< Kamen Rider Gaim < Characters

Kamen Rider Gaim/Characters/Yggdrasil


A powerful organization in charge of Zawame City, and the one responsible for the release of Lockseeds and the Sengoku Drivers. Their inner circle (barring, ironically enough, their Overseer Takatora) are in search of a mysterious "Forbidden Fruit" in the forest of Helheim.

General Trope

  • 0% Approval Rating: Thanks to Ryoma exposing the truth to the world to spite the government, pretty much no one respects them anymore.
  • Arc Villain: In the Yggdrasil and Helheim Saga.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: As a whole, they seem to act as this towards Zawame in general. On the outside, they seem to be a famous Organization who made a better town for everyone, but in reality much of their workers and especially their higher ups are total nut cases who don't lift a finger as their civilians are being attacked by Inves.
  • Disc One Final Boss: They built themselves up to be the ultimate threats in the series, but they eventually get overshadowed completely by the Overlords and ironically, their own guinea pigs…Kaito in particular.
  • The Guards Must Be Crazy: Yggdrasil seems to be hyper-competent in pretty much everything except their security detail. The guards forget to watch the cameras, the executives never turn off or log out of computers with sensitive information, and the Kurokage Troopers fail spectacularly during critical moments: They get tricked by making a sharp turn in the halls, allowed three targets escape without a single hit on them, get beat up by a ragtag group of teen/young adult dancers, and get override by a 16-year-old boy on the vehicle they are supposed to be trained specially for…
  • Irony: The same guy who's life they ruined because of their greater power without remorse (Kaito) ends up being the one who gets to have a taste of vast power (as Lord Baron) whereas Yggdrasil now gets to be the ones who lost everything to people more powerful than them. Also doubles as Laser-Guided Karma in a sense.
  • Meaningful Name: They're named the World Tree of Norse Mythology.
  • Villain with Good Publicity: They encouraged the popularity of the Inves Game by distributing Lock Seeds, hands out Drivers to kids as part of their shady experiments, and later frames them for the outbreak of the Inves Plague. Granted, #16 hints that Yggdrasil might not be so villainous after all, as their means might be justified to save humanity. By the end however, people are aware of how evil Yggdrasil really is, even their Sengoku Drivers end up being scrapped so no one like them can use it for evil again.

Takatora Kureshima/Kamen Rider Zangetsu (Shin)

The older brother of Team Gaim's Mitsuzane Kureshima. As an heir to Yggdrasil Corp., he has already taken on responsibilities within the company and is currently the head of the Research & Development Department. Though ruthless, he loves his brother dearly.

Uses the Melon Lockseed and the Sengoku Driver to transform into Armored Rider Zangetsu. Later, he gets the new Genesis Driver and Melon Energy Lockseed to become New Generation Rider Zangetsu Shin.

  • All There in the Manual: Neither of his Rider names have been referred to in the show. He's only ever referred to as "the white Armored Rider", or just Takatora for those who know him. For added flavor, Oren calls him his "beloved melon" or "the melon prince" depending on the sub.
  • Aloof Big Brother: Is Ryugen's big brother, instead of participating in the conflict between Beat Riders, he works for that big shady company.
  • Anti-Villain->Anti-Hero: He has been shown to have standards, loves his brother, is genuinely well-intentioned, and is the only member of the inner circle that hasn't gone out of his way to be a dick in some way.
    • He is very uneasy about his decisions and wants Kouta to despair out of the belief that it would validate Takatora's own actions. He eventually develops a high opinion of Kouta, and is willing to work with him when a more idealistic alternative to his original plan presents itself. While he is willing to go to dangerous extremes, he is ultimately well-intentioned and firmly committed to saving humanity.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: Is a high ranking member of the Yggdrasil Corporation and strong enough to causally deliver a Curb Stomp Battle to Gaim.
  • Badass: Nearly killing Gaim is the least of his accomplishments to put it lightly. He's the strongest rider, leaving everyone else really far from him. Later, when he regains the mantle of Zangetsu, he challenges his younger brother Mitsuzane who is using his Genesis Driver and Energy Lockseed, and nearly won. Yes, Takatora was capable of equaling and almost defeating a stronger set of his usual armor. To put into perspective, Bravo, who before the Energy Riders was second only to Takatora in strength, was completely outmatched by the newly formed Jinba Lemon Arms Gaim, who in turn is still weaker than Marika at that point.
    • Badass Baritone: This merely accentuates his imposing and foreboding presence.
    • Badass in a Nice Suit: He's a Kiritsugu and Tokiomi Expy, what do you expect?
    • Handicapped Badass: It's revealed that he has a scar on his right shoulder, and that it still pains him to this day. Also becomes a straightforward example during his last shtick as Zangetsu, where he fights Zangetsu Shin (Micchy) with his old Sengoku Driver while his brother is using the stronger Genesis Driver.
  • Beneath the Mask: At first glance, Takatora is a stoic, arrogant man, but underneath it all he hates himself for what he plans to do but genuinely sees no other choice.
  • Big Bad: Subverted. While presented as the major enemy at first, the show reveals he's neither Big (other forces can easily manipulate him) nor Bad (he's committing what he feels are Necessary Evil acts).
  • Big Brother Instinct
  • Cain and Abel: Abel to Mitsuzane's Cain.
  • Character Development: He started off as an arrogant man who saw the Beat Riders as "street trash" but as he fought Kouta his arrogance wanes and he develops respect and sympathy for them.
  • Comes Great Responsibility: He even makes his own phrase of it called Noblesse oblige.
  • The Comically Serious: Becomes this at times, especially when interacting with Bravo.
  • Corporate Samurai: An almost literal example, since his armor as Zangetsu has a distinctly Japanese motif.
  • Curb Stomp Battle: Delivers a decent number of these in almost all of his fights. First to Kouta in #4, then all five other Riders in #11.
  • Deus Exit Machina: Being the strongest Armored Rider, he mostly stays out of the spotlight unless the situation requires it. He also sits out for much of the Overlord and Forbidden Fruit Sagas due to Ryoma betraying him and then Micchy blasting him into the water.
  • Evil Counterpart: To Kouta, big time. Both are the lead characters in their respective factions, considerably more moral than the other Riders they are surrounded with, and are noble men who hold no malice towards others. Their Rider forms are both based off of samurai and wield the Musou Saber as a sidearm, even their main Lockseeds can be seen as anthesis to one another; Orange Arms gives Kouta an extra sword (which can combine with Musou Saber) whereas Melon Arms grants Takatora a shield, which serves as a completely independent weapon, and their armor can be considered a Palette Swap to one another.
  • Foil: To both Kouta and Micchy.
    • Kouta: Takatora is The Cynic while Kouta is The Idealist. {{spoiler|Both men are ultimately well-intentioned and want to protect humanity. Takatora is willing to commit various atrocities in order to make sure that the human race is able to survive, Kouta remains steadfast in wanting to save everyone and disapproves of Yggdrasil's methods. However, the two eventually realize they are Not So Different and Takatora is eager to take a more idealistic alternative when it presents itself.
    • Mitsuzane: Takatora is originally hinted to be a Big Bad, but ultimately revealed to be a Well-Intentioned Extremist who genuinely wants to protect humanity and doesn't desire power for himself (even believing that it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak), and warmed up to Kouta because of his ideals. In contrast, Micchy becomes Drunk with Power and pulls a Face-Heel Turn, to the point he longer cares about anything except for what he personally wants. He joins forces with Redyue in her invasion of Earth even through her success would most likely bring about extinction to humanity. While initially Kouta's best friend, Mitsuzane becomes bitter and hateful when Kouta's idealism leads to repeatedly (and unintentionally) defy Micchy's schemes, and he starts trying to kill him.
  • Four Is Death: His Melon and Melon Energy Lockseeds both have the number 4 added to them.
  • Four-Philosophy Ensemble: The Realist.
  • Foreshadowing: Takatora states to Kaito that a Sengoku Driver can't stack up against a Genesis Driver. In Kaito and Ryoma's last battle with each other, running out of options, Kaito eats a Helheim Fruit and becomes an Overlord to combat Duke and defeat/kill him.
    • Also during their fight, he also does a Rider Slash against Baron as a Finishing Move. This ends up what spells his apparent end by Micchy, by using a Melon Energy Squash (also a rider slash) to strike Takatora by the helmet.
  • Good All Along
  • Happily Married: In the Soccer World, he has a sick wife, paralleling him with Roshuo and his queen.
  • Heroic BSOD/Despair Event Horizon: Happens in #28 after he realizes Ryoma has betrayed him.
  • Horrible Judge of Character: This is one of his fatal flaws. He relies on some rather Obviously Evil people, and can find no wrong in his brother. Micchy outright states that Takatora has a habit of trusting people that he really shouldn't in #23.
  • Imaginary Enemy: Micchy starts to see hallucinations of Takatora after defeating him.
  • It's All My Fault: Takatora blames himself for what Micchy has become in #36.
  • The Juggernaut: The only thing that's ever stopped him was his own moral compass. If it weren't for that, the bad guys would've won a long time ago.
  • Made of Iron: Somehow, being shoved over a cliff without a Driver or Lockseed doesn't kill him, but instead severely injures him to the point where Roshuo had to patch him up.
    • Deconstructed in #46. Although he survived Mitsuzane's attack hitting him into the water, he still received enough brain damage that may as well kill him had it not been for Kouta.
  • Man in White: As Zangetsu and Zangetsu Shin.
  • Mid-Season Upgrade: Melon Energy Arms
  • Miles to Go Before I Sleep: He would have been stuck in a coma forever and probably preferred it that way if it wasn't for Kouta asking him to help Micchy.
  • Multiform Balance: Titled "Arms".
  • Not Quite Dead: TWICE. Having survived Sid shoving him over a large cliff in #28 and Mitsuzane knocking him into a river via a Finishing Move, this guy is practically immortal!
  • The Proud Elite: Used to repeatedly refers to Beat Riders as "street trash" that's beneath him and tries to pass this attitude on to Mitsuzane.
  • Reality Ensues: Takatora might have survived his dip into the sea, but being stuck in the ocean for so long gave him brain damage that would have killed him if Kouta hadn't intervened.
  • Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Manly Man to Mitsuzane's Sensitive Guy. This is most apparent during the Forbidden Fruit Arc even after Micchy had turned evil. Hallucination!Takatora points out to Micchy how the real Takatora was a man who worked hard his entire life for Micchy and everyone else whereas Micchy is a spoiled child who can't accept growing up and things around him being different from his childhood.

Ryoma Sengoku/Kamen Rider Duke

A scientist working in the R&D Department of Yggdrasil under Takatora. He's the creator of the Sengoku and Genesis Drivers, and is studying the expansion of Helheim Forest with great interest. Although he's technically a subordinate of Takatora, he speaks to his boss in a overly-familier tone.

He later becomes a user of the next-generation Genesis Driver, using the Lemon Energy Lock Seed to transform into New Generation Rider Duke.

  • 0% Approval Rating: After he returns in #38 everyone hates him, even Kouta acts like he wants to throw him out a window.
  • Admiring the Abomination: Anyone who amuses his curiosity, human or kaijin, gets a praise from him.
  • Absent-Minded Professor: Another dark take on a otherwise comedic trope. Ryoma lives in his own nutty world of mad science, and unless reality can help him with it, he completely lacks empathy.
  • Ace Custom: His Rider powers definitely seems this way, having the strongest baseline punches and kicks out of any Rider in the series, including the Genesis Driver users. He also gave his Driver a transformation call (which is carried over to a copy he gave Kaito).
    • Confirmed in #39 and #40, where he shows off some extra tricks he's built in: He was able to project holograms of himself in the former, and can turn himself invisible in the latter.
  • Affably Evil: Sure, he only cares his own plans, but that doesn't stop him from being one the most polite characters in the show.
    • Faux Affably Evil: #20 reveals his views are exactly the same as Kaito and wants Helheim to invade. He maintains his politeness, but that revealed him as a complete villain.
  • Almighty Janitor: On the surface he's just a quirky Mad Scientist but in reality he's a crazy Social Darwinist that leads his own faction that controls all of Yggdrasil's Kamen Riders. He also has the strongest Rider Form out of any of the New Generation Riders, despite the others, including Kaito, being much more hands on with the fighting going on.
  • Always Second Best: Ryoma secretly hates Helheim because its better at making things evolve than him.
  • Ambiguous Disorder: His social skills are similar to someone with high-functioning autism.
  • Asshole Victim: In #43, thanks to Kaito/Lord Baron. Honestly, are you gonna miss him at all?
  • Awesome McCoolname: His surname translate to something like "Extreme War" and is a homonym for the era of the samurai.
  • Badass: He can single-handedly wipe the floor with an Overlord. Said Overlord was strong enough to overwhelm Kachidoki Arms.
  • Berserk Button: Not knowing something. Seeing Kachidoki Arms made him flip out. Later on, it's revealed that his button is actually seeing humanity evolve without his research or study, which Kachidoki Arms and Lord Baron show.
  • Bigger Bad: Of Yggdrasil, since he's the one who knew about Helheim first.
  • Blood Knight: When he finally gets into a straight fight, you can tell he's having the time of his life.
  • Chewing the Scenery
  • Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Minato even says he'll betray anyone for power.
  • Combat Sadomasochist: He's laughing like a schoolboy when he finally gets hurt in combat.
  • Does Not Know His Own Strength: Blames this as a result of his own inexperience in combat.
  • Evil Counterpart/Foil: To Baron and Ryugen. As a whole, all of them are immoral Riders who are obsessed with their goals in mind to the exclusion to everything else around them. With Baron, they both are European knight themed riders who are obsessed with pursuing power and want Helheim to come to invade Earth. And to Ryugen, they both are intelligent, cunning individuals who look up to a more powerful, charismatic rider before losing respect for them. In fact, Ryoma can arguably be an example of who either Kaito or Micchy can be if they completely discard their redeeming qualities.
    • However, by the endgame of the series, it's apparent that while they have their similarities; they still have things that separate them. Kaito wants absolute power as to enable himself to take over the world, and remake it into one where the weak can no longer be preyed upon by the strong, while Ryoma simply wanted power for the sake of himself. Micchy, while highly immoral and selfish, at least cared much for Mai to the point of doing anything to keep her alive, and was redeemed in the end, whereas Ryoma died as a heartless man indulged in his own fantasies and cared for no one's life.
  • Evil Is Hammy: After Ryoma becomes a more active villain his Dull Surprise is replaced with ridiculous amounts of ham.
  • Evil Is Petty: Ryoma's whole motive is that he can't handle that Helheim might be able to make humanity evolve better than he can.
  • It Amused Me: The real reason behind those Sengoku Driver voices.
  • Me's a Crowd: An holographic crowd, at that.
  • Mighty Glacier: The slowest of the New Generation Riders.
  • No Social Skills: Of the slimy Jerkass variety.
  • Pride: Ryoma honestly believes that only he can make something that truly surpasses humanity.

Sid/Kamen Rider Sigurd

An agent of Yggdrasil who masqueraded as a self-employed "Lock Dealer" and sold Lock Seeds to the kids of Zawame City. His true purpose was to observe the effects of the experimental Sengoku Drivers on their users and ensure things did not get out of hand. While a subordinate to Takatora, he is a slimy career-chaser who will gladly make back-alley deals if it secures him more power and influence in Yggdrasil.

  • The Aggressive Drug Dealer: "Aggressive" isn't quite the right word for Sid, but he looks and acts like a drug dealer and has sacrificed profit in the name of escalating the Inves Game more than once.
  • Almighty Janitor: He starts as merely a Lock Dealer, then it turns out he's a candidate for the new Genesis Drivers.
  • Anti Role Model: What he essentially is. He goes on and on about how being an adult is all about making tough decisions, but as Kouta points out, about 90% of what he says is just an excuse to be a dick.
  • Arch Enemy: The only person Kouta openly hates and shows no regret about hurting.
  • Asshole Victim: While Roshuo's method of killing him was absolutely brutal, there's little doubt a monster like Sid had it coming.
  • Badass: He's a smug slime ball, but he can back it up.
  • Big Bad Wannabe
  • Beard of Evil

Yoko Minato/Kamen Rider Marika

Originally a spy sent after Ryoma, she is now one of Yggdrasill's enforcers, following those who she views as having powerful ambitions. Has taken an interest in Kaito.

  • Action Girl: An expert martial artist and a New Generation Rider.
  • Dangerously-Short Skirt: Possibly because she's dangerous enough to hold her own in battle while wearing it.
  • Girliness Upgrade: Before she worked for Yggdrasill, she wore a more conservative outfit and had a somewhat tomboyish look. After joining, she ditches her pants for short skirts that reveal her legs thighs-down, her Rider form is pink, and she becomes completely devoted to Kaito, like a girl being obsessed with her prince or boyfriend.
  • Kick Chick
  • Magic Skirt: Despite all the acrobats, kicks, and low angles, there is no upskirt shot of her.
  • Master of Disguise: Was able to disguise herself as Kouta's sister in one episode.
  • Ms. Fanservice: She's an attractive woman wearing a miniskirt, has nice legs, and fights mainly with kicks.
  • Muscles Are Meaningless: She's has a rather thin and skinny physique, but she is a very strong fighter.
  • Pink Means Feminine: New Generation Rider Marika's color scheme is pink and she's the only female Rider in the series.
  • She's Got Legs: Made even more attractive by her skirt and habit of walking up or down stairs, not to mention all the high kicks.
  • Tomboy and Girly Girl: Tomboy to Mai's Girly Girl. She's a former spy and a major combatant, whereas Mai is an all-loving heroine who believes anyone should be given another chance.
  1. ↑ Implied, the Watermelon Arms Kouta has was originally belonged to Takatora, then gave it back to Micchy, who presumably kept it. Becomes a Lightning Bruiser via Odama (Big Ball) Mode and Gyro Mode.
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