Yoko Minato is a member of Yggdrasill Corporation who uses the E.L.S. 03 Peach Energy Lockseed through the Genesis Driver to transform into Kamen Rider Marika. She is the secondary antagonist of Kamen Rider Gaim.
Personality
Yoko's a quiet soul, but she has a tendency to use excessive force, as seen by beating Kaito down when he loudly got up in a rage during his talk with Ryoma Sengoku, with Kouta soon joining him.
She also seems to be loyal to Sengoku, though it's been hinted that it's a facade. She has some kind of personal interest in Kaito, which Ryoma notes as strange, as she usually doesn't involve herself with others.
Character History
Past
Prior to the Inves Games and during the testing period to realize a functional Sengoku Driver, she was an assistant to Ryoma Sengoku and thought highly of Takatora Kureshima. However, to her confusion, Ryoma tells her to not forward the images of an higher-intellect Inves to Takatora, but to him directly, instead.
Yggdrasill Saga
When Gaim attempts to stop Ryoji after his descent to an Inves, she along with the other Yggdrasill members transform. She spectates Sigurd as he kills Ryoji. Serving as a bodyguard for Ryoma Sengoku, she easily defeats Kouta and Kaito, both trying to escape and also take back their Drivers without Ryoma realizing. During Gaim and Baron's escape from Headquarters, under the guise of Marika, she stops Sigurd's fatal shot towards the two Armored Riders.
After Mitsuzane Kureshima became the company's newest member before his first task, Minato and Ryoma were told by Sid about Mitsuzane's inner darkness, and thus reveals to be true as Sid suspected. Yoko assists Mitsuzane, with the help of the Charmant owner, Oren and the former Beat Rider Jonouchi to retrieve the Sengoku Driver from Kouta by kidnapping his sister, Akira. The plan fails when Oren reveals he'd rather use a clean way of kidnapping Akira, which also sabotages Jonouchi on switching his Donguri Lockseed with a fake one when he's about to transform and torture Akira while posing as his patissier assistant. After Bravo is beaten by Gaim in Jimber Lemon Arms, she appears to fight him. As she manages to evenly match Gaim, Mitsuzane, who transformed into Ryugen shoots Marika and telling her that he will protect Kouta.
Yoko, along with numerous Kurokage Troopers defend a Crack from Rampant Inves. However, when Gaim also joins the fight to protect Zawame City from burning to ashes, he takes the opportunity to steal Yoko's Lockseed. Yoko, powerless, watches Kouta run off to Headquarters as he is determined to stop Yggdrasill.
Helheim Saga
As Ryoma decides to kick Kaito off their team after analyzing the Over Lords' data, Yoko asked him to give Kaito one more chance. Surprised at her request, Ryoma decides to give him one more chance as he gives Yoko a Genesis Driver and the Lemon Energy Lockseed. Mitsuzane enters Ryoma's office as he didn't told Takatora about the Over Lords yet. He also told them that they could find the Overlords easily if they follow his plan. Later, Yoko delivers the Genesis Driver to Kaito before she leaves. In the Helheim forest, Yoko gave the location of the Overlords to Kaito and later as Marika, she attacks Gaim, but Ryugen blocks it as she continues fighting Gaim, following Mitsuzane's plan. Overpowered by Gaim, the Armored Rider leaves as Mitsuzane was surprised that Yoko was easily defeated. Later, an alarm is triggered, Yoko, along with Sid enters Ryoma's office as they suspect that the Over Lords made their move. As Takatora learns about the Overlords from Kouta, Yoko, Sid, and Ryoma begin their betrayal and leaves Takatora to die in the forest unprotected. However, Sid back-stabs Ryoma and Yoko as he destroys the equipment that keeps the Crack open and leaves as it starts to close. As the Over Lord Demushu enters Zawame, Ryoma ordered Yoko to capture the Over Lord. However knowing the Kouta was there, he then ordered her and the Kurokage Troopers to eliminate him. Marika arrive just in time to stop Gaim from finishing off the Over Lord as the monster mercilessly attacks them as a result having Kouta to be unconscious. Before she could eliminate Kouta, Baron stops her and retreats as he told her that Kouta could help them. As the Kurokage Troopers were badly beaten by Demushu, Marika called Ryoma that they should retreat, however he still wants to capture the Over Lord for the Forbidden Fruit. Seeing that Ryoma has become obsessed about the Forbidden Fruit, Zack and Kaito appears to aid them.
Arms
Like the Armored Riders and her fellow New Generation Riders, Kamen Rider Marika's forms are called Arms.
Pre-Arms
This form is briefly seen during Marika's transformation sequence, before the armor attaches. However, this form is completely vulnerable to any incoming attacks when shot at directly in the suit, rather than at the Arms that is descending down on the Rider.
| “ | Soda! Peach Energy Arms! (Arabian Techno music) | „ |
| ~ Transformation announcement |
Peach Energy Arms
- Height: 198 cm.
- Weight: 93 kg.
Ability Perimeters:
- Punching power: 12.1 t.
- Kicking power: 16 t.
- Maximum jump height: 27 m.
- Maximum running speed: 100 m. per 5.5 sec.
Peach Energy Armsis Marika's default peach-based armored Arabian Soldier form. Accessed through the Peach Energy Lockseed, this form's Arms Weapon is the Sonic Arrow, while the helmet Marika wears is the Momo Headpiece with the Steering Eye visor. This form debuts in episode 14.
Compared to her fellow New Generation Riders, Marika has the weakest punches and kicks. She does, however, have an advantage over them in terms of jumping height and running speed, making her the swiftest of all the New Generation Riders.
Notes
Portrayal
Yoko Minato is portrayed by Minami Tsukui, who previously portrayed Ashy in Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: Gaburincho of Music and the "grasshopper woman"/Hopper Dopant in Kamen Rider W. Tsukui also served as the suit actress for Kamen Rider Marika, with Satoshi Fujita acting as understudy.
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The first Peach Rider.
Behind the scenes
- Unlike the other Riders in Kamen Rider Gaim, Marika is not the first one with a Peach motif. The first Kamen Rider who had a peach motif is Kamen Rider Den-O's Sword Form.
- Both Riders appeared in some form in Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle, Marika appeared in an "early-bird cameo" with fellow New Generation Riders Zangetsu Shin and Duke while Den-O Sword Form appeared in the form of Kamen Rider Bujin Den-O.
- Minami Tsukui is the first female Rider actress to perform her own stunts in-suit.