| Benjamin | |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Male |
| Series: | Power Rider W |
| Motif: | W, Grasshopper, Cyclone, Brother, Policeman, Detective, Brain |
| Rider Type: | Protagonist Hero Anti-Hero (Formerly) |
| Homeworld: | Earth |
| First Appearance: | Episode 1 |
| Last Appearance: | War of the Riders: Masked vs. Kamen vs. Power |
| Number of Episode Appearances: | 27 (Kamen Rider W) |
| Actor: | |
| Double Rider Right Half Side (Cyclone, Luna, Heat, Fang) Cyclone Rider | |
| |
- "Beginning the lookup..."
- ―Philip's words before entering the Gaia Library[src]
Philip (フィリップ Firippu?) is the right sided-half of Double Rider. He is a mysterious young man who works as Shotaro Hidari's partner after he and Detective Narumi save him from an experiment conducted by the Sonozaki Family. Being an avatar to the true Gaia Memory, he has full access to the Gaia Library, which he often interfaces with to look up for information on Dopants, and has computational capabilities comparable to that of a supercomputer. He fights Dopants with Shotaro, projecting his mind into Shotaro's body to form the right half of Kamen Rider Double. Philip represents the mind of Double.
History[]
He is a mysterious young man who possesses the true Gaia Memory (地球の記憶 Chikyū no Kioku?). His real name is Raito Sonozaki (園咲 来人 Sonozaki Raito?), the third-born child and sole son of Ryubee, whose mind was altered by Satoshi Yamashiro under his father's wishes to have no memory of his name and family. It is also revealed to him that Raito actually died twelve years ago in a freak accident falling into a well connecting to the true Gaia Memory, but he was somehow revived as an avatar almost instantaneously. After being rescued by Shotaro and Sokichi Narumi from a mysterious organization, Philip helps investigate Dopant activity through his ability to access the Gaia Library (地球（ほし）の本棚 Hoshi no Hondana?), a collection of all of the information in the known world. However, due to having no memory of his life before being rescued and the need to keep his location secret from the people Shotaro rescued him from, he usually spends his time in the Detective Agency's secret hangar, reading about common topics that he finds interesting. He fights the Dopants with Shotaro as the mind and soul of Kamen Rider Double, providing the Gaia Memories for the right side of Double.
After being thrown into the Gaia Memory for the Gaia Impact and extracted from ClayDoll Xtreme, Philip's body became unstable to the point that should he transform into Kamen Rider Double, again, he would break up into data and completely be absorbed by the planet. Saving their final transformation to save Wakana and fight the Utopia Dopant, Jun Kazu, Philip has Shotaro promise to him that he will still fight for Fuuto even if he is gone. After Kazu is defeated, Philip bids his final farewell to Shotaro as he fades away once the transformation is ended. Before he left, Philip left Shotaro a gift containing a Lost Driver belt and the blank book he used to access the Gaia Library containing a message thanking Shotaro and asking him to continue to protect Fuuto. A few days later, after being rescued by Shotaro and Phillip, Wakana learns that Philip sacrificed his own physical existence to save her and initiates her own Gaia Impact to bring back the Xtreme Memory which slowly reconstructs Philip's physical body which took a year. After being revived, Philip has one last moment with his family who tell him that they will be watching over him. He then spent the next year, waiting for his body to restore and watched over Shotaro within the Xtreme Memory. Upon returning to physical form, he continues to protect the city of Fuuto as Kamen Rider Double.
Video Game appearances[]
Kamen Rider Travelers Record[]
Philip with Fourze, Yuki and Kengo in Kamen Rider Travelers Record.
Philip appears in the video game Kamen Rider Travelers Record.
Personality[]
At first, Philip was shown to be completely devoid of interest in human relationships, even calling himself 'a little devil'. Being extremely intelligent, he is mostly apathetic and shows interest only in common topics he finds interesting which he reads occasionally, sometimes even turning into an obsession that overwhelms him until he knows everything about that subject, often getting in the way of ongoing investigations. At times, he would even go to extremes where he would work himself out until he collapses, such as when he was reading on weight-loss, and getting himself very fat after getting obsessed with Mochi, a type of rice cake. After finding out everything there is to know about the topic at hand, he would completely lose interest in the said topic and move on to something else. Being apathetic and have little experience in interacting with people, he is seen to be a cold person who would often annoy people around him with cold hard facts presented in a completely tactless manner.
After spending time with Shotaro and Akiko, Philip's human and emotional side starts to surface and develop, and over time, he came to love Fuuto and the friends he and Shotaro made. While initially only saying it as a matter of fact, he eventually also comes to playfully tease Shotaro about being 'half-boiled', (which is by the way a truth most of the time) while still being his most trustworthy friend.
Philip maintained a close relationship with Wakana Sonozaki after helping her in the Violence Dopant case, which was further enhanced when he discovered his identity as Raito Sonozaki until Wakana was convinced to join in the Gaia Impact plan. He became devoted to bring his family out of their Gaia Memory plans so that they can be a true family again, even if it meant disappearing forever.
Abilities[]
Due to his status as the True Gaia Memory's avatar, his focus and intelligence are comparable to a super computer and he has access to the Gaia Library, which in turn means that he has access to any recorded knowledge on Earth. While this does not mean that he actually knows everything, his unparalleled ability to crunch enormous amounts of information in a very short time makes him looks as though he does know everything. While he is far more intelligent than Shotaro, his insensibilities and his status as a wanted person by the Museum means that he has to stay confined to the office and the hangar most of the time for his own safety. As such, he mostly helps Shotaro by looking for further information in the Gaia Library on any clues that his partner finds.
Being confined most of the time to the hangar doing researches, both before and after being rescued, he does not get to exercise much and as such, he is visibly physically weaker than Shotaro. The FangJoker transformation, which uses his body instead of Shotaro's, thus take a severe toll on him should he sustain the transformation for extensive periods. While he is technically capable of fighting, as seen when he is in FangJoker form, his weak body does not allow him to effectively do so outside of transformation. Despite being able to control the right side of any of Kamen Rider Double transformations, he usually yields full control to Shotaro when transformed while he acts as the battlefield tactician.
Gaia Memories[]
- Main article: Gaia Memories
The Gaia Memories (ガイアメモリ Gaia Memori?) are mysterious USB flash drives imbued with the powers of the Earth itself. Originally created with funding by the Sonozaki Family, these Gaia Memories end up in the possession of Shotaro and Philip, and can only be used through the Double Driver. Two can be inserted into the Double Driver, allowing Shotaro and Philip to transform into Kamen Rider Double. Philip's right-half Gaia Memories are called Soul Memories (ソウルメモリ Souru Memori?) determine the elemental power of Double, while Shotaro's left-half Memories called Body Memories (ボディメモリ Bodi Memori?) determine the type of attack or weaponry that Double uses.
- Cyclone Memory (サイクロンメモリ Saikuron Memori?): The Cyclone Memory, also known as the Wind Memory (風の記憶 Kaze no Kioku?), allows the user to move at fast speeds, controlling the very power of wind, becoming the Wind Warrior (風の戦士 Kaze no Senshi?). When used, half of Kamen Rider Double becomes the green Cyclonic Right Half (旋風の右半身 Senpū no Migi Hanshin?). Forms using the Cyclone Memory possess a Windy Stabilizer (ウィンディスタビライザー Windi Sutabiraizā?), a silver scarf that comes out of the shoulder blade area.
- Heat Memory (ヒートメモリ Hīto Memori?): The Heat Memory, also known as the Hot Memory (熱き記憶 Atsuki Kioku?), empowers the user with the powers of the element of fire, becoming the Blazing Warrior (炎の戦士 Honō no Senshi?). When used, half of Kamen Rider Double becomes the red Heated Right Half (熱きの右半身 Atsuki no Migi Hanshin?). First used in All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker.
- Luna Memory (ルナメモリ Runa Memori?): The Luna Memory, also known as the Illusion Memory (幻想の記憶 Gensō no Kioku?), allows the user to cast illusions, stretching limbs and bending gunshots, becoming the Mysterious Warrior (神秘の戦士 Shinpi no Senshi?). When used, half of Kamen Rider Double becomes the yellow Fantastical Right Half (幻想の右半身 Gensō no Migi Hanshin?).
Fang Memory[]
- Main article: Transforming Gaia Dinosaur Fang Memory
The Transforming Gaia Dinosaur Fang Memory (変形ガイア恐竜ファングメモリ Henkei Gaia Kyōryū Fangu Memori?), also known as the Fanged Memory (牙の記憶 Kiba no Kioku?), is a special Gaia Memory that was solely created to protect Philip by any means necessary, enabling him and Shotaro to transform into Kamen Rider Double FangJoker, although it is also capable of taking orders from Philip even if it means going against the objective of protecting him. It can change between its Live Mode (ライブモード Raibu Mōdo?), which resembles a Dromaeosaurid, and its Memory Mode (メモリモード Memori Mōdo?), the top of which resembles a horned theropod head. When used, half of Kamen Rider Double becomes the white Fanged Right Half (牙の右半身 Kiba no Migi Hanshin?), enabling Double to fight like a berserker while altering the left half to match it in being beastial in design.
Being made to protect Philip, the Fang Memory will only show up whenever he or anyone in his vicinity is in danger. Unlike the normal transformations into Kamen Rider Double, this transformation is initiated by Philip and the process causes Shotaro to fall comatose and transfer his mind until they revert back to normal. Philip could not control while being transformed initially, causing him to go berserk soon after transformation. Later with the help of Shotaro and successfully imposing his will on the Fang Memory, he manages to control his transformed state, although he still suffers the toll from extensive use.
Cyclone Rider[]
Kamen Rider Cyclone
- "Cyclone!"
- ―Transformation announcement[src]
Through the power of the Cyclone Memory and the Lost Driver, Philip uses the power of the Cyclone Memory to its full potential. When the Memory is placed into the Maximum Slot, Cyclone executes a Rider Kick Maximum Drive. Along with Kamen Rider Joker, the two can execute the Double Rider Kick Maximum Drive. Philip uses this form in the Kamen Rider W novel, "The One Who Comes After Z", during which Shotaro is put out of commission due to a cold. Shroud gives Philip a Lost Driver, which he uses to become Kamen Rider Cyclone, and this is the same Driver he gives Shotaro before the final battle with Jun Kazu. In the video game, Kamen Rider: Super Climax Heroes, Kamen Rider Cyclone also appears as part of Kamen Rider Joker's Rider Arts move, performing their Double Rider Kick.
Notes[]
- Philip was named by Sokichi Narumi after the fictional detective Philip Marlowe.
- His name is alternatively spelled as "Philippe" in the aura that is produced when he accesses the Gaia Library.
- His real name, "Raito", shares the same pronunciation as the English word "right" in Japanese, as he forms the right side of any Kamen Rider Double formation. Similarly, "Raito" can also mean "Light" as he is the only Sonozaki Family to "shine with light", and "Write" as he can be seen writing on the whiteboard in their garage from time to time.
- Philip is similar to Nero Wolfe in that he does not usually investigate or gather evidence, instead using his intellect to piece the crimes together.
- Philip's three Gaia Memories, Heat, Luna, and Cyclone, come in the colors red, yellow, and green respectively. As well as being the three colors used in traffic lights, it is also the color order of Kamen Rider OOO's Tatoba Combo, with a red Taka Head, yellow Tora Arms, and green Batta Legs.
- Philip is similar to Konoha from Kagerou Project/Mekakucity Actors as they were originally humans (Raito Sonozaki and Haruka Kokonose) whom died and revived as cyber beings without having recollections of their past lives. After their revival, they were given extraordinary abilites (Philip's access to Gaia Library to search for unlimited information and Konoha's superhuman abilities). They were also targeted by their respective show's main antagonist for the villains' grand plan to come to success.
- Ironically, whereas Konoha still has no memories of his past life as Haruka, Philip slowly starts regaining his memories as Raito throughout the course of their respective series.
- When Philip tends to eat Mochi after having obsession for it, this gives him the similarity to both Haruka and Konoha's large appetites.
See Also[]
- Philip Kamen Rider W counterpart at Kamen Rider Wiki.