Souji Tendou

"Obaa-san once said "There is only one name in the world that you must remember. Walking the path of Heaven... the man who will rule over all. Tendou. Souji.""

- Tendou's intro speech

Souji Tendou (天道 総司 Tendō Sōji), formerly known as Souji Kusakabe (日下部 総司 Kusakabe Sōji) is Kamen Rider Kabuto (仮面ライダーカブト Kamen Raidā Kabuto, Masked Rider Kabuto), the main protagonist of Kamen Rider Kabuto.

History
God Speed Love Timeline Souji Tendou grew up as happy boy until his parents were killed by Worms that mimicked them. He was raised by his grandmother alongside Juka. When the Shibuya Incident occurs due to a Meteorite crashing onto Earth, drying up the Earth's ocean, Tendou attempts to reach out to his biological sister, Hiyori, but is unable to save her.

Years later, Tendou grew up to be Kamen Rider Kabuto, offering his support to Neo-ZECT, an organization that deters from ZECT. Tendou would watch over Hiyori despite the latter never knowing who he was. Later, Tendou learns that Hiyori is destined to die due to the Shibuya Incident meteorite debris affecting her lungs and making her sick. Afterwards, Tendou and the remnants of Neo-ZECT attempt to stop the Ladder to Heaven project, but learn that ZECT has aligned themselves with the Worms. To this end, ZECT trick Gatack using the space station that was meant to summon a comet to allow for a huge surplus of water for Earth to summon the comet and another meteorite that is filled with dormant Worms.

Tendou would later see Hiyori off as she passes away shortly after her wedding with Arata Kagami. Together with Kagami, they go back to the space station where the Ladder to Heaven project was held to face off against Issei Kurosaki, the gold ZECT Rider. Overpowered by his Hyper Clock Up, Gatack sacrifices himself to allow Tendou to steal the Hyper Zecter. Tendou then uses the Hyper Zecter to time travel to save Kagami from dying while also teleporting the meteorite back in time seven years, pushing the meteorite to collide with the other meteorite. The force of the two meteorites pushes Tendou down back into Earth while creating a smaller impact on Earth that doesn't dry up the oceans.

Tendou, fading away, aids his past self to save Hiyori and gives him the Zecter belt years before its creation.

Main Timeline Tendou's life in the TV timeline is identical to that of the God Speed Love timeline up until the point where meteorite fragments crash down onto Shibuya. The major difference is that the meteor fragments that hit Earth do not dry up the ocean. (It is unknown if the TV timeline of Kabuto simply had a smaller meteor fall onto Earth or if it was the action of the God Speed Love's Souji Tendou changing history). His parents were still mimicked and copied and he was raised by his Grandmother alongside his step-sister Juka.

At the site, he witnesses the Worms that mimicked his parents injured and desires to kill them to avenge his real parents, but instead he realized that his biological sister, Hiyori, was born through the Worm and decides not to kill them. Later, however, the unstable rubble collapses on Tendou and the copied Kusakabe family, killing the Worms with Tendou injured, attempting to extend his hand out to Hiyori.

After the Shibuya event, Tendou grew up raising Juka, while training to become Kabuto. He meets Arata Kagami, a young man who had his wallet stolen by a mugger and tells him that he's the man who walks down the path of heaven. Tendou would become Kabuto when Kagami attempts to be Kabuto due to Tendou also having a Kabuto Zecter Belt much to the latter's surprise.

Once as Kabuto, Tendou would come to clash against ZECT, who desires to retake the Kabuto Zecter and the Kabuto Zecter Belt as Tendou himself was not part of ZECT. He would then work with ZECT temporarily under the psuedonym "Soujiro Tendouji", but later goes solo once more. He would later also ally himself with Drake from time to time, and Kagami, who had now become Gatack, and Tsurugi Kamashiro, who was Sasword. Another thing that Tendou would do is watch over Hiyori, his biological sister.

When Hiyori transforms into a Worm, her life is endangered, forcing Tendou to attempt a Rider Kick on her, but in a strange fate, he found himself comfortable "killing" Hiyori as an alternate Kabuto from the future swaps Hiyori with a Worm right before the kick lands. Tendou reveals his past to Hiyori and how they're related. His mother was pregnant when she was mimicked, so the Worm also carried an unborn Hiyori, and that his real name wasn't Souji Tendou, but rather Souji Kusakabe.

Together with Kagami, the two strive to protect Hiyori from all worms so that she can live her life in peace, however, Hiyori is attracted to Area X and disappears with the test subject of the Hyper Zecter, flinging the two to the edge of the universe.

Tendou, after gaining all of the Zecters through different means, attempts to trade them all for the Hyper Zecter, but is unable to as it is destroyed when the suitcase controlling it was rigged. However, a past version of the Hyper Zecter comes to the aid of Tendou, allowing him to Kabuto Hyper Form, granting him "Hyper Clock Up", which slows the flow of time and can also time travel, while also increasing the output of his Rider Kick.

A mysterious man called Daigo Tachikawa 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. Tachikawa 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, Tachikawa is still killed by Cochlea Worm 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 Lepotophyes Worm, 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 Cassis Worm Dimidius, only to have him evolve into a stronger form, Cassis Worm 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 Sisrya Worm. 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 Cassis Worm. 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 Cassis Worm 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 Cassis Worm 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 Scorpio Worm in battle. Preparing for the final blow using the Perfect Zecter, Tsurugi suddenly appears from Scorpio Worm telling Tendou to fulfill his promise. Understanding that Tsurugi wants to destroy all Worms, Tendou activates Maximum Hyper Typhoon, slashing through Scorpio Worm's body.

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.

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.

Afterwards, Tendou gives a powerful speech to convert the Native ZECT Troopers to his side. Then Hyper Kabuto defeats Mishima/Gryllus Worm 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.

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 the ones reaching different paths together are..." Kagami then interrupts, by finishing it with "friends", 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.

Kamen Rider Kabuto, Rider Form, appears in the final battle of the movie Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, alongside the other previous Riders rescuing Decade and facing Dai-Shocker's troops. During the large battle, Kabuto mostly fights alone, eventually defeating Longhorn Orphnoch, a Bakeneko, a Mole Imagin, a Ganikomol and a Shiomaneking while Kamen Rider 1, Kamen Rider 2, and Kamen Rider Black RX fight against Ambassador Hell in his Garagaranda form. After finishing his own battle, Kabuto helps them. Alongside Black RX, he stuns Garagaranda with a punch, allowing Rider 1 and Rider 2 to destroy Garagaranda with a Double Rider Kick. Afterwards, he joins up with the other Riders in a combined Rider Kick which destroys Dai-Shocker's castle and the alternate Shadow Moon, Nobuhiko Tsukikage. Kabuto joins up with the other Riders once more in a combined attack to destroy Dai-Shocker's ultimate weapon, the giant robot, King Dark. After the battle ends, Kabuto leaves the World of Decade alongside the other Riders.

Kamen Rider Kabuto, Rider Form, appears in initial scene of Decade's story in Movie War 2010. He searches for Decade alongside Skyrider and Kamen Rider Super-1, and fights against him after a surprise attack against Skyrider. Kabuto and Decade use Clock Up, but Decade combines that ability with invisibility, taking him out with another surprise attack. Kabuto's horn breaks and the only thing left behind is the horn and Kabuto`s Kamen Ride card, the latter picked up by Decade to complete his mission. Eventually, every world and Rider is restored, restoring Tendou.

abuto first appears alongside Faiz, summoned to the world within the Magic Stone through their Rider Rings by the alternate young Haruto, to chase down a duo of Salis Worms sent by Amadum, the evil wizard who ruled that world. The Worms having taken the Rider Ring chest along with the prime Haruto. Kabuto enters Clock Up as Faiz assumes his Axel Form and initates Start Up to quickly catch up with the two Worms who molt into the Culex Worm and Cammarus Worm and race off to meet the two Riders. Fighting at super speed, Kabuto and Faiz take their clash with the two Worms, who are joined by Musca Worm, to various points across the city before ending next to Double and Fourze as they deal with trio of Dustards. As Double and Fourze finish their battle, Kabuto destroys Culex and Cammarus with his Rider Kick as Faiz destroys the Musca Worm with his Axel Crimson Smash.

Kabuto is later summoned with all the other Riders when the 13 Rider Rings are taken by Amadum, the evil wizard who rules the world of monsters, to defeat Wizard, only to find out that they will not obey him just because he possesses their rings, and that they will always fight for freedom and not merely justice. After the Riders destroy his initial guard of monsters, Amadum tries to escape with the boy Haruto, summoning his strongest and largest monsters to deal with the Riders. However, the Riders individually pull out their various tricks to deal with the giant monsters, with Kabuto entering Clock Up and boarding the Kabuto Extender (Ex Mode). With his monsters destroyed, Amadum attempts to force the boy to wish to leave this world. The Kamen Riders attempt to stop him but to no avail, having their powers stolen by Amadum's true monstorous form when they try to fight him, with Kabuto having his Kabuto Zecter absorbed. However, the young Haruto defies Amadum after hearing the words from Wizard of turning despair into hope, summoning a new Rider to his world. This new Rider, Gaim, gives himself the Kamen Rider name after being told by Wizard that they come to help when people request it. This revelation that the Kamen Riders aren't bounded by evil turns the tables on Amadum as he is beaten back by Gaim, forcing the powers he stole to be returned to the other Riders, transforming them to their ultimate forms, with the return of the Kabuto Zecter immediately transforming Kabuto into Hyper Form. Kabuto then participates in a successive barrage of Rider Kicks from all 15 Riders against Amadum which is finished by Wizard and Gaim. After Amadum is destroyed, Kabuto stands with the other Riders watching over the young Haruto as he wakes up before returning to his world.

Kabuto was seen flying in as a falling meteor and crashed into a building in Masked Form, switches to Rider Form, then confronts Stronger, and used Clock Up to his advantage to avoid two swings and a Den Punch, then assails him at light speeds, stopping when Stronger used an Electro Fire to halt Kabuto in his tracks. Thinking he had the upper hand, Stronger goes in with a Stonger Den Kick, only for Kabuto to counter it with a Clocked Up Rider Kick, defeating Stronger, but as soon as he Clock Overs, Kabuto was ambushed by Skyrider. Too exhausted to fight, Kabuto was soon defeated by a Sky Flying Saucer while trying to counter with a downward right cross. He later reappeared with the rest of the Main Riders to fight Badan and its soldiers.

Personality
He is 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").

Tendou often spouts amazingly appropriate zen-like phrases he supposedly learned from his grandmother, prefacing them with "Grandmother said this" (お母ちゃんが言っていた Obaachan ga itteita). 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).

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.

Because of his abilities and outlook, combined with his talent of being a step ahead of those around him, Tendou comes off as rude, cocky and exceedingly arrogant. This was the primary reason for why he had no friends in the first place. However, this unlikable personality holds back the caring emotions he has for others.

His feelings for his two sisters are among the few things that can break his serious demeanor, as Hiyori is also Souji's little sister. This is sometimes shown humorously such as when Juka stated that she had someone she liked. However, deep down, Tendou actually cares for other people and helps them when in need.

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 quite mercilessly against Worms, saying that as long as they are Worms, they will be destroyed. While this may seem slightly cruel, this is pretty justifiable as the Worms killed numerous people including Tendou's parents.

Forms
The Kabuto Zecter (カブトゼクター Kabuto Zekutā) allows Souji Tendou to transform into Kamen Rider Kabuto. As with all of the Zecters, Kabuto has two basic forms that he can transform into.

Kabuto's Masked Form (マスクドフォーム Masukudo Fōmu) is a heavily armored form resembling a pupa with low offensive capabilities. This is the default form that Kabuto transforms into, until he flips the "horn" on the Kabuto Zecter (カブトゼクター Kabuto Zekutā), like a switch, to initiate the Cast Off (キャストオフ Kyasuto Ofu) command. This primes the armor to "Cast Off," when fully activated, sends the armor flying off his form, destroying all lower Worms that get hit with the armor. Kabuto then immediately takes on the sleek Rider Form. Kabuto's Rider Form (ライダーフォーム Raidā Fōmu) is the sleeker and more offensive-based form which resembles more of a Japanese rhinoceros beetle which Kabuto is named and themed after. In this form, Kabuto has access to the Clock Up (クロックアップ Kurokku Appu) command, enabling Kabuto to travel at near-light speeds to match the speeds of the Worms. By pressing the three buttons on the belt in succession, Kabuto can perform his tachyon-powered Rider Kick (ライダーキック Raidā Kikku). Kabuto Rider Form has three variations of Rider Kick: a normal 180 degree roundhouse kick, a counter kick (360 degree roundhouse kick, which is used to surprise opponents who attempt to attack him from behind), and a flying side kick. Kabuto is the only Rider from Kamen Rider Kabuto that can achieve Hyper Form (ハイパーフォーム Haipā Fōmu), an even stronger version of Rider Form. While Kamen Rider Caucasus stole the Hyper Zecter, he was unable to access a Hyper Form. Accessed through the Hyper Zecter (ハイパーゼクター Haipā Zekutā), a futuristic Zecter made by ZECT, it initiates the Hyper Cast Off (ハイパーキャストオフ Haipā Kyasuto Ofu) command, unleashing its full power. It also has access to Hyper Clock Up (ハイパークロックアップ Haipā Kurokku Appu), a version of Clock Up, able to even time travel due to its faster-than-light speed properties.
 * -|Masked Form= Masked Form
 * Rider Height: 190cmKamen_Rider_Kabuto_Masked_Form.jpg
 * Rider Weight: 132kg
 * Ability Perimeters
 * Punching Power: 8 tons
 * Kicking Power: 10 tons
 * Max Jump Height: 20m
 * Maximum Running Speed: 100m/8.9s
 * -|Rider Form= Rider Form
 * Rider Height: 195cm
 * Rider Weight: 95kg
 * Ability Perimeters
 * Punching Power: 3 tons
 * Kicking Power: 7 tons/19 tons (Rider Kick)ThNMINQ3GY.jpg
 * Max Jump Height: 37m
 * Maximum Running Speed: 100m/5.8s
 * -|Hyper Form= Hyper Form
 * Rider Height: 198cm
 * Rider Weight: 102kg
 * Ability PerimetersKrk-KabutoHF.jpg
 * Punching Power: 10 tons
 * Kicking Power: 15 tons
 * Maximum Jump Height: 50m
 * Maximum running speed: 100m/4.2s

Trivia
This would make Kabuto the second Rider designed based on rhinoceros beetle, the first was being Stronger.
 * ts design is based on a "Kabutomushi", other wise known as the Japanese rhinoceros beetle.