Kamen Rider Kuuga: Difference between revisions

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* [[Black Speech]]/[[Cypher Language]]: The Grongi language is a cipher of Japanese. While no translation was present in the original broadcast, subtitles for some of the dialogue appear on the DVD releases and Toei Channel reruns, and the entire cipher was reverse-engineered by fans.

* [[Book Ends]]: {{spoiler|Yusuke Godai, [[Friend to All Children]].}}

* [[Combining Mecha]]: Sort-of-invoked when the robotic beetle Gouram merges with either of Kuuga's bikes to form TryGouram or BeatGouram.

* [[Compilation Movie]]: A "director's cut" of the first two episodes.

* [[Friend On the Force]]: An interesting variant with Ichijo, but otherwise applies - note the number of times Kuuga needs to borrow a gun, for starters.

** And as more of the cops learn the truth, he pretty much becomes [[Friend to All Living Things|Friend To All The Force]]...

* [[Homage]]: The Go-Bada-Ba is a reference the Showa-era Riders, most likely [[Kamen Rider (TV)|the first one]]. In human form, he rides around on a motorcycle while wearing a red scarf. Rather than simply transforming into Grongi form, he performs the classic [[Kamen Rider (TV)|Rider 1]] henshin pose in order to do so (and that Grongi belt that all the Grongis have is emphasized a bit, as if it were his [[Transformation Trinket]]) while still wearing the scarf. Oh, and [[Mythology Gag|he's also a grasshopper Grongi]].

** ''[[Shinzo (Anime)|Shinzo]]'' is shown in the 19th episode.

* [[Masquerade]]: Subverted. The police try to cover up the first few incidents to prevent panic, but once they realize the scale of the problem they don't hesitate to reveal everything in the interest of public safety. From then on it becomes [[The Unmasqued World]], with frequent news reports warning people about the latest Grongi attacks and newspaper articles detailing Kuuga's various battles.

* [[Meaningful Name]]: Kuuga's name comes from the Japanese reading for "Clear-self", but it also contains Ku(空), the Japanese symbol for "Sky" or "Void" and the fifth element in Japanese Elements, or ''Godai''.

** {{spoiler|Subverted later with the last of the Go class Grongi getting multiple forms like Kuuga and Zu-Gooma-Gu.}}

** Not to mention Yuusuke/Kuuga acquiring the BeatChaser 2000 after {{spoiler|1=the TryChaser is wrecked in a battle with Go-Bada-Ba.}}

** [[Lightning Bruiser]]: '''Amazing''' {{color|goldenrod|Mighty}} Form

** [[Super Mode]]: '''Ultimate''' Form

*** {{spoiler|As mentioned above, several late-series Grongi have the ability to perform Form Changes much like Kuuga, with obvious parallels - their Fighting, Quick, Shooting, and Herculean Form correspond to Mighty, Dragon, Pegasus, and Titan Forms respectively. Go-Gadoru-Ba has a full-powered Shocker Form which parallels Rising Mighty or Amazing Mighty, while N-Daguva-Zeba has an Imperfect and a Perfect Form, paralleling Growing and Ultimate Form respectively.}}

* [[My Horse Is a Motorbike]]: The Gouram was originally armor for a horse that the original ancient Kuuga would ride. When Kuuga returned in the modern day, it adapted to work with a motorcycle instead.

* [[New Powers As the Plot Demands]]: This is ''actually'' the explanation given as to how Yuusuke unlocks some of his forms. (e.g, he doesn't unlock the agile Dragon Form until he fights a opponent who he can't reach and thinks, "I need to jump high too!")

* [[Noodle Incident]]: The cafe owner's mountaineering exploits in the Himalayas.

* [[Police Are Useless]]: [[Zig Zagging Trope|Zig-zagged]], they're doubtlessly a [[Redshirt Army]] whenever they confront a Grongi face-to-face, but are extremely competent in every other aspect of their job. They're really at their most effective when serving as Kuuga's [[Mission Control]], using their resources and deductive powers to track the Grongi's movements and warning/evacuating the citizens whenever necessary in order to minimize casualties. In the end mostly subverted when they invent bullets that ''do'' work on Grongi.

* [[Recap Episode]]: Episode 17. Episode 31.

* [[Sorting Algorithm of Evil]]: First, we see the Zu class. Then we see the Me class. After the Me, we see the Go class, who are supposed to be the strongest group of the Grongi besides [[Big Bad|their overlord]], {{spoiler|N-Daguva-Zeba}}. (Then again, there are also the Ra class, who aid in keeping score for the [[Monster of the Week]] and the Nu class, who build weapons) This is justified by the "league" system that the Grongi have: the victor of the "Zu" class games gets promoted to "Me" class, the winner of the "Me" games is promoted to "Go" class and the winner of the "Go" games fights the sole member of the "N" class for supremacy.

* [[Stealth Pun]]: The title of the first episode is "Revival"<ref>''Fukkatsu'' in Japanese, which, like the English term, can mean either a resurrection or a media revival</ref>. While there are two in-story revivals in that episode, it also indicates the beginning of the [[Revival]] of the ''[[Kamen Rider]]'' franchise.

* [[Super Senses]]: Pegasus Form. The strain it puts on Godai's nervous system necessitates its [[Hour of Power]].

* [[Super Speed]]: Dragon Form.

* [[Unstoppable Rage]]: What Ultimate Form would be if Godai entered it out of rage.

* [[Weapon of Choice]]:

** [[Simple Staff]]: Dragon Form. Rising Dragon Form gets a [[Double Weapon|two-ended]] [[Blade On a Stick]].

** [[The Gunslinger]]: Pegasus Form. Rising Pegasus gets a [[BFG]].

* [[Where It All Began]]: Kuuga battles {{spoiler|Daguva}} at the mountain where the Grongi were sealed (and revived in the first episode).