Souji Tendou

Kamen Rider Kabuto is the primary protagonist of the 2006 toksatsu television series Kamen Rider Kabuto.

Souji Tendou
However, deep down, Tendou actually cares for other people and helps them when in need (in fact, in Episode 20, he punched Tsurugi for not looking before crossing the street, as that caused an accident in which Jyuka got hurt). He possesses an uncanny ability to see through the Worms disguises as well as detect if there are any nearby without the use of any devices. Tendou acts mercilessly against Worms, saying that as long as they are Worms, they will be destroyed.

It is not until episode 15, after defeating Kageyama and seeing him as unfit to be a leader, that he joins ZECT (under the comical pseudonym "Soujiro Tendouji"), even wearing a full Shadow ZECT Trooper uniform, though he quits by the end of episode 16 - his tenure with ZECT was merely a means of locating some Worms. Tendou possesses powerful strength and is stronger than any other Riders in every way, from searching for Worms to battling. Tendou's arrogant attitude and superior power usually results in great dislike from the other Riders, resulting in fighting between the Riders, although Kabuto almost always defeats them easily. During episode 23, Kabuto utilizes a partial Put-On after fighting Kamen Rider Sasword, with the end result being him as the victor.

A Hyper Kabuto from the future appeared in episode 28, and seemingly orchestrated a plan with Tendou to fake Hiyori's death, which worked quite well for all of ten minutes. Tendou later picks up Hiyori and comforts her, telling her his back-story and that they are related. His parents were mimicked and killed, and at the time his mother was pregnant. The name Tendou came from his grandmother who took him in after his real parents died, and that his real name was Souji Kusakabe.

He met his parents as Worms again on the day of the Shibuya accident. He had planned to take revenge on them but once he saw Hiyori, he changed his mind and decided to save her. Tendou discovers Kagami eavesdropping on their conversation and so he asks Kagami, which side will he stand on. Tendou wants to destroy all Worms so that Hiyori may live as herself, and Kagami eventually agrees to help Tendou as well. Hiyori however, is attracted to Area X by the sound of the man in the iron mask. The man was previously a test subject of the Hyper Zecter, but the Zecter went out of control, flinging both of them to the edge of time and space.

Tendou proceeds in collecting all the Zecters as he believes the only way to save Hiyori is to ensure that he is the only Rider. He obtains the TheBee Zecter after Kick Hopper defeated him in battle, Tsurugi trades Tendou the Sasword Zecter for cash, and Gon gives Tendou the Drake Grip. Tendou joins ZECT in order to further his quest in gaining all the Zecters and preventing Hiyori from being destroyed as he plans to destroy ZECT from within. However, Kagami disagrees and says Riders are there to fight Worms and protect humans. This ends up sparking a fight between the two in which Gatack ends up losing.

At first, Tendou wanted to trade Mishima all four of his Zecters for the Hyper Zecter, but Mishima refuses and laughs at him. Tendou eventually gains the Hyper Zecter after Renge steals it for him. Mishima had the suitcase booby trapped to destroy any evidence of the Hyper Zecter, and detonates the suitcase while it is in Ucaworm's hands. However, the Hyper Zecter reverses the flow of time and appears to Tendou. Through the use of Hyper Clock Up, although unclear of its function, Tendou saves Kagami who is seemingly destroyed by the Cammarusworm. Tendou says that he will master the Hyper Zecter and cross over time, and when that time comes, he will save Hiyori.

A mysterious man called Daigo Tachigawa tells Tendou to stop collecting the Zecters, saying that if the Riders do not fight Worms, the Natives will be in trouble. Tendou realizes that Tachigawa is a 'Native' and guards him, as Tachigawa seems to know Hiyori's whereabouts. Riku Kagami calls on Tendou and tells Tendou the story of The Red Shoes, explaining that the Zecters will drive them insane if they refuse to fight worms. Tachigawa referred to Tendou by his real name, Souji Kusakabe, the one who is chosen by Kabuto, the god of the sun who controls the light.

After Kabuto saves Daigo from a group of Worms, he experiences the 'berserk switch', almost killing Daigo in the process. The Hopper Riders arrive on scene and defeat them instead, leaving with a cruel laugh. Unfortunately, Tachigawa is still killed by Cochleaworm after trying to escape. He tells Tendou to 'find the solar eclipse' and dies. Tendou and Kagami then promise to kill each other if they were ever under the effects of the Red Shoes System again. Tendou then decided to release all the Zecters that he has obtained from the others.

Later on, Tendou is challenged by two Executive Worms to defeat a powerful Worm without the use of Hyper Clock Up, and in return the Executives would tell him the secrets of the Natives. Tendou remarked that his power always evolving and is faster than light and called upon the Perfect Zecter. Utilizing the power of all 4 Zecters, he defeated Lepotophyesworm, but was taken through an involuntary Hyper Clock Up to a place 'devoid of all time' with the solar eclipse.

After seeing a fleeting image of Hiyori with another man, he is pulled back into his dimension. Tendou is then left wondering why he still cannot control Hyper Clock Up. Back at the Bistro La Salle, Rena challenges Tendou once more in hopes of taking the Hyper Zecter, but her memory gets erased due to Tendou's Hyper Sting attack. Drake and Kabuto end up fighting each other because Daisuke doesn't believe that Rena is still evil. After Rena loses her fragment of the Shibuya Meteorite, Tendou picks it up and is taken through another Hyper Clock Up to Hiyori's dimension again. After confronting his Worm counterpart, Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto, their Rider Kick collision forces Kabuto back to the real world.

Tendou discovers the secret behind the Masked Rider System after conversing with Kagami, learning that it was created by Natives and given to humans who in turned formed ZECT. Through the use of this technology, they fight alien Worms and protect the Natives. It is also revealed that Tendou received his Kabuto Buckle from the Native who mimicked his father. They are also able to conclude that the Natives arrived on a meteorite 35 years ago to assist the humans with the Masked Rider System. Even after learning all this, Tendou's sole resolve is still to defeat all Worms so that Hiyori may be safe.

Tendou meets Reiji Nogi as well, and seemingly holds up a much better fight than Kagami until Nogi activates Freeze, defeating the power of Hyper Clock Up, forcing Tendou back into Rider form. During their second battle, Tendou learns from his mistakes and anticipates Nogi's use of Freeze. After getting knocked back, Tendou's Hyper Shooting is still active and stuns Nogi temporarily. Tendou is then able to use the Perfect Zecter's Maximum Hyper Cyclone to defeat Cassisworm Dimidius, only to have him evolve into a stronger form, Cassisworm Gladius.

Kabuto and Dark Kabuto meet again during episode 43, and this time, Tendou wants to purposely lose to Dark Kabuto so that he may somehow discover Hiyori's location. However, after realizing this plan made him seem like a coward and a small man, his fighting spirit returns and he defeats Dark Kabuto, only to be interrupted by Hiyori who transforms into Sisryaworm. She states that she is fine with living in another dimension and proceeds to defend Dark Kabuto. After Hiyori leaves, Tendou explains to Kagami that the only way for her to be happy is to let her leave with the fake Kabuto. Renge arrives with news however, that the entrance to the other world is opened when the solar eclipse occurs. Soon after, Tendou and Kagami both rush for Area Z in hopes of defeating Cassisworm. There, they see Sasword defending Misaki using his life, and Kagami tells Tendou that Hiyori is acting the same way. She doesn't want to hurt Tendou anymore and so she tries to convince herself that she doesn't want to come back. Tendou, moved by this, leaves and goes after Hiyori as a solar eclipse starts.

After chasing Hiyori back to her dimension, Tendou is able to convince her that Worms are not the evil ones, only the ones that wish to do harm are, and he will always protect her and be by her side. Tendou then talks about how Riders fight for the good of humanity, and she will always be protected. After realizing the one who really cares about her is Tendou, she leaves Dark Kabuto and returns to the human world. Kabuto then goes to find Gatack, on the brink of defeat. Coordinating a three-way Rider Kick with Kick Hopper and Gatack, they are able to neutralize Cassisworm while Hyper Kabuto finishes him off with Maximum Hyper Cyclone. After discovering that Hiyori has been injured once again, he takes her to hospital, but she seemingly hides the fact that Dark Kabuto was the one that injured her. Leaving Hiyori, Tendou, along with Riku and Mishima, meet with Negishi, possibly the leader of the Natives. He asks Tendou if he will help the Natives, and then decides to be Tendou's fan.

Soon after, massive groups of Worms begin appearing again, and Tendou goes to defeat them. Tendou attempts to recruit other Riders in an effort to fight the Worms, but when he appears before Kageyama and Yaguruma, he finds them attempting to regain their darkness and quickly leaves, thinking that they are crazy. Tendou meets Nogi once again, this time as Cassisworm Clipeus, but is unable to fight him as Nogi runs away soon after. After conversing with Kagami and Misaki back at the Bistro, Tendou learns Tsurugi is a Worm and automatically decides to defeat him. Kagami however, disagrees, saying there is still good in him.

While Kagami leaves to fight Clipeus, Tendou goes and meets Jiiya, learning of a promise that he must fulfill. Tendou meets Tsurugi after talking with Jiiya and agrees to trade all the Zecters in exchange for Kagami's life. At the last moment, the Zecters are able to escape, and Tendou engages Scorpioworm in battle. Preparing for the final blow using the Perfect Zecter, Tsurugi suddenly appears from Scorpioworm telling Tendou to fulfill his promise. Understanding that Tsurugi wants to destroy all Worms, Tendou activates Maximum Hyper Typhoon, slashing through Scorpioworm's body.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">As Riku announces that the threat of the Worms will finally come to an end to the public, ZECT begins handing out Worm identification necklaces that alert the wearer of nearby Worms. Upon learning this, Tendou begins destroying the necklaces. By destroying the necklaces, the public begins to fear and hate Kabuto. Kabuto and Dark Kabuto once again do battle, interrupting Tendou's quest to destroy the necklaces. Anticipating Dark Kabuto's attack method, Kabuto is able to defeat him by using Hyper Clock Up along with the Maximum Hyper Typhoon. Returning to destroying the necklaces, Gatack tries to persuade Kabuto to stop, but Kabuto simply tells him something is not right about the necklaces and continues destroying them until a blocked bullet from Tadakoro's gun goes stray and hits Renge. Kabuto then fires at Gatack and escapes the area, leaving an infuriated Tadakoro to care for an injured Renge.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Continuing on his mission of destroying the Worm identification necklaces, Tendou ends up rescuing Dark Kabuto from the clutches of Mishima and Negishi, who have taken over ZECT. After saving Dark Kabuto, Gatack finds Kabuto and demands to know the reason behind the destruction of the necklaces. Kabuto reveals that the necklaces are turning humans into Natives and must be destroyed. Not believing this, Gatack attacks Kabuto and defeats him with the help of the ZECT Troopers. Lying under the rubble of the battlefield, Tendou recalls his words to Hiyori of him always being by her side. As he reaches for a lone flower, the rubble from atop him falls and apparently crushes him. It is revealed that Tendou was indeed still alive after all. He uses the very same lone flower to destroy the controls, causing the meteorite that was turning humans into Natives to overload.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Afterwards, Tendou gives a powerful speech to convert the Native ZECT Troopers to his side. Then Hyper Kabuto defeats Mishima/Gryllusworm together with Gatack, escaping the first explosion as an irritated Negishi was intend to make Tendou pay for ruining everything he sought to obtain. Dark Kabuto then rushes out at the last moment, telling Tendou to protect their world as he drags Negishi back into the explosion that kills them both. Realizing the battle is over, Tendou releases the Kabuto Zecter, and Kagami soon follows suit, the two then watch the Zecters fly away to an unknown destination.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Tendou then tells Kagami to listen to what he is about to say, for he will only do so once. Tendou then goes on to say that to walk the same path is merely a test of perseverance. Tendou then says, "But reaching different paths together is..." Kagami then interrupts, calling Tendou "Friend", and asking him if his grandmother gave him this quote. Tendou smiles and states that those are his words. The two are then greeted by Tadakoro, Renge, and Misaki. Renge leaps to Tendou and gives him a hug, causing Tendou to nearly fall backwards in surprise. Tendou then resumes a normal life. During the epilogue, Tendou is shown in Paris improving his cooking skills, giving his trademark introduction to a Frenchman who recognized him and asked him if he's the famous Souji Tendou.

Personality
<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Souji Tendou (天道 総司, Tendō Sōji), the Kabuto Zecter's wearer, is a mysterious, quiet 21-year old man who often seems to follow monk-like philosophies of peace. His name literally means "Heavenly path, rules over all" and he always uses it to introduce himself ("Walking the path of Heaven, the man who will rule over everything").

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Tendou often spouts amazingly appropriate zen-like phrases he supposedly learned from his grandmother, prefacing them with "Grandmother said this". He also often does a 'point to the sky' pose, usually after he defeats a Worm or introduces himself. Tendou has no actual job and doesn't attend college because he believes that he is destined for something bigger (which is becoming Kabuto).

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Despite having many talents (from cooking to hairstyling to excelling at various sports to the extent that he can handle entire teams alone), he is usually uninterested in pursuing anything until his belt activates. He calls himself a "National Treasure" and "Universal Treasure". Tendou stays in a big home with his little sister Jyuka, loves cooking, and seems to have an interest in Kagami's co-worker, Hiyori. As a result, he is a regular customer at Bistro La Salle.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Because of his abilities and outlook, combined with his talent of being a step ahead of those around him, Tendou is somewhat rude, and exceedingly arrogant at first glance. However, this serious personality holds back the caring emotions he has for others.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">His feelings for his two sisters is among the few things that can break his serious demeanor, as Kusakabe Hiyori is also Tendou Souji's little sister. However, Souji's parents were murdered and mimicked by Natives years before the Worms arrived on Earth, and although the original Kusakabe Hiyori died with them before birth she was soon "reborn" as a Native/Worm.