犯, *Ore!? Satsujinhan*?)
28. Why!? Death (なぜ！？絶命, *Naze!? Zetsumei*?)
29. The Dark Kitchen (闇キッチン, *Yami Kitchin*?)
30. Miso Soup Ascension (味噌汁昇天, *Misoshiru Shōten*?)
31. Shocking Fact (衝撃の事実, *Shōgeki no Jijitsu*?)
32. Puzzle Unraveled!! (解ける謎！！, *Tokeru Nazo!!*?)
33. The Sprouting Adjutant (萌える副官, *Moeru Fukukan*?)
34. Breaking Super Evolution (砕け超進化, *Kudake Chō Shinka*?)
35. The Hellish Brothers (地獄の兄弟, *Jigoku no Kyōdai*?)
36. Red Shoes' Recklessness (赤い靴暴走, *Akai Kutsu Bōsō*?)
37. School's Ghost Story (学校の怪談, *Gakkō no Kaidan*?)
38. The Dangerous Younger Sister (あぶない妹, *Abunai Imōto*?)
39. The Powerful Black Opponent (強敵黒カブ, *Kyōteki Kuro Kabu*?)
40. The Saddest Battle (最大の哀戦, *Saidai no Aisen*?)
41. The Strongest Defeated (敗れる最強, *Yabureru Saikyō*?)
42. Worst Terror VS Worst Fear (最凶ｖｓ最恐, *Saikyō Tai Saikyō*?)
43. Me Targeting Me (俺を狙う俺, *Ore o Nerau Ore*?)
44. What is to Live (生きるとは, *Ikiru to Wa*?)
45. Christmas Earthquake (Ｘマス激震, *Kurisumasu Gekishin*?)
46. Farewell, Tsurugi!! (さらば剣！！, *Saraba Tsurugi!!*?)
47. Rushing into the Last Chapter (最終章突入, *Saishūshō Totsunyū*?)
48. Tendou Dies!! (天道死す！！, *Tendō Shisu!!*?)
49. Path of Heaven (天の道, *Ten no Michi*?)

**Movies**

1. *Kamen Rider Kabuto: God Speed Love* (劇場版 仮面ライダーカブト GOD SPEED LOVE, *Gekijōban Kamen Raidā Kabuto Goddo Supīdo Rabu*?)

**Specials**

1. *Kamen Rider Kabuto: Birth! Gatack Hyper Form!!* (仮面ライダーカブト 誕生！ガタックハイパーフォーム!!, *Kamen Raidā Kabuto: Tanjō! Gatakku Haipā Fōmu!!*?)

## Cast

* Souji Tendou, Souji Kusakabe (天道 総司、日下部 総司, *Tendō Sōji, Kusakabe Sōji*?): Hiro Mizushima (水嶋 ヒロ, *Mizushima Hiro*?)
* Arata Kagami (加賀美 新, *Kagami Arata*?): Yuki Sato (佐藤 祐基, *Satō Yūki*?)
* Sou Yaguruma (矢車 想, *Yaguruma Sō*?): Hidenori Tokuyama (徳山 秀典, *Tokuyama Hidenori*?)
* Shun Kageyama (影山 瞬, *Kageyama Shun*?): Masato Uchiyama (内山 眞人, *Uchiyama Masato*?)
* Daisuke Kazama (風間 大介, *Kazama Daisuke*?): Kazuki Kato (加藤 和樹, *Katō Kazuki*?)
* Tsurugi Kamishiro (神代 剣, *Kamishiro Tsurugi*?): Yusuke Yamamoto (山本 裕典, *Yamamoto Yūsuke*?)
* Hiyori Kusakabe (日下部 ひより, *Kusakabe Hiyori*?): Yui Satonaka (里中 唯, *Satonaka Yui*?)
* Renge Takatori (高鳥 蓮華, *Takatori Renge*?): Yuka Teshima (手嶋 ゆか, *Teshima Yuka*?)
* Jyuka Tendou (天道 樹花, *Tendō Juka*?): Natsumi Okumura (奥村 夏未, *Okumura Natsumi*?)
* Shuichi Tadokoro (田所 修一, *Tadokoro Shuichi*?): Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi (山口 祥行, *Yamaguchi Yoshiyuki*?)
* Yuzuki Misaki (岬 祐月, *Misaki Yuzuki*?): Anna Nagata (永田 杏奈, *Nagata Anna*?)
* Gon (ゴン, *Gon*?): Airu Kanzaki (神崎 愛瑠, *Kanzaki Airu*?)
* Jiiya (じいや, *Jiiya*?): Yasukiyo Umeno (梅野 泰靖, *Umeno Yasukiyo*?)
* Soichi Kusakabe (日下部 総一, *Kusakabe Sōichi*?): Go Narumi (鳴海 剛, *Narumi Gō*?)
* Satomi Kusakabe (日下部 さとみ, *Kusakabe Satomi*?): Kaori Asano (浅野 香織, *Asano Kaori*?)
* Tendou of 7 Years Ago (７年前の天道, *Shichinenmae no Tendō*?): Sean Wiig (ショーン・ウィーグ, *Shōn Wīgu*?)
* Hiyori of 7 Years Ago (７年前のひより, *Shichinenmae no Hiyori*?): Reina Fujii (藤井 玲奈, *Fujii Reina*?)
* Rena Mamiya (間宮 麗奈, *Mamiya Rena*?): Hitomi Miwa (三輪 ひとみ, *Miwa Hitomi*?)
* Reiji Nogi (乃木 怜治, *Nogi Reiji*?): Tak Sakaguchi (坂口 拓, *Sakaguchi Taku*?)
* Negishi (根岸, *Negishi*?): Masahiro Kobayashi (小林 正寛, *Kobayashi Masahiro*?)
* Yumiko Takemiya (竹宮 弓子, *Takemiya Yumiko*?): Megumi Nishimuta (西牟田 恵, *Nishimuta Megumi*?)
* Masato Mishima (三島 正人, *Mishima Masato*?): Tomohisa Yuge (弓削 智久, *Yuge Tomohisa*?)
* Riku Kagami (加賀美 陸, *Kagami Riku*?): Hirotaro Honda (本田 博太郎, *Honda Hirotarō*?)
* ZECTrooper (ゼクトルーパー, *Zekutorūpā*?, Voice): Katsumi Shiono (塩野 勝美, *Shiono Katsumi*?)
* Zecter Voice (ゼクター音声, *Zekutā Onsei*?): Surage Gajria (スラージ・ガジリア, *Surāji Gajiria*?)
* Narrator (ナレーター, *Narētā*?): Eiichiro Suzuki (鈴木 英一郎, *Suzuki Eiichirō*?)

### Guest cast

* Detective (刑事, *Keiji*?, 1): Maroshi Tamura (田村 円, *Tamura Maroshi*?)
* Yuki Tamai (玉井 ユキ, *Tamai Yūki*?, 3): Mika Kikuchi (菊地 美香, *Kikuchi Mika*?)
* IT President Uemura (IT社長・ウエムラ, *Ai Tī Shachō Uemura*?, 3): Kohei Murakami (村上 幸平, *Murakami Kōhei*?)
* Shogo Higashi (東 省吾, *Higashi Shōgo*?, 5-6): Atsushi Ogawa (小川 敦史, *Ogawa Atsushi*?)
* Takeshi Hongo (本郷 猛, *Hongō Takeshi*?, 14): Masaya Kikawada (黄川田 将也, *Kikawada Masaya*?)
* Koji Iguchi (井口 浩二, *Iguchi Kōji*?, 14): Kenzaburo Kikuchi (菊地 謙三郎, *Kikuchi Kenzaburō*?)
* Kazuhiko Sagara (相良 和彦, *Sagara Kazuhiko*?, 27): Hiroyuki Matsumoto (松本 博之, *Matsumoto Hiroyuki*?)
* Ichiro Ikesu (生簀 一郎, *Ikesu Ichirō*?, 29-30): Shinnosuke Abe (阿部 進之介, *Abe Shinnosuke*?)
* Keiko Kobayashi (小林 恵子, *Kobayashi Keiko*?, 37-38): Kasumi Suzuki (鈴木 かすみ, *Suzuki Kasumi*?)
* Oda (オダ, *Oda*?, 49): Katsuya Kobayashi (小林 且弥, *Kobayashi Katsuya*?)
* Yamato (ヤマト, *Yamato*?, 49): Mitsuki Koga (虎牙 光揮, *Koga Mitsuki*?)

### Suit actors

* Kamen Rider Kabuto, Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto: Seiji Takaiwa (高岩 成二, *Takaiwa Seiji*?)
* Kamen Rider Gatack, Kamen Rider TheBee: Makoto Ito (伊藤 慎, *Itō Makoto*?)
* Kamen Rider Drake, Kamen Rider TheBee: Yoshifumi Oshikawa (押川 善文, *Oshikawa Yoshifumi*?)
* Kamen Rider Sasword, Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto: Jun Watanabe (渡辺 淳, *Watanabe Jun*?)
* Kamen Rider KickHopper: Eitoku (永徳, *Eitoku*?)
* Kamen Rider PunchHopper: Naoki Nagase (永瀬 尚希, *Nagase Naoki*?)
* ZECTroopers: Hirofumi Fukuzawa (福沢 博文, *Fukuzawa Hirofumi*?), Jiro Okamoto (岡元 次郎, *Okamoto Jirō*?), Miho Kojima (小島 美穂, *Kojima Miho*?)

## 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

*Main article: Kamen Rider Kabuto (novel)*
*Kamen Rider Kabuto* (仮面ライダーカブト, *Kamen Raidā Kabuto*?), 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* (가면라이더 가부토 (Gamyeon Raideo Gabuto, *가면라이더 가부토*?) 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.

## References

1. ↑ 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.

## External links

* *Kamen Rider Kabuto* at Wikipedia
* *Kamen Rider Kabuto* at Japanese Wikipedia
* *Kamen Rider Kabuto* at TV Asahi