[TokuChris]

KAMEN RIDER GAIM
TokuNation's Ultimate Resource Thread

Series: Kamen Rider Gaim
Director(s): Ryuta Tasaki, Takayuki Shibasaki
Writer(s): Gen Urobuchi
Producer(s): Naomi Takebe
Episode Count: 37 (as of 07/14/14)

Need to catch up on the show? GoodDrama.net is hosting subtitled episodes. Prepare your adblockers though.
http://www.gooddrama.net/japanese-dr...men-rider-gaim

The "Sengoku" period in Japanese history took place in the late 1400's through most of the 1500's. Known as the period of the Warring States, it featured such classic historical characters like Oda Nobunga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Takeda Shingen, and Masamune Date. Without a true Emperor, various warring states battled each other for control of Japan until a new Emperor was put in place. For what it's worth, Tokugawa Ieyasu would end up as the "victor" ... and a character known as Ieyasu stars in the Kamen Rider Wizard / Kamen Rider Gaim movie, which released in December 2013.

SENGOKU DRIVER


The henshin belt device used by the Armored Riders to henshin in to a Kamen Rider/Armored Rider. They are powered by Lock Seeds, each one giving them a different power and armor.

LOCK SEEDS


The fruit that grows in Helheim Forest, when grabbed by a Kamen Rider/Armored Rider, morphs in to a Lock Seed. In it's natural state (ie: non Lock Seed) it seems to cast a spell upon regular people, giving them a very strong desire to eat one. When an Inves monster eats a Lock Seed, they transform in to a powerful creature. When they eat it in its natural state, nothing happens. It has yet to be shown what happens when a normal human eats a Helheim Forest fruit, but it's been hinted that it actually turns them in to a powered up Inves monster.

Inves Monsters - eat Helheim Forest fruit, but crave the Lock Seed version
Special Inves Monsters (ie: speculated humans) - crave real fruit from the real world, with no taste for Helheim Forest fruit or Lock Seeds

MEET THE ARMORED RIDERS!

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Kamen Rider Gaim - Kouta Kazuraba (Team Gaim)
(First Appearance - Episode 01 - "Transform! The Orange From the Sky?")
Kouta Kazuraba is a free-spirited, family-oriented youngster who had given up in dancing tournaments so he could maintain a "real job" and help provide for he and his sister, Akira Kazuraba. He has a close friendship, even an underlying romance, with Team Gaim captain Mai Takatsukasa. In an effort to help Team Gaim, Kouta accidently becomes Kamen Rider Gaim using the Orange Lock Seed. Upon discovering that the powers are useless to him unless he helps other, Kouta rejoins Team Gaim and uses the powers to defeat rival dance groups and their Inves monsters, unlocked from the Lock Seeds, as well as saving innocent people when the Inves suddenly break free to this dimension and begin attacking people.

As the story progresses, Kouta realizes it really his him against the rest of the world (or at least, Yggdrasill). While others (Micchy) try to convince him to stop fighting, Kouta believes in what he is fighting for and pushes forward. It's this trait, the desire to use his power to protect people, that causes DJ Sagura to continually give Kouta new upgrades to keep himself as powerful, and eventually more powerful, than Professor Ryouma and the other Energy Riders. Kouta believes in the best of everyone, so much so that he fails to see Micchy's betrayal even though everyone around him can see it. He befriends his nemesis, the "White Armored Rider" (Takatora), and is about to learn of his demise at the hands of Micchy.


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Kamen Rider Baron - Kaito Kumon (Team Baron)
(First Appearance - Episode 03 - "Shock! The Rival's Banana Transformation!?")
Kaito is a strong-willed youngster and the captain of Team Baron. He believes that you should never rely on anyone but yourself, and that you have to have true strength and power in order to succeed. His team, Team Baron, is the main rival to Team Gaim, and after witnesses Kouta henshin in to an Armored Rider, Kaito himself ends up with a Sengoku Driver, and henshins in to Kamen Rider Baron, utilizing the Lock Seed Banana.

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Kamen Rider Ryugen - Mitsuzane "Micchy" Kureshima (Team Gaim)
(First Appearance - Episode 04 - "He's Formed! The Third Grape Rider!)
Micchy is the younger brother of Takatora Kureshima (Kamen Rider Zangetsu) and is studying at the Yggdrasill corporation. He is secretly a member of Team Gaim and is attracted to team captain Mai. After Kouta has a terrifying experience as Kamen Rider Gaim, he gives up wanting to be an Armored Rider, and Micchy feels it is up to him to protect the people he cares about, and gets his own Sengoku Driver. When all hope looks lost in a dance competition, Micchy pulls out his belt and Grape Lock Seed and reveals himself to the world as he henshins in to Kamen Rider Ryugen.

As the story progresses, Micchy finds himself torn - stay with his friends and fight (what he feels to be) a losing battle, or join with his brother with Yggdrasill. He chooses the latter, and begins lying to his friends about his whereabouts and activities. He continues to see Mai attach herself more and more to Kouta, which deeply angers him. He begins to despise Kouta, to the point that he believes that if Kouta was gone, the world would be easier to save (because his plans would have worked). When Professor Ryouma betrays Micchy's brother, Takatora, and they push him off a cliff, Micchy watches, ignores his brother's pleas to help Kouta, and becomes the new Zangetsu Shin. With it, and Kouta's ignorance to the fact that Takatora is gone, Micchy continually attacks Kouta. It isn't until Oren declares the fighting style of Micchy is not Takatora, and that Zangetsu Shin is an imposter. Micchy, now allied with the Overlord Redyue, tries to convince Mai to come with him as he can save the world. She refuses, and Micchy decides Kouta must be sacrificed for the greater good. Takatora, who had been healing in hiding, interrupts Micchy's attempt to kill Kouta, and the brothers end up dueling. Takatora is unable to strike his younger brother, and Micchy delivers a finishing blow to Takatora, sending his unconscious body in to the bay. With no more distractions, Micchy is ready to defeat Kouta once and for all.

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Kamen Rider Zangetsu - Takatora Kureshima (Yggdrasill Corporation)
(First Appearance - Episode 04 - "He's Formed! The Third Grape Rider!)
Second only to his father in the chain of command at the Yggdrasill corporation, Takatora holds a debonair type of attitude, and wants nothing more than his younger brother "Micchy" to succeed and move up in the company. He is already an Armored Rider, Kamen Rider Zangetsu, and he only seems to fight those who enter the alternate dimension in which the Lock Seeds are harvested. He is one of the masterminds behind the entire Inves Game as well as the Sengoku Drivers that unlock the Kamen Riders.
PRIMARY LOCK SEED: Melon (Melon Lock Seed)
SECONDARY LOCK SEED: Coming soon...


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Kamen Rider Kurokage - Ryoji Hase (Team Raid Wild)
(First Appearance - Episode 05 - "Return! The Ichigo Arms of Friendship!")
Lacking the ability to defeat Team Gaim because of the Armored Riders, Hase joins with Jonouchi in an alliance with Team Baron in exchange for free Lock Seeds to battle Team Gaim. Quick to anger and quick to act, Hase and Jonouchi are given Sengoku Drivers by the Lock Seed Dealer Sid after he overhears their desire to get to the same level as Kaito (Kamen Rider Baron). After Ryugen and Gaim have Baron on the ropes, Hase quickly henshins in to Kamen Rider Kurokage, and then turns on Baron, stating it's a tactical advantage to take down the strongest first (in reference to Baron). After being defeated by Gaim, and then again by Bravo, Kurokage went to Helheim Forest during the Christmas Game, but was more interested in defeating the other Armored Riders in combat. He intercepts Kamen Rider Zangetsu, and his Sengoku Driver is seriously damaged, his crest fading away as he lies unconscious in the grass, his fate unknown...

Unable to cope with losing his Sengoku Driver, Hase caves in to the fruit of Helheim forest, devouring one and becoming an Inves. Kouta tries but is unable to finish him off, knowing that it was his friend. At that moment, Kamen Rider Sigurd appeared with the other Energy Riders and destroyed Hase. His passing became a major turning point for Kouta, who vowed to reveal the secrets of Yggdrasill and stop them once and for all.


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Kamen Rider Gridon - Hideyasu Jonouchi (Team Invitto)
(First Appearance - Episode 05 - "Return! The Ichigo Arms of Friendship!")
Jonouchi is described as the "cowardly schemer", though he would prefer if you called it "tactics". He forms an alliance with Kaito of Team Baron in exchange for Lock Seeds in hopes of trying to defeat Team Gaim. However, the alliance is called off when he's given a Sengoku Driver by the Lock Seed Dealer Sid, becoming Kamen Rider Gridon. He, along with his partner Kurokage, turn on Baron but are defeated by Gaim. Always scheming but afraid to fight, Gridon is defeated by Kamen Rider Zangetsu in Helheim Forest and taken to Yggdrasill, his fate currently unknown. It is important to note that in the first episode, there's a "future" scene of the four main Riders (Gaim, Baron, Ryugen, Zangetsu) going to battle against each other with great armies ... and Gridon is standing next to Kamen Rider Baron. What does this mean? The writer, Urobuchi, has stated he has "big plans in store for Jonouchi".
PRIMARY LOCK SEED: Acorn (Acorn Lock Seed)
SECONDARY LOCK SEED:

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Kamen Rider Bravo - Oren Pierre Alfonzo (Pastry Chef)
(First Appearance - Episode 06 - "The Durian Rider Appears!"
A current master pastry chef, Oren Pierre Alfonzo used to be in the military and spent much time stationed in France. After being annoyed by Team Red Hot's obnoxious celebration of receiving a Sengoku Driver, Oren takes it from the team and decides to show the other Armored Riders what a true warrior is, and henshins in to Kamen Rider Bravo. Oren is friend to none and enemy to all, and his battle technique and skill was only bested by an uber-powered Gaim using the Watermelon Lock Seed.


MEET THE ENERGY RIDERS!

Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin

Kamen Rider Murika

Kamen Rider Duke

Kamen Rider Sigurd

SUPPORTING CAST

Yuuya - The original Team Gaim captain who was given a Sengoku Driver by Sid the Lock Seed Dealer. Yuuya asks Kouta and Mai to meet with him at a specific location, and when the others arrive, there is a rip in to Helheim Forest but Yuuya is nowhere to be found. The Sengoku Driver is found, and Kouta henshins to Kamen Rider Gaim for the first time. Kouta has been searching for Yuuya ever since.
SPOILER! This character is now believed to be deceased after Episode 14

Mai - The new Team Gaim captain after Yuuya's disappearance. She has a history with Kouta, and often acts as the voice of reason to him. She shows feelings for both Kouta and the captain of Team Baron, Kaito. She is also the love-interest of fellow Team Gaim member Micchy, who is Kamen Rider Ryugen.

Mysterious Girl - This mysterious blonde haired, one red eye twin of Team Gaim captain Mai only appears when a new Armored Rider henshins for the first time, offering mysterious words of fate, destiny, and battles. It is speculated that she is actually a future version of Mai, as both Kouta and Micchy mistake her for Mai when they see her.

The Overlords

Roshuo:

Redyue:

Red Guy:

Sagura: While not yet (as of 37) revealed to be an Overlord, he does speak their language and communicates often with them. He also provides Kouta with a number of upgrades - including the new vehicles, the Kachidoki Lockseed, and the Kiwami Key that unlocks his ultimate form, Kiwami Arms. However the story finishes, it will be Sagura who has manipulated the players to their ultimate fates in this story.