Yusuke Godai (五代 雄介, Godai Yūsuke?, portrayed by Joe Odagiri) is a young, happy-go-lucky, multi-talented man said to possess 1999 (later 2000) different abilities. He is an honest person that fights to protect everyone's smile. He and his younger sister, Minori, lost their mother while they were both young and later their father in Afghanistan when they were older and living with their father's friend Tamasaburo Kazari. Yusuke's trademark, along with his positive-thinking ideology, is to always give a thumbs up (the Roman sign to convey that everything is alright) to everybody around him.
On the day he returns to Japan from Indonesia at the airport, Yusuke's life changes as he returns with a mask for Sakurako Sawatari, who assisted in Professor Natsume's archaeological finding of the Linto (リント, Rinto?) Tribe and a mummified corpse. The finding creates a disruption, unsealing a strange monster that attacks the archaeologists. Receiving a distress call from them, Yusuke makes his way to the excavation site, seeing the light that marks the rebirth of the Gurongi Tribe. By the time he arrives at the scene at daybreak, he finds the police investigating the area and meets detective Kaoru Ichijo and finds a strange belt tied to the visions he's been seeing. He later meets Ichijo as he and Sakurako are brought to police station to learn the archaeologists were all slaughtered by the mysterious monster, later referred to as "Unidentified Life Form #0", before being given the belt, the Arcle, to translate the markings on it.
However, as they leave, the two encounter the Gurongi Zu-Gumun-Ba attacking the station. Upon being revived, Yusuke puts on the Arcle to fight him, resulting with the belt fusing onto him as he assumes Kuuga's Growing Form and saves Ichijo from the Gurongi, the detective recognizing Yusuke. Following the fight and Yusuke taking an 11 hour rest, Sakurako suggests they return to Tokyo as Ichijo visits, telling him not to meddle in police affairs and to go to Tokyo to see Shuichi Tsubaki. Later that night, Yusuke goes against Ichijo's wishes to help fight Zu-Gooma-Gu, only to be beaten by the stronger monster and later get chewed up by Ichijo. But after seeing the daughter of the late Professor Natsume cry over her father's death, Yusuke's resolve to fight for the sake to keep people from suffering allow him to assume Mighty Form, taking name of "Kuuga" as he saves Ichijo from Gooma and destroys Gumun. Starting with inspector Kaoru Ichijo, Yusuke eventually gains the trust of the police force by receiving the TryChaser 2000 from Ichijo. While brought to doctor Shuichi Tsubaki for a confidential check-up, Yusuke learns that the Arcle's fusion onto him is more complex is it had spread into his muscular and nervous systems.
During his first battle with Zu-Baduu-Ba, Kuuga assumes Dragon Form and eventually masters it with Sakurako's aid to kill Baduu. Then while fighting Me-Badjisu-Ba, Kuuga assumes Pegasus Form but was overwhelmed by his enhanced senses as Badjisu escapes, vowing revenge on Kuuga. Unable to change, Yusuke decides to help Ichijo by finding Mika Natsume, who is on the verge of being suicidal when her father's murderer was not yet caught. After talking Mika into letting things resolve themselves over time, Badjisu attacks and Yusuke is able to effectively use Pegasus Form's power to kill the Gurongi sniper. While dealing with Me-Giiga-Gi, and Minori's apprehensive feelings for being Kuuga, Yusuke is able to become Titan Form to defeat Giiga after convincing Minori that it all be right.
Upon on the way on reuniting with his old teacher Shoji Kanzaki, Yusuke must ask Sakurako to go in his place, as he has to deal with the rampaging Zu-Zain-Da. During the fight Kuuga is overwhelmed by the Gurongi's incredible raw power and even his Mighty Kick is useless. Yusuke however, is able to perfect his Mighty Kick in the next encounter, destroying the Gurongi and fulfilling his promise to Kanzaki. Yusuke later meets Junichi Chono, a young man who lost his faith in humanity and thought he could relate more to the Unidentified Life Forms. However, his encounter with Me-Biran-Gi said otherwise when Kuuga saves the boy before killing the Gurongi. During the fight however, Yusuke felt the reawakening of the Gouram as it was excavated and whirled to life to make its way towards him, providing its power for him to counter Me-Gyarido-Gi.
Later, when poisoned by Me-Ginoga-De, Yusuke manages to survive the near death experience due to the Amadam countering the poison when induced with shock therapy, allowing him to arrive to the police's aid to destroy Ginoga and later his clone. Following that, Yusuke begins to felt a numbing pain during his next few battles as Kuuga against stronger Gurongi, learning that it may be tied to a greater power that may be needed as he believes that stronger Gurongi will eventually appears. After training to bring out the "golden power" with Enokida's help, Yusuke's battle against Me-Garima-Ba leads to an upgraded version of Kuuga's Titan Form, Rising Titan Form.
The next two fights allow Yusuke to become bring Rising Pegasus Form and Rising Dragon Form while learning that the Arcle had fused further into his body. After healing from being wounded by Go-Gamego-Re, Yusuke meets Chono as he took up being an artist since their last encounter before he finds the Gurongi and kills him once achieving Rising Mighty Form, accidentally causing mass devastation in the process. Due of the incident, the BeatChaser 2000 would not to be given to Kuuga as the Go-Badaa-Ba finally begins to play, saving Kuuga as his final victim. While Ichijo convinces his fellow officers, Yusuke is aided by Sugita in tracking down Badaa until Ichijo arrives with the BeatChaser which allows Kuuga to destroy Badaa. However, the incident with the sadistic Go-Jaraji-Da, influences Yusuke's behavior for the worse, causing him to subconsciously assume Kuuga's Ultimate Form while killing the Gurongi in a brutal rage.
Later, Yusuke goes to Enokida when she wants to investigate the reason on how he can turn everyday objects into weapons like the Go Gurongi before going after Go-Zazaru-Ba. When she went up against an evolving Gooma, she was worried that two Gurongi fighting each other was a very bad omen. This is made worse when Yusuke learns the "Kuuga" character is not of Linto origin, but is actually an incomplete Gurongi character and may be tied to Number 0, later revealed as the Gurongi lord N-Daguva-Zeba when he arrived to slaughter Gooma before making his way to Tokyo for end-game. Yusuke's fears of their relation were confirmed as Sakurako fully translates the Linto text and the Gurongi characters on it, revealing his mental well-being during the incident with Jaraji while also coming to the understanding that he'll be alright as long as he doesn't fight out of hate. After learning from Enokida that the Gurongi may also share Kuuga's ability to change form, Yusuke leaves when Go-Jaaza-Gi makes her move. During a flawed attempt to get her, Kuuga senses Daguva and gets hurt while his guard was down before he finally kills Jaaza in the next confrontation. After a post-discussion of the recent Gurongi/Kuuga connections after the death of Go-Baberu-Da, Yusuke makes his way to the 12th Arikawa Group Flute Competition, having a brush in with Daguva before arriving to the Arikawa Group building after a hostage situation is resolved with Mika traumatized by the incident. As he escorts Mika to her train for home, Yusuke tells her not to run away even if things get scary.
During the battle with the last of the Go Gurongi, Go-Gadoru-Ba, Kuuga is overwhelmed by the Gurongi's ability to assume forms similar to his own. Severely wounded as a result, Yusuke is brought to the hospital where after a question of ethics, Tsubaki agrees to induce an electro-therapy charge after his heart gave out. By the time he leaves the hospital, Yusuke arrives to the stadium where Gadoru is fighting Ra-Dorudo-Gu. However in the ensuing rematch, Kuuga assumes the dark-armored Kuuga Amazing Mighty Form to kill Gadoru. With all the Gurongi warriors dead, Daguva finally reveals himself, overpowering Kuuga's Amazing Mighty Form and cracking the Amadam while killing numerous people before taking his leave, sparing Kuuga so he can get even stronger.
Knowing that he has no choice but to break his word and assume that form, Yusuke visits to his friends one-by-one, knowing that he may not come back, with Sakurako realizing his intentions as Daguva finally makes his move, telling Yusuke to meet him at Mount Kuro. With Ichijo joining him, Yusuke tells him to shoot him in the Arcle should he go berserk and becoming the entity that bring ultimate darkness, though the officer is reluctant to do that. Ichijo also apologizes to Yusuke for dragging him all this far, though he only wants an adventure, but Yusuke doesn't think of this as a burden because it allowed him to meet and befriend Ichijo.
Once assuming Ultimate Form, powered by his gentle nature rather than hatred, Kuuga battles Daguva to the point of exhaustion, continuing to battle even when both revert to human form and nearly gets himself killed. However, despite both coming out of the fight badly wounded, Daguva dies from his wounds while Yusuke survives. Three months after the final battle, Yusuke had begun a new adventure to travel the world, starting at a Cuban beach where he helps some kids before walking off, continuing his adventure.
Read more about this topic: Kamen Rider Kuuga (character)