Interest

Madoka Magica's Urobuchi Writes Kamen Rider Gaim

The press conference for Toei's Kamen Rider Gaim live-action television series revealed the costumes, cast, and story for the show on Thursday.

Kamen Rider Gaim takes place in a certain booming city that a large corporation controls like a "castle town" from feudal days. Bored kids in this town begin to express themselves by participating in street dance. Among these kids, there are some who use Lock Seeds in order to summon monsters called “Imbess” to fight as a game. The Imbess come from another world through a door that opens when the game begins, but due to more doors being opened in various places, the world is put in great peril. In this world, series hero Kōta Kazuraba and other rival Kamen Riders fight the Imbess with fruit-themed weapons.

Gaku Sano will play Kōta Kazuraba, a 20-year old young man who transforms into the Kamen Rider Gaim with the motif of Japanese armor and oranges. He used to be the number 2 dancer in the dance team “Team Gaim,” but left, saying that he had graduated from playing around. He found a proper job in order to not worry his elder sister, who is his only living relative. He is a kind person who often gets in trouble due to his tendency to poke his nose into other people's troubles. By coincidence, he picked up a belt, and transformed into a Kamen Rider. He always fights for the sake of others, and continues to ask himself his own reason for fighting.

Yutaka Kobayashi will play Kaito Kumon, a 20-year old man who transforms into the Kamen Rider Balon with the motif of Western armor and bananas. He is the leader of Team Balon, the rival team to Team Gaim. He was born into a poor family, and was often told by his family that the strong must exploit the weak. He considers society to be like a prison, and does not hold it in a good light. He trains himself in order to gain the power he needs to bare his fangs at society. He becomes feared by those around him, and has a strong presence as leader.

Mahiro Takasugi plays Mitsuzane Kureshima, a 16-year old young man who transforms into Kamen Rider Ryūgen with the motif of Chinese armor and grapes. Mizutsune is a member of Team Gaim, and is like a little brother to Kōta. He hides it from those around him, but he is in fact the son of the owner of the Yggdrasil Corporation, the business that controls the town they live in. He also keeps the fact that he attends an elite high school a secret from his friends. Although he was raised in a prestigious household and has security for his future, he hates walking the path that someone has set out for him. He admires those who can grasp their future with their own hands.

Yūmi Shida plays Mai Takatsukasa, a 17-year-old girl who is aiming to become a pro dancer. She is a member of Team Gaim and a childhood friend of Kōta. A determined and tough girl, she always watches after the other members of the team. She is very competitive when she is with Kōta, but in fact fell in love with him when he stood up for her when they were younger.

Yūki Kubota plays Takatora Kureshima, a 26-year old man who transforms into Kamen Rider Zangetsu. He is the elder brother of Mitsuzane, and holds an important position at the Yggdrasil Corporation. He is a cool-headed realist who will use any method to achieve his goals, but is very gentle toward his family.

Kanon, Miina, and Ren Ozawa will play three members of Team Gaim named Chucky, Rika, and Rat, respectively. Gaku Matsuda and Saku Momose will play two Team Balon members named Zack and Peko. Rika Izumi will play Rika Kazuraba, Kōta's older sister and an office lady in a company owned by Yggdrasil. Tomohisa Yuge will play Kiyojirō Bandō, the manager of the fruit parlor "Droopers," while Kazuki Namioka will play the lock dealer Shido. Tomomitsu Yamaguchi rounds out the cast as DJ Sagara, who runs a pirate radio station.

Ryūta Tasaki and Takayuki Shibasaki will be directing the show from scripts by Gen Urobuchi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero). Kamen Rider Gaim will premiere on Japanese television on October 6 at 8:00 a.m., and will air every Sunday.

Toei filed the trademark for Kamen Rider Gaimu last month. The first live-action Kamen Rider television series that launched the special effects franchise premiered in 1971, and the current series, Kamen Rider Wizard, premiered last September.

Bandai Namco Games released Kamen Rider: Battride War for the PlayStation 3 in May. The game united Kamen Riders from Toei Productions' long-running franchise into one game.

[Via 0takomu, Orends Range, Herotaku, Jefusion]

Update: Spelling from logo added. Thanks Ukiyaseed