The Best Episodes of Kamen Rider Season 18

In 1986, Otoya joins Yuri in tailing Jiro to investigate missing customers from Mal d’Amour, while in 2008, after leaving the hospital, Megumi invites Wataru on a date as cover while she investigates Maison Cercueil, but Nago interferes once again…

Director: Ryuta Tasaki

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

As Yuri demands to know why Jiro was chosen for IXA over her, she learns of the cost of using the still-incomplete system while in 2008, Wataru is injured after the attack by Nago, causing him to struggle with his role in the band…

Director: Kenzō Maihara

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

In 1986, Rook begins to target women getting married, and Yuri finds herself face to face with him when he shows up at a wedding she was attending. After his attack, she begs Jiro to let her use IXA, but he continues to refuse while Otoya creates a distraction and steals the IXA Knuckle. Meanwhile, in 2008, Wataru meets with Kengo once more, who is convinced that Kiva will be his inspiration for his music. But when they attempt to learn more about Kiva, Wataru finds himself out cold as his body is suddenly inhabited… by his father?!

Director: Kenzō Maihara

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

An insular, agoraphobic boy named Wataru Kurenai begins his battle against the Fangire as Kamen Rider Kiva, a battle with connections to a conflict from 22 years in the past...

Director: N/A

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

In 1986, Yuri is ordered to protect a violinist who is likely to be targeted by a Fangire and also happens to be a student of Wataru’s father Otoya. Meanwhile, in 2008, Wataru continues to try and figure out how to make a violin that will equal his father Otoya’s, as he finds himself repairing a violin damaged 22 years earlier…

Director: Ryuta Tasaki

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

As Yuri continues her investigation of Otoya in 1986, she reports back to Shima, who decides to pass on bringing Otoya into their group. In 2008, Wataru works to atone for his father’s crimes, but he discovers someone who refuses to ever forgive Otoya as she transforms into the Moth Fangire!

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

Wataru gains the assistance of a violin maker in trying to create an instrument that fits who he is while in 1986, Yuri and Otoya try to decipher the curse of a violin and a monster attacking those who possess it. In both the present and the past, talk of the IXA System leads to the appearance of another Rider on the battlefield…

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

As Wataru learns of Oomura’s promise from 22 years ago and his history with Wataru’s father, back in 1986, Otoya confronts Jiro about the monstrous transformation he witnessed but while following him and Yuri, he ends up face to face with Oomura as the men discuss the craftsmanship of their violins…

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

Wataru discovers rock music when he’s asked to help a musician with his band while in 1986, Yuri tries to position herself to become the first IXA in order to take revenge on the Fangire that took her mother.

Director: Kenzō Maihara

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

As Jiro vows to rebuild the Wolfen race, Otoya protects a woman and is severely beaten by him, but in the commotion, Jiro loses the IXA Knuckle, and Oyoya seizes the opportunity. Meanwhile, Wataru continues to help Kengo to achieve his dream while Nago struggles with his loss to Kiva…

Director: Naoki Tamura

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

After driving Jiro back, Otoya suffers from the side effects of the incomplete IXA System, but he puts on a front to deflect suspicions by Yuri. In 2008, Wataru pleads with Kengo to abandon the mysterious promoter, who he now suspects is a Fangire, but Kengo won’t listen…

Director: Naoki Tamura

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

After Otoya is knocked out during his fight with Jiro, Yuri recovers the IXA Knuckle and plans to track down the man who murdered her mother. But when she faces the man, she is swiftly knocked out as Jiro arrives and also recognizes him… as the man who slaughtered the Wolfen race. He is Rook, of the Fangire’s Checkmate Four! Meanwhile, in 2008, Wataru and Shizuka encounter Rook, who seems to be suffering from amnesia…

Director: Takao Nagaishi

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

As Wataru and Shizuka try and help Rook, who they’ve nicknamed “Biggie”, recover his memories, he begins spending time with a young woman whose bike he helped fix. Their hope is this might jog his memory. Meanwhile, Jiro proposes an alliance with Otoya to take down Rook and protect Yuri, and Otoya tenuously agrees…

Director: Takao Nagaishi

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

Otoya is tasked with helping a young girl pass an audition, being promised a date with Yuri in exchange. In 2008, Wataru meets an archer named Mami, who takes him under her wing, while Nago angrily pursues a criminal that is also the Seastar Fangire…

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Shouji Yonemura

Convincing his student that her slump is due to her not playing from the heart, Otoya gives her the confidence she needs to not only pass the audition but to realize where her heart truly lies. In 2008, Wataru loses his resolve to fight, but when he discovers that Mami has been injured by the Fangire, her pep talk about doing what his heart tells him inspires him to remember why he battles the Fangire…

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Shouji Yonemura

As the Ladybug Fangire escapes from the Otoya-possessed Wataru, it takes Kengo and Keisuke as hostages to force Megumi into a fight as IXA. As “Otoya” tries to teach her about the resolve needed to be a warrior, she refuses to listen, and time is running out for the hostages. Meanwhile, in 1986, the actual Otoya runs into a mysterious woman at a wedding while looking for Yuri, who is revealed to be the queen of the Checkmate Four, Maya…

Director: Kenzō Maihara

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

As Otoya works to help Yumi gather money, the Luxur store manager continues to attack patrons, until Shima explains what’s been going on and a trap is set to catch the Fangire. In 2008, Wataru learns the name of the awkward waitress he met before, and after running into her again, the pair hit it off as Mio asks Wataru on a date.

Director: Takao Nagaishi

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

In 1986, Ramon and Riki’s massage parlor is shut down for operating without a permit, so Jiro arranges for them to work at Mal d’Amour, leading Otoya to give Riki advice on love. Meanwhile, Maya is continuing to eliminate Fangires who have fallen in love with humans, but one Fangire named Shinji manages to escape her as he struggles with his relationship. In 2008, Megumi convinces Mio to model with her when one of the other models is ill, leading Wataru into a confrontation with the Grizzly Fangire!

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

After Jiro’s attack, Otoya is rescued by Ryoko and Shinji, who nurses him back to health, and he inadvertently repays the favor when he interrupts Maya as she’s about to eliminate Shinji. At the same time, Jiro has taken Yuri hostage and loses control, madly declaring that she’ll be his forever, but the admission she makes shocks him. In 2008, as Ryoko’s illness takes a turn for the worse, Shinji takes her to the tree they planted 22 years ago, but when Nago confronts him, he flips into a rage and attacks Mio, upsetting Wataru and unleashing a new power…

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

With Jiro’s disappearance, Yuri supports Otoya’s induction into the Wonderful Blue Sky Group as IXA’s official user. But when they plan to seek out her mother’s lost ring, Otoya finds himself suffering memory loss after a battle with Rook, when Maya, the Fangire Queen, arrives and claims to be Yuri! Meanwhile, in 2008, Wataru finds Mio has distanced herself from him after an encounter with Bishop, another member of the Checkmate Four!

Director: Shojiro Nakazawa

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

Continuing to take advantage of Otoya’s memory loss, Maya attempts to learn more about human love as Otoya searches for the lost ring. But when Yuri finds them, she may have to be the one to explain it to the Fangire Queen! In 2008, Wataru worries about Mio’s whereabouts as she hides from her duty as Queen. With Bishop demanding her obedience, she turns to Wataru for help, but gets ambushed by the Spider Fangire, who has stolen the IXA gear!

Director: Shojiro Nakazawa

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

Still in 1986, Nago tries to explain to Tanahashi that he’s from the future and trying to change history, but Tanahashi believes he’s lying. After Nago attempts to throw Otoya off by kidnapping Yuri, Maya saves him and asks about human love, and while Nago can’t explain it directly, he gives her the button from his first bounty, calling it a good luck charm. Later, when the events leading to Tanahashi’s injury begin to unfold, Nago changes the future and vanishes, but upon his return, after assisting Kiva, he discovers that Wataru holds the very button he gave Maya! But why does Wataru have it?

Director: Takao Nagaishi

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

As Yuri cleans Otoya’s house, she worries about feeling happy when Rook is still on the loose, reaffirming her desire to defeat the powerful Fangire, but Jiro has his own revenge plans and enlists the help of Otoya to plan a four-way attack with Ramon and Riki while keeping Yuri in the dark. In 2008, Wataru reconciles with Mio, but Bishop refuses to accept these circumstances while Megumi is approached by her brother, who makes a donation to the Blue Sky Group in order to force her to return home to her family.

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

Having been attacked by Rook, Yuri is nearly killed before Jiro manages to intervene, landing her in the hospital. Jiro and Otoya visit her, telling her not to rush back into action, but she rushes out, falling for their diversion as they bait Rook once more. In 2008, Wataru’s relationships are increasingly strained, with Kengo upset by Wataru’s lie about his recovery, and Mio once again rejecting Wataru due to Shizuka’s meddling. With her brother still demanding Shima relieve her, Megumi goes undercover to tail a Fangire target, and when IXA and Kiva enter battle, Nago makes a shocking discovery…

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Toshiki Inoue

In 1986, Rook enjoys his reward for beating IXA and the monsters as Yuri steals the IXA Knuckle and rushes to Rook, who steals the Knuckle and transforms into IXA! The monsters fight back, but Rook overpowers them easily as he runs wild. But when IXA overloads, Otoya and the others reveal their plan, as Yuri becomes IXA to finish off her mother’s killer. Meanwhile, in 2008, Nago discusses Wataru’s role as Kiva with Wataru, who he takes on as his pupil, further upsetting Kengo. As Bishop pushes Mio further into her role as Queen, Megumi discovers her mother’s notes on Rook and begs Nago to lend her IXA in order to exact her revenge…

Director: Hidenori Ishida

Writer: Toshiki Inoue