History Series / KamenRiderGaim

** DropTheHammer: Donguri Arms' Donkachi.

** CoolGuns: Budou Arms' Budou Ryuhou.

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Oh my.... [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 The Spy]] and [[Franchise/MetalGear Revolver]] [[Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFoxhound Ocelot]] would find themselves quite at home with all of the betrayal going on. [[EvenEvilHasStandards Then again, maybe not.]]

* ''Kamen Rider Gaim Hyper Battle DVD: Fresh Orange Arms is Born!'', a [[invoked]]BonusEpisode distributed with ''Televi-kun'' magazine.

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil / LateArrivalSpoiler: Notice that most of the marketing (including the banner used as the page image here) either downplays or ignores [[spoiler:Kamen Rider Kurokage]]. Not surprisingly, he is the first Armored Rider to be [[spoiler:stripped of his powers and then killed]].

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[TagLine The Warring Era of Kamen Riders! How would you use your power?]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[TagLine The Warring Era of Kamen Riders!]]]]

** Hilariously, in the Hyper Battle DVD, this was unintentional: Using the powers of [[PowerWalk fashion]], [[DeathOfAThousandCuts janitorial agility]] and kitchen knifework, Kouta beat Ryugen, Zangetsu and Baron respectively with his pathetic [[PowerUpLetdown Fresh]] [[HeroicRROD Orange Arms]].

* MundaneMadeAwesome: When Gaim's orange arms become "Fresh", he assumes that he's even more powerful. [[PowerUpLetdown Assumes]]. His only way of beating the other Riders is to use skills you'd never expect to use in battle: He beats Ryugen using fashion show PowerWalk skills to slam away the Pine Iron, [[DeathOfAThousandCuts barrages]] Zangetsu with janitor skills and aiming for the legs, and beats Baron using knife skills Baron taught him himself. [[BizarroEpisode No.]] [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer Really]].

** Had Urobuchi remove all of its lighthearted moments, ''Gaim'' becomes a full-blown {{Tragedy}} to the point of being the darkest and goriest Rider show in the franchise's history, surpassing ''[[Series/KamenRider555 555]]'', ''[[Series/KamenRiderRyuki Ryuki]]'', ''[[Series/KamenRiderKuuga Kuuga]]'', and ''[[Series/KamenRiderBlack Black]]'' in the process.

** To give you an idea of just ''how'' dark this series managed to get, prior to this series airing, the darkest live-action entry was ''Film/ShinKamenRiderPrologue'', which featured rampant BodyHorror, the rider's powers being the result of genetic alteration as opposed to being a cyborg or using other powers, had an AntiHero rider as the lead, and [[spoiler:aside from the main character, [[EverybodyDiesEnding the only named character to survive was Shin's gym buddy]]]]. After this series aired, Shotaro Ishinomori's manga works and Creator/HideakiAnno's remake ''Film/{{Shin Kamen Rider|2023}}'' were the only things darker, and the two reboot series able to out-trump ''Gaim'' as the darkest entries in the entire franchise are none other than the explicitly adult-oriented ''[[Series/KamenRiderAmazons Amazons]]'' and ''[[Series/KamenRiderBlackSun BLACK SUN]]''.

[[header:[[center:[-'''''Franchise/KamenRider'' -- Phase 2 Heisei Era'''\\
''[[Series/KamenRiderDouble Double]]'' | ''[[Series/KamenRiderOOO OOO]]'' | ''[[Series/KamenRiderFourze Fourze]]'' | ''[[Series/KamenRiderWizard Wizard]]'' | '''Gaim''' | ''[[Series/KamenRiderDrive Drive]]'' | ''[[Series/KamenRiderGhost Ghost]]'' | ''[[Series/KamenRiderExAid Ex-Aid]]'' | ''[[Series/KamenRiderBuild Build]]'' | ''[[Series/KamenRiderZiO Zi-O]]''\\
'''[[Series/KamenRiderDecade <<< Phase 1 Heisei Era]] | [[Series/KamenRiderZeroOne Reiwa Era >>>]]'''-]]]]]

** To give you an idea of just ''how'' dark this series managed to get, prior to this series airing, the darkest live-action entry was ''Film/ShinKamenRiderPrologue'', which featured rampant BodyHorror, the rider's powers being the result of genetic alteration as opposed to being a cyborg or using other powers, had an AntiHero rider as the lead, and [[spoiler:aside from the main character, [[EverybodyDiesEnding the only named character to survive was Shin's gym buddy]]]]. After this series aired, Shotaro Ishinomori's manga works were the only things darker, and the two reboot series able to out-trump ''Gaim'' as the darkest entries in the entire franchise are none other than the explicitly adult-oriented ''[[Series/KamenRiderAmazons Amazons]]'' and ''[[Series/KamenRiderBlackSun BLACK SUN]]''.

-> "''Pluck the fruit of heaven. That the world will be dyed in your colors.''"

** Had Urobuchi remove all of its lighthearted moments, ''Gaim'' becomes a full-blown {{Tragedy}} to the point of being the darkest and goriest Rider show in the franchise's history, surpassing ''[[Series/KamenRiderFaiz Faiz]]'', ''[[Series/KamenRiderRyuki Ryuki]]'', ''[[Series/KamenRiderKuuga Kuuga]]'', and ''[[Series/KamenRiderBlack Black]]'' in the process.

** To give you an idea of just ''how'' dark this series managed to get, prior to this series airing, the darkest live-action entry was ''Film/ShinKamenRiderPrologue'', which featured rampant BodyHorror, the rider's powers being the result of genetic alteration as opposed to being a cyborg or using other powers, had an AntiHero rider as the lead, and [[spoiler:aside from the main character, [[EverybodyDiesEnding the only named character to survive was Shin's gym buddy]]]]. After this series aired, Shotaro Ishinomori's manga works were the only things darker, and the only series able to out-trump ''Gaim'' as the darkest entry in the entire franchise is none other than the explicitly adult-oriented ''[[Series/KamenRiderAmazons Amazons]]''.

** BladeOnAStick: Matsubokkuri Arms' Kagematsu.

''Kamen Rider Gaim'' is the 2013-2014 ''Franchise/KamenRider'' series; the fifteenth entry in the franchise's Heisei era and the twenty-fourth series overall. The head writer is Creator/GenUrobuchi of ''LightNovel/FateZero'', ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' and ''Anime/PsychoPass'' fame, with his fellow Creator/{{Nitroplus}} staff members contributing to the writing and designs.[[note]]Although ''Gaim'' media does not officially hold the nitro+ label, the company has acknowledged it as one of their coproductions.[[/note]]

* SurprisinglyGoodEnglish: Spoken by one of Yggdrasill's leaders in #33.

*** Rosyuo himself also deconstructs the BigBad/ BigGood trope. He ''was'' a BigBad in his former world who [[HeelRealization regrets his actions.]] In another story, he would be a prime candidate of TheAtoner/ BigGood, except there are still major problems: [[TheLostLenore He is still trying to get his wife back,]] and [[LoveMakesYouEvil will not hesitate to do anything to reclaim her.]] Also, while he's no longer a SocialDarwinist, his regime makes sure that his underlings ''are'', meaning all of them will either [[AxCrazy be too strong to be controlled effectively,]] or believe wholeheartedly in AsskickingEqualsAuthority, [[TheStarscream making them potential backstabbers always looking for an opportunity.]] This also means that despite his own preferences, if Rosyuo wants to ''[[HadToBeSharp survive]]'' [[BadBoss he'd have to keep them on a short leash.]]

** After he shows up, Demushu quickly becomes Kaito's ArchEnemy, in large part due to Kaito was the first person to actually wound him. [[spoiler:Much later in the series when Kaito becomes an Overlord himself, his new WeaponOfChoice is Demushu's sword.]]

* WeaponOfChoice: Each Lockseed grants its own unique weapon, which are known as Arms Weapons.

** Likewise, Mitsuzane is arguably a deconstruction of the Second Riders who are more friendly to their Main Rider (''especially'' [[Series/KamenRiderKabuto Gatack]], as the two characters both have a similar family connection with a mysterious corporation). Mitsuzane takes his friendship with Team Gaim ''seriously'', to the point where he [[PoisonousFriend feels he has to keep secrets from them or even outright ''lie'' to maintain their happiness and bond]]. At the same time, he assists Yggdrasill and learns about a dozen {{awful truth}}s that he keeps away from his friends, all while convinced that his actions are for the best. His overall personality, [[BitchInSheepsClothing especially when he gets desperate]], shows that just because the Second Rider is friendly doesn't mean he's out-and-out ''good''. [[spoiler:As the series progress, Mitsuzane is revealed to be very ruthless and manipulative, and [[FaceHeelTurn he develops an intense hatred for Kouta]]. This reaches a breaking point in #26, when he completely turns on his friend. After that, Mitsuzane becomes obsessed with ''killing'' Kouta.]]

** MixAndMatchWeapon: Gaim and Zangetsu's [[CoolGuns/{{Handguns}} Musou]] [[CoolSword Saber]], which they always have regardless of which Arms they equip themselves with. Typically used as a sword, its hilt also doubles as a gun. The former can [[BifurcatedWeapon combine]] his Musou Saber with some of his other weapons for extra power.

** [[CoolGuns/{{Handguns}} Cool Gun]]: Budou Arms' Budou Ryuhou.

* RefrainFromAssuming: The song for Gaim's final form isn't "Kiwami Escalation", but rather "''Ranbu'' Escalation".

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: [[UpToEleven Oh my....]] [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 The Spy]] and [[Franchise/MetalGear Revolver]] [[Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFoxhound Ocelot]] would find themselves quite at home with all of the betrayal going on. [[EvenEvilHasStandards Then again, maybe not.]]

** The ''Kamen Rider Zangetsu Gaim Gaiden'' stageplay somehow manages to take the bleakness and severe tone UpToEleven: the setting its events takes place in outright replaces the street dancing and {{Mons}} battles of ''Gaim'' with a straight-up ''[[Literature/TheHungerGames Hunger Games]]''-style death battle, where practically ''every'' named character (even the [[TheHero Kouta]] Expy) has committed at least one murder by the time the story even begins and they just accept killing as a fact of life. There's also a lot of battles between non-transformed humans wielding knives, guns, and pipes.

** Minato/Kamen Rider Marika is quite badass, but it's more impressive once Kouta starts utilizing the Energy Lockseeds (assuming that the Jimber Arms work for him like the Energy Arms work for the original users). The Peach Lockseed doesn't give the strength of Lemon or the speed of Cherry, and the super hearing it bequeaths could be used against the user. That means that Minato manages to be that tough by relying on ''her own skills'' to make up for less powerful armor, despite every sound around her being cranked UpToEleven.

* MagneticHero: Deconstructed with Kaito, who has strong personality and charisma, but [[{{Jerkass}} his]] [[ItsAllAboutMe personality]] [[SocialDarwinist traits]] makes followers starts [[{{Pun}} unfollow]] him [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal sooner,]] [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere later,]] or that [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness he just abandoned them.]] However, [[DeconReconSwitch reconstructed]] with Kouta, who has none [[JustAKid of Kaito's charisma]], but [[NiceGuy having]] [[ComesGreatResponsibility the right]] [[AllLovingHero personality]] that means that even if [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer people didn't like him at first]] for [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids whatever]] [[IrrationalHatred reasons,]] [[CharacterWitness if they known him personally]] [[RousseauWasRight and is a decent human being,]] [[UndyingLoyalty they will sway to his side.]] Yes, [[UpToEleven even]] [[NobleDemon Kaito.]]

!!These are my tropes now!

!!This is my trope now!

** To give you an idea of just ''how'' dark this series managed to get, prior to this series airing, the darkest live-action entry was ''Film/ShinKamenRiderPrologue'', which featured rampant BodyHorror, the rider's powers being the result of genetic alteration as opposed to being a cyborg or using other powers, had an AntiHero rider as the lead, and [[spoiler:aside from the main character, [[KillEmAll the only named character to survive was Shin's gym buddy]]]]. After this series aired, Shotaro Ishinomori's manga works were the only things darker, and the only series able to out-trump ''Gaim'' as the darkest entry in the entire franchise is none other than the explicitly adult-oriented ''[[Series/KamenRiderAmazons Amazons]]''.

''Kamen Rider Gaim'' is the 2013-2014 ''Franchise/KamenRider'' series; the fifteenth entry in the franchise's Heisei era and the twenty-fourth series overall. The head writer is Creator/GenUrobuchi of ''LightNovel/FateZero'', ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' and ''Anime/PsychoPass'' fame, with his fellow Creator/{{Nitroplus}} staff members contributing to the writing and designs[[note]]Although ''Gaim'' media does not officially hold the nitro+ label, the company has acknowledged it as one of their coproductions[[/note]].