Kurata Akihiro

Kurata Akihiro is one of the main antagonists of Digimon Savers.

=Profile= Kurata Akihiro is a notorious professor and one of the main antagonists in Digimon Savers (arguably the main one as he can be considered responsible for the events even after his disappearance). He was one of the people who went on the exploration to the Digital World, along with Satsuma Rentarou and Daimon Suguru. Although a genius, he's extremely bitter and cowardly, seeing Digimon as a menace and seeks to destroy them mercilessly. Throughout the series, he uses several English phrases such as "It's Showtime!" amongst others.

=Appearances=

He first appeared in person near the end of Digimon Savers - Episode 21, activating a large Digital Gate overhead the city in order to stop the Digimon Army sent by Saber Leomon.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 24, it's revealed that Kurata, who was a member of the Digital World Exploration Party, while in the Digital World searching for Ikuto, Kurata tried shooting at Lynxmon due to his overreaction and Ikkakumon, a fact that he was chastised for by Suguru Daimon (who was his superior). When reffering to his past professional relationship with Suguru and their interactions in the Digital World, he often uses a spiteful and/or contemptous tone as well as when generally speaking of him and/or Masaru. The group was attacked at Infinite Ice Palace by Saber Leomon, who chased them to an area there. Frightened, Kurata used a space-time oscillation bomb to create a Digital Gate through which he escaped; as did the rest of the team use it to return to the Human World while Suguru held Saber Leomon and Mercurimon off.

His experiences in the Digital World had left a crucial effect on Kurata on his future actions - he envisioned Digimon being a menace and threat to humanity. So, while Suguru Daimon was on his quest in search for Yggdrasil, Kurata worked to invade the Digital World, resulting in the creation of his own artificial Digimon, Gizmon. Yukidarumon was killed as a result of the Gizmons' action. However, Mercurimon later intervened, believing Suguru and the humans had betrayed him after their long negotiation. Afraid of Mercurimon's stature and power, he manages to avoid annihilation using a space-time oscillation bomb to escape back to the Human world.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 22, Kurata revealed himself to the members of DATS at their HQ, attempting to pass himself off as an ally. When Saber Leomon came to the Human World, Kurata used one of his Gizmon: AT to weaken him and after his defeat, his DigiTama was permanently deleted. After this, Kurata went with Masaru and the others to the Digital World at Infinite Ice Palace to negotiate matters with Mercurimon. Mercurimon was the one who revealed that Kurata was the one responsible for the Digimon massacre years ago. He secretly uses Gizmon: AT to fire a laser directly through Mercurimon's chest, which left him fatally wounded.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 25, The group fought back against Kurata, in order to defeat Masaru and the others, he secretly had possession of a Digivice-like device and used a Pseudo-DigiSoul on Gizmon AT enabling it to evolve to Gizmon: XT. With Mercurimon's last ounces of strength, he managed to inflict damage on Gizmon: XT, but it retaliated and caused Mecurimon to be permanently deleted even faster. Yatagaramon eliminated Gizmon: XT, by Ikuto's response to Kurata's action. Kurata escaped yet again, revealing that he had kept a Belphemon Sleep Mode in his laboratory.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 26, Masaru and the others returned to the Human World, Kurata tricked Chief Hashiba that Masaru and the other members of DATS were traitors. Through this, he had most of the group's memories erased, and had Ikuto, Satsuma, and all other members of the DATS branch were put under statutory arrest. However, thanks to their partners, Masaru, Thoma H. Norstein and Fujieda Yoshino regained their memories, just as Kurata sent a Gizmon AT to attack them.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 27, Kurata blew up the DATS HQ building, and whilst riding a Gizmon: XT, he used a space-time oscillation bomb and escaped to the Digital World via the Digital Gate. In answer to Masaru and the others' pursued efforts in attempt to stop his plans, he sent his henchmen, Kouki, Nanami and Ivan to deal with them. It is revealed in Digimon Savers - Episode 28 that he is collecting Digimon Life Energy, an essential component which makes up a Digimon. He has modified the Gizmon: XT so that the laser is integrated as a rifle attached to it to destroy Digimon and collect Digimon Life Energy.

After tracking down Masaru and the others' whereabouts in Episode 30 at the Holy Capital/El Doradimon, he decides to plan an invasion. Concurrently, in Digimon Savers - Episode 30, Kurata gave his henchmen Bio Hybrid upgrades in order to defeat Masaru. It is also revealed why Kouki, Nanami and Ivan are able to transform into Digimon - he somehow managed to infuse Digimon data with human DNA, giving them their superhuman abilities. Also, it is shown that his is using the Digimon Life Energy to revive Belphemon Sleep Mode.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 32, he planted space-time oscillation bombs near the Holy Capital and detonated them with a device he had at a base nearby, that brought El Doradimon to the Human World. In Digimon Savers - Episode 33, the government pledges full support to Kurata in order to get rid of the potential threat, El Doradimon. He commences the DHS (Digital Hazard System) to immobilize El Doradimon. He then has a massive missile, supported by choppers, raised over El Doradimon and released a large group of Gizmon: XT; these attached themselves to the missile, henceforth becoming the Gizmon Javelin. Synchronizing their laser beams, they destroyed El Doradimon and absorbed its Life Energy.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 34 and Digimon Savers - Episode 35, Kurata persuades Thoma's father Franz to join forces with him, promising that he will cure his ill daughter, Relena Norstein (It was later known that Relena had a bomb attached to her neck, leaving Thoma no choice but to side with Kurata). He later revealed to Thoma the Digimon, Belphemon Sleep Mode and how he found his DigiTama and was using the Life energy to revive him. He plans to use the Demon Lord not only to subjugate the other Digimon and the Digital World, but for his bid for dominating the real world too.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 36, When Belphemon is revived, he asks Thoma to produce a device to maintain full control of Belphemon. When Chief Hashiba discovers about what Kurata's intentions are, he uses military force to cease his further action, which undoubtedly lead to failure. Thoma destroys the device so that Belphemon would remain immobile and that he could no longer control it. Angered by Thoma's sudden betrayal, he enters a chamber, in which he digitizes himself and his data is projected towards Belphemon Sleep Mode's clock via a satellite dish on top of a vehicle, and merges with it, enabling it to transform into Belphemon Rage Mode.

In Digimon Savers - Episode 37 and Digimon Savers - Episode 38, While merged with Belphemon, he slowly begins to lose control. His face later appears on Belphemon's chest. While in that form, Belphemon swallows space-time oscillation bombs and fires beams and slashes through the air forming rifts in the space-time dimension. When Shine Greymon evolved to Shine Greymon Burst Mode, Belphemon was destroyed and separates from it.

He presses a trigger, which detonates a space-time oscillation bomb floating in the air, a massive explosion ensues and everything turns into a theoretical Digital Gate, as a result of significantly weakening the inter-dimensional barrier between both worlds. Kurata is completely shocked when he sees what happens, Kurata begs to be saved, saying he can still do something, but he gets caught in a secondary explosion and disappears.

Professor Kurata is an NPC and gives out certain quests to the players.