Kamen Rider Kuuga

Kamen Rider Kuuga

Cover of the first Blu-ray Box.
Genre Tokusatsu
Superhero fiction
Science fiction
Action
Drama
Created by Shotaro Ishimori
Written by
Directed by
  • Hidenori Ishida
  • Katsuya Watanabe
  • Takao Nagaishi
  • Nobuhiro Suzuki
  • Osamu Kaneda
  • Koichi Koto
Starring
Narrated by Fumihiko Tachiki
Opening theme "Kamen Rider Kuuga!" by Masayuki Tanaka
Ending theme "Aozora ni Naru" by Jin Hashimoto
Composer(s) Toshihiko Sahashi
Country of origin Japan
No. of episodes 49 (List of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)
  • Yūmi Shimizu (TV Asahi)
  • Takeyuki Suzuki (Toei)
  • Shigenori Takatera (Toei)
Running time 23–25 minutes per episode
Production company(s) Toei Company
Release
Original network TV Asahi
Original release January 30, 2000 (2000-01-30) – January 21, 2001 (2001-01-21)
Chronology
Preceded by
Followed by Kamen Rider Agito

Kamen Rider Kuuga (Japanese: 仮面ライダークウガ, Hepburn: Kamen Raidā Kūga, stylized in English as Masked Rider Kuuga) is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It is the tenth installment of the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu shows and the first of the series to air entirely in the Heisei period. It was a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and was shown on TV Asahi from January 30, 2000 to January 21, 2001, replacing Moero!! Robocon in its timeslot. Kamen Rider Kuuga is the first Kamen Rider Series to be broadcast in widescreen presented in a letterbox format.

Story

Long ago, the Gurongi Tribe terrorized the Linto (リント, Rinto) until a warrior named Kuuga appeared and defeated the Gurongi, sealing their leader within a cave. In present day, a multi-talented man named Yusuke Godai finds himself linked to the mysterious stoned belt that was found within the excavated cave as the Gurongi are resurrected and resume their murderous game on the descendants of the Linto, humanity itself. It is up to Yusuke, along with the assembled Science Police, to use the various powers of Kuuga in order to stop and defeat the Gurongi Tribesmen from their continuous killing and ensure the happiness and safety of others. However, as endgame draws near, Yusuke learns that there is a horrible revelation behind Kuuga and the Gurongis' leader.

Characters

The Gurongi

The Gurongi Tribe (グロンギ族, Gurongi Zoku) is a mysterious ancient civilization that can transform into monsters to kill people for their ruthless game, referred to in their language as the "Gegeru".

In the series, the Gurongi speak in their own Native language (originally created by the producers as a cipher of Japanese language) which was left purposely unsubtitled during the original broadcast in order to prevent the audience from learning the series' mysteries and plot twists (as it was referred by them in the early episodes).

Episodes

The title of each episode was written with only two Kanji.

  1. Revival (復活, Fukkatsu, 1/30/2000)
  2. Transformation (変身, Henshin, 2/6/2000)
  3. Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō, 2/13/2000)
  4. Sprint (疾走, Shissō, 2/20/2000)
  5. Distance (距離, Kyori, 2/27/2000)
  6. Azure Dragon (青龍, Seiryū, 3/5/2000)
  7. Grief (傷心, Shōshin, 3/12/2000)
  8. Archer (射手, Shashu, 3/19/2000)
  9. Siblings (兄妹, Kyōdai, 3/26/2000)
  10. Fierceness (熾烈, Shiretsu, 4/2/2000)
  11. Promise (約束, Yakusoku, 4/9/2000)
  12. Teacher (恩師, Onshi, 4/16/2000)
  13. Suspicion (不審, Fushin, 4/23/2000)
  14. Omen (前兆, Zenchō, 4/30/2000)
  15. Armor (装甲, Sōkō, 5/7/2000)
  16. Creed (信条, Shinjō, 5/14/2000)
  17. Preparation (臨戦, Rinsen, 5/21/2000)
  18. Loss (喪失, Sōshitsu, 5/28/2000)
  19. Artifact (霊石, Reiseki, 6/4/2000)
  20. Smile (笑顔, Egao, 6/11/2000)
  21. Secrets (暗躍, An'yaku, 6/25/2000)
  22. Game (遊戯, Yūgi, 7/2/2000)
  23. Uneasiness (不安, Fuan, 7/9/2000)
  24. Strengthening (強化, Kyōka, 7/16/2000)
  25. Wandering (彷徨, Hōkō, 7/23/2000)
  26. Myself (自分, Jibun, 7/30/2000)
  27. Ripple (波紋, Hamon, 8/6/2000)
  28. Clarification (解明, Kaimei, 8/13/2000)
  29. Crossroads (岐路, Kiro, 8/20/2000)
  30. Fate (運命, Unmei, 8/27/2000)
  31. Retaliation (応戦, Ōsen, 9/3/2000)
  32. Obstacle (障害, Shōgai, 9/10/2000)
  33. Cooperation (連携, Renkei, 9/17/2000)
  34. Tremble (戦慄, Senritsu, 10/1/2000)
  35. Emotion (愛憎, Aizō, 10/8/2000)
  36. Complication (錯綜, Sakusō, 10/15/2000)
  37. Approach (接近, Sekkin, 10/22/2000)
  38. Transition (変転, Henten, 10/29/2000)
  39. Gooma (強魔, Gōma, 11/12/2000)
  40. Impulse (衝動, Shōdō, 11/19/2000)
  41. Control (抑制, Yokusei, 11/26/2000)
  42. Battlefield (戦場, Senjō, 12/3/2000)
  43. Reality (現実, Genjitsu, 12/10/2000)
  44. Crisis (危機, Kiki, 12/17/2000)
  45. Archenemy (強敵, Kyōteki, 12/24/2000)
  46. Indomitable (不屈, Fukutsu, 12/31/2000)
  47. Decision (決意, Ketsui, 1/7/2001)
  48. Kuuga (空我, Kūga, 1/14/2001)
  49. Yusuke (雄介, Yūsuke, 1/21/2001)

Specials

Kamen Rider Kuuga vs. the Strong Monster Go-Jiino-Da

In the Super Secret Video (超ひみつビデオ, Chō Himitsu Bideo) Kamen Rider Kuuga vs. the Strong Monster Go-Jiino-Da (仮面ライダークウガVS剛力怪人ゴ・ジイノ・ダ, Kamen Raidā Kūga Bui Esu Gōriki Kaijin Go Jiino Da), Yusuke reads through newspaper clippings of his actions as Kuuga before he is called upon to fight a new Gurongi called Go-Jiino-Da. The video also previews his Rising Mighty Form.

S.I.C. Hero Saga

Kuuga had two S.I.C. Hero Saga stories published in Monthly Hobby Japan magazine. The first titled Masked Rider Kuuga: Odyssey (MASKED RIDER KUUGA -オデッセイ-, Kamen Raidā Kūga -Odessei-) written by series producer Shigenori Takatera expands upon the mythology of Kuuga featuring original characters Riku (リク), the previous Kuuga chosen by the Linto, and the original N-Daguva-Zeba (Incomplete) (ン・ダグバ・ゼバ(不完全体), N Daguba Zeba (Fukanzentai)). The second story Masked Rider Kuuga: Dark Side (MASKED RIDER KUUGA -DARK SIDE-, Kamen Raidā Kūga: Dāku Saido) continues the expansion of the series mythology. Odyssey ran from February to May 2002. Dark Side ran in a separate special issue titles Hobby Japan Mook S.I.C. Official Diorama Story S.I.C. Hero Saga vol.2.

Odyssey chapter titles
  1. Linto (リント, Rinto)
  2. Gurongi (グロンギ, Gurongi)
  3. Gouram (ゴウラム, Gōramu)
  4. Daguva (ダグバ, Daguba)

Novel

Kamen Rider Kuuga (仮面ライダークウガ, Kamen Raidā Kūga), written by Naruhisa Arakawa, is part of a series of spin-off novel adaptions of the Heisei Era Kamen Riders. The story takes place 12 years after the series, where Yusuke Godai defeated the Gurongi as Kamen Rider Kuuga. Ichijo is still trying to research the remains of the Gurongi Tribe until rumors of a mysterious "white warrior" (白い戦士, shiroi senshi) surfaces the internet, which reminds Ichijo of Godai. The novel was originally planned to be released on November 30, 2012, however it was delayed until June 2013.

Cast

Songs

Opening theme
Ending theme

See also

References

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